The Real Genesis Creation Story
A Credible Translation and Explanation at Last–Third Edition
by
J. Gene White
The journey to writing this book began more than thirty-five years ago when I developed an interest in the evolution-creation controversy soon after graduating from college. During that time, I aligned myself with the proponents of traditional seven-day, young-Earth creation theology and accepted information found in their books, magazines, video tapes, and DVDs. Although supportive of this theology, I knew it clashed with evidence in support of an old Earth and universe.
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A series of events motivated me to begin a serious study of the origins problem. At the onset, I did not have a firm goal in mind. I had no interest, inclination, or thoughts of writing a book. The venture was simply a personal, in-depth study of Genesis. I did not have to share my results with anyone, defend myself in the public arena, or convince anyone of my conclusions. If unsatisfactory, I could simply ignore my findings, file them away, and move on. I knew traditional young-Earth creation theology conflicted with evidence in support of significant time. On the other hand, I was skeptical of alternate explanations (gap theology, day-age theology and literary interpretations) because of their conflict with a straightforward reading of the biblical text.
The process began with a comprehensive study of scientific evidence in support of significant time. Although some methods of determining age are questionable and can be rejected, others are reliable. The precise age of the universe is debatable; however, firm evidence in support of a heavens and Earth significantly older than 4,004 BC (Ussher’s date) is overwhelming. For example, the two biblical cities of Ur and Jericho have been dated older than Ussher’s widely acclaimed date.
At this point, I found myself firmly impaled on the horns of a dilemma. The plain language of Genesis 1 appeared to conflict with firm scientific evidence in support of extensive time. Furthermore, after more than two hundred years, the brightest theological minds had failed to come up with a good solution to this conflict. There appeared to be no plausible explanation, but on further reflection felt there should be one. God, as described in the Bible, is wise, intelligent, and omnipotent. Surely God knew that man’s scientific knowledge would grow to its current state, and that such knowledge would conflict with a 4004 BC creation date. Surely God was capable of inspiring Moses to write something that would not conflict with firm twenty-first century scientific evidence regarding time.
God does not falsify evidence, lie, mislead, or deceive; however, mankind is not bound by any such limitations. Humanity’s sins are capable of filling volumes. Spurious beliefs allegedly based on the Bible are quite common. I suspected the problem was with man and not God. The Hebrew text of the Old Testament we have today is the basis of the Old Testament in English Bibles. This led me to question if men had tinkered with the translation of Genesis.
In my search to understand Genesis, I read a number of Bible translations in addition to a number of commentaries and books on systematic theology. These left me with more questions, rather than less. At this point, I felt it necessary to verify translation of the Hebrew text of Genesis Chapters 1 and 2 into English. From my professional training and experience, going back to the original source is important when attempting to resolve strong conflicts between opposing parties—secondary knowledge can be unreliable. Layers of supposition, misinformation, and error must often be stripped away to arrive at the basic facts. This led me to begin studying Hebrew grammar.
I soon realized the need to examine the Hebrew text in detail and began looking for a Hebrew-English interlinear Bible. At this time, a fortuitous event occurred. Logos Research Systems of Bellingham, Washington released the Lexham Hebrew-English Interlinear Bible. The Lexham Interlinear Bible is actually a program for the personal computer. The digital format gives a clear word-for-word translation of the Hebrew text. The Lexham Interlinear Bible allows serious students to examine in detail the transformation of the Old Testament into English by skilled Hebrew scholars. Of more importance, it permits every single Hebrew word to be easily checked for translation consistency and accuracy using twenty-first century technology.
As a starting point, I cleared the creation story and all associated Bible verses off the table. I then began verifying Genesis Chapters 1 and 2 one word at a time. Each word was copied from the Hebrew text without any interpretative framework in mind; however, every word was rigorously checked to ensure its interpretation/translation was legitimately supported elsewhere in the Old Testament (comparing scripture with scripture). I made no attempt to connect verses, develop a sequential flow of events, or formulate a comprehensive explanation. Early on, Genesis 1:2 to be exact, I found a significant translation error. From that point onward, things only got worse. I identified a number of significant errors. After completing the first two chapters, smoothing out the wording, and making some minor corrections, a different picture emerged. At that point, my personal Bible study expanded into the writing of my first book. The third edition of The Real Genesis Creation Story book represents the latest development in support of the Mosaic preamble translation.
My approach to understanding Genesis focuses on identifying words that have been poorly, inconsistently, or illegitimately interpreted and translated. The unique interpretation/translation of words applicable only to Genesis and unsupported by usage elsewhere in the Old Testament is absolutely forbidden. The King James Version of the Bible is used as the prime reference when analyzing Hebrew words and their translation. I fully discuss the rationale for my translation in my book and confirmation of my work lies well within the capability of any serious Bible student or Hebrew scholar.
My translation rests firmly on a foundation of educated, skilled, and experienced Hebrew language professionals. Numerous Hebrew scholars have compiled and edited the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, the basis of today’s standardized Masoretic Hebrew text. The Lexham Hebrew-English Interlinear Bible, a conservative translation by nine Hebrew scholars, is used as the starting point for my translation. I sometimes refer to A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament by the Hebrew scholars Francis Brown, S. R. Driver, and Charles A. Briggs. Most word studies are based on Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible by James Strong, a Hebrew scholar. The well-accepted King James Version of the Bible, translated by forty-seven or more scholars, is used as my main biblical reference.
Why have people developed a love/hate relationship with your book?
Conservatives love the book because it supports the inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible. It supports Genesis Chapters 1 and 2 as being truthful and trustworthy. In fact, Genesis 1 is quite sophisticated for being written 3,500 years ago. On the other hand, conservatives dislike the book because it undermines the traditional seven-day, young-Earth explanation of Genesis. Some time prior to 275 BC, an embellished interpretation of Genesis 1 was developed and became accepted. This explanation was subsequently passed down through the centuries to Christians today. Although with good intentions, key words have been misinterpreted and/or obfuscated to support this embellished interpretation.
Liberals love the book because it shows the bankrupt condition of traditional young-Earth creation theology. The Bible allows for an old Earth and universe (and presumptively gives naturalistic evolution enough time to work its magic). Liberals dislike the book because it supports Genesis Chapters 1 and 2 as truthful and trustworthy. Genesis 1–2 fully complement each other in a rational manner without contradiction. They are not a compilation of pagan mythology. An omnipotent, ageless, timeless God created the heavens, Earth, and its biosphere. Not a single word in the Genesis account is mythological, metaphorical, or untrue.
How do you frame the debate over origins?
Several options have emerged to frame the debate over origins in the twenty-first century. Atheists, philosophical naturalists, and secular humanists typically frame the debate between (1) science and faith, (2) science and religion, or (3) science and creationism. Among other problems, framing the debate in this manner is biased from inception. By inference, anything opposed to science must be false. Skeptics say science is based on facts, while religion is based on faith and fable.
However, at this time, within the biblical community, the most significant debate is between creation and creation. In other words, what do Genesis Chapters 1 and 2 really say? Do these two chapters contradict or complement each other? How do Christians reconcile firm scientific evidence for an old Earth and universe with Genesis? These questions and others are at the heart of the debate within the Christian community over Genesis and the subject of origins.
Currently, Genesis is mostly interpreted within the framework of four main ideas: (1) traditional young-Earth creation theology, (2) gap theology, (3) day-age theology, and (4) literary interpretations. Young-Earth creation theology was the predominant belief until the beginning of the 1800s. Because of scientific advances and the discovery of evidence supporting an old Earth, other interpretations of Genesis were developed in an effort to harmonize science and scripture. Each of the mentioned theologies have their unique strengths and objections. All four interpretations have significant problems that cannot be overlooked.
What do Hebrew scholars say about your book?
Readers may wonder what Hebrew language experts say about the Mosaic preamble translation. Dialogue with several conservative Hebrew scholars about my book has been less than productive. All were dogmatic in their support of the "jussive command" verbs identified, and firmly believe Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14–15, 20, 24 describe God commanding the universe into being. However, all declined to plausibly explain why “jussive command” verbs have essentially no significance in the Old Testament outside of Genesis Chapter 1. All declined to discuss why the translation of several key words supportive of traditional seven-day, young-Earth theology are unique to Genesis and not supported by the remainder of the Old Testament.
What about scientists who support traditional young-Earth creation theology?
Hebrew scholars I corresponded with were quick to cite evidence from young-Earth creation scientists. Rather than discussing the Hebrew text, they preferred to discuss scientific evidence. In their minds, scientific evidence supports the young-Earth interpretation of Genesis Chapter 1. Evidence typically includes Gentry's radiohalos, trace amounts of carbon-14 in diamonds (the Earth would still be 55,000 years old), soft tissue in fossilized dinosaur bones (these tissues could still be well over 100,000 years old), Earth's decaying magnetic field (the magnetic field strength varies over time and periodically reverses), the amount of salt in the oceans (they could still be millions of years old), helium in zircon crystals, spiral galaxy winding (they could still over a 100 million years old), the Moon's recession rate (it could still be over a 100 million years old), and several other popular young-Earth creationist arguments. Not all of these phenomena are well-understood, and more than one explanation is possible. Some of these phenomena occur at a constant measured rate such as the Moon's recession rate, or at a roughly constant rate such as salt being added to the oceans. Rate type phenomena can be extrapolated backward in time. Regardless, not a single one of them clearly support a 6,000 year old Earth.
In many respects, I admire the scientists who support young-Earth creation theology. They accept the Bible as the inspired, inerrant word of God. They accept the young-Earth theology as a true explanation of Genesis Chapter 1, and have come alongside conservative theologians to lend scientific support to their belief. Unfortunately, they have been misled and their effort in support of a 6,000 year old universe is misdirected. The exact age of the universe is debatable; however, firm evidence in support of a heaven, Earth, and biosphere significantly older than 4004 BC is overwhelming and will never be overturned (I discuss evidence of age in Chapter 3 of my book). These scientists have been misled by faulty theology and need to start seriously questioning the traditional expansive interpretation of Genesis.
Does the Mosaic preamble translation remove all conflict with science?
Although Genesis Chapter 1 can be harmonized with scientific evidence in regard to extensive time, not all conflict with science can be avoided. The biblical claim of Yahweh God as creator of the heavens, Earth, and all therein will conflict with many naturalistic ideas of cosmological evolution, chemical evolution (abiogenesis), and biological evolution (neo Darwinian evolution). The Bible will conflict with scientific theories driven by a dogmatic belief in naturalism (philosophical naturalism) as an all-encompassing explanation of origins.
How has this book personally affected you?
My views about biblical origins have changed significantly since writing this book. Because of my young-Earth creationist background, it has been less than easy to accept the Mosaic preamble explanation. More than forty years of teaching and preaching firmly embedded young-Earth creation theology into my belief system. However, the Bible and scientific evidence overwhelmingly shows this theology is false in regard to time. Since accepting the Mosaic preamble translation, my confidence in the integrity of scripture has increased significantly. When properly interpreted, Genesis 1–2 can be fully accepted by intelligent, educated, biblically knowledgeable, and scientifically literate Christians.
Is the Lexham Interlinear Bible really that significant?
Logos Bible Software partially released their Lexham Hebrew-English Interlinear Bible of the Old Testament in 2004 (the full release followed several months later). Logos commissioned Professor Christo van der Merwe and his team of Hebrew scholars at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa to translate the Old Testament. The end resultant of their labor is a highly consistent, crystal clear, interlinear translation in an electronic format for the personal computer.
Hebrew-English interlinear Bibles display the Old Testament Hebrew text with each corresponding English word underneath, in an exact right to left format. Hebrew-English Interlinear Bibles have been around for a long time, and just about every serious Bible student has one on their shelf. Although readable, the print is often small and the text is difficult to follow. Of more importance, the student has no way of knowing how a specific Hebrew word relates to the rest of scripture. In other words, is he looking at the ad hoc translation of a word (i.e., a special translation applicable only to Genesis) or a consistent translation followed throughout the Old Testament?
The Lexham Bible software brings study of the Old Testament into the twenty-first century in a publicly available format for the serious Bible student and is a significant Bible study tool. The Lexham Hebrew-English Interlinear Bible allows the user to rapidly and exhaustively search the Old Testament on words of interest. For a given Hebrew word, every single occurrence can be quickly identified to permit viewing the exact spelling, root, and verse context in Hebrew, needed for an in-depth examination of Genesis. The powerful Boolean search capability permits studying Hebrew words of interest and allows checking for the consistent translation of specific words—an absolute necessity based on my investigative approach.
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The above is a small sampling of material found in The Real Genesis Creation Story by J. Gene White. For your personal copy of this revolutionary book, click to order from AMAZON or BARNES & NOBLE. The suggested retail price is $15.95.