Holy Bible KJV 1640

6B King James Translation. Rare illustrated with genealogies. London: Robert Barker, 1640.

Notes

The history of the Bible is a long story of composition, translation, and dissemination, beginning with texts written over centuries in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, and preserved through careful manuscript copying in Jewish and early Christian communities. As Christianity spread across Europe, translations into vernacular languages became central to worship, teaching, and personal devotion, culminating in major printings after the invention of the movable-type press in the 15th century. One of the most influential English translations is the King James Version (KJV), first published in 1611 under the sponsorship of King James I of England. It was intended to unify the English Church and replace earlier versions like the Geneva and Bishops’ Bibles. The KJV is celebrated for its majestic language, literary quality, and enduring influence on English-speaking Christianity and literature.

In early printed Bibles, including KJV editions, it was common to include genealogies at the beginning, often presented with woodcut illustrations showing family lines from Adam through the patriarchs to Jesus. These visual genealogies helped readers trace biblical history, understand theological connections, and engage with scripture more vividly, blending art and text in a way that reinforced both learning and devotion. The combination of authoritative translation, careful printing, and illustrative genealogies made the KJV and its contemporaneous editions central to both religious life and the broader cultural imagination of the English-speaking world.

Description

Black leather binding, rebound in the 1800's, slight cracking on front inside edge, five raised bands on spine, front edge marbling, rare illustrated genealogies in front, intact, overall very good condition.

Dimensions: 6 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 1 1/2 inches