NEW VERSION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1760, 16 October 1883, Page 3

NEW VERSION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

There arc now deposited iv tlio Britisli Museum fifteen leather slips, on the forty folds of which are written poi tions of the Book of Deuteronomy in a recension entirely different from that of the received text. The character employed in the mamisci ipt is similar to that of the famous Moabite Stone, and of the Siloam inscription, and, therefore, the mere palceograpliical indication should give the probable date of the slips as the ninth century 8.C., or sixteen centimes earlier than any other clearly authenticated manuscript of any portion of tho Old Testament. The sheepskin .slips are literally black with age, and aie impregnated with a faint odour as of f unei .il spices ; the folds are from six to .seven inches long and about (en lines, wiitten only on one side. At first sight, no wilting whatever is perceptible : the surface seems to be covered with an oily or glutinous substance, which so completely obscures tho wnting beneath that a photograph of some of the slips exhibits no trace of the text. But w lien the leather is moistened with spirits of w ine the letters become momentarily visible beneath the glossy surface. These oxtraordinaiy fragments were brought to England by Mr Shapira, of Jenisalem, a well-known bookseller and dealer in antiquities Mr Shapira's naino will be remombeied in connection with the Moabite pottery m tho museum at Berlin, which is now commonly regarded as a model n foi gery. Tin; leathei u fragments now produced liy Mr Shapna were, as he alleges, obtained from ceitam Arabs near Dibon, the neighbourhood where the Moabite stone was discovered. The agent employed by him in their puichase was an Arab " who would steal his mother-in-law for a few piastics," and who would probably lie even less sciupulous about a few blackened slips of ancient or modem sheepskin. The value placod by Mr Shapiro, on the fragments is, however, a Cool million steiling, and at this juice they are offered to tho British Museum, wlieie they have been tempoiaiily deposited for examination. Dr (Jinsbuig, the well-known Semitic scholar, is now busily engaged in deciphering tho contents of tho fragments and examining tlieii genuineness. Home idea of tho variations of text and signification may bo obtained fiom a comparison of the text of tho JJec.iloguo as it appeals in tho lecened veision in tho sixth chapter of Deuteronomy with that contained in the fragment*-, so fai as thoy have yet been deuphei cd. The \eision of fragments, liteially lendeiod, runs as follows :— 1. I am God, thy God. wlm li liberated flue from the land of I'.KJ pt, from tho house ot bondage. Ye shall hiveh iv c no othci tfods Ye shall nnl m.ike to \ouisehes an\ ri iven im itfe, nor an) likeness th.it is in hen en ,ibmc or that is in 'In earth beneath, or th.it is in the watt is undei the earth Ye shall not bow down to them 1101 serve them lam God, )oui God. '2. S.iih tify In six days I lime made, the heavens and the c.itth, and all th it is therein, iird rested on thesevenlh d.ij, theiefore rest thou also, tin u and th\ (attic and all that thou histh ist I .mi God, th> God. ;! Honour th) lather and thy mother. . . . I am God. th) God 4 ihou sii lit not kill the puson of thy brother : I am God, thy God ."i lliou shall not commit adultery with tho wife ot thy neighbour lam Goc, lliv God. 0 Ihou shall not steil the proput) of th) brothe 1 . lam God. thj God. 7 Ihou shall not sive.n by M\ n une falseh , for I \ i-.it the. ini(]uit\ of the fitluis upon tin cluldicn unto the thud and fourth }{i ivration ot those who take my mine m vain I am God, thy God. 8 Ihou shalt not bent false witness against thy brothel . I .mi (iod, thy God !). Ihou shall not lovitthe wile... or his m.insersant, or his m nd-t i\ant, or an) thin;; that is his . I am God tin God 10. 1 hou shaH not h i»e th) brotlu i in th) heart : lam God, tin God. lhc.su ten words (or commandments) God spake Ho\eial points may In- noted in tins version. The Miigulai lefiain "I am (iod, thydod'" — which docs not appeal at all in the loconed \eision— occuis ton tnnos, being, as it w oi e, a solemn latihuatiou <>f Dmno sanction gn on at the end of each sepaiate piecept. Tf this be so, tho hist two commandment**, as tliov aie commoulv H'ckoiiod, aio hole fused into one, and the tenth place is taken by a comniandmont which doos not appiai in tin; lecenod vt'isionof tho Doeiloguo. It will fmthoi ho obsoncd tlmttliodistinctive.rowishiiamo foi thoAbmghtv, ".)oho\ah,"oi "theLoid, ' does not appeal at all, the familial plnaso of the loconod \cisuni, " Loid thy (-tod, ' being leplacod thioughout by "(lod, tin Crod.' — Tlie Times.

It seems so very simple to speak the truth ; yet \ cry few people know how dilhcult it l.s in many instance 1 * to know the Imtli, and how veiy laicly gratitude attends the speaker of it. xYn entoi puling icpoiter, wilting of a wreck at sen, stated that no less than fourteen of the uutuituiuitc eiew and passengeis bit the dust. A Pksnsylv \nt w boasts that he makes a soap that would "wash a politician'^ chaiactcr white as snow <! Theie mu^t be n good deal of " lye" about that hoap. ArxT Esther was trying to persuade little Eddy to retiie at sunset, using a-, an argument that the little chickens went to roost at tint time. " Yes," said Eddy ; " bub then, .unity, the old hen always goes with tliPiu." Ay auctioneer at a sale of antiquities put up a helmet witli the following candid observation : " This, ladies and gentle man, is a helmet of Romulus, the founder of Koine ; but whether he was a brass or iron founder I cannot tell." Sri. \k— Village .school in Scotland. Lady \isitor, to a very duly child : "Jane, why don't you come with a clean face to school ?" Jane, after some hesitation : " Please, main, nutlu'veanna spate me ony saft waiti-i, and she wnnna hae me use haul, t<n ie ciacKs ma skin." At the commencement of the last sporting season the following information was CNhibitcd at Loid Camden'b s"at, Tlif Hpi mit.igc, near enoaks :— " This is to give notice that Loid C.imden docs not mean to slioot himself oi any of his tenants till the 14th ot .Septembci."' A NUMisr.uof life rafts have sun ved at Dover fioin New Yoik, and aie to be earned on boa id all the London, Chatham, and Dover Company's boats. They are composed of two iion cylinders kept together with wooden strctcheis, and aie very compact and portable. They can be easily thrown into the water and will support about 20 peisons. Undhi an aiticle headed " The Queen as a Martinet," the Chicago Tnbune publishes the following piupoiting to be irom its special eonespondent "at Windsor" : — The Couit etiquette has grown more rigid and inflexible during these months of increasing moibidness, and soon, it is fcaied, tli« Queen will be as far removed fioin her people as a Chinese Emperor. She can ies _ out her wilful instauces upon etiquette in every least detail, and even when it concerns her own childien ami giandchildicn. When the Princess Louise returned from Canada and arrived at Windsor she was kept waiting until she had changed her attire, and until the Queen sent word that she was prepared to receive her. It is reported that the Princess entered the drawing-room in the evening to await . dinner, dressed in the most lovely critnfx^son velvet gown, v. ith crimson silk hose *to match. The Queen happening to espy the Princess' feet, siid : "Do you not know that colored stockings are not permitted in my presence ? Go to your room at once and change your stockings." And so the poor Princess came down to dinner in a crimson velvet dress, wearing white stockings, Not one of the royal children ever visited the Queen except by special and formal invitation. Her Majesty appoints the hour for her own children to come and for them to go. One can imagine the unnaturalness of such a household. The Prince Consort was stately, but he was a genial, happy, mirth-loving gentleman. He was the most affectionate husband and father, and no royal etiquette ever stood in the way of his fine German heartiness. Since his death his children have had no parental companionship, and they are as far removed from the Queen as though they never had been born of her. It is well known that the Prince of Wales has very great influence with his mother and is personally deeply attached to her. Ho was a constant companion of his father, and he quite remembers how his father managed the Queen in the old days. The Prince is said to be the most charming in bis relations to this mother, aud is always upon his most beautiful manners in her presence. He at times does approach her with great affectiou and even tenderness <jf feeling apd demonstration.