Article March 24, 1934 Issue

Bible Notes

"Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel" (Gen. 32:28)—The exact meaning of the word "Jacob" is uncertain, though it is generally assumed to mean either "One that takes by the heel," or "One that supplants," on the basis of Esau's words in Genesis 27:36: "Is he not rightly named Jacob? (Y'KB) for-he-hath-supplanted-me (WYY'KBN) these three times." Various derivations have been suggested for Israel also; notably, "a prince of God," which is suggested by the words of Genesis 32:28, "as a prince hast thou power with God." Another possible derivation is, "he who perseveres with God" (Hastings' Dictionary, p. 421).

"An house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (II Cor. 5:1; cf. Science and Health: 454:8–9)—In some editions of the Greek text a comma is found after the word "aionion" (eternal), suggesting that "eternal in the heavens" need not be taken as a single phrase. This explains the change in the order of the words found in several modern translations. Weymouth renders: "We have in heaven ... a house not built by human hands but eternal;" while Goodspeed suggests: "... a building in heaven to live in, not built by human hands but eternal."

"The highway of the upright is to depart from evil" (Prov. 16:17)—The Hebrew verb "sur," rendered "depart," means literally to "turn aside from" (Brown, Driver, Briggs: Hebrew Lexicon, p. 693); while the noun translated "evil" can also mean "misery, injury, calamity" (ibid., p. 948). Consequently, Moffatt suggests: "The path of the upright avoids misfortune," and continues, "he safeguards life who watches where he goes." Another rendering would be: "The highway of the upright leads away from evil."

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