the Berasit Hebrew Dictionary

ברא

Arguably one of the most important words in the bible, 'bera' is the second word to appear in the Hebrew texts, as well as functioning as the primary root for the first word 'berasit'.

Every English translation of the bible has chosen to translate this word as “created”. This translation is based on the previous Greek and Latin translations which render the verb “creavit” (Latin Vulgate) after the Greek verb ἐποίησεν, a verb with a somewhat more generalized meaning. The greek word can indeed mean “make” but is more commonly used to mean “do”. Less frequently it also indicates “commit”, “work”, “keep”, among others.

Unquestionably, the word 'bera' indicates that something was “done” - some action took place. The question at stake in Genesis 1:1 is exactly what was done, and by whom. The Hebrew is not at all ambiguous about either - it clearly states that the elohim performed the action and the action itself is 'bera'.

So what is the meaning of 'bera'? This becomes a key question when we take note of not only what the text itself states, but also what has been built upon the understanding of this opening phrase of the text that would eventually become known as “the Bible”.

Judaism and Christianity are frameworks that are both ancient and powerful. They are made of of various teachings and doctrines, many of which have come to take the form of assumptions about the nature of reality itself. They purport to build these teachings purely upon the Hebrew texts.

One of the most important of these assumptions or teachings or doctrines is that “God” is the creator of the universe. Presumably, as creator, this also gives God the right to command or control the universe in its entirety. It is his role as creator that entitles him as lord and ruler of the universe. This doctrine is central to any understanding of “God” within the Judeo-Christian framework, and based entirely on the opening phrase of Genesis. That phrase is presented in English as “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Unfortunately, the meaning and implications of this English translation are not substantiated within the original Hebrew text.

• Rather than “God”, the actors are identified as the Elohim
• rather than “creation”, the action is 'bera'
• rather than the action being performed upon “the heavens and the earth”, it is performed upon the Shemim
• rather than the timing being “in the beginning”, it is at the event of “the established division” (berasit)

It seems that the assumptions regarding this phrase bear additional investigation into the true meaning of 'bera'.

In 2009, the Dutch theologian Ellen van Wolde published “Reframing Biblical Studies; When Language and Text Meet Culture, Cognition, and Context”. The book is a wide ranging exposition introducing and exemplifying a holistic approach to understanding and interpreting ancient Hebrew. In chapter 6 of her book van Wolde examines the word 'bara'(sic) in great detail spanning no less than fifteen pages and employing inscrutable academic rigor. Her conclusion was that 'bara'(sic) refers not to an act of creation “ex nihilo”, but instead a creative act employing the division of two or more already existing objects. She goes on to examine the similarities and differences of Hebrew words of similar meaning, particularly hibdil and ashi.

Van Wolde's conclusion is that 'bara'(sic) does not mean “created”. It means “divided.”

Certainly, the implications of this claim can not be overlooked, so one must be careful in embracing a definition with such a profound potential impact. Surely an exhaustive contextual analysis is warranted.

There are 47 instances of the word 'bera' in the Hebrew texts. The first three instances occur in the first chapter of Genesis

• Genesis 1:1 - the established division divided between The Elohim and The Shemim on Earth
• Genesis 1:21 - The Elohim divided the monsters The Giants and all souls living grazers who crawled
• Genesis 1:27 - The Elohim divided the human Shadow Ones Shadow Ones The Elohim divided and male female divided

In each of these instances, the Elohim are dividing or being divided between some other group of living beings; the Shemim, Tanim, Gedowlim(giants), and the Tselem(Shadow Ones).

The next four occurrences of 'bera' are found in Genesis 2:3-4 and Genesis 5:1-2, and merely refer back to the first series of events.

In light of this it seems very strange that in Genesis 6:7 Jehovah decides to wipe out these divisions that were established by the Elohim. “spoke Jehovah wipe and human who divided on edge of humankind”

Several later verses again refer specifically to the dividing between the Shemim (Deuteronomy 4:32, Isaiah 42:5, Isaiah 43:7, Isaiah 45:8, Isaiah 45:12, Isaiah 45:18, Isaiah 65:17,) or other beings (Ecclesiastes 12:1, Isaiah45:7, Ezekiel 21:19, Ezekiel 28:13-15, Amos 4:13, Psalms 51:10)

After this, further division takes place upon the earth, dividing up the lands and various groups of people, or establishing borders. These events can be seen in Exodus 34:10, Numbers 16:30, Joshua 17:15-18, 1 Samuel 2:29, Psalms 89:12, Psalms 89:47, Psalms 102:18, Psalms104:30, Psalms148:5, Isaiah 4:5, Isaiah 40:26-28, Isaiah 41:20, Isaiah 43:1, Isaiah 43:15, Isaiah 48:7, Isaiah 54:16, Isaiah 65:18, Jeremiah 31:22, Ezekiel 21:30, Ezekiel 23:47, and Malachi 2:10.

It is quite clear that these events are not acts of “creation” on par with the typical reading of Genesis 1:1, but are rather categorical divisions and further subdivisions between groups of entities pre-existing in the land. These are primarily political divisions, but also may include division by occupation and other such attributes.

In the light of contextual analysis it is abundantly clear that 'bera' refers to an act of division, not one of creation, and that the translation of Genesis 1:1 in the normal tradition is wildly inaccurate.

Aside from 'bera' there other Hebrew words that mean divided. An examination of these can give further understanding to the subtle differences in meaning between the various words, and how that may deepen our understanding of the meaning of 'bera'.

Each will be examined further within their own dictionary entry:

Notably, the division spoken of in Genesis 1:1 can now be categorized as a division by geography (or more generally, location) of certain distinct people groups. Hence, when we read: “the established division divided The Elohim and The Shemim and Earth”, it is now clear that the elohim and shemim are two distinct groups of “people”. Furthermore, we are given the location of “Earth” as the dividing factor. This appears to indicate that one of the groups were located ON earth, while the other group was NOT.

Additionally, the word choice implies a few things. Since 'bera' was chosen over 'hibdil' we may infer that an idealistic reason may not have been the primary reason for the division. This does not imply that ideology did not play a role, only that there were other factors involved as well.

Likewise, because 'pered' was not chosen, the instance of the decision making may not have been congenial. 'Pered' implies a mutually beneficial and congenial separation. Not employing 'pered' may imply that either the split was not congenial, or not mutually beneficial, or neither.

see also berasit and berak

My good friend and well-known theologian/author Mark Joseph Young asked me a great question: Your argument might have had more force had you suggested words the text might have used to communicate the notion of creation ex nihilo. If there are no such words in the Hebrew text, it might be that bara(sic) was used simply because there wasn't a better alternative within the language.

Mark is correct in pointing out this possibility, and it certainly does deserve further exploration, which we will hopefully be able to address by examining more words whose meanings center around the concepts of 'make' and 'do' and 'work'. We will link to these as the articles become available.

Please do check out Mark's excellent books

The word Bera is now available on a coffee mug, water bottle, and T-shirt! Check it out

LexID 1254