Gen 1:26,27

KJV - 26 And God said, Let us make man {Hebrew adam} in our image, after our likeness:... 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

ESV - 26 Then God said, "Let us make man {Hebrew adam} in our image, after our likeness... 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

NRSV - 26 Then God said, "Let us make humankind {Hebrew adam} in our image, according to our likeness;... " 27 So God created humankind {Hebrew adam} in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

TEV: - 26 Then God said, "And now we will make human beings {Hebrew adam}; they will be like us and resemble us... 27 So God created human beings{Hebrew adam}, making them to be like himself. He created them male and female,

Gen 2:6,7

KJV - 6 But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. 7 And the LORD God formed man {Hebrew adam} of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man {Hebrew adam} became a living soul... 19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam {Hebrew adam} to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam {Hebrew adam} called every living creature, that was the name thereof. 20 And Adam {Hebrew adam} gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam {Hebrew adam} there was not found an help meet for him. 21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam {Hebrew adam}, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man {Hebrew adam}, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man {Hebrew adam}.

ESV - 6 and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground -- 7 then the LORD God formed the man {Hebrew adam} of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man {Hebrew adam} became a living creature... 19 So out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man {Hebrew adam} to see what he would call them. And whatever the man {Hebrew adam} called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man {Hebrew adam} gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam {Hebrew adam} there was not found a helper fit for him. 21 So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man {Hebrew adam} , and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man {Hebrew adam} he made into a woman and brought her to the man{Hebrew adam}.

NRSV - 6 but a stream would rise from the earth, and water the whole face of the ground — 7 then the Lord God formed man {Hebrew adam} from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man {Hebrew adam} became a living being... 19 So out of the ground the Lord God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man {Hebrew adam} to see what he would call them; and whatever the man {Hebrew adam} called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man {Hebrew adam} gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man {Hebrew adam} there was not found a helper as his partner. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man {Hebrew adam} , and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man {Hebrew adam} he made into a woman and brought her to the man {Hebrew adam} .

TEV - 6 but water would come up from beneath the surface and water the ground. 7 Then the Lord God took some soil from the ground and formed a man {Hebrew adam} out of it; he breathed life-giving breath into his nostrils and the man {Hebrew adam} began to live... 19 So he took some soil from the ground and formed all the animals and all the birds. Then he brought them to the man {Hebrew adam} to see what he would name them; and that is how they all got their names. 20 So the man {Hebrew adam} named all the birds and all the animals; but not one of them was a suitable companion to help him. 21 Then the Lord God made the man {Hebrew adam} fall into a deep sleep, and while he was sleeping, he took out one of the man's {Hebrew adam} ribs and closed up the flesh. 22 He formed a woman out of the rib and brought her to him.

Hebrew: adam - an explanation

The Hebrew word adam <Strong's Hebrew #0120> is translated in the KJV as follows:

• man Gen 1:26,27, Gen 2:7-25, 3:12-24, 5:1 (and elsewhere)
• Adam: Gen 2:19 (and always wherever else the name Adam appears in the Old Testament)
• person Num 31:28 (and elsewhere)

Below is a sampling of various Bible versions translate the Hebrew word adam <Strong's Hebrew #0120> :

.	Gen 1:26,27	Gen 2:7	Gen 2:19	Gen 2:20a	Gen 2:20b	Gen 2:21	Gen 2:22	Gen 2:23a	Gen 5:1
man	KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NJB, NKJV	CEV, KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NJB, NKJV, NRSV, TEV	CEV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NJB, NRSV, TEV	CEV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NJB, NRSV, TEV	CEV, NAB, NIV, NJB, NRSV, TEV	CEV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NJB, NRSV, TEV	CEV, KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NJB, NKJV, NRSV, TEV	CEV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NJB, NRSV, TEV	.
human beings	REB, TEV	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
humankind	NRSV	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	..
humans	CEV	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Adam	.	.	KJV, NKJV	KJV, NKJV	KJV, NASB, NKJV	KJV, NKJV	.	KJV, NKJV	CEV, KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NJB, NKJV, NRSV, REB, TEV
human being	.	REB	.	.	.	.	.	.	.

 

Note: In Gen 2:23b, where in virtually all English versions use the word "man" at the end of this verse, the Hebrew word translated as "man" is ish <Strong's #0376> rather than adam <Strong's Hebrew word #0120>

"Human beings" may be a more appropriate translation of the Hebrew word adam in Genesis 1:26 & 27 than some Bible students currently believe, especially in light of the fact that exactly the same Hebrew word adam is translated:

• in Gen 1:26,27 as the generic term "man"
• in Gen 2 and Gen 3 as the male name "Adam" and as the male person, "the man."

Of course it is also generally accepted by virtually all modern biblical scholars that the Gen 1:1 to Gen 2:4a constitutes one account of creation, and Gen 2:4b through Gen 3 constitutes a wholly different account of creation. Both accounts were edited by a different editorial group, were formulated at a different time, and even used a different term for God.

• Gen 1 used the Hebrew word Elohim
• always translated as "God"
• Gen 2 and 3 used the Hebrew tetragram YHWH (Yahweh), translated as:
• "the Lord" (CEV, KJV, NAB, NASB, NEB, NIV, NKJV, NRSV, RV, TEV)
• "Yahweh" (NJB, Rotherham)
• "Jehovah" (ASV)

Elohim is used in the Gen 2 and Gen 3, but when it does occur in the text, it is always used in the combined term Yahweh Elohim, except in the dialog between the serpent and the woman in Gen 3:1-5. There the serpent begins the misrepresentation of Elohim (God), which is correctly translated as simply "God" rather than "Lord God," "Yahweh God," or "Jehovah God." In the various translations Yahweh Elohim is translated:

• "the Lord God" (CEV, KJV, NAB, NASB, NEB, NIV, NKJV, NRSV, RV, TEV)
• "Yahweh God" (NJB, Rotherham)
• "Jehovah God" (ASV)

King-James-Version-Only advocates consider any modifications to the KJV or use of any other version as demonic heresy. Some students of Christian Science are very uncomfortable with non-KJV versions of the Bible, because of their use of the word "humankind," "human beings," or "humans" instead of the word "man" as found in the KJV. This should not be troubling, in light of Mary Baker Eddy's use of the term human beings:

Human beings are physically mortal, but spiritually immortal. The evil accompanying physical personality is illusive and mortal; but the good attendant upon spiritual individuality is immortal. Existing here and now, this unseen individuality is real and eternal. The so-called material senses, and the mortal mind which is misnamed man, take no cognizance of spiritual individuality, which manifests immortality, whose Principle is God. (Unity of Good, page 37:17)

In the King James Version of Genesis 1:26 and 27, the English word man is an English translation of the Hebrew word adam.

Continuing in chapter 2 of Genesis and throughout the Old Testament of the KJV, that same Hebrew word adam is translated:

• (1) almost always either as man or men (Genesis 1:26, 27; 2:5, 7, 8, 15, 16, 18, 22, 25, 3:12, 22, 24; 5:1, and elsewhere)
• (2) as Adam wherever that name appears in the Old Testament (Genesis 2:19 and elsewhere)
• (3) or as person or persons (Number 31:28 and elsewhere)

Even though the English word Adam is always translated from the Hebrew adam, the words man and men throughout the KJV Bible are not only translated from the Hebrew adam but in most cases they are translated from the Hebrew word ish (starting with with Genesis 2:23, 24; 3:6, 16; 4:1, 23; and elsewhere) or from other Hebrew words; and the KJV words person and persons are translated occasionally from the Hebrew adam, but in most occurances of the words person and persons, these words are translated from Hebrew nephesh or other Hebrew words. For further details see the "Summary of use of the Hebrew word adam and the English word man in the KJV" below.

Hebrew word adam <0120> was translated in the KJV as the English words

• man (most commonly)
  • Genesis 1:26,27
  • Genesis 2:5, 7, 8, 15, 16, 18, 22, 25, 3:12, 22, 24; 5:1, and elsewhere
• Adam (wherever Adam appears)
  • Genesis 2:19 and always thereafter
• person (occasionally)
  • Number 31:28 and occassionally thereafter

English words man and men in the KJV were translated from the Hebrew words

• ish <0376> (most commonly)
  • Genesis 2:23, 24; 3:6, 16; 4:1, 23; and elsewhere
• enosh <0582> (second most commonly)
  • Genesis 6:4; 12:20; 13:13; and elsewhere
• adam <0120> (third most commonly)
  • Genesis 1:26,27
  • Genesis 2:5, 7, 8, 15, 16, 18, 22, 25, 3:12, 22, 24; 5:1, and elsewhere
• enash, ben, ben adam, baal, gibbor, gebar, geber, zakar, nephesh, and echad (occasionally)
  • Genesis 20:3 and elsewhere

English person in the KJV is translated from Hebrew

• nephesh (24 occurances)
  • Genesis 14:21 and after
• panim (19 occurances)
  • Lev 19:15 and after
• ish (10 occurances)
  • Judges 9:2
• adam <0120> (5 occurances)
  • Numbers 31:28
• nephesh adam (3 occurances)
  • Numbers 31:35 and after
• enosh (2 occurances)
  • Judges 9:4 and after
• baal (1 occurance)
  • Proverbs 24:8
• methim (1 occurance)
  • Psalms 26:4

English Adam (proper name) in the KJV is translated from Hebrew

• adam <0120> (always)
  • Genesis 2:23, 24; 3:6, 16; 4:1, 23; and elsewhere

Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (edited by Brown, Driver, and Briggs, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1978, page 9)

1. a man... 2. coll. man, mankind... 3. Adam, first man... 4. city in Jordan valley...

Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, Volume 1 (edited by Botterweck and Ringgren, translated by John T. Willis, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1977, page 75-87)

'adham, meaning "man" or the proper name "Adam"... usually appears in prose texts with the article, and in poetic texts without the article. Predominantly, this word occurs as a collective singluar designating a class (as "man" in English), and therefore can be translated by "mankind" or as a plural "men." At the same time, it is often used of individuals... and functions adjectivally ("human") or indefinitely ("someone"), but never appears in the plural or in the construct... {page 75}

The use of the word 'adham in the OT presents one of the strongest evidences for ancient Israelite universalism. In most passages using 'adham, including the earliest texts, it is clear that this word is not intended to refer particularly to Israelites, but to all men... {pages 83-84}

A Theological Word Book of the Bible (edited by Alan Richardson, New York: Macmillan, 1950, page 15)

Adam. The word means originally a human being (cf. Gen. 2.5) or mankind collectively (Gen.1.26). Only for the purposes of the myth [the Adam and Eve story] does it become a proper name. (The precise etymology of the word is doubtful.) Thus we may claim biblical sanction for the statement that Adam is Everyman. The myth was, of course, taken literally for centuries; it was traditionally held that Adam was the first human being...

Also relating to "Adam"

• To explore whether "dust" or "soil" is the most appropriate term in Gen 2:7, browse http://www.bibletexts.com/qa/qa039.htm.
• To explore the correlation of Gen 2:7 with Gen 1:26,27 (as interpreted in 1Co 15:45-47), browse http://www.bibletexts.com/terms/soul.htm. The contents of this article includes:
1. Soul defined from its Hebrew word nephesh
2. Two accounts of the creation of man -- man as dust (Gen 2:7) versus man as the image of God (Gen 1:26,27)
3. Two types of man -- earthly, physical man of the dust versus spiritual, heavenly man (1Co 15:45-47)