Language

The KJV is written in modern English. Modern English is generally understood to run from the late 1400s/early 1500s to the present day, and the KJV was published in 1611.

(Reference: Nevalainen, Terttu (2006). An Introduction to Early Modern English. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press)

Style

The style of the KJV was chosen to foster clarity, accuracy and careful understanding. It uses a formal sentence structure – rather than a conversational tone – which promotes precision.

The translation style of the KJV is formal equivalence. This means it prioritises fidelity to the original form of the text. This is in contrast to a dynamic equivalence approach, which prioritises conveying the thought or meaning of a text and regards the actual words of the original text as of secondary importance.

Italicised words

The KJV includes words printed in an italicised typeface. These are words added by the translators so that English sentences could be formed - Biblical Hebrew and Greek sometimes omitted words that English must include for a sentence to make sense. The rule used by the translators was as follows:

“Words that it was anywhere necessary to insert into the text to complete the meaning were to be distinguished by another type, small roman…”

(Reference: The Use of Italics in the King James Bible – King James Bible Research Council; The Use of Italics in the King James Bible – King James Bible Research Council)

For example:

Genesis 1:2 (KJV) And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Without the word was the sentence would not make grammatical sense.

Vocabulary

The vocabulary used in the KJV can be found in dictionaries today. While some of the words may be marked in their listing as archaic, obsolete or historical, the meaning of the word is still available.

Internal mechanisms assist understanding

Several internal mechanisms within the KJV aid the understanding of meaning by allowing scripture to interpret scripture.

1. First mentions

The first time a word appears in the KJV, the surrounding context often gives the word its foundational meaning for the rest of scripture. For example, the word “worship” is first mentioned in Genesis:

Genesis 22:5 (KJV) And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

From the placement of this word within the narrative concerning Abraham and Isaac we see that the scriptural concept of ‘worship’ is not singing, emotion or ceremony but sacrifice, obedience and faith.

2. Parallel phrases

Two clauses using different words frequently describe the same thing. This creates a built-in glossary. For example:

Judges 5:3 (KJV) Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.

The phrase ‘give ear’ is understood to mean ‘hear’.

3. Consistency of translation

The KJV translators aimed to translate each Hebrew or Greek word with the same English word wherever this was possible i.e. without compromising the meaning.

(Reference: Reasons Inducing Us Not To Stand Curiously upon an Identity of Phrasing The Translators to the Reader)

This consistency of translation allows the meaning of a word to be understood by comparing passages, and allows the development of the meaning to be traced as scripture progresses.

For example, the word ‘altar’:

1. Noah

Example verse:

Genesis 8:20 (KJV) And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

Altar = Sacrifice, thanksgiving

2. Patriarchs

Example verse:

Genesis 12:7 (KJV) And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.

Altar (further understanding) = Worship, covenant, identity

3. Moses

Example verse:

Exodus 27:1 (KJV) And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits.

Altar (further understanding) = Atonement, intercession, holiness

4. Prophets

Example verses:

Psalm 118:27 (KJV) God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.

Hosea 10:1-2 (KJV) Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images. Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.

Altar (further understanding) = True worship versus false worship

5. New Testament

Example verse:

Hebrews 13:10 (KJV) We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

Altar (further understanding) = Christ’s sacrifice, spiritual worship

This policy of consistency of translation on the part of the KJV translators is not followed in modern translations, and it is the basis of the mechanism of ‘first mention’ described above.

Why this matters for the work of the ministry

All this matters for the work of the ministry because God values zeal for his sake:

Numbers 25:11 (KJV) Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.

For us to please him in this requires him to have made the knowledge of his will (of what constitutes “his sake”) available to us from a trustworthy source.

Galatians 4:18a (KJV) But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing,

Further reading

For more information about the KJV and why it may be trusted, visit: https://AV1611.COM