This edition is a revision of the American Standard Edition of 1901,
itself a revision of the King James Version (KJ) of 1611. A history of
English translations of the Bible up to and after the KJ is given.
Subsequent versions since KJ have been necessary to correct defects in
the KJ that were not revealed until after it was published and also to
reflect changes in English usage. In many cases, subsequent research and discoveries of other sources make a superior English translation possible due to those sources not being available to the committee King James assembled.
A discussion of the
various words for God and how and why they are translated as they are
ensues to explain why this text uses "God", "Lord", and "Jehovah" when
it does, instead of using one consistent term throughout. I found it
interesting, but beyond the scope of my purposes with this blog.
Asimov
continues with an entry on the Seventh Day. I realize my discussion
from Asimov is ahead of all the preface material in the actual book, but
this is the way I decided to do it, one entry/chapter from each at a
time. Don't worry, it all catches up. In any event, the creation has a
seventh day and God declares it the Sabbath. Prior to the Babylonian
exile of the Jews, the Sabbath's importance was quite small but gained
great importance during and after it. Since Genesis was written after
the exile, the Sabbath has great importance in the story of creation.
Interesting stuff, but I'm getting antsy to go ahead and get on with it.
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