The influence of the Latin Vulgate on our English translations is shown in many Scriptures. See the Glossary article on Latin Words, which lists several Latin words that were not translated, just spelled in English. Here are two examples of words that were translated incorrectly into Latin, with the translator mistaking the verbs for nouns, one in Isaiah 41:8 and another II Chronicles 20:7. Most English translations have in Isaiah, But you, Israel are My servant; Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham My friend. II Chronicles 20:7 has, Are You not our God, Who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and gave it forever to the seed of Abraham, Your friend?
In Isaiah 41:8 the Hebrew text has, But you, Israel, are My servant; Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham, who loves Me. The text stresses Abraham’s love for God.
In II Chronicles 20:7 the Hebrew text has, Are You not our God, Who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and gave it forever to the seed of Abraham who loves You? Here too the text stresses Abraham’s love for God, in the present tense, showing that now in eternal life Abraham continues to love God.
Since God loves everyone, the measure of relationship with God is how much each individual loves God. Each one of us must show by the he lives – what he thinks, what he says, what he does, that he has a deep relationship with God. Abraham did have that relationship, something to which each of us must aspire.
Nearly all English translations have repeated the error in continuing the Latin tradition. That includes even the One New Man Bible, which was just corrected in early 2013, to appear in print later in the year. Old traditions die hard.
Hi Bill,
Are you still holding that ” Abraham who loves God (Isaiah 41: 8)is correct and accurate translation, even though James(James 2:23) says as “(Abraham) he was call “friend of God”?
You abruptly closed “CONTACT” forum from your website after my last posting.
Also I still have Kindle version which has “My friend”, can you contact Kindle so that I can have current ONM version for further looking into it?
Blessings, Sam
Hi Sam,
First: “Abraham who loves Me” is unquestionably the correct translation. The publisher will have to correct the Kindle version to change that.
The website was revised by the publisher, so I am sure the man in charge of the tech will be working on the problem.
Blessings, Bill
Will the Amazon version of the ebook be updated as well?
Hi Kerry,
The Amazon version was scheduled to be updated by the end of last year, but it has not yet been finalized. I will ask the publisher about the timing and what changes will be in it. When I know I will update this response.
Blessings, Bill
Thank you so much for your reply.