Article February 6, 1937 Issue

Bible Notes

"My goodness extendeth not to thee" (Ps. 16:2)—The verb "extendeth" is not represented in the Hebrew. Moreover, since the preposition "'al," here translated "to," can also mean "in addition to, beyond, beside" (Brown, Driver, Briggs: Hebrew Lexicon, p. 752), and "tobah" (goodness) can be rendered "welfare, benefit, prosperity, good" (ibid., p. 375), several different translations are possible. Thus we find: "I have no good beyond thee" (Revised Version); "My welfare rests on thee alone" (Moffatt); and, "For me there is nothing good without thee" (Kent). Smith, however, takes the passage rather differently, translating the complete verse as follows: "I have said to the Lord, 'O Lord, thou art my welfare; there is none besides thee.'"

"But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight" (Ps. 16:3)—The Hebrew preposition here rendered "but to" means literally, "to, for, in regard to" (Brown, etc., op. cit., p. 510), hence we could render: "As for the saints that are in the earth and (as for) the excellent, in them is all my delight." Moffatt translates: "In the saints of the land, thy noble followers, is all my delight."

"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul" (Ps. 19:7)—The verb which is rendered "convert" in this verse is used in the original in a number of different meanings, including "return, turn back, refresh, restore" (Brown, etc., op. cit., p. 996 ff.). Hence Smith suggests: "renewing the life"; and the Revised Version: "restoring the soul"; while Moffatt's rendering is: "The Eternal's law is a sound law, reviving life."

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