The Murderous History of Bible Translations: Power, Conflict and the Quest for Meaning
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In 1535, William Tyndale, the first man to produce an English version of the Bible in print, was captured and imprisoned in Belgium. A year later he was strangled and then burned at the stake. His co-translator was also burned. In that same year the translator of the first Dutch Bible was arrested and beheaded. These were not the first, nor were they the last instances of extreme violence against Bible translators. The Murderous History of Bible Translations tells the remarkable, and bloody, story of those who dared translate the word of God.
The Bible has been translated far more than any other book. To our minds it is self-evident that believers can read their sacred literature in a language they understand. But the history of Bible translations is far more contentious than reason would suggest. Bible translations underlie an astonishing number of religious conflicts that have plagued the world.
Harry Freedman, author of The Talmud: A Biography describes brilliantly the passions and strong emotions that arise when deeply held religious convictions are threatened or undermined. He tells of the struggle for authority and orthodoxy in a world where temporal power was always subjugated to the divine. A world in which the idea of a Bible for all was so important that many were willing to give up their time, their security and often their lives.
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Harry Freedman. (2016). The Murderous History of Bible Translations: Power, Conflict and the Quest for Meaning. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation (style guide)Harry Freedman. 2016. The Murderous History of Bible Translations: Power, Conflict and the Quest for Meaning. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Chicago / Turabian - Humanities Citation (style guide)Harry Freedman, The Murderous History of Bible Translations: Power, Conflict and the Quest for Meaning. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2016.
MLA Citation (style guide)Harry Freedman. The Murderous History of Bible Translations: Power, Conflict and the Quest for Meaning. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2016.
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- bioText: Harry Freedman is Britain's leading author of popular works of Jewish culture and history. His publications include The Talmud: A Biography, Kabbalah: Secrecy, Scandal and the Soul, The Murderous History of Bible Translations Leonard Cohen: The Mystical Roots of Genius and Britain's Jews. He has a PhD on an Aramaic translation of the Bible from the University of London. He lives in London with his wife Karen. You can follow his regular articles on harryfreedman.substack.com.
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- Harry Freedman recounts the fascinating and bloody history of the Bible.
In 1535, William Tyndale, the first man to produce an English version of the Bible in print, was captured and imprisoned in Belgium. A year later he was strangled and then burned at the stake. His co-translator was also burned. In that same year the translator of the first Dutch Bible was arrested and beheaded. These were not the first, nor were they the last instances of extreme violence against Bible translators. The Murderous History of Bible Translations tells the remarkable, and bloody, story of those who dared translate the word of God.
The Bible has been translated far more than any other book. To our minds it is self-evident that believers can read their sacred literature in a language they understand. But the history of Bible translations is far more contentious than reason would suggest. Bible translations underlie an astonishing number of religious conflicts that have plagued the world.
Harry Freedman, author of The Talmud: A Biography describes brilliantly the passions and strong emotions that arise when deeply held religious convictions are threatened or undermined. He tells of the struggle for authority and orthodoxy in a world where temporal power was always subjugated to the divine. A world in which the idea of a Bible for all was so important that many were willing to give up their time, their security and often their lives. - reviews
- premium: False
- source: Catholic Herald
- content: Tremendous fun
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- content: In this wide-ranging look at the history of Bible translation, academic Freedman describes the passions and strong emotions that arise when deeply held religious convictions are threatened or undermined.
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- source: Journal for the Study of the Old Testament
- content: This book is an easy and engaging read, excellent for undergraduates to prompt further studies.
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August 1, 2016
In this brisk, exciting narrative, Freedman (The Talmud: A Biography) shares some of the most compelling, contentious, and even murderous stories surrounding the many translations of the best-selling book in history, the Bible. Starting with the Greek Septuagint and working all the way up to present-day debates over gender-inclusive language and dynamic equivalence translations, Freedman's account, while not comprehensive, fascinatingly covers a vast range of times, places, and circumstances. Although he details the backgrounds of dozens of translations; highlights include the creation of the King James version; the story of the first female Bible translator, Julia Smith; and the executions of priest Jan Hus and Bible translator William Tyndale. Several themes recur throughout such as the politics of religion, power, and authority, and the emotional impact of familiar religious language. In order to keep the narrative moving, at times Freedman lacks theological nuance, oversimplifying various aspects of Catholic and Reformation theology, for instance. However, as a popular rather than scholarly work, these occasional overgeneralizations are understandable given the book's fast pace and wide accessibility. VERDICT Recommended for general readers interested in the thrilling history of a text many take for granted.--Brian Sullivan, Alfred Univ. Lib., NY
Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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September 12, 2016
Aramaic and Hebrew scholar Freedman (The Gospels’ Veiled Agenda) vividly explains how and why scripture has been translated, beginning shortly after the death of Alexander the Great, and carrying through to the present day, including the recent Queen James Bible. The author is open about his populist aim—to tell “the story of the translated Bible,” without being a lengthy comprehensive history that would appeal more to scholars—and he succeeds in achieving that goal. Freedman buttresses his contention that while most translations were undertaken to provide access to the masses, and thus be “radical, liberating, and inspirational,” religious conservatives used translations for the opposite reason, as a “barrier to social evolution.” Freedman also demonstrates the enduring power of word choices, for example, how Jerome’s Vulgate presentation of Moses spawned anti-Semitic superstitions that all Jews had horns, and, even more significantly, how the Septuagint translating the Hebrew word almah as virgin instead of young woman bolstered Christian assertions that the Hebrew Bible foretold the birth of Jesus. For those interested in the complex history of Bible translation, this is a must-read.
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- Harry Freedman recounts the fascinating and bloody history of the Bible.
In 1535, William Tyndale, the first man to produce an English version of the Bible in print, was captured and imprisoned in Belgium. A year later he was strangled and then burned at the stake. His co-translator was also burned. In that same year the translator of the first Dutch Bible was arrested and beheaded. These were not the first, nor were they the last instances of extreme violence against Bible translators. The Murderous History of Bible Translations tells the remarkable, and bloody, story of those who dared translate the word of God.
The Bible has been translated far more than any other book. To our minds it is self-evident that believers can read their sacred literature in a language they understand. But the history of Bible translations is far more contentious than reason would suggest. Bible translations underlie an astonishing number of religious conflicts that have plagued... - sortTitle
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- By the same author
Introduction
Part One: Before the Violence
1 The Legacy of Alexandria
2 A Wandering Armenian
3 Old Words, New Tongues
4 The Sublime Bibles
Part Two: The Violence Begins
5 Medieval Conflict
6 The Murder of Tyndale
7 Confound their Strife
8 King James's Bible
Part Three: Enlightenment
9 A New Role
10 The Early American Bible
11 The Quest of Meaning
12 Reworking the Bible
13 The Future for the Translated Bible
Notes
Bibliography
Index - bisacCodes
- code: BIB008000
- description: Bibles / Multiple Translations / General
- code: REL006400
- description: Religion / Biblical Studies / Exegesis & Hermeneutics
- code: REL006630
- description: Religion / Biblical Studies / History & Culture
