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Bible dictionaries
 Choosing the Best Bible Dictionary for
You
Deciding
to spend
more time learning
about God and the world around us by studying the Holy Bible is an
admirable goal. Unfortunately, many people who begin this great
endeavor soon find themselves frustrated with the difficult language
and giving up reasoning that it is just too difficult or boring for
them to do.
Neither
of those things is true, however and with the
right attitude and tools, including a good Bible dictionary, the task
becomes much lighter and more enjoyable. The people and places in
the Bible can seem a million miles away when we do not understand
certain basic aspects of their lives and attitudes.
Many
things that
were commonplace during biblical times are completely extinct today
and without understanding what these things are and their
significance to the context of what we are reading, the basic meaning
of a passage can be lost getting the biblical terms definitions can
make all the difference.
The
King James
Version of the Bible was
translated during the early 1600's and is full of flowery language
that was the custom of that time. The combination of words and
phrases that were common to the 1600's that are no longer used today
(over 6500 words) and the traditions and things of biblical times
that have become obsolete make for a difficult read for the average
person.
Having
a Bible dictionary that gives the biblical terms and
definitions that are specific to the King James Version of the Bible
can make the difference between being completely lost and getting a
good grasp on the text. Once a person understands the meaning of
words and some of the history and traditions of the people they are
reading about, the Bible becomes much more enjoyable and has greater
meaning to the reader.
Of
course, if a
person is reading
another version of the Bible they will want to find a Bible
dictionary that is geared toward that version. Your denomination might
be another factor in determining which Bible dictionary is right for
you.
Smith's
Bible Dictionary is another classic choice that was
written in the late 1800's and contains many illustrations and
photographs that can enhance the understanding of biblical terms and
their definitions.
Eaton's
and Baker's Evangelical Bible
dictionaries are other popular choices and can be cross-referenced to
maximize understanding and bring greater clarity to
studies.
In
short, using a
Bible dictionary is a
must for anyone who wants to undertake a meaningful study of the
Bible. Things have changed a great deal over the last 2000 years. The
English language has become diluted and extremely casual since
its grand days in the 1600's and the people of today need a Bible
dictionary to help make up the difference.
We
now offer Old
Christian Bible
Study Books on a Data DVD that includes Bible
dictionaries.. (A Bible dictionary is
available to read
online.)
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