,transcribed from the #ahef ,john ,farquhar ,shaw edition by ,david ,price4 ,,biblical ,,revision3 ,,considerations ,,in ,,favour ,,of ,a ,,revised ,,translation ,,of ,holy ,scripture4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,by ,,edward ,,slater4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,authorized ,version is far from being immaculate4 ,it is not sufficiently close and uniform in rendering the original 4 4 4 is not calculated to convey precise and critical information in difficult and mysterious passages of the ,prophecies1 c4 ,,dr4 ,,william ,,hales4 ,new ,analysis of ,chronology1 ,vol4 ,,ii4 p4 ix4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,london3 ,,john ,,farquhar ,,shaw1 #cf1 ,,paternoster ,,row1 ,,and #bg1 ,,southampton ,,row1 ,,russell ,,square4 99 99 99 99 99 #ahef4 ,price ,one ,shilling4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,my ,,doctrine ,,shall ,,drop ,,as ,,the ,,rain1 ,,my ,,speech ,,shall ,,distil ,,as ,,the ,,dew1 ,,as ,,the ,,small ,,rain ,,upon ,,the ,,tender ,,herb1 ,,and ,,as ,,the ,,showers ,,upon ,,the ,,grass4 ,,deut4 ,,xxxii4 #b4 ,,and ,,he ,,said ,,unto ,,them1 ,,set ,,your ,,hearts ,,unto ,,all ,,the ,,words ,,which ,i ,,testify ,,among ,,you ,,this ,,day1 ,,which ,,ye ,,shall ,,command ,,your ,,children ,,to ,,observe ,,to ,,do1 ,,all ,,the ,,words ,,of ,,this ,,law4 ,,for ,,it ,,is ,,not ,a ,,vain ,,thing ,,for ,,you2 ,,because ,,it ,,is ,,your ,,life4 ,,deut4 ,,xxxii4 #df1 #dg4 ,,considerations1 c4 ,,among the characteristics of an ,age replete with new and unlooked-for events1 perhaps not the least singular and impressive is the desire1 now extensively evinced1 for an improved translation of ,holy ,scripture4 ,a solitary voice1 #c it is true1 has been raised to the same effect1 from time to time2 but it has gradually died away in the noise of worldly bustle1 or been summarily stifled by ,prejudice or ,fear4 ,a more fitting time has arrived for renewing the cry2 for we have become more reflective with the progress of events1 and a desire for improvement--not limited to mere material good--has sprung up1 that is irrepressible1 and all but universal4 ,but1 encouraging as is the ,temper of the ,times for prosecuting the task that we have undertaken1 we need to make our way cautiously4 ,the subject is confessedly a delicate one1 and is1 moreover1 in not a few quarters1 entrenched in prejudices under the seeming sanction of religion itself4 8,were the ,bible10 pleads ,dr4 ,knox1 #d 8corrected and modernized1 it would probably become more showy1 and perhaps quite exact1 but it would lose that air of sanctity which enables it to make an impression which no accuracy could produce4 ,we have received the ,bible10 he goes on to say1 8in the very words in which it now stands1 from our fathers2 we have learnt many passages from it by heart in our infancy2 4 4 4 so that its phrase is become familiar to our ears1 and we cease to be startled at apparent difficulties40 ,and again3 8,we should hardly recognize the ,bible were it to be read in our churches in any other words than those which our fathers heard before us40 ,possibly the people would require some time to familiarize themselves to the change1 more especially in the public services of the church2 but the objection1 formidable as the good ,doctor thought it1 is not sufficient to overrule the plea4 ,precisely the same objection1 if entertained1 would have deprived us of the benefit of the present authorized version4 ,people long accustomed to the previous version must have been pained and startled on the introduction of the new4 ,such a consequence1 however1 obvious as it must have been1 was not admitted to be a good argument against a change at that epoch4 ,true1 there are more readers now than there were then1 and so far the inconvenience of change would be aggravated2 but1 unless we could persuade ourselves that we should never have a different version to the present1 we cannot refuse to entertain the proposition before us in deference to such a consideration4 ,the notion that we shall always acquiesce in the present version1 with the proofs around us of the possibility of improving it1 coupled with the desire so extensively evinced for improvement1 can scarcely be seriously entertained4 ,the truth is1 the people are not accountable for the reasoning ascribed to them--possibly with some justice at the time the ,doctor wrote--in the above extract4 ,we have given it at length1 because we have nowhere seen the argument1 as generally used1 better expressed2 but1 whatever there is in it1 we hold it a great disparagement to the religious feeling of the people at the present time1 to suppose them capable of putting ,superstition for ,piety1 as conveyed in the terms of that passage2 or to imagine that anything less than a just and faithful version of ,holy ,scripture would or could content them4 ,but besides the inconvenience of the change so pathetically pleaded1 there is the time-honoured ,phraseology of the ,bible--that phraseology that has earned the suffrages of a whole people1 young and old1 rich and poor1 learned and unlearned1 and been associated with our ,literary glories--to warn us off the holy ground4 ,into what critic's crucible1 it may be asked1 do we propose to place the ,bible1 and what frigid1 tame1 and insipid version1 among those with which we have been of late years familiar1 do we design to substitute for our own old authorized translation8 ,plainly1 none4 ,we know of none--valuable as some of them unquestionably are--worthy of competing1 in whole or in part1 on an extended view of the question1 with our own2 while1 in point of phraseology1 to which the objection specifically refers1 the advantage is all in favour of the old version4 ,but if the question at issue were--which it is not--between ,phraseology on the one hand1 and ,fidelity on the other1 we should and could have no hesitation in deciding for the latter4 ,but we really think it possible to preserve most of the beautiful phraseology of the present version1 and even add to it1 while we disencumber the text of its errors1 and render it a more faithful reflex of the ,divine ,original4 ,but the outward ,dress and ,ornament of the book do not exhaust all the objections incident to the question4 ,there are yet others of a subtler order--the exponent of deeper feelings--to which we must briefly advert4 ,and first1 there are those who find few or no difficulties1 for their part1 in the ,bible1 as it now stands1 and therefore1 naturally enough1 object to a change4 ,the ,bible1 they maintain1 is a plain book1 and the very terms of the ,announcement at the head of it1 as a ,revelation of ,god's will to man1 upon the knowledge of which his salvation depends1 precludes1 they argue1 any other supposition4 ,to a certain extent they are right2 and ,god forbid we should be understood to mean that the ,bible1 in its present ,english dress1 is not satisfactory on all the great points of faith and duty4 ,we are sometimes told the contrary1 indeed1 by those who have formed exaggerated views of the inadequacies of our version2 but such an opinion is entitled to no manner of respect2 on the contrary1 it would be very easy to produce passages--key-passages1 we might call them1 from which the ,,whole ,,truth of the ,gospel might be extracted--which would utterly defy any other translation than that exhibited in the authorized version4 ,but while conceding all this1 we are not debarred from seeking a version yet nearer perfection than the present1 if it is to be had4 ,there are subordinate lessons1 surely1 that might be rendered more precious and instructive2 and it cannot be a right or creditable principle to direct our inquiry only to that which saves1 in the vulgar sense of that term1 and give only a listless and perfunctory attention to all the rest4 ,not unfrequently1 however this arid notion of the plainness of ,scripture is resolvable into the inert and abortive state of the faculties in which they are perused4 ,there is no difficulty1 because the subject is not fairly grappled with4 ,the words titillate and amuse1 while the sense is in the clouds4 ,more respectable is that tranquillizing and elevating feeling which oftentimes accompanies the reading1 in which the understanding1 though not dead1 is still at fault through the veil interposed by the phraseology4 ,this placid acquiescence of the soul in a message the exact purpose of which it fails to comprehend1 may be taken to express a tacit homage to the power of the ,divine ,spirit breathing through the words1 however feebly enunciated2 and there may be still1 under the happiest methods of elucidating ,scripture yet open to us1 a just and legitimate scope for its exercise3 nevertheless1 we covet habitually1 and as a general principle1 the discharge of a higher function of the soul1--,,to ,,understand as well as ,,to ,,feel1 and ,,to ,,act as well as ,,to ,,be ,,acted ,,on4 ,but while these find ,scripture so plain as to be able to dispense with the ,critic's art1 and all other aid1 to throw further light on their contents1 there are those1 on the other hand1 who love a ,mysterious ,bible1 and to whom the whole science of ,biblical interpretation is positively distasteful1 as savouring of the wisdom of man rather than of the grace of the ,spirit4 ,they find their devotion fed1 as they think1 by the ,mystical element1 and revel in difficulties that to others are simply discomfiting4 ,cloud-land is their home4 ,accordingly1 to relieve ,scripture of its obscurities1 and render it more patent and intelligible1 is the last service for which we might expect their thanks4 ,while this is a genuine feeling1--indulged in for the special delectation of their own bosoms--and not a pretence to ensnare others1 or inveigle their weaker brethren in the toils of a spiritual autocracy1 it is simply an error of the brain--an idiosyncrasy1 to be treated with all due gentleness and consideration4 ,let such1 then1 observe that there is no reason why ,scripture should be more difficult in the translation than it is in the original1 or than ,god designed it1 or inspired men transmitted it to us2 and that the aim of these and similar efforts is simply to ensure a version that will exhibit the ,word of ,god with at least equal force and perspicuity to that presented in the original text4 ,nor would a genuine reverence for ,scripture allow us to stop short of this point1 since anything less must be so much clear loss of most important ,truth4 ,there are many who are grievously perplexed by the obscurity that attaches to certain portions of ,scripture1 and for their sakes1 as well as for the obvious duty of the case1 we insist upon all the aid we can procure to elucidate those portions4 ,to take one instance--a striking one--the ,messianic prophecies--those prophecies in not a few instances now portraying the ,messiah in unmistakable lineaments1 and now1 without the slightest hint of a change of subject1 #h;a varying the portrait1 as by a dissolving process1 so that it seems no longer ,,himself that is set before us1 but one of the erring children of men4 ,now1 evidently1 it would be most desirable1 if a new version could obviate or relieve this difficulty4 ,in sundry instances the sense is marred by an incongruousness in the metaphors1 #h;b for which the ,bible1 perhaps1 is the last book in the world to be made answerable2 and this particular fault1 in most instances1 a slight change in the pointing1 for which the context would give the fullest warrant1 or a juster translation1 would satisfactorily amend4 ,but will not a new translation endanger those articles of our faith in which we have been brought up from our infancy1 and which we believe to be essential to salvation8 ,may not the translation fall into the hands of those who are ill-affected to the orthodox faith1 and is there not ground to believe that hostility to that faith is the real object of many of those who are most conspicuous in the promotion of this scheme8 ,this apprehension we believe to lie at the basis of much of the objection that is entertained to the proposed change3 but has it not occurred to the alarmists1 that the weapon cuts both ways1 and that it is just as possible1 as far as at present appears1 for the other side to be discomfited in the shock8 ,who shall say that the ,evangelical or ,orthodox scheme shall not gain ground by the experiment1 and the opposite scheme suffer8 ,but these objections are manifestly unworthy a belief that professedly rests as its basis on the ,word of ,god2 rather is it a belief in the words which man's wisdom teacheth1 not which the ,holy ,ghost teacheth4 ,and with regard to the individuals that may be selected for the task1 surely all anxiety on that ground is superfluous4 ,the general sense of ,scripture is not now to be determined3 that has been done long ago2 and all that remains for us is1 in the use of such means as our advancing scholarship supplies1 to make that sense--as ,providence from time to time supplies the opportunity--yet more explicit1 and available for proficiency in ,divine knowledge4 ,thus far we have been occupied in clearing our ground1 and essaying a hearing1 with what chance of success we might1 considering the outcry1 more or less reasonable1 with which the question before us is usually met4 ,we take no further notice of the objections to our task1 and proceed to explain more distinctly in what that task consists4 ,but1 first of all1 we must premise1 that we contemplate a 8revised0 rather than an entirely 8new0 version4 ,certain feelings have entwined themselves round the stock of the present version which it would not be safe or needful to sever1 except where the imperious demands of fidelity to the sense necessitate the infliction4 ,the fiat given to the use of the old authorized version is substantially honourable to the nation--perhaps equally so with the fiat that gave it existence4 ,there is a pregnant power in the words1 as symbols of the burning thoughts of the men engaged1 not pale reflexes of things1 that has secured the all but universal use of the present version1 with all its imperfections1 despite the labours of ,lowth1 and ,horsley1 and ,campbell1 and ,henderson1 and ,good1 and others--all eminent names--more or less to displace it4 8,the ,spirit of the ,living ,creatures was in the ,wheels1 and whither the ,wheels were to go the ,spirit of the ,living ,creatures went with them40 #aj;a #8,,foremost in the conditions of a correct version is ,,purity ,,of ,,text4' ,there is no doubt1 we believe1 in the minds of all qualified to pronounce on this part of the question1 that the text1 both of the ,old and ,new ,testament1 generally unassailable as it is1 is yet1 on some not unimportant points--and what is unimportant in such a document8--susceptible of improvement4 ,we wish1 by all means1 to have the benefit of this improved text1 as no consideration of consequences can weigh against the actual inconveniences that belong to the text1 in some instances1 as it now stands4 ,the discrepancies1 for example1 in the ,chronicles1 #aj;b in matters relating to numbers1 with the statements in the corresponding passages in #b ,samuel and ,kings1 furnish most damaging weapons in sceptical hands wherewith to assail the ,sacred ,books4 ,some of these discrepancies are only imaginary1 but others1 it must be confessed1 are palpable and incontrovertible1 and ought not to stand1 as they now do1 in our ,bibles1 open1 without a word appearing on the page in their defence1 to the most unmitigated contradiction4 #aa;a ,the fact is1 the text in these instances is corrupt1 and there need be no scruple1 considering the way in which ,,numbers were variously written of old1 by letters1 ciphers1 or words1 and more especially the liability of transcribers to err in these matters1 in arriving at that conclusion4 ,this extreme devotion to the ,massoretic text on the part of our translators1 to the overthrow of common sense1 and disregard of the thousand arguments that plead for a change over the one thus pertinaciously followed1 is most detrimental to the credit of the ,sacred ,volumes2 for two statements diametrically opposed cannot1 of course1 be both correct2 the weaker1 therefore1 should naturally be made to give place to the stronger4 ,in some cases1 possibly1 this may be done by a new recension of the text2 in others the alteration should be summarily made in conformity with the obvious maxims in universal use for determining the truth in the case of contradictory documents4 #aa;b ,next to ,purity of ,text is a ,,correct ,,version4 ,that the present version does not satisfy this condition in the just sense of the word1 or to the extent we have a right to require in such a matter1 is now almost universally conceded4 ,the plea of 8good enough0 is given up1 and the wishes of the religious public for a translation more true to the original1 are 8condescendingly0 admitted to be just and reasonable2 and if this admission expressed the voice of authority1 as well as the general sense of the learned world1 our wishes would speedily be in a condition to be fulfilled4 ,meantime it is for us to agitate the question till the boon be accorded1 agreeably to the good old ,english rule1 when the stronghold of authority is to be stormed4 ,it has appeared to us1 in the prosecution of our task1 that we could put this question before the ordinary ,english reader in a form to enable him to determine for himself with tolerable correctness the ,validity of our plea for a more correct version of ,holy ,writ4 ,on such a point it is important he should be able to judge for himself3 accordingly1 we shall exhibit sundry amended passages1 by way of specimen1 in juxtaposition with the corresponding passages of the present version4 ,it may be premised1 that it is not necessary that the amended translation should be in all respects immaculate and unassailable2 it suffices for the present purpose if we establish the fact1 that the authorized version is capable of amendment4 ,the field before us is almost illimitable1 so numerous are the corrections that require to be supplied4 ,of course1 we must pick our path here and there4 ,we begin with the ,old ,testament2 and here two passages recommend themselves for selection1 as well for their own intrinsic interest as for the materials they afford for elucidating the principles that underlie the transfusion of ,hebrew into ,english4 ,the reader is invited to ponder the two versions in the points in which they differ1 however minute the difference at first sight may appear1 as the change in these cases has proceeded upon a strictly literal translation of the original ,hebrew2 and the variation1 on a further view1 may not appear so unimportant as at first4 ,our first passage consists of extracts from the ,song of ,deborah1 ,judges v41 and the amended version is due1 substantially1 to the able pen of ,dr4 ,edward ,robinson1 ,translator of ,gesenius1 c4 ,see 8,biblical ,repository40 ,two other versions of the same ,song are given by ,dr4 ,adam ,clarke in his ,commentary1 from ,dr4 ,hales and ,dr4 ,kennicott respectively2 but1 with all their merit1 they are less literally true to the original1 and therefore less eligible for selection1 than the one we have adopted3-- ,,judges ,v4 ,old ,version4 ,new ,version4 #b4 ,praise ye the ,lord for the #b4 ,for the leading of the avenging of ,israel1 when the leaders in ,israel1 for the people willingly offered voluntary offering of the people1 themselves4 praise ye the ,lord 4 4 4 #g4 ,the inhabitants of the #g4 ,leaders failed in ,israel1 villages ceased1 they ceased in they failed1 until that ,i1 ,israel1 until that ,i ,deborah ,deborah1 arose1 that ,i arose a arose 4 4 4 mother in ,israel 4 4 4 #aj4 ,speak1 ye that ride on white #aj4 ,ye that ride on white asses1 asses 4 4 4 4 4 4 prepare a song1 #aa4 ,they that are delivered #aa4 ,responsive to the voice of from the noise of archers in the those who divide the spoil by the places of drawing water1 there watercourses4 ,there they shall shall they rehearse the righteous rehearse the victories of the acts of the ,lord1 even the ,lord1 the victory of his princes righteous acts toward the in ,israel2 then shall the people inhabitants of his villages in of the ,lord descend to the gates4 ,israel3 then shall the people of the ,lord go down to the gates4 #ab4 ,awake1 #ac awake1 ,deborah3 #ab4 ,awake1 awake1 ,deborah2 awake1 awake1 utter a song4 4 4 4 awake1 awake1 utter a song 4 4 4 #ac4 ,then he made him that #ac4 ,then ,i said1 ,descend1 ye remaineth have dominion over the remnant of the nobles of the nobles among the people3 the ,lord people6 ,o ,lord1 descend for me made me have dominion over the among the mighty6 mighty4 #ad4 ,out of ,ephraim was there a #ad4 ,out of ,ephraim came those root of them against ,amalek2 whose dwelling is by ,amalek4 after thee1 ,benjamin1 among thy ,after thee 7,ephraim7 was people2 out of ,machir came down ,benjamin among thy hosts2 out of governors1 and out of ,zebulun ,machir 7,manasseh7 came down they that handle the pen of the princes1 and from ,zebulun those writer4 who grasp the staff of a leader4 #ae4 ,and the princes of ,issachar #ae4 ,the princes of ,issachar also were with ,deborah2 even came with ,deborah2 yea1 ,issachar1 and also ,barak3 he was ,issachar was the staff of ,barak4 sent on foot into the valley4 ,he rushed into the valley at his ,for the divisions of ,reuben feet4 ,for the divisions of there were great thoughts of ,reuben ,i have great griefs of heart4 heart 4 4 4 #af4 ,why abodest thou among the #af4 ,wherefore didst thou sit sheepfolds1 to hear the bleatings still among the folds1 to listen of the flocks8 ,for the divisions to the lowing of the herds8 ,for of ,reuben there were great the divisions of ,reuben ,i have searchings of heart4 great revolvings of heart4 #ag4 ,gilead abode beyond ,jordan3 #ag4 ,gilead 7,gad7 abode beyond and why did ,dan remain in ships8 ,jordan2 and ,dan1 why tarried he ,asher continued on the sea shore1 in ships8 ,asher sat at the shore and abode in his breaches4 of the sea1 and abode at his creeks4 #ah4 ,zebulun and ,naphtali were #ah4 ,for ,zebulun1 the people a people that jeoparded their scorned their lives1 and rushed lives unto the death in the high upon death1 and ,naphtali1 in the places of the field4 high places of the plain4 #ai4 ,the kings came and fought1 #ai4 ,the kings came1 they fought1 4 4 4 they took no gain of money4 4 4 4 they took no spoil of silver4 #bb4 ,then were the horsehoofs #bb4 ,then did the horses' hoofs broken by the means of the smite the ground from the pransings1 the pransings of their haste1 the haste of their riders mighty ones4 4 4 4 ,we here pause1 before proceeding to our second extract1 to notice one very damaging source of mistranslation as applicable to the ,old ,testament4 ,we allude to what may be called the use of the ,prophetical or ,theological scheme in dealing with the ,prophecies4 ,for instance1 in the #bnd verse of #ecrd chap1 of ,isaiah1 as below1 the words 8for he shall grow up0 ought to be rendered 8and0 or 8so0 7resuming the argument of the previous chapter7 8he grew up0 in the ,,past tense2 and so on through the chapter4 ,the ,prophets1 it is well known1 in the vividness of their prophetic vision1 contemplated the future events that passed under their ken as actually past2 #ad and as this is a prominent characteristic of their mode of delivering prophetic truth1 it ought not to be lost sight of in a translation4 ,the explanation of the fact that what they spoke of as actually past was still future1 belongs to what is called 8exegesis10 and stands out as an ,order of ,rhetoric significant of1 and sacred to1 their prophetic function2 but by no means should such an element enter into a translation1 which1 if it does not present a faithful reflex of the original1 is simply a misnomer4 ,not that there is any inviolable uniformity in the practice of the translators in the use of this scheme4 ,far from it2 as is evident from the translation that follows4 ,and this serves to render a subject1 necessarily obscure from its very nature1 immeasurably more so4 ,the truth is1 we have here forced upon us the fact1 that the translators were not fully acquainted with a principle of the language--now well understood--that lies at the basis of the whole structure4 #ae ,they saw its force--they could not help doing so--in the ,narrative portions1 but were not cognizant of it as a ,fundamental principle of the language1 applicable alike to all subjects1 and not variable and flexible at the pleasure of the interpreter4 ,we are sorry we can adduce no particular name on which to cast the responsibility of the following amended version4 ,we have consulted very many of the most distinguished of those who have laboured to translate this1 in some respects1 very intricate passage1 and what we have given must be considered mainly as an amalgam of the joint labours of them all4 ,we are far from thinking we have given the best version possible2 and perhaps the text itself1 where the difficulty is peculiarly pressing1 may yet be found susceptible of improvement3-- ,,isaiah4 ,old ,version4 ,new ,version4 ,ch4 lii4 #ac4 ,behold1 my servant ,ch4 lii4 #ac4 ,behold1 my servant shall deal prudently1 he shall be shall be prosperous2 he shall be exalted and extolled1 and be very exalted and extolled1 and be high4 magnified exceedingly4 #ad4 ,as many were astonied at #ad4 ,as many were astonished at thee2 his visage was so marred thee2 7so marred was his visage more than any man1 and his form more than any man1 and his form more than the sons of men3 than the sons of men47 #ae4 ,so shall he sprinkle many #ae4 ,so shall he sprinkle many nations2 the kings shall shut nations2 kings shall shut their their mouths at him3 for that mouths at him 7do him homage72 which had not been told them for that which had not been told shall they see2 and that which them have they seen1 and that they had not heard shall they which they had not heard have consider4 they considered3 ,ch4 liii4 #a4 ,who hath believed ,ch4 liii4 #a4 7,who hath believed our report8 and to whom is the our report8 and to whom hath the arm of the ,lord revealed8 arm of the ,lord been revealed87 #b4 ,for he shall grow up before #b4 ,and he grew up before him as him as a tender plant1 and as a a tender plant1 and as a root out root out of a dry ground3 he hath of a land of drought3 he hath no no form nor comeliness2 and when form nor comeliness that we we shall see him1 there is no should see him1 and no beauty beauty that we should desire him4 that we should desire him4 #c4 ,he is despised and rejected #c4 ,despised and rejected of men2 of men2 a man of sorrows1 and a man of sorrows1 and acquainted acquainted with grief3 and we hid with grief2 and concealing as it as it were our faces from him2 were his face from us2 he was despised1 and we esteemed despised1 and we esteemed him him not4 not4 #d4 ,surely he hath borne our #d4 ,surely it was our griefs griefs1 and carried our sorrows2 that he bore2 and our sorrows1 yet we did esteem him stricken1 he carried them3 but we esteemed smitten of ,god1 and afflicted4 him stricken1 smitten of ,god1 and afflicted4 #e4 ,but he was wounded for our #e4 ,but he was pierced for our transgressions1 he was bruised transgressions1 he was bruised for our iniquities3 the for our iniquities3 the chastisement of our peace was chastisement of our peace was upon him2 and with his stripes we upon him1 and by his infirmity we are healed4 were healed4 #f4 ,all we like sheep have gone #f4 ,all we like sheep have gone astray2 we have turned every one astray2 we have turned each one to his own way2 and the ,lord hath to his own way2 and the ,lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us laid on him the iniquity of us all4 all4 #g4 ,he was oppressed1 and he was #g4 ,he was oppressed2 but he1 afflicted1 #ag;a yet he opened submitting himself1 #ag;c does not his mouth3 he is brought not even open his mouth3 as a #ag;b as a lamb to the slaughter1 lamb is brought to the slaughter1 and as a sheep before her and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb1 so he opened shearers is dumb1 so he openeth not his mouth4 not his mouth4 #h4 ,he was taken from prison and #h4 ,from oppression and from from judgment3 and who shall judgment was he taken3 but the declare his generation8 for he wickedness of his generation who was cut off out of the land of shall declare8 for he was cut off the living3 for the transgression out of the land of the living2 of my people was he stricken4 for the transgression of my people1 for the stroke due to them6 #i4 ,and he made his grave with #i4 ,and he made his grave with the wicked1 and with the rich in the wicked1 and with the his death2 because he had done no impious #ag;d in his death2 violence1 neither was any deceit though he had done no violence1 in his mouth4 and there was no deceit in his mouth4 #aj4 ,yet it pleased the ,lord to #aj4 ,but it pleased the ,lord to bruise him2 he hath put him to bruise him2 he hath put him to grief3 when thou shalt make his grief1 proclaiming1 ,if his soul soul an offering for sin1 he shall make an offering for sin1 shall see his seed1 he shall he shall see a seed1 he shall prolong his days1 and the prolong his days1 and the pleasure of the ,lord shall pleasure of the ,lord shall prosper in his hand4 prosper in his hand4 #aa4 ,he shall see of the travail #aa4 ,he shall see of the travail of his soul1 and shall be of his soul2 he shall be satisfied3 by his knowledge shall satisfied3 by his knowledge of my righteous servant justify woe #ah;a shall my righteous many2 for he shall bear their servant make many righteous1 and iniquities4 himself shall bear their iniquities4 #ab4 ,therefore will ,i divide him #ab4 ,therefore ,i will allot him a portion with the great1 and the great for his portion1 and he he shall divide the spoil with shall divide the mighty as spoil1 the strong2 because he poured out because he poured out his soul his soul unto death3 and he was unto death1 and was numbered with numbered with the transgressors2 transgressors4 ,so he bore the and he bare the sin of many1 and sin of many1 and intercedes #ah;b made intercession for the for the transgressors4 transgressors4 ,,note4--,the new translation is less soft and mellifluous than the old1 but let it not be hastily condemned in the comparison on that account4 ,it is more exact1 and that is the principal object now4 ,probably it may yet fall into hands that shall combine all the beautiful flow of the old version1 with no less1 and even far greater exactness than we have been able to achieve4 ,thus far for the ,old ,testament4 ,we adopt a somewhat different mode of selection in dealing with the ,new1 but adhere to our plan of exhibiting the two versions in juxtaposition4 ,the amended passages that follow are taken1 with a few exceptions1 from ,professor ,scholefield's 8,hints for an ,improved ,translation of the ,new ,testament40 ,they are1 it is presumed1 sufficiently important to warrant the selection1 but it must be premised that it is not by taking isolated passages for emendation that the ,,whole ,,truth insisted upon in these pages can be enforced4 ,there are numberless points of correction of which our version is susceptible that are not adapted for such isolated exhibition1 and which it is the special business of the ,greek particles to supply2 but the exhibition of such points1 involving the structure of sentences and the mutual relation of the clauses of which they are made up1 would require a much larger canvass4 ,we indicate this source of correction only to avert the conclusion1 that our argument rests solely on the basis supplied in the particular mode of illustration adopted4 ,old ,version4 ,new ,version4 ,mark iv4 #ac4 ,and he said unto them1 ,know ye ,and he says to them1 ,know ye not not this parable8 and how then this parable8 how then will ye will ye know all parables8 know any #ai parables8 ,luke xvi4 #ab4 ,and if ye have not been faithful 4 4 4 in that which is another's in that which is another man's4 7i4e4 ,god's74 ,john xviii4 #ae4 ,and ,simon ,peter followed ,jesus1 ,and ,simon ,peter was following and so did another disciple4 ,jesus1 and so was the other disciple 7probably ,judas74 ,john i4 #i4 ,which lighteth every man that ,which coming into the world cometh into the world4 lighteth every man4 ,acts xix4 #b4 ,whether there be any ,holy ,ghost4 ,whether the ,holy ,ghost be given4 ,rom4 vi4 #ag4 ,but ,god be thanked1 that ye were ,but ,god be thanked that whereas the servants of sin4 ye were the servants of sin4 ,rom4 xiv4 #bc4 ,is damned if he eat1 because he ,is condemned if he eat1 because eateth not of faith4 it is not of faith4 #b ,cor4 iv4 #c1 #d4 ,but if our gospel be hid1 it is 4 4 4 be hid 7with a veil71 it hid to them that are lost3 is hid to the abandoned3 ,in whom the god of this world ,as to whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them habitually blinds their minds1 that believe not4 being unbelieving4 #a ,pet4 iii4 #f4 ,whose daughters ye are as long as 4 4 4 as long as ye do well1 and ye do well1 and are not afraid yield to no fear1 7as ,sarah on with any amazement4 one memorable occasion did74 #b ,pet4 i4 #ai1 #bj1 #ba4 ,we have also a more sure word of ,moreover1 we have the word of prophecy2 whereunto ye do well prophecy made more sure1 7the that ye take heed1 as unto a voice from heaven while in the light1 c4 holy mount confirmed it74 ,knowing this first1 that no ,knowing this first1 that no prophecy of the scripture is of prophecy of ,scripture is of the any private interpretation2 nature of a private revelation2 ,for the prophecy came not in old ,for prophecy was not prompted in time by the will of man2 but holy old time by the will of man2 but men of ,god spoke as they were holy men of ,god spoke as moved by the ,holy ,ghost4 prompted by the ,holy ,ghost4 #b ,pet4 iii4 #e1 #f4 ,for this they willingly are ,for this they willingly are ignorant of1 that by the word of ignorant of1 that by the word of ,god the heavens were of old1 and ,god1 the heavens and the earth the earth standing out of the were of old involved in a water and in the water2 confluence of waters2 ,whereby the world that then was1 ,whereby the world that then was1 being overflowed with water1 being deluged with water1 perished4 perished4 #a ,cor4 v4 #i4 ,i wrote unto you in an epistle4 ,i have written to you in my epistle 7the present74 #a ,cor4 vii4 #aa4 ,but and if she depart4 ,but if also she be separated4 #a ,cor4 x4 #ag4 ,for we being many1 are one ,for there is one bread1 and we1 bread and one body4 who are many1 are one body4 #a ,cor4 xv4 #da4 ,for one star differeth from ,nay 7or1 this is not all1 for7 another star in glory4 one star differeth from another star1 c4 #b ,cor4 iii4 #ah4 ,but we all1 with open face ,and we all with unveiled face beholding as in a glass the glory reflecting as in a glass 4 4 4 of the ,lord 7,moses put a veil on his face1 not so the disciples of ,christ74 #b ,cor4 v4 #a4 ,if our earthly house of this ,if the earthly house of our tabernacle were dissolved4 tabernacle be dissolved4 #b ,cor4 xii4 #b1 #d4 ,i knew a man in ,christ4 ,i know a man in ,christ4 ,it is not lawful to utter4 ,it is not possible4 ,gal4 iii4 #bb4 ,that the promise by faith of ,that the promise may be given to ,jesus ,christ might be given to believers by ,jesus ,christ4 them that believe4 ,eph4 v4 #ac4 ,but all things that are reproved ,but all things are reproved1 and are made manifest by the light4 made manifest by the light4 ,phil4 i4 #g4 ,partakers of my grace4 ,partakers with me of grace4 ,phil4 i4 #aj4 ,that ye may approve things that ,that ye may try things that are excellent4 differ4 ,phil4 iv4 #h4 ,if there be any virtue1 and if ,whatever virtue1 and whatever there be any praise4 praise there be4 ,col4 i4 #ai4 ,for it pleased the ,father1 that ,for all the fulness of the in him should all fulness dwell4 ,god-head was pleased to dwell in him4 ,col4 ii4 #bc4 ,not in any honour to the ,not with any regard to the satisfying of the flesh4 satisfying of the flesh4 #b ,thess4 ii4 #f1 #g4 ,and now ye know what withholdeth ,and now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his him1 that he may be revealed in time4 his own time4 ,for the mystery of iniquity is already working2 only ,for the mystery of iniquity doth there is one that now withholdeth already work3 only he who now it1 until he be taken out of the letteth will let1 until he be way4 taken out of the way4 ,heb4 iv4 #b4 ,for unto us was the gospel ,for we have the glad tidings preached1 as well as unto them3 thereof even as they2 but the but the word preached did not word of its report 7i4e41 which word profit them4 they heard7 did not profit them4 ,heb4 ix4 #ab4 ,he entered in once into the holy ,he entered once for all into the place4 holy place4 ,heb4 ix4 #ae1 #af1 #ag4 ,and for this cause he is the ,and for this end he is the mediator of the new testament1 mediator of the new covenant1 that by means of death1 for the that1 his death having taken redemption of the transgressions place for the redemption of the that were under the first transgressions under the first testament1 they which are called covenant1 they that are called might receive the promise of might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance4 eternal inheritance4 ,for where a testament is1 there ,for where a covenant is1 there must also of necessity be the must of necessity be brought in death of the testator4 the death of the mediating sacrifice4 ,for a testament is of force after men are dead3 otherwise it ,for a covenant is valid over dead is of no strength at all while sacrifices3 since it is never the testator liveth4 of any force while the mediating sacrifice continues alive4 ,heb4 xii4 #ah4 ,to the mount that might be ,to the mount that could be touched4 touched4 ,heb4 xiii4 #d4 ,marriage is honourable in all1 ,let marriage be honourable in and the bed undefiled4 all1 and the bed be undefiled4 #a ,pet4 iii4 #bj4 ,were saved by water4 ,were saved through the water 7brought safely through74 #a ,pet4 iv4 #h4 ,shall cover the multitude of ,will cover a multitude of sins4 sins4 #b ,pet4 i4 #af4 ,for we have not followed ,for we did not follow cunningly cunningly devised fables1 when we devised fables when we made known made known unto you 4 4 4 unto you 4 4 4 #b ,pet4 ii4 #a1 #c4 ,and bring upon themselves swift 4 4 4 and their destruction destruction 4 4 4 and their slumbereth not 7destruction1 damnation slumbereth not4 precisely the same word as before74 #b ,pet4 ii4 #e4 ,noah the eighth person4 ,noah1 with seven others4 #b ,pet4 ii4 #ad4 ,cursed children4 ,children of the curse4 ,rev4 iv4 #f4 ,four beasts4 ,four living creatures4 ,rev4 x4 #f4 ,that there should be time no ,that there should be no more longer4 delay4 ,thus far1 by way of specimen of the improvement of which the authorized version is susceptible on the score of fidelity to the original4 ,the instances might have been multiplied indefinitely1 but we designed only a specimen4 ,we would repeat that there is a large amount of improvement practicable in elucidating and enforcing the sense1 when it is not positively misrepresented1 that is less fitted for such display1 and which alone it would require the transcription of a large portion of the ,bible to render apparent4 8,claudite jam rivos pueri2 sat prata biberunt40 ,we have indeed said enough to justify our plea1 and here we might close the evidence1 but we are tempted further to observe that the sense of ,scripture is not only obscured in the authorized version by errors of translation1 but there is almost an equal amount of mischief done to the sense by the present mode of distributing the subject-matter into chapter and verse2 for which1 as is well known1 there is no valid authority1 #bd;a either as regards the ,old or the ,new ,testament4 ,this fault it is the special object of the new ,paragraph ,bible lately published by the ,religious ,tract ,society1 to remedy4 ,we confine ourselves to two illustrations4 ,the #ecrd chapter of ,isaiah begins with a parenthesis1 7#8,who hath believed our report1 and to whom has the arm of the ,lord been revealed8'7 #bd;b ,this1 in our view1 is a soliloquy into which the prophet breaks forth in relief of his feelings1 while contemplating the overpowering events that pass in review before him1 coupled with the rejection of the message by the great body of his countrymen4 #be;a ,these events had already begun their career at the #acth verse of the foregoing chapter1 and they go steadily on through the remainder of that1 and the whole of the following chapter1 broken only by the ejaculation of the prophet1 thus violently wrenched from its place1 as the matter now stands4 ,the other instance we adduce of the obscuration of the sense occasioned by the present faulty distribution of the letter-press1 occurs ,joshua v4 and vi4 ,it is an example of an analogous kind to that already given4 ,it makes a parenthesis used simply in explanation of a series of instructions from the ,lord to ,joshua to vacate its place in the narrative1 and actually stand at the commencement of a new chapter1 in which the same series of instructions is still continued4 ,see the 8,edinburgh ,review0 for ,october last4 #be;b ,we shall place the old and new arrangement in juxta-position1 when the violence done to the sense1 as the matter now stands1 will be apparent at once4 ,old ,arrangement4 ,new ,arrangement4 ,joshua v4 #ae4 ,and the captain of the ,lord's ,and the captain of the ,lord's host said unto ,joshua1 ,loose thy host said unto ,joshua1 8,loose shoe from off thy foot2 for the thy shoe from off thy foot1 for place where thou standest is the place where thou standest is holy4 ,and ,joshua did so4 holy40 ,and ,joshua did so4 ,ch4 vi4 ,now ,jericho was straitly 7,now ,jericho was straitly shut shut up1 because of the children up1 because of the children of of ,israel3 none went out1 and ,israel2 none went out1 and none none came in4 came in74 ,and the ,lord said unto ,joshua1 8,see1 ,i have given #b4 ,and the ,lord said unto into thy hand ,jericho10 c4 ,joshua1 ,see1 ,i have given into thy hand ,jericho1 c4 ,the reader will observe in the above paragraph that1 in addition to a better distribution of the letter-press1 we have given the spoken language in italics1 with inverted commas1--a character of type we recommend to be carried out continuously in the revised version1 as it1 actually is with excellent effect1 in the new ,paragraph ,bible4 ,these may be thought small matters1 but we have been led to mention them as thinking the adoption of them will give facility1 not merely to the private1 but also to the viv voce reading of ,scripture1--a point surely not undeserving of attention4 ,connected with these desiderata are others of a minor character1 as--an improved punctuation--the substitution of vernacular for obsolete words--the use of euphemisms where the allusion is obvious1 and no violence is done to the sense--appropriate concise headings to the different sections in the margin--chronological arrangement of the several books--chronological data1 c4 c4 ,we are proceeding beyond the strict limits we assigned to ourselves in the course of these last remarks1 and scarcely venture further in recommending attention--though especially worthy of it1 in the case of a ,book we wish to make universally attractive1--to what may be called the sthetics of book-making4 ,we all know the advantage of a readable type1 open space between the lines1 paragraphs and smaller divisions clearly indicated1 large margin1 c42 and though1 in comparison with our main object1 these are small matters1 they yet constitute distinct items in the ,roll of convenience1 and therefore merit attention--especially in subserviency to the object of giving to the ,bible the adjuncts appropriate to a ,,household ,,book4 ,such is an outline of what we hope to see done4 ,we might have multiplied instances of mistranslation to an unlimited extent1 and many other improvements conducing to a clearer exposition of the sense of ,scripture might have been suggested3 but we stop here4 ,enough has been said to substantiate our argument1 and we desist from the present line of thought to indulge the flattering belief that we have at length gained our object2 that1 in fact1 we have a ,bible such as we have invoked--with a purer text1--a correcter version1--and other appliances better adapted to fit it for the high ends for which it was given1 than the present4 ,what1 now1 it may be asked1 are the peculiar advantages we promise ourselves from the ,,acquisition8 ,some advantages seem to flow very naturally and directly from the measure2 and one that we may very confidently anticipate is1 a keener perception and appreciation of ,scripture in its fundamental qualities of truthfulness1 power1 and majesty1 as the volume is spread out before us with increased effulgence1 and life-likeness to the original4 ,the whole orb of truth will shine out with a brightness of which it is now in part shorn through defect in the instrument by means of which it is viewed4 ,moreover1 the evidences for the ,divine authority of the sacred books would be yet clearer1 as blemishes were eliminated1 obscurities cleared up1 weak parts strengthened4 ,the evidences of ,christianity1 in their brightest array1 and most decisive effect1 lie in the sacred oracles themselves4 ,they vouch for their own authority4 ,how potent a power this is may be judged of from the fact that they are accredited by those to whom they not only show no favour1 but the most decided and uncompromising hostility6 ,many circumstances wrongfully accredited to them mar and weaken the evidence2 but these1 however perplexing in some cases1 and damaging--as the text now stands--in others1 cannot overlay their credibility4 ,there are1 moreover1 doctrines embedded in their pages that appeal solely to faith1 and that receive our assent mainly as part and parcel of a ,,book that we deem divine4 ,it is the word of ,god1 and we turn away at our peril from the voice that speaks to us from ,,heaven4 ,certain passages there are1 as we think1 so impressed with the character of ,divinity1 so reassuring of a divine utterance1 and so marvellously radiant with truth1 that1 under the full force of the impression1 the whole soul resigns itself to the spell1 and faith is scarcely so much a voluntary emotion as a necessity4 ,we believe because we have no alternative4 #bh ,such is the power of the sacred oracles in themselves to command belief4 ,nevertheless1 the evidence generally of their divine authority would be yet more conclusive1 as the result of a version more true to the sacred text4 ,the ,divine voice would be still more audible4 ,the arguments that have hitherto commanded our assent would acquire fresh force1 while obstacles and imperfections would dwindle into insignificance1 or altogether disappear4 ,the force of our plea could scarcely present itself more strongly4 ,the ,scriptures themselves constitute the great battle-field of the argument affecting a ,divine ,revelation4 ,the question is decided in the minds of thousands1 on considerations drawn from the ,scriptures themselves1--in virtue1 that is1 of their own credentials1 and not on the elaborate speculations or ingenious apologies of 7assumed7 interested advocates4 ,a more direct and forcible evidence is required for men in no ecclesiastical position to forestall opinion1 and with little time or ability to enter into abstruse and recondite arguments4 ,the ordinary books of evidences1 however effective concurrently with the evidence furnished by ,scripture itself 7and in this way they are--many of them--doubtless exceedingly useful71 are not alone1 and1 in the absence of such corroboration1 calculated to produce the evidence that is desired to rebut the counter arguments to which human nature in its infirmity is assailed4 ,it requires the re-assuring voice of ,god himself to give the requisite confidence and satisfaction4 ,hence we have sufficiently indicated the field to which our labours may be most successfully directed while endeavouring to establish and diffuse1 in their most telling and cogent form1 the evidences of the ,christian faith4 ,moreover1 a competent knowledge of ,biblical erudition would1 under the new conditions of the ,holy ,books1 be no longer so costly or onerous as at present4 ,truly1 this is a great desideratum4 ,the mass of reading now required to peruse ,scripture with due edification and interest is altogether beyond the leisure of the busy1 or the means of the less affluent3 and to be doomed to hopeless ignorance of so much enlightenment as is symbolized in the goodly tomes that meet the eye on every side1 devoted to the elucidation of ,holy ,writ1 is by no means satisfactory4 ,with this partial distribution of spiritual advantages1 the ,christian ,church seems drifting away from its fundamental basis of universality1 and1--in the very spirit and wake of heathenism1--abetting and consecrating the principle of an esoteric and exoteric school--a pet and a common class of disciples--the one furnished with all the erudition--the prime secrets and witcheries of knowledge--the other abandoned to the merest generalities1 a sorry heap of prejudices1 or at best a dubious and insufficient light4 ,but however this be1 certain it is there is now available a vast amount of ,biblical lore of no mean value1 and which no good ,christian would willingly forego1 that is all but sealed to the bulk of the ,christian world4 #cj ,the publication of ,scripture on the principles we advocate would go far to remedy the evil4 ,the beautiful emendations of the ,sacred text that are now scattered over a wide waste of territory1 and all but lost1 would be garnered up1 and made available for common use4 ,the occasional criticisms of ,archbishop ,whately1 for instance1 and the specific emendations of the late ,professor ,scholefield1 would become alike the property of the esoterics and the exoterics3 they would be treasured up and embalmed in our own ,bibles4 ,in a word1 we should succeed to a large inheritance of the labours of others4 ,there would be still much left1 of course1 to reward industry and sagacity1 and succeeding times might fairly expect to have the benefit of all future discoveries in this important field4 ,the immediate benefit would be to relieve the unlettered from dependence on the ,commentary to the extent they now are4 ,they who run might read4 #ca ,we may further be entitled to expect some abatement of our present unchristian differences1 which are fostered to some extent1 as we think1 by the difficulties inherent in the ,book rather as a translation than as an original4 ,to some extent it gives a less certain sound1 as it is obliged to avail itself of human organs4 ,by repairing the instrument1 we may find a great impediment to our common understanding and accord removed1 while the union thus formed will be all the more valuable as it will be real1 not simulated--uniform1 not patched up for the occasion to defeat a common enemy4 ,it will grow out of the only bond of union--sympathy1 namely1 of belief--that promises to be permanent and available in the hour of trial4 ,divers forms of worship1 and many varying shades of opinion1 may co-exist with this unity4 ,charity thinketh no evil1 is not easily provoked4 ,if this happy purpose could be secured by imparting a clearer light to the firmament of ,christian truth1 as the result of the measure we advocate1 it would not be easy to overrate the boon in the removal of the scandal that belongs to the present divided state of ,christendom1 and in the service it would render to the church in carrying out her many offices of healing and comfort to the world4 ,still further3 ,popular ,education1 to the extent to which it is identified with the ,bible1 would be subserved by an improved translation4 ,in many parts of the kingdom the ,bible1 as is well known1 is the only organ of education available--the only apparatus by which any ray of intellectual light finds entrance into men's minds4 ,this may be accounted for from the fact that1 in addition to knowledge1 ,scripture brings with it the soul's health2 otherwise1 in the rude state in which it finds a large portion of the population1 it would have small chance of fulfilling this incidental office of educating the masses4 ,in this light ,scripture1 where1 as in ,protestant countries1 it is freely diffused1 must be regarded as a most precious boon to a nation--as a guarantee1 in fact1 that the people shall be in some sort educated1 and invested with the attributes of rational and responsible beings4 ,nor is the benefit of ,scripture1 as a help to education1 confined to the poor3 in early youth it smooths the entrance on the path of knowledge1 not less effectually to the rich than to the indigent4 ,there is1 moreover1 to be considered the part that ,scripture plays in the education of the land1 in the actual occupancy it enjoys in almost every family as a ,,household ,,book1 available as the ,urim and ,thummim of the ancient economy1 and actually doing that service which the 8lares and lemures0 of heathen households were vainly invoked to perform4 ,it is in vain to exclaim against this state of things1 from whatever motive1 sceptical or superstitious3 the fact is as we have stated it1 and1 with the absence of such means of education1 the country1 to a large extent1 must necessarily be uneducated4 ,thus obviously is the ,bible the recognized organ of popular education in this country1 and in this view it is most important that its efficiency should be complete4 ,but this inference derives its chief force from considerations affecting the character of the education it supplies4 ,in this aspect of it there is nothing that should make us regret the actual occupancy it enjoys in this regard4 ,on the contrary1 it is admirably adapted by its own peculiar power over men's souls to create--not a learned1 but an intelligent people2 and if intelligent1 then free1 independent1 powerful1--a match for tyranny in every shape1 and at every turn4 ,nor are the ruling powers themselves less benefited in thus being able to lay deep the foundation of their authority in the fixedness of principle1 just appreciation of good as distinct from its counterfeit1 and sober and well-advised aims of the people so trained and nurtured4 ,closely connected with education1 or such an education as we have now been considering1 is public morality1 and with it the strength and prosperity of a ,nation4 ,the condition of ,england in her various phases--civil1 military1 political1 and religious--has naturally arrested the attention of intelligent foreigners1 as presenting a marked superiority in these respects1 or in some of them1 to their own country4 ,they have inquired the cause of this distinction with little success1 and are as much at fault in being able to trace no symptoms of decay or flagging vitality in the system1 cruelly tried as it not unfrequently is1 prognosticating its ruin4 ,perhaps there is a solution of the enigma here4 ,perhaps the use of ,scripture as the prime material of our early education has generated a better morality among us1 and precluded the admission of certain forms of evil1 little consonant to national greatness or national welfare1 from which we see other countries1 differently schooled1 are not exempt4 ,on this head1 while avoiding undue pretension1 we would not choose to say less than truth permits4 ,with all the deductions to be allowed in disparagement of our claim to a high place in the scale of morals absolutely1 we have yet1 as compared with other countries1--a conscience1 a sense namely of right and wrong1 pervading the bulk of the people1 and leavening the land with a wholesome morality1--we are not habituated to treat suicide as a virtue1 #cd--our functionaries1 as a body1 are not venal1--we are not dangerous to the ,state when we meet in numbers beyond two or three1--and we are not incapable of self-government4 ,m4 de ,montalembert1 in his late work on the ,future of ,england1 while generously doing homage to the greatness of this country1 the destinies of which he undertakes to decide1 has not adverted to this high moral and religious training as supplying any explanation of the phenomenon3 perhaps deeming his own country to be not less amply supplied with the means of religious culture4 ,on this point we are at issue with him1 if such is his opinion4 ,in ,france1 as in ,catholic countries generally1--and it must be confessed in some ,protestant countries too1--it is not so decidedly a religious or moral1 as an ecclesiastical and conventual training1 that is accorded2 one1 that is1 which1 while it overlays the memory with dogmas1 and deals in technical and artificial requirements1 leaves the conscience all but uninformed1 and morality1 as a pervading1 practical1 germinating principle1 almost a non-entity4 #ce ,paullo majora canamus4 ,the time is come when countries1 as such1 need to be educated no less really than smaller bodies and isolated individuals4 ,countries are brought now almost into as close contact with one another as individual members of the same commonwealth2 and the identical principle that inculcates the education of individuals--that1 namely1 of mutual self-defence and reciprocal advantage--applies to the aggregation of individuals in a nation4 ,the times of ignorance picture to us man as a savage1 a terror to his neighbours1 and everywhere an object of rightful destruction4 ,education became a necessity1 if he would be safe from violence1 or reap advantage from the society of his fellow4 ,the picture presented by the history of nations in relation to one another is substantially the same4 ,there has been little improvement in this respect yet visible4 ,nor has the necessity for it seemed urgent1 while the nations were separated by the natural obstacles of their position1 and their means of mutual annoyance in a corresponding degree circumscribed4 ,science has now removed these obstacles1 and the nations are brought into immediate contiguity and contact1 while their means of mutual annoyance have been enormously and frightfully multiplied4 ,startling it is to think of the growing power of nations for evil1 and inflicting evil upon one another1 in the present temper and morale of the nations4 ,surely we may say the time has come for providing a remedy appropriate to so fearful a crisis4 ,there is none that occurs to us so sure as a system of instruction that recognizes as its basis a sanctity in the relations of state with state1 and lodges deep in the consciences of the several people those great principles of justice1 truth1 and benevolence1 in which ,god has indissolubly bound up all human happiness1 whether of nations or of individuals4 ,unhappily there is so much to unlearn on the subject of the relative duties of nations to one another before this good work can be proceeded in4 ,the sacred records have not been supposed to furnish any lessons on this branch of human duty1 and none have been sought for4 ,but-- 8,in them is plainest taught and easiest learn'd ,what makes a ,nation happy1 and keeps it so40 ,,paradise ,,regained4 ,embued with the conviction that we have the means adequate to the high ends here proposed in these very records--well understood and properly carried out--we have ventured upon these high themes in disregard of the imputation to which we may be subjected1 with some plausibility1 of overstating our cause4 ,we say with some plausibility1 only as merging our feelings for the moment in the superficial view ordinarily taken of the real character of the religious element--a view altogether ignored by the history of our race1 and the peculiar phenomena of the times4 ,we may add1 it is unmistakably at variance with the consciousness of almost every individual in ,christendom1 to whom it is no secret that religious questions--unless the interest has been neutralized by long neglect1 or quashed by desperate violence--exert a strange and engrossing power over his soul4 ,in whatever way we look at it1 it is a power1 and in this view may even be perverted to evil4 8,suppose ye10 says ,christ1 8that ,i am come to send peace upon earth8 ,i tell you1 ,nay1 but rather division40 #cg;a ,in deep sympathy with these words1 and in corroboration of the prophetic spirit by which they are marked1 are the following observations of ,stanley1 when summing up his reminiscences of the ,lake of ,galilee--the toiling all night and catching nothing--the great multitude of fishes1 so that the net broke--the casting a hook for the first fish that came up--the net cast into the sea1 and gathering of every kind3 8all these10 says he1 8are images which could occur nowhere else in ,palestine but in this one spot1 and which1 from that one spot1 have now passed into the religious language of the civilized world1 and in their remotest applications1 or even misapplications1 have converted the nations1 and shaken the thrones of ,europe40 #cg;b ,thus demonstrative it is that ,religion is no weak1 idle1 evanescent figment of man's imagination1 but a real1 substantial1 controlling power1 shaping his thoughts1 it may be unconsciously1 and blending itself with the solid structure of society and nations4 ,greece and ,rome1 it has been well said1 have attracted here and there a visitor1 but only the ,holy ,land has provoked a crusade4 ,nor is the evidence of its power to be fetched wholly from the records of the past2 we think we see in it in our own days a germinating principle more potent than anything else now in operation to work great changes1 and rival1 at least1 if it does not throw into the shade1 all that history has yet unfolded4 ,that this power may be based in knowledge1 and directed to a righteous end1 unlike the character oftentimes it bears on the page of the past1 it may deserve some consideration as a means to this end1 whether we may not yet read our lesson to greater advantage1 and educe from the sacred page a fuller amount of good than in its present state it is calculated to afford4 ,and we have the more confidence in urging our present suit1 because we are persuaded that the boon we invoke will not long be unattended with other forms of active beneficence conducing to the same high ends4 ,the church will almost simultaneously rouse herself to new exertion4 ,a yet more effective order of ,religious ,teaching than we can yet boast of--from the pulpit and the press1 will probably be elicited4 ,and thus we shall evoke1 not an isolated power waging dubious war against fearful odds1 but a ,,confederate force1 equal1 we will hope1 to the crisis2--a crisis such as1 no one is so obtuse as not to see1 demands something vastly in advance of the elements at present available for neutralizing the fearful evils now festering at our core1 or looming in the no distant horizon4 ,such is our argument4 ,the sum is1 that the ,sacred ,books are replete with good1 and that a just appreciation of what is due to our own interests1 no less than gratitude for the gift itself1 demands from us the consecration of whatever further power ,providence has1 in these latter days1 conferred upon us to that end1 to render that good in its utmost extent salutary and efficacious4 ,and the time for action presses4 ,already various undertakings are on foot to supply the desired object3 and there may be reason to fear1 in the failure of help from higher quarters1 that some ,society--the ,religious ,tract ,society1 for example1 as suggested by the 8,edinburgh ,review10 thus following up its recent excellent publication of the ,new ,paragraph ,bible--or some self-constituted body1 as is this moment sitting in ,america for this very purpose--or individual scholars--may appropriate the ground we should rather reserve as the ,special ,sphere for the operations of the highest ,authority in the realm4 ,it only remains that we give utterance to our most fervent hope that this great work may signalize the reign of our beloved ,queen4 ,it will not be the least sparkling of the diamonds that will lend lustre to her crown4 ,all concurrent circumstances point to this as the fitting time1 and to her ,majesty as the appropriate individual to inaugurate the solemnity4 ,religious scruples have given way to a more enlightened and creditable feeling1 and a higher standard of religious truth than that afforded by the present version is plainly a desideratum4 ,the reflections cast upon the ,protestant faith in the recent trials for ,bible-burning in ,ireland1 authorized in measure by the concessions of ,protestants themselves to the faultiness of the authorized version1 wait to be removed4 ,let her ,majesty1 following in this respect the example of ,james ,i41 appoint to this work a body of men the most qualified for the task the realm affords1 and we cannot doubt the result will be a version of ,holy ,scripture incomparably better than the present2 thus supplying a fresh cause of exultation in her ,majesty's rule1 and a surpassing debt of gratitude to the hand that conferred the boon4 99 99 99 99 99 ,extract from a ,speech of ,m4 ,guizot at a late ,meeting of the ,protestant ,biblical ,society in ,paris4 ,see ,times1 ,april #ai1 #ahef4 8,whether we consider the history of nations1 or the private life of individuals1 the moral efficacy and salutary power of the holy books glowingly manifest themselves4 ,undoubtedly1 even among nations where it is assiduous and general1 the reading of the holy books has not the effect of stifling the bad passions of men2 it does not obviate all errors and faults4 ,man remains full of weakness and vice1 even when conscious of the presence of ,god4 ,but the habitual reading of the holy books preserves nations from the greatest perils2 it prevents them from forgetting ,god4 ,it has this advantage--that ,god remains for them1 not an idea1 a name1 a system of philosophy1 a riddle1 but the true and living ,god1 under whose eye they constantly live1 amid the struggles and casualties of this world40 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,reed and ,pardon1 ,printers1 ,paternoster ,row1 ,london4 ,,footnotes4 #c ,a solitary voice1 in the strict sense of the word1 was raised by the ,rev4 ,canon ,selwyn at the last meeting of ,convocation 7,march1 #ahef74 ,the motion was not suited to the mollia tempora fandi1 perhaps4 ,but1 whatever the cause1 there can be no doubt of the fitness of the hands into which the motion fell1 or that the day is far from being distant when the question will force itself on the notice of ,convocation1 in all probability1 in another shape4 #d 8,essays1 ,moral and ,literary10 by ,dr4 ,vicesimus ,knox4 ,no4 ,,xlix4 #h;a ,see ,psalm xxii4 throughout4 ,the difficulties attending the entire application of the psalm to ,christ are by no means insuperable4 ,scott unreservedly refers the whole to ,christ4 ,adam ,clarke dissents4 ,psalm lxix4 is for the most part a manifest adumbration of the ,messiah2 and if the difficulties in the way of the entire application of the ,psalm to ,christ1 presented in verse #e1 where he is made apparently to lament his foolishness and his guilt1 could be surmounted1 a great boon1 it is conceived1 would be granted to all who desire to understand what they read4 ,the representative scheme1 besides being open to other objections1 has no explicit authority in the ,scriptures to recommend it1 and the double sense is now all but universally abandoned4 ,possibly1 if the text will not yield in these cases1 there are principles of interpretation involved that await future development4 #h;b ,gen4 xlix4 #ba4 ,for1 8,naphtali is a hind let loose3 he giveth goodly words10 read1 8,naphtali is a spreading ,pine1 that putteth forth goodly boughs40 ,psa4 xxix4 #i4 ,for1 8,the voice of the ,lord maketh the hinds to calve1 and discovereth the forests10 read1 8,the voice of the ,lord rendeth the pines1 and layeth bare the forests40 ,so ,dr4 ,lee4 ,to surrender the ,bible1 body and soul1 into the hands of the ,massorites1 as is required by their pointing of these passages1 is surely asking too much4 ,let the reader peruse the whole of the #bith ,psalm1 and determine the fitness of the correction for himself1 which he may very safely be allowed to do4 ,the former passage1 if consistently carried out on the principles of the translators1 would run1 8,naphtali is a hind let loose1 that giveth goodly words10 in which the incongruousness of the metaphor would1 if possible1 be still more manifest4 ,see ,stanley's 8,syria and ,palestine10 p4 #cee4 #aj;a ,see ,preface to ,herwitz' 8,etymology and ,syntax of the ,hebrew ,language40 #aj;b ,see ,kitto's ,bib4 ,cyc41 art4 ,chronicles4 ,the whole article is very reassuring1 considering the able and accomplished pen from which it proceeds4 ,the writer1 ,dr4 ,davidson1 to whom the lovers of ,biblical philology are under the greatest obligations1 deliberately asserts the corruption of the passages in question1 and advocates a reading in conformity with the corresponding statements in #b ,samuel and ,kings4 #aa;a ,compare1 among other instances in point that might be given1 #a ,kings ix4 #bh with #b ,chron4 viii4 #ah4 #aa;b ,if no purification of the text should avail us in these cases1 it would be advisable to accompany the change in the text with a note in the margin explanatory of the corruptness of the reading that has been superseded4 #ac ,the change of accent the word undergoes in the original when repeated in the second hemistich1 gives marvellous emphasis to the exhortation--an emphasis altogether lost in the translation4 #ad ,the application of this principle may go some way towards neutralizing the doubts that have been raised as to the identity of the ,isaiah of the later portion of the prophecy with the ,isaiah of the earlier portion4 ,see chap4 lxiv4 #aj1 #aa4 ,one thing at least is evident1 namely1 that the ,apostle ,paul1 who was confessedly well read in ,hebrew literature1 in his quotations from the latter portion of the prophecy1 seems to have had no notion of any other ,isaiah than that to whom the whole prophecy is ordinarily ascribed4 ,see ,rom4 x4 #af4 ,in fact1 these doubts1 now complacently acquiesced in as valid by the ,rationalistic ,school abroad and at home1 were equally unknown to all the world till about half a century ago4 ,the general reader may content himself with ,dr4 ,alexander's candid and able investigation of the question in his recent ,commentary on ,isaiah4 #ae ,the uses of the particle in combination with the verb4 ,let the ,hebrew student consult the masterly investigation and elucidation of this subject in the ,hebrew ,grammar recently published by ,messrs4 ,mason and ,bernard1 ,vol4 ,,ii4 chapters #ea-ee4 #ag;a ,this rendering is faulty as not providing for the emphatic personal pronoun 8he0 in the original4 #ag;b ,niphal in the sense of the ,hithpael conjugation4 ,see ,gen4 xvi4 #i4 #ag;c ,the original will not admit of this rendering1 though the sense is not objectionable4 #ag;d ,there is great difficulty here4 ,the word rendered impious1 and inserted in brackets1 signifies rich1 mostly with an accessory notion of violence and wrong2 but the parallel clause1 8,he made his grave with the wicked10 and the further expression1 8,he was numbered with the transgressors10 in the last verse1 seem to justify the sense here given2 and so it has been understood by some rabbins and other commentators1 as ,luther1 ,calvin1 ,gesenius4 ,see ,matt4 xix4 #bc4 ,we confess we are not satisfied4 ,the common reading that represents ,christ as rewarded with a grave among the rich1 because1 forsooth1 he had done no violence1 c41 is surely inadmissible4 #ah;a ,so1 #8,a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief1' v4 #c4 #ah;b ,intercedes in the present1 because his intercession is a continuous act4 ,this distinction of tense as contradistinguished from the past tense in the use of the preceding verb he bore1 expressing a transaction once and finally concluded1 so conspicuous in the original1 is entirely overlooked in the authorized version2 so ,calvin1 ,vitringa1 ,lowth1 ,henderson1 ,jones1 ,barnes1 c4 ,this concurrence in the interpretation of the authorized version is especially to be wondered at in the more recent of the above-named critics4 ,messrs4 ,mason and ,bernard give1 less happily we think1 that he might make1 c4 ,dr4 ,alexander1 ,new ,jersey1 favours the view adopted in the amended version4 ,see his admirable ,commentary on ,isaiah4 #ai ,a ,hebraism lurks here4 ,so1 8,praise the ,lord1 ,o my soul1 and forget not ,,any of his benefits20 and not 8all his benefits10 as our translation has it4 ,so again1 8,and ,god gave ,cain a mark1 lest ,,any finding him should kill him10 where the same word is rightly rendered4 ,ps4 ciii4 #b2 ,gen4 iv4 #ae4 #bd;a ,various divisions1 both of the ,old and ,new ,testaments1 were in use from the earliest period1 but the present divisions into ,chapters and ,verses are ascribed1 the former1 with some hesitation1 to ,stephen ,langton1 ,archbishop of ,canterbury1 about the middle of the thirteenth century2 the latter to ,robert ,stephens1 a ,frenchmen1 about the middle of the sixteenth century4 ,see art4 ,scripture in ,kitto's ,biblical ,cyclopdia4 #bd;b ,in an elaborate translation of the whole of this prophecy1 in the ,hebrew ,grammar recently published by ,messrs4 ,mason and ,bernard1 the authors conceive the opening passage1 8,who hath believed our report10 c41 to express the awe and wonder of the kings mentioned in the previous chapter at the events they are supposed to witness1 and accordingly they render it1 8,who hath believed our hearing0 c41 the tidings1 that is1 that have reached us1 the kings aforesaid4 ,but1 with all due respect for the translation generally1 we are unable to accept this view of the passage before us1 conceiving it to be far-fetched1 and opposed to the purpose for which1 in so many words1 it is quoted in the ,new ,testament4 ,see ,john xii4 #cg2 ,rom4 x4 #af4 #be;a ,in like manner ,jacob1 in the course of predicting the future fortunes of his sons1 exclaims parenthetically1 8,i have waited for thy salvation1 ,o ,lord40 ,gen4 xlix4 #ah4 #be;b ,this article has since been republished in a separate form1 under the title of the 8,present ,state of the ,english ,bible10 by the ,rev4 ,william ,harness1 ,a4,m4 ,it will well repay repeated perusal by all those who are interested in this pre-eminently interesting question4 #bh ,let the reader advert for a moment1 in connexion with the argument for the evidences of ,christianity1 to the ,,assumptions ordinarily and persistently made by ,christ in relation to his person and mission1 and then conceive of the frightful arrogance involved in these assumptions1 supposing them to be unfounded2 coupling this thought at the same time with that perfect sobriety of mind and even tenor of a uniformly staid and well-balanced deportment by which he was pre-eminently characterized4 ,we do not find these assumptions in the slightest degree startling or incredible1 because they comport in our minds with the ,,whole character of ,christ as developed in the gospel4 ,where the evidence of ,messiahship failed among his own countrymen1 if there were any failure of evidence1 we may advert for the solution1 among other considerations1 to their blind disregard to the perfect compatibility and harmony of these assumptions with the other features of ,messiah as exhibited by ,christ4 ,here are a few of the expressions alluded to1 all taken from the earlier chapters of ,st4 ,john's ,gospel3-- 8,for as the ,father raiseth up the dead1 and quickeneth them2 even so the ,son quickeneth whom he will40 8,that all men should honour the ,son1 even as they honour the ,father40 8,the bread of ,god is he which came down from heaven1 and giveth life unto the world40 8,and this is the will of ,him that sent me1 that every one which seeth the ,son1 and believeth on him1 may have everlasting life3 and ,i will raise him up at the last day40 8,i am the light of the world2 he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness1 but shall have the light of life40 8,i and my ,father are one40 8,jesus saith unto her1 ,i am the resurrection and the life3 he that believeth on me1 though he were dead1 yet shall he live3 and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die40--,how ,christ should have preferred ,,such claims without legitimate authority1 and ample power to substantiate them1 is a question to which we cannot divine an answer4 #cj ,some striking illustrations of this position are to be found in the ,appendix to ,mr4 ,stanley's recent volume on ,sinai and ,palestine4 ,this ,appendix consists of a vocabulary of topographical words in ,hebrew and ,english4 ,great care has been taken in giving the precise ,english for the corresponding ,hebrew term4 ,referring to the previous part of his work1 he says1 8,i have often had occasion to refer to the richness and precision of the local vocabulary of the ,hebrew language4 ,in the authorized version this is unfortunately lost2 not so much by the incorrect rendering of any particular word1 as by the promiscuous use of the same ,english word for different ,hebrew words1 or of different ,english words for the same ,hebrew word40 ,and again3 8,the geographical passages of the ,bible seem to shine with new light as these words acquire their proper force4 ,how keenly1 for example1 are we led to notice the early tendency to personify and treat as living creatures the great objects of nature1 when we find that the #8springs' are the #8eyes1' the bright1 glistening1 life-giving eyes of the thirsty ,east2 that the mountains have not merely summits and sides1 but #8heads1' #8shoulders1' #8ears1' #8ribs1' #8loins1' c40 ,this whole ,appendix is deeply interesting to the ,hebrew student4 ,he must feel at the same time how much the mere ,english student of ,scripture suffers in the absence of the same knowledge4 #ca 8,they who have access to the ,scriptures in the original are 4 4 4 endowed with ten talents1 compared with which the power of reading them in our authorized version is but one4 ,the right improvement of the one talent will ensure to its possessor the end of his faith1 even the salvation of his soul2 but this does not render guiltless those who have greater talents if1 from supineness and indolence1 they neglect to use the enlarged means with which they are gifted for attaining to the knowledge of the truth40--8,introduction to the ,greek ,testament1 with ,grammatical and ,exegetical ,notes1 by ,william ,webster1 ,m4,a41 and ,william ,francis ,wilkinson1 ,m4,a410 p4 xvi4 ,the above work has special claims upon that numerous class who1 with little time for elaborate research1 are glad to obtain the results of a thorough critical investigation of the language and teaching of the ,new ,testament4 #cd ,the following is from ,lewes's 8,life of ,goethe10 just published4 ,the words in double inverted commas are those of ,goethe himself3 #88,i had a large collection of weapons1 and among them a very handsome dagger4 ,this ,i placed by my bedside every night1 and before extinguishing my candle ,i made various attempts to pierce the sharp point a couple of inches into my breast2 but not being able to do it ,i laughed myself out of the notion10 c4 ,he played with suicidal thoughts1 because he was restless1 and suicide was a fashionable speculation of the day1' c4 4 4 4 ,in ,october1 #aggb the report reaches him that his ,wetzlau friend1 ,gou1 has shot himself4 8,write to me at once about ,gou10 he says to ,kestner1 8,i honour such an act1 and pity mankind10 c4--,vol4 ,i4 p4 #aig4 ,there is more to this abominable purpose in the sequel4 ,such was ,goethe1 a man sprung from the people1 not the offspring of an effete noblesse1 and at a time of life when the very thought of self-destruction is most alien to all the instincts of nature1--#8a canker in youth1'--and with no taint of constitutional melancholy in his system4 ,goethe's genius was a sea of glass1 capable of reflecting the rays cast upon it from without with unusual brilliancy2 but1 unlike our ,shakspeare1 devoid of independent power of originating new thought4 ,thus he reflected all his days the prevailing fashion of his time1 and thus he but re-enacts the sentimentalism of the hour in his suicidal lucubrations4 #ce ,the policy of ,pericles may be considered in relation to the causes that aggrandize a people4 ,his notion seems to have been that to awaken great deeds in a nation you must supply it with great and noble thoughts4 ,hence his magnificent public buildings1 his lavish cultivation of the arts1 and even the attention he paid to the amusements of the people1 to make them subservient to refinement and purity of taste4 ,but sthetics alone do not make a great people4--,see ,thuc4 ,,ii41 #ch1 #ci4 #cg;a ,luke xii4 #ea4 #cg;b ,sinai and ,palestine1 p4 #cfi4