THE MEANING OF “RULING” AND “SUBDUING” THE EARTH IN GENESIS 1:28: AN EXEGETICAL STUDY OF HUMANITY’S RESPONSIBILITY FOR CREATION
Keywords:
Genesis 1:28, dominion mandate, ecological hermeneutics, creation careAbstract
The interpretation of Genesis 1:28 remains pivotal in debates over biblical mandates for environmental ethics, particularly the contested semantics of the Hebrew verbs radah and kabhash. This study addresses the persistent research gap concerning the philological range and theological function of these terms within the Priestly creation narrative, moving beyond the binary of domination versus stewardship. Employing a historical-grammatical exegetical method complemented by canonical and ecological hermeneutical approaches, the study analyzes the Masoretic text within its ancient Near Eastern context. The analysis demonstrates that radah carries royal connotations of accountable governance rather than arbitrary exploitation, while kabhash, though often implying subjugation, functions within the creation narrative to denote responsible cultivation and ordering of the earth. The main findings challenge assumptions that the dominion mandate sanctions environmental degradation, instead revealing a theology of accountable governance. The study's novelty lies in proposing the "royal servanthood" hermeneutical model, which synthesizes royal imagery with the biblical servant motif to reframe humanity's role as accountable trustees. This model contributes to contemporary ecological ethics by offering faith communities an exegetically rigorous framework for creation care that integrates theological accountability with environmental responsibility.
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