It’s a far from literal translation, but it traces all the way back to Tyndale and even to Wycliffe before him. “May it never be” would be a stricter rendering of the Greek, but “God forbid” has endured as a statement of indignant resolve. It occurs 26 times in the Bible, the majority of the […]
This is many people’s favourite Scripture. It was the verse written by my mother into my confirmation bible: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:4-5) I wonder what approach you take to the […]
When we hear of “fleshpots” we’ll likely think of sexual temptation. As in… flesh·pots / ˈfleshˌpäts/• pl. n. places providing luxurious or hedonistic living: he had lived the life of a roué in the fleshpots of London and Paris. But in their original biblical context, “fleshpots” are literally cauldrons of meat. They are a temptation, but there’s nothing […]
Moses and Aaron deliver the LORD’s message: Let my people go. But Pharaoh is singularly unimpressed. “Who is the LORD?” (Exodus 5:2) “I’ve heard of Ra, Amun, Osiris, Isis, Seth, Nephthys, these gods I know. Who is this LORD??” Pharaoh has no time for weak men preaching a weak message about an unknown God. Baffled […]
Moses was 80 and his brother Aaron was 83 when they confronted Pharaoh. They went as a double-act – Moses putting words in Aaron’s mouth. Their message has become famous Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, (Exodus 5:1) A chapter previously the LORD put it slightly differently: Israel is my […]
