Genesis 1:26

Let us make LXX ποιήσωμεν, Lat. faciamus. The use of the 1st pers. plur. is a well-known cruxof interpretation. How are we to explain its occurrence in the utterance of the Almighty? The only other passages in which it is found are (1) Genesis 3:22, "And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us"; (2) Genesis 11:7, "Go to, and let us go down, and there confound their language"; (3) Isaiah 6:8, "And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Very different explanations have been given.

i. Until recently, the traditional Christian interpretation has seen in the 1st pers. plur. a reference to the Three Persons of the Blessed Trinity. The requirements of a sound historical exegesis render this view untenable: for it would read into the Book of Genesis the religious teaching which is based upon the Revelation of the New Testament.

ii. It has been regarded as a survival of polytheism, and has been compared with "Elohim," a plural word for "God" which some regard as a relic of polytheism. But "Elohim, in the present context, is always combined with a verb in the singular. Why should "said" be in the singular, if "let us" indicates the plurality of Gods? Again, any departure from the strictest monotheism is unthinkable in the writing of the Priestly Code. The explanation may safely be dismissed as improbable in the extreme.

iii. It has been explained as the plural of Majesty. It is pointed out that the commands and rescripts of royal personages are conveyed in the 1st pers. plur.; and reference is made, in support of this view, to Ezra 4:18 1Ma 10:19; 1Ma 11:31. It may be allowed that the view is tenable; but the examples adduced are drawn from a very late period of Biblical literature, and, as an explanation, it appears to be little in harmony with the directness and simplicity of the passage.

iv. It has been explained as the "plural of the fulness of attributes and powers." It is pointed out that not only is the word for God (Elohim) plural in form, but also the words for "Lord" (Adon) and "Master" (Ba-al) are often used in the plural of a single person. "It might well be that, on a solemn occasion like this, when God is represented as about to create a being in His own image, and to impart to him a share in that fulness of sovereign prerogatives possessed by Himself, He should adopt this unusual and significant mode of expression" (Driver, in loc.). It may, however, be questioned whether the passage in Genesis 11:7 satisfies the exacting requirements of this finely described test. Again, while "the plural of plenitude" in a substantive or adjective is unquestioned, it may be doubted, whether we should be right to explain the 1st pers. plur. of a verb on the ground that the speaker is one to whom the plural of the fulness of power can justly be attributed.

v. It has been explained as the plural of Deliberation. It has been truly remarked that there is more solemnity and dignity in the words, "Let us make man in our own image," than would have been conveyed in the words, "Let me (or, I will) make man in my own image." The entire simplicity of this explanation tends to recommend it.

vi. It was the old Jewish explanation that God is here addressing the inhabitants of heaven. In the thought of the devout Israelite, God was One, but not isolated. He was surrounded by the heavenly host (1 Kings 22:19); attended by the Seraphim (Isaiah 6:1-6); holding His court with "the sons of God" (Job 1:6; Job 2:1). We are told in a poetical account of the Creation, that when the foundations of the earth were laid, "all the sons of God shouted for joy," Job 38:7 (cf. Psalms 29:1; Psalms 89:7; Psalms 103:19-22). It is claimed that, at the climax of the work of Creation, when man is about to be formed, the Almighty admits into the confidence of his Divine Purpose the angelic beings whose nature, in part, man will be privileged to share (Psalms 8:4-5, cf. Hebrews 2:7). At the risk of appearing fanciful, we may remind the reader that the birth of the Second Adam was announced by "the angel," and "there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God" (Luke 2:13)

It has been objected against this view (1) that the Priestly Narrator nowhere mentions angels, and (2) that the explanation tends to detract from the dignity of man's creation. But (1) angels are not here mentioned; and if the plur. indicates their presence in attendance upon the Almighty, the picture which it suggests is in harmony with the religious thought of the Israelites; and (2) the work of creating man is neither delegated to, nor shared with, others. God "created man in his own image" (Genesis 1:27); but, before creating him, He had associated with Himself all those who, through participation in image and likeness with Himself, would henceforth be allied to man.

The two last explanations appear to be the most probable.

man Heb. âdâm. This, the first mention of "man" in Holy Scripture, is spoken by God. It denotes "mankind" generally. Note the plural "they" in the next sentence. On "Adam" as a personal name, see note on Genesis 2:7.

in our image, after our likeness LXX reads "and after our likeness." Some distinction must clearly be drawn between "image" (Heb. ṣelem; LXX εἰκών; Lat. imago) and "likeness" (Heb. d'mûth; LXX ὁμοίωσις; Lat. similitudo). The former is more permanent, the latter more fleeting. But the distinction cannot be pressed. In Genesis 1:1 we read "in the likeness (d'mûth) of God made he him," and Genesis 5:3, "And he (Adam) begat a son in his own likeness, after his own image." The most we can say is that "image" suggests reproduction in form and substance, physical or spiritual: and "likeness" gives the idea of resemblance and outward similarity. The words contain a truth which was wont to be exaggerated by Jewish and Patristic commentators. Man's natureis made "in the image of God"; he possesses divine qualities indestructible and inalienable, which no animal possessed. He is made "after the likeness of God"; his characteris potentially divine. He is capable of approaching, or receding from, the "likeness" of God. The resemblance can never be perfect: but it can increase, and it can diminish.

The view that there is any reference to the conception of an outward resemblance, in shape or form, to the Hebrew idea of the Personal Deity is wholly improbable, and is contrary to the spirit and teaching of the religion of Israel.

and let them have dominion, &c. As this dominion is promised to man in virtue of his creation in God's image, this sentence will helpfully shew that man's superiority arises, not from physical strength, but through the equipment of his higher nature.

and over all the earth It seems strange that mention of "the earth" should be interposed between two of the four classes of animals, "the cattle" and "every creeping thing," over which man should rule. There can hardly be any doubt that the text, which is that also of the LXX and the Latin, has suffered from an early omission. We should read, with the Syriac Peshitto, "over all the beasts of the earth." The addition of the words "beasts of," in the sense of "the wild beasts of," will complete the classification of living creatures, as (1) fish, (2) birds, (3) domestic animals, (4) wild beasts, (5) creeping things. This enumeration reproduces the animals previously mentioned (Genesis 1:20).

SPECIAL NOTE A, ON Genesis 1:26

Professor Davidson, On the plural form of the word Elohim.

"The plural form of the word Elohimmight be supposed to have some bearing on the question of unity. And, indeed, by many it has been supposed to bear testimony to the plurality of gods originally worshipped among the Semitic peoples; and by others, who seem to consider the name Elohim part of God's revelation of Himself, to the plurality of persons in the Godhead. The real force of the plural termination … is not easy, indeed, to discover. But a few facts may lead us near it. In Ethiopic the name of God is Amlâk, a plural form also of a root allied to meleka king. All Shemitic languages use the plural as a means of heightening the idea of the singular; the precise kind of heightening has to be inferred from the word. Thus waterמַיִם is plural, from the fluidity and multiplicity of its parts; the heavensשָׁמַיִם from their extension. Of a different kind is the plural of adonlord, in Hebrew, which takes plural suffixes except in the first person singular. Of this kind, too, is the plural of Baal, even in the sense of owner, as when Isaiah uses the phrase בְּעָלָיו אֵבוּם (Genesis 1:3). Of the same kind, also, is the plural teraphim, penates, consisting of a single image. And of this kind probably is the plural Elohima plural not numerical, but simply enhancive of the idea of might. Thus among the Israelites the mightwho was God was not an ordinary might, but one peculiar, lofty, unique. Though the word be plural, in the earliest written Hebrew its predicate is almost universally singular. Only when used of the gods of the nations is it construed with a plural verb; or, sometimes, when the reference is to the general idea of the Godhead. This use with a singular predicate or epithet seems to show that the plural form is not a reminiscence of a former Polytheism. The plural expressed a plenitude of might. And as there seems no trace of a Polytheism in the name, neither can it with any probability be supposed to express a plurality of persons in the Godhead. For it cannot be shown that the word is itself part of God's revelation; it is a word of natural growth adopted into revelation, like other words of the Hebrew language. And the usage in the words baal, adon, rab, and such like, similar to it in meaning, leads us to suppose that the plural is not numerical, as if mights, but merely intensifying the idea of might. Nor can it be shown to be probable that the doctrine of a plurality of persons should have been taught early in the history of revelation. What the proneness of mankind to idolatry rendered imperative above all and first of all, was strenuous teaching of the Divine Unity." Davidson's Theology of the O.T.pp. 99, 100 (T. and T. Clark).

SPECIAL NOTE B

Note on the Jewish Interpretation of Genesis 1:26

(a) Targum of Pseudo-Jonathan, "And the Lord said to the angels who ministered before Him, who had been created in the second day of the creation of the world, Let us make man in Our image, in Our likeness."

(b) Pesiḳta34 a (ed. Buber), "God took counsel with the ministering angels, and said unto them, Let us make, &c."

(c) Philo (i. 556, ed. Mangey), "The Father of the Universe discourses to His own Hosts" (ταῖς ἑαυτοῦ δυνάμεσιν).

(d) Rashi, Commentary.

Humilitatem Sancti illius Benedicti hinc discimus, quoniam homo ad similitudinem angelorum creatus fuit et illi erga eum invidia incitati fuerunt, idcirco Deus cum illis consultavit.… Etiamsi angeli non opem tulerint ei Deo in illius creatione … non omittit tamen Scriptura, quominus doceat morem hominum modumque humilitatis, ut nimirum is, qui major est, consultet et facultatem impetret a minore, quod si scripsisset Moses faciam hominem, non docuisset nos, quod Deus locutus sit cum domo judicii sui; sed cum seipso; responsionem vero Epicuraeis opponendam scripsit Moses in latere ejus, "et creavit," inquiens, hominem; non vero scripsit; "et creaverunt."

Ed. Breithaupt, i. pp. 15, 17.