Article May 28, 1938 Issue

Bible Notes

"For thy pleasure" (Rev. 4:11)—Translated literally, the original reads, "by thy will" (cf. Moffatt; and Thayer: Greek Lexicon, p. 285). Similarly, Goodspeed renders: "by your will"; and the Twentieth Century New Testament: "at your bidding"; while the early Genevan Version had: "for thy willes sake." The Revised Version suggests: "Because of thy will," and then proceeds with a literal rendering of the words which follow, "they were, and were created;" while Weymouth (5th edition) has: "It was by Thy will that they came into existence, and were created."

"Sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant" (Ps. 135:3)—The words "it is" are not represented in the original text, having been added by the translators to complete the sense in English. Moffatt prefers to supply "he is," thus taking the adjective here rendered "pleasant" as referring to God, and offers this translation: "Praise the he Eternal, he is good; sing to his name, he is gracious;" while Smith's suggestion is: "Sing praises to his name, for he is gracious." Kent, however, prefers to read: "Make melody to his name, for it is lovely."

"That it should not be removed for ever" (Ps. 104:5)—A more literal rendering of the Hebrew verb would be, "be shaken or moved" (Brown, Driver, Briggs, Hebrew Lexicon, p. 557). Thus Moffatt translates, "never to be shaken"; Smith, "that it might not be moved forever and ever;" and Kent: "that it should be removed forever." forever." The early Genevan Version had: "so that it shall never move."

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