probiblos (Probiblos): Allen :
It's been suggested they were more "brown" or dark skinned. More likely Adam and Eve were
black actually or at least
brown skinned, given the geographical location suggested in scripture and ethnicity of the population in that region to the present day.
The word "Adam", however, means "red" Red is only a
related word, (similar sounding in Hebrew), like
ruddy and
blood. It is more likely Adam comes from
dust or
ground. Which (if you think about it), is what the text actually says
Gen. 2:7.
Adam (Hebrew: אָדָם, Arabic: آدم ) in Biblical (as well as modern) Hebrew is sometimes used as the personal name of an individual and at other times in a generic sense meaning "mankind", in the same way as the earlier Canaanite 'adam'. According to the Jewish Encyclopedia, its use in Genesis 1 is wholly generic. In Genesis 2 and 3 the writer weaves together the generic and the personal senses of the word. In all that pertains to the first man as the passive subject of creative and providential action the reference is exclusively generic. It may also be observed that the writer in Genesis 2-3 always says "the man" instead of "Adam", even when the personal reference is intended, except after a preposition.
The usage of the word as personal predates the generic usage. Its root is not the standard Semitic root for "man" which is instead '-(n)-sh but is attested as a personal name in the Assyrian King List in the form Adamu showing that it was a genuine name from the early history of the Near East. The generic usage in Genesis meaning "mankind" reflects the view that Adam was the ancestor of all men. Etymologically it is the masculine form of the word adamah meaning ground or earth and related to the words adom (red), admoni (ruddy) and dam (blood) Gen. ii. 7 explains that the man was called Adam because he was formed from the ground (adamah). Compare Gen. iii. 19.
From Wikipedia (Adam)
But IS
colour an indication of
race?
And did
God make 'races' or have they just come about as a result of where on earth our ancestors have predominantly lived?
White people, (or pinky grey people if you like), in the tropics get sun tanned and go brown, brown people become less brown in extreme northern and southern climates. This is merely adaptation driven by availability of Sun and the need for vitamin D if there is too little sun or protective skin pigment to offset excessive sun if there is too much.
Ever ask
why people who have lived generations in the tropics are now
black and people who have lived generations in less sunny climes have become less black, until some are very fair skinned indeed?
Regards Chris.
