Genel. i. 6.FIRMAMENT. The Scripture says, that God made the Firmament in the midst רקיעLXX. & alii Græci Στερέωμα. Firmamentum.of the waters, in order to separate the inferior from the superior waters. It makes use of the word rakiah, which is translated expansum, something expanded, or firmamentum, something firm and solid. The verb rakah from Exod. xxxix. 3. Numb. xvi. 38,39whence rakiah is derived, signifies to spread metal with the hammer, to make flat, to crush to pieces, to beat. Moses uses this word to describe the gold which was beaten in order to cover the Ark and the Tables of the Holy with it; Ezekiel, and the Author of Ezek. vi. 11. xxv. 6. 2 Sam. xxii. 43.the second book of Samuel, to signify beat, overwhelm, and trample enemies under foot; Isaiah, to denote the plates of gold wherewith the Idols were covered; the same Isaiah Isai. xl. 19.and the Psalmist, to express the spreading forth of the earth, and its floating on the waters, for this was the conception which the Isai. xlii. 5. and xliv. 24. Ps. cxxxvi. 6. Jerem. x. 9.Hebrews had of it: Lastly, Jeremiah, to signify the plates of Gold, or the beaten Gold brought from Tarshish.
All this intimates, that by the word Firmament, rakiah, the Hebrews understood the Heavens, which, like a solid and immense Genes. i. 17.Arch, served as a bank and barrier between the upper and lower waters, and that the Stars are set in this Arch like so many precious stones in Gold or Silver. But we are not to infer from this Idea of the ancient Hebrews, that it really was so. In matters of this kind, the knowledge whereof is very indifferent, the Sacred Writers generally suit their expressions to the popular prejudices of mankind.