“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Genesis 2:7
Man is a Speaking Spirit
Gen 2:7 reads, “and man became a living soul.” There is an interpretation that is more precise… A more accurate interpretation. The verse actually says, “and man became a speaking spirit.”
ha’adam l’nef’fish kai’yah – adam (120) nephesh (5315) chai-yah (2416); The present English translation is not wrong, it’s incomplete and lacks the essence of the message.
ha’adam = the man, l’nephesh = to a soul, a being (6x) kai-yah = living, alive
“The man became a living being” is literally accurate.
Then Why am I presenting an alternate translation?
Because scripture is meant to be understood by us. It is written for us. Scripture is not just some bible story, meant to entertain or amuse. Scripture contains vital information, written for the purpose of supporting our spiritual life and purpose.
Literal interpretations are the beginning of knowledge. What else could GOD have packed into this verse, desiring us to understand?
The Power of Speech Was Not Given to Man for His Own Amusement.
Adam; Mankind/Human Beings became speaking spirits. Every living being, is created, with the purpose and potential of speaking in the spirit to the Spirit of GOD.
Let me repeat that…. Speaking in the spirit, to the Spirit of GOD
Literal interpretations never bring this fact to the forefront. They remain flat and incomprehensible to our spirit. As a consequence, we generally read, teach and hear the bible as a lovely fairy tale, rather than as a sacred text, given for the purpose of conveying spiritual matters.
Our logical, rational mind can easily hold a conversation with the literal. However, our spirit man needs to engage the Spirit of GOD in every message presented in the text of scripture.
The first language of mankind, was intended to be the language of the spirit. Whatever our individual native languages are, they are secondary to the spiritual language of GOD.
The Breath of GOD was breathed into Adam. An impartation of the Spirit of GOD. By this means, adam is created a speaking spirit, in the image and likeness of the Speaking Spirit of GOD.
Romans 8:16 says, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit.” In order for this to happen, our spirit needs to be able to speak!
Watch Closely:
Above, I presented Gen 2:7, with the 2 Key-Words in Hebrew that I want you to keep an eye on. We are going to compare them to the same words in Gen 1:24.
“And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” 1 Cor 15:45
Contrast and Compare Genesis 2:7 and Gen 1:24
Information you will never see until you look at the Interlinear…
Gen 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Let’s take a look into the Strong’s Concordance:
- Gen 2:7 ha’adam l’nephesh chai’yah
- adam (120) nephesh / soul (5315) chai-yah / living (2416);
- In the case of man, we translate the words ‘nephesh chaiyah‘ as ‘living soul’.
Gen 1:24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
- Gen 1:24 ha’ air-retz (776) nephesh (5315) chai-yah (2416);
- In the case of the animals, we translate the words nephesh chaiyah as ‘living creature’.
As you can see, two of the exact same words are used in both verses. In Gen 1:24, nephesh chaiyah is translated, ‘living creature’. In Gen 2:7, nephesh chaiyah is translated ‘living soul’.
The question we want to ask ourselves now is, Why are the English translations so dissimilar, when the Hebrew words are exactly the same?
That’s a good question and your instincts are right. They can both be translated either as living soul or living creature.
What is the distinguishing factor between them?
First, you need to know that it was through the insight of the Onkelos, that we arrive at the understanding of the alternate interpretation of the verse, “and man became a speaking spirit”.
Adam was created with words. Adam came to life as GOD spoke the words…”and man became a living soul.” GOD created man, with such reasoning skills and understanding of words, that he responded with life, as GOD spoke to him.
Man’s soul responded to the Speech of GOD.
GOD’s speech initiated our spiritual life. Man, like every other creature and created thing in the earth became, from the spoken Word of GOD. But man, is the only part of the creative work that responded in words.
Rabbi Kleinman and I agree. “Man connects to GOD through speech”. The act of speech is expressed through prayer, torah study, praise and worship. Torah study, rises above them all, as the highest form of praise by virtue of study, care and the preservation of GOD’s Word within our spirit.
On Day 18 in Praying with Fire by Rabbi Heshy Kleinman, he adds that “One who does not pray, then, is effectively muzzling his “speaking soul”, [a.k.a., his speaking spirit].
Man and creatures alike, became living souls. But man, as the crowning achievement of GOD, became even more. Man was given the ability to transcend his animalistic instinct and nature, to become a speaking spirit in the image and likeness of GOD. If he or she so desires.
The Breath of GOD… an impartation that imbued man’s spirit with the power to speak.
Man’s spirit was created to speak.
But the choice is still ours. We can deny our spiritual life. We can choose to disconnect from the spirit and allow our soul to slip away and descend to it’s lowest possible depth, even to the level of the beast. Which some chose to do with their lives.
How Do You Care For YOUR Spirit?
Man can cultivate his spirit with prayer, torah study, praise and worship. Man can activate every gift of the spirit and thrive, and arise into the character and nature of GOD…. into the full measure and stature of Christ Jesus. If we choose to do so.
So the new question becomes, what are we prepared to do with this spirit?
Prayer only knows,
Amen.
Reference: PRAYER JOURNAL PAGES
Reference: The Language of Prayer
Definitions and Terminology:
Who is Onkelos?
Targum Onkelos (or Onqelos), תרגום אונקלוס, is the official eastern (Babylonian) targum (Aramaic translation) to the Torah. However, its early origins may have been western, in Israel. Its authorship is attributed to Onkelos, a famous convert to Judaism in Tannaic times (c. 35–120 CE). (Excerpt from Wikipedia). The Targum is the spoken version or translations of the Jewish Scriptures, a.k.a., the Tanakh.
Onkelos is said to have been the nephew of the Roman Emperor Titus or Hadrian. (Through a sister of Hadrian’s). (Of course, there’s always a historical dispute). Nevertheless, the story goes that, “the Emperor asked Onkelos to go out and find something that wasn’t worth much today but that would be invaluable in the future. Onkelos found Judaism.”
1 Corinthians 12:9-16
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
God Bless You,
This teaching is dedicated to Yvette “My ‘Secret Weapon’ in Prayer”… Someone I can trust to be automatically in sync with me in prayer in the spirit, one heart, one mind,, instant in prayer, in and out of season! “No Briefings Required!” You are a GOD Send from the Most High!
Posts Included in This Series on Prayer:
CLICK THIS LINK: for the Next Post in this Series: Man is a Speaking Spirit Part 2
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NEW Disclosure Added: I am of the belief that any and all teachings on scripture, especially those on prayer should receive prayer before passing them along to others. For this reason, I encourage everyone who reviews these teachings to saturate each one in prayer before sharing, distributing or reproducing them in any fashion.
Anything that we hope to learn and accomplish through the Word of GOD must be born out of a spirit of prayer. Prayer is the root of all our spiritual training. Study without prayer is futile. Without prayer, we learn nothing and we accomplish nothing.
May GOD always send you a confirming word.
GOD Bless You,
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