Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-02-18

its true signifcation.
There is another word which is used "a
bout the same number Of times in the He
brew Bible, and with nearly the same mean:
ing. This is shiphchah. Itis akin to word
which signifies family and hence it is spe-
cially applied to one who is family attend
ant, or to servant considered as one of a
family of servants. But this special appli-
cation of the term is little regarded in most
cases it seems to be used as synonymous
with amGh. As its usage is similar, and the
mode Of investigation similar, more brief
examination will suffice. tits translated by
the same words which are used in rendering
amah: and some of these leave us in the
same uncertainty, in the one case as in the
other. But in both cases, usage makes the
import of the Hebrew words equally plain.
There are many passages, in which the
word shaphchah most evidently means bond
scoman. 1t is applied TO persons who are
bought and sold. Est 7: 4, "If we had
been sold for bond-men and bond-,comen."
Deut. 2S 6S.-It is found in the lists of
property. Gen. II: Is, "And he rAbra-
ham, had sheep, and oxen, and he-asses,
and men-servants, and maid-serrants, and
she-asses, and camels." Gen. 20: IA, and
"a: 35,43, & 30: 80 So Kings s: 26-
The shiphchah was transferred by gift.---
Gen. 90: "a, "And Laban gave unto his
daughter Leah, Zlpah his maid, for an hand
maid" v. 20, Gen. 20 14.-Declared not
to be free. Lev. 19: 90. ga woman that
is bond-maid," &C., "she was not free."--
Amancipated and reduced to slavery. Jer.
"a: II, "They turned and caused the ser
wants and the landmarks, whom they had
let go free, to return, and brought them into
subjection for servants and for landmarks,
VS.. 9. 10, 16.-The word is used in refer
ence to those, who are known to have been
slaves: to Hagar, Gen. 16: 1, 2, 3, 5, g.
To Bilhah end to Zilpah, Gen. 80: 4, Z, 9,
10, -, 18, and 80: %, and 80: 1, 2, 6, and
35: %, 26.
This word is used in fgurative sense in
the same manner as amah. Sam. %: Al,
"Let thine hand-maid be servant to wash
the feet of the servants of my lord" In
this verse, the Hebrew for "hand-maid" Is
amah: and we have here an illustration of
the difference Of meaning Of the two words;
-"Let thy bond-maid be house-servant
to wash" &c. Ruth 2: 13-1 Sam. /: 18,
and 25 : 81, and %: 81, 22-2 Sam. IA
6, 7, 10, Is, II, 19-2 Kings q, 16.
The texts, in which the connexion makes
it probable, that shiphchah means a bond
woman, are. Gen. 16: 8, 0he case of Ha-
gar and the angel.) Ex. II psalm 1873:
prov. 30: 23-Ecl. 2: Tn the fol-
lowing, the connexion affords no argument
on either side Ruth 2: l3-1 Sam. 8: 16
is. "a: 2-Joel 2: 20.
The two words which we have been con-
sidering, seem, in several passages TO be
used indiscrimlnately. Both, as we have
seen, are several times applied to Hagar,
One isapplied to BiIhah, Gen. 20 29, & the
other, Cen, 30: 8. In the law for the lib-
Grafton Of Hebrew servants, Deut. IS: II,
amah is used: while in the same law, as ci-
ted, Jer. "a: 8, IA, it is ,hiphehah. In the
Greek version of the Seventy, made in A
lexandria in Egypt, more than two hun
dred years before Christ, no distinction ls
usually made, in rendering the words. A.
nah is, in thirty instances, translated by the
Greek word paidiske, and in eighteen, by
douie shiphchah, in thirty-nine, by paidiske,
and in fifteen, by doufe and each, in few
places, by other words. The primary and
proper meaning Of doute is female slare
and in this sense is used by the Seventy
Paidiske, from pals child, according TO it's
derivation, would properly mean a girl, or
young ~oman and this meaning it some
times has in the Greek classics. Blu. in the
version Of the Seventy, and also in the New
Testament, it is always. or nearly always,
used in the same sense as doute. Perhaps
some might suppose, that we should find the
latter void where slaves are evidently spol-
en- Of, and the former in more doubtful caser.
But such is not the fact. We find both of
these words used Unfortunately to desig-
nate those who were bought and sold, and
declared 10 be property. In the same sense
is .paidiske used by Herodous Lyssias, aad
other classic writers.
Yours respectfully,
NoVANGLUs.