Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-05-22
TINE REVISED BIBLE.
SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE
IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

IN THE OLD TEsTAMENT.
The complete revised Bible went on sale in
London last Tuesday and in this country on
Thursday. The new Bible appears with both
Of the Testaments bound together. The pre-.
face opens with a statement OF the general
principles on which the revision has been
conducted. The revisers have borne in mind
their duty not to make a new TRANSLATION, but
to revise that already existing, aud have de.
parted from II only where they disagreed with
the translators Of 1911 upon the meaning of
a word or sentence. The terms Of natural
history are only changed where IL ia certain
that the authorized version IL incorrect Where
IL is doubtful or there is an alternative, the
rendering is given in the margin.
In some words OF frequent occurrence, the
authorized version being either inadequate or
inconsistent, changes have been introduced
with as much uniformity as practicable For
instance, tabernacle Of the congregation"
has been everywhere changed to tent Of
meeting" In regard TO the word Jehovah, ="
the usage of the authorized version is follow
ed, the revisers not thinking il advisable to
insert II uniformly in place of Lord" or
God" which, when printed in small capi
tails, represent the words substituted by jew
sh custom for the Ine1able Name. The word
grove" (Judges vi, 2S) has been replaced by
'ashera" with its plurals 'Asherim" aud lash
eroth." In the poetical books, 'sheol" re-
places "hell," which has been changed in
prose passages 10 ''the grave" aud "the pit, :"
with ''sheoI' in the margin. The preface
says "Of these TenderiDgH, hell, II 1t could
be taken in its original sense as used in the
oreeds, would be fairly adequate equivalent
for the Hebrew word, but it Is no commonly
understood a. the place Of torment that TO
employ it frequently would lead to inevitable
Misunderstanding
In Isaiah xiv, where hell is used in more
Of t' original sense, the revisers have left
hell In the text putting ''Hheol" in the mar
gin. 'Abaddou," which has hitherto been
known TO English readers OF the Bible only
from the New Testament (Revelations tx l y
has been introduced in three passagss-onoe
in Job and twice in Proverbs. The term
''meat Offering" has been changed into "mea
Offering" the former torn having ceased TO
be the generic term for all food. A new plu-
raj" peoples has been introduced, al
though sometimes this becomes "Gentiles"
when the contrast to the chosen people is
marked.
All headings OF chapters have been drop
ped, as in the revised New Testament, and
the text has been divided into paragraphs, but
the old chapter and verse divisions have been
retained in the margin for convenience of
reference. BY this means the revisers have
been enabled to rejoin Psalm Z. to Psalm iK.,
and Psalm xiii to Psalm xii, and to begin
Isaiah lii. at chapter ill.,, verse 10.
Tue several days Of the creation are made
more prominent by breaks of line between
the verses. This expedient has enabled the
revisers to make use OF the dialogue form and
to show the dramatic character Of the Song
OF Songs, the first chapter of which, for ex-
ample il divided into seven speeches.
The Psalms are definitely divided into Ave
books, the last four beginning respectively at
Psalms xiii, kit, xc. and evil A striking
Improvement is the printing of all pOetical
passages in poetcal form. This has been
done IN the Psalms, Proverbs, Job and the
Oanticles but the Prophets have been left in
prose form. The songs of Lsmech, Jacob,
Miriam, Moses, Deborah and Hannah, the
psalms OF Jonah aud Habakkuk, and David's
Lament iu Samuel l., appear in versided
ballad. The origin OF Joshua's miracle, Sun,
stand thou still upon Gideon, is indicated by
its versn character so, also, IL the trium phal
cry of Samson (Judges xv., i6).
Examination of the more familiar passages
and phrases disclosss the fact that care has
been taken in preserving intact household
words Of the Old Testament. The old ltera-
ry form has been held sacred, and the revisers
cannot be charged with any pedsntic strain
ing after the original text; but not all the
capped untouched. The high priest no longer
casts lots for the scapegoat he does so for
Azazel
The summary Of each days work at the
creation now runs according to the formula,
And there was evening and there was morn
ing one day, ," there WAS evening and there
was morning a second day" and so on, Civ
ing 4 suggestion Of successive stages with
long intervals.
The "apples of gold" of Proverbs Ixv., II,
are now encased in figured work" of silver
not in pictures"
Vanity and ve1ation of spirit" (Ecclssias-
tes H.. 10 has become Vanity and a striving
after wind"
HAPPY is the man that hath his quivor full
Of them" (Ps. cIIvii, 81 has been changed
into Happy is the man that hath filled his
quiver with them"
Reuben's curse Genesis Xix, 4; Unstable
as water thou shalt not excel" now reads
Unstable as water, have not thou the excel
lency"
The following changes also CRATE against
associations;
The authorized Genesis, chapter vi, verse
1, There were giants in the earth in those
days." is revised The nephelim were in
the earth in those days"
In the authorized edition Job xxi, verse
| 30, 80 that one would hear mel Behold, my
desire is that the Almighty would answer me,
and that mine adversary had written book, ="
is revised 20 that one would hear me- Be
hold, my desire is that the Almighty would
answer me, and that had the indictment
which my adversary hath written"
The authorized Psalm viii, verse 3, "For
thou hast made him little lower than the an
gels, " is revised For thou hast made him a
little lower than God" The authorized Psalm
cxvi., verse II, Il said in my haste all men
are liars," is revised II said when | made
haste to escape, all men are lie"
Ecclesiastes Ii, l3, Let us hear the con-
clusion Of the whole matter. Fear God, >" etc.
has been revised TO read, "This is the end of
the matter all hsth been heard. Fear
God, etc.
Proverbs xiv, ., Fools make a mock at
sin, but among the righteous there is favor, u
revised reads, THE foolish scorn the guilt
| offering, but among the upright there is good
| will"
The above are nearly all of the passages in
which q shock is given to old associations,
though changes other than these are very nu-
/ marOua