PREFACE.

It is with great diffidence that the following translation of the Book of Genesis is submitted to the consideration of Biblical students. An attempt has been made to continue throughout the whole book the use of the same English word, by which the Hebrew word itself has been most generally translated. It is impossible to examine any English or Greek Concordance of the Old Testament without remarking the great diversities of renderings which have been given to the same Hebrew words. Thus n, "power," dúvaμis, is translated in the English version by twenty-one different words, and in the Greek version by twenty-five different words; and conversely the English word "power" is used to translate sixteen Hebrew words, and the Greek word dúvaμis is also used to express thirtytwo Hebrew words. In most cases these different renderings bear a cognate meaning, but some instances are to be met with, in which the sense borne by a word in one passage is directly opposed to that borne by it in another passage. Thus 7 generally means "to kneel," or "to bless," evλoyew; but in six passages it is translated “to curse," or "to blaspheme" (cf. note, p. 285). A similar diversity of meaning attends the translation of the voices. of the verbs; some verbs in Kal being translated as if in Niphal, Piel, Hiphil, or Hithpael, while others in some or

other of those voices are translated as if in Kal. Thus

66

men of

men of

, "he divided," in Hos. x. 2 is rendered "Their heart is divided;", "he shall be cut off," in 1 Kings viii. 25 is rendered "there shall fail;" TN, "he shall cause to perish," in Num. xxiv. 19 is rendered "he shall destroy;", "he recogniseth himself," in Prov. xx. 11 is rendered by "he is known." By this freedom in translation the full force of the meaning of the original text at times appears to be diminished; thus in Gen. xlvii. 6 the rendering activity" lessens the force of the expression power," ; and in Prov. xx. 11, "a child is known by his doings" hardly conveys the sense of the original, which expresses the power of conscience in a child, showing him what is pure and right in his work; "a child recogniseth himself,, by his doings, whether his work be pure or whether it be right." The object of the following pages is to show some of the passages in the Book of Genesis in which such divergence of meaning from the original text appears to exist, as well as to suggest some of the causes. by which it may have been occasioned.

Doubtless very grave objections may be raised to the freedom with which it has been suggested, that many errors have gradually crept into the sacred manuscripts in the course of their transmission from the pen of the original writers, and through the hands of the subsequent copyists, until they have reached the safer protection of the printingpress. Revelation seems to have been given orally, by the voice of God, heard by man, or else by the impression made the mind through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and this distinction is often perceived in the text by the use

upon