Be fruitful

"Be fruitful and increase in number..." Gen 1:28

Today I have convicted myself precisely of that which I scorned Congress for yesterday: excessive comprehensity. But also, today, while taking stride with stride I remembered to count each step, and, in doing exactly that, came to a greater understanding.

Many times I have read the verse quoted above, and quoted it myself. I had missed what so plainly was written (though it hid in the meaning). Duality. God seems full of it.

I had been reading Emerson's essay Conduct of Life and trying to seed ideas for my essay, when this verse came to mind (Oh great fortune!). I have always considered this verse to be a single idea, meaning that by increasing in number we are being fruitful. But consider the separate parts: 1. be fruitful 2. increase in number

(note should be made that from Hebrew the words are, "be fruitful become abundant fulfill the earth bring it to shape" (the later portion is removed from NIV version). One of the things that frustrates me most is that "scholars" interpret the words of the bible and insert their own conjunctions- believing that there is one proper way to read it. Perhaps this is why there is no punctuation in the hebrew version.

1. be fruitful- be productive, produce results be prolific (turning out many products of the mind), be profitable (yield gains). I think that it is interesting to note that the late latin form of the word means "enjoyment" we should enjoy ourselves. I believe this half of the verse well supports Emerson's point that we are consumers and should be producers.

and: meaning then, or also

2. increase in number- populate the earth
So it becomes understood that we are given the task of bearing fruit, not just rearing children. From the hebrew version we are also tasked with bringing the earth to shape, to form it as we would like it and fulfill it (make it complete).

I would like to apologize for any fragmentation of thought or word conveyed herein. As I study, I see many paths and wander this way and that.