of Revelation 7:9 (AV) is an earthly class of men and women who will live forever on earth in God’s new world. For getting the message to these thirsting ones the Society adopted use of portable phonographs beginning in 1937. These were made here at the factory. People still talk about them.

World War II did not stop the witness work, although it was under fire in many lands. While the war was still in progress the Society opened Gilead School upstate in New York. This brought many new faces to Bethel, going and coming from the school. In 1950 another new factory and Bethel addition were dedicated. Thousands of delegates came to visit us that year while attending the first Yankee Stadium convention.

Of course, the months just preceding big conventions are very busy at headquarters and filled with anticipation. Preparation of future convention releases is one of the many Bethel privileges, but confidence is kept among the respective departments so that only the ones directly involved are aware of what is being produced. It is not unusual for convention releases to take members of the Bethel family by complete surprise, so well does each one “study to be quiet and mind his own business.”

In 1956 we welcomed completion of the new thirteen-story building for printing The Watchtower and Awake! From my sunny room on Columbia Heights one could see that new structure until just recently. Now across the street from 124 Columbia Heights stands the Society’s beautiful twelve-story dormitory, school and office building with its lovely green courtyard. Through that yard come members of the family and Gilead students hurrying to and from their assignments and studies. Now that Gilead has moved to Brooklyn and members of the family accompany them on tours of the city further joys and privileges come to us here at headquarters. Right now our household numbers over seven hundred.

Being at Bethel is its own reward in so many ways. None of my assignments have been particularly out of the ordinary. But it certainly has been a thrill to be among dedicated Christians for forty-seven years and have a share in the work. Like David, I would rather be a doorkeeper in Jehovah’s house than to dwell in the tents of the wicked and support this dying system of things. Bethel is a “house of God.” There is no question in my mind about that. Now I am in my eighty-seventh year. Younger hands are taking up the work here, but I thank Jehovah to be united with them in the joyful work of serving the Universal Sovereign and looking ahead to eternal happiness in God’s new world.

Questions From Readers

● Why does the New World Translation at Judges 16:28, different from other translations, read: “Lord Jehovah, remember me, please, and strengthen me, please, just this once, O God, and let me avenge myself upon the Philistines with vengeance for one of my two eyes.”—E. B., United States.

The footnote of the New World Translation shows that the Septuagint and Vulgate versions read differently, as though Samson prayed for one avenging for his two eyes. This is the thought expressed in Roman Catholic and the King James versions. However, the translation “let me avenge myself upon the Philistines with vengeance for one of my two eyes” is the literal rendering of the original Hebrew and is the rendering adopted by such modern versions as the Revised Standard and Moffatt’s. Even the American Standard has this rendering in a footnote. And says the footnote of Rotherham’s Emphasised Bible: “P.B. [Polychrome Bible] (Moore): “avenge myself . . . for one of my two eyes.”

Samson’s thought is that even the damage he could cause to the Philistines by pulling down the temple of Dagon upon the heads of Dagon’s worshipers would not fully compensate for the loss of both of his eyes, but for only one of them, relatively speaking As the footnote on this verse in the Soncino books of the Bible says: “The text is capable of more effective rendering: ‘the vengeance of one of my two eyes.’ He feels that the vengeance which he contemplates taking will be only partial, but is all he can accomplish in the circumstances.”

● Genesis 19:8 tells that Lot’s daughters had not had intercourse with any man, yet Genesis 19:14 speaks of Lot’s sons-in-law, hence the husbands of his daughters. I am sure there must be a reasonable explanation. Could you harmonize these verses in your Questions from Readers?—C. M., United States.

Genesis 19:8 quotes Lot as saying: “I have two daughters who have never had intercourse with a man.” Genesis 19:14 tells: “Hence Lot went on out and began to speak to his sons-in-law who had taken his daughters . . . But in the eyes of his sons-in-law he seemed like a man who was joking.” Apparently the two men spoken of as Lot’s sons-in-law were only his prospective sons-in-law, and therefore only betrothed but not married to Lot’s daughters. This is in harmony with the fact that Lot’s daughters were still in their father’s house. Had they actually been married they doubtless would have been living in the houses of their husbands, for in ancient times the bridegroom took his bride from her father’s house to his own.

In line with the foregoing is the explanation appearing in the footnote of the New World Translation at Genesis 19:14. It shows that the reference to Lot’s sons-in-law “who had taken” his daughters could also be rendered “who were intending to take” them, because the Hebrew verb here is in the participial or verbal adjective form. This would underscore the fact that these two men were prospectively, not actually, sons-in-law, engaged to Lot’s daughters but not as yet married to them.

Announcements

FIELD MINISTRY

Watchfulness is necessary to direct our lives in such a way that we will engage in right works. Watchfulness will aid all servants of Jehovah God to find and make time in June to present the splendid Bible-study aid From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained with a booklet, on a 75c contribution.

FOR CONVENIENT BIBLE STUDY

The American Standard Version of the Bible is available in a convenient, pocket-size edition specially prepared for carrying and reading. The familiar text is complete with a concordance of 3,000 listings of important words and expressions. Size of the Bible is only 4 1⁄4” x 6 1⁄4” x 1”. Send at once for your copy for only $1.50.

“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES FOR THE WEEKS

July 23: Manifesting Christian Manners. Page 361.

July 30: Progressing Toward Maturity. Page 368.