Page:Webster's Revision Bible.djvu/14

ix INTRODUCTION.

IX

taiuly the apostle did not mean to condemn Job 12.22; Ezek. 13. 14, &C Two or three the due caution now expressed by that word. other alterations of this word would have been The distinction in the uses of this word is made, had the propriety of them occured to me clearly marked in Phil. 4. verses 6, 10. In indue season. verse 6th the apostle writes "Be careful for Ask, or inquire, for demand. The French nothing;" yet in verse 10th he commends the original of this word properly signifies simply Philinpians for being careful. These appa to ask ; but usage has, in some measure, altered rent discrepancies are easily removed by sub- its signification in English. In our language, siituting anxious or solicitous for careful, when the word implies right, authority, or claim to it evidently has this signification. See Jer. an answer, or to something sought. Thus in 17.8; Ezek. 12. 18,19; Luke 10.41; 1 Cor. Exodus 5. 14, the inquiry made, implies an au 7.32,33,34. thority assumed by the task-masters of Egypt, Furniture for carriage. The word carriage, or a right to know the reason why the Israel in our common version, signifies that which, is ites hail not performed their tasks. So Daniel carried, or in our present usage, baggage ; 2.27; Job38.3; 40.7. But in 2Samuel'11.7, such things as travelers and armies carry for David did not demand of Uriah, but simply their accommodation. It never signifies a vehi inquire. In Luke 3. 14, the improper use of cle on wheels, although I am convinced thai it demanded is more striking. That the soldiers is thus understood by men of good common ed should demand any thing from Christ is not to ucation. I have substituted for it furniture, be supposed. So Luke 17.20; Acts 21. 33. judging baggage not to be a suitable word to But the most objectionable instance of the use be introduced into the text. I have, however, of demand is in Job 42. 4, where Job, address inserted an explanatory note in the margin, ing the Supreme Being, says, " I will demand Judges 18. SI; 1 Sam. 17. 22. If the word of thee, and declare thou to me." I have, in carriages, used Isa. 46. 1, was intended to sig such instances, used ask or inquire, which is nify vehicles, it is a mistake ; it is not the sense the true sense of the original. of the Hebrew. And if intended for loading, Would Gud, would to God. These phrases then the following words are improper. occur in several passages in which they are Revive or vivify for quicken. The latter not authorized by the original language, in vord in scripture signifies to revive, to give which the name of the Supreme Being is not «k lift or animate. It is now used in the used ; but the insertion of them in the version, smse of accelerate. Quick is sometimes used has given countenance to the practice of in in scripture for living, as the quick and dead. troducing them into discourses and public 1 hare, for the verb, substituted revive or viv- speeches, with a levity that is incompatible iff, and for the adjective, living. Ps. 71. 20; with a due veneration for the name of God. Acts 10. 42, &c. . In Job 14. 13, the same Hebrew words are ren Terrify or drive away for fray ; the latter dered O that, the common mode of expressing being entirely obsolete, and not generally un an ardent wish; and I have used the same derstood. Deut.28.26; Jer. 7.33; Zech.1.27. words in other passages. See Ex. 16. 3; Deut. VmUiarspcw. Lev. 18.28; Rev. 3. 16, &c. 28. 67. Avenge for revenge. These words seem to God forbid, is a phrase which may be view hare been used synonymously in former times ; ed in the same light as the foregoing. It is bat in modern usage, a distinction between several times used in the version, and without them is, if I mistake not, well established; rc- any authority from the original languages, for vmse implying malice, and avenge expressing the use of the name of God. The Greek just vindication. If so, the use of revenge, as phrase thus rendered in the New Testament, applied to the Supreme Being, is improper. I signifies only " Let it not be," or " I wish it not bare therefore substituted for it avenge. Na- to be." I cannot think it expedient to sufferthe tum 1. 2. phrase "God forbid," to stand in the text, for Deride for laugh to scorn. The latter phrase the reason assigned in the foregoing paragraph. is nearly obsolete. 2 Kings 19. 21 ; Nehem. And it is to be regretted that a practice pre vails of using it in common discourse. I have 2. 19, &c. Fornication. This word, in modern lsjws followed Macknight in using for these words, and usage, has acquired a technical meaning By no means. more limited than its signification in the scripGod speed. 2 John 10. 11. This phrase must tares. For which reason among others, I have originally have been " God speed you;" that is, pnerally substituted for it a word of more God (jive you welfare or success, or it is a mis comprehensive signification, generally Icwd- take lor good speed. It could not have been ntss. ' the first, for then the whole phrase must have Vvmtr, make bare, open, disclose, reveal, for been, " Bid him God speed you." The fact inciter. The original and proper sense of undoubtedly is, the phrase was originally good ihcmxr is to uncover, and there are phrases speed. In Saxon, good and God are uniformly in which it is still used in that sense. But its written alike; gAd, the adjective, we now write present signification most generally is, iofind, good, and we write goodman, Goodwin, al '«, or perceive for the first time. In most pas though the English write Godwin. In the ses in our version of the scriptures, it has phrase used in scripture, which seems to have lie sense of uncover, make bare, or expose to been formerly proverbial, the Saxon god for rien. In Micah 1. 6, the Lord says by the good has continued to be written with a single prophet, "I will discover the foundations" vowel, and the word being mistaken for the of Samaria. But surely the all-seeing God name of the Supreme Being, it came to be aad nothing to find or see for the first time. written with a capital initial, God. The Greek The sense of the word is to uncover, to lay word is a term of salutation: the same word tare. See Prov. 25. 9 ; Isa, 3. 17; Lam. 4. 22; is used, Luke 1. 28, in the address of the angel

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