The Bible, King James Version, Book 23: Isaiah

AnonymousProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.6

Word count: 210K words
Chapters: 21

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Bible, King James version, Book 23: Isaiah by AnonymousAuthor: Anonymous,Language: English, Class: BS: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Christianity: The Bible, Old and New Testament, Release Date: Apr 1, 2005

Editor's review

As the King James Version electronic text of the Book of Isaiah, this volume's core value lies in presenting the full shape of prophetic literature: judgment and consolation set side by side, rebuke and promise interwoven, with declarations against the nations as well as the prospect of the remnant's return. The King James English preserves the rhythm and diction of early modern English, making it suitable material for close reading and for sensing the cadence of English verse. The Project Gutenberg edition is plainly typeset and easy to search, convenient for comparing chapters and making excerpts. There is no need to read it straight through; proceed section by section along the line of rebuke—judgment—comfort, watch for recurring keywords such as "the Holy One," "remnant," and "servant," and use maps to understand geographical references, the better to feel the text's tension. It is better suited as a research or devotional aid than as an introductory Bible guide.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Bible scholars who need to study the prophetic text in the original
Readers who wish to train close reading through King James English
Those interested in the historical context of the ancient Near East and Israel
Church workers who need material for teaching or sermons

Not a good fit for

Beginners unfamiliar with early modern English who need a modern translation
Introductory readers expecting systematic commentary and guidance
Casual readers who only want a quick plot summary

Reading tips

Read the opening and closing chapters first to grasp the overall framework of judgment and comfort, then return to the middle sections.
Read each chapter twice: once for the feel of the language, once to mark keywords and repeated sentence patterns, making brief notes.
Consult Bible maps for place names and the locations of the nations so that textual references do not hang in the air.
Compare paragraph by paragraph with a modern translation, noting differences in the King James wording and their rhetorical effects.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this the complete Bible or a single book?

This is the King James Version electronic text of the single book of Isaiah, one of Project Gutenberg's Bible files released book by book. It contains no other books, making it suitable for readers devoted to studying this book.

Can I read it if my English is poor?

The King James Version uses older vocabulary and longer sentences, so it is demanding for readers with weak English. It is advisable to first grasp the content through a modern translation, then use this book for close comparison, or to read closely only selected short passages.

Do I need a commentary to go with it?

This book itself has no commentary or introduction; readers must supply the historical background and literary structure themselves. For research or teaching, it is advisable to use it together with a reliable commentary or introductory material.

Comments

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About the author

Anonymous Author

Anonymous is a collective designation used in English-language publishing for works whose authorship is unknown or unsigned, rather than the real name of a single author. The 716 titles attributed to this name include the Gospel of John, Psalms, Romans, Luke, Philippians, and 1 Corinthians from the World English Bible, as well as the Gospel of John and Psalms from the King James Version. Such texts are mainly religious classics and ancient folk traditions that were copied, translated, and compiled over long periods, making their original authors difficult to trace; they therefore circulated anonymously. Public information is limited, and neither nationality nor dates of birth and death can be confirmed. The significance of anonymity lies in focusing attention on the works themselves rather than on authorial identity, and in reminding readers of the collective and variable nature of texts in transmission.