which is Arabic. The name Abyssinia is mod-| In many passages, its meaning may be easiern. It is stated to be formed from an Arabic ly mistaken. Jer. 34. 4. "Thus saith the Lord word habas or chabas, to be black, and a deriv-of thee;" not Zedekiah's Lord, but concerning ative from this is said to signify a mixed mul- thee. See also chap. 36. 30, and John 7. 17, 18; titude. See Castel's Heptaglot Lexicon. How-2 Tim. 2. 2, and numerous other passages. ever this may be, the modern Ethiopians are Of sometimes denotes belonging to, or a part

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The substitution of another word for of, in order to present the true meaning at first view, is necessary in a multitude of passages. many phrases, however, the word continues to retain its original sense.

descendants from Arabians; but whether they of. 1 Cor. 12. 15. bore the name Cush, as being the offspring of the Arabian Cushim, or on account of their color, is not a question of much importance. To prevent any mistake from a mistranslation of the name, I have uniformly introduced, into the text of this work, the Hebrew Cush,| Tenses. At the time the present version of except in one instance, Jer. 13. 23, where the the scriptures was made, the form of the verb word refers to color only, without reference to which most of our English Grammars arrange place. The word Cush is said to signify black, in the present tense of the subjunctive mode and if so, Ethiops, black face, is a translation was in more general use than it has been for of the name. By introducing Cush into the the last century; thus, if thou be, if he be, text, we are sure to be correct. But as no though he have. This form of the verb is most country except Abyssinia is now known as common in the version of the scriptures; but Ethiopia, if the reader of the Bible understands is far from being uniformly used. The transEthiopia as referring to that country only, he lators seem to have been guided by no rule; will be many times led into error. Most of the and their discrepancies are numerous. James passages of scripture in which Cush is men- 1. 26. "If any man among you seem to be relitioned, certainly have reference to a country in gious and bridleth not his tongue." See Gen. Persia, or to a territory in Arabia. 4.7; Job 35. 6; Deut. 24. 3.7; Gen. 47.6; Lev. Shadow. There is an established distinc-25. 14; 6. 2, 3; Prov. 22. 27; 24. 10, 11, 12; tion in the significations of shade and shadow, 1 Cor. 7. 12, 13; John 9. 31, and many other which is entirely disregarded in our version of passages. the scriptures. Perhaps the distinction was So familiar was the subjunctive form of the not known in England, at the time the version verb to the translators, and so little regard had was made. Shadow is the obscurity made by they to any rule for using it, that in the New the interception of light by an object, in the Testament they have usually rendered the figure or shape of the object. Shade is a like Greek indicative by the English subjunctive; obscurity without reference to figure. Shade as if thou be, for if thou art. See Matt 4. 6; is used when protection only from the rays of 5. 29, 30, and numerous other passages. the sun is intended. The farmer, to cool and In this subjunctive form of the verb, no disrefresh himself, says, I will go into the shade tinction is made between the present and fuof a tree-never into the shadow. Hence, when ture time of an action. If thou be, may stand there is no reference to figure, but to protection for if thou art or if thou shalt be. And such only, the word shade should always be used. is the fact in a multitude of passages. More Hence the impropriety of the phrase shadow of generally, the subjunctive form is really an death. Death is the absence of life, a mere ne-elliptical future. Lev. 25. 14. "If thou sell gation of being. In the phrase, shadow of aught to thy neighbor;" si vendideritis, if death, shadow is a figurative word denoting thou shalt sell. Matt. 7. 9. "If thy son ask total darkness, deep gloom, and for this idea, the established usage now requires the plural, the shades of death. Shadow in the sense of a faint resemblance is correct, as it has reference to form, or figure. Col. 2. 17; Is. 4. 6; 25. 4; Dan. 4. 12; Hosea 4. 13; Jonah 4. 5, 6; Heb. 8.5; 10. 1.

bread;" si petierit panem. But so heedless of rules were the translators, that in the verse just cited from Leviticus, they have in the second clause given the indicative, "If thou sell aught, or buyest aught."

This subjunctive form of the verb in the present tense had, to a great extent, fallen into Of. In the use of this word, a great change disuse, in the days of Addison, who, with the has taken place, since the present version was best authors of that and the next generation, made. Its original signification is from; but generally used the indicative form of the verb in present use in the scriptures, it is equivalent, to express acts, conditional or hypothetical, in in many passages, to concerning; in many present time. I have followed their example, others, to by; in others, to from; and in some as it is conformable to the most general usage passages, its signification is, at first view, am- of the present age; and by using shall or will biguous. Thus, to be sick of a thing, is gener- to express future time, have attempted to renally understood to mean, to be disgusted with der obvious a real distinction in time, which is it or tired of it; but to be sick of a fever or of not so obvious in the subjunctive form of the love, in scripture, is to be affected by it as the verb. In the language of modern statutes, cause. In the latter sense, I have substituted both in Great Britain and in the United States, with for of. Cant. 2. 5; Matt. 8. 14.

In numerous passages, of has the sense of concerning. See Acts 13. 29; Jude 3.

In many passages, it signifies by. Acts 23. 10; 2 Cor. 3. 2.

the practice is uniformly to use shall. If a man shall trespass, if he shall be guilty of theft.

In the use of shall and should for will and would, the errors of the version are very numerous. Shall, in the first person, foretells, in In Matt. 2. 15, it must be rendered from. the second and third, it promises, determines, "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken threatens or commands. The phrases, you of the Lord by the prophet." What was spo-shall go, he shall go, imply authority in the ken was from the Lord by the prophet. Ispeaker to promise what the person shall do,

or to command him. Hence we never use should come out against Saul," when they such language to superiors. No person says were friends. Her first impression was, that to his father, or to a ruler, you shall do this or the words express enmity, as that is the most that. Such language is used only to inferiors obvious signification of the phrase. I availed or persons subject to authority. Hence the myself of the suggestion, and inserted the extreme impropriety of such phrases as the word meeting before them. following, Gen. 41. 16, God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace. Neh. 4. 20, "Our God shall fight for us." When Christ said to Peter, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice," he did not command him, nor promise, nor determine; he simply foretold the fact, and therefore the word will should be used.

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Benjaminite. Benjamin, son of the right hand. What could have induced the translators to reject a part of the last syllable, a component part of the word, and write Benjamile? I have reinstated the rejected letters, and added the usual termination.

In 2 Chron. 13. 19, there a is mistake in the English, French and Italian versions, Ephraim But the translators, evidently, were guided for the Hebrew Ephron, which I have corby no rule; for they often vary the phrase, rected. The Septuagint is correct. using shall in one clause of a sentence and In our version of the scriptures, as in most will in another. See Deut. 7. 12. 13; Luke 5. British books, a very common error is to use 37; and 21. 7; Ps. 37. 4, 5, 6, compared with intransitive verbs in the passive form, as he is Ps. 41. 1, 2, 3; See Ps. 16. 10; and Acts 13. 35, perished; they were escaped; he is fled; the in which will is used in the former and shall in year was expired; they were departed. the latter. A great number of similar dis- There is no error in British writers so comcrepancies occur in the version, and it is prob-mon and so prominent as this, borrowed probable that in my attempts to correct them, some ably from the French, in which it is the estabhave been overlooked. In Ps. 17. 15, will is lished usage. Dr. Lowth noticed this fault used for shall, "I will behold." sixty or seventy years ago, but the practice continues.

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Equally faulty is the use of should for would in many passages; but this fault is less freThe passive form of the verb always imquent than the use of shall for will. Heb. 8. 4. plies the action of an agent. When a word is For if he were on earth, he should not be a spoken or written, the implication is, that some priest;" verse 7, "For if that first covenant person has spoken or written it. But when we had been faultless, then should no place have say "The day was expired," the question ocbeen sought for the second." John 13. 11, "For curs, who expired it? When it is said counhe knew who should betray him." Such use sel is perished," the question is, who perished it? of should is not good English, nor does it ex- Escape and return are sometimes transitive press the true sense, as should implies duty, and sometimes intransitive. Return, when equivalent to ought. See Job 13. 5; John 6. transitive, admits of the passive form. "The 64, 71; Acts 23. 27; 28. 6. letter was returned." But the passive form of the verb when intransitive, is improper; as, “If she is returned to her father's house." Escape, though sometimes transitive, never I believe, admits the passive form.

Should is used for would, Ezra 10. 5. This improper use of the auxiliaries renders the translation inaccurate in hundreds of in

stances.

Plunder for spoil. The verb to spoil is sus- It is remarkable that the people of this counceptible of different senses. In our version, try, at least in the northern states, in which my it generally signifies to plunder, pillage or lay observations have been most extensive, rarely waste; but in our popular use, it signifies to in-fall into this error. Even our common people jure so as to render useless, by any means. To uniformly say, he has perished, he has return"spoil a tent," would not always suggest to an ed, the time has expired, the man has fled. unlettered reader the sense of plundering. I Í have corrected this error in the present have therefore, in some passages, substituted seize, plunder or lay waste. Isa. 13. 16; 33. 1;

and others.

Edom for Idumea. In two passages, our version has Idumea for Edom, the Greek for the Hebrew. I have retained the Hebrew word, as this will prevent the unlearned reader from supposing Edom and Idumea to be different countries. Isa. 34. 5, 6.

edition of the Bible; with the exception in some instances of the passive form of come and gone, and occasionally of one or two others, which seems to be too generally used and well established, to be wholly rejected.

It has been justly observed by Dr. Campbell, that the words kingdom of heaven and of God, have different significations in the New Testament, which ought to be distinguished. I have not altered the text, but have, in some instances, inserted an explanatory note in the margin, corresponding with his ideas.

Lord of the whole earth. In Micah 4. 13, there is a misprint in the present version; the word Lord in the last line being in capitals, as if the original were Jehovah. This is a mis- In the language of our version, many small take. I have inserted Jehovah in the former words are used, which, in my opinion, are supart of the verse, according to the Hebrew, perfluous. In such a phrase as "go forth out and Lord, in small letters, in the latter part. of," forth and out of, are synonymous, or so Meeting. 1 Sam. 9. 14. The importance nearly so as to render the use of both unnecesof avoiding the use of words and phrases of sary. I have in some cases retrenched a word equivocal signification must be obvious. When in such phrases; and further retrenchments I was examining the proof sheets of this may be made with advantage. The employwork, my grand daughter, fourteen years of ment of many small words in this manner, age was reading the passage above referred to; when not necessary to convey the meaning, at the words "Samuel came out against them," serves to impair the force of expression. she remarked that it was strange "Samuel There are some passages in which the con

In

struction is very awkward; and in a few in- company, without violence to decency. stances, it leads to a wrong signification. In early Stages of society, when men are savage or such cases, I have transposed the clauses in half civilized, such terms are not offensive: but such a manner as to place together the parts of in the present state of refinement, the utterance a sentence which are closely connected in of many words and passages of our version is sense. See 2 Chr. 32. 23; Ps. 4. 8; Jer. 5. 17; not to be endured; and it is well known that 32. 30; John 19. 16, 20; Luke 23. 8; 32.53; some parents do not permit their children to Matt. 16. 12; 14. 9; Rom. 15. 31; Deut. 21. 8; read the scriptures, without prescribing to them Isa. 15. 5; John 1. 45. the chapters. To retain such offensive lanIn the New Testament I have altered the guage, in the popular version, is, in my view, Greek orthography of a few names, and made injudicious, if not unjustifiable; for it gives them conformable to the orthography of the occasion to unbelievers and to persons of levity, Old Testament; as, that of Elias to Elijah; to cast contempt upon the sacred oracles, or call Esaias to Isaiah; Osee to Hosea, &c. This in question their inspiration; and this weapon will prevent illiterate persons, who compose a is used with no inconsiderable effect. large part of the readers of the scriptures, from mistaking the characters. Every obstacle to a right understanding of the scriptures, however small, should be removed, when it can be done in consistency with truth.

Further, many words and phrases are so of fensive, especially to females, as to create a reluctance in young persons to attend Bible classes and schools, in which they are required to read passages which cannot be repeated There are many verbal alterations which, it without a blush; and containing words which, is believed, will appear so obviously proper, on other occasions, a child could not utter withthat no explanation need be offered. A few out rebuke. The effect is, to divert the mind other alterations would have been made had from the matter to the language of the scripthe propriety of them occurred, before the tures, and thus, in a degree, frustrate the pursheets were printed. pose of giving instruction.

Rom. 8. 19, 20, 21. I have been perhaps Purity of mind is a christian virtue that over-cautious in retaining the present version ought to be carefully cherished; and purity of of this passage. It is obvious to me that the language is one of the guards which protect pointing of the Greek copies is wrong. There this virtue.

should be no point between the last word in I have attempted to remove, in a good deverse 20 and the first in verse 21, and the word gree, this objection to the version. It was my that should be substituted for because. The wish to make some further alterations in this mistake doubtless proceeded from considering particular; but difficulties occurred which I the Greek or as a conjunction; a mistake that could not well remove. has been the cause of hundreds of errors in the Vulgate. So in our version, Luke 1. 45.

Euphemisms.

In no respect does the present version of the scriptures require amendments, more than in the use of many words and phrases which cannot now be uttered, especially in promiscuous

See Gen. 20. 18; 29. 31; 30. 22; 34. 30; 38. 9, 24; Exod. 7. 18; 16. 24; Levit. 19. 29; 21. 7; Deut. 22.21; 23.1; 28. 57; Judges 2.17; 1 Sam. 1. 5; 1 Kings 14. 10; 16. 11; 21. 21; 2 Kings 9.8; 18. 27; Job 3. 10, 11, 12; 40. 17; Ps. 22. 9, 10; 38. 5; 106. 39; Eccles. 11. 5; Isa. 36. 12; Ezek. ch. 16 and 23; John 11. 39; Eph. 5. 5, &c.

GENESIS..

CHAP. I.

1 The creation of heaven and earth, 3 of the light, 6 of the firmament, 9 of the earth sepa rated from the waters, 11 and made fruitful, 14 of the sun, moon, and stars, 20 of fish and foul, 24 of beasts and cattle, 26 of man in the image of God. 29 Also the appointment of food.

IN the a beginning Go

the beginning God created the

2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided i the light from the darkness.

a

1

Before CHRIST, 4004.

Psal. 33. 6. & 136. 5. Acts 14. 15. & 17. 24.

Heb. 11. 3.

Heb. be-
62 Cor. 4. 6.
tween the
light and
between the

darkness.

2 Heb. and

the evening
was, and the
morning
was, &c.

c Ps. 136. 5.
Jer. 10. 12.

3

& 51. 15.
Heb. er-

panse.

5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night: 2 and the evening and the morning were the first day. 6 And God said, Let there be 3 ad Jer. 51. 15. firmament in the midst of the waters, and • Job 38. 8. let it divide the waters from the waters. Ps. 33. 7. 7 And God made the firmament; and & 136. 6. divided the waters which were under 4 Heb. tenthe firmament from the waters which der grass. were above the firmament: and it was so. Deut. 4. 19. 8 And God called the firmament| Heaven and the evening and the morning were the second day.

9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered into one

Ps. 136. 7. 5 Heb. between the

the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven, to give light upon the earth.

18 And to rule over the day, and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.

19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath s life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the 9 open firmament of heaven.

21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

22 And God blessed them, saying, i Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

24 ¶ And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and the creeping animal, and the day and be-beast of the earth after his kind: and it tween the night.

was so.

25 And God made the beast of the

place, and let the dry land appear: and 6 Heb. for the earth after his kind, and cattle after their

it was so.

10 And God called the dry land Earth, and the collection of waters he called Seas: and God saw that it was good.

11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth 4 grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit-tree yielding fruit after its kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth : and it was so.

rule of the

day, &c.

7 or, creep-
ing.

8 Heb. soul.
Heb. face

kind, and every animal that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

26 ¶ And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping animal that creepeth upon the earth.

27 So God created man in his own im

12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after its kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after its kind: and God saw of the firma. age, in the image of God created he him;

that it was good.

9

ment of
heaven.

13 And the evening and the morning i c. 8. 17. were the third day.

& 9. 1.

& 9. 6.

1 Cor. 11. 7.
James 3. 9.

14 And God said, Let there bec. 5. 1. lights in the firmament of the heaven, to divides the day from the night: and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.

15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven, to give light| upon the earth: and it was so. 16 And God made two great lights; the greater lights to rule the day, and

Ephes. 4.24.

Col. 3. 10.

Mat. 19. 4.

m c. 9. 1.

10 Heb. seed-
ing seed.
c. 9. 3.

I male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them, and God
said to them, m Be fruitful, and multiply,
and replenish the earth, and subdue it:
and have dominion over the fish of the
sea, and over the fowl of the air, and
over every living animal that moveth
upon the earth.

29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb 10 bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; " to you it shall be for food.

2

1 Heb. called.

15 Heb. built. 1 Cor. 11. 8.

7 Mat. 19. 5. Mark 10. 7.

1 Cor. 6. 16. Ephes.5.31.

Heb. yea, because,

16 And the LORD God commanded 1 Tim. 2.14. the man, saying, Of every tree of them. 14.27, garden 10 thou mayest freely eat:

17 But of the tree of the knowledge of 3 or. girdles. good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: 4 Heb. wind.