Article June 25, 1938 Issue

Bible Notes

"Thou tookest vengeance of their inventions" (Ps. 99:8)—The Hebrew term here rendered "inventions" means literally "wantonnesses" or "deeds," though as a rule the reference is to "evil deeds" (Brown, Driver, Briggs: Hebrew Lexicon, p. 760). Moffatt has: "and hast avenged their wrongs;" and Smith: "but one taking vengeance for their sins."

"The Lord our God is one Lord" (Deut. 6:4)—In view of the fact that the construction of the Hebrew is unusually condensed at this point, there is considerable difficulty in setting down its exact English equivalent. The margin of the Revised Version suggests several alternative renderings, e.g., "The Lord our God, the Lord is one;" "The Lord is our God, the Lord is one;" and "The Lord is our God, the Lord alone." Moffatt has: "The Eternal, the Eternal alone, is our God;" and the Genevan Version has: "The Lord our God is Lord onely."

"Tabernacle" (Ex. 33:9)—This is a translation of the Hebrew word "ohel," which is rendered "tent" in verse 8. The word "tabernacle" comes from the Latin word for tent—"tabernaculum, used in the Vulgate rendering of this and similar passages. The tabernacle was of course the tent "par excellence," for in it Yahweh was supposed to dwell (Ex. 29:42–45), and it is specifically referred to as "the tabernacle of the congregation"—literally, "tent of meeting" (verse 7). It was evidently a portable sanctuary, and it was customary to set it up outside the camp (verse 7). In later times (see Rev. 21:3) it came to be regarded as a symbol of God's dwelling with men. Minute regulations as to the tabernacle, its furniture and its worship, are to be found in the Pentateuch, particularly in Exodus, chapters 25 to 40.