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Showing posts with the label propagation

Word for Word: Episode 47

פְּר֣וּ וּרְב֗וּ וּמִלְא֤וּ Be fruitful, multiply, and fill The filling of the new world with life from the Creator would be hard, but necessary work. Though it could have been accomplished in a moment, God set in motion a process. The gift of life had been given, but the command meant it was by volition that the paired animals would obey. It is a built in urge in living things to "procreate", but soon the creatures would have to choose. The first command is to be fruitful, פְּר֣וּ ( paru ) from פָּרָה (parah). On day three the fruit trees we're created bearing fruit ( פְּרִי, peri )  a derivative of this verb. The command to multiply is רְב֗וּ, rebu , the verb רָבָה ( rabah , to become great, many, much or numerous). Each of these translations reflect the root meaning of increasing. The verb would become the honorary title of Rabbi, that is to say "great one". Finally, the animals are told to "fill" their realm with descendants. The verb here i...

Word for Word : Episode 31

עֵ֚שֶׂב מַזְרִ֣יעַ זֶ֔רַע Herbs producing seed The second class of plants was what is variously translated herb and grass. The עֵ֚שֶׂב (aseb) was a distinct class of plant apart from the sprouts, though the ancient root means essentially the same thing. It may be that both words refer to small plants in general in different stages of growth. If this the case, the sprouts grow to become seed ( זֶ֔רַע . zera` ) lbearers. The root of the verb form here, zara`, means to sow, that is, to scatter seed.