32. The use of the auxiliaries of mood for each other. (1.) The use of shall for will. Gen. xli, 16, God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.-Webster, will. Ps. xxiii, 6, Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.-L. Murray, will; Webster, no change. Is. li, 3, For the Lord shall comfort Zion.-Lowth, no change; Webster, will, ; Noyes, will. Mat. xxvi, 34, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.-Wakefield, Campbell, Newcome, Webster, and Norton, wilt. So Mat. xxvi, 75. John xiii, 38, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.-Campbell, no change; Wakefield, Newcome, Webster, and Norton, will. Acts ii, 28, Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.-Wakefield, Newcome, and Webster, wilt. Acts xiii, 35, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.-Newcome, no change; Wakefield and Webster, wilt. 1 Cor. vi, 13, But God shall destroy both it and them.-Wakefield, Newcome, and Webster, will. That our translators are guilty of an inadvertence in such passages as the preceding, is rendered probable by the following considerations: (a.) They sometimes interchange shall and will in the same construction without any apparent reason. See Deut. vii, 12, 13; Is. li, 3; Luke v, 37; xxi, 7; and compare an Article on this subject in the New York Evangelist of April 14, 1842. (b.) They sometimes vacillate between shall and will in similar connections, without any apparent reason. Compare Ps. xxxvii, 4, 5, 6, with Ps. xli, 1, 2, 3. Also Acts xiii, 35, with Ps. xvi, 10; Acts ii, 27. (c.) The translators themselves frequently use will in connections perfectly analogous to the preceding. See Is. xl, 10; xlii, 21; 1, 9, etc. (d.) This opinion is supported by many distinguished critics and grammarians, as we have seen above. (2.) The use of should for would. Ezra x, 5, Ezra made Israel to swear that they should do according to this word.-Webster, would. Job xiii, 5, Oh that you would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.-Webster and Noyes, would. John vi, 64, Jesus knew from the beginning who should betray him.-Wakefield, Campbell, Webster, and Norton, would. John xiii, 11, He knew who should betray him.-Campbell and Webster, would. Acts xi, 28, And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the spirit, that there should be great dearth throughout all the world.—Newcome, no change; Webster, (in his pamphlet,) would. Acts xxiii, 27, This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them.-Webster, would. Heb. viii, 4, If he were on earth, he should not be a priest.-Wakefield, Newcome, and Webster, would Heb. viii, 7, If that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.-Wakefield, Newcome, and Webster, would. The same remarks apply here, as were made concerning the interchange of shall and will. (3.) The use of will for shall. Ps. xvii, 15, I will behold thy face in righteousness.-Webster, shall. Ps. xxiii, 6, I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.-L. Murray, shall; Webster, no change. (4.) The use of would for should. Acts xi, 23, And exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. -Newcome and Webster, no change; but more correctly, should. This construction had descended from Tyndale. 33. The use of a neuter verb reflexively. Gen. xxi, 16, And she went and sat her down.-Webster, sat. Amos vii, 12, 0 thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah.-Webster, no change. This construction, which appears to be in imitation of the original Hebrew, was condemned by Bishop Lowth, (English Gram., p. 38,) and is evidently incorrect. 34. The use of the verb to repent, as a reflexive verb. Deut. xxxii, 36, The Lord shall repent himself for his servant.-Webster, simply repent. So Ps. cxxxv, 14; Jer. viii, 6; Joel ii, 13; Jon. iv, 2; Mat. xxvii, 3. This usage agrees with Fr. se repentir, from which it was derived; but is condemned by Dr. Priestley. See his Eng. Gram., p. 100. 35. The use of the verb to repent, as an impersonal verb. Ps. xc, 13, Let it repent thee concerning thy servants.-Webster, repent thou. So Gen. vi, 6, 7; Judg. ii, 18; 1 Sam. xv, 11. 36. The formation of the compound perfect tense, in some neuter verbs, by means of the auxiliary verb to be, instead of to have. (1.) In the verb to cease, Lam. v, 15; Acts xx, 1; Gal. v, 11. (2.) In the verb to depart, Gen. xxxvii, 17; Luke vii, 24. (3.) In the verb to escape, Ex. x, 5; Judg. xxi, 17. (4.) In the verb to expire, 1 Sam. xviii, 26; Est. i, 5; Acts vii, 30. (5.) In the verb to fall, Josh. viii, 24; Judg. xix, 27. (6.) In the verb to flee, Num. xxxv, 32; 1 Sam. iv, 17. (7.) In the verb to pass, Josh. iii, 17; iv, 1, 11. (8.) In the verb to perish, Num. xxi, 30; 2 Sam. i, 27. (9.) In the verb to return, Lev. xxii, 13. These are all corrected in Dr. Webster's Amended Version. This mode of forming the compound perfect is found in several modern languages. It was formerly very extensive in English, and is still retained in the verbs, to come, to go, to grow. 37. The use of the supine, or the infinitive with to, after the verb to see. Mat. xv, 31, Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see.Webster, no change; Scrivener omits the proposition to. So Norton. This incorrectness had descended to our translators in part from Tyndale, Cranmer, and the Geneva version. It was condemned by Bishop Lowth. 38. The use of a verb in the singular in agreement with two singular nouns. Luke v, 10, And so was also James and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon.-Webster, no change. This incorrectness had descended to our translators from Tyndale, Cranmer, and the Geneva version. Heb. ix, 13, For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh.-Wakefield, Newcome, and Webster, in the plural. This construction, which is in accordance with the original Greek, and with the Latin Vulgate, had descended to our translators from Tyndale, Cranmer, and the Geneva version. 39. The use of the third person singular of the imperative formed without an auxiliary. Ezek. xxx, 2, Howl ye, Wo worth the day!-Webster, Howl ye, Alas the day. Note.-- Worth here is the third person singular imperative of an obsolete verb signify to be, or befall. Mark xi, 14, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter.-Wakefield, Campbell, Newcome, Webster, and Norton, let eat. Note.--This use of the third person singular of the imperative without an auxiliary occurs in all the earlier translations of Mark xi, 14. It occurs often in Wiclif's version; see Mat. xi, 15; xiii, 9, 43; Luke xiv, 35. 40. The following variations of construction are found in the Common English Version. They have nothing correspondent to them in the original. They answer, so far as I can see, no important purpose. As uniformity of construction is now justly regarded as an excellence of style, these deviations are blemishes in our English Bible, ascribable to the negligence of the translators. (1.) In the interchange of the forms I love and I do love. Matt. xviii, 12, If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth (go) into the mountains, and seeketh (seek) that which is gone astray? This incongruity is avoided by Tyndale, Wakefield, Campbell, Newcome, WebSter, and Norton. (2.) In the interchange of the forms I loved and I did love. Luke xii, 48, But he that knew not, and did commit (committed) things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. Tyndale, Cranmer, and the Geneva, have the same incongruity, but the incongruity is entirely avoided by Campbell, Newcome, and Webster. Note. The change of the form of the clause from the negative to the positive, seems to have occasioned the change of construction in this passage. (3.) In the interchange of the forms I loved and I have loved. Matt. xxv, 26, Thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, (have not sown,) and gather where I have not strewed. Tyndale employs here the simple past tense, as also in verse 24. Newcome, the simple past tense here, although he uses the compound past tense in verse 24. The Common Version employs the compound past tense in verse 24. Norton employs the compound past tense both in verse 26 and in verse 24. Note. In Job i, 21, there is adequate reason, in the nature of the thought, for the change from the simple to the compound past tense. (4.) In the interchange of the forms I shall love, and I will love. Deut. vii, 12, 13, Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the Lord thy God shall (will) keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers; and he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee. This is corrected by Dr. Webster. Luke v, 37, And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall (will) perish. This incongruity is avoided by Tyndale, the Geneva, the Rhemish, Campbell, Newcome, Webster, and Norton. Luke xxi, 7, Master, when shall (will) these things be? and what sign will there be, when these things shall come to pass? Tyndale, as in Common Version, thus: Master when shall these thinges be, and what signe will therbe, when suche thinges shall come to passe. Campbell, Newcome, Webster, and Norton, employ will in both clauses. (5.) In the interchange of the indicative and subjunctive moods. Lev. vi, 2, 3, If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the Lord, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered unto him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath (have) deceived his neighbour; or have found that which was lost, and lieth (lie) concerning it, and sweareth (swear) falsely. Dr. Webster has removed the incongruities in part. Lev. xxv, 14, And if thou sell aught unto thy neighbour, or buyest (buy) aught of thy neighbour's hand, ye shall not oppress one another. Dr. Webster thus, And if thou shalt sell aught to thy neighbor, or buy aught of thy neighbor's hand, ye shall not oppress one another. Deut. xxiv, 3, And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth (give) it in her hand, and sendeth (send) her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife. Dr. Webster thus, Shall hate-shall die. Deut. xxiv, 7, If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh (make) merchandise of him, or selleth (sell) him. Dr. Webster thus, Shall be found-shall make. Job xxxv, 6, 7, If thou sinnest (sin), what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him? If thou be righteous what givest thou him? Dr. Webster thus, Sinnest-are multiplied-art righteous. Prov. xxiv, 10, 11, 12, If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; if thou sayest (say), Behold we knew it not. Dr. Webster thus, Thou faintest-forbearest-sayest. John ix, 31, If any man be a worshiper of God, and doeth (do) his will, him he heareth. Tyndale, Campbell, and Newcome, employ the subjunctive in both clauses; Webster employs the indicative present. 1 Cor. vii, 12, 13, If any brother hath (have) a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath an husband which believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. Tyndale and Newcome here employ the subjunctive. Webster employs the indicative. James i, 26, If a man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth (bridle) not his tongue, but deceiveth (deceive) his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Tyndale, Wakefield, and Newcome have all in the subjunctive. the indicative. (6.) In the interchange of a finite mood and the infinitive. Webster all in Acts xxvii, 21, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained (have gained) all this harm and loss. This incongruity of construction exists in Tyndale and in Webster; but is not found in the Rhemish, nor in Newcome. (7.) In the interchange of the interrogative and declarative form of the verb. Jer. xxvi, 19, Did he not fear the Lord, and besought (beseech) the Lord, and the Lord repented (repent) him of the evil which he had pronounced against him. Dr. Webster has removed the incongruity only in part. Note. In these examples of varied construction in the Common Version, the incorrect construction falls of course under one of the preceding numbers. 41. The use of either for each, (scil. of two.) Lev. x, 1, And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer.-Webster, each. 2 Chron. xviii, 9, And the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat king of Judah, sat either of them on his throne.-Webster, each. Compare 1 Kings xxii, 10, where our translators in the same circumstances use each. John xix, 18, Two others with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst. -So Tyndale, Cranmer, the Geneva, ether. But Wakefield, Campbell, Newcome, Webster, and Norton, each. Rev. xxii, 2, On either side of the river was there the tree of life.-So Tyndale, Cranmer, the Geneva, ether. But Wiclif, eche; Newcome and Webster, each. The English word either appears to have a double origin; viz. (1.) from AngloSaxon ægther or aghwæther, each; and (2.) from Anglo-Saxon athor, auther, awther, either. Hence either, in old English, had both senses; and both senses are retained in poetry: as, "Sev'n times the sun hath either tropic viewed." Dr. Webster's Amended Version, excellent as it is, might be again amended. Thus numerous and varied are the grammatical inaccuracies in the Common Version, as admitted and confirmed by men of learning and taste. Their number, we believe, might be considerably enlarged. |