Unhinged verbal herbal rant

...of Bill Mounce

Bill is doubtless a Greek scholar. He serves on the Committee for Bible Translation (the standing committee for the New International Version translation). He also was the New Testament Chair for the English Standard Version translation. He wrote, Basics of Biblical Greek, a popular Greek textbook.

However, we might fairly question his ability with English! Writing about words to study and things that annoy him, he becomes quite annoyed with the New King James translation of Genesis 1:29, which says, “And God said, ‘See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.’”

Mounce responds:

Really? God gave us “herbs” to eat? Season our food, yes. But eat?

...The translation simply makes no sense. You don’t eat herbs.

...Whatever the specific translation, it has to be something to eat that sustains people and animals. I don’t think I could live on salt, pepper, and mint.

Really, Bill? You do not know where salt comes from? It is not an herb even using your limited unskilled definition of that word! Salt is an organic mineral compound found in nature. As to herb, try a few dictionaries to find out the semantic range of the word the next time you shoot at it. It is broader than just something that seasons our food. Maybe check with a botanist or a farmer. Do your homework.

You get close (but no cigar) when you write that other translations have “seed-bearing plant” or some variation. Too bad for your rant that herb does mean a seed-bearing plant. Maybe you should have checked before going off halfcocked.

You don’t like the translation “herbs” for your modern Bibles? Fine. Do what you will with your translations. However, make your rant on that basis rather than making yourself look like a nincompoop.

By the way, we do eat herbs (even the ones in your, again, limited unskilled definition).

Here endeth my rant.