Was Shakespeare one of the translators of the KJV?

[RedTent]

No one has ever given any of the names of the 47 men that King James used to translate the bible that I have heard of.

If you look at the 46th Psalm, the 46th word from the beginning, that word is shake. If you count 46 words back from the end of that psalm, the word is spear. Shakespeare was 46 years old during the time that bible translation was done.

My pastor says "so what? that proves nothing". Others say it was Shakespeare's signature in code. What do you think?

Psalm 46, King James Version
​

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.
The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth.
He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

 

[jmlidea]

lol, nice find

 

[Graybeard]

In the KJV 1611 it is 47 from the end...just saying

 

[Angela53510]

This sounds a bit like what people do when they are psychotic. They take words or numbers and make it into a reality or conspiracy or a sign from God.

Two words widely separated in a passage do not make Shakespeare a translator. For one thing, even though King James did like theatre, I have my doubts he would have allowed a playwright to do important theological work. And I don't know if Shakespeare even spoke Greek or Hebrew, which would have been a necessity to be a translator.

Besides, Shakespeare wrote a LOT of plays etc! When would he have found the time to be a translator, when he was busy with his trade? It took four years to complete the KJV and another 3 before it was issued.

This whole theory is patently absurd. This is not history it is word games. Not implying you are crazy, of course, just saying that is what people who are psychotic do!!

 

[maxwel]

Redtent, that's very interesting and kind of fun.

However, in my own feeble mind, I can't see from his published works that he held to biblical Christianity.


I sincerely hope he had nothing to do with bible translation.
: )

 

[PilgrimUK]

That discussion has been going forever...who knows, he might or might not have. Who could know?

 

[RedTent]

Redtent, that's very interesting and kind of fun.

However, in my own feeble mind, I can't see from his published works that he held to biblical Christianity.


I sincerely hope he had nothing to do with bible translation.
: )

There wasn't much of Christianity in King Charles either. The book he wrote about witchcraft is in the public domain, so you can read it on the computer if you can make heads and tails of old English and their spelling.

 

[A-Omega]

Translators of the King James Bible

I. The First Westminister Company--translated the historical books, beginning with Genesis and ending with the Second Book of Kings.

• Dr. Lancelot Andrews
• Dr. John Overall
• Dr. Hadrian Saravia
• Dr. Richard Clarke, Dr. John Laifield, Dr. Robert Tighe, Francis Burleigh, Geoffry King, Richard Thompson
• Dr. William Bedwell

II. The Cambridge Company--translated Chronicles to the end of the Song of Songs.

• Edward Lively, Dr. John Richardson, Dr. Lawrence Chaderton
• Francis Dillingham, Dr. Roger Andrews, Thomas Harrison, Dr. Robert Spaulding, Dr. Andrew Bing

III. The Oxford Company--translated beginning of Isaiah to the end of the Old Testament.

• Dr. John Harding, Dr. John Reynolds
• Dr. Thomas Holland, Dr. Richard Kilby
• Dr. Miles Smith, Dr. Richard Brett, Daniel Fairclough

IV. The Second Oxford Company--translated the four Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, and the Revelation of St. John the Divine.

• Dr. Thomas Ravis, Dr. George Abbot
• Dr. Richard Eedes, Dr. Giles Tomson, Sir Henry Savile
• Dr. John Peryn, Dr. Ralph Ravens, Dr. John Harmar

V. The Fifth Company of Translators at Westminster--translated all of the Epistles of the New Testament

• The fifth company of translators at Westminster are all found at this link
  • Dr. William Barlow
  • Dr. John Spencer
  • Dr. Roger Fenton
  • Dr. Ralph Hutchinson
  • William Dakins
  • Michael Rabbet
  • [Thomas(?)] Sanderson

VI. The Sixth Company of Translators at Cambridge translated the apocryphal books. The King James translators did not consider the Apocrypha to be scripture and neither did King James--see, Alexander McClure on the Apocryphal committee and Why the Apocrypha is not is the Bible.

• Dr. John Duport, Dr. William Brainthwaite, Dr. Jeremiah Radcliffe
• Dr. Samuel Ward
• Dr. Andrew Downes, John Bois
• Dr. John Ward, Dr. John Aglionby, Dr. Leonard Hutten
• Dr. Thomas Bilson, Dr. Richard Bancroft

 

[RedTent]

Translators of the King James Bible

I. The First Westminister Company--translated the historical books, beginning with Genesis and ending with the Second Book of Kings.

• Dr. Lancelot Andrews
• Dr. John Overall
• Dr. Hadrian Saravia
• Dr. Richard Clarke, Dr. John Laifield, Dr. Robert Tighe, Francis Burleigh, Geoffry King, Richard Thompson
• Dr. William Bedwell

II. The Cambridge Company--translated Chronicles to the end of the Song of Songs.

• Edward Lively, Dr. John Richardson, Dr. Lawrence Chaderton
• Francis Dillingham, Dr. Roger Andrews, Thomas Harrison, Dr. Robert Spaulding, Dr. Andrew Bing

III. The Oxford Company--translated beginning of Isaiah to the end of the Old Testament.

• Dr. John Harding, Dr. John Reynolds
• Dr. Thomas Holland, Dr. Richard Kilby
• Dr. Miles Smith, Dr. Richard Brett, Daniel Fairclough

IV. The Second Oxford Company--translated the four Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, and the Revelation of St. John the Divine.

• Dr. Thomas Ravis, Dr. George Abbot
• Dr. Richard Eedes, Dr. Giles Tomson, Sir Henry Savile
• Dr. John Peryn, Dr. Ralph Ravens, Dr. John Harmar

V. The Fifth Company of Translators at Westminster--translated all of the Epistles of the New Testament

• The fifth company of translators at Westminster are all found at this link
  • Dr. William Barlow
  • Dr. John Spencer
  • Dr. Roger Fenton
  • Dr. Ralph Hutchinson
  • William Dakins
  • Michael Rabbet
  • [Thomas(?)] Sanderson

VI. The Sixth Company of Translators at Cambridge translated the apocryphal books. The King James translators did not consider the Apocrypha to be scripture and neither did King James--see, Alexander McClure on the Apocryphal committee and Why the Apocrypha is not is the Bible.

• Dr. John Duport, Dr. William Brainthwaite, Dr. Jeremiah Radcliffe
• Dr. Samuel Ward
• Dr. Andrew Downes, John Bois
• Dr. John Ward, Dr. John Aglionby, Dr. Leonard Hutten
• Dr. Thomas Bilson, Dr. Richard Bancroft

Good solid research! Thank you.