The preceding Hebrew text I copied from a Hebrew Bible, in my possession, which was published in Poland in the year A. D. 1662; and is the same text that is used by the Jews at this day. I have omitted giving, along with the Hebrew text, the Masoratical points, which is believed were designed about A. D. 475, for the purpose of retaining the pronunciation of the Hebrew language. I have conformed to the method given in Parkhurst's eighth edition of his Hebrew lexicon, in his grammatical exercise on the first Chapter of Genesis; the preceding Hebrew text will be found to agree with Parkhurst's, except in verse 21 he says, it should be this is

an error of the press; but in verse 9, he omits the words "from beneath the heavens ;" and I believe this has been done for the purpose of making it appear more like the gathering together of natural waters into one place. Further on, I shall make observations on the 1st verse, and show how the Prophets and Apostles understood it; in the mean time, I direct attention to Parkhurst's observations on the tenses in his grammatical exercise. Third verse,

Then shall say " Parkhurst says in his exercise, that it is a verb, third person, masculine future; yet his literal translation reads, 'And then said.'— "Then shall be Parkhurst says a verb, third

person, masculine singular future, from the root but he translates, 'And then there was.' In his exercise on the fourth verse, he does not say anything concerning the tense, but the future tense is distinctly stated in the Hebrew.

5th verse, 'Then shall call'

Parkhurst ויקרא

says

a verb, third person, masculine singular future; but he translates, 'And then called.'

6th verse," this verb explained previously, as in verse 3.

a verb, third person, masculine singular future; but

he translates, 'And then made.'

8th verse,

in verse 5.

this verb explained previously, as

9th verse, this verb explained previously, as in verse 3.

10th verse this verb explained previously, as in verse 5.

11th verse this verb explained previously, as in verse 3.

12th verse, 'Then shall produce'

Parkhurst says a verb, third person, feminine singular future;

but he translates, And then brought forth.'

13th verse, 'Then shall be'

previously, as in verse 3.

14th verse,

as in verse 3.

this verb explained

this verb explained previously,

16th verse, w this verb explained previously, as in verse 7.

19th verse, this verb explained previously, as in verse 3.

20th verse, this verb explained previously, as in verse 3.

21st verse," this verb explained further on. 22nd verse, Then shall bless' Parkhurst

says a verb, third person, masculine singular future; but he translates it, 'And then Blessed.'

24th verse, this verb explained previously, as in verse 3.

25th verse, this verb explained as above, in verse 7.

26th verse, this verb explained as above, in verse 3.

27th verse, 28th verse,

ding 22nd verse.

this verb explained farther on.

this verb explained in the prece

29th verse, this verb explained in the preceding 3rd verse.

31st verse,Then shall see Parkhurst does not say what tense this is in; but it is clear that it is the future tense. Parkhurst ends his exercise at the end of the sixth day. Verses 21 and 27,

on this combination Parkhurst makes no observation in his exercise. The literal translation is, 'Then shall create;' take away the van signifying Then, now, or and, and it remains Shall create.' Take away the▾ the sign of the future tense, shall or will, then remains creates.' This word Bara signifies to create, Now this is the first word

to bring forth, to generate. in the first section of the first book of Moses; and as there is no present tense in the Hebrew, there is greater reason to put it in the future tense; because these Heavens and Earth spoken of were not finished till the 7th day; as distinctly stated when speaking of the rest on the 7th day; and because all the creation on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th days, are in the future tense: but it might be observed that Bara ought to be in the past tense, because it is pre

בראשית

ceded by Bereesheth In the beginning;' the exact translation ought to be 'In, or for, beginning;' but Bereesheth in the original Hebrew is not connected with Bara; it has no reference to it; it has only reference to the beginning of the Book; for the first Book of Moses was divided into twelve sections; the first section was called 'In beginning.' The translators of the Septuagint translated the name of the first section of the Hebrew text Bereesheth to Genesis,

and the word Genesis means generation or beginning; and in addition to this, they commence the first Greek section with In the beginning;' a repetition for which there is not any authority in the Hebrew text ; and this translation has been followed by all the European translators. The word 2 Bereesheth, In beginning' has been variously translated. In the Jerusalem Targum it is translated In wisdom.' The Hebrew text shows also that it means excellency : and there is a wisdom and prophetic excellency in the first section, that the generality of mankind are not aware of. How did the Prophets and Apostles understand the 1st verse of Genesis? Isaiah lxv. 17 says, 'I create new heavens and a new earth.' Now this is nearly similar to the literal translation of the 1st verse. Again, Isaiah lxvi. 22 says, 'The new heavens and the new earth which I will make.' 2 Peter iii. 13. According to his promise look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.' This proves that the 1st verse was believed by the Prophets and Apostles, as figurative and prophetic of a future better creation of the human race, dividing

them into two great classes, the Heavenly and the Earthly. I shall quote from Parkhurst's rules of syntax, the reason he gives for altering the tense in the Hebrew, viz.: "When the connective particle and is prefixed to a verb in the future tense, that verb signifies future in respect to the time of (not to the time in) which the historian is writing, or the person speaking, as Gen. i. 1, The Aleim

heavens and the earth.'

Verse 2,

the Aleim said.' Verse 4th, And then saw &c." Gen. 9,. 27, "The Aleim suade Japaet

created the

and then he shall dwell

then Canaan shall be a servant to them."

and then

the Aleim

shall perand

So that

when a number of facts are recorded, or foretold, the 1 with the sign of the future prefixed to a series of verbs, denotes the successive order of the facts." Now I cannot see that there is any just reason, or any reason at all, in the above, for altering the tense of the Hebrew text. The fact is, that the corruptions made of the Hebrew tense, by the translator or translators, or corruptors of the Six days' work, and Seventh day's rest, in the Greek version of the Bible, has misled and deceived many a learned, honest, good man, like John Parkhurst, which has prevented them from perceiving the figurative prophetic character of the Six days' creation, and Seventh day's rest; and led them to believe that it was purely historical of the past creation of the material Heavens and Earth; and which induced them to adopt similar wrong reasons as the above for doing violence to the time or tense given in the uncorrupted text of the Hebrew.

D