Greetings ray_james and fredoheaven,
I was interested in both of your comments as they both seem to suggest that the KJV is always accurate and the best translation. I personnally like the KJV the best, but believe we should also recognise its limitations. One area that I have recently considered are the words “abroad” and “tell” as they appear in Genesis 15:5. The meaning of these two words in this context can be determined, but in other contexts they con be ambiguous.
Genesis 15:5 (KJV): And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
Genesis 15:5 (RV): And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to tell them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
Genesis 15:5 (ASV): And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and number the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
Genesis 15:5 (RSV): And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”
Genesis 15:5 (NASB95): And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”
Genesis 15:5 (NIV): He took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
Genesis 15:5 (ESV): And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
Genesis 15:5 (NET): The LORD took him outside and said, “Gaze into the sky and count the stars – if you are able to count them!” Then he said to him, “So will your descendants be.”
The same word in the KJV is translated as “tell” and “number”, while most modern translations have “count” or “number” for both. The word “abroad” is today better understood with the word “outside” as per most modern translations. Hence it is useful to use other translations or a Bible Word Dictionary to check the meaning of the KJV words, especially if these words are antiquated as is the case in many instances in the KJV translation.
Kind regards
Trevo