Gen 9:5–6: "from the hand of man," "by man," and "He made"

Editorial decision: print the MT (confidence medium).

Says At 9:5 the MT has וּמִיַּד הָאָדָם מִיַּד אִישׁ אָחִיו, "and from the hand of man, from the hand of each man his brother." Swete has one phrase, ἐκ χειρὸς ἀνθρώπου ἀδελφοῦ, "from the hand of a man, a brother." The Samaritan text (von Gall, p. 13) has both phrases, without the MT's "and," with "every living thing" for "every beast" and "and his brother."

Says At 9:6 the MT has שֹׁפֵךְ דַּם הָאָדָם בָּאָדָם דָּמוֹ יִשָּׁפֵךְ and כִּי בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים עָשָׂה אֶת־הָאָדָם, "for in the image of God He made man." Swete has ὁ ἐκχέων αἷμα ἀνθρώπου ἀντὶ τοῦ αἵματος αὐτοῦ ἐκχυθήσεται, "whoever sheds a man's blood, in return for his blood it shall be shed," with nothing that answers to ba'adam as "by man," and ἐν εἰκόνι θεοῦ ἐποίησα, "in the image of God I made." Swete's notes have no entry at 9:6. The Samaritan text has the MT's consonants, with ba'adam and "He made."

Uncertain Which wording is original. (1) The MT: the Samaritan text agrees with it at 9:6 and keeps the two phrases of 9:5. Objection: two Hebrew texts can share a change. (2) Swete: a shorter text. Objection: a translator could compress the doubled phrase and give God's own speech in the first person. No lean is taken here.