Ask-A-Linguist Message Details
| Subject: | The Word |
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| Question: |
Hello, My simple question is: What is the most widely accepted translation of the word ''replenish'' as it appears in the Old Testament? Gen.1:28 And God blessed them,and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and REPLENISH the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl ofthe air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Does it mean: ''Fill'' (do it for first time) or ''Re-fill'' (do it again) Most of the Old Testament translations I've consulted state that it means ''fill'' not ''re-fill''. Do members of the Panel agree? |
| Reply: |
The original Hebrew word is the imperative from the root m-l-' which just means be full or fill, there is no 'again' as suggested by the English re-. Looking at the New English Bible as a more recent translation, it just says "fill the earth". Geoffrey Sampson |
| Reply From: | Geoffrey Richard Sampson click here to access email |
| Date: | 01-Mar-2013 |
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