The Bodleian Library in Oxford has a 4-month exhibition until September 4th in celebration of this fourth centenary, which I visited today. Interactive website for the exhibition: [url]Manifold Greatness[/url]
It brings together for the first time many of the books and hand-written documents of 400 years ago which show how the translation took shape. Absolutely fascinating to me. (Two days ago I attended and posted on FB about Melvyn Braggs lecture in Oxford on the immense importance of this translation of the Bible into English.)
I didn't know that the King James Version (KJV) contained - the Apocrypha! But to evangelical types who believe every word of the Bible to be the literal "word of God", the truth is a cautionary tale. Most of us read the Bible in our own language. Thus we read a translation. The Bodleian exhibition, called "Manifold Greatness", amply demonstrates how translations are a human endeavour. I actually saw today the draft pages in which some words are deleted (literally crossed out), others inserted, and time and time again the wording changed.
Beginning in 1604, and over seven years, six committees of scholars translated and agreed upon the Biblical books apportioned to them: two committees each in Oxford, Cambridge, and Westminster. About 50 scholars took part in all. The method and rules by which they'd work were decided upon at a conference in 1604, and Barlow published a very interesting book we still have which gives us the hour-to-hour and day-by-day decisions they arrived at, his "The Summe and Substance of the Conference".
Each committee, over years, agreed upon their translations by translating from the Greek (NT) and Hebrew (OT), but most importantly using many previous non-authorised translations - several in English, such as Tyndale's, but also continental versions in French, etc, Old English, and of course in Latin. When a translation was virtually complete, one scholar would slowly read the draft, with many others around looking at the original language-version, the Latin, and other language versions. If a fault or significant difference was noted, a halt was called to discuss it.
In effect the KJV was largely, therefore, based upon previous translations into English. Old Testament books in the KJV, for example, were about 85% taken from Tyndale's earlier 1525-6 translation, which had cost him his life. Up to 95% of the New Testament books were from Tyndale.
This is the wonderful, masterful work of many illumined minds. "God" didn't literally write the English Bible! We see in their surviving notebooks and drafts examples of words being deleted, others added, and so on. I read today a note from one scholar to another saying something like, "Let us change the words and their order so as to make the line more poetic; let us not translate word-for-word but beautify this." (my words as to the meaning of what I read)
Misunderstandings have even created new words for the English language! In one printing, regarding the creation of Eve, the words "help" and "meet" were accidentally published with no space between. Thus was born the false word which is now used generally - "helpmeet"! In one KJV printing, the word "not" was unfortunately missed out. Oops! In the ten commandments we read; "Thou shalt commit adultery". 😮 Now, is it just my devilish mind? I can't help but think some devilish printer did that on purpose, seriously...:D It became known as "the Wicked Bible", and almost all copies burned.
In another surviving manuscript, pages are divided into two columns. It's really interesting, as it's the half-way stage of the translation. In the left column is hand-written the wording they'd arrived upon so far. The right column is largely blank, but is there for the scholars to write in suggested changes and alterations. In a few instances the alterations are political, differing from Tyndale for example in order to emphasise the hierarchical nature of the Church, which Tyndale translated to downplay the Church.
[url]Manifold Greatness[/url]
V
Interesting!
There have come to light many oddities that I love to read about in the various printings of the bible.
My favourite is that Robert Barker, the printer of the first KJV and also the 'Wicked Bible' was a contemporary, and probably friend, of William Shakespeare.
In 1611, when the KJV was printed, Shakespeare was 46 years old, so Barker put his own little 'Happy Birthday, Shakespeare!' message in his bible.
In Psalm 46, the 46th word from the beginning is, 'shake', and the 46th word counting backwards from the end is, 'spear'.
A very nice way to acknowledge your friend's 46th birthday, I think!!
Actually it is very easy to do.
For example, Venetian, today is 11 June 2011 which we could shorten to 11/6/11.
Your signature is, 'Love Light and Life.'
So today, 11/6/11, in this post, if you check the 11th and 6th word from the beginning and, although I wouldn't bet my life - the 11th word from the end, you'll find your signature!
The New Testament was published in Welsh in 1567 after Queen Elizabeth approved an Act of Parliament that compelled the Welsh bishops to provide translations into Welsh.
In 1588 a translation of the whole Bible in Welsh was published, 23 years before the King James version. That translation was the standard one up until the late 1980s when a new translation was published.
I think I remember reading somewhere that publication of a Welsh version of the Bible took priority over the English because it would help keep the unruly Welsh loyal to the protestant Crown. This, I think, makes it the first full version of the Bible to have been published in a language other than Latin or Greek.
Hi Derek,
That's interesting and I don't recall knowing of it. They all had a laugh in those days in pretending that the illiterate nobody they had risen into some fame, 'Shaksper', was the play-author. So what they would do is make of his birthday and have fun about that too. 😀
Many people today realise that a total illiterate who had never travelled anywhere didn't write the plays or sonnets, but he acted as front-man to someone at Court. It was common practice then. The first "Shake-Speare" plays did not bear his name when they came out, and neither did the later ones.
Of course it's all open to conjecture. It takes nothing away from the KJV Bible, but in my opinion there's fair evidence that Francis Bacon was involved in the KJV as overseer of it all. Not that many others were certanly involved, however. 🙂
V
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Over the last week I've been looking into this. One surprising conclusion is that Thomas More wasn't above board in this matter, but that we all can make mistakes. Around a century later, Francis Bacon was behind the Agenda of his hidden "Instauration" (coming Golden Age) by which all means possible were to be used by him and his other pens to change English society at that time and for the future.
There's no "scholarly" attribution of Bacon to the King James "authorised" version of the Bible, and that seems clear. And this published book did more than any other book to shape human society as we now know it. However, I also see that Bacon was always there behind the scenes. Knowing his Plan - for all of humankind, but also simply knowing of his spirit - there is simply no way he was not involved.
My conclusion is that it's plain to see that he did not "write" the KJV. But it also seems most clear that he had a hidden overseer role. It was important for the Bible to be published, and in English, and Bacon oversaw that. Though we should never take away from the other 50 scholars who spent seven years of their lives on it as his other pens.
From the [url]Sir Francis Bacon's New Advancement of Learning Bacon is Shakespeare : Discover England's Theatre Genius[/url] website:
The 1611 King James Bible is ornamented with Bacon's symbols and in my own special copy of the record edition, also dated 1611, these symbols are Rosicrucianly marked to call the attention of the initiated to them and to tell them that the 1611 Bible is without possibility of doubt, one of Bacon's books.....When Bacon was born, English as a literary language did not exist, but once he died he had succeeded in making the English language the noblest vehicle of thought ever possessed by mankind. This he accomplished merely by his Bible and his Shakespeare." --Edwin D. Lawrence author of Bacon is Shakespeare and The Shakespeare Myth from a lecture October 9, 1912
...The Bible which all of us read and admire from a literary point of view because of it's peculiar and beautiful English was written in that form by Bacon who invented and perfected that style of English expression. The first editions of this Bible were printed under the same guidance and in the same manner as were the Shakespeare plays, and the ornaments for the various pages were drawn in pen and ink and on wood by artists engaged by Bacon who worked under his supervision. Everyone of the ornaments concealed some Rosicrucian emblem and occasionally a Masonic emblem or some initials that would reveal Bacon's name or the name of the Rosicrucians. Such ornaments were put not only in the Christian Bible that Bacon had rewritten but in the Shakespeare plays, and in some of Bacon's own books, and a few other books that were typically Rosicrucinan in spirit.-- Dr. H Spencer Lewis Imperator of the Rosicrucian Order during the 1920-30's, from the Rosicrucian Digest, April 1930
The first edition of the King James Bible, which was edited by Francis Bacon and prepared under Masonic supervision, bears more Mason's marks than the Cathedral of Strasburg.-Manly P. Hall, from a lecture Rosicrucian and Masonic Origins 1929
Bacon edited the Authorised Version of the Bible printed in 1611. Dr. Lancelot Andrewes, Bishop of Winchester, one of the chief translators, was Bacon's close friend. The MSS are missing. That Bacon revised the manuscripts before publication is certain. Neither Bilston nor Miles, to whom the MSS were entrusted for final revision, could have given the world such a literary masterpiece. We have their writings. They are mediocre, barren of style, lacking the creative touch.- Alfred Dodd, Francis Bacon's Life-Story 1986
I had also heard of the hidden 'shake' and 'spear' in Psalm 46 but this simply took my breath away:
Many people today realise that a total illiterate who had never travelled anywhere didn't write the plays or sonnets, but he acted as front-man to someone at Court. It was common practice then. The first "Shake-Speare" plays did not bear his name when they came out, and neither did the later ones.
I know of your theory, V, that Shakespeare didn't write the works for which he is world famous but I really don't think you can extrapolate the man's illiteracy from your own and other's theories. He did, did he not, attend the King Edward VI Grammar School? How do you make out that he was illiterate? You write as though you - and only you - know the gospel truth of the matter. How about an IMHO from time to time? And anyway, as has been said before in another thread, what on earth does it matter who wrote Shakespeare? (I was about to apologise for going off topic when I realised that it's your thread anyway so I guess I don't have to.)
Read again.
V
No, never mind. It really doesn't matter.
Thanks V,
What an interesting thread! The KJV has had a profound impact on the English language. If I can make it, I'd love to come up to the exhibition.
The Shakespeare mentions were a bit of a distraction on this thread, but it was certainly a feat that King James accomplished, getting all the sides together (and not paying them for months of work!!) - it helped his reputation and immortality! He wasn't a great king, but will always be remembered for the Bible that bears his name and for having got the committee together to produce it - even if his motives weren't of the highest!
love and peace,
Judy
Just remembered something and thought some here might be interested. At the Mary Baker Eddy Library in Boston USA, they have an exhibit of one of her collection of ancient Bibles - this was an original KJV and there's a photo of it. What is quite interesting is that they are inviting to people to copy the Bible (I assume a modern KJV) word for word, so they will get some idea of how laborious a task it is and also how easy it is to make mistakes!
[DLMURL] http://www.marybakereddylibrary.org/exhibits/KJV [/DLMURL]
The fact that the supposedly inspired Word of God can be manipulated by the printer to include a birthday honour for a old mate, is far from distracting, I think, especially when one considers that this version was produced to keep the Puritans happy and remove the perceived errors they found in earlier translations!
Hi Derek,
I just meant that your amusing little aside and then V's Shakespeare bits felt a bit off-topic! But then, as I take the "inspired" Word of the Bible for my inspiration, my guide for life, that's just fine. It's the universal truth BEHIND the words, not the words themselves that are important.
Just ought to explain that as far as I see it, the Bible is on three levels, the historical, the moral and the spiritual. it's the spiritual that I am interested it - and no, I don't think that all of it is inspired - much is the opinions or traditions or ancient beliefs of men.
Love and peace
Judy
There was an excellent article recently in the Melbourne (Australia) newspaper The Age about the 400th anniversary of the KJV. It's well worth reading the whole thing, so I'll put in the link here: [url]The book that changed the world[/url]
Interestingly, the article quotes possibly the world's most celebrated atheists, Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens, both of whom - despite their well-known attitudes towards religion - can't help praising the KJV for its literary majesty and its huge influence on our language and culture!
Here's an excerpt from the article that touches on some of that influence - and, incidentally, clears up something about that Shakespeare theory:
The work came together magnificently, unlike the monarch's agendas (the Puritans didn't learn to love the Anglicans, nor the Scots the English, and vice versa). The translators were elevated by living in the great era of lyric poetry, the time of Shakespeare, Spenser, Herbert, Johnson and Donne. That might help answer the question Adam Nicolson set out to answer in his book about the King James Bible, Power and Glory: "How did this group of near-anonymous divines, muddled, drunk, self-serving, ruthless and obsequious, manage to bring off this astonishing translation, which has never been bettered?"
Reading the King James aloud reminds us that language is like music - that pitch, rhythm, metre, cadence, symmetry and variation all play a vital role.
No work, not even Shakespeare's, has so influenced the language. David Crystal, a leading scholar of English, tested that in a book published this year - Begat: The King James Bible and the English Language - in which he suggested the measure of real influence, notoriously difficult to identify, is when a term or phrase is taken from its original context but enters the vernacular.
Even those who have never read the Bible might be surprised at how much of it they know. Every time they "know for certain" or go "from strength to strength", every time they find themselves at "at their wits' end" or "in deep waters", should they "eat, drink and be merry", or indulge in "riotous living", if they "suffer fools gladly" or "a broken heart", they are quoting the King James Bible.
Then there's "labour of love", "flesh and blood", "letter of the law", "strait and narrow", "feet of clay", and many, many more. Crystal identified 257 expressions directly attributable to this particular translation. That might not seem much but it is nearly three times the total of the next most influential, Shakespeare.
Speaking of Shakespeare, an intriguing theory sprang up that the translators paid tribute to him or, in its more extreme form, that Shakespeare wrote the King James Bible. In 1610, as the translators finished their work, the bard turned 46. In Psalm 46, the 46th word is "shake" and the 46th-last word is "spear". The theory foundered when it was pointed out that the same words came in the same place in the Matthew Bible, written 37 years before Shakespeare was born.
Now I'd better get back to my own Bible study, as I need to choose a scriptural selection for a service I'm helping out with tomorrow!
All love, Charis
The theory foundered when it was pointed out that the same words came in the same place in the Matthew Bible, written 37 years before Shakespeare was born.
Thanks for clearing that up Charis - just shows how easy it is for people to start conspiracy theories too! :rolleyes:
Interesting article!
Love and peace,
Judy
It's been quite a year with so many celebrations all over the country. I wonder whether there have been any KJV Bible celebrations in the US or anywhere else?
This Melvyn Bragg lecture at Hampton Court is really worth listening to: \[url]King James Bible 400th Anniversary : 1611 - 2011 : King James Bible Trust[/url]
Last Wed there was a thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey to mark the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible, that the Queen attended. Here is the text of a thoughtful sermon given by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. [url]Celebrating the 1611 King James Bible | Rowan Williams | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk[/url]
The 1611 translation never seeks to make it easy, which is what gives this 400-year-old version its abiding importance
During the summer, I attended a fantastic one day conference on the KJV Bible. It was a debate really, with people giving the pros and cons - I think the pros won. At some stage they will publish a report of it, but it's not up yet. The only sad thing (to me) was that they steered clear of the spiritual import of the Bible (I mean, what has that to do with it - sorry being sarcastic) and simply talked about beauty, poetry versus easy-to understand language, the impact on literature, on the English language, on law, order, education etc as if we were simply talking about a book of literature, rather than a sacred text.
Actually, it was quite funny - we had about 8 speakers - talking from a variety of backgrounds, about the KJV. The only person I found really inspiring and who seemed to have grasped the spiritual importance of that Bible was born to atheists who were members of the Communist party! :confused: I went up to her to thank her for her contribution and to tell her that I found hers the only really uplifting talk of the day, which seemed all the more surprising considering her childhood. She asked me what my religious background was and I told her that I am a student of Christian Science and her face lit up and she said, "My grandmother was a Christian Scientist" and then I understood.......
Love and peace,
Judy