I have some Arthurian stuff, that attempts to be scholarly, despite myself having no scholarly training in Arthurian literature. Merely an insane love of the stuff and hidden desire to someday see how hard it would to get some sort of degree.

If you follow a few posts down you would have noticed that I recently taken down post to school work that I have done. This being for a variety of reasons, none of which I care to get into. In the earlier phrase of the blog I have some more creative bits of writings of me trying to get into the mindset of the prophets. At one time, I used to a do a bit of creative writing on this thing, long gone now because of hesitant at allowing people to read such things. (Although I did have a friend who most protested at the idea).

I used to update this thing so very often, but I think I got too full of myself and had decided that this blog should be something it’s not. After all, who really reads these things than other bloggers? (Okay so some blogs are more widely read), nonetheless certainly my blog isn’t even the most popular one that is out there.

It’s never made it into any of those top fifty blogs things that I’ve seen. Probably often overrated, but I would automatically admit that if it were suddenly the part of some top even 100 blogs I totally hype it up. Human nature and all that fun stuff.

I’d love for something like this to be more important than it is.

My top two posts happen to be about Asmodeus, although I think the title is what gets it the most hits, and one concerning the Ethiopian Meqabyan books.

Asmodeus is fun and all, but I’m honestly surprised that that particular post had gotten as many hits as it, but as mentioned that’s probably due to its title. I keep playing with the idea of doing something with Raphael in a similar manner, but I’m unsure how well that would turn out.

Those Ethiopian books have almost no scholarly information on them (I’ve not even been able to see them in Ge’ez or whatever their original language is, just to note okay they really exists), but there one set of translations from a guy who has rigorously tried to popularize the translation. (You can see his name pop up everywhere, even here, although sadly he didn’t answer any questions I had responded to).

So this is part of the state of my blog. I’ll be returning some of the older posts that I had once had. Once again I’ll have those bits of Creative writing that I once had. Deciding that I care less and less about view counts, or what people might respond to.

At some point, I’d like to earnestly place new posts up, but I might very well fail at that. School, Ministry, and other factors in my life limit me. Still I love to get more up concerning those favorite pieces of Biblical literature to me. Yet also I think I might once more add to the creative part, just for creativity’s sake, or boredom.

A return to more how it once was and who knows whether it’s for the better or the worst?

The Holy Scripture: Deuteronomy 6.4-9

“”Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” – Deuteronomy 6.4-9

This set of verses that we are looking at this evening, is part of what Judaism calls the Shema. The Shema is a very important prayer in Judaism in similar sense that the Lord’s prayer has been important to Christians. It’s title comes from the beginning of these verses in the Hebrew, the first word being the Hebrew verb Shema meaning Hear! In first pharse in Hebrew being Shema Y’srael.[1] Hear O Israel.

Looking at these set of verses we’ll see the Greatest Commandment and the truth of what God’s place should be in our lives. Of What it is that we are to hear and pay attention to first. Then for the rest of this sermon we’ll focus on the affect of God’s words in our lives when he take to heart as God wishes us to do.

“”Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” – The Authority of God: Deut 6.4-5

We begin with the Authority of God in our lives. The Shema begins with a call to pay attention, Moses is saying to Israel Listen to me, and as we read this portion we should stop see what Moses had to say.[2] The Hebrew for Hear is in the imperative, it is a command to listen. When Moses said and when read it we should stop and realize that Moses is commanding attention.

The Lord is one, or it could also be translated the Lord Alone, at this point Moses isn’t concerned if there are other gods or not, but rather that would not the people turn to worship idols and so share Yahweh among a pantheon. No, Yahweh alone is worthy of worship.[3] Thus by saying Yahweh is our God, Yahweh alone, Moses was calling the people to devote themselves only to him.[4] Yahweh is not one among many, but totally unique in himself. There was no reason for the Israelites to share Yahweh with the Baals and gods of the Canaanites. Did not need to pray to one God for rain and another for marriage and another for business transactions to go well.

In the same sense we don’t need to place undue faith in things over God, too often we rather worship the the idea of Security than the only God who can truly give us security. We rather worship money than the only source of true wealth. We rather worship America and its freedoms than the God who truly provide freedom. Yahweh doesn’t need to share our attention he deserves all alone.

The first part of this great Jewish prayer, is moreover, what Jesus calls the greatest commandment.[5] Matthew 22.37-38: “And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.” And in Mark 12.29-30: “”The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’”

(The second portion of the Greatest Commandment comes as an aside is found in Leviticus 19.18.)[6] This commandment is a call to obey and love Yahweh with all that is within us. This call to love God with all that is within us is a call to see his words and his commandments not as something to obey out of a form of legalism, but instead a call to obey out of love and true faith.[7]

In Hebrew thought the Heart was where “understanding and will as well as emotions,” came from the soul was where our core being was, “our source of life and strength,” while might is merely a reinforcement of what the other two have. [8] When Christ says mind is not saying something different, but rather what was implied with all our heart and soul.[9]

God loves us and he wants to have relationship with him. We have his word and his commandments and he has done this for the love he shows us. He doesn’t want us to obey his word just because he says so, no, he wants to realize that if we love this how we can please him. God is well please with someone who is striving to follow him.

The Authority of the Scripture: Having spoken about the authority of God in our lives and the truth that if we say we are followers than we need to love him above all else and worship him alone. We come to the next set of verses, which speak of our need to follow his word and to place it as a core part of our being. Before we speak of the actions that God’s word should take in our life I wish to speak briefly about the authority of the Scriptures.

By briefly I mean to quote The formula of Concord. This formula is a document that came to exists during a series of controversies within early Lutheranism, it sought to show that authority rested in Scripture, not Luther or any of his followers. Its words in many senses ring clear to us even today. Especially when so many churches seem to prop up this or that evangelist this or that teacher, this or that Father over the word of God.

“We believe, teach, and confess that there is only one rule and norm according to which all teachings [dogmata] and teachers are to be appraised and judged, which is none other than the prophetic and apostolic writings of the Old and New Testaments. […] Other writings, whether of the fathers or more recent theologians, no matter what their names may be, cannot be regarded as possessing equal status to Holy Scripture. All must be considered to be subordinate to it, and to witness to the way in which the teaching of the prophets and apostles was preserved in postapostolic times and in different parts of the world. […] Holy Scripture remains the only judge, rule, and norm according to which all doctrines are to be understood and judged, as to which are good or evil, and which are true or truly false. Certain other creeds [symbola] and writings […] do no themselves possess the authority of judges, as in the case of Holy Scripture, but are witnesses of our religions as to how [the Holy Scriptures] were explained and presented.” [10]

“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.” – Scriptures should be Always be on our mind Deut 6.6

In the context, Deuteronomy 6.6-9 “these words,” refer to all the Law that is seen in Deuteronomy.[11] However, in a true sense what is said of God’s word here is applicable for all of the Bible. As Moses continues speaking about the commandments of God, he noted that our love for God should influence how we perceive his words. For if we truly love God we will wish to obey him. Therefore within these next set of verses he shows the “total demand,” as one commentator calls it that the word of God should have upon us.[12]

This phrase of “placing word upon the heart and soul,” occurs in other Ancient Near Eastern Texts as part of political loyalty oaths, and in sense by reading and applying the word of God you are saying I will be loyal to you Lord at this and this point![13] These words will be repeated in Deuteronomy 11.18b “You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul,” and in our present text the LXX even adds soul to it.[14]

We need to do more than simply read the word of God, we need to apply it our lives. It doesn’t matter if we quote the entire book if we do not take any of it to heart. Thus we need to  be loyal to God and the things in which he has said in his word. We need to be diligent in when we read something he tells us to do that we strive to do it. After all if we truly love Yahweh if we love what Christ has done for us then we will heartily obey him and strive to place these words upon our hearts.

Secondly as Scripture is always to be on our hearts. When we seek answers we turn to God in prayer and to Holy Writ to see what God says about things. To see its principals and basic ideas. So that when questions come up our answers are not based on a worldly point of view, but on a biblical point of view. For example, The bible doesn’t say anything about abortion, but it does clearly speak about the evils of Moloch and the truth of life at conception. So that we can say rightly that abortion is wrong, even without a verse that say thou shalt not.

Obedience to the word requires an intimate knowledge of it, a desire to truly understand God’s word, not some sort of legalistic knowledge.[15] Thus as he strive to show that we love God we will strive to obey him. In the prophets God promised that he himself would do this, Jeremiah 31.33 states, “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

“You shall teach them diligently to your children,” – Scripture should be taught to the next generation, Deut 6.7a

With Scripture being always on our mind and hearts, it should thus flow out into our other actions and this leads to Moses’ second command, the scriptures are to be taught![16] With each new generation, we have a duty to show them the truth of God’s word and so therefore, we are commanded to teach our children what God has said.[17]

The word used here for diligently in our text is actually a hard word to translate, it only occurs in this form here in the Old Testament in its qal form where it appears more often it means to sharpen, and so the idea is to perhaps to “teach sharply, diligently, or to impress upon.”[18] We need to impress upon our children the importance of the scriptures. This book that we have is not so human work, but it is the very word of God. It would often be better for us to say what the scripture says and to have our children remember that instead of the words that we would say.

As Israel was commanded to teach their children so the Church ought to. It is important for not only church leaders to teach the bible, but for parents themselves to be readers and teachers of the bible to their children. After all a parent has far more time with their child than any church leader would.

“and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” – Scripture should influence our life, Deut 6.7b

Not only are we to teach our children, but the scripture is to be as one commentator writes, “the object of total involvement.”[19] There is idea of constantly reading the word of God and so that our total involvement is always being in the word and knowing it just by being ingrained in it.[20] Our first command was to have it on our hearts to let it always influence us, second to teach our children, and third to read it and let its be part of our daily lives.

As Psalm 1.2 states, “but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.” Or Deuteronomy mentions of the king in 17.19 “And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them.” Or Joshua 1.8 “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

Not only should the scriptures be on our hearts and souls and the guiding factor in our lives our world view, but we shouldn’t separate it from our daily lives. We need to be constantly reading it and mentioning it from sun up to sunset. In essence Moses was saying the same thing, by noting the two set of opposites, we should always be ready to speak about the Word of God.[21]

In our daily conversation no matter the situation we should naturally be inclined toward the things of God.[22] We should always be ready to say this what God’s word says. We should be prepared to speak of the Gospel at any moment for though we may not realize it, God could use that to bring someone to salvation.

We need to constantly be in the word, be studying it, be reflecting on it. We need to let it become so much a part of our lives that’s we notice something’s wrong when we haven’t read the word today. That when talk we could say something and not even realize that we’ve qouted from the holy scriptures. We do this not because God has told us, but because we love God. Not because if we could quote a million verses we’d impress people, but because we love God. Not because of any reason we could force, but simply because we love God.

The word of God as already noted should be learnt not out duty, but out of love and so our obedience to God and worship and praise of him should not be actions of mere motion, of simply doing it since it was called, but rather a true devotion that affects our whole lives. When we get ready in the morning and get ready to sleep, when we walk here or there and when we are in our homes.[23] God and his word should be with us.

“You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” – Continually looking at the Word and Using reminders 6.8-9

This last command was a call for the people to always meditate and be directed by the word of God.[24] In essence this verse is saying that God’s words should always be before us, always with us, not just on Sunday not just at a church building, but everywhere.[25] It really articulates in many ways what the last half of verse seven already said.

The Jewish people would end up taking these verse literally and would so would bind phylacteries upon their forehead and arms that contain verses from the Torah, they would also in the upper right hand corner of their doorpost place a box that would contain within the word of God.[26]

Although the Jewish people might have taken this verse more literally than what God had intended there something to be said of using things to remind of us God and of his word. As Wesley once noted: “Thou shalt give all diligence, and use all means to keep them in thy remembrance.”[27] As another commentator notes, “It is easier to decry the literalism of such practices than to emulate the devotion they express.”[28]

Pastoral Duty

“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” – 2 Timothy 4.1-5

I have  in my library a variety of different books directed toward Pastors, some I have gotten because of Class, some given, and others simply gotten. Among them are The Pastor and his Work by Homer A. Kent, Shepherding the Church, Jospeh M. Stowell,  Working the Angles: The Shape of Pastoral Integrity, Eugene H. Peterson, Biblical Preaching, Haddon W. Robinson, the Peacemaking Pastor, Alfred Porirer.

This list, especially if one takes into account all the books ever written on how to be a good pastor could go on and on. Certainly will continue to grow as the years go on. Some are good, other all right, and some are downright dated and useless. Yet if one truly surveys all the books that have been written it shows us one good sign. There are those who take the pastorate seriously and seek to teach others so that they too take the role of the pastor seriously.

Pastors are men who have been called by God to do a specific and very important task. It is a calling that needs to be taken seriously. All should take seriously the gifts and callings, which the Holy Spirit has given us. But those who are leaders, who are supposed to be the role models for the Church should doubly take this into account. It is a very special thing that God has done for us.

But what are the duties of a pastor? As we have sat through the various congregations in our lives we have met pastors and leaders of different kinds. What is it that as we reflection upon a pastor that makes us remark, “he is a good pastor,” “or he could be a better pastor,” or even how is this man allowed to even be pastor.”

In this selection, one common thread is highlighted, the pastoral duty of preaching the Word of God. This is shown to be fulfilled in a variety of actions against a variety of different situations. But all with a common goal, to bring new believers to Christ and especially to strengthen the Church.

As we discuss this brief note on part of the pastoral duties there are several things that we need to keep in mind. To those who are pastors, who preach or teach, and especially led in very important ways, this is what God’s word has directed toward us.

To the lay person, to those who may not hold any sort of leadership role, when you sit in Church in this or another and when you see the actions of your pastor, how is he in performing these duties? Know this, the Bible is the rule by which all your leaders are to live by, Christ is to be their example. How well do they measure up? Pastors are as fallible as the next person, but they have  a greater duty.

Secondly if  indeed the pastor is striving to follow his God given duties in part shown here, do we truly appreciate that? For there is very true sense in which the Pastor has been given a duty that harder than the other members of the Church. Yet how often do we thank him for it?

There is a truth that we must note, since the beginning of the Church there has been those who are called to the office of the pastorate. The name and often the external duties have been different from age to age, but those spiritual duties, those actions we call pastoral they have always remain the same. They have always been the mark of a person who truly been called to this important role.

“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word;” – 2 Timothy 4.1-2a

Paul is here giving Timothy one last final exhortation, one final charge, the whole of this first verse of chapter four is showing how serious Paul was.[1] This charge is connected to three things, that Christ is the Ultimate Judge, that he will return, and that his kingdom will come.[2] Thus in a sense the ultimate goal of ministry is always to be on the mind of the pastor. As we speak briefly of the duties of the pastor we need to note that it is role that must be taken with the upmost seriousness in mind.

“preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” – 2 Timothy 4.2b

Paul highlights five duties and with each he gives them in “crisp imperatives.”[3] Paul especially highlights the preaching duties of the pastor. This preaching is to happening no matter the time, but it may and should take different forms. [4] There is a need to always be prepared since the preacher is always on duty.[5] No matter the moment, every chance we get even if it might not seem the best, we are to urgently preach the Gospel.[6]

The pastor’s primary charge is the preach the Word of God. Luther once wrote that “the preaching office is the office of the Holy Spirit. Even though men do the preaching, baptizing, [etc.], it is the Holy Spirit who preaches and teaches.”[7] In another passage he notes that to hear a sermon is “nothing else but to hear God’s word and thereby serve God.”[8]

“reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” 4.2c

After noting to Timothy the need to always preach Paul looks toward these next aspects of Correction, Rebuke, and encouragement, here we see as Paul continues to tell Timothy of his duties that “severity and gentleness” are here combined, but that patience is at the center of it all.[9] There are different actions which our preaches must take. However, above all else, preaching must be in patience and should be paired always with right teaching. [10]

We are taught by Paul that part of the Pastoral duty is reproof and rebuke. Sadly, too often we seek to be men who are well liked and too often we care little for the true fact that we have a duty to show those whom we teach their sins. Yet the duty of the pastor is not only speak of good things, but at times to speak and do hard duties. Even still as we go to correct or rebuke a person how is it that we are to correct them?

An Ancient Christian document puts it this way, “admonishing all persons; reproving all who stand in need of reproof; reproving, that is, but not striking, beating them down to make them ashamed, but not overthrowing them; warning them in order to their conversion; chiding them in order to their reformation and better course of life.”[11]

A pastor needs to be willing to correct those in error, to help them live better lives, lives that are pleasing to God. This, however, is to always be done in love. A pastor is not berate his people for their continual sins, but in love to show them of God’s desire for them live righteously not sinfully. A pastor is not to shove doctrine down a person’s throat, but to in patience teach them correctly the word of God.

As there is are many who forget the need to correct, there are sadly many who forget to encourage. In preaching and in performing the various pastoral duties a pastor cannot neglect his duty of encouragement. How often we focus on the negative aspects of a person and yet when they strive to change and strive to follow God faithfully we sneer and tell them that its impossible, or ask them why they even bother. Instead of saying, “Good job, keep at it and make God proud.”

There are those who desperately need to be exhorted who need encouragement. To be told that they are truly doing a good job. That though they’ve stumbled here or there, at this point they’ve done well. That they’ve made true progress and that they can continue making progress.

This duty should be one of the pastor’s favorites. It should be a favorite actions of any Christian man or woman to look at fellow believer and say “look at what God has done in your life.” To be able to see God’s work and to comment “continue on.”

With every action, both those that are negative and those positive, Love is to the be the standing characteristic of the pastor. After all, does not Paul note the uselessness of actions without love? “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13.1-3) As it should be for all Christians, love should be the key to our actions, but most certainly it is key to the one who leads.

Different times and situations, and even different personalities call for different actions of correction and encouragement, but all call for the word of God. As Gregory of Nazianzus once correctly observed

“The Pastoral principle: Variability. All persons are not to be cured in the same way.”[12] “The principle is this: just as the same food and medicine is not appropriate to every bodily ailment, so neither is the same treatment and discipline proper for the guidance of souls. … Some persons are better motivated with words, others by example. … Praise will benefit some, while correction will benefit others.”[13]

 “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” – 2 Timothy 4.3-4.

Paul already noted that Pastor needed to be ready to preach in or especially out of season. Looking toward the future Paul noted a  time would come when truth and doctrine will be second to entertainment and what the people want to hear.[14]  That although truth will be taught, it will be sadly ignored.[15] The Pastor is be ready no matter the season and that even includes when myths are preferred to the truth of God.

There will be a time that despite our message and even how good it is presented that the world will simply not care. Certainly in many ways, the word does not listen now. In many ways the world prefers to look toward foolish myths and fables instead of the Word of God. However we are still to preach the word.

Our message no matter how popular or unpopular it is, it is to be the pure Word of God that is preached. It is here that the duty of the pastor may be the hardest. For the pastor who seeks to preach truth instead of entertainment may face a shrinking congregation, rougher treatment, a harder life. But the message of the Gospel must still go out. No matter the response we get, we are to preach Christ, that salvation is available to all and the sinners very true need of its cure.

After all, it is as John Calvin once noted that “wherever we see the Word of God purely preached and heard and the sacraments administered according to Christ’s institution, there, it is not to be doubted, a church exists.” A pastor should desire a real church pleasing to God rather than the pleasing eye of man.

Our foundation is the truth of God’s word. The pastoral duty of preaching is to present God’s truth even in a word that does not care, for we must always remember that is God who uses us and God who ultimately saves. The ultimate reason that we preach God’s truth is that pastors do not answer to man, but to God.

Charles Spurgeon once preached, “But you are not teaching geography or astronomy, nor are you teaching for business or for the world; but you are teaching them to the best of your ability for God.”

“As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” – 2 Timothy 4.5

Nevertheless, Paul tells Timothy to stand his ground even to the point of suffering with all of the Gospel still being preached. [16] Timothy needs to fulfill his mission no matter what opposition that it may raise.[17] Paul ends  on a note of Timothy’s duty as an evangelist as a proclaimer of the gospel, but also that he remain firm in all aspects of his ministry.[18]

We are to be sober-minded in all things. No matter what is happening around us as one commentator noted we are to “Keep your head in all situations.”[19] The duty of the pastoral ministry needs to be on the forefront even when we are facing persecution. Even when our message is not liked at all. Still, we need to preach the word. Still the pastor needs to help lead his flock. Still the God’s will must be done.  We are to always take seriously the pastorate.

John Chrysostom once wrote, “Whether you are in danger, in prison, in chains or going to your death, at that very time do not hesitate to admonish. Do not withhold your admonition. For it is then most seasonable,”[20] No matter the situation we are to preached. We’ve already commented on the need of the pastor to preach when he will be listened to or not listened to. But it also needs to be remembered that pastor needs to preach even when he does not feel like it. There are times when he might be facing the horrible results of persecution, but he is to remain steadfast for God. Did not the prophets so often speak and proclaim the word of God even when hostility led them to their doom? As Jeremiah himself noted, “In vain have I struck your children; they took no correction; your own sword devoured your prophets like a ravening lion.” (Jeremiah 2.30)

Every pastor is to proclaim the Gospel. Sure, their duty is not always to preach as an evangelist would that is to always have Salvation messages, but that the Gospel is nonetheless a key part of the pastor’s ministry. The Gospel is always a core part of ministry, not just a limited function. As the pastoral duties lay with his flock it is always concern with increasing it and with strengthening it. The duty of the pastor to his congregation is never forfeited, nor his duty to the lost. The Gospel must always be at the center of the pastor’s heart. As Richard Baxter in the Reformed Pastor wrote, “To this end, I should think it very necessary that, both before and in the work, we take special pains with our own hearts, to excite and strengthen our belief of the truth of the gospel, and of the invisible glory and misery that are to come.”[21]

Translations that leave a blank:

Saul was … years old when he began to reign, and he reigned … and two years over Israel. ESV

(Saul was…years old when he became king and he reigned… (two) years over Israel.) NAB

Saul was … years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel two years. NJPS

Translations that suggest thirty

Saul was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty two years over Israel. NASB

Saul was 30 years  old when he became king, and he reigned 42 years  over Israel.  HCSV

Saul was [thirty] years old when he began to reign; he ruled over Israel for [forty] years. NET

Other Suggestions:

Saul was forty years old when he began to reign; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, ASV

Translations using what the Hebrew has:

Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, NKJV (and also KJV)[1]

Vulgate:

SAUL was a child of one year when he began to reign, and he reigned two years over Israel.

Notes:

The thirteenth chapter of 1 Samuel opens up with what should be a standard formula, in which the age of the King is given when he becomes king, followed by the length of his reign (cf. 1 Kings 14.24). However, the MT of the passage is extremely corrupt, it reads literally, as “Saul was one year old when he became king and he reigned two years over Israel.”[2] As McCarter writes, “The first part of this statement exercised the ingenuity of the ancient commentators and translators considerably.”[3]

The LXX of this verse is no help, since it is large not found.[4] Though, some Greek fragments do list the age of Saul as thirty, but they are not part of the earlier nor most important manuscripts.[5] Besides being of a later date these fragments appear of no help as they seem to be based on 2 Sam 5.4.[6]

Acts does, however give the length of the reign as 40 years, as does Josephus in once place. Although Josephus will also state in another place as his reign being only 20 years.[7] Josephus gives the length as 18 during the life of Samuel and then for another twenty two years afterwards.

“Saoul ended up in this way in accordance with the prophecy of Samouel because he disobeyed God’s commandments regarding the Amalekites and because he did away with both the family of Abimelech and Abimelech himself, as well as the city of the high priests. He reigned as king eighteen years during the lifetime of Samouel and twenty-two after his death. Thus Saoul ended his life.” Ant. 6.378

Two years would itself seem impossible, although that has not stopped some commentators from trying to fit the events mentioned within that timeframe.[8] A reign of forty years would fit well it should be noted, especially as Saul is seen as beginning his reign as a young man, and it ends when his son, Jonathan is at military age.[9] That Saul appears to be young is based on chapters 9-10, 9.2 records Saul as “a handsome young man.”[10]

Although Saul beginning his reign at forty is equally plausibly since 13.2 Jonathan is already a military leader and he has grandson at the end of his life.[11] As Tsumura notes, we cannot  be sure how old Saul really was when he had died.[12]

Of the missing, the numbers it has been suggested that perhaps the original author of Samuel didn’t know the date themselves’ or that later scribes omitted it because they felt it wasn’t correct.[13] One commentator, sees that even the “two,” is just a corruption of a duplication for years, and so the original would have just had “Saul was … year old… and reigned… years.”[14] One Targum has “Like a one-year-old who has no sins was Saul when he became king.”[15]

Another suggestion is that the original writer only mentioned Saul as reigning two years before Yahweh rejected him, thus although Saul would indeed stay king for upwards to forty years, in the historian’s eyes it was only legitimate for two of those years.[16] A clink in this is the suggestion that two years is too small for the time between Saul’s actions at Gigal (11.15) and his being rejected (13.14).[17] Instead, perhaps the two years are a sort of ironic comment, in away the Historian is saying in Yahweh’s eyes Saul was only king for “a couple of years.”[18] Also suggested that the Historians use of “a year old,” may be his saying Saul was a “certain age” when made king, not that matters since his reign was so short to begin with.[19]

“The house of Joseph also went up against Bethel, and the Lord was with them.  And the house of Joseph scouted out Bethel. (Now the name of the city was formerly Luz.)  And the spies saw a man coming out of the city, and they said to him, “Please show us the way into the city, and we will deal kindly with you.”  And he showed them the way into the city. And they struck the city with the edge of the sword, but they let the man and all his family go.  And the man went to the land of the Hittites and built a city and called its name Luz. That is its name to this day.” Judges 1.22-26 ESV

The house of Joseph begins with a list of what the other tribes did (well most of them, strangely Reuben, Gad and Issachar are missing), only Joseph having any sort of victory. [1] All in all, the list shows, really, that the Israelites, without leader such as Moses, or even Joshua are unable to really continue their God given orders. [2] The historian looks at Israel’s failure in military words, instead of theological, “they struck the city,” (22) and latter “did not drive out the inhabitants.” [3] This failure is also seen with the repeating “lived among them.”[4] Hoppe sees this as the Deuteronomistic Historian’s foreshadowing of the event. [5]

This list, however, is not the subject we’re looking at.

1.22: What is the House of Joseph?  (Or as the LXX had translated, the “son of Joseph”)?[6]

This is the only place in Judges where, “The House of Joseph” mentioned, everywhere else where Josephites type tribes are mentioned they mentioned in their separate terms.[7] (That is Ephraim, Manasseh, and Machir?)  The House of Joseph probably includes Ephraim and Manasseh, though at times it appears to include also Benjamin as Shemei calls himself “first of all the house of Joseph” (2 Sam 19.20).[8] It may also refer to All the Northern tribes in a general sense.[9] One suggestion, is that the Historian uses the House of Joseph as a “substitute for Ephraim,” the Historian having a little good to say of the tribe, and wanting to avoid such niceness even early on. ^[10] Bethel would also have been more of concern for that tribe than the others.[11] Yet if this is Ephraim (and maybe even Manasseh) this is their “pivotal achievement” from here they only go downhill in the book. ^[12]

Yahweh is with the House of Joseph, and this really separates it from the rest of the tribes which are mentioned after it.  Boiling on the basis of the LXX and OL, suggests that the reading should be “Judah was with them,” not Yahweh.^[13] This suggestion appears good, but it misses many of the other points which the Historian stresses, namely that when Yahweh is with his people, they succeed, when Yahweh is not, the people fail.

1.23: The book of Joshua does not mention Bethel’s capture, though it does allude to it in Joshua 16.1 and Luz in 18.13.[14]

They “scouted out,” or Soggin: “reconnaissance” the verb used here means “to explore,” or “spy out,” it the same term found in Number 13-14.[15] Boling would translate the town’s name, Luz, as “Deception,” writing, “lūz, which means, “to turn aside,” “to depart,” with devious or crafty connotations.”[16] Perhaps the author does have this mind, the deception being that the House of Israel thought they have done something good, i.e. conquering a city, but fail, because they let a new Luz appear.

Some scholars are puzzled over the length devoted to Bethel, a city that’s rather unimportant (until later) in Judges, and it’s suggested (based partly on the LXX), that Bochim in Judges 2.1 is really Bethel.[17] Another reason those is simply Bethel’s “special place in Israelite tradition and history.”[18] Bethel is a city which will appear later in the biblical account where Jeroboam sets up his idolatrous religion. [19]

1.24:

The account similar to the account of Rahab since in both a non Israelite helps them to conquer a city, and in so doing the person and their family are spared.[20] O’Conner even mentions this man as a “counterpart to Rahab of Jericho.”[21] There are some “significant differences,” however, with the Rahab account and this particular account.[22] The House of Joseph does indeed seem to want to emulate what had happen in Jericho, but they do in a different and slightly skewed way.

Here, the House of Joseph promises first to deal kindly, earlier Rahab only received the promise, after, both helping the spies and admitting to a faith in Yahweh.[23] Also, Rahab becomes a part of Israel, whereas the man and his family leave and found a new Luz.[24]

Especially of note is that he Hebrew word, ḥesed, “deal kindly” is used, which is often used in covenantal language.  It is used in alliance settings, the stronger of the factions often being the user.[25] Firstly one should probably note Judges 2.2 where the people are commanded from making any covenants with the inhabitants.[26] Though, perhaps the Historian also has in mind, Deuteronomy’s prohibition (7.2), and the ill-fated treaty with the Gibeonites in Joshua (9).[27]

The House of Joseph asks the tribe how to get into the City, not how to get into the gate and this perhaps indicates they had a secret tunnel in Mind.[28] Perhaps something like “the underground postern gate of the citadel at” Jerusalem is in mind.[29]

1.25-6: As mentioned above, the man who helped does not become in anyway a part of the Covenantal people, instead, he and his family goes and creates a new city.

New Luz’s founding is also somewhat similar to the various cities which are founded in Genesis post flood.[30] The man goes to “the land of the Hittites,” perhaps it was his ancestral home.[31] The City is taken over by the House of Joseph, yet Luz remains, in the form of New Luz, perhaps as Block notes “as a sanctioned symbol, of ‘the Canaanites in their midst.’”[32]

We know nothing else of this New Luz.[33]

^ וֶאֱלִישָׁע שָׁב הַגִּלְגָּלָה וְהָרָעָב בָּאָרֶץ וּבְנֵי הַנְּבִיאִים יֹשְׁבִים לְפָנָיו וַיֹּאמֶר לְנַעֲרוֹ שְׁפֹת הַסִּיר הַגְּדוֹלָה וּבַשֵּׁל נָזִיד לִבְנֵי הַנְּבִיאִים׃

Various Translations

ESV: And Elisha came again to Gilgal when there was a famine in the land.  And as the sons of the prophets were sitting before him, he said to his servant, “Set on the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.”

NJPS:  Elisha returned to Gilgal. There was a famine in the land, and the disciples of the prophets were sitting before him. He said to his servant, “Set the large pot [on the fire] and cook a stew for the disciples of the prophets.”

NASB: When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was a famine in the land. As the sons of the prophets were sitting before him, he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.”

NAB: When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was a famine in the land. Once, when the guild prophets were seated before him, he said to his servant, “Put the large pot on, and make some vegetable stew for the guild prophets.”

Mine:

Original:

And Elisha returned to Gigal and the famine was in the land.  And the sons of the prophets were sitting before him and he said to his servant, “set the great pot to boil a pottage for the sons of the Prophets.”

Revised:

After[1] Elisha returned to Gigal there[2] was a famine in the land.  And[3] the members[4] of the prophets were sitting before him when[5] he commanded[6] his servant, “Cook[7] the great pot to boil stew for the members of the prophets!”

Hebrew Notes

^ וֶאֱלִישָׁע– ו – And – אֱלִישָׁע – Elisha – And Elisha

שָׁב – שׁוּב – to return – Q10 – he returned, came again

הַגִּלְגָּלָה – ה – The – גִּלְגָּלָה – Gilgal

וְהָרָעָב – ו – and –  ה – the – ראב – hungry, famine – and the famine

בָּאָרֶץ – ב – in – אָרֶצ – land – the land

Elisha returned to Gigal and the famine was in the land…

וּבְנֵי- ו – and – sons – and sons

הַנְּבִיאִים- ה – the – ִים – s – נָבִיא – prophet – the prophets

יֹשְׁבִים – Q55 – to dwell /sit – sitting (they)

לְפָנָיו – ל – to/for – פּנֶה – face, presence –  ו– his – before his presence

And the sons of the prophets were sitting before him…

וַיֹּאמֶר- And he said Q^c20

לְנַעֲרוֹ- to his boy/servant

Q32  Set/set on  -  שְׁפֹת

הַסִּיר- the – pot

הַגְּדוֹלָה- the –גדוֹל – great – the great

וּבַשֵּׁל- the – P32 – to boil!

נָזִיד- boiled food, pottage?

לִבְנֵי– ל – to/for – sons – and sons

הַנְּבִיאִים- ה – the – ִים – s – נָבִיא – prophet – the prophets

And he said to his boy, “Set on the great pot to boil the pottage for the sons of the prophets!”

[2] “there,” following NAS, NAB, JPS, etc.

[3]

[4] This phrase, “sons of the prophets,” seem to be indicating one of two things.  Firstly perhaps its speaking of “members of a guild order, or class,” who are associated with Elisha’s story cycle. (AYBC) Or secondly that these sons may mean pupils or disciples of a group of prophets. (Langs’).  Refer also to the WBC volume on kings, in particular the “Sons of the prophets” article there.  Seeing more than sons, but uncertain whether they are pupils or full fledge prophets, I’ve tried to keep the phrase a little loose with the term “members.”

[5] “When,” Most translations seem to cut this ו out, I’ve chosen to keep it.  And translated it as when.

[6] What he says is in all imperative, so I’m assuming commands would work for this particular אמר

[7] It appears this Hebrew word, “set the big pot,” was used as an everyday sort of phrase, for “preparing a cooked dish.” AYBC Hence the use of “Cook,” here.

“the Oracle,” this word in the Hebrew comes for the root verb which means to lift up.  And it means as the KJV has it, “the burden.”  The idea here is that the message which Habakkuk has been given is in some sense a hard message, likely its heavy so to speak because of the doom its foretelling.

“The Prophet,” Of Habakkuk, we know nothing other than his name, and that he is a prophet.[1] Of Interest however, Habakkuk is the only prophet before the exile, where the writer specifically calls himself a prophet.[2] His title of prophet is also repeated at 3.1.[3]

“Habakkuk” Habakkuk seems to be a prophet around the same time as that of Jeremiah, before one of the Babylonian invasions, giving a date of before 625, 597, or 587 BC.[4] These dates are based on references made in 1.6 it indicates a time no earlier than 625, but no later than 597 BC.[5] And also to the description of the Babylonian forces and this battles most see a date around 605 BC.[6] Also in favor of  date post 605 is that after Josiah’s death and the reforms of his, the following Kings returned Israel to its sinful ways, as the prophet seem to indicated in 1.2-4 and 2.5-19.[7]

Some have suggested that Habakkuk was a Levite based on the form of chapter 3 which includes musical notations and that tribe of Levi was known for its musicians.[8] This is also based on some extra biblical material, and one of the books manuscripts.[9]

1.2-4 Complaint

1.2 Interesting enough, Habakkuk message doesn’t begin with his giving a message God has given him, but instead his giving a message to God.[10] “How Long,” is how a lament is traditionally begun n the psalms and so here.[11] (For example note Ps 13.1-2).  In many ways Habakkuk questioning of God is similar to the account of Job.[12] Habakkuk begins his first complaint directed toward YHWH, not the people, namely why god has not judge them.[13] One of the primary things which Habakkuk ponders is why it seems sinful people are escaping God’s punishment. [14] Throughout his first complaint, YHWH is silent, seemingly waiting to respond until Habakkuk is finished.[15] “Violence, this is an important word to the prophet, it appears also in 1.3,9 2.8, and twice 2.17.  It speaks of the taking away of rights of human especially during turbulent times.[16]

1.4 Josiah had upheld the Law, and had started a great reform, but now the kings after him did not care as much for Torah.[17] Now it seems as if “the wicked had overtaken the righteous in number,” and Habakkuk cannot understand why YHWH seems idle.[18] The prophet certainly quite distressed at the sinfulness around him, but what he is bothered more about is the seemingly carelessness of God, if indeed he can do anything at all.[19]

1.5-11 Yahweh’s Response

1.5 In his response, YHWH goes beyond Habakkuk and addresses also his community.[20] Habakkuk’s desire for justice will come and it will even come in his own life.[21] Whom god choose is something which should surprise both the invader and Judah.[22] God will in time get involved, his involvement will use Babylon and the Exile.[23] The surprise of YHWH’s answer is also seen because instead of an expected deliver from YHWH, he sends it via the Chaldean army![24]

1.6-7 “I am raising up,” in essence YHWH is pointing out quite clearly that what the Chaldeans are doing, they are doing under his power and guidance.[25] In the following description of the Chaldeans, they as Murphy puts it, “lived up to their description.”[26] The justice that Habakkuk desires will come, but it be the Justice of the Chaldeans.[27] Though YHWH has sent the enemy, he thinks instead only of his own power.[28]

1.8-9 The eagles in verse eight is likely referring to the vultures, who thought of creatures without.[29] The word here, neser is a rather uncertain word which may mean either vulture or eagle depending on its context.  Wolves who hunted in the night were thought of proverbially as hungry and quite fierce.   In essence these animals describe how the enemy would rightfully strike terror.[30] They are like the wind in that like strong and violent wind they come out of nowhere blow and cause problems and as shocking as they come they’ve left.[31] As verse seven answers Habakkuk’s cry for justice, nine answers his cry of violence, for now Babylon comes.[32] “They gather captives like sand,” which should remind Habakkuk of what had happened to the Northern Kingdom in 722, but it also in many ways foreshadows what is to ultimately happen to Judah.[33] In essence these two verses highlight the very true fear of this enemy.

1.10-11 The Babylonians have a long list of Kings and rulers who they had defeated and thus could mock.[34] Heap up clay this speaks of the “earthworks,” made to allow easy bring of weapons of war against the wall.[35] As Baker puts it, “these two elements, pride and ferocity, are integral to the self-identity of these people, since they worship their own power.”[36]

End Notes:

[2] Richard T.A. Murphy, “Zephaniah Nahum Habakkuk,” in the Jerome Biblical Commentary, ed. Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, and Roland E. Murphy (Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 1968), [OT], 297.

[3] Julia M. O’Brien, “Habakkuk,” in The New Oxford Annotated Bible, Fourth Edition, eds. Michael D. Coogan, Marc Z. Brettler, Carol A. Newsom, and Pheme Perkins (New York: Oxford University Press, 2010), 1322.

[4] Paul R. House and Eric Mitchell, Old Testament Survey (Nashville: Broadman Press, 2001), 253.

[5] William Sanford La Sor, David Allan Hubbard, and Frederic William Bush, Old Testament Survey (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1982), 449.

[6] La Sor, Hubbard, and Bush, 449-450.

[7] S. Bullough, “Habakkuk,” in A New Catholic Commentary on the Holy Scripture, ed. Reginald C. Fuller, Leonard Johnson, and Conleth Kerns (Nashville and New York: Thomas Nelson, Inc. Publishers, 1975), 715.

[8] David W. Baker, “Habakkuk” in New Bible Commentary, ed. G. J. Wenham et al., 21st century ed. (Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 840.

[9] Baker, 840.

[10] Baker, 842.

[11] O’Brien, 1322.

[12] Baker, 842.

[13] La Sor, Hubbard, and Bush,450.

[14] House and Mitchell, 253.

[15] Bullough, 715.

[16] Ceresko, 262

[17] O’Brien, 1322.

[18] Willem A. VanGemeren, Interpreting the Prophetic Word (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1990), 170.

[19] Ceresko, 262.

[20] O’Brien, 1322.

[21] Baker, 842.

[22] Murphy,297.

[23] Bullough,715.

[24] La Sor, Hubbard, and Bush, 450

[25] Ceresko, 262.

[26] Murphy,297.

[27] Ceresko, 262.

[28] Murphy,297.

[29] Murphy,297.

[30] Murphy,297.

[31] Murphy,297.

[32] O’Brien, 1322.

[33] Ceresko, 262

[34] Murphy,297.

[35] Ceresko, 263.

[36] Baker, 842.

Concerning Writing on History

Firstly one should note that it is impossible to record everything that happened in a period of history.[1] Secondly some events have no purpose for the story or theme being presented, so they too are left out.[2] In essence, there is more to the writing down of historical facts then giving out “bare events,” instead the writer takes facts and pieces how these facts share something with one another toward the “cause and effect,” of the ultimate fact, or event being presented.[3] In the end as one book puts it, “the question of the writer’s purpose, on the basis of which he selects his data, becomes of paramount importance.”[4] Then later they continue, “all historical writing is selective, and all is written for some purpose.”[5]

Unity of Judges

Before I discuss the purpose of the writer of Judges there is something I wish to note.  It has seemingly become common practices among modern scholars to try and dissect the book of Judges and tear apart the Deuteronomistic writer from the original hero stories and to tear off the beginning and ending of Judges with the other stories.  The book of Judges for the most does seem to be tales set between an introduction and conclusion, many call the conclusions as “appendixes” or “additions,” but I think Exum is correct in calling these, “double conclusions.”[6] And I think Schneider has rightly observed that the book of Judges as we have it now is quite unified.[7] She remarks, “Despite what are considered to be later Deuteronomistic additions at the beginning and end of the book, Judges is a well-integrated theological narrative which builds its story and supports it thesis until its conclusion.”[8]

In fact, one of the more interesting things with the book of Judges seems to be the fact that stories that at first glance would seem to be separate tales have now been “complied and systematically arranged and edited into a coherent whole.”[9]

In discussing Judges, the whole book should be a part of the discussion, to fully grasp the purpose of the Historian.

What is the Deuteronomistic Writer’s Purpose?

Perhaps it should be noted that for some time, the book of Judges, along with Joshua, Samuel, and Kings have been considered part of a larger corpus called, the Former Prophets.   In many ways, modern scholarship too, has seen that these four books belong together.[10] It is seen that these books are heavily influence from a “theological perspective,” coming from Deuteronomy.[11] With that being said, so then, what was the Deuteronomistic Historians purpose in compiling Judges?

Both Joshua and Judges seem to want to explain for what reasons Yahweh would allow Israel to be exiled, and in many ways its editor(s) wanted to give a reason for obeying Yahweh.[12] This reason steams perhaps from Deuteronomy 30.15-18.  It would seem that Israel’s and Yahweh’s relationship is of the greatest importance in the book.  Still, other themes do appear, such as leadership, tribal relation, even how women are treated (and thus how badly Israel has sinned).[13] The Historian is even intent on bringing the Tribe of Judah’s importance up front, perhaps emphasizing why Judah (David) was a better choice for rulers than Benjamin (Saul).[14]

The Genre

Often Judges is classified as one of the Historical books of the Bible and thus its genre is that of History.  However, I feel that view is really too simplistic.  Although I truly think that Judges should looked at as a unified whole, the separating of it shows that in some way, the original book’s genre might reflect that of Hero Tales.[15] Perhaps indeed at one time some of the stories were part of some “book of Saviors.”[16] But the Deuteronomistic Historian (Editor) has changed that original corpus to the present book.  It is history, I cannot deny that, but what the Historian does makes its more than that.

In many ways a story is being told, a story concerning why obedience to Yahweh is a must, why Judah’s tribe was the best choice and so on.  It is in some ways perhaps more a commentary on history.  Or a Religious History as more than a few suggest.  In all honesty it has a purpose to show, as noted above.  To follow Yahweh, not other gods, and because of what God had done already.

So…, not quite satisfied with that, I decided to do a quick internet look up some of the proposed Biblical Genres.  (In what books/articles I could find at the moment, most did not look at the genre of Judges, just literary content).  In due course I found Narrative, Annals, Epic.  Annals, don’t work for me.  Historical narrative is what I think most people see it as.  Epic, works to an extent, since Judges does indeed include what may seem some pretty epic feats in the stories, but I am afraid that highlights the characters more than the Historians point.     To be honest I’m still thinking on the matter.

We set out to discuss the Genre of Judges and while I may not have answered that as well as I should.  Nevertheless I hope that some of the other information has been of help.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.,191.

[6] Cheryl J. Exum, “The Centre Cannot Hold: Thematic and Textual Instabilities in Judges,” in Catholic Biblical Quarterly 52, no. 2 (July 1990): 410-31.

[7] Tammi J. Schneider, Berit Olam: Studies in Hebrew Narrative & Poetry: Judges, ed. David W. Cotter (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2000), xiii.

[8] Ibid.

[9] Victor H. Matthews, The New Cambridge Bible Commentary: Judges & Ruth (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2004), 6.

[10] Leslie Hoppe, Old Testament Message: Joshua, Judges, vol. 5, ed. Carroll Stuhlmueller and Martin McNamara (Wilmington: Michael Glaizer, 1982), 15.

[11] Ibid..

[12] Ibid., 21.

[13] Schneider, xiii.

[14] Matthews, 8.

[15] Ibid., 3.

[16] J. Alberto Soggin, The Old Testament Library: Judges, tr. John Bowden (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1981), 8.

So, this will be my first review of well anything, so please bare with me as I think this little step.  Firstly what I am reviewing exactly is PC Study Bible Version 5: Professional Reference Library.  I had acquired this thanks to my old Hebrew professor at Davis.  I figure I’d give a review just as an exercise to see how well I can review something.

Until having acquired PC Study Bible, my major electronic Bible software which I had used was E-Sword.  Now, for the most part I had enjoyed E-sword, I was able to get most of the Bible translations I preferred and some other decent if a bit outdated commentaries.  To be honest, I mostly preferred many of the user made modules for E-Sword over that of the official ones.  In particular I was often quite annoyed that I had to seek out more modern translations of the apocryphal books, but I digress.  With E-Swords upgrade and change in file format I have long left E-Sword in the dust and have used PC Study Bible more or less.  In many ways I still miss User Made modules, but with the increase in size of the library I don’t really miss them as much.

Things I actually don’t mind:

When on the Bible search pane I’m actually quite grateful that when I type in Tobit 1.t.  Firstly that I can type the “.” between chapter and number and not the “:” since I’ve become quite use to the former.  Secondly that it grays out the translations which don’t offer Tobit.  In the package that I have,  it includes NRSV, Douay-Rheims, KJV, RSV, and the GNB.  This I think is rather useful since I would have normally assumed a version of KJV without the apocrypha.

I’m quite glade the package I have includes the church fathers, now I realize this might not the same for other packages, but as its quite useful for my current journey in Seminary I thought I might mention that.

While I’ll have some misgivings about the original language setup for the program, generally its rather all right.   When I click the Greek/Hebrew button I easily can get into verse I was working on, sadly though its all for the interlinear books they have.  They have pure original documents, so I’m not sure why that’s not a choice in the menu.   In either case, clicking on words in both the interlinear bible and pure language will pop up the word information, giving a basic transliteration and parsing in the lower left hand corner.  This is kind of nice, great for those who don’t have a strong grasp on the language, and it becomes a tempting cheat to instead of parsing it yourself to just look.  In all honestly I use it to check my paring so eh.  Now double clicking strong’s number in the interlinear does pop up a window which gives a brief definition (Strong’s).  The window is a appreciated, if I could change it to BDB (defaultly) it would be more appreciated.  (I’m not saying you can’t, I just haven’t found how yet, but by clicking on it in the side menu will change it to it, yay).

Greek pronouncing is cool, especially as I don’t know Greek quite yet and every now and again I have to use it for a sermon.   However, why doesn’t the Hebrew text have it?

Things I wish were different:

Probably my biggest complaint with PC Study Bible is that I cannot simply port Hebrew and Greek words into Word.  Here’s an example of what I get when I try to import the first word in Genesis.  בְּרֵאשִׁית

<RTL><LTR><START HEBREW>

<RTL>=B}ra!ævyt<END HEBREW>

<LTR>

This is extremely frustrating when I want to simply import a word for a paper or sermon manuscript.  Or when I do the various verse translations.  Often I end of going online to find a Hebrew Text, or simply retype the word.  But copying and pasting would be much easier.

While I’m glad that its easy to hide the footnotes, often when I feel the need to look at them, the program seems to be sluggish in popping them out.  To be honest I wish I could highlight the footnote marker and have a small window pop up.

Another thing of complaint is that I wish I could have a window of the Biblical text right next to a commentary or whatever.  Or even two commentaries side by side.  A Church father with a biblical passage and a commentary all on the same window in smaller windows would be nice.  Now, don’t get me wrong you can have all that information up, it just appears in separate tabs.  So at least I can’t have , just not how would prefer.

Finally I would have liked two other things, an interlinear LXX and an interlinear Latin Bible.  Simply because I don’t know the base language for those quite yet and I would rather like having these two since it was the Old Testament for many of the faithful.

Conclusion:

Well here’s the basic review.  For the most part despite its few let downs I rather enjoy PC Study Bible and do find it of great use.  One may thing there’s always E-Sword, but there is a bit of benefit in having the library which this offers.  Secondly even though I may have some faults with the original language part of the program, it does at least have the languages.  It could be worse, but as it stands now it’s a good tool.  At some point if I’m ever not poor, I would like to add some additional resources.  (In particular I would like to have NAC series and that new Church Fathers Supplemental they have.  Oh desires ^.^)!  In any case I hope this has help someone out there.