Bible Notes

"Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning" (Ps. 143:8)—Moffatt offers the rendering: "Satisfy me with the dawn of thy love;" while Smith prefers to read: "Let me hear of thy kindness in the morning;" and Kent: "Make me early hear of thy lovingkindness."

"My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him" (Ps. 62:5)—The Hebrew verb rendered "wait" appears to be connected with an early root meaning "be silent" or "rest" (cf. Feyerabend: Hebrew Dictionary, p. 71). Smith suggests the translation: "To God alone be resigned, O my Spirit; for from him is my hope;" and Moffatt: "Leave it all quietly to God, my soul, my rescue comes from him alone;" while the American Standard Version renders: "My soul, wait thou in silence for God only; for my expectation is from him."

"He is my defence" (Ps. 62:6)—The Hebrew noun "tsur," here rendered "defence," means literally "rock, rocky wall or cliff," but is often figuratively used of God as support and defence of his people; while it sometimes connotes a "place of security" (Brown, Driver, Briggs: Hebrew Lexicon, p. 849). The Revised Version and Kent render: "my high tower"; and Smith, "my fortress"; while Moffatt translates the complete verse as follows: "Rock, rescue, refuge, he is all to me, never shall I be overthrown."

"If the wicked ... do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live" (Ezek. 18:21)—A more literal rendering would be: "If the wicked ... do judgment and righteousness." "He shall surely live" is a rendering of a Hebrew idiom which implies strong asseveration—literally, "Living thou shalt live" (cf. Davidson: Hebrew Syntax, p. 117).

"Take heed, and beware of covetousness" (Luke 12:15)—It may be observed that the Greek phrase translated "beware of" means literally "keep yourselves from" or "guard yourselves against." Moffatt suggests: "See and keep clear of covetousness in every shape and form;" and Weymouth: "Take care, be on your guard against all covetousness;" while Goodspeed renders: "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."

"God said unto him, Thou fool" (Luke 12:20)—The Greek word here translated "fool" is "aphron," and should be carefully distinguished from the completely different term "more" (Authorized Version—"fool"), the use of which is so sternly condemned in Matthew 5:22. The term "more," while its exact force is uncertain, appears to have implied slanderous contempt; while the word "aphron," as used in Luke 12:20, suggests by its derivation "thoughtlessness," and might well be rendered "thoughtless one" or "foolish one," a perfectly justifiable description of the rich and covetous man in the parable of which this verse forms a part, who in his blind hoarding of material possessions forgot, or refused to consider, higher things.

"Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children" (Ps. 90:16)—The Septuagint evidently gives its translation, at this point, from a variant Hebrew text, reading: "Look upon thy servants and upon thy works; and guide their children." Moffatt's rendering is: "Let thy servants see thee at thy saving work, and let their children see thy glorious power."

"Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us" (Ps. 90:17)—The Hebrew term which is here translated "beauty" means more literally "delightfulness" or "pleasantness" (Brown, etc., op. cit., p. 653). Moffatt suggests this translation: "Lord, may thy loving favor rest on us," and continues, "and prosper all the work we undertake."

"He will beautify the meek with salvation" (Ps. 149:4)—The Hebrew word which is here translated "meek" also means "poor, afflicted, humble, lowly" (Brown, etc., op. cit., p. 776); while that rendered "salvation" is often used in the sense of "victory," a rendering which various commentators favor in this passage (ibid., p. 447). Thus Moffatt suggests: "adorning the afflicted with victory;" and Smith: "He adorns the humble with victory." It may be added that in Isaiah 61:1, "to preach good tidings unto the meek," we find the same Hebrew word that is used in Psalms 149:4, and in this instance Moffatt translates: "Sent me with good news for wretched men."

"If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away" (Job 11:14)—The Hebrew word "aven," which is here rendered "iniquity," is supposed by scholars to come from a root meaning "desire," or possibly "nothingness"; hence the translation "vanity" given to this term in Job 15:35, or the rendering "futility," which has often been suggested. "The early Hebrew writers appear to have employed this word when they wished to depict wrongdoing, not only as unprofitable to the doer, but also as unreal" (Leishman and Lewis: Bible Handbook, p. 194).

"Then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot" (Job 11:15)—This is a literal translation of the Hebrew as it has come down to us. However, we find that the Septuagint gives the somewhat interesting translation: "Then shall thy face be again as clean water," owing evidently to the similarity of the Hebrew forms "MMWM" (without spot) and "KMYM" (as—or like—water).

"To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion" (Isa. 61:3)—Smith suggests the rendering: "to provide for the mourners of Zion," which appears to clarify the sense of the passage. Moffatt's rendering is "to console all mourners."

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