Words in bold represent changes to the traditional translation based on the Aramaic translation/commentary attributed to Onkelos the Ger.

Parshas Bereishis (Genesis 1:1-6:8)

Chapter 1

Rishon

1. In the beginning of Hashem’s [1] creation of Heaven and Earth,

2. the Earth was empty and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep; a wind sent from Hashem was blowing on the surface of the water. [2]

3. Hashem said, “Let there be light” and there was light.

4. Hashem saw that the light was good and God separated between the light and the darkness.

5. Hashem called the light “daytime” and the darkness He called “nighttime.” It was evening and it was morning: one day. [3]

6. Hashem said, “Let there be a firmament in the middle of the waters, separating water from water.”

7. Hashem made the firmament and it separated between the water that was under the firmament and the water that was above the firmament, and it was so.

8. Hashem called the firmament “Heaven.” It was evening and it was morning: the second day.

9. Hashem said, “Let the water under Heaven be gathered into one place so that dry land might be seen,” and it was so.

10. Hashem called the dry land “earth” and the gathering of waters He called “seas,” and Hashem saw that this was good.

11. Hashem said, “Let the earth sprout plant life, seed-yielding herbs and fruit-trees producing fruit of its kind in which its seed is found, on the earth,” and it was so.

12.The earth produced vegetation – seed-yielding herbs of its kind and trees bearing fruit in which seed is found according to its kind. Hashem saw that this was good.

13. It was evening and it was morning: the third day.

14. Hashem said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of Heaven to separate between the daytime and the nighttime. They will serve as signs for the seasons, and to count the days and the years by them.

15. They will serve as lights in the firmament of Heaven to shine upon the Earth, and it was so.

16. Hashem made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the daytime and the lesser light to rule the nighttime, and the stars.

17. Hashem put them in the firmament of Heaven to shine upon the Earth

18. and to rule the daytime and the nighttime, and to separate between light and darkness. Hashem saw that this was good.

19. It was evening and it was morning: the fourth day.

20. Hashem said, “Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and birds that fly over the earth across the expanse of the Heavens.”

21. Hashem created the great sea monsters and every kind of living creature that crawls, with which the waters teem according to their species, and every kind of winged bird. Hashem saw that this was good.

22. Hashem blessed them, saying, “Be fertile and multiply. Fill the waters of the seas and let the birds multiply upon the earth.”

23. It was evening and it was morning: the fifth day.

24. Hashem said, “Let the earth bring forth every kind of living creature: cattle, crawling things, and wild animals of every kind.” It happened.

25. Hashem made every kind of wild animal, every kind of cattle, and every kind of thing that creeps on the earth. Hashem saw that this was good.

26. Hashem said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness. They will rule over the fish of the sea, the birds of the Heavens, the animals, the entire earth, and all the crawling things that crawl on the earth.”

27. Hashem created man in His image; in the image of God [4] He created him. He created them male and female.

28. Hashem blessed them and Hashem said to them, “Be fertile and multiply. Fill the earth and become strong on it, and rule over the fish of the sea, the birds of the Heavens and every living thing that crawls on the earth.”

29. Hashem said, “Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the entire Earth and every tree with seed-bearing fruit. They shall be yours to eat.

30. To all the animals of the earth, to all the birds of the Heavens and to everything that crawls on the earth that has the breath of life, every green plant to eat.” It happened.

31. Hashem saw everything He had made and found it well made. It was evening and it was morning: the sixth day.

Chapter 2

1. The Heavens and the Earth were perfected, along with all that they contain.

2. On the seventh day Hashem completed the work that He did and He refrained on the seventh day from all the work that He had done.

3. Hashem blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because on it He refrained from all the work that He had created to perform.

Sheini

4. These are the chronicles of the Heavens and the Earth when they were created. When Hashem God [5] made Earth and Heaven.

5. No shrub of the field was on Earth yet and no grass of the field had yet sprouted because Hashem God had not caused rain to fall upon the earth and there was no man to work the soil.

6. A mist arose from the ground and watered the whole surface of the Earth.

7. Hashem God formed Adam [6] from the dust of the ground. He blew the breath of life into his nostrils and man became a speaking soul.

8. Hashem God planted a garden in Eden, to the east, and He caused Adam, whom He had formed, to dwell there.

9. From the ground, Hashem God caused to grow every tree that was pleasant to the sight and good for food, with the Tree of Life in the middle of the garden and the tree the eating of whose fruit causes people to understand the difference between good and evil.

10. A river flowed from Eden to water the garden; from there it divided into four branches.

11. The name of the first is Pishon; that’s the one that encircles the whole land of Chavilah, where there’s gold.

12. The gold of that land is good. bdellium is there, and onyx.)

13. The name of the second river is Gichon; that’s the one that winds encircles the entire land of Cush.

14. The name of the third river is Diglas; [7] that’s the one that flows east of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates.

15. Hashem God took Adam and placed him in the garden of Eden, to work it and to guard it.

16. Hashem God commanded Adam, saying, “From every tree of the garden you may eat freely;

17. But from the tree the eating of whose fruit causes people to understand the difference between good and evil you must not eat from it; because on the day that you eat from it, you will become deserving of death.”

18. Hashem God said, “It’s not proper for man to be alone. I will make a helper opposite him.”

19. Hashem God had formed from the earth all the animals of the field and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. Whatever Adam called a living creature would be its name.

Shlishi

20. Adam gave names to all the cattle and to the birds of the sky and to all the animals of the field but for Adam there was no helper opposite him to be found.

21. Hashem God caused a deep sleep to come over Adam and he slept. He took one of his ribs and sealed the flesh in that spot.

22. Hashem God built the rib that He had taken from Adam into a woman and He brought her to Adam.

23. The man said, “This time, it is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. This one will be called ‘woman’ because she was taken from her husband.”

24. Therefore, a man will leave the house where his father and mother sleep and cling to his wife, and they will be like one flesh.

25. The two of them were naked – Adam and his wife – but they were not ashamed.

Chapter 3

1. Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals of the field that Hashem God had made. He said to the woman, “Did Hashem truly say, ‘You may not eat from any tree of the garden?’”

2. The woman replied to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit from the trees of the garden.

3. From the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden Hashem said, ‘You may not eat of it or touch it, lest you die.’”

4. The serpent said to the woman, “You will surely not die

5. for it is revealed before Hashem [8] that on the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like the great ones, who understand the difference between good and evil.”

6. The woman saw that the tree was good for eating and a cure for the eyes, and the tree was desirable to gaze upon. She took from its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

7. The eyes of both of them were opened and they understood that they were naked. They sewed fig leaves and made themselves aprons.

8. They heard the sound of Hashem God’s word [9] traveling through the garden at the time of the day’s evening. Adam and his wife hid from Hashem God among the trees of the garden.

9. Hashem God called to Adam. He said to him, “Where are you?”

10. He replied, “I heard the sound of Your word in the garden and I was afraid because I’m naked, so I hid.”

11. He said, “Who told you that you’re naked? Did you eat from the tree from which I prohibited you to eat?”

12. The man said, “The woman You gave with me, she gave me from the tree and I ate.”

13. Hashem God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent tricked me and I ate.”

14. Hashem God said to the serpent, “Because you did this, you are the most cursed among the cattle and all the animals of the field. You will travel on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life.

15. I will place enmity between you and the woman, and between your descendants and her descendants. He will remember what you did to him in the beginning and you will watch for him until the end.”

16. To the woman He said, “I will surely increase your pains and your pregnancy. In pain you will deliver children, yet your desire will be for your husband and he will rule over you.”

17. To Adam He said, “Because you listened to your wife’s voice and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You may not eat from it,’ the ground will be cursed because of you. Through toil you will eat from it all the days of your life.

18. It will sprout thorns and thistles for you and you will eat the herbs of the field.

19. Through the sweat of your brow you will eat bread until you return to the ground from which you were created, because you are dust and you will return to dust.”

20. The man called his wife Eve because she was the mother of all human beings.

21. And Hashem made for Adam and his wife garments of honor on the skin of their flesh, and He clothed them.

Revii

22. Hashem God said, “Behold, Adam has become singular in the world in that he can differentiate between good and evil. He might reach out his hand and also take from the Tree of Life, eat and live forever.”

23. Hashem God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to work the ground from which he had been created.

24. He drove Adam out and stationed, in the early days of the garden of Eden, the cherubim and the sharp revolving sword to guard the way to the Tree of Life.

Chapter 4

1. The man knew Eve, his wife, and she conceived and delivered Kayin. She said, “I have acquired a male from before Hashem.”

2. She continued to deliver his brother, Hevel. Hevel became a shepherd and Kayin became a man who works in the soil.

3. After a period of time, Kayin brought from the produce of the soil as an offering to Hashem.

4. Hevel also brought from the firstborns of his flock, and of their fattest. Hevel and his offering found favor before Hashem

5. but Kayin and his offering did not find favor. Kayin was greatly distressed and his face fell.

6. Hashem said to Kayin, “Why are you distressed and why has your face fallen?

7. If you improve your deeds, you will be forgiven; if you do not improve your deeds, your sin will be kept until the day of judgment, when retribution will be taken from you if you don’t repent. If you repent, you will be forgiven.”

8. Kayin spoke to Hevel, his brother. When they were in the field, Kayin arose against Hevel, his brother, and killed him.

9. Hashem said to Kayin, “Where is Hevel, your brother?” He replied, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

10. He said, “What have you done? The voice of the generations that were destined to be born from your brother [10] cry out before Me from the ground!

11. Now you will be more cursed than the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s bloods from your hand.

12. When you work the soil, it will no longer yield its power to you. You will be a wanderer and an exile throughout the land.”

13. Kayin said to Hashem, “My punishment is too great to bear!

14. Since You have exiled me today from the soil and I must hide from Your presence and become a wanderer and an exile throughout the land, anyone who meets me will kill me!”

15. Hashem said to him, “Therefore, if anyone kills Kayin, vengeance will be taken after seven generations from him.” [11] Hashem put a sign on Kayin to prevent anyone who meets him from killing him.

16. Kayin left Hashem’s presence and settled in the land of exile, which had been prepared for him to the east of the garden of Eden.

17. Kayin knew his wife; and she conceived and delivered Chanoch. He built a city and named the city after his son, Chanoch.

18. To Chanoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mechuyael, and Mechuyael fathered Mesushael, and Mesushael fathered Lemech.

Chamishi

19. Lemech took two wives for himself. The name of one was Adah and the name of the other was Tzilah.

20. Adah gave birth to Yaval; he was the chief of those who dwell in tents and are masters of herds.

21. His brother’s name was Yuval; he was the chief of all those who play the lyre and know music on the harp and flute.

22. Tzilah also gave birth, to Tuval-Kayin, who chief of all who know how to work copper and iron. Tuval-Kayin’s sister was Naamah.

23. Lemech said to his wives, Adah and Tzilah, “Hear my voice, wives of Lemech; listen to my speech. I didn’t kill a man for whom I should be guilty, nor did I wound a boy for whom my descendants should be cut off.

24. If vengeance for Kayin was suspended for seven generations, then for his descendant Lamech it will be 77 generations.” [12]

25. Adam knew his wife again. She delivered a son and named him Shais, because “Hashem has provided me with another child in lieu of Hevel, because Kayin killed him.”

26. Seth also fathered a son and he named him Enosh. It was in his days that people became indifferent about praying in the name of Hashem. [13]

Chapter 5

Shishi

1. This is the chronicle of Adam’s descendants. When Hashem created man, He made him in the image of Hashem.

2. He created them male and female. He blessed them and called them Man on the day He created them.

3. Adam lived 130 years and he fathered (a child) in his likeness, like his image, and he named him Shais.

4. Adam lived 800 years after Shais was born, and he fathered sons and daughters.

5. All the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died.

6. Shais lived 105 years and he fathered Enosh.

7. Shais lived 807 years after Enosh was born, and he fathered sons and daughters.

8. All the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died.

9. Enosh lived 90 years and he fathered Keinan.

10. Enosh lived 815 years after Keinan was born, and he fathered sons and daughters.

11. All the days of Enosh were 905 years, and he died.

12. Keinan lived 70 years and he fathered Mahalalel.

13. Keinan lived 840 years after Mahalal’eil was born, and he fathered sons and daughters.

14. All the days of Keinan were 910 years, and he died.

15. Mahalal’eil lived 65 years and he fathered Yared.

16. Mahalal’eil lived 830 years after Yared was born, and he fathered sons and daughters.

17. All the days of Mahalal’eil were 895 years, and he died.

18. Yared was 162 years and he fathered Chanoch.

19. Yared lived 800 years after Chanoch was born, and he fathered sons and daughters.

20. All the days of Yared were 962 years, and he died.

21. Chanoch lived 65 years and he fathered Mesushelach.

22. Chanoch walked in awe of Hashem [14] for 300 years after Mesushelach was born, and he fathered sons and daughters.

23. All the days of Chanoch were 365 years.

24. Enoch walked in awe of Hashem and then ceased to be because Hashem caused him to die. [alt.: did not cause him to die.]

Shevii

25. Mesushelach lived 187 years and he fathered Lemech.

26. Mesushelach lived 782 years after Lemech was born, and he fathered sons and daughters.

27. All the days of Mesushelach were 969 years, and he died.

28. Lemech lived 182 years and he fathered a son.

29. He named him Noach, saying, “This one will provide us with rest from our labor and from the toil of our hands in the soil that Hashem cursed.”

30. Lemech lived 595 years after Noach was born, and he fathered sons and daughters.

31. All the days of Lemech were 777 years, and he died.

32. Noach lived 500 years, and Noach fathered Sheim, Cham and Yefes.

Chapter 6

1. It was when men started to increase on the face of the Earth and daughters were born to them

2. Powerful people [15] noticed the daughters of men because they were beautiful and they took wives for themselves from whomever they desired.

3. Hashem said, “This evil generation will not endure before Me forever because they are flesh and their actions are evil. I will give them as many as 120 years if they repent.”

4. There were mighty ones in those days, and also afterwards. When the powerful people mated with the daughters of men, they bore them children. These were the mighty ones of old, prominent people.

5. Hashem saw that man’s immorality on Earth was great, and every plan conceived by his mind was pure evil all day long.

6. Hashem rescinded through His word that He had made man on Earth. [16] He said through His word to break their power according to His will.

7. Hashem said, “I will blot out man, whom I created, from the face of the Earth—from man to beast, to crawling things, to birds of the Heavens, because I rescind through My word that I made them.”

8. But Noah found mercy before Hashem.

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Notes

1. Onkelos typically substitutes the Tetragrammatom (YHVH – rendered here as “Hashem”) for the name Elokim (rendered here as “God”).

2. Onkelos understands the words “ruach Elokim” – often translated as “the spirit of God” – as a literal wind. (He also replaces Elokim with Hashem.)

3. The distinction between a 24-hour period and the daylight hours is lost when using the English word “day” or the Hebrew “yom” but is apparent when using the Aramaic words “y’mama” and “yoma.”

4. Here, Onkelos retains the name Elokim. (Contrast with verse 5:1.)

5. Onkelos retains the construction “Hashem Elokim” (rendered here as “Hashem God”) throughout.

6. Onkelos typically refers to the first man as Adam (a proper noun) rather than “ha’adam” (“the man”).

7. i.e., the Tigris, referred to by Onkelos according to its then-contemporary name.

8. Throughout Chumash, Onkelos eschews anthropomorphisms like “God knows” and changes them to phrases like “It is revealed before God” in order to reduce the possibility of the reader imagining God as somehow akin to human beings.

9. Also to reduce anthropomorphisms, Onkelos refers to God’s word (Aramaic: memra) as performing various actions.

10. A clarification of the Hebrew “the voice of your brother’s bloods.”

11. As opposed to “sevenfold vengeance will be taken.”

12. As opposed to “If sevenfold vengeance would be taken for Kayin (who killed intentionally), then 77-fold vengeance should be taken for Lemech (who killed accidentally).”

13. The Chumash says “began to call in the name of God,” which is understood as a euphemism for the start of idolatry.

14. As opposed to “walked with God.” (Onkelos also replaces Elokim with Hashem here and in verse 24.)

15. The Chumash refers to “the sons of elohim.” Since the Hebrew word can refer to humans or to God, Onkelos removes the possibility of readers making a serious misreading.

16. As opposed to the human emotion of regret.

© Copyright 2021 Rabbi Jack Abramowitz