Chap. iii. History. Rom. ix. 15. James v. 16. Rev. vi. 9. Rev. ix. 3. The design 'the false worshipping of God: unrighteousness breach of law towards man. 'As the only will and purpose of God is the chief Icause of election and reprobation, so his free mercy in 'Christ is an inferior cause of salvation and the hardening of the heart an inferior cause of damnation. 'Open that which grieveth you that a remedy may 'be found; and this is commanded both for him that 'complaineth and for him that heareth, that the one 'should shew his grief to the other. 'The souls of the saints are under the altar which is 'Christ, meaning that they are in his safe custody in the 'heavens.' 'Locusts are false teachers, heretics and worldly subtil prelates, with monks, friars, cardinals, patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, doctors, bachelors and masters 'which forsake Christ to maintain false doctrine'.' § 7. THE BISHOPS' BIBLE. The correspondence on the subject of the Bishops' Bible which has been already quoted explains the general design of the revisers. It was their object to remove from the Great Bible all errors which seemed to impair the sense, and at the same time to produce a popular and not a literary version. In both respects—in the alteration of the renderings and in the alteration of the language-they proposed at least in the first instance to confine themselves to necessary changes, for the revision was essentially conservative in its conception. But in the execution of the plan some of the revisers cer 1 In the New Testament the notes in the Bible (1560) differ from those in the Testament of 1557 (e.g. Matt. xxviii. 15; Mark i. 1; Rom. xvi. 7) but chiefly by additions made in the Bible. * See pp. 99 ff. tainly made use of far wider liberty than the original Chap. iii. scheme permitted. The execution of the work is indeed, if a very partial examination may be trusted, extremely unequal; and the Greek scholarship of the revisers is superior to their Hebrew scholarship. How far the separate sec-| tions are marked by the special characteristics of the men engaged upon them I cannot say, and the inquiry is not one which would reward the labour which it would cost. Still the revision has received far less attention than it deserves, and in the New Testament it shews considerable vigour and freshness. Internal The design unequally carried out. character. The historical books of the Old Testament follow Geral the text of the Great Bible very closely. The Hagiographa, as far as I have examined them, are corrected with considerable freedom. The Prophets are altered very frequently, but in these the new renderings can generally be traced to some other source. The influence of the Genevan revision is perceptible throughout, but it is more obvious in the Prophets than elsewhere. Castalio was certainly consulted and had some influence with the revisers, but with the exception of the Genevan version itself no fresh sources were open to them in addition to those which the Genevan exiles had used'. One or two passages will illustrate what has been Examples. said2. GREAT BIBLE, 15503. I But who hath given credence !s. liii. unto the thing we have heard? or to whom is the arm of the Lord known? 2 For he did grow before the Lord like as a branch and 1 See pp. 220, 221. 2 The passages are taken from the Great Bible of 1550. The readings of the Bishops' Bible from the first edition of 1568. 3 The italics, as before, indicate words and phrases which were changed in the revision. The render rgs substituted are given in detail afterwards. R Chap. iii. Internal History. as a root in a dry ground. He hath neither beauty nor favour. When we shall look upon him there shall be no fairness: we shall have no lust unto him. 3 He is despised and abhorred of men: he is such a man as is full of sorrow and as hath good experience of infirmities. We have reckoned him so vile that we hid our faces from him; yea he was despised and therefore we regarded him not. 4 Howbeit he only hath taken on him our infirmities and borne our pains. Yet we did judge him as though he were plagued and cast down of God and punished. 5 Whereas he (notwithstanding) was wounded for our offences and smitten for our wickedness. For the chastisement of our peace was laid upon him, and with his stripes are we healed. 6 As for us, we have gone all astray (like sheep) every one hath turned his own way; but the Lord hath heaped together upon him the iniquity of us all. 7 He suffered violence and was evil entreated, and did not yet open his mouth. He shall be led as a sheep to be slain, yet shall he be as still as a lamb before the shearer and not open his mouth. 8 He was had away from prison, his cause not heard and without any judgment. Whose generation yet who may number? He was cut off from the ground of the living, which punishment did go upon him for the transgression of my people, which indeed had deserved that punishment. 9 His grave was given him with the condemned and with the rich man at his death, whereas he did never violence nor unright, neither hath there been any deceitfulness in his mouth. 10 Yet hath it pleased the Lord thus to bruste him with plagues and to smite him with infirmity that when he had made his soul an offering for sin he might see long-lasting seed. And this device of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. II With travail and labour of his soul shall he obtain fruit and he shall be satisfied by the knowledge of him which is my righteous servant: he shall justify the multitude, for he shall bear away their sins. 12 Therefore will I give him the multitude for his part, and he shall divide the spoil with the strongest, because he giveth over his soul to death, and is reckoned among the transgressors, which nevertheless have taken away the sins of the multitude and made intercession for the misdoers. Chap. iii. Internal History. I the thing we have heard: our preaching (our report Is. liii. 2 shall look. (shall see G.): look videmus J. (2) C. (3) yea he was despised and therefore we regarded him not (similarly G. and all): omit. (4) 4 infirmities (so all): infirmity (5) and punished (and humbled G. similarly all): omit. (6) 5 notwithstanding (in smaller type). (om. G.) (7) -- the chastisement of our peace (so P. M. G.): the pain of our punishment mulcta correctionis nostræ J. (8) 6 we have gone all (G.): we are all gone (9) -- heaped together...all (hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all G.): thrown upon him all our sins in eum omnium nostrum crimen conjecit C. (10) 1 The translation of Leo Juda will be indicated by J. The Geneva version and the versions of Pagninus, Münster, and Castalio are indicated Chap. iii. 7 did not yet (similarly M. J. G.): did not P. (11) whose generation...number: and his generation who which...punishment (M): om. (so P. J. G.) (15) II with travail...shall be...: of the travail and labour of his soul shall he see the fruit and be...so M. (he shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be...G.) (17) by the knowledge...shall justify (M.): my righteous servant shall with his knowledge justify...(by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many G.) cognitione sui multos justificabit justus servus meus J. similarly C. (18) (19) bear away.....: bear... (so P. M. J. C.) 12 the multitude for his part...: among the great ones his part... (give him a portion with the great G.) similarly P. M. C. otherwise J. (20) the strongest (M): the mighty (the strong G.) fortibus P. J. (21) Thus of the twenty-one corrections five are due to the Genevan version (7, 12, 18, 20, 21): five more agree with Pagninus (11, 13, 14, 15, 19): three with Leo Juda (1, 2, 8): three with Castalio (3, 10, 16); and one with Münster (17). One change is simply linguistic (9), and three are apparently original (4, 5, 6). |