Chapter I.
the Deſtruction of the kind: Whereas there were Plants innumerable, and great variety of Fruit for their Suſtenance. And therefore here being no grant made to them of Animals for their Food, though no prohibition neither, it is very probable they abſtained from eating Fleſh, till after the Flood, (when God expreſly gave them every living thing for Meat, as much as the Herbs, IX. 2.) unleſs it were upon ſome ſpecial occaſions: As, perhaps, when they ſacrificed living Creatures; which they did in proceſs of time, (IV. 4) though not at the firſt.
Verſe. 30. Ver. 30. And to every Beaſt, &c.] Here he gives to the Beaſts, and Fowl, and Creeping things, all Herbs for their Food, but ſaith nothing of Fruit; from which we cannot well think the Birds would abſtain: And therefore they are included in the Phraſe, of every green Herb.
Verſe.31. Ver. 31. Very Good.] From theſe words Epiphanius confutes the Manichees, Hæreſ. LXVI, n. 18. where there is an explanation of this Phraſe (God ſaw that it was good) throughough this whole Chapter. Where it being ſaid at the end of every Day's Work, God ſaw it was good; and particularly here on the Sixth Day, before he had quite ended the Work of it, he ſaith ſo of the formation of the Beaſts, ver. 25. Abarbinel will have this to relate particularly to the Creation of Man and Woman. But the beginning of the Verſe plainly ſhows that he ſpeaks of every thing that he had made: And therefore their Doctors in Beriſcheth Rabba (whom he mentions) ſay a great deal better, That Man is meant in the firſt and principal place, when Moſes ſays, God ſaw every thing that he had made; and behold, it was very good.
