Obrazy na stronie
PDF
ePub

dī Lichlimmā, how long my glory into shame. The Greek inter

Gnad may chebooday עד מה כבודי לב למה preters read it thus

Layb Lawmaw, for they translated it, how long are ye heavy hearted. Ex. xii. 17 has ngon n& Dipty Oöshěmartěm ěth-hăm mătzoth, and ye shall observe [the feast of] the unleavened bread. The Greek interpreters read myon Hǎmmitzwaw, commandment, for they translated it την εντολην. From all these instances it appears how absurd a sense the Greek interpreters have affixed to the Sacred Scriptures, and we must therefore say that they formed their version from corrupt copies, or read the vowels and consonants incorrectly, or sometimes were desirous of extracting from the text an allegorical sense, which, from the preceding passages, they thought might be justly drawn.

§ 4. Many, as Scaliger has done, Ep. p. 91. Melanth. præf. in Edit. Basil, ascribe a second cause of these differences to the interpreters themselves, as not having well understood the Hebrew language or its grammar. This Hottinger proves by various examples. 1. Inasmuch as they have translated appellatives as nouns proper, and nouns proper, as appellatives, ex. gr. Neh. vii. 70, annan priest's garments. They have rendered it xTMvo Tav pav. On the contrary, Levit. xviii. 21, phình rayah to cause to pass over to Moloch, they translated argagi, to serve rulers, as if it had been the participle of the verb p. 2. Nouns they rendered verbs, as Ps. lxxx. 16, Wěcănnā, the stock (stem) they rendered a gagal, and heal, as if it were the infinitive of the verb . And on the other hand they rendered verbs by nouns. 3. They confounded the signification of certain words, which in some measure agree in pronunciation.

שחת with שחה They confounded

3. A third cause of the discrepancies they ascribe to the age itself. Inasmuch as at the period when the Greek version was prepared, the Hebrew language was no longer vernacular with the Jews, but either the Chaldee or Syriac. And hence the Greek translators have frequently to words purely Hebrew affixed a sense taken from the Chaldee or Syriac. Examples will make this evident. Is. liii. 10, we have 7 dĭccō, he bruised him; but as this verb, when it is Chaldee, signifies to purify (for 7 dăccay in Chaldee signifies to cleanse, to purify) therefore these interpreters confounding the Chaldee with the Hebrew signification, rendered it nabagious autor, to purify him. From a Syriac acceptation they

have sometimes taken the signification of Hebrew words. Gen. ix. 3, has and the fear of you, the Greek translators have taken the meaning from the Syriac language, for they have rendered it xxxxтaugurarı, rule ye, as if the noun &

mōrāw, fear, had a common signification with the Syriac word & lord, [or ruler.] Sometimes they have taken the signification of some Hebrew words from the Arabic; by an Arabism they rendered the word 17; Ex. xviii. 11, they dealt proudly, by mero, as if derived from the Arabic word, he added. See more examples in the author above cited.

§ 6. A fourth cause of the variances is to be ascribed to the carelessness of the transcribers, who very often carelessly and corruptly wrote out the Greek version. From this very cause, many discrepancies have been intruded into the Greek version. For it is not probable those interpreters would always have translated the Hebrew text in so absurd and silly a manner. Gen. xi. 2, for mur, a plain, in one copy it is raidur, an infant. Gen. xxiv. 30, for the anus, at the fountain, it is read in a certain manuscript copy, Tas yns, upon the earth. Deut. xxxii. 42, [43] for aua, at the same time, some copies have aqua, blood. Many similar examples might be adduced.

§ 7. A fifth and sixth cause of the variances, Nicol. Fuller Miscel. Sac. p. 354, ascribed partly to the different copies of the Greek version, from which some things had intruded themselves into the Septuagint; so that a sort of confusion has arisen from there being so many copies: partly he thinks readers had noted some things in the margin of the Greek copies, which notes transcribers, in after times, with great rashness, intruded into the text itself of the Greek version. See examples in the place above cited.

§ 8. A sixth cause of the diversity may be this: The Greek interpreters very often regarded the sense more than the words. They were, to be sure, interpreters, but often paraphrasts also. It was so with the Targumists, who in most places appear to have written rather a paraphrase than a version: and hence likewise it is, that often in the Greek version there is not so accurate an agreement with the Hebrew text as might in fact be expected. These are the chief causes why so great a variance has taken place in the Greek text of the Old Testament. Hence also of course it follows, that the Hebrew text is not to be corrected by

the Greek version, nor, from the disagreement of the Greek version with the Hebrew text, is it to be proved that the Old Testament formerly was not pointed."

(To be continued.)

DISTRIBUTION OF BIBLES WITHOUT COMMENT.

It is highly gratifying to hear that the attention of the legislature of this commonwealth has been turned to the distribution of the Sacred Scriptures. An universal spread of the letter of the WORD, is an important precursor to the general diffusion of the spirit, and is among the striking signs of the approximation of that glorious period, when the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” As John who baptized with water, prepared the way of HIM who baptized with the HOLY GHOST and with FIRE, so shall the distribution of the letter of the WORD prepare the nations of the earth for the reception of its spiritual contents. We hail, therefore, with delight, every step towards the advancement of so grand an object, as one with the views of the Divine Providence for the prosperity of the New Jerusalem.

We publish, with pleasure, the following address, made at the late session of the legislature of this commonwealth, by the Rev. Dr. Rogers, of the Baptist Church, a member of the house of representatives.

"On the journals of this house, may be found a resolution which I offered on the appropriation of a sum of money for the purchase of Bibles without comment, to be distributed among the poor and necessitous of this com monwealth. Owing to the many calls for money necessary for our public concerns, I have hitherto deferred calling up the resolution, and probably should have permitted it to remain on our records, under the expectation that it might be noticed by some future legislature, when our treasury should be in more eligible circumstances; but a deistical attack on that resolution, compels me, in self defence, to make a few remarks; not, sir, that any of these things, in the language of the inspired apostle “move me,” but to convince this legislative body, that as a professing Christian and minister of the gospel, I am not to be appalled by such imbecile attacks! That text of the apostle Peter, through a considerably protracted life, has animated me to perseverance: “For what glory is it, if when ye be buffetted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it

patiently, this is acceptable with God." No, Mr. Speaker, I am not ashamed of the Bible. From the same section of the same state, I had the misfortune, or rather the felicity, of becoming the victim of similar irony for proposing, at the instance of our late worthy chief magistrate, "the acknowledgment of a GOD," in the Constitution of the United States.* The pitiful shafts of ten thousand such paragraphists, will never deter me from doing my duty as a legislator, or using my best though weak endeavours in causing the oracles of Heaven to obtain an universal circulation. The patronizing Bible societies, when the Bible ought to be embraced as the supreme law of the land, is not only my duty but my glory, even as an independent citizen. The resolution is perfectly in coincidence with those views which I have repeatedly, on this floor, maintained in opposition to all religious establishments. What, sir, encouragement given by a legislative body to supply the poor of our commonwealth with the word of eternal life, made a subject of satire or ridicule, and that satire or ridicule countenanced by a printer at the seat of our national government! "We have fallen upon evil times, indeed." The Bible, sir, exclusive of its evangelical principles, is acknowledged by all Christendom, as the very best code of human or civil law. Who can read the sermon on the mount, and not reverence its divine author? Were the blessed volume of inspiration universally perused, and credit given to its celestial pages, we should in our beloved country have less crimes, so odious in the sight of an holy God, to weep over! Were it not trespassing, Mr. Speaker, on your indulgence, and the patience of this respectable house, I could refer you to Great Britain and all its dependencies, where, from the very highest in authority, to the lowest in subjection, there appears to be an indiscriminate exertion in promoting the most astonishing dispersion of the word of GOD! The thousands which have already been expended by their matchless parent Bible society, in forwarding in all directions, and almost in all languages, millions of this revered volume, is enough to rouse us all to action, and would undoubtedly do it, were we now to make a solemn pause, and to look into ETERNITY. I will not avail myself of examples and names the most honourable and illustrious, in supporting the proffered resolution, or I might bring into the view of this house an Alexander of Russia, who, out of his imperial treasuries and private coffers, bestows sums almost incredible, for the spiritual illumination of his fellow mortals. The same spirit is possessed by other crowned heads, who are not ashamed to crown their and our JESUS Lord of all! The lately deceased princess Charlotte made the Bible her companion, and self-removed from all ostentation, or pride of station, gloried in the distribution of the Bible, and handed a copy as the best and richest boon she could bestow on one of her domestics, a little before she bade our world adieu! But whither, sir, am I wandering you will pardon me, if I detain the house a few moments longer, while we come nearer home. These United States are not wanting in characters,

[blocks in formation]

great, wise, and good, who always have found and acknowledged "Wisdom's ways to be ways of pleasantness, and all her paths peace."

[ocr errors]

"The celebrated Patrick Henry, the first republican governor of the state of Virginia, "a man," as a recent reviewer observes, "above all others, excepting Washington, admired and esteemed in a state, that has many distinguished unbelievers," was a believer in Christianity. Yes, sir, Patrick Henry I was in his convictions and public acknowledgment, decidedly a friend to divine revelation, and the advocate of the Bible.” In his old age, he wrote a most interesting letter to his daughter, on this all important subject. The rising greatness of our country he viewed as tarnished by deism, and that its most powerful antidote was the universal circulation of the Holy Scriptures. Acknowledging religion to be of infinitely higher importance than politics, "the thought which some good people indulged, that he was no Christian, gave him greater pain, he observed, than the appellation of tory." "A friend who visited him not long before his death, found him engaged in reading the Bible; "here," said he, holding it up, "is a book worth more than all the other books that were ever printed: yet it is my misfortune never to have found time to read it with proper attention and feeling, till lately. I trust in the mercy of Heaven, that it is not yet too late."

"We cannot here, sir, omit mentioning the name of the venerable Boudinot, president of the American Bible society, who so cheerfully paid ten thousand dollars in a cause so noble, so great and so good! Verily, Boudinot "will not lose his reward." Almost an host of American worthies might be introduced, if necessity required, not merely of divines, but of civilians, politicians and legislators, who, throughout all our states, have stepped forth and arranged themselves on the side of truth and the Bible.

"The present chief magistrate of this commonwealth must not and ought not to be omitted. In his inaugural address, governor Findlay was not ashamed to declare, from that elevated seat which you, as our speaker, so re spectably occupy, that "The religion of the Redeemer is the only steadfast basis of that morality on which republics are founded." A sentiment which ought to be inscribed on marble and engraved in letters of gold! a sentiment worthy of any earthly potentate whatever, of any president, of any governor, or chief magistrate in the world! Dare infidel paragraphists record such a sentiment, because delivered to a legislative body of republicans, as an encroachment upon civil liberty? Here is no sectarian or religious establishment alluded to, and in the words of the Rev. Dr. Ely, "Those Christians are either very ignorant or very unfaithful to the only King whom republicans will or ought to obey, who do not endeavour to promote Christianity by their suffrages, as well as their prayers," and I will add, as a member of this house, by their resolutions and public acts! After thanking this honourable house for their attention and kindness, I move, sir, that the resolution, considering the present temporary depression of our finances, may be referred to the early attention of the next legislature."

The resolution was accordingly referred.

« PoprzedniaDalej »