Gen. II, 2 by S. H. KINSEY

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 9, 1866

By S. H. KINSEY

Bro. WHITE: I find by an examination of Dr. Clarke's comments on Genesis ii, 2, that the Septuagint, the Syriac, and the Samaritan read the sixth day instead of the seventh; and he says this should be considered the genuine reading which appears from these versions to have been originally that of the Hebrew text. He further says, that the characters used to represent the words sixth and seventh were so nearly alike that a mistake was probably made in the translation, making it read seventh instead of sixth. If Clarke is correct, then are we not under obligations to keep the sixth day instead of the seventh? Please give me some light on this subject through the Review. Yours in hope, East Rush, N. Y. S. H. KINSEY.

NOTE. We think your difficulty arises from giving the criticism of Dr. Clarke too wide an application. It is only the first occurrence of the word seventh, in Gen. ii, 2, that Dr. C. says should be translated sixth. Then it would read, “And on the sixth day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.” And this reading removes an objection which some urge, based on the common version, that God performed a part of his work on the seventh day; and hence that we have not a full day set apart as the Sabbath.—Ed.

Gen. II, 2.