« | Hosea 7 | » |
1 When I vndertoke to make Israel whole, then the vngraciousnesse of Ephraim, and the wickednes of Samaria came to light, for thei go about with lyes, therfore the theefe robbeth within, and the spoyler destroyeth without.
2 They consider not in their heartes that I remember al their wickednesse: Nowe their owne inuentions haue beset them, whiche I see well inough.
3 They make the kyng glad with their wickednesse, and the princes with their lyes.
4 All these burne in adulterie, as it were an ouen that the baker heateth when he hath left kneading, tyll the dowe be leauened.
5 [This is] the day of our kyng, the princes haue made hym sicke with bottels of wine, he hath stretched out his hande to scorners.
6 For whyles they lye in wayte, they haue made redye their heart lyke an ouen, their baker sleepeth all night, in the morning it burneth as a flambe of fire.
7 They are altogether as hotte as an ouen, and haue deuoured their owne iudges, all their kinges are fallen, yet is there none of them that calleth vpon me.
8 Ephraim hath mixt him selfe among [heathen] people, Ephraim is become like a cake that no man turneth.
9 Straungers haue deuoured his strength, and he regardeth it not: he waxeth full of gray heeres, yet wyll he not knowe it.
10 And the pryde of Israel testifieth to his face, yet wyll they not turne to the Lorde their God, nor seeke hym for all this.
11 Ephraim is like a doue that is begyled and hath no heart: nowe call they vpon the Egyptians, now go they to the Assyrians.
12 But whyle they be goyng here and there I shal spreade my net ouer them, and drawe them downe as the foules of the ayre: and according as they haue ben warned, so wyll I punishe them.
13 Wo be vnto them, for they haue forsaken me, they must be destroyed, for they haue set me at naught: I am he that hath redeemed them, yet haue they spoken lyes agaynst me.
14 They call not vpon me with their heartes, but lye howlyng vpon their beddes: they wyll assemble them selues for corne and wine, but rebel against me.
15 I haue bounde [vp] and strengthened their arme: yet do they imagine mischiefe agaynst me.
16 They turne them selues, but not to the most hyest, and are become as a broken bowe, their princes shalbe slayne with the sworde for the malice of their tongues: this shalbe their derision in the lande of Egypt.
The Bishop’s Bible (BB)
The Bishop’s Bible (BB) is a significant English translation of the Bible that was first published in 1568 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. It was commissioned by the Church of England as a revision of the Great Bible and as a response to the Geneva Bible, which was popular among the Puritans but contained marginal notes that were considered politically and theologically contentious by the Anglican establishment. The primary goal of the Bishop’ s Bible was to create a translation that would be more acceptable to the ecclesiastical authorities and suitable for use in Anglican churches.
One of the distinguishing features of the Bishop’s Bible is its effort to maintain a high level of accuracy and scholarly integrity while also ensuring that the language used was dignified and appropriate for public reading. The translation was undertaken by a team of bishops and other scholars, hence its name. The translators aimed to preserve the poetic and literary qualities of the original texts, drawing on previous translations such as the Tyndale Bible, the Coverdale Bible, and the Great Bible, while also incorporating their scholarly insights and linguistic refinements.
The Bishop’s Bible was notable for its large, folio format, which was designed to be read from the pulpit. It included extensive marginal notes, though these were more restrained and less controversial than those found in the Geneva Bible. The translation also featured elaborate illustrations and maps, as well as a comprehensive introduction and various prefaces that provided context and guidance for readers. Despite its grandeur and scholarly merit, the Bishop’s Bible did not achieve the widespread popularity of the Geneva Bible among the general populace.
Although the Bishop’s Bible played an essential role in the religious and cultural life of Elizabethan England, it was eventually overshadowed by the King James Version (KJV), which was commissioned in 1604 and published in 1611. The KJV drew heavily on the Bishop’ s Bible, as well as other earlier translations, but ultimately surpassed it in both scholarly rigor and literary quality. Nonetheless, the Bishop’s Bible remains an important milestone in the history of English Bible translations, reflecting the theological and political currents of its time and contributing to the development of subsequent translations.