Gen. i. 2. Vide R.V.
margin. The word rachaph, “brood,” is not
used of wind, and itself appears to fix the meaning of the Spirit
in the place. An old interpretation of the Orphic Poem
Argonautica would identify the brooding Spirit of Genesis
with the All Wise Love of the Greek poet:
πρῶτα μὲν
ἀρχαίου
χάεος
μεγαλήφατον
ὕμνον,
ὡς
ἐπάμειψε
φύσεις, ὥς
τ᾽ οὐρανος
ἐς πέρας
ἦλθεν,
γῆς
τ᾽
εὐρυστέρνου
γένεσιν,
πυθμένας τε
θαλάσσης
,
πρεσβύτατόν
τε καὶ
αὐτοτελῆ πολ
μητιν
῎Ερωτα,
ὅσσα τ᾽
ἔφυσεν
ἅπαντα, τὰ
δ᾽ ἔ?οιθεν
ἄλλου ἄπ᾽
ἄλλο.
Orph., Argon. 423–427.
On the translation of rachaph by
“brooding,” cf. Milton, P. Lost,
vii.:
“darkness profound
Covered the abyss; but on the watery calm
His brooding wings the Spirit of God outspread,
And vital virtue infused, and vital warmth,
Throughout the fluid
mass.”