BIBLE ABBREVIATION: KJV1611ISBN: 978-0-310-44029-1
PUBLISHER: Zondervan Publishing House – Grand Rapids, MI
PUBLICATION DATE: 2011
PAGES: 1312
BINDING: Hard
SIZE: 5.5” wide x 8.25” tall x 2.5” thick
FEATURES: This is an almost exact reprint of the original 1611 edition of the King James Version of the Bible. It includes the original preface, the genealogies, calendar, map and is printed in the old English typeface. It is only lacking the intertestamental apocrypha and is smaller than the 12” x 16” original. Aside from that it, duplicates the experience of reading the 1611 King James Bible.
COMMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS: In the comparative verses below, I was unable to duplicate the Old English font to give you the full experience of reading this masterpiece. That is really too bad. The 1611 King James Version without the Old English font is something like a low-sodium diet ... still good ... just lacking a bit of its savor.
But there are other things that will bring you back to the 17th century. The letter 'S' looks like an 'F', 'U' looks like a 'V', the 'V' looks like a 'U', an 'I' that may be a 'J' and spelling that can easily be called entertaining. When the King James Version was first printed, standardized spelling was a novel concept. The translators, printers and typesetters would have agreed with Mark Twain who said, “I respect a man who knows how to spell a word more than one way.” It is not unusual to find two or more ways to spell the same word on the same page and occasionally in the same verse. For an example look at Matthew 5 below. Verse 4 has “be” while verse 8 has it spelled “bee”. Another example is the “shal” in verse 11. The same word is spelled “shall” in the other places it is employed, including the other occurrance in verse 11. The spelling was standardized in the 1769 and the King James has remained unmodified since that date. The King James Bible is the only book which has ever printed more than one billion copies, making it the most printed book in the history of the world. Zondervan has done well to bring back the 1611 King James Version in its glory.
The Lord is my fhepheard, I fhall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie downe in greene paftures: he leadeth mee befide the ftill waters.
3 He reftoreth my foule: he leadeth me in the pathes of righteoufnes, for his names fake.
4 Yea though I walke through the valley of the fhadowe of death, I will feare no euill: for thou art with me, thy rod and thy ftaffe, they comfort me.
5 Thou prepareft a table before me, in the prefence of mine enemies: thou anointeft my head with oyle, my cuppe runneth ouer.
6 Surely goodnes and mercie shall followe me all the daies of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for euer.
NEW TESTAMENT COMPARATIVE VERSE: Matthew 5:1-12.
And seeing the multitudes, he went vp into a mountaine: and when he was fet, his difciples came vnto him.
2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, faying,
3 Bleffed are the poore in fpirit: for theirs is the kingdome of heauen.
4 Bleffed are they that mourne: for they fhall be comforted.
5 Bleffed are the meeke: for they fhall inherit the earth.
6 Bleffed are they which doe hunger and thirft after righteoufnefe: for they fhall be filled.
7 Bleffed are the mercifull: for they fhall obtaine mercie.
8 Bleffed are the pure in heart: for they fhall fee God.
9 Bleffed are the peacemakers: for they fhall bee called the children of God.
10 Bleffed are they which are perfecuted for righteoufneffe fake: for theirs is the kingdome of heauen.
11 Bleffed are ye, when men fhall reuile you, and perfecute you, and fhal fay all manner of euill againft you falfly for my fake.
12 Reioyce, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heauen: For fo perfecuted they the Prophets which were before you.
WEAKNESSES: The cover is less than optimal. The boards are thin and subject to damage. My copy arrived with a 5/8” split or gouge on the hinge and the bottom front board edge. The bottom edge of the spine has a 3/16” long split. Aside from that, I have no complaints. I cannot emphasize enough that you should not let this dissuade you from obtaining a copy.
STRENGTHS: Its price is a major strength. Zondervan lists it for $7.99 on its website. Even with shipping, it can be purchased for less than $15.00. At that price point, I encourage you to put this edition in your personal library. I promise that if you do, you shall use it often as a teaching aid and conversation piece.
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