There is an old argument, posed by it's sceptics, that the Bible cannot be true because nobody ever goes to the toilet. This argument may have been viewed as valid because of the way these instances were historically translated. Bible translators went to great lengths to employ various euphemisms to protect the readers sensitive ears.
It is little wonder we get confused by different translations of the Bible. In 1 Samuel 24, King Saul goes into a cave to relieve himself and David has the perfect opportunity to kill him – but chooses not to.
Most modern translations have now settled on “Relieve himself” to describe why Saul was in the cave (New International Version, New American Standard Bible, The Message, Amplified Bible)
Some of my favourites are….
“to answer the call of nature” – Berkley
“to get rid of his body waste” – New Life Version
The King James progression….
“to cover his feet” – King James Version
“to attend to his needs” – New King James
“to relieve himself” 21st Century King James
Why can’t they all be as simple as the New International Reader’s Version…..”Saul simply went to the toilet.”
I would have thought that if you are going to the toilet that covering your feet would be something you tried to avoid.
When the Bible is translated into Australian and Saul goes “to see a man about a dog” you will really have no chance of understanding what is going on.
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i am not sure the toilet was invented by then
ReplyDeleteWell spotted Craige!
ReplyDeleteYou could also consider the six times in the King James Version where males are quaintly referred to as those who "pisseth against the wall" (see: 1 Samuel 25:22, 1 Samuel 25:34, 1 Kings 14:10, 1 Kings 16:11, 1 Kings 21:21, 2 Kings 9:8).
ReplyDeleteThe Hebrew word translated 'pisseth' in the KJV is Shathan which apparently literally means one who urinates. The notes in the lexicon say that it is used as a designation of a male, hence the approach of the new translations which leave out the reference to weeing.
But I wonder if the original meaning was closer to 'everyone who stands up to pee' (or something colloquial along those lines).
Possibly as a warning about toilet habits, the last thing to observe is that in all six references, the phrase is used in reference to a group of men that were, or were under threat of, being anhialated.
Nice work Adam - a most comprehensive comment - hardly bite sized
ReplyDeleteBTW...
ReplyDelete"Relieve onself" can mean more than just going to the toilet...
...and less "holy" at the same time...
"and behold, he choked the chicken inside the cave..."