Beacon-Ministries
Beacon-Ministries
Waite's Three Errors in the Oxford KJV Edition
by Rick Norris
KJV-only author D. A. Waite maintained that "there are
slight errors in the Oxford edition which do not conform either to the Hebrew
and Greek or to the original Authorized Version of 1611" (Defending the
KJB, p. 252). Waite wrote: "I have found at least 3 errors in the
Oxford edition of the KJB" (Foes, p. 117). If these three
variations or differences can be labeled "errors" by a KJV-only
author, are there no other such differences that can be accurately considered
errors? David Sorenson noted that "the Oxford Edition is the more commonly
used one in the United States" (Touch Not, p. 18).
In one example in Jeremiah 34:16, the present Oxford KJV has
"whom he" while the present Cambridge KJV has "whom ye."
Waite wrote: "In Jeremiah 34:16 the Oxford University Press King James
Version is wrong, false, and in error" (Foes of the KJB Refuted, p.
66). Concerning this same verse, Thomas Holland claimed that "the error
was limited to the editions published by Oxford or those based on the Oxford
edition" (Crowned with Glory, p. 101). He also identified it as
"a printing error found in some current editions" (p. 100). David
Daniels wrote that the Oxford printers "mistakenly printed ’whom he’
instead of the correct ’whom ye’ (Answers, p. 127). David Sorenson
maintained that the Cambridge edition has the "correct translation"
at this verse (Touch Not, p. 19). On the other hand, Scrivener pointed
out that the rendering "whom he" was introduced into the KJV in the
1629 and 1638 Cambridge editions (Authorized Edition, p. 225). Two of
the KJV translators themselves were among the editors of the Cambridge editions
that introduced the rendering "whom he" into the text of the KJV. At
this verse, the later Oxford editions were following earlier Cambridge standard
editions. The 1762 Cambridge edition, one 1790 Cambridge edition, one 1824
Cambridge edition, one 1833 Cambridge edition, one 1842 Cambridge edition, one
1844 Cambridge edition, one 1865 Cambridge edition, one 1869 Cambridge edition,
one 1872 Cambridge edition, and one 1887 Cambridge edition all have "whom
he" at this verse, indicating that several Cambridge editions in the
1800‘s likely had this rendering. Peter Ruckman defended both renderings "ye"
and "he" at this verse and suggested that either does "not alter
the truth" of the statement in this verse at either edition of the KJV (Scholarship
Only, p. 71). While the 1948 Pilgrim Edition printed by Oxford University
Press in New York had "whom he" at Jeremiah 34:16, the 2003 New
Pilgrim Bible [KJV] with consulting editors Jerry Rockwell and Douglas Stauffer
has "whom ye." The 1997 Oxford World’s Classics edition of the KJV
printed by Oxford University Press has "whom ye" (Jer. 34:16).
In 2 Chronicles 33:19, the present Oxford KJV has
"sins" while the present Cambridge KJV has "sin." Waite
maintained that the rendering "sins" is "an error in the Oxford
editions" (Foes, p. 66). David Daniels referred to "sins"
as "the Oxford error" (Answers, p. 130). Concerning "sins,"
Daniels claimed: "Cambridge University Press did not make the printing
error. And all Cambridge-type texts have the correct readings" (p. 129).
In contract to inaccurate KJV-only claims, Scrivener indicated that the
rendering "sins" was first introduced into the KJV’s text by the 1762
Cambridge edition (Authorized Edition, p. 222). Those Oxford editions
and other KJV editions that have "sins" at this verse in effect
picked up this "error" from the 1762 Cambridge edition. A Cambridge
edition printed in 1790 still has "sins" at this verse. One 1824
Cambridge edition, one 1833 Cambridge edition, one 1842 Cambridge edition, one
1844 Cambridge edition, one 1865 Cambridge edition, one 1869 Cambridge edition,
one 1872 Cambridge edition, and one 1887 Cambridge edition also have
"sins" at 2 Chronicles 33:19, which may indicate that this rendering
was also found in some other Cambridge editions between 1762 and 1887. An 1762
Oxford edition, an 1782 Oxford edition, and an 1804 Oxford edition of the KJV
have "sin" at 2 Chronicles 33:19. In a KJV printed in 1897 by the
American Bible Union with a title page where it is stated that "the text
conforms to that of the Oxford Bible printed at the University Press,
Oxford," it has "sin" at 2 Chronicles 33:19. The New Pilgrim
Bible [KJV] has "sin" at 2 Chronicles 33:19 while the 1948 Pilgrim
Edition still had "sins." ." The 1997 Oxford World’s Classics
edition of the KJV printed by Oxford University Press has "sin" (2
Chron. 33:19). David Norton indicated that the 1602 Bishops’ Bible with KJV
translators’ annotations in the Bodleian Library has "all his sinnes"
at 2 Chron. 33:19 (Textual History, p. 264).
The third "error" according to Waite is found at
Nahum 3:16. At this verse, the present Oxford KJV has "fleeth" while
the present Cambridge KJV has "flieth." The 1795 Oxford KJV edition
has "flieth" at this verse. Waite contended that "’flieth’ is
the correct translation" (Foes, p. 66). The 1762 Cambridge edition,
one 1790 Cambridge edition, the 1817 Cambridge Stereotype Edition, one 1824
Cambridge edition, one 1833 Cambridge edition, one 1842 Cambridge edition, one
1844 Cambridge edition, one 1865 Cambridge edition, one 1869 Cambridge edition,
one 1872 Cambridge edition, and one 1887 Cambridge edition all have "fleeth"
at Nahum 3:16. Waite maintained "that the Cambridge edition of the King
James Bible is more accurate than the Oxford edition" (p. 65). When was
the Cambridge edition made more accurate than the Oxford edition? The 1948
Pilgrim Edition has "fleeth" at Nahum 3:16 while the 2003 New Pilgrim
Bible has "flieth." The 1997 Oxford World’s Classics edition of the
KJV printed by Oxford University Press has "flieth" (Nah. 3:16).