Hebrew Bible vs KJV: Difference and Comparison

The Bible is known for the creation of three religions in the world, namely Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Christianity and Judaism are further subdivided into various sects of people believing in different traditions and beliefs.

Because of this, various variations can be seen in the Bible, like the Hebrew Bible, Christian Bible, King James Bible etc.

Key Takeaways

1. The Hebrew Bible contains only the Old Testament and is written in Hebrew, while KJV includes both the Old and New Testaments and is written in English.
2. Hebrew Bible is the oldest religious scripture for Jews and is written in a poetic style, while KJV is a popular English translation used by Christians.
3. The Hebrew Bible has 24 books, and the KJV has 66 books, including books written by apostles and prophets after Jesus’ death.

Hebrew Bible vs KJV

Hebrew bible is the oldest form of the Bible written in Hebrew and is also called the Old Testament or Tanakh. It consists of 24 books. KJV stands for King James Version and is the English translation of the Hebrew bible that was first published in 1611 under James VI of England, and consists of 66 books.

The Hebrew Bible is a collection of sacred books compiled for the Jewish people. Hebrew Bible is the pioneer for both the Christian and Protestant Bible.

Many chapters of the Hebrew Bible are included in both Christian and Protestant Bibles. It contains three sections Torah, Nevi’im and Ketuvim.

KJV, or King James Version, is also known as the King James Bible, published in 1611 under James VI of England.

It consists of 39 books from the Old Testament, 14 books of Apocrypha and 27 books from the New Testament. Due to its majestic style, KJV has become one of the essential books in representing the culture of England.

Comparison Table

Parameter of Comparison	Hebrew Bible	KJV
Name	Hebrew Bible is referred to as Tanakh by Jewish people.	KJV is the King James Version authorised by the Church of England for Protestants.
Language	It was originally written in the Hebrew language.	It is translated into English from Hebrew, Greek and other languages.
Period	It contains 24 chapters, including narratives, instructions, anecdotes of famous prophets, poetry, and chronicles.	It came into existence in the year 1611, although commissioned in 1604 by King James.
Sections	Hebrew Bible has three sections: Torah, Nevi’im and Ketuvim, which constitutes Tanakh.	KJV has two sections: Old and New Testament with the addition of Apocrypha.
Chapters	KJV has two sections: Old and New Testament, with the addition of Apocrypha.	It has divided chapters into two parts: Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles (1 Samuel and 2 Samuel).

What is Hebrew Bible?

Hebrew Bible or Hebrew Scriptures tells us about the story of Jewish people whom God has chosen and are known by the name Israelites in the Bible. It starts with the creation of the World by God and how human beings came into existence.

Then it tells us about the history and genealogy of the people of Israel, from the conquest by the Egyptians to settlement in the promised land of Israel from Abraham to Jacob to Moses and his generations.

Hebrew Bible believes in only one principle for the universe’s existence, i.e. through the creation of God. Hebrew Bible is said to give birth to the three religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Believed to be written originally in Hebrew in 1200-100 BCE, it contains three sections and 24 canon or books.

Also known as Tanakh, the letter of every name is taken to form the word, i.e. Torah, Nevi’im and Ketuvim – Tanakh. Torah consists of rules and instructions, and books include Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

Nevi’im consists of the anecdotes of former prophets like Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, etc. and the Book of Twelve. Ketuvim consists of devotional poetry, theology and drama such as Song of Songs, Psalms, Proverbs, Ruth, Job Ecclesiastes etc.

To separate Hebrew Bible from the Christian Bible, Christians refer to it as Old Testament. Further, the Hebrew text was divided into two parts or made into separate books to distinguish it from Christian and Protestant texts.

What is KJV?

King James Version is the English version or translation of the Christian Bible commissioned by the Church of England under the sponsorship of James I of Scotland and James VI of England.

It is considered one of the most important books in England as it helped shape the language of the English-speaking world.

For many years no exact name was given to the KJV. It was called “the English Translation made at the beginning of the Reign of King James”.

It was in the year 1797 that it was called by the name King James Bible Charles Butler. John Wycliffe and William Tyndale brought out the translations earlier, but it was not the authorised version.

Due to the problems with translations, King James decided to come up with his version. It was accepted widely from mid 17th century till the 20th century.

But in the early 20th century, it was not received well, and then it was translated and revised and came up with another version. Although for Psalms and Gospels, KJV remains the popular source till now.

Main Differences Between Hebrew Bible and KJV

1. Hebrew Bible is referred to as Tanakh by Jewish people. But Christians refer to it as Old Testament. At the same time, KJV is the King James Version authorised by the Church of England for Protestantism by James VI of England.
2. Hebrew Bible was originally written in Hebrew except for some parts in Aramaic. KJV is translated into English from Hebrew, Greek and other languages.
3. Hebrew Bible was written between 1200 to 100 BCE and was followed from the 2nd Century CE. KJV came into existence in the year 1611, although commissioned in 1604 by King James.
4. The Hebrew Bible has three sections: Torah, Nevi’im and Ketuvim, which constitute Tanakh. KJV has two sections: Old and New Testament, with the addition of Apocrypha.
5. Hebrew Bible contains 24 chapters, including narratives, instructions, anecdotes of famous prophets, poetry, and chronicles.KJV has divided chapters into two parts, like in Samuel, Kings and Chronicles (1 Samuel and 2 Samuel, 1 King, 2 Kings etc.)

References

1. https://sunstonemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/sbi/articles/026-41-43.pdf
2. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=SdqdAgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=Hebrew+Bible+and+KJV&ots=TqI3_X0sre&sig=6v6194DpLQt-9f1cgDepsyk6eOc