Adam

by Brad Scott

For many years now I have taught about the revelation of the gospel found in the Hebrew text of Bere’shiyt (Genesis) 5:1-32. This truth is found embedded in the Hebrew names of Adam through Noah. As you read the next nine words in this section you will see God's plan unfold. However, the meaning of some of these names cannot be found in an ordinary lexicon such as as Strong's Concordance (only one form of a word appears there and scant information concerning it's etymological root). So, I have elected to go through each one of these names.

The beginning of this search starts with the first man, Adam, the name used to represent all mankind. You will generally find the meaning of most words in Scripture in their verbal form somewhere in the vicinity of the verse in which you find the word you are defining. The word 'adam (אדם) means earthy or of the earth. Hence Bere’shiyt 2:7 tells us that man was formed from the ground. The word consists of an aleph, a dalet, and a mem. The ground from which Adam "comes from" is the 'adamah. The 'adamah is the feminine form of 'adam. Paul teaches us the root of 'adam in 1 Corinthians 15:

1 Corinthians 15:47-48The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

We were all in the loins of Adam at the beginning and so this is why sin is passed on to all of us and the earthy includes you and I, as well. There are several other words in Scripture which also lend insight to the meaning of this word. The word for red or ruddy is 'adom. This is, in general, the color of the earth or soil. The English word sardius in Shemot (Exodus) 28:17 is 'odem. The last two letters of this word is the Hebrew word dam. This word is translated as blood in the English version. Life, we are told, is in the blood. Physical life in the first adam and spiritual life in the last adam. This word should be properly translated as "mankind".

Next word is Seth.

Shalom Alecheim! ◊