BIBLE, REVISED ENGLISH VERSION. A revision of the English Bible, or "author ized version," has been in progress for about ten years and is now nearly completed. A deep and general interest is felt in the reasons assigned for making this revision, in the nature of the alterations proposed, and in the character and qualifications of the men selected for the work.
I. The reasons assigned for a recision.
1. The division into chapters and verses needs to be revised. The division into chapters was made by cardinal Hugo de Sancta Caro, about the middle of the 13th cen tury. The verses of the old testament are of earlier date and Jewish origin. Those of the new testament were made by Robert Stephens, for his edition of the Greek testa ment published in 1551. The division into chapters was introduced into the earlier English versions; the verses appeared first in the Geneva bible of 1560. As these divis ions were hastily made and with a view to convenient reference rather than to an accu rate exhibition of the subject matter, it is not surprising that some pass:10.es are severed which ought to be connected, and that others are connected which ought to lie separate. For example: in Gen. the six days of the creative week are cut off from The seventh day; Is. Mi. ought to begin with the last three verses of lii.; and Rev. xxii. should yield its first 5 verses to xxi.
2. There are obsolete words which might, with advantage, be exchanged for words in current use. The authorized version has contributed greatly to the permanence of the English language. Yet some words have slipped out of use, notwithstanding its hold upon them, Among these are " wist" not, for kiwi') not, or did not consider; "eschew," for skan; for falsehood; "broided," for braided; " neesing," for Sneezing. Some words that are retained in use have changed their meaning since the translation was made. " By and by" then meant, intotediately, now it means after a while; to " prevent," was to go before, now to restrain; to " let,' was to hinder, now to permit, 3. Sometimes proper names have been translated as common nouns; in other instances the reverse has been done. "From the tower of Syene unto the border of Ethiopia," should be—from Migdol unto Syene, the border of Ethiopia; "the house of God," should sometimes be translated, Bethel; "populous No," should be, No Amnion; "a hollow place that was in the jaw," should be—the hollow pace that is in Lehi. On the
other hand, "the children of Sheth," should be—tumultuous children ; "men of Behar — worthless, wicked men; the " Gam madi ins" in the towers of Tym---warriors; " Panna,g," not a country, but an article of commerce.
4. Often the disregard of the definite article, both in Hebrew and Greek, has made the translation inaccurate or vague. " There is a feast of the Lord in Shiloh" should be— the feast of the Lord is in Shiloh. David's wondering exclamation in acknowledg ment of the promise that in the distant future the incarnate Messiah should be his SOD. instead of being, vaguely, "Thou bast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree," should be—according to the estate of TI1E 3IAN, THE EXALTED ONE. In the new testament, "achy which bath foundations," should be—the city which bath the foundations; and, "a good fight" which Paul had fought was—the good fight of faith.
5. In many passages the distinction between tenses of Hebrew and Greek verbs has been neglected or incorrectly rendered. In the old testament the imperfections front this source are most numerous in the poetical prophetical books. The future is there often translated as the past. " I cried," instead of—I will cry; " the Lord sus tained," instead of—will sustain; "God came," instead of—will come; "and made inter cession for the transgressors," instead of—and will make. Often the future is rendered as the imperative, so that a confident declaration seems a command or a prayer. Thou wilt not withhold Thy tender mercy, is changed into, " withhold not Thou." Often the prophets seem to be declaring the past when they are foretelling the future. In the new testament similar inaccuracies in translating tenses are found. The continued action expressed by the imperfect, is sometimes disregarded. We find, "their nets brake," instead of—were breaking; "they brought to Hun a man sick of the palsy," instead of —were bringing. The completed past of the perfect tense is sometimes translated as a present; " 1 am crucified with Christ," instead of—I have been; and at other times, by the indefinite past, "anything made that was made," for—has been made; " was counted worthy," for—has been. The indefinite past tense also is translated as a perfect or a present; "death passed upon all men for that all have sinned," instead of—for that all sinned; " we that are dead to sin," instead of—we that died to sin.