Article July 6, 1940 Issue

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.]

"By strength of hand the LORD brought you out" (Ex. 13:3)—The "hand" (like the "arm") is constantly referred to in the Old Testament (compare also verse 9) as a metaphorical symbol suggesting "power"; so the sense of the passage would appear to be: "By his strong power the LORD brought you out."

"It shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes" (Ex. 13:9)—While it is clear that this reference was originally purely figurative, the later Jews used it as a basis for their custom of wearing phylacteries, which were cases containing small scrolls on which were written certain verses from this chapter, and also from Deuteronomy, chapters 6 and 11. The phylacteries were worn on the forehead and on the left arm.

"The tenth day of this month" (Ex. 12:3)—The month referred to in this verse was henceforth counted as being the first month of the Jewish ecclesiastical year (compare verse 2), and it corresponded to part of March and part of April as reckoned by the Christian calendar. This first month was originally known as "the month Abib" (compare Exodus 13:4), meaning, apparently, the month of the "green ears of corn;" but after the exile in Babylon, the name was changed to the more familiar "Nisan," which is referred to in Nehemiah 2:1 and other Biblical passages.

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