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The Commission and Authority

The Crown’s Decree: How King James I Shaped the Authorized Version

The creation of the King James Version (KJV) was a monumental intellectual undertaking, but the final shape, tone, and authority of the Bible published in 1611 were determined not by the scholars in the translating rooms, but by the will and political necessity of King James I.

While the King did not participate as a textual scholar—that task belonged to the fifty-four distinguished academics—his input was decisive in establishing the theological and political boundaries of the project. He acted as the powerful Patron and Regulator, setting forth a precise mandate that ensured the translation would serve the stability of the Crown and the authority of the Church of England. His commission, born from the 1604 Hampton Court Conference, was a royal solution to the religious and political strife caused by the competing Bibles of the day, particularly the anti-monarchical sentiments found in the popular Geneva Bible’s marginal notes.

The King’s directives, formally issued as the Fifteen Rules to be Observed in the Translation of the Bible, were the governing charter of the project. They ensured the KJV would be a revision upholding Anglican doctrine and a politically neutral document.

The Fifteen Rules to be Observed in the Translation

The following are the specific rules that guided the six companies of translators as they produced the King James Version:

Rules Governing Textual Sources and Doctrine (Theological & Political Control)

  1. The ordinary Bible read in the Church, commonly called the Bishops’ Bible, to be followed, and as little altered as the truth of the original will permit. (Ensures the KJV is a revision, not a revolution).
  2. The names of the prophets, and the holy writers, with the other names in the text, to be retained, as nigh as may be, accordingly as they were vulgarly used. (Maintains consistency and tradition).
  3. The old ecclesiastical words to be kept, viz. the word Church not to be translated Congregation, &c. (Upholds the hierarchical structure of the Church of England).
  4. When a word hath divers significations, that to be kept which hath been most commonly used by the most of the ancient Fathers, being agreeable to the propriety of the place, and the analogy of faith. (Bases theological ambiguity on established Christian tradition).
  5. The division of the chapters to be altered, either not at all, or as little as may be, if necessity so require. (Maintains consistency with previous English Bibles).
  6. No Marginal Notes at all to be affixed, but only for the explanation of the Hebrew or Greek words, which cannot, without some circumlocution, so briefly and fitly be expressed in the text. (Eliminates the controversial, interpretive notes of the Geneva Bible).
  7. Such quotations of places to be marginally set down as shall serve for the fit reference of one Scripture to another. (Allows for cross-referencing only).
  8. These translations to be used when they agree better with the text than the Bishops’ Bible: Tyndale’s, Matthew’s, Coverdale’s, Whitchurch’s, Geneva. (Ensures the KJV incorporated the best phrasing and was a synthesis of prior English Bibles).

Rules Governing the Translation Procedure (Methodology & Review)

  1. Every particular man of each company to take the same chapter or chapters; and, having translated or amended them severally by himself, where he thinketh good, all to meet together, confer what they have done, and agree for their part what shall stand. (Establishes a rigorous process of individual work followed by group consensus).
  2. As any one company hath dispatched any one book in this manner, they shall send it to the rest, to be considered of seriously and judiciously; for His Majesty is very careful in this point. (Ensures inter-company peer review and quality control).
  3. If any company, upon the review of the book so sent, shall doubt or differ upon any place, to send them word thereof, note the place, and withal send their reasons; to which if they consent not, the difference to be compounded at the general meeting, which is to be of the chief persons of each company, at the end of the work. (Provides a clear mechanism for resolving disputes).
  4. When any place of special obscurity is doubted of, letters to be directed by authority, to send to any learned man in the land for his judgment of such a place. (Allows for consultation with scholars outside of the main translating body).
  5. Letters to be sent from every Bishop to the rest of his clergy, admonishing them of this translation in hand; and to move and charge as many as, being skillful in the tongues, have taken pains in that kind, to send his particular observations to the company, either at Westminster, Cambridge, or Oxford. (Broadens the scope of national scholarly contribution).
  6. The directors in each company to be the Deans of Westminster and Chester, for that place; and the King’s Professors in the Hebrew and Greek in either University. (Appoints specific, highly ranked authorities to lead the teams).
  7. Besides the said directors before mentioned, three or four of the most ancient and grave divines, in either of the universities, not employed in translating, to be assigned by the Vice-Chancellor, upon conference with the rest of the Heads, to be overseers of the translations, as well Hebrew as Greek, for the better review of the translations. (Institutes a final oversight committee for quality and doctrinal assurance).

These rules show that the final English text was not the product of a single, impulsive decision, but the result of a meticulously controlled process designed by the monarchy to create a religiously orthodox and politically loyal national Bible.