Erets
We have been told in the biblical account that the flood would cover the "earth," that everything in the "earth" would die, and other statements about the "earth," all of which would teach the idea of a world-wide flood - EXCEPT for one thing: Hebrew word "
erets", especially in the Book of Genesis.
Erets (#776 in Strong's), the Hebrew word that translated "earth" throughout the flood account and it does not require a world-wide meaning. This word translated "country" (140 times) and "land" (1,476 times!) in the Bible. Many of them are often of limited land areas.
We need to keep in mind that the people living at the time of Moses had no concept of a "global" planet ... to them the "earth" would be the extent of the geographical land area known to them. To apply this literal meaning throughout the Bible causes problems. (as does other LITERAL exegesis)
These false interpretations are assumed and encouraged so that we can continue to support "tradition" or orthodoxy - never mind what Scripture is really saying. In so doing, we allow these min-interpretations to contradict other verses where the same word is used! We end up making a mockery of Scripture by trying to get it to fit ill-conceived theology.
If we view the flood as global, then we must (if we are consistent) apply that same usage in other places were the same words and phrases are used.
For example, Cain was cursed by God and driven from the "face of the
earth" (Genesis 4:14) We know Cain was not driven off the planet... but out of the land he knew as "home" ...
The word is used concerning Abraham. "Get thee out of thy
country [
erets]...unto a
land [
erets] that I will shew thee" (Genesis 12:1). Or another one, "Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south
country [
erets], and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur" (Genesis 20:1).
Other references in Genesis also show that "
erets" was used to show specific lands: "The whole
land [
erets] of Havilah," "the whole
land [
erets] of Ethiopia," "the
land [
erets] of Nod, on the east of Eden," Famine at the time of Joseph affected "all
lands [
erets]",etc.
Also during the plagues upon Egypt, at one point we read that "the rain was not poured upon the
earth [
erets]" (Ex. 9:33). Do the word study. Try put the word "land" instead of global "earth" and it may make more sense. I believe some Bible translations are misleading.
Here's a good one too: In Exodus 10:5-15 we read about a plague of locusts that "covered the
face of the whole earth." It should be pretty evident that this locust plague covered only a limited LAND of Egypt... it is the same wording in both places. Yet we never assume these locusts covered the entire globe...
Genesis 7:4 "For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off
the face of the earth."
Genesis 7:23 "And every living substance was destroyed which was upon
the face of the *ground*, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained [alive], and they that [were] with him in the ark."
Genesis 8:9 "But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters [were] on
the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark."
But remember we let the Scriptures interpret the Scriptures about
"the face of the earth [erets]":
Genesis 41:56 "And the famine has been over
all the face of the land, and Joseph openeth all [places] which have [corn] in them, and selleth to the Egyptians; and the famine is severe in the land of Egypt," There is no evidence of a global famine at that time... the Bible states "
all countries (
erets) came to Egypt" to buy corn (Genesis 41:57) Surely it means the countries close to Egypt... Certainly not "all" countries -- unless we assume the Australians or the American Indians... were in Egypt buying corn.
If we take "
erets" to mean the entire planet, then we also have to interpret that OTHER PLANETS came to Egypt to buy corn. All this, so we can maintain the false teaching of a universal flood.
Num. 11:31 "And a spirit hath journeyed from Jehovah, and cutteth off quails from the sea, and leaveth by the camp, as a day's journey here, and as a day's journey there, round about the camp, and about two cubits, on
the face of the land."
1 Sam. 20:15 "but thou dost not cut off thy kindness from my house unto the age, nor in Jehovah's cutting off the enemies of David, each one from off
the face of the ground."
2 Sam. 18:8 "and the battle is there scattered over
the face of all the land, and the forest multiplieth to devour among the people more than those whom the sword hath devoured in that day."
Isa. 23:17 "And it hath come to pass, At the end of seventy years Jehovah inspecteth Tyre, And she hath repented of her gift, That she committed fornication With all kingdoms of the earth on
the face of the ground."
Jer. 47:2 "Thus said Jehovah: Lo, waters are coming up from the north, And have been for an overflowing stream, And they overflow the land and its fulness, The city, and the inhabitants in it, And men have cried out, And howled hath
every inhabitant of the land."
After the Israelites were delivered from Egypt and settled in Canaan, the scripture says they "covered the face of the earth" (Numbers 22:5,11) Not even fundamentalists would say that Israelites covered every square foot of the planet...This is simply a way of stating that they occupied the land in which they were dwelling.
Jeremiah said he was "...a man of contention to the whole earth!" (Jeremiah 15:10). Obviously, the whole planet did not know about Jeremiah.
Zechariah 5:3, "Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over
the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it." Only Israel knew of God's covenant. The Heathen nations did not know the details of God's Law.
There are many instances in the Bible where it speaks of "the earth" or the face of the earth... which clearly refers to a limited land, area, or country. We read about "all" the hills being covered... or "all" flesh destroyed. When God spoke of destroying "all flesh", He said he "will destroy them with the
earth" (Genesis 6:13) The planet earth was not destroyed (of course not) neither was all the flesh on the planet -- only that flesh and land where Noah lived was destroyed.
Why, then, should any insist that the flood covering "the face of the whole earth [
erets]" must mean a universal flood?
We know that after Joshua had led the Israelites into the promised land, we read: "So Joshua took the whole
land [
erets]...and the
land [
erets] rested from war" (Joshua 11:23). No one would think of reading "earth" into this passage! We know that the conquest of Canaan didn't include America, China, and Australia! So, I think the "land" in a limited area is more correct than the "earth" or global flood.
The following are all limited land areas that were destroyed:
Isaiah 13:5, "...to destroy the whole
land [
erets]" (speaking of Babylon).
Jeremiah 4:27, "...The whole
land [
erets] shall be desolate..." (speaking of Jerusalem).
Jeremiah 12:11, "...the whole
land [
erets] is made desolate..."
Jeremiah 25:11, "And this whole
land [
erets] shall be a desolation..."
Zephaniah 1:18, "...but the whole
land [
erets] shall be devoured by the fire..."
As I said before, the Hebrew word "
erets" can be translated "land" or "country" which is more consistent than the word "earth". Also the "mountains" can be translated "hills" We must not forget that the waters were dried from the "earth."
http://www.ecclesia.org/truth/flood.html
There is another word which is also translated "earth" in these same passages concerning Noah's flood... That word is : #127 'adamah (ad-aw-maw'); from 119; soil (from its general redness): KJV translates this -- country, earth, ground, husband [-man] (-ry), land.
This word relates to Strongs #120 ADAM
So the scripture reads:
Genesis 6:20, "Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the
earth [#127 Adam's earth) after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive."
Here is a case where the TWO Hebrew words are used in the same passage!
Genesis 7:4, " For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the
earth (
erets #776] forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the
earth (Adam's earth #127]."
Would we be assuming too much to say that the usage of #127 "
adamah" interdispersed with #776 "
erets" would qualify that word? Would we be assuming too much to say that land affected was "Adam's" land, field, ground etc? (Opposed to Cain's or other tribes or nation's ground)
Other examples:
And now art thou cursed from the earth (adamah #127), which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; - Genesis 4:11
Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth (adamah #127); and from thy face shall I be hid ; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass , that every one that findeth me shall slay me .- Genesis 4:14
And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth (adamah #127), and daughters were born unto them, - Genesis 6:1
And the LORD said , I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth (adamah #127); both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. - Genesis 6:7
