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With
clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it [not to shine] by [the cloud]
that cometh betwixt
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This rather
innocent verse in Job, a description of God, is a wonderful example of cloudy
translation-pun intended. It is from the
KJV and it’s important to know that when a word or group of words is in
brackets in the KJV they have been added by the translators to make the verse
make sense. Many times the verse is
better understood without the additions.
Even more
troubling are mistranslations of words, and that is what I want to look at
here.
This verse is
composed of 5 Hebrew words. The KJV uses 18 English words to translate it.
The actual
Hebrew words used are listed below with their meanings in the order we are to
read them.
כף kaph
1) palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the
hand
(rooted in the word bow or bend)
a) palm, hollow or flat of the hand
b) power
c) sole (of the foot)
d) hollow, objects, bending objects, bent objects
כסה kacah
1) to cover, clothe
2) to cover, conceal
3) to cover (for protection)
4) to cover over, spread over
5) to cover, overwhelm
אור 'owr
1)
illuminating light
צוה tsavah
8) to
command, appoint, ordain (of divine act)
פגע paga`
1) to cause to light upon
2) to cause to entreat
3) to make entreaty, interpose
4) to make attack
5) to reach the mark
Do you see
the word ‘cloud or clouds’ anywhere? Or
the verb phrase ‘come between”?
Not only
are those words not there, the concept is not there.
Many more
accurate translations word this verse this way:
He conceals the light (or lightning)
in his hands, commanding it to strike, or reach the mark.
The next
verse says ‘The noise reports, the cattle retreat.
The KJV
says it this way:
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The
noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.
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Why is this
important you may ask? Because it is
important to understand The Word of God.
The translators of these verses made them speak of clouds and vapor
instead of lightning and thunder.
It is a
poetic description of the majesty of God.
He hides lightning in his hands and
commands it to strike its mark! The noise reports and cattle scatter.
There are
other verses in The KJV that have added words in brackets. Try reading them
without those words and see if The Spirit changes the way you understand it.
If a verse
is unclear to you, be hungry! Get a translation that is clear to you and
compare it to the KJV is you want. Do some
word study. You don’t have to know Hebrew or Greek. There are amazing tools
available in print, on CD or on-line free.
blueletterbible.org
is a wonderful tool that allows you to
follow the root words to the very origin.
Be hungry
for the Words of God. Don’t be afraid to investigate. God wants you to
understand Him!
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