Lockman to Drop "Palestine" from Its New American Standard Bible

[Jerome]

It will instead read Canaan now.

christianpost.com/voice/why-would-a-bible-translation-use-the-word-palestine.html

"The NASB is one of the most widely used modern translations of the Bible....Why would this fine translation introduce the word 'Palestine' in its section headings?"

"when it comes to Bible history, especially Old Testament history, there is no such entity known as 'Palestine,' and there is absolutely no justification for its presence in the section headings of the NASB (or, any other Bible for that matter) when talking about biblical events."

Update
"the 2019 revision of the NASB" will "replace 'Palestine' with 'Canaan'"

 

[Deacon]

The article mentions two cases where it was used,

Joshua 10:29 and Joshua 11:1​

It's seen in both the NASB (1977) and NASB95 editions

Joshua’s Conquest of Southern Palestine
29 Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Makkedah to Libnah, and fought against Libnah.


Northern Palestine Taken
1 Then it came about, when Jabin king of Hazor heard of it, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon and to the king of Shimron and to the king of Achshaph,

More importantly it's nice to know that the update will occur in 2019

Rob

 

[Covenanter]

I can't see any objection to dropping "Palestine" from Bible translation, BUT I hope it doesn't indicate a hostile attitude to living, persecuted Palestinians.

 

[Jerome]

kaplanherald.com/2018/01/24/well-liked-bible-translation-drops-controversial-phrase/

Pike Lambeth, executive vice president of the foundation....“We were made aware of the issue over the years"

why was the mistake made in the first place?
Lambeth isn’t sure.

“We don’t have records from the 1977 translation team regarding this specific matter...likely...they didn’t expect that it would be an issue.” In the early and mid-1970s, however, Yasser Arafat began popularizing the notion that “Palestinians”...were displaced by what he dubbed “foreign invaders.”

 

[rlvaughn]

I guess I fall into the “big deal?-who cares?” crowd. (Although I’m grateful that the Perrys didn’t sing “Living in Palestine Now”! ) The Kaplan contributor writes, “…there was no land known as Palestine for 1,500 years after Joshua’s time” and Michael Brown writes, “…that ‘Palestine’ did not exist at that time.” But aren’t they talking about Palestine as we know it as a country today and not the long-time historic use of the word in English to refer to the land of the Philistines?

I don’t know exactly when the word entered the English language, but it was around by the time Wycliffe translated the Bible in 1382. The Jewish Virtual Library says, “A derivative of the name Palestine first appears in Greek literature in the 5th Century BCE when the historian Herodotus called the area Palaistinē (Greek - Παλαιστινη)” and English dictionaries give its etymology sometimes like this: “From Greek Palaistinē (used in early Christian writing), from Latin (Syria) Palaestina (the name of a Roman province), from Philistia ‘land of the Philistines’.”

According to the modernized printing of Wycliffe’s Bible available at Bible Gateway, Palestine is used 15 times in his Old Testament.

• Genesis (5)
• Exodus (1)
• Jeremiah (2)
• Ezekiel (4)
• Joel (1)
• Amos (2)

The earliest use I found was in Genesis 21:32 – “the land of Palestines.” This is translated “the land of the Philistines” in most every other English Bible. So, to me, it seems that saying “…there was no land known as Palestine for 1,500 years after Joshua’s time” is the same as saying “…there was no land of the Philistines for 1,500 years after Joshua’s time.” And yet the NASB itself says there was a land of Philistia even in the book of Genesis. So are they contradicting themselves?

Nevertheless, with Covenanter, I don’t have any objection to dropping “Palestine” from this Bible.

 

[agedman]

Modern folks (well my age) are familiar with the term Palestine.

It was a better term then Canaan because of the typical person understanding modern geographical areas.

For centuries the area was called Palestine.

I am not certain this is a good decision.

Does the typical under educated bible reader know, without dragging out a map, what is meant by the location Canaan?

Do bibles still have that neat map section in the back?

I looked on the back of my IPad and it wasn’t there.

 

[Ziggy]

Even the KJV has "Palestina" (Ex 15:14; Isa 14:29, 31) and "Palestine" (Joel 3:4).
So why are there objections to the NASV headings?

 

[John of Japan]

I can't see any objection to dropping "Palestine" from Bible translation, BUT I hope it doesn't indicate a hostile attitude to living, persecuted Palestinians.

Those "persecuted Palestinians" shoot rockets every day into Israeli villages where Israeli children are vastly traumatized. A friend of mine with a ministry to those villages tells about how there are Israeli children in border villages who tremble in fear all day long.

Those "persecuted Palestinians" also make up the majority of the population in Jordan, and have a sizable population in various other Arab countries, because their language, culture and DNA are all Arab.

 

[agedman]

Those "persecuted Palestinians" shoot rockets every day into Israeli villages where Israeli children are vastly traumatized. A friend of mine with a ministry to those villages tells about how there are Israeli children in border villages who tremble in fear all day long.

Those "persecuted Palestinians" also make up the majority of the population in Jordan, and have a sizable population in various other Arab countries, because their language, culture and DNA are all Arab.

John, does your friend in the ministry to those villages also work with Palestinian believers?

Some years ago I read about the believers (both Jew and Palestinian) seeming to be caught between the viciousness.

 

[John of Japan]

John, does your friend in the ministry to those villages also work with Palestinian believers?

Some years ago I read about the believers (both Jew and Palestinian) seeming to be caught between the viciousness.

His ministry is to feed poor Israeli children, of which there are many, and thus gain an audience for the Gospel. The Israeli government is so involved with military issues, etc., that there is quite a large percentage of Israelis, especially immigrant Jews, who are below the poverty line. Some of those children are literally starving, so his burden is for them, not the Palestinian believers, who I am sure could also use the help.

 

[agedman]

His ministry is to feed poor Israeli children, of which there are many, and thus gain an audience for the Gospel. The Israeli government is so involved with military issues, etc., that there is quite a large percentage of Israelis, especially immigrant Jews, who are below the poverty line. Some of those children are literally starving, so his burden is for them, not the Palestinian believers, who I am sure could also use the help.

My daughter (a nurse) spent time over there giving aid and comfort primarily to the Jews.

I am not critical of any who desire to assist, but was wondering if the modern church should example that of the early and send support to those the believers in Israel no matter the nationality?

 

[John of Japan]

My daughter (a nurse) spent time over there giving aid and comfort primarily to the Jews.

I am not critical of any who desire to assist, but was wondering if the modern church should example that of the early and send support to those the believers in Israel no matter the nationality?

I don't disagree, but I think it would be difficult ministering to both Palestinians and Israeli's at the same time--like trying to work with Indians and Pakistanis at the same time. There is no love lost between the two groups, but animosity is there even among Christians in the two groups.

 

[Reynolds]

It will instead read Canaan now.

christianpost.com/voice/why-would-a-bible-translation-use-the-word-palestine.html

"The NASB is one of the most widely used modern translations of the Bible....Why would this fine translation introduce the word 'Palestine' in its section headings?"

"when it comes to Bible history, especially Old Testament history, there is no such entity known as 'Palestine,' and there is absolutely no justification for its presence in the section headings of the NASB (or, any other Bible for that matter) when talking about biblical events."

Update
"the 2019 revision of the NASB" will "replace 'Palestine' with 'Canaan'"

About time.

 

[Reynolds]

Those "persecuted Palestinians" shoot rockets every day into Israeli villages where Israeli children are vastly traumatized. A friend of mine with a ministry to those villages tells about how there are Israeli children in border villages who tremble in fear all day long.

Those "persecuted Palestinians" also make up the majority of the population in Jordan, and have a sizable population in various other Arab countries, because their language, culture and DNA are all Arab.

Yep, I wish Israel would shoot some rockets back at them. Big, Big, Big rockets with Big, Big, Big, warheads. Just my 1 and 1/2 cents.

 

[Revmitchell]

BUT I hope it doesn't indicate a hostile attitude to living, persecuted Palestinians.

UH there aren't any

 

[John of Japan]

Yep, I wish Israel would shoot some rockets back at them. Big, Big, Big rockets with Big, Big, Big, warheads. Just my 1 and 1/2 cents.

It could happen....

 

[Covenanter]

Yep, I wish Israel would shoot some rockets back at them. Big, Big, Big rockets with Big, Big, Big, warheads. Just my 1 and 1/2 cents.

Well spoken as an ambassador of the Prince of Peace.
Evil.

 

[Jerome]

Evil.

He was replying to the post about 'Palestinians' continuously shooting rockets into Israeli villages.

Not a peep about that being evil; it's an Israeli response that prompts one to start in with vilification. Very telling.

 

[Yeshua1]

I can't see any objection to dropping "Palestine" from Bible translation, BUT I hope it doesn't indicate a hostile attitude to living, persecuted Palestinians.

Persecuted by whom?

 

[Covenanter]

Yep, I wish Israel would shoot some rockets back at them. Big, Big, Big rockets with Big, Big, Big, warheads. Just my 1 and 1/2 cents.

It could happen....

Persecuted by whom?

Israeli settlers and military, demolishing Bedouin villages, diverting water supplies, dividing farmers from their land by the separation wall, burning olive trees, etc.
Gaza children suffering deprivation because of the Israeli siege. Settlers are free to throw stones at children on their way to school, while Palestinian children suffer night arrests, military interrogation without parents or legal representation, and long prison sentences.
Arbitrary administrative detention without charges or trial.

Get your information from Christian and various aid sources, even Israeli news sources like Haaretz, and peace organizations like Jews for Justice in Palestine.

And don't forget the murderous deliberate Israeli attack on US reconnaissance ship Liberty in 1967. Officially covered up by orders of the U.S.president. And survivors warned against telling what really happened.