You asked

what did 'dominion' mean to ancient israelites, separate from modern technological capabilities?

The passage, plainly, with room to sit with it.

Genesis 1:28

“God blessed them. God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.””

This verse is part of the creation narrative in the first book of the Hebrew Bible, Genesis. It describes God's blessing and instruction to humanity, male and female, immediately after their creation. It sets the stage for humanity's role within the created world.

What does 'dominion' mean for how we live with, rather than just over, the natural world today?

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

Psalm 8:6-8
This psalm echoes Genesis, celebrating humanity's honored place and authority over creation.
Genesis 2:15
This verse adds to the picture of human responsibility, instructing humanity to 'tend and keep' the garden.
Leviticus 25:23-24
This passage reminds Israel that the land ultimately belongs to God, placing limits on human ownership and control.

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