Bible Notes
"The Lord pondereth the hearts" (Prov. 21:2)—The Hebrew verb here rendered "ponder" means more exactly "to regulate, measure, estimate" (Brown, Driver, Briggs: Hebrew Lexicon, p. 1067). The Revised Version suggests: "The Lord weigheth the hearts;" and Smith: "The Lord weighs the motives."
"The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death" (Prov. 21:6)—The term translated "vanity" means literally "vapour or breath" (Brown, etc., cit., p. 210); moreover, there is some uncertainty as to the original text of the last few words of the verse. Thus, while Moffatt reads: "A man making money by fraud chases a bubble to his own doom," Smith suggests: "He who gains treasures by a lying tongue, is chasing a vapor to snares of death."
"The way of man is froward and strange" (Prov. 21:8)—The term rendered "froward" means more exactly "crooked" (Brown, etc., op. cit., p. 246), while the Hebrew consonants "WZR" can be read either "Wa ZaR" ("and strange," as in our Common Version), or else, "WaZaR" (criminal, guilty); thus we find the rendering: "Crooked is the way of the guilty man" (Brown, etc., op. cit., p. 255). Moffatt, however, seems to prefer the reading "ZD" (insolent), instead of "WZR" (guilty). Thus Moffatt renders: "The insolent follow a crooked course."
"He hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness" (Isa. 33:5)—The Hebrew word "mishpat," here translated "judgment," can also be rendered "justice, law or right" (cf. Feyerabend: Hebrew Dictionary, p. 202); hence the American Revised Version has, "justice and righteousness"; and Moffatt: "Justice and equity he pours on Sion."
"And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation" (Isa. 33:6)—It may be noted that the word " 'emunah," here rendered "stability," is connected with our English term "Amen," and is identical with the word translated "faith" in Habakkuk 2:4. Other translations of " 'emunah" are "security" and "honesty" (Feyerabend: op. cit., p. 20). The American Revised Version gives the interesting alternative rendering: "And there shall be stability in thy times, abundance of salvation, wisdom and knowledge."
"He created it not in vain" (Isa. 45:18)—The Hebrew word rendered "in vain" is "tohu," literally "waste, emptiness, etc." Compare Genesis 1:2, where our Common Version renders it, "without form." In Isaiah 45:18 Moffatt and Kent suggest "waste," while Smith renders "chaos."
"There is none else" (Isa. 45:18)—In the Hebrew the words "'en 'oth," literally "there-is-not besides" (Brown, etc., op. cit.), mean either, "There is none (no one) else;" or simply, "There is nothing else."
"Take heed, and beware of covetousness" (Luke 12:15)—It may be noted that the Greek phrase rendered "beware of" means literally "keep yourselves from," or "guard yourselves against." Weymouth (5th edition) suggests: "Take care, be on your guard against all covetousness;" and Moffatt: "See and keep clear of covetousness in every shape and form;" while Goodspeed has: "Take care! you must be on your guard against any form of greed," and continues, "for a man's life does not belong to him no matter how rich he is."
"This night thy soul shall be required of thee" (Luke 12:20)—The Greek word "psuche," rendered "soul" in this and the preceding verse, can also mean "life," and the margin of the Revised Version has: "This night is thy life required of thee." Weymouth, however, prefers: "Foolish man, this night they are demanding your soul from you."
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebr. 11:1)—The Greek "hupostasis," here translated "substance," is used in a rather wide variety of senses. Literally, it means "a setting or placing (stasis) under (hupo)," and so, in a wider sense, "that which is a foundation, is firm ... substance, real being, courage, resolution, confidence, firm trust, assurance" (Thayer: Greek Lexicon, p. 645).
"Things which are seen were not made of things which do appear" (Hebr. 11:3)—It may be noted that the verb rendered "see" often means "to discern mentally, or to understand," in addition to its usual reference to physical sight (cf. Thayer: op. cit., p. 103). The Greek term translated, "things which do appear," is practically identical in form with our English word "phenomena," and, like it, refers to things perceived by the senses (Meyer: Hebrews, p. 398), "the objects of experience" (Webster's Dictionary). In the original, the negative may be taken either with "made" (as in our Common Version) or with "things which do appear." In the latter case the sense would be, "Things which are seen were made of things not perceived by the senses;" hence Moffatt's rendering: "The visible was made out of the invisible." Goodspeed has: "The world we see did not simply arise out of matter;" while Weymouth translates as follows: "What is seen does not owe its existence to that which is visible."
"All things are for your sakes" (II Cor. 4:15)—Goodspeed renders this verse: "For it is for your benefit, in order that as God's favor reaches greater and greater numbers, it may result in more and more thanksgiving in praise of God;" and Moffatt: "It is all in your interests, so that the more grace abounds, the more thanksgiving may rise and redound to the glory of God."
"Thomas ... called Didymus" (John 20:24)—The name "Thomas" denotes "twin" in Hebrew, and "Didymus" has exactly the same meaning in Greek.
