A Small Thing

My daughter, Heidi, recently gave me a book entitled, Complete Jewish Bible.  The translator is David H. Stern.

Of course, I have been reading different portions of it.  The other day I came across something that was very, very interesting to me, but it doesn't  mean much to other people.  And you will find out why as you continue reading. 

In Joshua 22:34 there is a reference to the word "witness".  This word in Hebrew is "Ed".  It just so happens that the man who adopted me when I was five years old was "Ed".  I did not know his name was in the Bible until just a few days ago.  "Ed", in Hebrew, means "a witness".

This information is nice to know . . . . but there is more.  Before I was adopted I did not have a middle name.  Edward Smith gave me his name as my middle name when the adoption papers were signed,  "Edward".

So you understand now why Joshua 22:34 has taken on "extra" meaning for me.  And a thank you to David Stern for his translation of this Scripture passage.  Without it I would have never known that my father's name and my middle name were part of the Bible.