Table Of ContentOn Genesis
Augustinian Heritage 1nstitute, 1nc.
Board ofDirectors
Michael T. Dolan, secretary Daniel E. Doyle, O.S.A.
Joseph T. Kelley Patricia H. Lo, treasurer
Thomas Martin, O.S.A. Boniface Ramsey, O.P.
John E. Rotelle, O.S.A., president
Translation Advisory Board
Gerald Bonner Maria Boulding, O.S.B.
Allan D. Fitzgerald, O.S.A. Edmund Hill, O.P.
Joseph McGowan Boniface Ramsey, O.P.
Roland J. Teske, S.J.
THE WORKS OFSAlNTAUGUSTlNE
A Translation for the 21st Century
Part I - Books
Volume 13:
On Genesis
•W^e,^"^, B.s-op «* %*•
77/£ WORKS OF SAINTAUGUST1NE
A Translation for the 21st Century
On Genesis:
On Genesis: A Refutation of the Manichees
Unfinished Literal Commentary on Genesis
The Literal Meaning of Genesis
1/13
introductions, translation and notes by
Edmund Hill, O.P.
editor
John E. Rotelle, O.S.A.
New City Press
Hyde Park, New York
BR
PublishedintheUnitedStatesbyNewCityPress
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©2002AugustinianHeritage1nstitute
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Contents: —pi.3,v.15.ExpositionsofthePsalms, I-32
—pt.3,v. 1.SermonsontheOldTestament, 1-19.
—pt.3.v.2.SermonsontheOldTestament,20-50—[etall—pt.3,
v. 10Sermonsonvarioussubjects,341-400.
1. Theology—Earlychurch,ca.30-600. 1.Hill,
Edmund. 11.Rotelle,JohnE. 111.Augustinian
Heritage1nstitute. 1V.Title.
BR65.A5E53 1990 270.2 89-28878
1SBN 1-56548-055-4(series)
1SBN1-56548-175-5(pt. 1,v.13)
WeareindebtedtoBrepolsPublishers,Turnholt,Belgium.fortheiruseoftheLatincriticaltext
ofEnarrationesinPsalmos1-CLed.D.EligiusDekkers,O.S.B.etJohannesFraipont,
CorpusChristianorumLatinorumXXXV111-XL(Turnholt, 1946)1-2196.
NihilObstat:JohnE.Rotelle,O.S.A.,S.T.L.,CensorDeputatus
1mprimatur:+PatrickSheridan,D.D..VicarGeneral
ArchdioceseofNewYork.July22, 1999
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Contents
General Introduction 13
Augustine's personal interestinthesubjectofcreation 13
The theological investigationofthe mystery ofcreation 15
Thetraditionofinterpretation oftheHexaemeron 17
Thephilosophical backgroundofAugustine's interpretation ofGenesis . 19
ImportanceofAugustine'scommentaries on Genesis 20
On Genesis: A Refutation ofthe Manichees
lntroduction 25
Origin and intention—25; Method of interpretation—28; Structure—31; Main
contents—32;1mportanceofthework—35
ExtractfromRevisions (l, 10, 1-3) 36
Bookl 39
Advised by friends toeschewelaboraterhetoric, heintendstohelpordinaryunlearned
CatholicsmeettheattacksoftheManicheesontheOldTestament—39;Answerstodiffi
cultiesmadebytheManicheesabout"1nthebeginning...,"Genesis 1:1—40;Goddidnot
makeheavenandearthoutofanypre-existingmaterial,andwasnotindarknessbeforehe
madethelight—42;Darknessisjusttheabsenceoflight—43;HowtheSpiritofGodwas
borneoverthewater—44; VariousnamesgiventothebasicmaterialoutofwhichGod
formedthecosmos; andthis materialhe madefrom nothing—45; QuibblesaboutGod
seeingthatthelightwasgood—47;WhyitdoesnotsaythatGodmadethedarkness—48;
Manicheeslurontheorderofeveningandmorning—49;Differencebetweenthewater
aboveandthewaterbelowthefirmament—49;Theseaanddrylandformedfromthemate
rialearliercalledinvisibleearthandthenwater—50;Manicheequibbleabouttheoriginof
poisonous,pricklyplants,andtreesthatbearnofruit—51;Manicheeslursontheworkof
thefourthday—51;Quibblesabouttheworkofthefifthday—53;Whatwasthepointof
God making so many different kinds of animal?—54; Man made to God's image;
Manicheegibes—56;Authorityoverallanimalsgiventohumanitywhilestillinitssinless
state—58; A spiritual interpretation ofthe blessing: 1ncrease and multiply and fill the
earth—58;Aspiritualinterpretationoftheauthoritygiventhemoveralltheanimals—59;
Godsawthatallthingstogetherwereverygood—60;Manicheemockeryofthenotionof
Godrestingontheseventhday—60;Thesixdaysofcreationrepresentthesixagesofthe
world—62;Amorepersonalallegoricalinterpretationofthesevendays—67
Bookll 69
A moredetailedaccountofthecreationofthe man, to be taken figuratively, notliter
ally—69;Withoutprejudicetothestudyoftheliteral,historicalsense,heisgoingtosearch
outthefigurative meaningofthis story—72;Thegreeneryofthe fieldandthefodder.
Genesis2:5,meansthesoul—72;Thespringcomingupfromtheearth,Genesis2:6—74;
SumminguptheexpositionofGenesis2:4-6—75;Onthemakingofthemanfromthemud
oftheearth—76;Ontheblowingofthespiritoflifeintotheman—77;Whatissignifiedby
thedelightsofParadise—79;WhattheriversofParadiseindicate—80;Whatthemandid
in Paradise, and his need for help—81; The stages by which God provided a help for
Adam—82; The slumberofAdam from which Eve was made —82; The relationship
between the man and the woman—83; The devil represented by the serpent—84; The
valueofnotinghowtheserpentsucceeded—86:ThemeaningoftheirencounterwithGod
inParadise—87;Puttingtheblameonothers,inthelastresortonGod—88;Thesentence
passedontheserpent,representingthedevil—88;ThemeaningofGenesis3:14—89;The
penaltypaidbythewoman—90;Thepenaltypaidbytheman—91;OnAdamgivinghis
wifethenameofLife,andonGodclothingthemwithtunicsofskin—92;Twowaysof
taking"Adamhasbecomelikeoneofus"—93;TheCherubimandtheflamingsword—95;
ThestoryisalsopropheticofChristandtheChurch—96;Heretics,especiallyManichees,
propheticallysignifiedbytheserpent—97;TheManicheestellliesaboutChristandalso
declarethathe told lieshimself—98: Adam's fall andpunishmentinterpretedallegori-
cally—100;Conclusion;summaryanswerstoManicheeobjections—100;Thenatureof
God—102
Unfinished Literal Commentary on Genesis
lntroduction 105
Origin and intention—105; 1ntention and hermeneutics—106; Exegesis—108; 1mpor
tanceofthework—110
ExtractfromRevisions(I, 18) 112
UnfinishedLiteral Commentaryon Genesis 114
1ntroductoryadmonitions—114;History,allegory,analogy,andaetiology—116;Various
historical ways ofinterpreting Genesis 1:1—116; Genesis 1:2; the earth invisible and
shapeless; darkness over the abyss—119; Genesis 1:2; what may be meant by
"water"—120;Genesis1:2;themeaningofthespiritofGod;Genesis1:3:Withwhatkind
ofvoicedidGodspeak?—124;Whatsortoflightwasmade—124;Genesis1:4:thegood
ness ofthe light-—125; Genesis 1:4: how light was divided from darkness—125; The
variousmeaningsdarknesscanhave—126;Genesis1:5:whether"light"and"day,""dark
ness"and"night,"areineachcasejusttwonamesforthesamething—128;Howthere
couldbenightanddaybeforetheheavenlybodieswerecreated—129;Genesis 1:5;God
needsnoperiodoftimeinwhichtoeffecthisworks—130;Genesis 1:6-7:Thedifference
betweenthewatersaboveandbelowthefirmament—131;Genesis 1:7-8—132;Genesis
1:9-10:By"waters"herethebasicmaterialoftheworldismeant—134;Genesis1:11:An
additionalworkperformedonthethirdday—135;Genesis 1:14-15:Problemaboutheav
enlybodiesbeing"fordays"—136; Morequestionsaboutthelamps fixedinthefirma
ment—136;Genesis 1:14:Timesareasign,ortraceofeternity—137:Questionofwhat
phasethemoonwasmadein—138;Makingandplacingthelampsarethesamethingfor
God—139;Theexplanationof"thebeginning"ofday,etc.—140;Genesis1:20:Questions
about fishand birds—140; The meaningofthesolid structureextended in scripture to
includethehigherlevelsofpureair—141;ThishumidlowerairmadewhenGodsaid:Let
drylandappear—142;Theoriginofspringsandrivers—142;Morequestionsaboutbirds
andreptiles—143;Genesis 1:21—143;Genesis 1:22—144;Final proofthatthedaysof
creationarenotdaysintheordinarysense—144;Genesis 1:23—145;Genesis 1:24:The
production of land animals—146; Genesis 1:25-26: The actual making of the land
animals—146; The making of man; both connected with and distinguished from the
making of other animals—147; Why the terms "image" and "likeness" are both
used—147;Thewholeuniverse,invariousways,sharesinthedivinelikeness—148;The
divinelikenesslocatedinthehumanreasonormind—149;Finalsection,addedattimeof
revision;alternativeinterpretationof"Letusmakemantoourimageandlikeness"—150
The Literal Meaning ofGenesis
Introduction 155
Origin and intention—155; The relation between faith and science—156; Exegetical
method—157;Structure—162;Date—164;1mportanceofthework—165
ExtractfromRevisions (ll, 24) 167
Book l 168
Themultiplemeaningsofscripture—168;Genesis1:1-2:thestateofthequestion—168;1n
whatwaydidGod"say"things?—169; 1s thelightspiritual,corporeal,orboth?—170;
WhyGoddidnotsay"Letitbemade"abouttheunformedbasicmaterial—171;Whatspir
itualformlessnessmightbe,andhowitisformed—172;HowthemysteryoftheTrinityis
hinted at in these verses—173; The question oftime; when did God say, Let light be
made?—174;Howdaynumberonewasspent—175;Thefunctionofthesunonthefourth
day—177; How did evening and morning follow each other during the first three
days?—178;Asthewaterunderheavenhadfirstcoveredthewholeearth, wheredidit
recede to, for the dry land to appear?—179; When had earth and water been
created?—180;WhydidGodnot"seethatitwasgood"aftercreatingformlessmatter,in
verse2?—180;Formlessmatterpriorasasource,butnotpriorintime,tothethingsformed
outofit—181;Asuggestionthatduringthefirstthreedaysnightanddaymeancontraction
andemissionoflight—182;Whatcaneveningandmorning,nightandday,beforspiritual
light?—183; 1n what way God works—185; Augustine's method in this commen
tary—186;Statingallpossiblemeaningsbywayofquestions—187;Whathavewegotten
fromhis"rubbingthegraininhishands"likethis?—188
Bookll 190
Howtherecanbewaterabovethesolidstructureofthesky—190;Aproblemraisedby
Psalm 136:6—191;Airbynature,beinglighterthanearth,liesaboveit—192;Firelike
wiselighterthanair,andsolyingaboveit—193;SaintBasil'ssolution—194;Thecold
ness ofthe planet Saturn—195; How the persons ofthe Trinity are indicated in the
text—196;Themeaningof"made"—198;TheuncreatedWisdomoftheWordimpressed
asacreatedlightontheangelicintelligence—199;Ontheshapeofthesky—201;Whether
the heavens rotate ornot—203; When were earth and watercreated?—204; Why the
productionofvegetationisincludedintheworkofthethirdday—205;Howthefirstthree
dayspassedbeforethelampsintheheavensweremade—205;Problemoftheluminaries
beingforsignsandtimes—207;Questionofthephaseinwhichthemoonwasmade—209;
On the relative brillianceofsun, moon and stars—211; Against astrology and divina
tion—212;Whethertheluminariesofheavenareanimated,livingbeingsornot—214
Booklll 216
Whythelivingcreaturesofthewatersandtheairwereproducedbeforethoseofthedry
land—216;Thatthe heavens weredestroyed in the flood means thattheairwastrans
formedintothenatureofwater—217;Variousopinionsaboutthechangingoftheelements
intooneanother;theelement,air,isnotomittedinthecreationnarrative—218;Thefive
sensesinrelationtothefourelements—219;Howthefacultyofsensationisrelateddiffer
entlytothefourelementsineachofthefivesenses—220;Theelementofairnotover
lookedbytheauthorofGenesis—220;Flyingcreaturesrightlysaidtohavebeencreated
fromthewaters—221;Whyfisharecalledreptilesoflivesouls—222;Refutationofthose
naturalscientistswhoallottedeachelementitsownanimals—223;Grantedthatdemons
maybecalledairybeings,scripture'saccountoftheproductionofbirdsfromthewateris
stillvalid—224;Onthevariouskindsofanimalcreatedfromtheearth—225;Thespecial
pointofthephrase"accordingtokind"—227;Whyablessinglikethatgiventohumanity
wasonlygiventoaquaticanimals—228;Onthecreationofinsects—229;Thecreationof
poisonousanimals—230;Whybeastswerecreatedthatharmeachother—230;Aworry
aboutthebodiesofthedeadthathavebeeneatenbywildanimals—231;Whyandwhen
thornsandthistlesandtreesthatbearnofruitwerecreated—232;Whyitisonlyinthe
creationofmanthatGodsays"Letusmake,etc."—233;1nwhatrespectmanwasmadeto
the imageofGod; and why itdoesnot say afterthecreation ofman, "And thusitwas
made"—234;Difficultyaboutthefoodprovidedforman,inconnection withhiscondi
tionalimmortality—236;TheopinionthatGenesis1:27referstothecreationofthehuman
spirit, 2:7 to the creation of the body—237; What "And thus it was made" refers to
here—238;Whyitdoesnotsayindividuallyaboutthehumancreature"AndGodsawthat
itwasgood"—239
Book lV 241
Howthesixdaysofcreation aretobeunderstood—241;Theperfectionofthenumber
six—242;Allthingsinmeasureandnumberandweight—245;MeasureisinGodwithout
measure,numberwithoutnumber,weightwithoutweight—246;Theideaofmeasureand
numberand weight, with reference to which all things were arranged, is there in God
himself—248; How we perceive the perfection ofthe number six—249; How God's
resting on the seventh day is to be understood—250; 1n what sense God is said to
rest—250;WhetherGodhimselfcouldproperlybesaidtorest—252;Howtoreconcile
God'srestingontheseventhdaywithhis"workinguntilnow,"John5:17—252;Another
wayofreconcilingGod'srestingwithhiscontinuousworking—253;Ontheobservanceof
thesabbath,andtheChristiansabbath—254;Thequestionraised:whyGodonlysanctified
the day ofhis rest—255; An answerproposed to thequestionjust raised—256; God's
restingontheseventhdaymeanshestandsinneedofnoothergood—257;Ourrestistobe
foundinGod—257;Whytheseventhdayhadamorningbutnoevening—258;Another
explanationofwhytheseventhdayhadamorningwithoutanevening—261;Whetherthe
seventhdaywascreated—261;Onthelightthatprecededthelampsinthesky,andonthe
alternationofdayandnight—262;Howspirituallightmaybeunderstoodtohavemani
festedthealternationofdayandnight—263;AngelicknowledgeofthingsintheWordof
God,andinthethingsthemselves—264;Theknowledgeoftheangels—265;Whynightis
notmentionedagainduringeachofthesixdays—266;Repeatedexplanationofwhatthe
repetitionoftheonedaymadebyGodreallymeans—266;Theordinarydaysoftheweek
arequiteunlikethe sevendaysofGenesis—267;Treatingthelightanddayasspiritual
realities is not a metaphorical interpretation—268; Day, evening, and morning in the
knowledgeoftheangels—268;Moreabouttheorderofday,evening,andmorninginthe
angelicknowledgeofthings—269;Whetherallthingswerecreatedsimultaneously,orone
byoneduringthesixdays—271;Allthingsbothmadesimultaneously,andnonetheless
alsomadeinsixdays—273;ConclusionaboutthedaysofGenesis—275
BookV 276
The world really created on one day—276; Why the addition of"the greenery ofthe
field"—277;Theprecisewordingofthenarrativegivesustounderstandthatallthings
werecreatedsimultaneously—278;Whythehayissaidtohavebeenmadebeforeitsprang
up—279;Thenatureoftimeinthesixdaysofcreation—282;Whethertheverse"Godhad
notrained"etc. supportsthe viewofsimultaneouscreation—284;Onthe springwhich
wateredthewholeearth—285;Theplaceofconjecturewherescriptureissilent—287;The
particularinstanceofthisspring—287;Reiteratingthepointthatthecreationofallcrea
turestookplacesimultaneously,whiletheirmanagementandregulationisconductedover
intervalsandperiodsoftime—289;Differentwaysofknowingthings,followingonthese
differencesinGod'sworking—290;Godknowsthingsbeforetheyexist—290;Parenthet
ical noteontheproperphrasingofthissentence—291;Whatsortoflifeallthingsarein
God—292;Godisnearertousthanaremanyofthethingshemade—292;Abriefrecapitu
lation—293;Howcreation,muchofitunknowntous,isknowntoGodandtothe"day,"
whichisthespiritual,rationalcreation—294;Themysteryofthekingdomrevealedtothe
angelsfromthebeginning—295;HowGodisstillworking—296;Allthingsgovernedby
divineprovidence—297;FurtherargumentsinsupportofGod'sprovidentialcontrolofthe
world—298;Anillustrationofhoweventhingsweseedevelopingandcomingtobenow
were all created simultaneously at the beginning—299; Recapitulation ofthe "literal
meaning"ofGenesis2:4-6—300
BookVl 301
Twopossiblewaysofreadingthistext;firstthewayofrecapitulatingtheworkofthesixth
day—301;Difficultiesaboutthisway—302;Therestofthestoryevidentlytellsofevents
occurringintime—303;AwarningnottotakeAugustineassayingthingsthatinfactheis
notsaying—305; An untenablesuggestion thatitwasonly the human soul which was
createdonthesixthday—307;HowcouldGodaddresspeopleonthesixthdaywhodidnot
yet exist as such?—308; A question aired which the author thinks ought not to be
pursued—309;Differentlevelsofcausalityatwhichthingspre-existintheircauses—310;
HowGodmadetheman'sbody—312;Therelationshipbetweentheprimalformulaeand
what emerges from them in historical time—315; Whether the first man's body was
formedembodyingsoulorspirit—318;Anothertwisttothisquestion—319;Thesolution
totheproblem—321;Adifficultquestionaboutthesoulisdeferredtothenextbook—323
BookVll 324
OnwhatcanbemeantbyGodpuffingorblowing—324;Whetherthesoulwasmadeoutof
nothing,oroutofsomealreadymadespiritualmaterial—326;Difficultiesaboutthenotion
ofspiritualmaterial—328;Furtherremarksontherelationshipbetweenhumanandanimal
souls—330;Thesamecontinued,withanasideabouttheManichees—331;1fthehuman
soul is not made out of non-rational soul, neither is it made out of any bodily
element—332;Asatisfactorycompromisesuggestedbymedicalscience—332;Conclu
siontothefindingsofmedicalscience;thatthesoulisnotanykindofbody—335;Further
evidencethatthesoulisquitedifferentfromanyofitsbodilyagents—336;Thesoulnot
madefromsomefifthelement,norfromanythingmaterialatall—337;Difficultiesabout
supposing that a causal formula ofthe soul was inscribed in the original six days of
creation—339;Thepossibilityconsideredofthehumansoulhavingbeencreatedinitsfull
actualityattheoriginalsimultaneouscreationofallthings—341;Aproblemraisedbythis
idea—341;Afurtherquestion—342;Theproblemprovisionallysolved—342;Tomain
tainthatthesoulwascreatedonlywhenitwasbreathedintothemanalreadyformedwill
notsquarewiththesetextsofscripture—343;Conclusion: hehopesreaderswillatleast
havelearnedhowtodiscusshardquestionswithoutmakingrashassertions—345
BookVIlI 346
ThreewaysoftakingtheaccountofParadise:literally,figuratively,orboth—346;Whathe
saidonthispointinhistwovolumesonGenesisagainsttheManichees—348;Whatissaid
aboutParadiseisreconciledwithwhatiswrittenaboutthethirdandsixthdays—350;How
toexplainthetreeoflifeandthetreeofknowledgeofgoodandevilinanhistoricalaswell
asanallegorical sense—351;Thesamecontinued,withadiscussionofcertaincompli
catingfactors—352;Onthetreeofknowledgeofgoodandevil—354;Ontheriversof
Paradise—355;QuestionaboutthemanbeingputinParadisetowork—356;Thesame
continued,onacosmicscale—357;QuestionaboutthemanbeingputinParadisetoguard
it—358;WhyGodisonlycalled"theLordGod"fromthispointon—360;Moreabouthow
Godworksandguardsman—361;OnthecommandgiventoAdam—363;Furtherreflec
tionsonthenatureofgoodandevil;whyEmmanueldidnothavetoexperiencethediffer
encebetweenthem—364;Moreproblemsaboutthenamingofthetreeofknowledgeof
goodandevil—365;WhetherGodgavethecommandtothemanalone,ortothewomanas
well—367;1nwhatwaydidGodspeaktoAdam?—368;Moreaboutthetwofoldoperation
ofdivineprovidence—368;Thepointillustratedbyacloserlookatthewaythesoulmoves
thebody—369; 1fthiscannotbeunderstooditmustbebelieved,asalsothetruthabout
God'simmovabilitywhichthisaboutthesoulismeanttoillustrate—371;Returningtothe
twofoldoperationofGod'sprovidence,andtheorderestablishedthereby—371;Moreon
the interaction ofcreatures, especially ofangels on lower orders ofcreation—372; A
summingupofwhathasbeensaidaboutGodinrelationtotimeandspace,andaboutthe
twofoldoperationofhisprovidence—373;ReturningtothequestionofhowGodspoketo
Adam—374
Book lX 376
Recapitulationaboutthemakingoftheanimals—376;VariouswaysinwhichGodcould
have spoken—377; 1twasonly fortheprocreationofchildren thatthe man neededthe
woman'shelp—378;Whytheydidnotin factcouple in Paradise—380;Exceptforthe
purpose ofprocreation, another man would have been a more suitable companion for
Adam—380; How onegeneration could havegiven way tothe next hadtherebeen no
sin—380; Whysetasidethereasonofhavingchildren?Acomparisonofthe valuesof
marriageandvirginity—382;Abadreasonforsupposingthattheywouldnothavebeen
allowedtomateinParadise—383;Anothermisapprehensiononthepoint—383;1nPara
disetheywerenottheslavesofcarnalconcupiscence—384:Todoubtthatthewomanwas
madeforthemantoeffectthepeoplingoftheearthistocallinquestioneverythingwe
believe—386;1twasforapropheticorsymbolicreasonthattheanimalswerebroughtto
