Article June 8, 1935 Issue

Bible Notes

"[Thou] ... promisedst them that they should go in to possess the land" (Neh. 9:15)—The words translated "promisedst them" are more literally "said to them" or "told them"; hence the Revised Version and Smith have, "commandedst them"; while Moffatt translates: "Thou didst order that they were to enter and take possession of the land which thou hadst sworn to give them."

"They ... had wrought great provocations" (Neh. 9:18)—The Hebrew term "ne'atsoth," here translated "provocations," is the plural of a word which has the literal sense of "contempt or blasphemy" (Brown, Driver, Briggs: Hebrew Lexicon, p. 611). Consequently Smith renders: "They ... had wrought great blasphemies;" and Kent: "They ... acted very blasphemously;" while Moffatt has: "They acted most blasphemously."

"Many there be which say of my soul" (Ps. 3:2)—The Hebrew term "nephesh" (soul) is used in a wide variety of senses, including also "life, person, emotion, desire," and is often employed to represent our word "self." Consequently, "my soul" may mean simply "myself" or "me" (Brown, etc., op. cit., p. 659f.). Hence Moffatt and Kent well render: "Many are saying of me;" and Smith: "Many are saying concerning me."

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