To my
delight, a local secondhand store recently had a used copy of the Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary in excellent condition, which I bought to
aid research for my Bible Study discussion groups and also future writings.
Before reviewing the book for you though, I wanted to be sure it’s still
available, and yes, an updated version is.
The
new edition has added a wealth of articles such as “Five Easy Steps to Better
Bible Study” “Visual Survey of the Bible” with a number of subheadings, and a “Bible
History Chart.” However, both editions have “An Index to Maps” as well as
comprehensive explanations of the A to Z words.
Take
Angels, for example. Are they really fluffy white, winged blondes? With the
possible exception of seraphim or cherubim – no! More important, the entry for “Angel”
says:
“ANGEL
– a member of an order of heavenly beings who are superior to man in power and
intelligence. By nature angels are spiritual beings. (Heb.1:14)… They are not,
however, all-powerful and all-knowing….”
“When
visible to human beings, angels consistently appear in human form…. They are
charged with caring for… people and serving them in times of need…. They also
guide and instruct good people…. Angels also protect the people of God…. They
meet a wide variety of human needs, including relieving hunger and thirst… and
overcoming loneliness and dread… They sometimes deliver the people of God from
danger.”
In
the entry for “Animals in the Bible,” there’s a chart entitled “How Versions of
the Bible Sometimes Differ in Translation of Animal Names.” For example, Zephaniah 2:14 mentions a cormorant in the King James Version (KJV), a pelican in the New King James
Version, a desert owl in the New International Version, and a horned owl in the
Revised English Bible. Why? Since the Hebrew language omits vowels, translating
a word might rely on the best guess of scholars, depending on the biblical
context and other references. Also, animals alive in Bible times, such as
lions, may now be extinct in the Holy Lands.
Nevertheless,
the wild ox in Numbers 23:22, remains a wild ox in each translation mentioned in the chart, with the exception of the KJV where it’s
called a unicorn!
That’s
a great example because it shows how dramatically language and/or our mental
picture of a word can change over time and, therefore, how helpful a Bible dictionary can be
in helping us better comprehend what God’s Word actually meant – then and now.
Mary Sayler, ©2020, poet, writer, reviewer, who hopes more publishers will send new
large print editions of the Bible as well as updated Bible resources to
review on this blog
Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, hardback