Article July 10, 1937 Issue

Bible Notes

"Which holdeth our soul in life" (Ps. 66:9)—The Hebrew word "nephesh," constantly rendered "soul" (as here), often stands simply for "the man himself," being thus virtually a "paraphrase for the personal pronoun" (Brown, Driver, Briggs: Hebrew Lexicon, p. 660). Consequently, "our soul" is often equivalent to "us." Compare Moffatt's translation: "Who keeps us safe in life;" Smith renders: "Who has kept us among the living;" while, in his "Commentary on Psalms" (Vol. II, p. 89) Dr. Briggs has: "Who setteth us in life."

"Verily, verily, I say unto you" (John 5:19, 24 and 25)—In the Greek the term "verily" is represented by the word "amen," which is borrowed from the Hebrew, and is derived from a root signifying "to be firm or steadfast;" indeed, it is this same Hebrew root which gives us the word "emunah," which in the Old Testament is variously translated faith, faithfulness, steadfastness. When used at the beginning of a clause or sentence, as in the present context, "Amen" means, "Surely, of a truth, truly;" while the repetition of the term ("Verily, verily") gives added impressiveness and weight to the statements which follows it. Moffatt translates: "Truly, truly I tell you;" and Weymouth: "In very truth I tell you."

"Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven" (Jer. 10:2)—Moffatt offers the rendering: "Never learn to live like pagans, dismayed at portents in the sky;" and then continues, "pagans are dismayed at them, but their rites are inane" (thus reading the first clause of verse 3 as originally forming a part of verse 2). In verse 2, the Septuagint had: "Learn ye not the ways of the heathen, and be not alarmed at the signs of the sky." Compare Christ Jesus' statement in Matthew 10:5: "Go not into the way of the Gentiles."

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