[The Biblical citations given in the Christian Science Quarterly are from the Authorized King James Version. The Bible Notes in these columns can be used, if deemed necessary, to elucidate some of the words or passages contained in the Bible Lessons. The Notes in this issue are related to the Lesson-Sermon designated to be read in Christian Science churches on December 20, 1942.]

"Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children" (Ps. 90:16)—Moffatt suggests the rendering: "Let thy servants see thee at thy saving work, and let their children see thy glorious power;" while Smith prefers: "May thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy splendor be upon their children."

"Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us" (Ps. 90:17)—The Hebrew term which is here translated "beauty" can also mean "pleasantness, favor, or delightfulness." Smith suggests the rendering: "May the favor of the Lord our God be upon us;" while Briggs prefers: "And let the sweetness of Adonay our God be upon us."

"Most High" (Ps. 92:1)—This is a translation of the Hebrew "Elyon," which is derived from a root meaning originally "to go up, or ascend," and then "to excel or be superior." The Septuagint renders it simply "Highest."

"Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery" (Ps. 92:3)—Josephus informs us that the Hebrew "kinnor" (lyre or harp) was "an instrument of ten strings" (Antiquities: VII. xii. 3), and evidently bearing this in mind, Briggs renders: "With a ten-stringed harp," and continues, "and with melody upon the lyre." Josephus' testimony as to the latter instrument is that it had twelve strings "and was played upon by the fingers" (op. cit.). Smith prefers to render: "Upon the ten-stringed lyre and the lute."

"Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary" (Ps. 77:13)—The Hebrew term which is here rendered "sanctuary" has the primary meaning of "sacredness or holiness." Hence Smith renders: "O God, thy way is in holiness;" while Kent prefers: "Thy way, O God, is holy."

"A law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people" (Isa. 51:4)—Moffatt suggests the more idiomatic translation: "The rules of my religion I send forth to light up every nation;" while Smith has: "For instruction shall go forth from me, and my truth as a light to the peoples."

"The isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust" (Isa. 51:5)— The word which is rendered "isles" is one used in Hebrew in rather a broad sense. Sometimes it does indeed mean "islands," but generally it has the sense of "coast lands," which might, or might not, be surrounded by water. Then, again, it was sometimes used to denote "distant lands," and this may well be implied in Isaiah 51:5. Smith translates: "The coast-lands shall wait for me, and on my arm shall they put their trust."

"They that dwell therein shall die in like manner" (Isa. 51:6)—The Hebrew words which are translated "in like manner" can also be rendered "like gnats," a rendering which appears to carry on very naturally the series of similes employed in this verse: "like smoke, ... like a garment," and now "like gnats." Thus we find that Moffatt translates it: "The world itself shall crumble, and its dwellers die like gnats;" though Smith has: "The earth shall wear out like a garment, while its inhabitants shall likewise die."

"The elements" (II Pet. 3:10, 12)—The term which is thus translated was used sometimes in the sense of "heavenly bodies," a rendering favored by Goodspeed. The Twentieth Century New Testament, however, translates, "elements."

"Ye heavens of heavens" (Ps. 148:4)—This phrase is virtually equivalent in meaning to "the highest heaven," in accord with a well-known Hebrew idiom. According to Jewish tradition there were seven (or eventen) heavens, and though there are differences of opinion with regard to the nature of these various planes, the third is often identified with Paradise, while the highest heaven was supposed to be the abode of God.

"He hath made a decree which shall not pass" (Ps. 148:6)—The word which is translated "decree" can also mean "boundary or limit"; while the literal meaning of the verb is "to pass over." Presupposing a very slight change in the form of the Hebrew verb, Moffatt renders: "He set them boundaries that they should not pass;" though Smith prefers: "He gave a statute that they should not transgress."

"The Pharisees" (Matt. 16:1)—Our English term "Pharisees" represents the original Hebrew or Aramaic word "perushim," which means literally "separatists," a term applied to the leaders of Jewish orthodoxy because they "separated" themselves, often with a deep sense of superiority, from those who were less strict.

"The Sadducees" (Matt. 16:1)—The name "Sadducees" was originally derived from the famed Old Testament high priest Zadok, who anointed Solomon as king (see I Kings 1:39). The Sadducees were essentially the high-priestly group, closely associated with the temple, but ordinarily much more interested in the rank and revenues of their office than in fulfillment of its religious responsibilities. They had little in common with the Pharisees, but both groups here unite in "tempting" the Master.

"Can ye not discern the signs of the times?" (Matt. 16:3)—The words as recorded in the Greek can be understood as either a question or an assertion. So Weymouth suggests: "You learn how to distinguish the aspect of the sky, but the signs of the times you cannot."

"He that ... declareth unto man what is his thought" (Amos 4:13)—In place of the Hebrew form "mah-secho" (meaning "what is his thought"), the Septuagint seems to have read a word of closely similar appearance, namely, "meshicho," which may be literally rendered "his anointed." This rendering is of considerable interest in view of the fact that the word "anointed" (the Greek "Christos") is that which is used for "Messiah" in the Old Testament and for "Christ" in the New Testament. Indeed, Bagster's English edition of the Septuagint Version of Amos 4:13 has: "proclaims to men his Christ."

"The desire of all nations shall come" (Hag. 2:7)—The consonants of the original Hebrew can be read to mean either "desire" (CHeMDaTH) or "desirable or costly things" (CHaMuDoTH), according to the vowels presupposed by the translator. Hence Moffatt gives the following rendering: "The treasures of all nations are brought hither;" while Smith has: "The treasures of all the nations shall come in."

"Audience" (Luke 7:1)—In view of the fact that the word thus translated means literally "ears," Weymouth, Goodspeed, and other translators suggest the rendering "hearing."