"Davidsburg"

Last week, Publisher George H. Doran proudly announced that "the first translation of the Old Testament since the publication of the King James Bible in 1611 has been completed." Newspapers everywhere accepted the event as space-worthy news.

Fact is, the announcement is not strictly correct. Since 1611, the Old Testament has been translated into Chinese, Japanese and many other languages which had previously known no version. Since 1611, the Old Testament has been translated by Protestants into many languages (Spanish, Italian) which previously had had only the Vulgate or other Roman Catholic translations. Also, English divines in 1882-84 and U. S. divines in 1901 made a complete revision of the King James version. Their object was to keep the King James version intact except where it palpably mistranslated the original tongues.

Nevertheless, Publisher Doran had a big enough story--for the version which he announced is the first complete translation of the Old Testament into modern English. Thus, for example, "The City of David" is translated "Davidsburg;" and here begins the account of David's sin.

Old Transaltion. And it came to pass after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel ; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah, but David tarried still at Jerusalem.

And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said: "Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah, the Hittite?"

New Translation. Next spring, at the season when the first messengers of David had started, David despatched Joab and his troops (the whole army of Israel), who devastated Ammpn and besieged Rabbah. David, however, remained at Jerusalem.

One afternoon David got up from his siesta and took a walk on the roof of the royal palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. She was a very beautiful woman to behold, and David sent to make inquiries about her. Someone said: "That must be Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah, the Hittite!"

The new translator is Prof. James Moffatt of Glasgow, famed prototype of Scottish plain living, high thinking, hard wor-r-rking. His was the first of many famous new translations of the New Testament. His translation of the Old Testament may be complete; but the book which Publisher Doran put on sale contained only the books Genesis to Esther inclusive--i. e., about half the Old Testament, the half in which most of the events and incidents of Jewish history are recorded.