【正文】 then drowned the pursuing Egyptians. God made a covenant with the Israelites at Mount Sinai and delivered the Ten Commandments to Moses, who continued to lead his people through 40 years of wandering in the wilderness until they reached the edge of Canaan. He died before he could enter the Promised Land. Authorship of the first five books of the Bible is traditionally ascribed to him. actual meaning of the idiom in western countriesNowadays “Moses’ staff” means the tool which can bring or make magic and “the Promised Land” means paradise or the field full of hope. Noah’s ark The background of the idiomNoah’s ark is a most of mon people can not understand and read it. They depend on the Roman Catholic’s missionary who tells the meaning of the Bible. The representative of Reformation Matin Luter thinks that everyone can hear God’s voice directly, not just depend on Roman Catholic ( 趙林，2005：334 ). Due to the influence of the Reformation, Europeans begin to translate the Bible into their own language. The Authorized Version was published in 1611 and had a deep influence when it appeared. In 1604, King James I held the Hanpton meeting. He decided to edit Bible which would be accepted by all kinds of denomination in English. It was made up by 54 scholars who were elegants and chief bishops for seven years, and was so called Unequalled Masterpiece. Its appearance not only establishes the standard of unified English, but also enlarges its field of usage, which makes English not academic and literary, but known by everyone. The success of Authorized Version establishes the foundation of modern English. Besides, another religious work needed to be mentioned is The Book of Common Prayer and Application of the Sacraments, which is as famous as Authorized Version and affects both the educated and the uneducated. In 1712, when Swift reviewed these two books, he said, “they became the standard of our language, especially to the mon people” (費(fèi)爾南德，1990：12). That is to say, the Reformation and the English translation of the Bible promote the early development and the final formation of Modern English effectively.3. Some stories in the Bible Since the Bible is read by many different people for more than a thousand years, the original meanings of some words or phrases have been used to express other meanings in modern English. Five examples will be given to study it.’s hair The background of the idiomIn ancient Israel, Absalom was the third and most beloved son of David. Having beautiful thick hair, Absalom used to cut his hair once a year. An attractive but lawless man, he killed his halfbrother Amnon as revenge for the latter’s rape of Tamar, Absalom’s sister, and was banished from the kingdom for a time. He later raised a rebellion against his father, capturing Jerusalem but meeting defeat in the forest of Ephraim, where he was killed by his cousin Joab, who found him caught by the hair in an oak tree. Despite Absalom’s treachery, David greatly lamented his death. actual meaning of the idiom in western countriesNowadays “Absalom’s hair” means something that may incur misfortune from its beautiful appearance or excellence. Cain’s mark The background of the idiomIn the Old Testament, Cain and Abel were sons of Adam and Eve. According to Genesis, Cain, the firstborn, was a farmer, and his brother Abel was a shepherd. Cain was enraged when God preferred his brother’s sacrifice of sheep to his own offering of grain. One day Cain asked Abel to go into the field and made an attack on his brother Abel and put him to death. When God asked where Abel was, Cain pretended ignorance, saying, “I have no idea. Am I my brother’s keeper?” God punished Cain by sending him into exile but marked him with a sign as a warning to others, promising that he would be avenged if he were killed. Then Cain went away from before the face of the God, and made his livingplace in the land of Nod on the east of Eden. The actual meaning of the idiom in western countriesNowadays “Cain’s mark” means the mark of a murderer or the dirty brand which can never be obliterated. “Cain” is also the synonym of murder. Judas’ kiss The background of the idiomWhen the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover, the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill Jesus。. 史耕山, 解讀《圣經(jīng)》中的人物與英語典故，, 2008417. 16