PISSING IN THE BIBLE
. . .So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that PISSETH against the wall. --1 Sam. 25:22
No doubt, this sensitive title will offend some. Please forgive us. Still, how do you address something without addressing it? What has prompted such an unusual article? We received a letter from a Bible Corrector, objecting to this word as used in the King James Bible in 1 Sam. 2 Samuel 25:22, 34; 1 Kings 14:l0; 16:11; 21:21; 2 Kings 9:8. He said that he "PREFERRED" the word "urine." This was our response:
Who cares what you PREFER? What if someone "prefers" the word "micturate?" We happen to prefer the word "you" when talking in everyday language, but when it comes to the Bible, we leave its reverent and dignified language alone. We use "tinkle," “peepee, peewee, number one," and "little job" versus "big job" in everyday life, instead of "urinate, "micturate,” and “piss." However, when we are dealing with medical people, we use the term that you "prefer” —"urinate." Of course "urinate" and "micturate" and the other words are vulgar terms, when compared to the dignified Bible word—"PISS," unless you have a higher standard of authority (try the Hebrew on this one).
No doubt, you would prefer "affair to adultery," "mistake to sin," "alcoholic to drunkard,” but who cares? You probably would even find fault with David's identifying "males" by either of the terms, which you prefer, "urinateth against the wall" or "micturateth against the wall," and you would probably want to change such terms to "males" or "men" in the KJB and even the Hebrew. The world has always had things backwards, calling evil good and good evil, and there will always be some Christians, who will follow their lead in these matters. Nevertheless, the world calls windshield wipers PISSERS.
There is a difference between using the word "PISS" legitimately and as the world, Apostate Andrew Sandlin, and Baptist Purgatory Ed Devries use it ("pissing people off"). These are carnal, slang variations. Still, there is also a difference in using the word "hell" legitimately and using the slang expression - "Oh hell!" or "Go to hell!" There is a difference between using the Biblical term "bastard" as an illegitimate and using it to call someone a "bastard," who is not one. Since we do not intend to remove "hell" (the New Scofield bible notwithstanding) nor "bastard" from our Bibles, we also do not intend to remove "piss" just because someone uses the term inappropriately or because you do not PREFER it.
Note: The letter from our Bible Corrector friend also objected to the word "ASS," as used in the King James Bible instead of "DONKEY." I think we understand why.
--by Herb Evans