Do any of you trust the new translations of Catholic Bibles nowadays? Why are all the Catholic bibles changing their Genersis 3:15 to 'he' or 'it' will crush your head?

-- Andrew (andyhbk96@hotmail.com), September 12, 2004

Answers

Hello Andrew, I have found the King James Version to be very useful in proving Catholic doctrines. Not only do I see Catholic teaching more clearly evident, but Protestants also accept this version, making it easier to explain my Catholic faith to them. They will be more likely to listen rather than question the authenticity of my version. I think it would be nice to have an approved Catholic version similar to the KJV in the sense of more literal renderings. After all, the Douay Rheims is a translation of the Latin rather than the original languages.

As for Genesis 3:15, I have heard that the passage refers both to Mary and Jesus by using a word that could be translated "he", "she", or "it". In this way, the verse shows that in some sense Mary (as the New Eve) crushes the devil's head through her obedience, and Christ does so through His sacrifice. I think I heard this on Tim Staples' tape series All Generations Shall Call Me Blessed. He also referred to another story in which a woman served as a Mary figure in the OT (referring back to Gen. 3:15) by crushing the head of an enemy. I forget the details, but I think it had something to do with Deborah being the judge and the woman was Jael (?).

NAB Genesis 3:15 comment

-- Emily ("jesusfollower7@yahoo.com), September 12, 2004.

15. W'eeybaah 'aashiyt beeynkaa uwbeeyn haa'ishaah uwbeeynzar`kaa uwbeeyn zar`aah. huw' yshuwpkaa ro'sh w'ataah tshuwpenuw`aaqeeb.

Aboce is Genesis 3:15, in Hebrew, transliterated. The Grammer of the text reads in english " It" , referign to the Seed of Eve. Yes, I said Seed. This is not a reference to oen spacific person, but to all decendants of Eve, and thus the entire Human race, and describes the animosity betwen Humans and Serpents. The reference, in the Jesish commentaries one can find, si not, nor was it ever considered, a messanic Prophecy, as many Christaisn veiw it now. Rather, it refers tot he curse placed on the Serpent ( which was not satan, accordign to Jewish interpretation, datign before the time of Christ, and early Christain understanding)

Si nce Hebrew, ulike later, more developed language, lacked certain tences, terms like " He" and "She" and " It" are abcent form this text, and the gender must be assumed. Most texts refer to it as " He" in Modrn Bibles under the assumption that its Jesus Christ who fulfilles this prophecy, btu as oted above, the Jews never thought it as a prpphecy.

The text reads in literal lineup as "emnity will place beteeen thee and woman, woman seed and thy seed, shall cruch thy head, thou shall srike heel. " In Hebrew thir are clues that are used to fill int he missing parts to make it clear, but the tences cannot be translated into english, and te englich transliterates to make it easier by importing them.

No english Bible has it "RAight", sicne they all impart words to clarify the meaning. Some use she, soem use He, and some it, dependign ont he translators interpretation fo the passage, and all are of eqiuerl Value.

-- ZAROVE (ZAROFF3@JUNO.COM), September 12, 2004.

I am sorry, ZAROVE, but you are wrong. Hebrew has words for "he" and "she." "he" is "hu'" in Hebrew (and "she" is "hi"). If you look at the transliteration you quoted, you will find "huw' yshuwpkaa ro'sh" ("and he will crush the head"). The "huw" there is "hu'" with the mater lexionis "w" transliterated as if it were a consonant. The pre-Christian Jewish Septuagint version this is translated "autos" (he) just as it should be (not "aute" -- she). The Old Latin (prevulgate) also had "ipse" ("he"), and it was a Christian translation. The use of "ipsa" ("she") in the Vulgate (the origin of the Douay "she") is an oddity. But interestingly enough, it is not found in two very very old Vulgate MSS -- Ottobonesis and Toletanus. I would suggest that the Vulgate reading may originally have been "he" ("ipse") and that a scribal error became popular because of its (perfectly orthodox) Marian implications.

-- orthodox interloper (no@spam.org), September 13, 2004.

I knew Hebrrw had words for " He" and "She", I just eant the term " Seed" was not rendered he or she.

-- ZAROVE (ZAROFF3@JUNO.COM), September 13, 2004.