Table of Contents
Introduction
The Noachide Bible Project
A letter to a Rabbi
Hello Rabbi, thank you for your time today. I have undertaken an ambitious project to create a paraphrase of the KJV based on Rashi and the properly accepted understanding of the Hebrew Bible — from the perspective of the Noachide. This bible will be useful as a reference to Noachides, as a theologically accurate English bible for potential converts, and in countermissionary work. It is designed to be approachable by the common English speaker by reading like a KJV family translation, but will not contain any shoehorning from the Septuagint or Vulgate. I call to example Isaiah 53:8 where we will be the only secular English bible to properly translate lamos as ‘they’.
I would like to get in contact with a Rabbi who could write a foreward or introduction to this book and explain the rationale and value of the Noachide and their place in modern society, and give hope to the potential convert.
This is not a work of outreach but a work which I myself wish I had 20 years ago when I desperately began searching for the true Hashem in the scriptures, only to find that every English bible I could find contained serious theological errors and reflected a poor, at best, knowledge of the Hebrew language.
I have created this website to show you what I have come up with so far, and to seek your comments and advice on this project. I value any comments or advice you have for me on this project.
Sincerely, the Author.
Introduction
Frustrated with various translations, I decided to create my own. I wanted a reliable, accurate translation that did not reflect the secular or denominational bias that arises when translators choose from among different translations of the Hebrew Scriptures. If “Sola Scriptura” is useful (to a point), then it can only be useful if we are using the original, authentic Hebrew texts, and not a translation of them.
There is a growing Noachide movement sweeping the world today; may the Messiah arrive swiftly and in our time; thus a new Bible is needed, one to guide the Noachide on the path of the just; and it is my great desire that this be such a book.
Here are the fundamental principles I will follow when creating this bible:
- Keep, wherever possible, the beloved and familiar wording of the KJV (which is in the public domain).
- Update the language away from archaic pronouns such as Thee and Thou except where they may be used with effect.
- Verify the strength of the translation and the theological sound-ness of the text by comparing it with a reading of the OEB, RSV, the JPS Tanach, the ArtScroll Stone Edition Tanach and other recommended or accepted works.
- Provide theologically sound commentary in the form of selected commentary from the sages Rashi and Maimonides, in the form of selected comments from Rashi and Maimonides (see below)
Selected Commentary by Rashi and Maimonides
The public domain version of the Sefaria Community Edition of Rashi has been appended to each chapter; I am unsure of how to layout or format these comments, but they will appear as a reference in the final work. I have found that Rashi’s comments are invaluable for understanding what the Hebrew words mean and it is a great pity that his commentary has so far been ignored in modern English bible translations.
I also have a public domain copy of Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah but I am unsure of how to utilize it to aid understanding in this project; it remains un-added for now.