What Saith the Lord?

This is the title of a new book that I received yesterday. I am reading it now.

Ward, Mark. What Saith the Lord? KJV Words We're Getting Wrong -- and How to Get them Right. Grand Rapids: BakerBooks, 2026.

Pastor Joe Shakour, a KJV defender who spoke at the King James Research Council national meeting this year, recommended it. Joe Shakour wrote: "I truly believe this book represents a successful attempt to find common ground in an ongoing debate that often generates more heat than light." At the end of his paragraph of positive comments, Joe Shakour wrote: "In a discussion often marked by division, this work is a breath of fresh air" (first page before the title page).

Mark Ward declared: “I’m for readers of the KJV understanding God’s Word” (What Saith the Lord, p. 9). Mark Ward asserted: “MOSTLY, I THINK WE do understand the KJV” (p. 35).
Mark Ward wrote: "This book will not and does not criticize the KJV or its translators" (p. 111). Mark Ward wrote: "The KJV translators specifically mention in their preface that they are not above mistakes, but I do not charge them with a single one in this book" (p. 138).

On the back cover of this book, this is stated: "Far from critiquing the King James Bible, this book will make you a better reader of it."

Mark Ward wrote: "And I am determined that this book should provide a point of unity and not of further division. I am dead set as a doornail: I want people who by conviction read only the KJV to be able to read this book with joy and not with grief" (What Saith the Lord, p. 276).

I love and prefer the KJV, but Mark Ward should feel free to be somewhat critical of the KJV, for it should not be an idol of worship.

Pick up a King James Bible, and it's easy to spot words we don't use anymore, from bolled and bewray to hosen and hoised. The real trouble is the words that look perfectly normal to us, like study, sincere, offend, peculiar, and mansion. Mark Ward calls these "false friends"--words we don't know we don't know.

In this enlightening and entertaining book, Ward considers 38 false friends, showing how language shifts under our feet to change the meaning of words across the centuries. Far from critiquing the King James Bible, this book will make you a better reader of it by
● helping you spot false friends
● explaining how words change
● giving you the tools to define hidden KJV archaisms on your own

Click to expand...

38 words is a start, but there are over 600 archaic words in the KJV.

For many adults, these can be stumbling blocks that obscure meanings.

I wonder how people can just give children a KJV bible with no helps, and expect them to read independently for themselves, especially with the false friends words. Yes, you go through the bible with them as a family and correct some words... but I am speaking about independent reading (a great means of growth in grace).

Do you give them a list of archaic words and contemporary equivalents?

Ascetic X said:

38 words is a start, but there are over 600 archaic words in the KJV.

Click to expand...

Appendix 50 in this book is entitled "150 False Friends in the King James Version", and those 150 words are listed (pp. 294-295). The 38 words are the words that are discussed.

Are there not any words in the KJV that many present readers would think that they know their meaning when they really don’t know the actual meaning intended by the KJV translators? Has it been proven with absolute certainty that no present KJV readers read a different meaning into some of its words than its translators intended?

Examples of this type of words in the KJV may include the following: nephews (1 Tim. 5:4, Jud. 12:14, Job 18:19) used to mean grandchildren or direct descendants, carriages (Acts 21:15, 1 Sam. 17:22, Judges 18:21, Isaiah 10:28, Isaiah 64:1) used for baggage, let (2 Thess. 2:7, Rom. 1:13) used with the meaning hinder, prevent (1 Thess. 4:15) used to mean precede, turtle (Jer. 8:7) used for dove or turtledove, rank (Gen. 41:5) used to mean strong or healthy, leasing (Ps. 5:6) used to mean falsehoods or lies, health (Ps. 42:11) used with the meaning of salvation, deliverance, or help, rid (Ps. 144:7) used to mean deliver or rescue, allow (Luke 11:48) used with the meaning approve, borrow (Exod. 3:22, Exod. 11:2) used with the meaning ask, tired (2 Kings 9:30) used with the meaning attired or adorned, take no thought (Matt. 6:25) used with the meaning of be not troubled or anxious, hard (Acts 18:7) used with the meaning of close or near, bravery (Isa. 3:18) used with the meaning splendor, magnificence, or beauty, harness (1 Kings 22:34) used with the meaning armor, bunches (Isa. 30:6) used with the meaning humps of camels, room (1 Kings 5:1; Matt. 2:22, Luke 14:8) used with the meaning place, and mansions (John 14:2) used with the meaning abode (John 14:23) or dwelling places.

More possible examples may include: road (1 Sam. 27:10) used to mean raid, power (2 Chron. 32:9) used with the meaning army, artillery (1 Sam. 20:40) used to mean weapons or bows and arrows, wealth (1 Cor. 10:24) meaning welfare or well-being, tablets (Exod. 35:22, Num. 31:50) meaning ornaments or some type of jewelry, coasts (Matt. 2:16) used for borders or regions, brass (Deut. 8:9; Job 28:2) used for copper, book (Isa. 34:16) meaning a scroll, flag (Job 8:11) meaning a reed or marsh grass, flakes (Job 41:23) meaning layers of flesh, lesser cattle (Isa. 7:25) meaning sheep, volume (Ps. 40:7) meaning a roll or scroll, terraces (2 Chron. 9:11) meaning walkways, small cattle (Isa. 43:23) meaning sheep, shambles (1 Cor. 10:25) meaning meat market, slips (Isa. 17:10) meaning seedlings, alleging (Acts 17:3) meaning proving or giving evidence, instantly (Acts 26:7) meaning earnestly, constantly (Acts 12:15) meaning confidently or assuredly, listed (Matt. 17:12) meaning desired or wanted, make suit (Job 11:19) meaning seek favor, worship (Luke 14:10) meaning honor or respect, grudging (1 Peter 4:9) meaning murmuring, desired (2 Chron. 21:20) meaning regret, bruise (Gen. 3:15, Rom. 16:12) meaning crush, once (Jer. 13:27) meaning ever, out of hand (Num. 11:15) meaning at once or immediately, apparently (Num. 12:8) meaning plainly or clearly, cunning (Isa. 40:20) meaning skillful, rude (2 Cor. 11:6) meaning unskilled or inexpert, sincere (1 Pet. 2:2) meaning pure, evil (Isa. 45:7) meaning calamity or disaster, honesty (2 Tim. 2:2) meaning holiness or gravity (Titus 2:7), several (2 Kings 15:5) meaning separate, go beyond (1 Thess. 4:6) meaning transgress, inward (Job 9:9) meaning intimate or close, mean (Isa. 2:9) meaning common or lowly, all (Heb. 7:7) meaning any, so that (1 Kings 8:25) used with the meaning “only if” as the same word was translated in Deuteronomy 15:5, and light (Jud. 9:4, Zeph. 3:4) meaning reckless.

A likely intended meaning was given for each of the examples although another person might suggest a different one. Does the KJV have clear, built-in definitions for all these words as Gail Riplinger claims for all words in the KJV?