Studies In Scripture » Bibles

Cambridge Concord in Black Calf Split Leather, KJV

Randy A. Brown — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 21:27:53 +0000

Cambridge has been busy bringing out new editions. Their newest edition is an old classic in a new package. The Concord is a classic setting that has been around for many years, but now it’s available in calf split leather.

The Concord has a nice layout and set of features that works:

8-point semi-bold font
Red letter
Self-pronouncing text
Translators to the Reader
Center-column references
Thin opaque paper
15 maps
Sewn binding
Gilded edges
2 ribbon markers
Thumb index
Bible dictionary
Glossary
Concordance
Calf split leather cover
8.25×5.5×1.25

Cover

This new edition comes in calf split leather. Calf split is a higher quality leather than French Morocco. It is thicker than French Morocco and has about the same stiffness, but the finish is not as shiny. It might loosen up with use. It has a fine pebbly grain that looks like calf-skin. It is very pretty.

Binding

The Concord is Smyth sewn. This allows the Bible to lay flat, even at the beginning or end of the Bible. It has the same construction as the French Morocco edition.

Paper

The paper is an opaque India paper. It is thin, but it’s not easy to see through. It is more opaque than most Bibles that I’ve seen. It has a slight cream tint, which makes it easier to read for long periods of time.

Cross-References

There are plenty of cross-references and translation notes in the center-column. The references have a unique system in that they are not keyed to the text with letters and numbers. Instead, they have the verse number on the side of the column that contains the verse, and then the references and notes. The translation notes give you the word or phrase that the notes refer to. There’s no way to know which portion of the verse the references refer to.

Text

The font is around 8-piont and is semi-bold. It is clean and easy to read. The red is bold, but not too bold. It’s really red and not brown or pink. It’s a deep, rich red that looks nice. This is my favorite red-letter. The text is clean and unobstructed from cross-reference and translation note keys, making it a very readable text. One thing I like about all Cambridge Bibles is the consistency of the print- even in the red-letter text. With most publishers, the text will be dark on one page and light on another. The red goes from red to pink and then red again. Not so with Cambridge, and this Concord is no different. The boldness of the print remains constant no every page (as you would hope with a Bible in this price range).

Concordance

The Concord’s concordance is the same concordance that is found in the wide-margin edition and the Cameo. There are lots of entries- more than most Bibles, but I find this concordance to be confusing. Most concordances have one verse per line of text. This one starts the next verse directly after the last verse (on the same line). This causes you to read through the entries more closely to see where one verse starts and another ends. To make it more confusing, some of the entries are out of order because they relate to another verse that is similar. This makes me think I’m looking at verses in one book when I’m actually looking at verses from a completely different area. If you can get used to it, it has plenty of entries to be a great study tool.

Glossary

There is a seven page glossary that explains the meaning of words that have either changed meaning or are no longer used since the KJV was first translated. The definition includes the part of speech and a few of the most prominent verses where the word is used.

Bible Dictionary

The real jewel in this edition is the Bible Dictionary, which is one of my favorite features. At 128 pages, there are plenty of entries on many topics including people, places, objects, information about each book of the Bible, harmony of the Gospels, names and titles of Jesus, chronological tables, quotes and the verses where they are quoted, and more. There is a wealth of study information in the dictionary. I like having a dictionary this handy in my carry Bible.

Maps

The Concord has the same standard 15 maps as the wide-margin and Cameo. They are four-color and look great.

Translators to the Reader

This edition still has the Translators to the Reader. I feel that this is an important document that should always be included with the KJV. Many publishers have excluded it from their Bibles, but it’s important to know the thoughts of the translators for any translation.

Thumb Index

It’s good to see this Bible being offered in thumb-index. This thumb index is different from those found in other Cambridge Bibles. All of the index tabs are facing the same direction. I like that many books have their own tab. I can go straight to Mark instead of having to find it once I’m in the ballpark. It is also available without thumb-index.

Ribbons

There are two black ribbon markers. They are 5/16 wide and are more than long enough to pull to the corner and open the Bible with. They are longer than the markers in my Concord wide-margin. Now that I’ve had Bibles with two markers it’s hard to go back to just one. I think two markers should be standard in all Bibles.

Size

I like the size of this Bible. It’s around 8.25×5.5×1.25, making it a hand-sized Bible. It is much smaller, thinner, and lighter than the wide-margin and still has slightly larger text. The text is not much larger, but it is larger. This is the size Bible I want to be holding when we’re standing and reading the Bible for a long period of time. It is easy to hold in one hand and read.

Conclusion

The Cambridge Concord reference edition in black calf-skin (with red-letter and thumb-index) has a lot to offer in a hand-sized Bible. The calf-split is a good compromise between goat-skin and French Morocco without sacrificing quality. It has a superior paper and print combination. The only paper that is better is in the wide-margin edition. With thumb-index, red-letter, and a Bible dictionary, the Concord in black calf-split leather makes a great carry and study Bible.

Baker Publishing provided this Bible free for review. I was not required to give a positive review- only an honest review. My opinions are my own.

R L Allan Oxford Clarendon Wide Margin KJV in Black Highland Goatskin

Randy A. Brown — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 03:01:42 +0000

R L Allan’s latest King James edition is the nice wide margin that was formerly published by Oxford. The font, layout, and margin are the same, but this wide margin has been given Allan’s exquisite binding treatment, making it the most durable and flexible wide margin available in KJV.

Here are the basic features:

Highland Goatskin
Epistle Dedicatory and Allan Royal License
Center column References
Chapter summaries
3 Dark Blue Ribbon Markers
Leather Lined
Smyth sewn
Semi yapp
Gilt line inside
Red under gold page edges (art-gilt)
8/9 point Bold Clarendon type
Italics for inserted text
Same pagination as regular size Brevier Clarendon editions
8.5 x 7 x 1.5 inches
1.5 inch margin
1536 pages
15 (16 pages) full color Oxford Bible maps
26 page for notes
48 pages of lined writing paper
Coated writable India paper

Binding

The binding on this Allan is superb. It is leather-lined and includes a semi yapp. The highland goatskin is one of the softest and most flexible leathers available for a Bible and this highland goatskin is as nice as any I’ve seen. It includes the leather glued into the leather lining and end-pages, making this a well-build Bible that should last a lifetime. It is a sewn binding that lays flat.

Layout

I love wide margin Bibles. In my opinion, everyone should use a wide margin Bible for study- especially those in teaching/preaching roles. The margins are 1.5 inches on the sides and 1 inch top and bottom.

Paper

The paper is coated India paper, making it excellent paper for writing. It is thick and opaque, and has a slight cream tone which is easy on the eyes. It doesn’t have a shine to it at all, making it excellent for reading and marking. There are 26 blank pages in the back for writing or drawing and 48 pages of lined paper for notes. The art-gilt edges have a copper tone, which I love, but it’s not as dark as the Longprimer.

Text

The font is an 8-point bold Clarendon. The readability of this Bible is better than most due to the boldness of the font and the opacity of the paper.

At the beginning of every chapter there is a summary. I like having chapter summaries because they are useful for searching. They are small and I might not agree with all of them, but they are there.

At the top of each page is a short summary of that column. I like that they are included because they can be helpful when trying to find something quick.

Also at the top of the page is the name of the Book along with the chapter number that begins on that page (or is continued on that page) – with the exception of Psalms, which only has the book name.

This edition does include italics for supplied words (something that is missing in the Longprimer- another Oxford edition).

References

I’m not sure how many references there are, but there are a lot. I like to use Genesis 1:1 to check the number of references. This one has 8 references (not counting that some of them include 3 verses). The references are keyed to the text with letters. I would like to have the verse numbers in the center column to make it easier to find the reference, but that is a small matter.

The center column also includes translation notes with alternate readings. The translation notes are keyed to the text with numbers. They are physically as close to the verse as possible, but, just like the references, you will have to hunt for some of them.

Ribbons

Allan sets the standard for ribbons. This edition has three ribbons in a beautiful dark blue. They are wide and long enough to be useful because they will reach all the way to the corner of the page.

Maps

The Oxford maps are gorgeous. I’m a sucker for full-color maps and these are some of the best looking I’ve seen. These maps do include some ‘traditions’ for some locations. Also, there may be a few locations that are not as accurate because of later archaeological finds, but that is to be expected.

Concordance

This edition does not have a concordance. I would have liked a concordance, but I’m not sure how they could have gotten it in there. A concordance would have completed the study value of this Bible. Considering that I use this Bible at home where I have access to good concordances, and that most concordances in Bibles are not as useful as they should be anyway, the lack of a concordance isn’t a deal-breaker for me. However, a concordance would only improve the value of this Bible. The lack of a concordance could keep me from using this as a carry Bible.

Comparison with the RL Allan Longprimer

Conclusion

The Allan Wide Margin in KJV is an exceptional Bible. I have come to really appreciate quality in a Bible- particularly the binding, paper, and font- and the Allan delivers on every point. The Oxford Clarendon Wide Margin from RL Allan and Sons is sure to be the Bible that is cherished for a lifetime of study.

Click here to buy from Bibles-Direct.com

or here to buy from EvangelicalBible.com

Creating Your Own Study Bible

Randy A. Brown — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 03:30:53 +0000

Ryan Gustason of Pentecostal Blogger has written an article on creating your own study Bible. He is using a red-letter Word document, created his own layout, and downloaded a unique font set to create his own symbol system. Ryan provides links to all the downloads you need to create your own study Bible and symbol system. You can see his article here:

Creating a Study Bible

Making Your Own Loose Leaf Bible

Randy A. Brown — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 23:04:06 +0000

Loose-leaf Bibles provide a great way to add your own notes and pages to your Bible. There are several available from Hendrickson, so at first printing your own hardly seems worth it. It comes down to what features you want in your Bible. Printing your own give you even more advantages and options. For one, if you don’t like something you’ve written or highlighted, simply print the page out again and start over. Loose-leaf Bibles are a nice way to make your own Study Bible- you can type your own notes and then print it out without having to write anything by hand.

Printing your own also allows you to choose your own features such as the font you want, including size and style, paragraph format, and you can print the words of Christ in red. You could even print topics in specific colors, highlight the text, underline, bold, add symbols, references, definitions, images, or anything else you can think of. A Bible printed on copy paper has far less bleed-through and the text can be much bolder, making it easier to read and mark. You might not want to carry it, but it will make an excellent study Bible.

For my loose-leaf project I will be using KJV. This has to do with copyright issues (the KJV is public domain) and it is the main translation I use. I will add my own headings in the text, make it red-letter, choose the specific font that I want, add my own references and translation notes, add Hebrew and Greek definitions, make it wide margin, have OT quotes in the NT to be in a different font-style, and possibly use blue-letter for the words of God in the OT. Some of these features will require more work than others. Since I can make more than one I’ve decided that I want my first one to fit in one binder, so I will be making trade-offs with font-size and margin-width, and I won’t add references. Also, I will be printing on both sides of the page.

First, get a KJV text. Since the KJV is public domain it is freely available online in many places. I recommend downloading several and choose the format you like the best. If you plan to add features such as notes, references, headings, etc., and change the font style and size, the page layout of the KJV you download won’t really matter because it won’t look the same anyway. Here are a few choices:

http://printkjv.ifbweb.com/
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Bible/KJB/pce.htm
http://bibledatabase.org/bibles.html
http://www.biblicalscholarship.net/AV.htm
http://www.bibleprotector.com/
http://www.basicchristian.org/

Here’s one in red-letter with some headings in the text:

http://home.comcast.net/~classichauslimited/htmlpgs/kjvbibles.html

It’s easy enough to change the font and page layout using a word processor. If you choose a PDF file, simply save it as text or copy and paste into your word-processor. None of these texts come with references or notes. There are other places to get the text- especially if you don’t mind copying one book or chapter at a time.

Next, format the text the way I want it. I want a large font and wide-margin. I will have to decide which is more important and make adjustments as necessary. I recommend experimenting with one book before printing the entire Bible. For my first attempt I will print only a few chapters. It might take me several tries before I like what I have. Since I’m experimenting, I ended up printing several variations. I decided on a 12-point Times Roman font. I don’t like the shade of red, so I’ll keep experimenting until I get something that works for me. I might even go with black-letter.

The last step will be choosing a binder and punching the holes. You can use one large binder or several smaller binders. You can even use a spiral binding if you want. I’ve decided to use my pages loose rather than place them in a binder- at least until I get the text exactly the way I want it.

Printing your own loose-leaf Bible is a great way to study and write in your Bible. You have much thicker paper than what you can get in any Bible, you can have any size and style font you want, and the text is bold and crisp. You won’t be straining to see the text and you can’t read three pages deep. You can have any size margin you want, and you can interleave as many pages as you want any time you want. If you don’t like what you’ve written or marked, print that page again and start over. You can spread out the cost by only printing a book at a time. If nothing else it can be used to help you in your Bible study by allowing you to interact with and mark your text without writing in your primary Bible.

Word of Promise Audio Bible Free Online

Randy A. Brown — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 01:36:02 +0000

The Word of Promise NKJV audio Bible is my favorite. It is fully dramatized and includes an award-winning cast of some of my favorite actors. You can now listen to this award-winning audio Bible for free online sponsored by The Christian Post. You can listen by clicking here:

Cambridge Clarion KJV in Brown Calfskin

Randy A. Brown — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 01:57:40 +0000

The Cambridge Clarion KJV Reference Edition is the first new Cambridge KJV reference Bible in 50 years. It is designed with many of the features that modern readers are longing for: single-column paragraph format, modern font, black-letter text, references on the outside margins, and a sewn binding that opens flat. With all of this, the Clarion still has a few surprises that make this Bible one of the most unique and desirable editions in many years.

Here are the major features:

Single-column text
Paragraph format
Side-column references
8.75 Lexicon 1 font
Black letter
Lightweight paper
Art gilt pages
Translators to the Reader
Reader’s Companion
16 pages of Maps with index
2 ribbon markers
Sewn binding
3 cover styles- black goatskin, black calfskin, brown calfskin
Presentation page
7.5 x 5.5 x 1.5

Paragraph Format

What sets this Bible apart is the single-column paragraph format. This is the format we’ve been waiting for in a high-quality KJV. The verse numbers are small and can be difficult to find when searching for them, but it is nice for reading because they do not get in the way. Poetry is set in a different format, which makes it easy to identify quickly. I’m very glad to see this format in a KJV. It will make a nice reading Bible.

Font

The 8.75 font looks much larger due to the modern font-style and white space surrounding the font. It is Lexicon 1- a digital font designed for easy reading, and it is very readable. The Clarion does not have self-pronouncing text. The added words are in italics so you can easily identify the supplied words.

Paper

The Clarion uses India paper. It is thin and lightweight. It’s not as opaque as I expected, but it could be much worse. I don’t think my pens (Pigma Micron) or color pencils (PrismaColor) would bleed-through too bad, but I’m not sure I want to write in this Bible any time soon. I may just keep it nice and clean for reading (something this Bible would excel in). If I do want to write in it, there is plenty of room between the lines for underlining and there is some space at the bottom of the page and between the references. The paper has a very slight cream tone, which I like very much.

References

The references are placed along the outer margin of the page. There are also translation notes for Greek and Hebrew, and alternate readings (something I really like in Cambridge KJVs). The references are slightly smaller than the Bible text, but they are still larger than other Cambridge editions (Cameo, Concord) and there are plenty of them. The references and notes are keyed to the text with letters and numbers. Due to their style and size they are not noticeable while reading, so you can read without the text feeling interrupted.

Binding

The binding is Smyth sewn, allowing the Bible to lay flat. You can open the Bible to the first page right out of the box and it will stay open with no trouble at all. This feature is a must and the Clarion does it well.

Cover

This edition is in brown calfskin. It is very soft, but slightly stiff. I’m sure it will become more flexible with use, but I actually like it the way it is. The goatskin of my Cameo can be a little too flexible while holding the Bible in bed. The stiffness of this cover seems to solve that ‘problem’ for me. I can lie on the bed with the Clarion in my chest and it keeps its shape nicely. It feels great. For me it’s just the right amount of flexibility and softness. It has no trouble with yoga poses. The grain is smooth and looks nice. It is edge-lined.

Ribbons

The brown calfskin edition comes with 2 brown ribbons. They are more than long enough. They are 5/8 inches wide, which feels perfect for the size of the Clarion.

Maps

There are 16 pages of full-color maps. They are the same maps as the Cameo and Concord Bibles.

Translators to the Reader

I’m glad to see the Translators to the Reader in KJV editions. For me, it is an important document that gives the reader the thoughts of the translators on the translation of the KJV and Bible translation in general. I like that it is included because it shows the difficulty of the work of translation and the purpose and need of other translations and updates.

Reader’s Companion

What? No concordance? Don’t worry, the Reader’s Companion provides more than what you would get from just a concordance. It serves as a concordance, topical index, and dictionary, all in one. The Reader’s Companion combines these features in a single place. It includes the prominent proper names, words that have changed meaning and their definitions, unfamiliar words, customs, occupations, background information, social, legal, and religious concepts, the books of the Bible, literary forms, the original languages, non-biblical literature from ancient times, translation information including the KJV and other derived translations, key words, and more. There is a list of verses for each entry (except book names) and 144 pages of entries. This is much better than a concordance. You don’t get the small clipping of the verse like you would in a concordance (it’s just the references), but with the awesome information in the Reader’s Companion, this is a trade I’m willing to make.

Size

The size of the Clarion is interesting. It’s slightly larger than the Cameo at 7.5 x 5.5 x 1.5, making it a hand-size Bible. However, it doesn’t feel small on the inside. For me it’s the perfect size- both inside and out. Here are some comparisons with the Cameo:

Conclusion

Cambridge has just upped the ante for KJV Bible formats. They’ve given us a single-column paragraph format, nice readable font, side-column references, and a very nice reader’s companion. The Clarion is the perfect update to the KJV format and the perfect Bible to celebrate the KJVs 400^th anniversary.

Baker Publishing provided this Bible free for this review. I was not required to give a positive review- only an honest review.

KJV Clarion Reference Bible, Goatskin Leather, Black

KJV Clarion Reference Bible, Top-Grain Calfskin Leather, Brown

KJV Clarion Reference Bible, Calf Split Leather, Black

Miklal Software Solutions King James Version Bible for Kindle

Randy A. Brown — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 18:28:04 +0000

Miklal Software Solutions’ Authorized KJV Bible for Kindle is a simple, easy to use Bible for Kindle. The text is the 1769 edition and looks really nice. The layout is in paragraph format, which makes it very readable.

One thing I really like is that is shows the chapter number along with the verse number. With Bibles on the Kindle it can sometimes be difficult for me to figure out what chapter I’m reading in if I don’t remember from the last time I read. Having the chapter numbers with the verse numbers solves this problem and doesn’t distract from reading in any way. It actually helps me to find the verses because with more numbers they stand out a little more than most Bibles in paragraph format.

Of course the main purpose of the chapter numbers is for easy navigation and this Bible is easy to navigate. To navigate to a specific verse, start typing to open the FIND box. Type the name of the book followed by a space, the chapter number followed by a space, and the verse number followed by a space. So, in order to go to John 1:1, type John 1 1. Various locations will appear on the screen and you can select the one you want.

What I like the most about Miklal Software Solutions King James Version Bible for Kindle is its simplicity. I find most Bibles on Kindle to be difficult to navigate, but this KJV is one of the best. The Table of Contents has a link so you can jump to the NT before you have to scroll through all of the OT books. This makes it so easy to get to a NT book. Many Bibles on Kindle make you scroll through all of the OT books before you can see the NT books. Rather than having the chapters after the book name, you navigate to the book, and then you can choose a chapter. This gets the chapters out of the Table of Contents, making navigation through the Table of Contents much faster.

Miklal Software Solutions has another winner with the King James Version Bible for Kindle. This KJV shines in both price and quality. It’s easy to read and easy to navigate, which makes reading the Bible on the Kindle an enjoyable experience.

Miklal Software Solutions provided this Bible free for review. I was not required to give a positive review- only an honest review.

R. L. Allan KJV Longprimer in Brown Highland Goatskin

Randy A. Brown — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 20:56:50 +0000

R. L. Allan and Son’s is a Scottish company that produces extremely high quality specialty Bibles. R. L. Allan holds the Royal License to publish the Authorized Version (KJV) in Scotland. The Highland Goatskin KJV Longprimer, designed and typeset in 1952 by Oxford University Press in New York, is Allan’s signature Bible.

The Longprimer is a chain reference topical study Bible. Its features are exactly what I’ve been longing for. I’ve been on a quest to find the perfect size font with the perfect amount of boldness. I wanted the best paper and center-column references that included translation notes. I wanted a high-quality binding. I wanted notebook paper in the back to write on. And, I wanted a specific size- not too big, not too small. I had very little hope of finding my list of features in any one Bible. The Longprimer delivered that list of features even better that I could have imagined.

Features of the Longprimer include:

10/11 bold font
Black Letter
Self-pronouncing Text
Opaque paper
Red Under Gold (Art Gilt)
Smyth-sewn
Overcasting
Natural Highland Goatskin
Full Yapp
37 page Subject Index
43 page Index of Proper Names
161 page Concordance
Oxford Cross References (100,000)
16 pages of Oxford Maps
32 pages of notebook paper
3 honey gold ribbons
8.75×6(plus yapp)x1.5 with .5 outside margin

Cover and Binding

The brown highland goatskin is my favorite (I’m reviewing model 53 BR), although the black looks just as amazing. The cover is soft and the sewn binding is superb. One of my tests is to open the Bible, lay it on the table, and step back. My Bible must stay open where I left it. I must be able to read my Bible without having to hold it open to the page I’m reading. The Longprimer lays open so naturally that it has no trouble staying open the Genesis 1:1 straight out of the box.

The cover of an Allan goatskin Bible is authentic animal skin in every way- from the grain to scares from cuts. The covers of most Bibles have a simulated grain (pressed into a mold or simulated in some other way). The grain in Allan Bibles is the natural grain from the animal skin, which may even include a cut from a natural encounter (barbed wire fence, fight, etc.). This shows the true authentic nature of the cover and is not considered a defect. The natural skin cover adds to the beauty and uniqueness of Allan Bibles. The grain of the brown edition is fantastic. The inside cover is also leather-lined. This is the softest and most flexible cover I own.

There are two gold lines of edging, known as gilt-lines, inside the cover- one that outlines the cover and another that outlines the book-block. These lines add to the elegance of the cover and look very nice.

The binding is Smyth sewn (pronounced with a long i, as in knife). It has an extra feature that most Bibles today don’t have- a feature known as Overcasting. This is an extra line of stitching in the front and the back of the Bible. Also, there is a flap of leather that is glued into the inside front and back papers. This helps take the stress off the binding.

The Longprimer has an almost full yapp. This is where the leather hangs over the edges of the paper. With full yapp, the front and back covers will overlap the book-block and touch each other (think of a zippered cover, only without the zipper). The yapp allows the leather to protect the paper.

Paper and Text

The paper acid-free and thin, but still opaque. It’s thinner than I expected judging from the pictures I’ve seen. The paper isn’t at all shiny, and has a faint cream tone (more noticeable when compared to other Bibles), making it easy on the eyes.

The fonts are perfect. They are 10-point and very bold and readable. I would expect this level of boldness to cause ghosting, but the ghosting is very minimal. The fonts are beautiful and the text is self-pronouncing. With this paper and font combination I can read for hours with little to no eye-strain.

The Longprimer does not have the added words in italics. I’m OK with this because translators have to add words to convey meaning in every translation. If not, then it’s a transliteration, and the KJV is not a transliteration. For me, italics can sometimes be more distracting than helpful, so the Longprimer has a better text for reading. In Bibles that have italics I’ve found words in italics that are actually in the Greek or Hebrew, and I’ve found words that are not in italics but are also not in the Greek or Hebrew, so they’re not always accurate. I do like my Bibles to have italics, but I don’t consider it a deal-breaker if it doesn’t because I would go to the Greek or Hebrew anyway.

There are 32 pages of lined paper in the back for writing notes. The lines are much closer together than regular notebook paper, and considering that I write very small I should be able to get lots of notes in there. I really like this because I can make the Longprimer my personal study Bible. This is a feature I would like to see become a standard in Bibles.

I love red under gold (art gilt edges). I like the copper look that it gives (and I adore the blue under gold of the blue limited edition).

Ribbons

There are three honey-gold ribbons that are wider than the average Bible ribbon. They are long enough to pull to the corner and open the Bible with no trouble. I like that there are three. I’ve come to depend on my ribbon markers for reading and study, so having three ribbons will be very helpful.

Center-column references and notes

There are 100,000 references that are keyed to the text, meaning that the text has letters and numbers that correspond to the references. There are also textual notes- notes about the Greek or Hebrew manuscripts, and translation notes. The center-column also includes dates, which is really helpful for keeping the chronology straight.

Index of Proper Names

Every name in the Bible is referenced in the Index of Proper Names. This index includes the name, explanation and information about the person, and references where that person is found. There are 43 pages of proper names.

Subject Index

The 37 page Subject Index makes the Longprimer a fine topical study Bible (my favorite type of study Bible). There are many topics and each has many chain-references to study. If I were out somewhere and I wanted to discuss or study a topic, I would be glad to have the Longprimer with me.

Concordance

The 161 page concordance is one of the better concordances that I’ve used. There are 81 entries for God. Also, each verse starts on a new line and includes references to parallel verses. This makes searching the concordance easy.

Maps

I love maps in my Bible and the more the better, but I want them in full color and to be drawn as pretty as possible. The Longprimer delivers 16 pages of Oxford maps to my map-loving delight.

Conclusion

Every feature in the Longprimer is performed to an exceptional level. R. L. Allan sets the bar extremely high. For me, the Longprimer is the perfect size and weight, with the perfect size font, perfect paper, perfect features, and perfect cover. The Longprimer gets the highest marks in every category.

The Longprimer is a true masterpiece; a work of art; a Tour de force in Bible publishing. It is one of those Bibles that you buy because you want it to last a life-time. This Bible can be a life-long companion. Are they expensive? Yes. Do they last through a life-time of Bible study? Yes. Are they worth every penny? Yes. R.L. Allan’s Longprimer is one of those Bibles that you cherish for life. I don’t ever want to be without my Longprimer.

Click here to buy from Bibles-Direct.com

Click here to buy from EvangelicalBible.com

My thanks to Bibles-Direct for this free review copy. I was not required to write a positive review- only an honest review.

Miklal Software Solutions KJV with Strong’s Markup and Dictionary of the Bible Kindle Edition

Randy A. Brown — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 22:01:04 +0000

I’ve always like the idea of combining Strong’s Greek and Hebrew dictionaries with my Bible. For electronic Bibles, I always go for the Bible that allows me to click on a word and it gives me the Greek or Hebrew definition. The King James Version with Strong’s Markup and Dictionary of the Bible from Miklal Software Solutions does just that.

This Bible is awesome! Every word from the original Greek or Hebrew (and Aramaic) has a Strong’s number after it. Any word not in the original languages is in italics. All codes are linked to the dictionaries, so you can click on a word or the code in the KJV and you get the Greek or Hebrew definition. Within the definition you see the Strong’s number, spelling in the original language, pronunciation codes, transliteration, the definition, and other words the KJV translates the word into, and links to other Greek or Hebrew words that are related to it. You can even set the Strong’s dictionary as your default dictionary and you see a short definition just by moving the cursor to the word.

This is an easy Bible to use. It opens to the cover. The next page is the table of contents, where I selected the book and chapter I wanted and I was reading within seconds. Easy. Navigation and page-turning is fast. Even with the Strong’s numbers within the text this Bible is still very readable. It is excellent for study, and I was able to read it just fine for general reading. The KJV is in paragraph format.

You can also easily navigate the dictionaries and they can be used independently of the KJV Bible. If you know the word you want, simply select ‘Jump to Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary’ or ‘Jump to Strong’s Greek Dictionary’ from the table of contents. Once you’re there, you’re given an index of letters that are numbered. For example, in the Hebrew dictionary you have Aleph 1-871, Beth 872-1340, etc. Selecting a letter breaks it down even more by giving you the dictionary entries by their first 2 letters with numbers.

The Greek and Hebrew text look like the other MSS e-books. The text is crisp and clean. The Hebrew works in correct Hebrew order- from right to left.

This is already one of my favorite study Bibles. It makes the Kindle an even better tool for Bible study. It’s such an easy study Bible to navigate and use, and you don’t have to be a student of the original languages to use this Bible. I highly recommend the King James Version with Strong’s Markup and Dictionary of the Bible from Miklal Software Solutions. It will greatly enhance your Bible study.

Miklal Software Solutions provided this Bible free for this review. I was not required to give a positive review- only an honest review.

KJV 400th Anniversary Edition in Dry Stamped Lambskin from LCBP

Randy A. Brown — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 01:28:21 +0000

The King James Version of the Bible is celebrating its 400^th anniversary this year and many publishers are offering special anniversary editions. Most are either study Bibles in fancy covers or reprints of the original 1611 edition. Local Church Bible Publishers has made a bold move in offering the most unique and useful 400^th anniversary edition available. And this one happens to be a numbered limited edition- there will only 1611 copies printed. If you want to know where number 127 is… well, that one is mine :0)

Features

Features include a short history of the Bible in English, Translators to the Reader, book introductions, headings in the text, an index, a dictionary of proper names, a subject index, a 161 page concordance, 13 pages for notes, seven maps, a section introductions (Pentateuch, poetry, prophets, etc.), and a lambskin cover. It’s 9.5 x 6.5 x 1.75 inches with a .5 inch margin all around, and has 2 black ribbons.

Cover

LCBP has made well use of symbolism in choosing lambskin for the cover of the 400^th edition. The cover is the softest Bible cover I own. I’ve bent it all out of shape and it returns to its natural beauty without a complaint. It’s a joy to hold. The standard Church Publishers construction that we all expect is here. In fact, their construction quality is to a much higher standard than most Bible publishers- employing techniques that will ensure this Bible will last a lifetime. It is Smyth sewn and leather-lined to the edge with fine stitching. It is ‘dry stamped’, meaning that it has no color in the words stamped into the spine. I don’t normally do yoga with my Bibles, but this one was begging for it!

Text

The text is an 8.5 point font that looks semi-bold. The text is the same as their Classic Study Bible with Scofield notes, only without the notes and references. The spaces are left empty where references and notes would appear. The headings in the text, the book introductions, the reference keys, the verse numbers at the top of each page, and the dates are intact. This encourages the idea of making your own study Bible. I would like to see more Bibles with places to write. LCBP have done well by giving you some writing space, allowing you to make this Bible truly yours instead of having someone else’s notes. Bibles with notes are great, but Bibles that give you the space to write your own notes are better.

Paper

The paper feels like India paper. It has a faint ghosting, which is to be expected and is standard for a Bible this size. There are 13 blank pages in the back for writing notes.

Concordance

They’ve kept the 162 page concordance from the Classic Study Bible with C.I. Scofield notes. This concordance is better than most, having 81 entries for God.

Maps

The standard LCBP maps are here. There are seven total.

Here are some comparisons to LCBPs Note Takers:

Conclusion

I applaud Local Church Bible Publishers for the 400^th Anniversary Edition. They truly have made a bold move with this Bible. They have made it a limited numbered edition and then encourage you to write in it. It’s a special limited edition with the purpose of making your own study Bible. The absence of notes leaves blank spots on many pages. These blank spots say ‘write something here’ to its owner. The center column is blank. This blank area tells its owner ‘make your own references’. The text itself still retains the links to the references. Normally it would be considered a crazy thought to have links to references that don’t exist but they do exist- you just haven’t written them yet. This format encourages the empty spaces to be filled in. This Bible encourages you to study the Bible. This is a great limited edition study Bible. It isn’t just meant to be owned; it’s meant to be used.

The 400^th Anniversary Edition is available from Local Church Bible Publishers website here:

http://www.localchurchbiblepublishers.com/2011/06/anniversary-edition-dry-stamped/

Local Church Bible Publishers provided this Bible free for review. I was not required to give a positive review- only an honest review.