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American Standard Version
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- Noah Webster Translation
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Daily Bible Reading Guide - Easton's Bible Dictionary -
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Torrey's Topical Textbook
Webster Bible Electronic Format.
PUBLIC DOMAIN
February 1992
Major correction Aug. 1993
TOPICS:
- Webster Biography
- Introduction to the Electronic Format
- Process Description
- Text Considerations
- Typeset Corrections
- Word/Spelling Standardizations
- 12/25/91 Corrections
- 08/15/93 Corrections
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Webster Biography:
Noah Webster: America's first grammarian and founding father of
American education. In 1828 Noah Webster published the
"American Dictionary of the English Language". This dictionary
demonstrates the Christian values which were found in America's
educational and scholarly systems. It is from this early
dictionary that we have todays popular "Webster Dictionary".
In 1833 Noah Webster, who had mastered 20 languages including
Hebrew and Greek, published the King James Authorized Version
"with amendments to the language". In stating his reasons for
producing this version of the Bible, Webster said:
"In the present version, the language is, in general, correct
and perspicuous; ... in many passages uniting sublimity with
beautiful simplicity. In my view, the general style of the
version ought not to be altered. But, in the lapse of two or
three centuries, changes have taken place, which, in
particular passages, impair the beauty; in others, obscure the
sense, of the original languages. ... they do not present to
the reader the Word of God. ... My principal aim is to
remedy this evil."
It was with cautious reverence that Webster corrected misused
grammar, removed offensive terms and expressions, and
substituted commonly understood words for words that had fallen
into disuse, or no longer carried the same meaning.
In 1834, the year after completing the Webster Bible, Noah
Webster wrote a companion piece titled "Value of the Bible and
Excellence of the Christian Religion - For the Use of Families
and Schools".
Webster, who was considered "The schoolmaster to a nation", and
produced the earliest spellers and textbooks for America's school
children, believed Christian religious values and American public
education to be inseparable. He believed the Webster Bible to be
"the most important enterprise" of his life, and referred to the
Bible as:
"... the chief moral cause of all that is good, and the best
corrector of all that is evil, in human society; the best book
for regulating the temporal concerns of men, and the only book
that can serve as an infallible guide to future felicity."
Introduction to the Electronic Format:
Beginning in July of 1991 the task of placing the Webster Bible
text in electronic format began. The original purpose was to
provide Larry Pierce (who produces the On-Line Bible program),
with a more modern *public domain* text, similar in content and
style to the AV but with a grammar that would provide better
comprehension in todays English.
The maintainted and most correct text, can be found on the Bible
Foundation web site, www.bf.org.
Or, by contacting me:
Home phone 602-829-8542
Address Mark Fuller
1129 East Loyola Drive
Tempe Arizona, 85282
Process Description:
The process which occurred was:
- Photocopy pages from a Webster Bible facsimile, enlarging and
controlling contrast for maximum character recognition.
The Webster Bible used was printed by Baker Book House,
1987, isbn 0-8010-9684-7.
- Mail the photocopies to the Bible Foundation where they were
OCR scanned using an HP Scanjet and Omni-Page OCR software.
- Visual comparison and cleaning of the resulting scan files
against the printed Webster Bible.
- Spell checking.
- Electronic comparison of the Webster text files against the
KJV AV text files contained in the On-Line Bible program.
All differences were double checked against the printed
Webster Bible.
The program used for comparing was the IBM Superc Compare
Facility developed for IBM Mainframe computer environments
and available for the IBM PC platform. (see below)
- Produce a list of unique (ignoring the case of the first
character of each word) words contained in the Webster
files, with a count of their occurrence. This list was then
checked for consistency of spellings, hyphenations.
Text Considerations:
During this process the opportunity presented itself to
'enhance' the text. These changes could have fallen into 3
categories:
- Correcting obvious and perceived 1833 typesetting errors.
- Correcting spellings not currently in use today.
It was decided to limit changes to the first category, as there
were a fairly large amount of 1833 typesetting errors
discovered. Some are quite obvious while others are
questionable; extreme caution was taken in deciding what should
be corrected. For instance, the word Spirit is not capitalized
in many places. Based on the pattern I see, I believe this was
intentional on Webster's part: although I disagree with it. In
the second category there are a number of word spellings which
are wholly incorrect today: Cesar, lanch, to-day. These have not
been changed.
Anyone desiring to validate this text should consider
electronicaly comparing it to the AV. This produces the fastest
check of integrity. The compare program I used, the IBM Superc
Compare Facility for the IBM PC, can be obtained from IBM. Cost
is $15, plus $5 for shipping. To order call 800-426-7279 and
ask for 'Superc'. This is an outstanding compare program.
Perform a Word type compare with a Delta listing.
Another useful tool for working with the raw ascii texts is the
PS text find program available as Shareware on many BBS's.
A good reference tool for understanding the changes Webster
made, and did not make, is the 1828 Noah Webster Dictionary.
This provides a clear insight into what Webster had in mind
regarding the English language in 1833. This dictionary is
available from the Foundation for American Christian Education,
PO Box 27035, San Francisco, CA, 94127.
Typeset Corrections:
NU 32:32 {Extraneous line from 2 verses below appears in this
verse.}
NU 33:49 Beth-jesimoth > Beth-jeshimoth
GE 24:31 LORd > LORD
EX 1:22 every > Every
EX 7:16 the > The
EX 8:1 let > Let
EX 9:29 as > As
EX 13:8 this > This
EX 15:26 if > If
EX 16:25 eat > Eat
EX 20:6 commadments > commandments
EX 23:11 my > may
EX 25:30 alway > always
EX 22:5 ano4her > another
EX 26:1 lined > linen
EX 32:25 v.35 > v.25
EX 33:15 him if > him, If
EX 39:23 hand > band
EX 39:43 had, > had
LE 18:15 v.45 > v.15
DE 1:13 v.12 > v.13
DE 3:24 according thy > according to thy
DE 13:10 bonddage > bondage
DE 23:4 thy > they
DE 26:7 heared > heard
DE 28:49 nnderstand > understand
JOS 14:12 hearedst > heardest
JOS 19:35 Cinnereth > Chinnereth
JOS 22:20 son Zerah > son of Zerah
JUD 6:11 nnder > under
JUD 7:24 Beth-bara > Beth-barah
JUD 11:34 Jepthath > Jephthah
JUD 11:39 she > he
JUD 20:35 v.25 > v.35
JUD 20:40 behold the > behold, the
RU 1:22 the the > the
1SA 6:4 emerods. > emerods,
1SA 8:10 of of > of
1SA 14:30 to day > to-day
1SA 24:11 trangression > transgression
1SA 24:21 out my > out of my
1SA 25:41 they > thy
1SA 26:7 and, behold, > and behold,
2SA 1:7 answered Here > answered, Here
2SA 3:5 sixth > sixth,
2SA 10:14 Abashai, > Abishai,
2SA 13:34 hill side > hillside
2SA 16:21 Aphithophel > Ahithophel
2SA 17:17 Enrogel > En-rogel
2SA 21:19 Beth-lehemite. > Beth-lehemite,
2SA 23:26 Tekoite. > Tekoite,
2SA 23:27 Hushathite. > Hushathite,
1KI 4:5 the the king's > the king's
1KI 6:6 ahout > about
1KI 6:16 plaee > place
1KI 7:36 proprotion > proportion
1KI 8:11 of LORD. > of the LORD.
1KI 18:31 of LORD > of the LORD
1KI 19:2 ahout > about
1KI 20:26 Ben-hahad > Ben-hadad
2KI 2:3 to day > to-day
2KI 7:9 upon upon > upon
2KI 9:21 saying > saying,
2KI 13:13 Israel? > Israel.
2KI 13:24 Benhadad > Ben-hadad
2KI 15:16 Manahim > Manahem
1CH 2:17 Ismaelite > Ishmaelite
1CH 2:37 Obed. > Obed,
1CH 4:24 Memuel > Nemuel
1CH 4:28 Moladar > Moladah
1CH 3:9 and and > and
1CH 6:22 sons > son
1CH 6:22 on > son
1CH 6:81 suburbs, > suburbs.
1CH 7:32 Hothan > Hotham
1CH 8:8 after, > after
1CH 9:3 of of > of
1CH 9:28 ministring > ministering
1CH 11:45 Jedial > Jediael
1CH 24:26 Malhi > Mahli
1CH 25:14 brethren > brethren,
1CH 25:20 brethren > brethren,
1CH 25:21 brethren > brethren,
1CH 25:27 sons > sons,
1CH 27:7 couse > course
1CH 27:13 Maharia > Maharai
2CH 4:8 a a > a
2CH 6:29 bis > his
2CH 10:7 forever > for ever
2CH 12:1 pass. > pass,
2CH 15:1 spirit > Spirit
2CH 17:1 Johosaphat > Jehoshaphat
2CH 22:2 Jerusalem, > Jerusalem.
2CH 28:12 son Johanan > son of Johanan
2CH 29:35 of LORD > of the LORD
2CH 35:1 Joash > Josiah
2CH 35:12 familes > families
NE 3:15 Shallum > Shallun
NE 9:10 a a > a
NE 11:4 of of > of
ES 9:12 shall done > shall be done
JOB 21:5 and and > and
JOB 31:18 be > he
PS 31:11 me- > me.
PS 75:5 wot > not
PS 78:36 Nethertheless > Nevertheless
PS 82:1 the the > the
PS 119:76 Let > Let,
PS 119:141 depised > despised
PS 132:7 foostool > footstool
PS 137:6 roof my > roof of my
PR 1:9 shatl > shalt
PR 13:6 wickednesss > wickedness
PR 15:33 humilty > humility
PR 20:20 obscnre > obscure
PR 21:1 the the > the
PR 23:12 intruction > instruction
SO 7:9 roof thy > roof of thy
ISA 14:9 tho > the
ISA 21:16 LORD, > LORD
ISA 23:12 thou > Thou
ISA 32:7 detroy > destroy
ISA 35:8 and and > and
ISA 43:9 and and > and
ISA 66:11 we > ye
ISA 66:19 them. > them,
JER 4:10 {line 3 and 4 were reversed}
JER 4:12 againt > against
JER 5:15 saith LORD > saith the LORD
JER 5:19 ye he have > ye have
JER 6:4 lenghtened > lengthened
JER 7:24 and and > and
JER 14:13 he > ye
JER 14:19 lothed > loathed
JER 25:4 hearkenened > hearkened
JER 36:15 ears, > ears.
JER 42:4 you God > your God
JER 49:36 whether > whither
JER 52:21 cubits? > cubits;
LA 3:60 imginations > imaginations
LA 4:4 break > bread
EZE 3:14 of LORD > of the LORD
EZE 6:1 word the > word of the
EZE 11:11 it > it;
EZE 17:1 come > came
EZE 28:1 word the > word of the
EZE 28:25 when > When
EZE 45:8 Isral > Israel
EZE 48:16 An > And
DA 1:19 them > them;
DA 2:10 there > There
DA 8:17 the the > the
DA 9:24 reconconciliation > reconciliation
HO 14:3 your hands > our hands
JOE 2:20 northen > northern
AM 1:6 for > For
AM 2:6 trangressions > transgressions
AM 5:8 the mout > them out
MIC 5:4 strengh > strength
NA 3:4 familes > families
NA 3:7 see > seek
NA 3:18 shepsherds > shepherds
HAG 2:13 it > It
ZEC 1:4 heaken > hearken
ZEC 7:1 of LORD > of the LORD
MT 2:2 where > Where
MT 4:1 spirit > Spirit
MT 7:21 me > me,
MT 8:31 v.21 > v.31
MT 10:1 pow- [against] > power [against]
MT 15:32 v.22 > v.32
MT 16:22 LORD > Lord
MT 17:26 from > From
MT 21:21 If > if
MT 21:41 he > He
MT 25:17 two. > two,
MT 26:8 to > To
MT 26:40 alseep > asleep
MT 27:65 said them > said to them
MR 6:1 Juda > Judas
MR 9:21 from > From
MR 9:50 yourselvs > yourselves
MR 10:45 ranson > ransom
MR 11:14 let > Let
LU 3:30 Juda > Judah
LU 3:33 Juda > Judah
LU 3:34 Nachor > Nahor
LU 3:34 Thara > Terah
LU 3:35 Saruch > Serug
LU 3:35 Ragau > Reu
LU 3:35 Phalec > Peleg
LU 3:36 Sem > Shem
LU 3:37 Mathusala > Methuselah
LU 4:10 he > He
LU 5:4 lanch > Lanch
LU 5:27 him > him,
LU 6:10 as other > as the other
LU 6:13 choose > chose
LU 10:41 her > her,
LU 17:33 peserve > preserve
LU 20:6 from > From
LU 20:14 the the > the
LU 24:34 the > The
AC 1:6 the the > the
AC 2:18 those, days > those days,
AC 12:8 And > and
AC 16:18 name Jesus > name of Jesus
AC 16:25 prases > praises
AC 17:6 word > world
AC 18:6 go the > go to the
AC 19:17 name, > name
AC 22:16 of Lord > of the Lord
RO 5:4 patience > patience,
RO 9:26 ye > Ye
RO 16:1 is Cenchrea > is at Cenchrea
RO 16:25 keept > kept
2CO 8:7 into his > in this
2CO 11:2 jealously > jealousy
EPH 4:1 LORD > Lord
EPH 4:17 LORD > Lord
COL 1:1 Chirst > Christ
1TI 5:18 And > And,
TIT 2:8 vs.9 > vs.8
HEB 4:3 the the > the
HEB 4:5 if > If
HEB 6:20 Melchizedec > Melchisadec
HEB 9:19 and and > and
HEB 11:32 Sampson > Samson
1PE 3:12 aad > and
1PE 4:15 your > you
1JO 3:11 beginning > beginning,
1JO 4:11 love another > love one another
RE 3:22 spirit > Spirit
RE 4:11 LORD > Lord
RE 15:6 of temple > of the temple
RE 17:4 stone > stones
RE 17:9 wisdom, > wisdom.
RE 21:20 ninth > ninth,
Word/spelling standardization:
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birthright in Heb 12:16 is the only non-hyphenated occurrence.
Changed to birth-right as 9 other occurrences.
bride-groom in LU 5:35 is the only hyphenated occurrence.
Changed to bridegroom.
handbreadth in PS 39:5 is the only non-hyphenated occurrence.
changed to hand-breadth as in 6 other occurences.
hand-maid in EX 23:12 is the only hyphenated occurrence.
changed to handmaid as in 43 other occurrences.
hand-maidens in AC 2:18 is the only hyphenated occurrence.
changed to handmaidens as in 2 other plural occurences.
land-mark(s) in DE 19:14, 27:17 is hyphenated unlike other
occurences in PR and JOB. changed to landmark(s).
mill-stone 2SA 11:21 is the only hyphenated occurrence.
changed to millstone as 10 other occurences.
outstreched EX 6:6 JER 21:5 is not hyphenated.
changed to out-strecthed as in 15 other occurrences.
rain-bow RE 4:3. hyphenated unlike the only other occurrence.
changed to rainbow as RE 10:1
roe-buck(s) 1KI 4:23 DE 14:5, 15:22. hyphenated unlike 2 other
occurences. changed to roebuck as in DE 12:15, 12:22
shew LU 20:24 is the only spelling. Webster changed hundreds of
these. changed to show.
stablished PS 148:6 is the only occurrence and apparently
overlooked. changed to established as webster did to all
others.
stedfast(ly) JOB 11:15 PS 78:8, 78:37, RU 1:18 the only occurences
of this spelling. Webster changed all the others.
changed to steadfast(ly).
water-courses ISA 44:4 this is the only hyphenated occurrence, and
the hyphen in the printed copy looks somewhat like an
imperfection. changed to watercouses as 2 other occurences.
wayfaring JUD 19:17 is unhyphenated.
changed to way-faring like 5 other occurences.
winepresses JOB 24:11 is the only un-hyphenated occurrence.
changed to wine-presses as 17 other occurences.
Baalzephon EX 14:2 is the only un-hyphenated occurrence.
changed to Baal-zephon as 2 other occurences.
bare-foot 2SA 15:30 is the only hyphenated occurrence.
changed to barefoot as 4 other occurences in ISA.
Beersheba JOS 19:2 is the only un-hyphenated occurrence.
changed to Beer-sheba as 33 other occurences.
Bethel 1CH 7:28 2KI 2:23 EZR 2:28 not hyphenated.
changed to Beth-el as 63 other occurences.
Bethjeshimoth EZE 25:9 is the only non-hyphenated occurrence.
changed to Beth-jeshimoth as 3 other occurences.
Bethshemesh JER 43:13 is the only non-hyphenated occurrence.
changed to Beth-shemesh as 20 other occurences.
Bethlehem GE 48:7 2CH 11:6 are the only OT non-hyphenated
occurences. changed to Beth-lehem as 27 other OT occurences.
Bethlehem is used in the NT.
earrings JUD 8:24,25 the only un-hyphenated occurences.
changed to ear-rings as 13 other occurences.
eye-lids PR 4:25 PS 11:4 is hyphenated unlike 7 other occurences.
changed to eyelids.
fether(s)(ed) PS 68:13, 78:27, 91:4 JOB 39:13 not spelled as other
5 occurences. changed to feather(s)(ed).
fore-skin GE 17:24,25 are the only hyphenated occurences.
changed to foreskin as 12 other occurences.
fore-part EX 28:27 is the only hyphenated occurrence.
changed to forepart as 4 other occurences.
four-square EX 27:1, 28:16, 30:2, 37:25, 38:1, 39:9 are hyphenated
unlike other occurences. changed to foursquare as 4 other
occurences.
Gathrimmon JOS 19:45 not hyphenated.
changed to Gath-rimmon as 3 other occurences.
high-way DE 2:27 NU 20:19 are the only 2 hyphenated occurences.
changed to highway as 25 other occurences.
Kibroth-Hattaavah NU 11:35 is the only capitalized H.
changed to Kibroth-hattaavah as 4 other occurences.
law-giver DE 33:21, NU 21:18, JAS 4:12, GE 49:10 are hyphenated
unlike 3 un-hyphenated occurrences at PS 60:7;108:8, ISA 33:22
changed to lawgiver.
manslayer NU 35:6 is the only non-hyphenated occurrence.
changed to man-slayer as 2 other occurences.
needlework PS 45:14 is the only non-hyphenated occurrence.
changed to needle-work as 7 other occurences.
noonday JOB 5:14,11:17, ISA 16:3 not hyphenated.
changed to noon-day as 4 other occurences.
oliveyard(s) EX 23:11, NE 5:11;9:25 not hyphenated.
changed to olive-yard(s) as 2 other occurences.
Rabsaris 2KI 18:17 not hyphenated.
changed to Rab-saris as in 2 other occurences.
sheepcote(s) 1CH 17:7 not hyphenated.
changed to sheep-cote as 2 other occurences.
sheepfold(s) PS 78:70, JOH 10:1 is not hyphenated.
changed to sheep-fold(s) as 2 other occurrences.
soothsayer JOS 13:22, MIC 5:12 not hyphenated.
changed to sooth-sayer as in 6 other occurrences.
storehouse(s) 2CH 32:28, JER 50:26 not hyphenated.
changed to store-house(s) as in 6 other occurences.
stript GE 37:33, EX 33:6 changed the only 2 occurences of stript
to stripped as 16 other occurences.
arch-angel 1TH 4:16 hyphenated.
changed to archangel as JUDE 1:9.
bondmen EZR 9:9, DE 6:21; 7:8, GE 43:18 not hyphenated.
changed to bond-men as 20 other occurences.
sevenfold ISA 30:26 not hyphenated.
changed to seven-fold as 5 other occurences.
threshold 1KI 14:17, 1SA 5:4; 5:5 not spelled uniformly.
changed to threshhold as 14 other occurences.
12/25/91 - Corrections (after original release)
ISA 59:17 breast-place > breast-plate - This is a typo in the original
1833 text which was not detected in the previous process.
MR 7:26 Syro-phenician > Syrophenician - The hyphen was for word
wrap and was accidently retained. After reading the chapter
intro, which uses no hyphen, it became obvious it should
not be hyphenated.
08/15/93 - Further corrections
All of the OT was examined for representation of the Divine
Name, Yahweh. It was discovered the 1833 ed. contained a
great number of mistranslations in this regard, with LORD
being used where Adonai appears. Also a fair amount of Lord
God being reversed with LORD God, when the text reads Adonay
Yahwey (Lord GOD). These have all been corrected.