Melbo's post :
02-22-2011, 01:29 PM
Why the 1560 vs. 1599 edition?
A good library will include both editions -
The 1560 Geneva Bible -
is far more important
as a historical production.
It is directly
in the line of the 16th century
translation accomplishments.
The notes reflect
the reformation theology
better than the later notes.
The notes of the 1560 edition
show John Calvin's influence
from his commentaries.
The 1599
has Tomson's NT notes
and was the first to have notes on
Revelation by Junius (an avid Calvinist
whose father was brutally murdered).
They also included the Metrical
Psalms, which were popular.
The basic problem, however,
is that the 1599 edition is one
of the most error ridden copies
of all Geneva's.
Furthermore,
many were dated 1599
but were really printed in 1633,
as explained in my Introduction.
The notes put into the "1599"
became more and more Calvinistic,
and also show anti-catholic sentiment,
probably in response to the notes in the
1582 Catholic Rhemes NT.
In a Revelation 9 note,
for instance, Francis Junius
blasts Pope Gregory VII
for his "evil doings."
Finally, the advertising
for the 1599 reproduction
makes it sound much more
important than it was.
While the Geneva Bible
was popular among the Pilgrims,
they continued to use the KJV as well.
The 1599 edition
was only one out of the many
Geneva Bible editions that the
Pilgrims and Puritans would have
brought to America.
The 1560 Geneva Bible
will be much more sought
after by collectors and historians.
I can't say that I've studied
all of the differences between
the 1560 and 1599 editions, nor
all of the various editions in-between
(a key difference from 1576 onwards
being Laurence Tomson's revision of the
New Testament), but based on what little
I know, I am partial to the 1599 edition
for the following reasons :
* The 1560 edition
included the Apocrypha
(albeit with a note stating that
it was not canonical) but did not
include a Psalter for singing;
the 1599 edition
was the first English Bible
to not include the Apocrypha,
and it does include a Psalter
for singing; and
* I prefer the annotations
of Francis Junius which appeared in
the 1599 edition first, replacing the previous
notes by John Bale and Heinrich Bullinger
(which are good and not to be despised).
I think the editing
of the annotations in
the intervening period
enables the 1599 edition
to reflect a richer and more
profound Biblical interpretation.
A good library will include both editions
http://www.survivalmonkey.com/forum/faith-religion/23952-1560-geneva-bible-pdf-bookmarked-book-chapter-3.html#post155418
~ To God Be The Glory ~
The 1560-1599
Geneva Bible With Footnotes
http://www.genevabible.org/Geneva.html
~ God Be Praised ~
