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"וַיִּיצֶר ה"א אֶת־הָאָדָם עָפָר מִן־הָאֲדָמָה" Genesis.2.7

Literally, the verse reads "God formed Adam dust from the earth", like if "dust" was an adjective. However all interpreters imply that the verse reads "וַיִּיצֶר ה"א אֶת־הָאָדָם מִן עָפָר־הָאֲדָמָה" - "God formed man from the dust of the earth".

Why is it so?

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  • I'm not sure this is really a question with respect. But perhaps if you want to read it like you do it is worth noting the Sforno sefaria.org/… in which you can say that 'Adam dust' wasn't any ordinary dust but rather the choicest of the dust available on the earth. If you feel this suffices as an answer I'll write it up....
    – Dov
    Jul 28 at 22:13
  • @Dov THis Seforno fits perfectly my newer question about the difference between Adam and the animals. Here I ask specifically about the phrasing that all interpreters seemingly miss.
    – Al Berko
    Jul 28 at 22:23
  • The whole Torah reads like this with very shortened 'sentences', it is straight to the point. The translation might be because of 'dynamic equivalence'. biblehub.com/interlinear/genesis/2-7.htm
    – Pabble Goobs
    Jul 29 at 0:56
  • According to Rashi it can be read "And G-D formed man (with) dirt from (all 4 corners of) the earth"
    – Chatzkel
    Jul 29 at 3:51
  • @PabbleGoobs Address I your comment like would. Supposed the Torah is to use grammar correct. Nothing it to do has with "shortened", the word מן displaced is merely.
    – Al Berko
    Jul 29 at 6:48
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If you understand "formed" as shaping the raw materials, you could read it: And G-d formed the Adam, [which was] dust from the earth.

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  • What do you mean by "Adam was the dust", as different from "Adam was FROM the dust"?
    – Al Berko
    Aug 7 at 21:03
  • The meaning would be the same, but the grammar would fit better.
    – N.T.
    Aug 8 at 6:21

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