The Treasure of God's Word: Celebrating 400 Years of the King James Version is an absolutely beautiful little book. The picture doesn't do it justice. Between the leather-bound covers are gold-gilt pages full of the history of the King James Bible and topical scriptures.
"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." Jeremiah 33:3 King James Version
This is just one of the many verses you will find in this little treasure of a book.
Jack Countryman complied together some wonderful history of the King James Bible along with many verses in the King James version. And if you are like me, who grew up with King James, you know what a beautiful version it is.
Jack Countryman did a beautiful job of putting together the history for the average person to read. It's just enough to give a presentable background with some information that might not be known to everyone. Let me give you an example:
Many families could afford only one book - a Bible- and for many years this was the only English translation of the Bible available. Generations of young people learned to read from the words they found in the King James Version. Many memorized biblical passages and found that their written and spoken English was shaped by the language and imagery of the Bible. Foremost readers, it was regarded as their social, economic, political and spiritual text...(p112)
...Beyond that, David Simpson, a member of the British Parliament, said regarding the 400th anniversary of this translation, "It is not only our literature and language that has been influenced by the King James version. It has had an extraordinary and beneficial influence upon political and constitutional affairs. It was the Bible of Milton and of the Protectorate; later, it was the Bible of the Glorious Revolution, which gave us a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. It was the Bible of Whitefield and the Wesleys that saved this realm from the brutality and blood of the French Revolution. It was the Bible carried by the founding fathers of the United States that helped to forge that land and give the world that great democratic powerhouse." (pp113-114)
The paper used for this wonderful book is a nice heavy, smooth paper that has a mottled appearance. It has an almost old-paper look about it. The print is easy to read, nice large lettering. In the front of the book is a presentation page that can be filled out if it's to be given as a gift.
Here is another verse from the book. This one is in the "Bearing Fruit" section:
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. John 15:16
This wonderful book would be a great gift for anyone; especially if the receiver has never read the Bible in the King James version. Now, you may wonder why I say that. It's because in spite of all of the new translations out there today, not one of them convey the imagery, the flowering phraseology, and beauty of the English language as the King James Version does. This book makes me want to go grab my King James Version Bible and read it from cover to cover. It brings back the memories of sitting in church on Sunday mornings and listening and reading along with my Pastor as he read the morning text. In reading this book I sense the presence of the translators and the Holy Spirit guiding them through each word and verse so the English people would have a solid translation of God's Holy Word to read, study, fall in love with, and be formed by.
This truly is a beautiful book and would make a lovely gift. I think that who ever receives it will be much appreciative of it and very thankful to the giver.
I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson to review with no obligation for a positive review. This review is of my own opinion and in no way influenced by BookSneeze or Thomas Nelson.
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