JOKES IN THE BIBLE
Sif,-In your leader on "Punch" and the Fuilpit you maintain that there are no jokes in the Bible. On the contrary, the Bible, especially the Prophets, is full of humour, although there is a great difference between the modern British conception of humour and that held by the ancient Hebrews. Hebrew humour is essentially satirical, but is usually taken literally by Western readers. Moreover, the Authorised Version often obscures the real meaning; were its translations more literal, everyone would be able to appreciate the joke perpetrated by Job when he named one of his daughters "Keren- . happuch," a word which means "a horn (or box) of cosmetics." Perhaps a sly hint on Job’s’ part that the girl was the image of her mother! Again, there is the Hebrew word "Tsara," which means a "rival wife." It also means "misery," which is not surprising. May I refer you to Chapter 1, "Humour of the Bible," in Dr. J. Chotzfer’s "Hebrew Humour," where the whole conception of humour among the Children of Israel is thoroughly analysed. As for — your further statement that humiour and the religious emotion do not mix-well, it simply is not true of Catholicism; that is a point upon which St. Francis of Assisi and G. K. Chesterton and I would, I am sure, be in complete agreement.-K.S. (New Brighton).
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 116, 12 September 1941, Page 4
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225JOKES IN THE BIBLE New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 116, 12 September 1941, Page 4
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