Bible Notes

[The Biblical citations given in the Christian Science Quarterly are from the Authorized King James Version. The Bible Notes in this column can be used, if deemed necessary, to elucidate some of the words or passages contained in the Bible Lessons.]

"There is none else" (Isa. 46:9)—The Hebrew phrase which is thus translated in this verse, and in a number of other Old Testament passages, especially in the book of Isaiah, can be rendered either, "There is none (i.e., no one) else," or simply, "There is nothing else."

"Mind idol ... my graven image, and my molten image" (Isa. 48:5)—The Hebrew word rendered "idol" occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament, and it means literally "that which is shaped or fashioned." The "pesel," or "graven image," was properly an idol of wood, stone, or even metal, "hewn" or "carved" into shape; while the "nesek," or "molten image" (literally, "that which is poured out"), was so called because it was made by pouring liquid metal into a mold.

"When I call unto them, they stand up together" (Isa. 48:13)—Moffatt suggests the rendering: "Whenever I call them, they answer to the summons;" while the Septuagint had: "I will call them, and they shall stand together."

"Which keepeth truth for ever" (Ps. 146:6)—The Hebrew term "emeth" can mean "truth," but its more literal sense is "firmness, faithfulness, stability." So one might render: "He keeps troth for ever." Smith gives the rendering: "fidelity"; while Kent has: "faithfulness."

"Who would not fear thee ...? for to thee doth it appertain" (Jer. 10:7)—The word which is here translated "appertain" has the more literal meaning of "be fitting"; and so the rendering: "For thee it (i.e., fear or reverence) is befitting;" while Moffatt suggests: "Who would not revere thee? For reverence is thy due."

"The stock is a doctrine of vanities" (Jer. 10:8)—The Hebrew term "ets" (here translated "stock") has the literal meaning of "tree" or "wood," and then also "any article made of wood." Moreover, the word rendered "vanity" means literally "breath," though it was very often used to describe that which has no real worth or substance; while that translated "doctrine" has the more exact connotation of "discipline, chastening, correction." Moffatt suggests: "What idols teach is wooden like themselves;" while Binns paraphrases the passage as follows: "From a material idol no moral or spiritual counsel is to be expected."

"In the time of their visitation they shall perish" (Jer. 10:15)—The Hebrew noun which is here translated "visitation" derives from a root which has the primary meaning of "to attend to," but was often used in the sense of "to test." Moffatt renders: "They break down when the test arrives;" while Smith's translation is: "... will break down in their time of trial."

"The rod of his inheritance" (Jer. 10:16)—The Hebrew noun "shebet" can mean either "rod" or "tribe," and the latter meaning seems in this context the more natural of the two. Thus the Revised Version and Smith translate: "the tribe of his inheritance."

"Every good gift and every perfect gift" (James 1:17)—In this verse there are really two Greek words, though both are rendered "gift" in our Common Version. The first of the two, "dosis," refers strictly to the "act of giving"; while the second, "dorema," has reference properly to the gift itself, that is, to the result of the giving. This distinction is clearly expressed in the translation given in the early Genevan Version, which has: "every true giving, and every perfect gift."

"A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree being good fruit" (Matt. 7:18)—In this verse two Greek words are found, both rendered "good." The former of these is the more usual word for "good"; while the latter has the primary sense of "beautiful" (this beauty being thought of as the external evidence of a character which is honorable noble, or good), but it was often used in the sense of "sound or whole." Then, too, the Greek term rendered "evil" was used in a broad sense to mean "in bad condition" generally, whether morally or materially. Thus we find that Moffatt translates: "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a rotten tree cannot bear sound fruit."

"The people were astonished at his doctrine" (Matt. 7:28)—The Greek term which is here rendered "people" means more literally "crowds" or "multitudes"; while the word translated "doctrine" means simply "teaching." The Riverside New Testament suggests: "The crowds were astonished at his teaching;" while Weymouth has: "The crowds were filled with amazement at His teaching."

"He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes" (Matt. 7:29)—According to the Sinaitic, Vatican, and other important and early manuscripts of the New Testament, the reference here is more strictly to "their scribes" than to "the scribes." For this reason Moffatt renders: "He taught them like an authority, not like their own scribes;" while Goodspeed has: "He taught them like one who had authority and not like their scribes."

"The mighty God" (Ps. 50:1)—In the original Hebrew, the words thus translated are "el elohim," a phrase which may be legitimately rendered in various ways. The literal meaning of "el" is "strong one," but it is often used as a synonym for Deity; while "Elohim" is really a plural form, occasionally rendered "gods," but uniformly translated "God" when referring to the Supreme Being. Thus we find that Smith translates: "the God of gods;" though the American Standard Version prefers: "the Mighty One, God."

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