WILSON’S OLD TESTAMENT WORD STUDIES

by

William Wilson

MAC DONALD PUBLISHING CO.

McLEAN, VA. 22102

ISBN 0-917006-27-5

PREFACE

The work now presented to the Public has been the result of almost incredible labour bestowed on it during many years. It was commenced for the purpose of illustrating the precise meaning of Hebrew words; to be a kind of manual of consultation when longer time could not be spared for further investigation. The force of an English word could not be depended on for giving a correct and precise meaning to it in any explanation of Scripture. It was felt, also, that many Hebrew words are rendered by the same English word, which being in a certain degree synonymous, yet require a distinction of meaning according to their use in the original. And sometimes a fair and suitable meaning may be assigned to an expression viewed only in the English translation, as Cruden has done in his Concordance, which is not borne out by the original, or may even be found contrary to it: so that deductions drawn from that meaning must be altogether unwarranted or absolutely erroneous. Taylor’s illustrations of the meaning of the original are frequently very striking, and the explication of certain phrases very happy. The Author had collected these under the corresponding English words, when it occurred to him that the undertaking might be made useful to others, and improved by consulting other works, especially philological, such as the late editions of Gesenius’s Lexicon, and modern critical commentaries on the Sacred Books.

His next object was to give the construction of the original, and so to arrange the work that the reader might be able at once to find it. For this purpose “The Englishman’s Hebrew Concordance” was referred to, and found indispensable for carrying out this object. The Author begs to acknowledge the great use of this invaluable work. He is bound also to express his obligation to Mr. Bagster, of Paternoster-row, for many suggestions in the arrangement of the references. Few can be aware of the immense labour required to carry out this part of the plan, and to insure anything like accuracy. The Author will not attempt to detail the means used to obtain this accuracy, the labour of which has been very greatly enhanced by the disappointment he has from time to time experienced in the use of such works as he hoped to find auxiliary to his undertaking. Suffice it to say, that he believes the present work is the nearest approach to a complete Concordance of every word in the original that has yet been made: and as a Concordance, it may be found of great use to the Bible student, while at the same time it serves the important object of furnishing the means of comparing synonymous words, and of eliciting their precise and distinctive meaning.

The knowledge of the Hebrew language is not absolutely necessary to the profitable use of this work; and it is believed that many devout and accurate students of the Bible, entirely unacquainted with ...