Article March 21, 1936 Issue

Bible Notes

"The sure mercies of David" (Isa. 55:3)—Some scholars translate "to David" rather than "of David," since the word rendered "mercies" (more literally "loving-kindnesses"—cf. Isa. 63:7, Ps. 40:10f., etc.) is regularly used of God's love toward His people. The Septuagint reads: "ta hosia Dauid" (the holy things of—or to—David), which has been rendered, "the holy things (of God promised to) David" (Thayer: Greek Lexicon, p. 456) as a guarantee of the covenant mentioned earlier in this same verse.

"Ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace" (Isa. 55:12)—The Septuagint offers this interesting rendering: "Ye shall go out with joy and shall be taught with gladness."

"It shall be to the Lord for a name" (Isa. 55:13)—The Hebrew word "shem" (name) is sometimes employed, as in English idiom, in the sense of "fame, renown, reputation" (Brown, Driver, Briggs, Hebrew Lexicon, p. 1028), though some hold that in this passage "shem" has the sense of "memorial or monument" (ibid.). Thus, while Moffatt renders: "All this shall redound to the Eternal's fame," Smith prefers: "They shall be to the Lord a memorial;" and Kent: "It shall be a memorial to Jehovah."