Adam & Eve and Larry Crabb

I heard an interview with Larry Crabb this week on Focus On The Family. He was being interviewed on his book, The Marriage Builder: He mentioned something that I had not heard before.

He said that behind the name, Eve, was the meaning of, 'to receive' and behind the name, Adam, was the meaning, 'to move toward.'

He went on say that there were obvious relational intimations in both names sexually. He then briefly commented on how God designed a women to receive a man (husband and wife) and a man to move toward a women and join with each other.

Sounded great, but I just can't find his reference. I have his book, not in there, Logos doesn't mention it, and I did a cursory search on Google.

So if anyone can help out, it sure would be a great word picture.

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Everett Headley

While this probably isn't as helpful...I have studied Adam and Eve in the context of marriage and relationship more than I feel the average seminary graduate would have and I have never come across a reference to this. Even more, when I study the original language I don't see that reference at all. I would be very interested to see where it originates from, until then my skepticism remains high. I know Dr. Crabb and his work well, and would never accuse him of just making this up.

Do you have a link to the interview?

Milkman

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/590628#Comment_590628

Try these two links:

http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/focus-on-the-family/listen/building-true-oneness-in-marriage-part-1-of-2-404138.html

http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/focus-on-the-family/listen/building-true-oneness-in-marriage-part-2-of-2-404139.html

George Somsel

I heard an interview with Larry Crabb this week on Focus On The Family. He was being interviewed on his book, The Marriage Builder: He mentioned something that I had not heard before.

He said that behind the name, Eve, was the meaning of, 'to receive' and behind the name, Adam, was the meaning, 'to move toward.'

He went on say that there were obvious relational intimations in both names sexually. He then briefly commented on how God designed a women to receive a man (husband and wife) and a man to move toward a women and join with each other.

Sounded great, but I just can't find his reference. I have his book, not in there, Logos doesn't mention it, and I did a cursory search on Google.

So if anyone can help out, it sure would be a great word picture.

The best help I can give is simply to tell you that that is nonsense.

Paul C

He said that behind the name, Eve, was the meaning of, 'to receive' and behind the name, Adam, was the meaning, 'to move toward.

You certainly have a way of ferreting out controversial theories. [:)]

Milkman

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/590662#Comment_590662

But not on purpose though. Just an honest inquiry.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/590673#Comment_590673

I'm trying some searches but the false positives are killing me ...

David Paul

He said that behind the name, Eve, was the meaning of, 'to receive' and behind the name, Adam, was the meaning, 'to move toward.'

He went on say that there were obvious relational intimations in both names sexually. He then briefly commented on how God designed a women to receive a man (husband and wife) and a man to move toward a women and join with each other.

Actually, what he was referring to was the words "male" and "female" in Gen. 1:27, not the name words "Adam" and "Eve". Regarding these two, the word for woman, n'qeibhaah, does somewhat fit the description he mentions. His "delicate" way of putting it is that "female" means "that which is opened to receive". It more bluntly means that which is punctured or perforated. The word family for that root, as shown in TWOT, is

1409 נָקַב (nāqab) pierce, bore; blaspheme; appoint.
Derivatives
1409a נֶקֶב (neqeb) technical term relating to jeweller’s work.
1409b נְקֵבָה (nĕqēbâ) female.
1409c מַקֶּבֶת (maqqebet) I, hammer.
1409d מַקֶּבֶת (maqqebet) II, hole.
Harris, R. L., Harris, R. L., Archer, G. L., & Waltke, B. K. (1999, c1980). Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed.) (595). Chicago: Moody Press.

The last derivative shown, maqqebhetth, is a hapax used in Isa. 51:1 where it refers to a hole in the form of an excavation pit ("quarry" in some translations). Isa. 51:2 probably not coincidentally mentions Sarah giving birth.

Regarding Crabb's suggested meaning of the word "male" as "that which moves or remembers"...his emphasis is on "moving" or "movement". I think, in order to complete his picture, he is (pun intended) "filling the gap". The word for male is zaakhaar, which is the exact same consonantal word as the word that means "to remember" (zaakhar), which in Hebrew has a more active sense of "act on behalf of". When YHWH "remembered" Israel in Egypt, He didn't say "Oh, yeah, I remember them...Jacob's brood that went to go see Joseph in Egypt!" Instead, He began to act on their behalf through the agency of Moses and His own works.

A Hebrew dictionary I own (not in Logos) says "according to some scholars the orig. meaning of this base would have been 'to prick, pierce' whence 'to fix in one's mind'--'to remember'."

So Crabb is correct. It is interesting how blunt YHWH can be about things. He is much more "out there" than most people think Him to be.

DMB

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/590735#Comment_590735

Ah, yes. Gap-filling time. I'm constantly amazed the males are so fascinated with gender in the Bible. What could be the reason? (Yes, I'm hinting the Bible's all about the gap-fillers.)

Paul C

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/590763#Comment_590763

I can remember a few times women were mentioned:

When Eve tempted Adam. ... When Sarah tempted Abraham to conceive a child with Hagar. ...Do I dare mention Jezabel?

DMB

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/590776#Comment_590776

Keep going Paul-C ... you still have quite a few fingers left!

Of course in the text, you passed by a passle of nailed gap-fillers.

Matthew C Jones

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/590779#Comment_590779

It must be Friday night on the forums....