The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-07
BOOKS OF THE TIME.
The Polxchrome nlble.


The Book of Judges is chosen by the edi-
tors OF the Compromised translation of
the Scriptures as the first part to be given
to the public. 1t is the result of years of
preparation and of the labor Of eminent
biblical scholars in this country and Eu-
rope, under the editorial direction OF Paul
Haupt, professor of Hebrew and other an
cient languages in Johns Hopkins Univer-
sity- 1t is different work entirely from
the Revised version" of twenty years ago.
The projectors of this enterprise consider
that the revised version was an unsatisfac-
tory compromise. which destroyed the
charm of the older translation while fall
ing 10 give the reader the full results of
modern research. In the present work moth
ing is omitted which can secure this end.
This translation is based upon a thoroughly
revised Hebrew text. which has been rem
dered into modern literary English The
phraseology of the King James version,
beautiful and stately as it is is so far
from being modern that many of the
words used fail to convey the sense of the
original, being either wholly obsolete or
their meaning greatly modified. This famil-
lar text has become in a sense sacred, but
it IS familiarity only that makes it So
not its accuracy, which, scholars say, is
open to criticism i'm many instances More
over, many new manuscripts and other
sources of information have been discovered
since that translation was made that throw
great light on doubtful passages, and the
new translation has profited by them. The
King James version will probably never be
put aside, but all intelligent students of
the Bible should welcome a translation
with few imperfections as possible in the
rendering OF the text. They should desire
this the more If they believe the Bible to
be a divine revelation and verbally inspired
Only scholars can decide how well the
translatOrS have done their work, but the
ordinary reader cannot fail to be impressed
with the new understanding that comes
with the change into literary form that
though modern, still remains simple and
beautiful. The striking feature of the work
is the printing of the text on different col
4ed backgrounds to show the composite
structure of the books of the Bible. SchOl-
airs know or believe that certain of these
books are a sort of patchwork. made up
of various ancient documents, editorial in
Temptations and cancellations. and it is to
separate the story into its original elements
that the colors are used. Modern literary
forms are followed, the Song of Deborah,
for instance, being presented thus:
Hear Q We kings give ear, o We soyer-
eigns!
I to Jhvh will raise my song.
Will sing to Jhvh. Israels God.
Jhvh. when from SER Thou settest out
When from the land. of Edom Thou march
The earth trembled, the heavens swayed
The clouds dripped water, the mountains
streamed
At the presence of Jhvh of Jhvh, Israers
God.
In the days of shamgar ben-Anath.
In the days of Jael caravans ceased,
And solitary travellers took roundabout
ways.
Hamlets ceased in Israel ceased,
Till thou didst arise. Deborah.
Till thou didst arise, a matron in Israel"
The Old Testament will be in twenty
parts. Judges to be followed at once by
Isaiah and the Psalms. The text is accom-
panied by pictorial illustrations from AS
syrian and Egyptian monuments photo
graphs of Biblical sites. etc. together with
abundant explanatory notes and historical
and critical introductions to the several
books. Dodd. Mead & Co, New York, are
the publishers