« | Joshua 20 | » |
1 The Lorde also spake vnto Iosuah, saying:
2 Speake to the children of Israel, and saye: Appoint out fro amog you cities of refuge, wherof I spake vnto you by the hande of Moyses:
3 That the slear that kylleth any person vnwares and vnwyttyngly, may flee thyther: And those cities shall be your refuge from the auenger of blood.
4 And he that doth flee vnto one of those cities, shall stande at the entryng of the gate of the citie, & shall shewe his cause in the eares of the elders of the citie: And they shall take him into the citie vnto them, and geue hym a place, that he may dwell among them.
5 And if the auenger of blood folow after him, they shall not deliuer the slear into his hand: because he smote his friend ignorauntly, and hated him not before tyme.
6 And he shall dwell in the sayd citie vntyl he stande before the congregation in iudgement, or vntyll the death of the hye priest that shall be in those dayes: for then shall the slear returne, and come vnto his owne citie, and vnto his owne house, and vnto the citie from whence he fled.
7 And they sanctified Kedes in Galilee in mount Nephthali, & Siche in mount Ephraim, and Kiriatharba (which is Hebron) in the mountayne of Iuda.
8 And on the other syde Iordane ouer against Iericho eastward, they appoynted Bezer in the wildernesse vpon the playne, out of the tribe of Ruben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Basan out of the tribe of Manasses.
9 These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, & for the straunger that soiourned among them, that whosoeuer kylled any person ignorautly, the same might flee thyther, & should not dye by the hand of the auenger of blood, vntil he stoode before the congregation.
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.