Westminster Reference Bible
By J.P. Thackway
An extended review and appreciation
Published by Trinitarian Bible Society (www.tbsbibles.org). Fuller details below.
Hard on the heels of the four hundredth anniversary of the Authorised Version last year comes a splendid new edition published by the Trinitarian Bible Society. The Westminster Reference Bible contains a number of features, many of which will not be found in any other edition of the AV. In this review, I would like to highlight some of these features and warmly commend this Bible to our readers.
First, the physical side of the book. Measuring 215mm x 153mm (8.5ins x 6ins) and 33mm (1.3ins) thick, its print size is a comfortable 9.6 point. It is available in hard cover with a choice of black with gold lettering, or a blue and yellow/green design. The leather edition is black premium calfskin.
Other features make this a unique edition of God’s word. Opening the first pages we are met with three extra flyleaves, which contain verses from the Bible set out attractively:
Open thou mine eyes,
that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.
Psalm 119:18
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul:
the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart:
the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever:
the judgments of the LORD are true
and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold:
sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
Psalm 19:7-11
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 3:16
What an excellent idea! These act like three gates through which we pass, and heeding these divine words, our hearts are prepared for the whole field of revelation before us.
The next page is another quality cartridge-like paper that is a presentation page. Making a gift of this Bible means the recipient’s name can be put here, together with the giver’s name, and the date.
Then follows one of the unique features. After the customary Dedication to King James by the translators (which is found in most AVs) comes in addition The Translators to the Reader. This is the much longer Preface written by Miles Smith of Oxford, later bishop of Gloucester, concerning which the AV expert, Adam Nicholson, wrote:
Was anything ever written about a sacred text that was so fresh, so full of delight in what these words might bring you? For all the lugubrious seriousness and monomaniac anger and violence that can hang around seventeenth-century religion, Bishop Smith, here writing at the very end of the long translation process in which he was engaged throughout, remains buoyant with enthusiasm and with a quality that can only be called grace (The Power and the Glory, page 219).
This marvellous essay sets out the rationale of Smith and his fellow-scholars as they translated the AV from the original languages. It is well worth reading, for it helps us appreciate the motives and methods of these great men who laboured in their committees to give us this monarch of English translations. Both the Dedication and this mighty Preface stand in stark contrast to the preambles to modern Bible translations, with their thin and man-centred words.
By the time we come to page xxiii, we have five pages of helps that enable us to use the AV in general, and the Westminster edition in particular. One of these is a table explaining simply the biblical pronouns “thou” and “ye.” Included is the reminder that the Psalm headings are part of the inspired text and where one occurs it should always be read as part of the Psalm.
The reader will immediately notice the unusual page layout of this Bible. Instead of the usual centre margin there are two margins, one on either side of the page. This is to accommodate the cross- references and other helps. The number of cross-references adds up to more than two hundred thousand – vastly more than in standard AVs. This is because they are taken from The Self- interpreting Bible by John Brown of Haddington (1722–1787), who compiled these references to enable the reader to make a larger and deeper study than would normally be possible. Following up these is a very spiritual and profitable exercise.
Chapter summaries go across the top of half the page. This is because they are fuller, taken from a standard edition of the AV printed in 1773 by Eyre and Strahan in London. They really do give a clearer picture of the contents of each chapter. Just one example, at the head of 2 Kings 10. The standard summary (quite full here) is:
1 Jehu causeth seventy of Ahab’s children to be beheaded. 12 He slayeth two and forty of Ahaziah’s brethren. 18 By subtilty he destroyeth all the worshippers of Baal, 29 yet followeth Jeroboam’s sins. 32 Hazael oppresseth Israel. 34 Jehoahaz succeedeth Jehu.
The Westminster’s summary is:
1 Jehu by his letters causeth Ahab’s seventy sons to be slain in Samaria. 8 He excuseth the fact by the prophesy of Elijah, and destroyeth all Ahab’s kindred and friends in Jezreel. 12 In his way to Samaria he slayeth two and forty of Ahaziah’s brethren. 15 He taketh Jehonadab in the chariot with him, and destroyeth all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria. 18 By subtilty he slayeth at once all Baal’s worshippers, and breaketh down his images and house. 29 Jehu followeth the sins of Jeroboam, but for having executed God’s judgments on Ahab’s house, is promised the continuance of his kingdom in his family to the fourth generation. 32 Hazael smiteth Israel. 34 Jehu dieth; his son Jehoahaz succeedeth him.
A further important feature of the margins is a system to explain words that have changed their meaning. An asterisk against these points the reader across to the margin, where the word is replaced by its modern equivalent, or explained. For example, in Deuteronomy 11:30 “champaign” is plain, flat countryside. “Draught house” in 2 Kings 10 is drain, sewer. “A several house” in 2 Kings 15:5 for “several” is separate (house). And in Acts 6:9 “libertines” are freed slaves. There are more than 700 of these. Other valuable helps appear in these margins that are explained on pages xxiii-xxvii.
Moving to the other end of the book, there are a number of Appendices: tables of weights and measures, including money and units of time. Where these occur, they are indicated in the margin by little marks that take the reader to these tables – a good idea. One example is the Old Testament lengths on page 1494. “Handbreadth” is mentioned in Psalm 39:5. This is the “width at the base of the hand,” 3 inches.
Appendix 2 is a list of words and proper names with their pronunciation. It is important to get these right, especially in public reading. Did you know, for instance, that “shekel” is pronounced sheekel? and that “Gehazi” is pronounced Ge-hay-zi (with the long i)? Appendix 3 has the Daily Reading Plan, whereby the whole Bible can be read through in two years, with the Psalms and the New Testament twice. Appendix 4 is a remarkably full concordance covering 138 pages.
Finally come 8 pages of beautifully clear maps. These maps, specially commissioned by the Trinitarian Bible Society, seek to be faithful to the Biblical Record. Thus, the children of Israel are shown crossing through the Red Sea (rather than around it as in most modern maps). In addition, place names on the maps keep the AV rendering and do not follow the modern trend of having place names based on the Critical Text reading.
One more feature is the removal of the subscriptions to the epistles. These have been removed, not being inspired and often quite erroneous – see the article by Malcolm Watts on this elsewhere in this magazine.
There are three editions of the Westminster Bible available. Two are the hard cover editions, and are £14.95 each. The leather edition is £49.95. I cannot recommend this Bible enough to our readers – it will be a joy to own and a treasure to use. May the Lord own and bless it, and make it a blessing to very many. Do look at it at on the TBS website or telephone (020) 8543 7857 for more details.