"The Names of God Bible" edited by Ann Spangler

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Ann Spangler, General Editor. The Names of God Bible. Revell, 2011. 1730 pgs. 

Reviewing a bible... this is most definitely a first. What am I going to say? Recommended? Obviously, what follows is a review of the particularities of this version and this translation.

What you have here is a version of the "God's Word Translation." The entire thing focuses on the names of God. The cross references, few and far between as they are, point to other uses of particular names of God. The sidebars and informational pages focus on explaining the names and usages of particular names for God. And every time one of the names for God is used, this version keeps that name in a transliterated version of the original; things like "El Chay" (Living God) and Sar Shalom (Prince of Peace).

As a way for people with no Hebrew and Greek background, this version of the bible offers a great window into the various names of God and what they mean. The sidebars are quite interesting. Personally, I think you are better off learning a little bit of the original languages, but I know that this is not possible, nor easy, for most people. My only other comment is that I wish it had been packaged in another translation. There is nothing huge wrong with the 'God's Word Translation.' No heresy, no big mistakes. However, in every area where there are translation difficulties, the GWT gives no indication whatsoever of alternatives of selection process. Perhaps that was just a choice they had to make, as making this both a 'Names of God' version and a study version would have made a huge book.

Conclusion: 3.5 Stars. Conditionally Recommended. Interesting stuff, acceptable translation. If you want to read something with the original names of God in it, then look no further. Just make sure you don't make this your main or only bible version/translation.

"Bible has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

Comments

Anonymous said…
> Obviously, what follows is a review of the particularities of this version and this translation.

I am curious: would particularities and particulars mean the same in this context?

Obviously it's a matter of personal style. My own preference is for a shorter word over a longer one that means the same.

Roger Hui
9:57 AM
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