Reconsidering Bible Stories for Children

 

Our local library just had a used book sale where I found a Bible storybook for children I hadn’t read. I bought it, thinking I’d review the book on this site, but when I saw it had the same stories almost every other storybook had, I decided to complain!

Inevitably, Bible stories for children include tales of Joseph, one of the twelve sons of Jacob and one most favored by his father. Of those sons, however, God didn't choose Joseph to be the forefather of David, Solomon, and Jesus. He chose Judah about whom far less is known.

Judah’s name means praise, and a closer reading of his story reveals the first person in the Bible who ever admitted he’d done wrong. True, he suggested earlier that his brothers sell Joseph to a tribe of Ishmaelites, who descended from Abraham as they had, but this act kept Joseph from being killed.

Later, when the Jacob’s sons had to go to Egypt for food during a famine, Judah pledged his life as a substitute for his youngest brother, Benjamin, because he could not bear for his father to suffer any more grief over the loss of a favored child. Despite this selfless act, which foreshadowed the sacrifice of his descendant, Jesus, few children or adults know anything about Judah the person – only as one of twelve tribes.

Another descendant of his, however, does receive attention in children’s Bible storybooks – David, the young shepherd boy widely known for killing Goliath with a slingshot, then cutting off the giant’s head with Goliath’s own sword! Although we all love a victorious story of an underdog, is it wise to focus on the hero’s decapitation of the enemy? Instead, why not draw attention to David’s musical ability or his poetry in the Psalms, filled with praise and prayers to God? Or mention how, in the midst of terrible times, David consistently talked to the Lord about everything bothering him, and, with almost no exception, ended on an uplifting note of praise.

Since many other examples of unsung biblical heroes exist, I hope you’ll add those you’re drawn to in the Comments section below. As we focus on the importance of confession, sacrificial love, honest prayers, heartfelt praise, and poetry surely we’ll offer uplifting stories and faith-builders for readers of all ages.

 

Mary Harwell Sayler
who loves poetry, prayers, Psalms, and overlooked Bible people

 

 

Find Your Favorite Bible Online

New editions and translations of the Bible have often come in waves with publishing companies kindly sending me copies to review on the Bible Reviewer blog, but when that trend quietly ebbed, long gaps began to occur.

A few days ago, however, I saw a post from a new Christian, who lacked enough information to decide which translation to buy. Although he asked for and got some excellent suggestions, it just wasn’t the same as going into a Bible bookstore, carefully leafing through, and reading enough passages to find a preference. Of course, owners of those shops probably cringed every time someone casually flipped pages, creating creases or other signs of wear, but with the Internet, that’s no problem! For example:

Bible Gateway offers 150 translations of scriptures as well as commentaries and other study helps. For years, I relied on this site for research as I investigated topics I wanted to write about (such as love from God’s perspective) and biblical prayers and promises I felt led to compile and paraphrase for subsequent books.  

Bible Hub has become a favorite too. In addition to many translations, the site offers summaries of individual books of the Bible, a timeline, a Q &A section, option for audio, photos and artwork, parallel chapters for comparison, and more.

Biblica is new to me, but presents 40 translations online, a blog, a daily Bible verse (emailed to subscribers), an audio of the NIV Bible (New International Version), and a ministry of sending print Bibles to areas who often have none.

Blue Letter Bible site offers a quick online search of many translations as well as Bible study helps, devotionals, and other resources.

English Bible Online only has a half-dozen translations to search, read, and compare, but they’re the favorites in most Christian denominations. The site also includes a Q & A section with questions commonly asked.

For more options, type “online Bibles” or “Bible websites” in the Search box of your browser. If you find ones you especially like, please let us know in the Comments section below. Thanks. Blessings. And happy reading!

 

Mary Sayler, lover of the Lord God and His Word

 

 

 

 

 

Jubilee Bible: From the Scriptures of the Reformation

Over a decade ago, the publishers of The Jubilee Bible sent me a copy to review, so I was pleasantly surprised to hear from the new publisher, Ransom Press International, advising me of the updated version, which they kindly sent me to examine and review.

The back of the protective sleeve my copy arrived in states an extraordinary aspect of this translation: “The Jubilee Bible is the only one we know of that has each unique Hebrew and Greek word matched and mated with a unique English word.”

My first impression of the packaging and the actual copy was, “Well-done!” This edition has an attractive, flexible cover with sewn-in pages that lay flat, revealing wide margins and a very readable 10.5 type with ample leading between the lines. Although no maps have been included, the back matter has a “Bible Dictionary of the Proper Names in Scripture.”

That page also provides a URL for the online Concordance, which, not only shows words translated consistently throughout the Bible, but lists the number of occurrences. For example, “Forgive” occurs as that particular word 111 times, while “Grace” appears 205 times, and “Reconcile” 120.

And speaking of reconciling, the editor and translator, Russell Stendal, who was once held hostage by Colombian rebels, has since spent his life as a missionary to the same peoples. That work even includes trips deep into the jungle and parachute drops of Bibles!

In the earlier review, I offered no comparisons of actual scripture, which I’d like to remedy now by showing some well-known verses in the King James Version and in the Jubilee Bible too.

Genesis 1:1-2

KJV – “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 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.”

JB –” In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was without order, and empty, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”

Exodus 20:12-13

KJV – “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. Thou shalt not kill.”

JB – “Honour thy father and thy mother that thou days may be lengthened upon the land which the LORD thy God gives thee. Thou shalt not murder.”

John 14:2

KJV – “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”

JB – “In my Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”

I expect this Bible will have a place with me in my weekly study group. And, since I’m writing this on Ash Wednesday, I’d like to encourage you to read the Bible every day of Lent.

With adequate reading time, it’s possible to read the entire book! If that sounds too intimidating, consider reading the Gospels and Psalms during Lent, and if that’s still overwhelming, pick a book, preferably from the New Testament to study. Surely, God will guide you into what will speak to you during this season and throughout the year.

May the Lord bless you and your study of His Word in Jesus’ Name.

 

Mary Sayler

KJV 1611

For a while, Bible publishers had a flurry of new editions and some new translations too, but as that activity decreased and personal activities increased, this blog sat idle. Surprisingly, it continued to receive visitors, which made me wonder about Bible websites in general.

For example, in searching for online translations, I discovered the Official King James Bible website, which not only offers updated editions of KJV but the original 1611 version. Although it reversed "U" and "V" from our present useage, the translation itself is very accessible as these verses below will show:16

16

1

1 Corinthians 13:1-8

"Though I speake with the tongues of men & of Angels, and haue not charity, I am become as sounding brasse or a tinkling cymbal.

And though I haue the gift of prophesie, and vnderstand all mysteries and all knowledge: and though I haue all faith, so that I could remooue mountaines, and haue no charitie, I am nothing.

3And though I bestowe all my goods to feede the poore, and though I giue my body to bee burned, and haue not charitie, it profiteth me nothing.

4Charitie suffereth long, and is kinde: charitie enuieth not: charitie vaunteth not it selfe, is not puffed vp,

5Doeth not behaue it selfe vnseemly, seeketh not her owne, is not easily prouoked, thinketh no euill,

6Reioyceth not in iniquitie, but reioyceth in the trueth:

7Beareth all things, beleeueth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8Charitie neuer faileth: but whether there be prophesies, they shall faile; whether there bee tongues, they shall cease; whether there bee knowledge, it shall vanish away."

...

John 3:16-17

"For God so loued þe world, that he gaue his only begotten Sonne: that whosoeuer beleeueth in him, should not perish, but haue euerlasting life.

17For God sent not his Sonne into the world to condemne the world: but that the world through him might be saued."

...

Ephesians 2:8-10

"For by grace are ye saued, through faith, and that not of your selues: it is the gift of God:

9Not of workes, lest any man should boast.

10For wee are his workemanship, created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes, which God hath before ordeined, that we should walke in them."

...

[Note: the original King James Version of the Bible included books often referred to as the Apocrypha.]

Wisdom of Solomon 1:12-15

"Seeke not death in the errour of your life: and pull not vpon your selues destruction, with the workes of your hands.

13For God made not death: neither hath he pleasure in the destruction of the liuing.

14For he created all things, that they might haue their being: and the generations of the world were healthfull: and there is no poyson of destruction in them: nor the kingdome of death vpon the earth.

15For righteousnesse is immortall."

...

Ecclesasticus 2:15-18

"They that feare the Lord, will not disobey his word, and they that loue him, will keepe his wayes.

16They that feare the Lord, will seeke that which is well pleasing vnto him, and they that loue him, shall bee filled with the Law.

17They that feare the Lord, will prepare their hearts, and humble their soules in his sight:

18Saying, We will fal into the hands of the Lord, and not into the hands of men: for as his maiestie is, so is his mercie."

...