In the case of such a book as the Bible, however perfect the translation which may at any time be made, the duty of revision is one of recurring obligation. The necessity for it is inevitable, and this from two causes in constant operation. (1) By the imperfection that attaches to all kinds of human labour various departures from the standard form became gradually introduced in the process of reproduction; and (2) by the natural growth of language, and the attendant changes in the meaning of terms, that which at one time was a faithful rendering becomes at another obscure or incorrect. No long time elapsed before blemishes arose in the version of 1611 from the first of these causes, and, to use the language of the translators themselves, their translation needed “to be maturely considered and examined, that being rubbed and polished it might shine as gold more brightly.” The invention of printing, although it has largely diminished the liability to error in the multiplication of copies, has not, as everyone knows who has had occasion to minutely examine printed works, altogether removed them. Various typographical errors soon made their appearance in the printed copies of the Bible, and these became repeated and multiplied in successive editions, until at length no inconsiderable number of variations, sometimes amounting to several thousands, could be traced between different copies. Most of these it is true were unimportant variations, but some of them were of a more serious nature. The following instances will serve to illustrate this. The dates attached are the dates of the editions in which the errors may be found: Exod. xx. 14. “Thou shalt commit adultery,” _for_ “Thou shalt not.” 1631, Lond., 8vo.[63] Numb. xxv. 18. “They vex you with their wives,” _for_ “their wiles.” 1638, Lond., 12mo. Numb. xxvi. 10. “The fire devoured two thousand and fifty men,” _for_ “two hundred and fifty.” 1638, Lond., 12mo. Deut. xxiv. 3. “If the latter husband ate her,” _for_ “hate her.” 1682, Lond. 2 Sam. xxiii. 20. “He slew two lions like men,” _for_ “two lion-like men.” 1638, Lond., 12mo. Job xxix. 3. “By his light I shined through darkness,” _for_ “I walked through.” 1613, Lond. Isaiah xxix. 13. “Their fear toward me is taught by the people of men,” _for_ “by the precept of men.” 1638, Lond., 12mo. Jer. iv. 17. “Because she hath been religious against me,” _for_ “hath been rebellious.” 1637, Edin., 8vo. Jer. xviii. 21. “Deliver up their children to the swine,” _for_ “to the famine.” 1682, Lond. Ezek. xxiii. 7. “With all their idols she delighted herself,” _for_ “she defiled herself.” 1613, Lond. Matt. xxvi. 36. “Then cometh Judas with them unto a place called Gethsemane,” _for_ “Then cometh Jesus.” 1611, Lond. Acts vi. 3. “Look ye out among you seven men of honest report ... whom ye may appoint,” _for_ “whom we may appoint.” 1638, Camb. fo.[64]