Article December 3, 1938 Issue

Bible Notes

The Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand" (Deut. 6:21)—In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word here literally rendered "hand" was constantly used as symbolizing "strength or power"; hence the rendering by Moffatt: "The Eternal brought us out of Egypt by sheer strength."

"He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous" (Prov. 2:7)—Various translations have been offered for the Hebrew word which is translated "sound wisdom," including "abiding success, efficient wisdom, advancement" (see Brown, Driver, and Briggs: Hebrew Lexicon, p. 444), since the jews employed it sometimes to denote sound wisdom itself, and sometimes the practical effects of such wisdom. Thus Dr. Delitzsch suggests: "He preserves for the upright promotion" (Commentary on Proverbs, Vol. I, p. 75). Smith prefers: "He has help in store for the upright."

"The highway of the upright is to depart from evil" (Prov. 16:17)—The Hebrew word "sur," rendered "depart," means literally "turn aside from" (Brown, etc., op. cit., 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." Another rendering would be: "The highway of the upright leads away from evil."

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