OWL HUSBANDS, REBECCA'S CAMELS, THE 7TH COMMANDMENT

 The title of this post has to do with errata that crop up in some editions of sacred texts, the Holy Books of Judaism and Christianity in particular. Wherever there have been printing presses, or keyboards in more recent times, you can be certain that the Typo Fairies and the literal printers' devil (as in, a small imp from Hell that causes typos and errata) Titivillus will seize that chance to make some mischief. Here are four major examples that have caught my attention:

OWL HUSBANDS?

Apparently zoophilia was condemned in the Old Testament but not in the New? 1 Peter 3:5, from a 1944 edition (WW2-era, printing presses were then still in use):

"For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their owl husbands."

Actually it's supposed to be "their OWN husbands." The error was caused by a damaged letter lower-case n in the printing press.

REBECCA'S CAMELS (OR ARE THEY DAMSELS?)

Genesis, 24:61, an 1823 edition (in between the Regency and Victorian era). Picture the scene: Eliezer, a manservant to Abraham and Sarah, comes to town looking for a bride for their son Isaac. He finds Rebecca, daughter of a local wealthy household, who, after quenching their thirst from their long journey, agrees to become Isaac's bride, scouted by the servant Eliezer for her kindness to him and his entourage. As the heiress she is, Rebecca travels from her hometown to her fiancé's nomadic campsite lock, stock, and barrel, with all her camels and damsels (handmaids). How does this nineteenth-century edition tell it?

"And Rebecca arose, and her camels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man (ie Eliezer): and the servant took Rebecca and went his way."

What a balancing act! It should have been "And Rebecca arose, and her DAMSELS, and they rode upon the camels..." But it could have been worse. It could have been the second "camels" that was replaced with "damsels" instead, yielding: "And Rebecca arose, and her damsels, and THEY RODE UPON THE DAMSELS," leaving readers to ponder if those poor damsels broke their spines or even straight out died at the end of the day.

SUBVERTING THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT

In 1631 King James editions known as Wicked Bibles, a crucial little word, ie NOT, is missing from the Seventh Commandment (Exodus 20:14), so that it appears as:

"Thou shalt commit adultery."

In other words: Cheating on your marital partner is encouraged by the Word and Law of the LORD.

The publishers/printers of the Wicked Bible lost their book-printing license to the British Crown for a lifetime due to this little critical blunder and the one below:

THE LORD HIMSELF... MOONING?

Speaking of the Creator, those same Wicked Bibles appear to have been messed up by Typo Fairies at a spot in Deuteronomy 5:24 where He shows up in His greatness, let the word "greatness" sink in, and replaced "greatness" with something far more ludicrous:

"the LORD our God hath shewed us His glory and His great-asse."

The thought of the LORD mooning at the Israelites, His Chosen Ones, is hilarious.