Article December 22, 1934 Issue

Bible Notes

"The Lord hath made bare his holy arm" (Isa.52:10)—The "arm," as used metaphorically in the Bible, has been characterized as "an expressive emblem of power to direct, control, seize, overcome" (Hastings Bible Dictionary). For example, in II Kings 17:36, the Lord is said to have brought the people out of Egypt "with great power and a stretched out arm." Thus the phrase "make bare the arm" is virtually equivalent to "display or exhibit power." (Cf.: "To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?"—Isa. 53:1.) God's arms, we are told, are "everlasting" (Deut. 33:27), and his arm brings salvation (Isa. 59:16), both ruling (Isa. 40:10) and judging (Isa. 51:5) the people.

"His reward is with him, and his work before him" (Isa. 62:11)—The Hebrew term "pe'ulah" can mean either "work" or "recompense" (Brown, Driver, Briggs: Hebrew Lexicon, p. 821); hence, while the Septua-gint renders: "Having his regard and his work before his face," Moffatt prefers: "Bringing his reward with him, bringing his recompense."

"Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me" (Ps.119:98)—The Hebrew consonantal text can also be translated, "Thy commandments make me wiser," or, "Thy commandment makes me wiser ... for it is ever with me." In any case it is evident that it is "the commandment" (or commandments) that are said to be "ever with me," and not the "enemies." Smith translates: "Thy commandment makes me wiser than my foes, for it is always mine."

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Testimony of Healing

This testimony is being written with the hope that it...