Polycarp asks on the About page how “wonderful, counselor” of Isaiah 9:5 (9:6) should be translated. It’s a difficult question with a longer than usual answer. But here goes. As with “Prince of Peace,” we assume that the title “wonderful, counselor” — whatever it means — describes God after whom the child in Isaiah 9…
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In a recent post on Lamentations 4:3, I made reference to the Masoretic tradition that gives us both the canonical Hebrew text of the OT and some ways in which the written text might be in error. Here are some images that demonstrate how the Masoretes recorded their notes. (The notes are widely regarded to…
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From the About page comes this question about jackals and sea monsters: I was wondering about Lamentations 4:3. All modern translations seem to agree that it mentions jackals, but the KJV translated it as “sea monster,” which commentaries then took to mean “pelican” (on the basis that pelicans were thought to feed their young with…
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These questions about Proverbs 29:1 come in via the About page: 1. Is it possible that this verse refers to, or alludes to, a broken neck (spinal column), with no possibility of mending (except, in modern times, T-cells)? 2. What is with the references to “reprover” and “fire” in the LXX? The verse is (NRSV):…
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Thanks to A. Admin for pointing out an interview with Dr. Benjamin Shaw. I do want to credit the interviewer for asking for input both from those who agree and who disagree with Dr. Shaw. But I’m always skeptical of people like Dr. Shaw who recommend the KJV for accuracy. Even ignoring the flawed translation…
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Clayboy has an informative and well-written post about the mistakes that often follow after someone tries the “what the Greek really says” argument: One of the biggest warning flags in a sermon comes when the preacher says: “Now, in Greek, the word is … which (literally) means …” Sometimes they know what theyre talking about.…
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I recently observed master teacher and musician Kenny Green telling children about the Jewish month of Adar. “Once Adar begins, we increase our happiness,” he explained, using the usual terminology. Then he added with a self-mocking grin, “yes, I talk that way at home, too.” There’s a Hebrew verb hirbah that means generally “to do/have/make…
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Exodus 15:22-26 deals with drinking water. The People of Israel come to Marah (the name of a place, but the word also means “bitter”) and when they find that the water there is undrinkable, Moses throws a log into the water and it becomes drinkable. It’s a fairly simple concept (thought a complex trick), yet…
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I’m thrilled to announce that my latest book, And God Said: How Translations Conceal the Bible’s Original Meaning, goes on sale today. I want to keep “God Didn’t Say That” as commercial-free as possible, so I’ve set up a separate blog for the book here, though the book is about Bible translation, so I’m…
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Recent posts from my Ancient Wisdom, Modern Lives:
