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would read, "if food is a cause of my brother's falling, I will never eat meat, lest I cause
my brother to fall". Again, in II Cor. 11: 29, "who is offended, I burn not?" should be
rendered, "Who is made to fall and I am not indignant?".
OUCHES. Here is a word that was already becoming obsolete in 1611. Tyndale had
used it in his translation of Exodus with a note of explanation, "ouches, ornaments fit to
display jewels or precious stones". It was the gold filigree work that surrounded the
jewel and this is its meaning in Exod. 28: 11, 13, 14, 25; 39: 6, 13, 16, 18.
OUTLANDISH. This is used concerning Solomon in Neh. 13: 26 where it means
alien or foreigner, "nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin". These
were foreign women who brought their false religion with them.
PASSENGER. The word is used in the old sense of a passer-by, a traveler and not
one who is carried in a vehicle or ship. Prov. 9: 15 should be rendered `calling to those
who pass by' rather than `to call passengers' and the former reading should obtain in
Ezekiel, chapter 39:
No.14.
pp. 199, 200
PECULIAR. It is a difficulty with some that the word of God should refer to
believers being `peculiar people' (Titus 2: 14; I Pet. 2: 9). Today the word has the
meaning of odd or eccentric, but this was a later development after 1611. At that time it
meant "one's very own" and was used of private property distinguished from what is
owned in common. Israel were a "special people" belonging to the Lord, or treasure
that He valued. The Hebrew segullah is rendered `peculiar treasure' in Exod. 19: 5;
Psa. 135: 4; Eccles. 2: 8. The Body of Christ are `a people of His own' (Titus 2: 14)
which may consist of oddities by nature, but by redeeming grace become `holy,
unblameable and unreproveable in His sight' (Col. 1: 22).
PEELED. This translates a Hebrew verb which means to make smooth or bare, to
scour or polish. In Ezek. 29: 18 we read `every shoulder was peeled' which means
`every shoulder was rubbed bare'. In Isa. 18: 2 Ethiopia is referred to as `a nation
scattered and peeled'. The R.V. renders the phrase `tall and smooth' which means `sleek'
in appearance.