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Selected Verse: Matthew 23:24 - Strong Concordance
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
Mt 23:24 |
Strong Concordance |
Ye blind [5185] guides [3595], which strain at [1368] a gnat [2971], and [1161] swallow [2666] a camel [2574]. |
|
King James |
Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat--The proper rendering--as in the older English translations, and perhaps our own as it came from the translators' hands--evidently is, "strain out." It was the custom, says TRENCH, of the stricter Jews to strain their wine, vinegar, and other potables through linen or gauze, lest unawares they should drink down some little unclean insect therein and thus transgress (Lev 11:20, Lev 11:23, Lev 11:41-42) --just as the Buddhists do now in Ceylon and Hindustan--and to this custom of theirs our Lord here refers.
and swallow a camel--the largest animal the Jews knew, as the "gnat" was the smallest; both were by the law unclean. |
Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Which strain at a gnat ... - This is a proverb. There is, however, a mistranslation or misprint here, which makes the verse unmeaning. "To strain" at a "gnat" conveys no sense. It should have been to strain out a gnat; and so it is printed in some of the earlier versions, and so it was undoubtedly rendered by the translators. The common reading is a "misprint," and should be corrected. The Greek means to "strain" out by a cloth or sieve.
A gnat - The gnat has its origin in the water; not in great rivers, but in pools and marshes In the stagnant waters they appear in the form of small "grubs" or "larvae." These larvae retain their form about three weeks, after which they turn to chrysalids, and after three or four days they pass to the form of gnats. They are then distinguished by their well-known sharp sting. It is probable that the Saviour here refers to the insect as it exists in its "grub" or "larva" form, before it appears in the form of a gnat. Water is then its element, and those who were nice in their drink would take pains to strain it out. Hence, the proverb. See Calmet's Dict., art. "Gnat." It is used here to denote a very small matter, as a camel is to denote a large object. "You Jews take great pains to avoid offence in very small matters, superstitiously observing the smallest points of the law, like a man carefully straining out the animalculae from what he drinks, while you are at no pains to avoid great sins - hypocrisy, deceit, oppression, and lust - like a man who should swallow a camel." The Arabians have a similar proverb: "He eats an elephant, and is suffocated with a gnat." He is troubled with little things, but pays no attention to great matters. |
Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Strain at (διυλίξοντες)
διά, thoroughly or through, and ὑλίζω, to filter or strain. Strain at is an old misprint perpetuated. Hence the Rev. correctly, as Tynd., strain out. Insects were ceremonially unclean (Lev 11:20, Lev 11:23, Lev 11:41, Lev 11:42), so that the Jews strained their wine in order not to swallow any unclean animal. Moreover, there were certain insects which bred in wine. Aristotle uses the word gnat (κώνωπα) of a worm or larva found in the sediment of sour wine. "In a ride from Tangier to Tetuan I observed that a Moorish soldier who accompanied me, when he drank, always unfolded the end of his turban and placed it over the mouth of his bota, drinking through the muslin to strain out the gnats, whose larvae swarm in the water of that country" (cited by Trench, "On the Authorized Version").
Swallow (καταπίνοντες)
The rendering is feeble. It is drink down (κατά); gulp. Note that the camel was also unclean (Lev 11:4). |
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
Ye blind guides, who teach others to do as you do yourselves, to strain out a gnat - From the liquor they are going to drink! and swallow a camel - It is strange, that glaring false print, strain at a gnat, which quite alters the sense, should run through all the editions of our English Bibles. |
Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. - This clause should be thus translated: Ye strain out the gnat, but ye swallow down the camel. In the common translation, Ye strain At a gnat, conveys no sense. Indeed, it is likely to have been at first an error of the press, At for Out, which, on examination, I find escaped in the edition of 1611, and has been regularly continued since. There is now before me, "The Newe Testament, (both in Englyshe and in Laten), of Mayster Erasmus translacion, imprynted by Wyllyam Powell, dwellynge in Flete strete: the yere of our Lorde M.CCCCC.XLVII. the fyrste yere of the kynges (Edwd. VI). moste gracious reygne." in which the verse stands thus: "Ye blinde gides, which strayne out a gnat, and swalowe a cammel." It is the same also in Edmund Becke's Bible, printed in London 1549, and in several others. - Clensynge a gnatte. - MS. Eng. Bib. So Wickliff. Similar to this is the following Arabic proverb: He eats an elephant and is choked by a gnat. |
41 And every creeping thing [08318] that creepeth [08317] upon the earth [0776] shall be an abomination [08263]; it shall not be eaten [0398].
42 Whatsoever goeth [01980] upon the belly [01512], and whatsoever goeth [01980] upon all four [0702], or whatsoever hath more [07235] feet [07272] among all creeping things [08318] that creep [08317] upon the earth [0776], them ye shall not eat [0398]; for they are an abomination [08263].
23 But all other flying [05775] creeping things [08318], which have four [0702] feet [07272], shall be an abomination [08263] unto you.
20 All fowls [05775] that creep [08318], going [01980] upon all four [0702], shall be an abomination [08263] unto you.
4 Nevertheless [0389] these shall ye not eat [0398] of them that chew [05927] the cud [01625], or of them that divide [06536] the hoof [06541]: as the camel [01581], because he cheweth [05927] the cud [01625], but divideth [06536] not the hoof [06541]; he is unclean [02931] unto you.
42 Whatsoever goeth [01980] upon the belly [01512], and whatsoever goeth [01980] upon all four [0702], or whatsoever hath more [07235] feet [07272] among all creeping things [08318] that creep [08317] upon the earth [0776], them ye shall not eat [0398]; for they are an abomination [08263].
41 And every creeping thing [08318] that creepeth [08317] upon the earth [0776] shall be an abomination [08263]; it shall not be eaten [0398].
23 But all other flying [05775] creeping things [08318], which have four [0702] feet [07272], shall be an abomination [08263] unto you.
20 All fowls [05775] that creep [08318], going [01980] upon all four [0702], shall be an abomination [08263] unto you.