KING JAMES TRANSLATION

For the past several days I have been studying an article from the December 2011 issue of National Geographic. It seemed a strange subject for them, but an interesting one nonetheless. “The King James Bible – Making a Masterpiece.” I have never really known much at all about the 1611 Bible publication other than it has been the English standard for a very long time — over 400.

I was interested in the chart reflecting the various translations that preceded the King James Version. They report of eighteen of them, many, which I recognized, but knew little. I wasn’t so much fascinated by that process as the impact the KJV has had on the English culture.

“The King James translation introduced eighteen classic phrases into the English language” some of which are:

The root of the matter

Stand in awe

As a lamb (led) to the slaughter

A thorn in the flesh

Suffer (the) little children

Get thee behind me (Satan)

A still small voice

How the mighty have fallen

East of Eden

Know for a certainty

Unto the pure all things are pure

Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven

No small stir

Much study is a weariness of the flesh

To everything there is a season

The skin of my teeth

Fell flat on his face

From time to time

Pour out your heart

Put words in his mouth

Set thine house in order

Be horribly afraid

I for one have used every one of them as some time or another. Some I was aware were from Scripture. Others were so common I never gave them a second thought. I grew up on the KJV, as did everyone in my age group. Many, not just churchgoers, knew –parts of the Bible. In my public school classroom was the quote “Spar the rod and spoil the child.” I think it was there as a threat. Many homes had plaques with Biblical phrases. In my friend Saul’s home (Jewish) hung “Train up a child in the way he should go.” My own home displayed “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” We also had the framed print by Warner Sallman of “Christ at the Door.”

I struggle to quote Scripture from a modern translation even though that is what I now read. I just learned far too many verses in the KJV. So many in fact that when I try to quote something in a modern translation I get it all mixed up.

Since 1611, hundred’s of new translations have come and gone. It seems like there is a new one every year or so. With this diversity, none will ever compete with the popularity of the KJV, but all are trying to do the very same thing for which the JKV was translated. They want to put Scripture into the language of the people.

I have never had much patience with those who hold to the belief that the KJV is “THE BIBLE” and nothing else will do. I know Shakespeare is popular in some circles, but it is difficult, if not impossible, to read by the average person. He wrote in the same time period as the JKV was written. They sound the same because it is the same language. Admittedly there is something somewhat romantic about the KJV, if not emotionally connective. But if you did not grow up with it, there are some difficult words. I liked the fact that my KJV version had the punctuation markings for all those extremely difficult to pronounce Biblical names. The pastor I worked with in my first church had a habit of handing me an Old Testament passage to read in the service just as we were about to walk onto the platform. I was thankful for those pronunciation markings. However, the key factor in actually reading these name-riddled passages is not the correct pronunciation as much as reading them with clarity and authority. When one does that people begin to think they are finally learning the correct pronunciation. How would I know? I just spoke with authority.