Article June 9, 1934 Issue

Bible Notes

"As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem" (Isa. 31:5)—The Hebrew verb rendered "defend" can also mean "cover" or "surround" (Brown, Driver, Briggs: Hebrew Lexicon, p. 170); while the Revised Version suggests the rendering "protect." Moffatt reads: "Like a bird fluttering above its nest shall the Eternal ward Jerusalem;" and Smith: "Like hovering birds, ... so will the Lord of Hosts protect Jerusalem."

"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help" (Ps. 121:1)—In the original, this may be read either as a statement or as a question. Hence we find: "Shall I lift up mine eyes to the hills? Whence should my help come?" (Margin of the Authorized Version); "I raise my eyes to the hills; whence does my help come?" (Smith); and, "I lift up mine eyes to the mountains; ah, where is help to come from?" (Moffatt.) The answer to these questions is, of course, to be found in verse 2: "My help cometh from the Lord."

"From this time forth, and even for evermore" (Ps. 121:8)—A literal translation of the original would be: "From now and forever" (cf. Brown, etc., op. cit., p. 763); hence Moffatt has: "Now and for evermore;" while Smith suggests: "Henceforth and forever."

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