Does Gen 2:7 suggest that life begins at first breath, NOT at conception?

Question

For those of you without a Bible in front of you, here is the verse to which I am referring:

Gen 2:7

"And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."

Only AFTER man takes his first breath of life from God through his nostrils is he classified as becoming alive with a soul.

Feel free to say "it's taken out of context" or "you have to read the entire passage" or "that's what it says, but that's not what it means", if you like.

Your thoughts or interpretations?

Answer 1

Biological life must meet certain criteria: Metabolism, Reaction to Stimuli, Growth, and Reproduction.

A sperm doesn’t meet those criteria. Neither does an ovum.

However, once conception (human fertilization) is complete, you have a new organism that meets the criteria. Thus, life starts at conception, according to biology.

The abortion debate is not about when life begins, but about the definition of personhood. (The problem there, is that personhood is not a scientific term. It is a philosophical one, so it has no scientific right or wrong answer.)

"A common belief among pro-lifers and pro-choicers is that an ovum is alive. Thus, because it contains human DNA, they consider it to be a form of human life. According to most scientists, an ovum is not actually alive. But the belief dies hard." (see second source)

My sources below are from religioustolerance.org, which is a website that explains both the pro-choice and pro-life sides of the debate.

"We are a multi-faith group. As of 2008-FEB, we consist of one Atheist, Agnostic, Christian, Wiccan and Zen Buddhist." (see 3rd source)

Ignoring science (if you wish to): Genesis is not literal, and was never supposed to be. Christians have been saying that for at least 1600 years, and possibly as many as 2000. So looking into an exact definition of when life begins based on an allegorical passage is not going to work.

Answer 2

The issue here is the difference between ruach and nephesh.  It is incontrovertible that the Bible refers to an ensoulment after birth much more than it implies (it NEVER outright states) ensoulment prenatally, but the magisterium got around this inconvenient dichotomy by drawing a distinction between a soul and a life.

Answer 3

God says,

I knew you even before you were conceived. Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation. Ephesians 1:11-12

You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book. Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live. Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother's womb. Psalm 139:13

And brought you forth on the day you were born. Psalm 71:6

That scripture in Genesis was to tell us how He created the first man, Adam with his hands and gave him life.  After Adam, life begins in the womb.  God planned each of us even before we were conceived.

Answer 4

Then again, you have to ask when god breaths said life.  It doesn't have to be the physical act of breathing or air passing through nostrils.  It could be on a different level.

I doubt anyone can answer this question.  That's an interesting perspective.  Very nice.  :-)

Answer 5

Gen 2:7 is the beginning of creation.

He views the life of a child as precious even during the very early stages of development after conception. More than 3,000 years before the above court ruling, he inspired David, his prophet, to write:

“You kept me screened off in the belly of my mother. I shall laud you because in a fear-inspiring way I am wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, as my soul is very well aware. My bones were not hidden from you when I was made in secret [within the womb], when I was woven [allusion to the veins and arteries, which are embroidered through the body like colored threads of fabric] in the lowest parts of the earth [poetic description of the darkness in the womb]. Your eyes saw even the embryo of me, and in your book all its parts were down in writing.”—Psalm 139:13-16.

In fact  God gave a law to ancient Israel specifically protecting that life. If, in a struggle between two men, a pregnant woman was injured or a miscarriage resulted, this law set forth strict penalties. (Exodus 21:22, 23) Taking the life of an unborn child deliberately would be even more serious. According to God’s law, anyone who deliberately took human life was to be sentenced to death as a murderer. (Numbers 35:30, 31)  

Answer 6

As usual the Bible folk are mixing their arguments to support a final outcome.

Put it like this within the premise of the question.

Even if Adam was created I assume he was created before he drew breath. Therefore when he drew breath, then that is the point at which his life started, it was AFTER his creation. Life and Creation are separated principles.

There si no moral difference between this outside the womb or it it. Even if you believe that the point of creation is when the egg is fertilised, the point would be that LIFE does not start until breath is drawn.

If it is not living, it is not murder.

Now there are those that believe that termination is wrong because it is contrary to creation, ie if God creates he intends life. But therefore why create the 9 month period of waiting? And why are babies miscarried. if this is God's will then would not abortion be too?

Answer 7

After God CREATED man and the animals, he said, "let THEM bring forth after their kind" not, "let me continually create them over and over."

The first man became a living soul upon receiving his first breath from God.  Subsequent human life begins as man brings forth after his kind - at conception.

Answer 8

No. I do not think you can draw that conclusion, as Adam did not go through the normal conception, gestation and womb experiences.  He was a special case.

Answer 9

No, it doesnt say that. Adam was made a mature being. He was not born. He had to have life breathed into him.

A child in the womb does breath... it is filled with oxygen from its mothers bloodstream. Just because it is not using its lungs to take in air, doesnt mean that it doesnt breath.

Answer 10

Yes... in fact, that is the Jewish view of when a fetus becomes a person - when it takes its first breath (or for breech births, when the majority of its body is delivered).  Up till then it is seen as having the potential for life, but is treated like any other of the mother's internal organs.

Answer 11

If what you are saying is true, then why are the Catholic church against abortion. Sorry to answer with another question, but the Pope should know better than the both of us.

Answer 12

It's a metaphor. Babies are not metaphors.

Answer 13

The Bible places no value on fetuses or infants less than one month old.

- Leviticus 27:6

Fetuses and infants less than one month old are not considered persons.

- Numbers 3:15-16  

Answer 14

No it doesn't. Adam was made a man. He wasn't conceives and did not exist in utero first. There is another part of the Bible that references the unborn babies that were never born. You should look that up.

Here are some scripture verses for you: http://www.memorare.com/defense/abortion...