« | Leviticus 17 | » |
1 And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses, saying:
2 Speake vnto Aaron and vnto his sonnes, and vnto all the chyldren of Israel, and say vnto them: This is the thing whiche the Lorde hath charged, saying:
3 What man soeuer of the house of Israel kylleth an oxe, or lambe, or goate in the hoast, or that kylleth it out of the hoast,
4 And bryngeth it not vnto the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering vnto the Lorde before the dwelling place of the Lord, blood shalbe imputed vnto that man, he hath shed blood, and that man shalbe cut of from among his people.
5 Wherfore, when the chyldren of Israel bryng their offeringes that they offer in the wylde fielde, they shall bryng them vnto the Lorde, euen vnto the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation by the priest, to offer them for peace offeringes vnto the Lorde.
6 And the priest shall sprinckle the blood vpon the aulter of the Lorde, whiche is before the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation, and burne the fat for a sweete sauour vnto the Lorde.
7 And let them no more offer their offeringes vnto deuyls, after whom they haue gone a whoryng: This shalbe an ordinaunce for euer vnto them in their generations.
8 And thou shalt say vnto them: Whatsoeuer man it be of the house of Israel, or of the straungers whiche soiourne among you, that offereth a burnt offering or sacrifice,
9 And bryngeth it not vnto the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation to offer it vnto the Lorde: that man shalbe cut of from among his people.
10 And whatsoeuer man it be of the house of Israel, or of the straungers that soiourne among you, that eateth any maner of blood, I wyll set my face against that soule that eateth blood, and wyll cut hym of from among his people:
11 For the life of the fleshe is in the blood, and I haue geuen it vnto you vpon the aulter, to make an attonement for your soules: for this blood shall make an attonement for the soule.
12 Therfore I sayd vnto the chyldren of Israel: Let no soule of you eate blood, neither let any straunger that soiourneth among you, eate blood.
13 And whatsoeuer man it be of the chyldren of Israel, or of the straungers that soiourne among you, whiche hunteth and catcheth any beast or foule that may be eaten, let hym powre out the blood thereof, and couer it with dust.
14 For the lyfe of the fleshe is the blood of it [ioyned] with his lyfe: therefore I sayde vnto the chyldren of Israel, ye shal eate the blood of no maner of flesh, for the life of all fleshe is the blood therof: whosoeuer eateth it, shalbe cut of.
15 And euery soule that eateth it whiche dyed alone, or that whiche was torne with wylde beastes, whether it be one of your owne countrey, or a straunger, he shall washe his clothes, and bathe hym selfe in water, and be vncleane vnto the euen: and then shall he be cleane.
16 If he washe them not, nor bathe his fleshe, he shall beare his sinne.
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.