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100 King James Words and What They Mean KJV
The English of 1611 is not the English of now. Some of these words have simply gone — nobody owns a habergeon any more. The dangerous ones are the words still in daily use that have quietly changed sides: let meant to hinder, prevent meant to go before, and a reader who does not know that will get the verse exactly backwards and never think to check.
Still in use, different meaning
let · to hinder, to hold backprevent · to go before, to meet or anticipateconversation · conduct, the whole way a person livescharity · lovequick · alive, livingmeat · food of any kindsuffer · to allow, to permitcomprehend · to seize, overcome or take hold ofcareful · full of care, anxiouswealth · wellbeing, welfareroom · a place or positioncommunicate · to share, to give a share ofvile · lowly, of no accountnaughty · worthless, wickedhalt · lame, limpingwant · to lack, to be withoutstay · to support, to hold up; a supporttarget · a small shieldconceit · opinion or estimation of oneselfhonest · honourable, respectablesimple · naive, easily ledby and by · immediately, at oncepresently · immediatelynephew · a grandson or descendantcousin · a kinswoman or relativeusury · interest on a loan, of any amountbowels · the inward parts, and so compassion or deep feelingreins · the kidneys, and so the innermost selfaffect · to court, to seek after eagerlymete · to measurewax · to grow, to becomeware · awarewont · accustomed, in the habit ofentreat · to treat or deal with someonesore · severely, greatlyamiable · lovely, lovableverily · truly, certainly
Left in Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek
selah · a Hebrew term of uncertain meaning, probably a musical directionmammon · wealth or money, personifiedabba · father, in Aramaicraca · a term of contempt, roughly "empty-headed"corban · a gift devoted to Godmaranatha · an Aramaic phrase, "our Lord, come" or "our Lord has come"anathema · accursed, devoted to destructionhosanna · a cry meaning "save now"jot · the smallest Hebrew lettertittle · a tiny stroke distinguishing one Hebrew letter from anothershibboleth · a Hebrew word used as a test of pronunciationebenezer · "stone of help"urim · one of two objects in the high priest's breastplate, used to seek God's answerthummim · the companion to the Urim in the high priest's breastplateleviathan · a great creature of the seabehemoth · a great beast
No longer in ordinary English
anon · at once, straight awayperadventure · perhaps, it may behaply · perhaps, by chancewot · to knowwist · knewtrow · to think or supposefain · gladly, willinglydurst · daredtwain · twostraitly · strictly, sternlystrait · narrow, tightdivers · various, severalsundry · various, severalfroward · perverse, turned awayprivily · secretly, privatelyholpen · helpedastonied · astonished, stunnedkine · cowsscrip · a small bag or satchelvictual · food, provisionsconcupiscence · strong desire, cravingpropitiation · the sacrifice that turns away wrathlongsuffering · patience, slowness to angercircumspectly · carefully, watching all aroundunction · an anointingemerods · tumours or swellingshabergeon · a coat of mailbesom · a broomrereward · the rear guard of an armywhit · the smallest bitsith · sinceminish · to make smallerlisteth · wishes, pleasesbruit · a report or rumourclouted · patchedcumbered · burdened, distractedsottish · stupid, senselesspurtenance · the inward parts of an animalhosen · leg coverings, trouserswimples · shawls or veilspate · the top of the headshambles · a meat marketchambering · sexual immoralityleasing · lying, falsehoodbegat · fathered, became the father offirmament · the expanse of the skybrimstone · sulphur
The Hebrew and Greek behind the King James → · How the translation was made
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