The English Bible

Foreword

To make some of the best parts of a great old book more readable and more understandable to the modern reader is the purpose of this book of Selections from the King James Version of the English Bible. The basis of selection is the relative significance of the stories, songs, essays, letters of the Bible as literature and in literature. Every educated person, no matter of what religious belief, should know at least those parts of the English Bible which either have a special literary value in themselves or have in one form or another exercised a marked influence on English literature. As much as possible of such material is here presented.

In the preparation of this book of selections, the editor has used freely the texts and discussions of Biblical scholars. Whatever originality may inhere in the present work lies in the form in which these selections appear. The language of the King James Version has been strictly preserved, the Oxford University Press text, collated with the Cambridge University Press reprint of the first issue of the Authorized Version of 1611, being used. An attempt has been made to present these parts of the Bible in the form of a modern book of poetry and prose, with marginal and center headings to assist in an easy comprehension of the subject matter on the part of students in school and college and of the general reader in the home. The brief Explanatory Notes which are attached to some of the selections are designed to assist in an intelligent reading of the book. In giving information as to the composition, structure, and nature of the subject matter of these parts of the Bible, the editor has endeavoured conscientiously to present what seem to be the generally accepted results of modern Biblical scholarship. Absolute accuracy of fact is of course not to be expected ; a statement of the possibilities, or probabilities, only may be ventured. In no instance here has the editor hazarded an opinion save as to what a piece of writing may mean to us today. For convenience of reference to the complete Bible, the conventional order of the sixty-six books has been followed and the chapter numbers retained.

I wish to acknowledge my indebtedness, general as such an acknowledgment must necessarily be, to many books in the broad field of Biblical study. A selected list of these books is printed in Appendix E. Professor Elihu Grant has had the kindness to read the manuscript of the Introduction, the Explanatory Notes, and the Appendices. Dr. Finley M. K. Foster has followed the work from the preliminary arrangement of the text and the final preparation of the manuscript through to the press proof. To his sympathetic interest, his keen criticism, especially of the form of the poetic sections, and his faithful reading of the proof, the book owes much of whatever merit it may possess. My sincere gratitude is due to other friends who have given hearty encouragement to the prosecution of the work, and to the Publishers, who have cooperated most helpfully in creating an adequate material form for subject matter of such lofty significance.

ii

Purnell Hall July 11,1921

Contents

Foreword