the following points are to be noted: (a) The most important fact is that it is used exclusively of divine activity—a restriction to which perhaps no parallel can be found in other languages (see We. Prol.6 304). (b) The idea of novelty (Is. 486f. 4120 6517f., Jer. 3121) or extraordinariness (Ex. 3410, Nu. 1630 [J]) of result is frequently implied, and it is noteworthy that this is the case in the only two passages of certainly early date where the word occurs. (c) It is probable also that it contains the idea of effortless production (such as befits the Almighty) by word or volition[1] (Ps. 339). (d) It is obvious (from this chapter and many passages) that the sense stops short of creatio ex nihilo,—an idea first explicitly occurring in 2 Mac. 728. At the same time the facts just stated, and the further circumstance that the word is always used with acc. of product and never of material, constitute a long advance towards the full theological doctrine, and make the word 'create' a suitable vehicle for it.
Close parallels (for it is hard to see that the (
Hebrew characters) makes any essential
difference) are Gn. 710 (J), 221 (E), or (with impf.), Lv. 716b (P). The
construction is not appreciably harsher than in the analogous case of
25, where it has been freely adopted.—(Hebrew characters)] enters fully into OT usage
only on the eve of the Exile. Apart from three critically dubious
passages (Am. 413, Is. 45, Jer. 3121), its first emergence in prophecy
is in Ezk. (3 times); it is specially characteristic of II Is. (20 times), in
P 10 times, and in other late passages 8 times. The proof of pre-exilic
use rests on Ex. 3410, Nu. 1630 (J), Dt. 432. There is no reason to doubt
that it belongs to the early language; what can be fairly said is that
at the Exile the thought of the divine creation of the world became
prominent in the prophetic theology, and that for this reason the term
which expressed it technically obtained a currency it had not previously
enjoyed. The primary idea is uncertain. It is commonly regarded as
the root of a Piel meaning 'cut,' hence 'form by cutting,' 'carve,'
'fashion,' (Ar. baray, Phœn. (Hebrew characters) [CIS, i. 3474]: see BDB, s.v.; Lane, Lex.
197 b; Lidzbarski, NS Epigr. 244 [with ?]); but the evidence of the
connexion is very slight. The only place where (Hebrew characters) could mean
'carve' is Ezk. 2124 bis; and there the text is almost certainly corrupt
(see Corn., Toy, Kraetschmar, ad loc.). Elsewhere it means 'cut
- ↑ The same thought was associated by the Babylonians with their word banû (see phil. note); but the association seems accidental; and its significance is exaggerated by Gu. when he says "the idea of creation is that man may form with his hands, the god brings to pass through his word" (Schöpf. 23). Banû is quite synonymous with ipisû (make), and is not restricted to the divine activity.
