Exclamation points and the KJV

[Ziggy]

Almost overlooked in the mish-mash of generally irrelevant discussion on a now-closed thread:

Thumper: "by the way an exclaimation is generaly pointed out by a exclaimation point."

This got me to wondering: where in the KJV is *any* exclamation indicated by an exclamation point? I don't think there are any. Why not?

 

[Craigbythesea]

I am a speed reader and it only takes me about 10 minutes to read through the Bible, so I read through a Cambridge KJV and found three exclamation marks in the O.T., and one in the N.T. It is possible that I missed one, but I read very carefully, so I don’t think so.

Proverbs 15:23 A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!

Isaiah 5:19 That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!

Malachi 1:13 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD.

Mark 13:1 And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!

 

[natters]

It depends which edition of the KJV you look in. The punctuation changed quite a bit, changing exclamation points into periods, question marks, etc.

 

[Ed Edwards]

Originally posted by Craigbythesea:
I am a speed reader and it only takes me about 10 minutes to read through the Bible, so I read through a Cambridge KJV and found three exclamation marks in the O.T., and one in the N.T.

I note that my
main on-line bible search programs don't
do exclamation points

 

[aefting]

A search on biblegateway.com yields 275!

Andy

 

[Ziggy]

Members of the Baptist Board,

I repent in dust and ashes. I dumped the entire Online Bible KJV text as an ASCII file and then scanned for "!" and found *plenty* (e.g. in Mt 6:23; 8:27; 11:21; 12:49; 18:7; 21:20; 23:13-29, etc.

What triggered my question was based on a cursory scan and *not* seeing "!" in places where it seemed necessary, e.g. "God forbid"; "My Lord and my God"; etc.

That's what I get for never having been a KJV user.

 

[Pastor_Bob]

Originally posted by Ziggy:
That's what I get for never having been a KJV user.

I trust that you have now seen the error of your ways. You will be welcomed into the fold with open arms.

 

[GrannyGumbo]

Pastor_Bob,

Good job!

 

[Ziggy]

Pastor Bob: I trust that you have now seen the error of your ways. You will be welcomed into the fold with open arms.

Which fold? I am already a member of the MV fold (which includes the KJV even if I don't use it), and there shall be one fold and one shepherd.

The lesson learned from this is not to inquire about that with which one is not familiar, unless one first takes the time to get familiar with that with which he is not familiar. A lesson for many.

 

[Marcia]

I thought there was no punctuation in the Greek and Hebrew documents. All punctuations were added later, and exclamation points were put in when there was an emphasis or the meaning seemed to call for it.

 

[Ziggy]

Marcia is of course correct. And even when punctuation was added, there was no exclamation point in either the Greek or Hebrew. (Note however that modern Greek and Hebrew do use the "western" exclamation point and question mark).

 

[gb93433]

Originally posted by Ziggy:
Marcia is of course correct. And even when punctuation was added, there was no exclamation point in either the Greek or Hebrew. (Note however that modern Greek and Hebrew do use the "western" exclamation point and question mark).

That is true, but they did have a way of adding emphasis.

 

[Craigbythesea]

That is true, but they did have a way of adding emphasis.

And all to often the translators of the KJV either did not understand this, or they chose to ignore it. The NASB does a much better job in this area.

 

[mioque]

Forget punctuation, in the good old days even having breaks between words was a novelty. Come to think of it so was having vowels.
The sentence:
That is true, but they did have a way of adding emphasis.
Would have been:
thtstrbtthyddhvwyfddngmphss.

 

[Dr. Bob]

Of course, I went to the first place I figured to see an exclamation point - Romans 6:2.

Assumed that after the man-made, no basis in the Word of God phrase GOD FORBID, there would HAVE to be an exclamation point.

Nope. Colon.

Man, if I was going to make up my own exclamatory phrase like that, I SURE would have used one! Or two!!

Shoul we continue in sin? NO WAY, JOSE!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dr. Bob]

Note: In the explanatory notes to my Greek NT, Professor George Ricker Berry states

"There is no authority anywhere for the punctuation. There are few or no points in the ancient copies, and modern editors naturally differ in their system of pointing."

This means that "God Forbid!" is just as valid as "God Forbid:" or "God Forbid." No doctrinal issue, no debate.