Assessment Of Children's Bibles

Analysis: Comparative Review of the Children's Bible and the Hebrew Bible

The first true Children's Bible that was not just a subjective collection of the more popular bible stories was published first in London (1759), then in America (Philadelphia) in 1763. Since the authors of the original Children's Bible, and subsequent bibles and stories for children, decided what was appropriate for young minds, the Hebrew Bible was loosely interpreted substituting words that many consider errors in meaning and interpretation.

Martin Luther authored the earliest simple picture bible in 1529. His illustrated stories were “for the sake of children and simple people who are more apt to retain the divine stories when taught by picture and parable than merely by words or instruction.” (Luther, Devotional Writings, 43)

Before this time there were hand drawn and lettered "primer" bibles made by parents for their children. Some of the more elaborate examples exist in museums and historical collections.

The intended audience for the Children's Bible were those too young to understand the adult version of the Hebrew Bible, and it was also a tool for the instruction of youngsters by parents and schools. The material was easier to understand and considered more appropriate while instilling biblical knowledge and moral truths as early as possible.

The author's intent was to produce a bible that was easily understood in the English language at a time when much of the population had little formal education. This is an honorable intent, but is it still the inspired Word of God? There have been church shattering disagreements over the placement of a comma, but the fairytale-like stories in most children's bibles are accepted as appropriate biblical instruction in Christian families.

Christian doctrine accepts the original books of the bible as the inspired word of God. Those who study reap the reward of knowledge and understanding. Can this same enlightenment come through stories, verses, and words that have significantly changed the meaning of the passage?

How thoroughly and meaningfully the children's bible conveys the Hebrew Bible is subjective. It may be too simplified for older children with some background knowledge, and too complex for the very young, or those with no background in the bible. For example:

Kenneth N. Taylor, My First Bible in Pictures (illus. John Dillow; 2004; repr., Carlisle: Candle, 2006), 10. Cf.Taylor’s earlier My First Bible in Pictures (illus. Richard Hook and Frances Hook; Wheaton: Tyndale, 1989; repr., Carlisle: Candle, 2001), n.p: “Adam and Eve are very sorry and sad. They did something God told them not to do. Now God is punishing them. They must go away from their nice home in the Garden of Eden.” (In order to distinguish these titles of the same name, we will always list the date when citing them.) In Christina Goodings, My Little Bible Board Book (illustrations: Melanie Mitchell; Chester: Marks and Spencer, 2007), n.p., there is God’s instruction regarding the tree but no mention of the snake or the temptation scene.

One story bible has Adam and Eve covering their bodies because it was "the cool of the day", not because they were ashamed of their nakedness or because they has done anything wrong. (Anne Edwards, A Child’s Bible in Colour: The Old Testament (illus. Charles Front and David Christian; London: Wolfe, 1969; repr., London: Pan, 1973)

The story of Lot and the angelic visitors in the children's bible leaves out some significant occurrences.

"But before they had lain down, the people of Sodom, both young and old, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house. And they called out to Lot, "Where are the men who came in to you to-night? Bring them out to us that we may do to them what we desire."
Then Lot went out to them at the entrance of his house, but he shut the door after him. And he said, "I beg of you, my friends, do not do what is wrong. Do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shadow of my roof." But they replied, "Stand back, or we will treat you worse than them." And they pressed hard against Lot and advanced to break the door. But the men reached out and drew Lot to them into the house and shut the door. Then they smote the men who were at the door of the house, both small and great, with blindness, so that they grew tired of searching for the door." (http://childrensbibleonline.com/Lot's_Escape_from_a_Wicked_City.htm)

This passage has no mention of Lot's offer of his own daughters to appease the crowd and does not invoke the feeling of just what the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah have in mind for the angelic beings. There is also a passage that makes a beginner wonder who is giving the orders to Lot, as below.

"Then they smote the men who were at the door of the house, both small and great, with blindness, so that they grew tired of searching for the door.

Then the men said to Lot, "Have you any one else here? Bring your sons-in-law, your sons, and daughters, and whoever you have in the city out of this place, for we are about to destroy it, because great complaint concerning the people has come to Jehovah and he has sent us to destroy it."

The visitors have already been referred to as Angels in this story, so the use of 'the men' in this passage is confusing. Are the men outside the door being referred to or the angels that Lot is trying to protect? It is the Angels who are giving Lot directions. This is a common error in children's bibles.

In this children's translation, there is also no mention of Lot living in the mountains and his daughters giving birth to his grandsons (through no fault of his own as the notable direct translations go).

David

In Genesis 11 David refuses the kings meat and wine to keep from defiling his body with non-kosher foods. The children's version of this story uses the word 'injure' instead of 'defile' or a closer adjective, 'injure my body' instead of 'defile my body'.

The children's bible leaves out the story of David and Bathsheba completely.

In the Beginning…

"In the beginning God made the heavens and the earth, and while the earth was still unformed, God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. Then God separated the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day and the darkness Night. And there was an evening and a morning, making the first day."

This paragraph from the beginning of the children's bible tells the basic story, but so many missing words make it seem hurried, and it lacks the feeling that comes with reading the Hebrew Bible. It also reads as if, though the earth was unformed, the parts were already there – like clay waiting for God's hands instead of God making something from nothing. God's spirit that moves over the deep is an integral part of the mystery of creation that is completely missing from this translation.

Sea Monsters?

The Hebrew Bible actually says nothing in translation about sea monsters. But, this verse that includes them is not only in the child's version but also in the NASB:

"And God said, "Let the waters bring forth many living creatures and let birds fly above the earth and in the sky." And God made large sea-monsters and all kinds of living creatures with which the waters abound, and all kinds of birds. And God saw that it was good."

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it was good.

King James Bible
And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

Daniel in the Lion's Den

Children's bible stories cover the most important parts of the Hebrew bible, but there are gaps, some large, some small. How important these gaps are will vary from one reader to the next.

Children's Bible: "Then the king commanded that those men who had accused Daniel should be brought and thrown into the den of lions." This one-liner is all that is provided for this part of the story.

Hebrew Translation: 24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.

Most stories beloved by children and parents alike are changed very little according to the biblical storyline. Most changes are either more simple adjectives, or omissions of behavior not considered appropriate for children. In this sense, the stories are not overly simplified. However, many times the omitted part of the story shows that even the most faithful and willing servants of God are still human. They make mistakes, errors in judgment, and sometimes give in to temptation.

If the children's bibles teach about heroes that are perfect, upstanding, and completely faithful, won't this be an unattainable standard for the child to live up to and therefore seem out of reach?

Isaac and Ishmael

Once again, the Children's Bible translation is very vague about the parentage of Ishmael. It mentions him as the son of the maidservant, and that he and his mother were sent away from the Israelite's camp. The biggest problem with this version of the story is that it does not portray Sarah's lack of faith or Abraham's willingness to go along with her plan. The Hebrew bible is very clear on these points, as they are important to the history and worldwide consequences of their actions.

Plagues of Egypt

The children's bible talks about all of the plagues brought upon Egypt by Moses' hand except for the plague of lice in Exodus 8:16. It is simply omitted.

The Ten Commandments

According to the Children's Bible Online, God spoke directly to the people, delivering the commandments verbally. It does not include the Hebrew Bible version of the story. According to the original, the people were afraid when the trumpet blew and the mountain shook, so they fled the area. Moses actually spoke the words to the people that God gave to him from the cloud of smoke and fire.

Children's Version: "On the third day, when morning came, there were thunderings and lightnings and a thick cloud rested upon the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast sounded, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was entirely covered with smoke, because Jehovah came down upon it in fire. And from it smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and the entire mountain shook violently.

Then God spoke all these words: "I am Jehovah your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from a place where you were slaves.

"Thou Shalt Have no other Gods except Me…"

Hebrew Translation: "18And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. 19And they said unto Moses, speak thou with us, and we will hear but let not God speak with us, lest we die. 20And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. 21And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. 22And the LORD said unto Moses, thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.

23Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold…"

Jericho Falls

This story in the children's version is quite different from the other bible versions. It has been mellowed, not mentioning directly that all were killed by the sword in Jericho, and the sequence of events and war tricks are downplayed or omitted all together.

Children's Translation: So, he had the ark of Jehovah carried around the city once; then they returned to the camp and spent the night there. The second day they also marched around the city once and returned to the camp. Thus, they did six days. The seventh day they rose early at dawn and made the circuit of the city in the same way, only on that day they marched about the city seven times. The seventh time the priests blew the trumpets, and Joshua said to the people, "Shout the battle-cry; for Jehovah has given you the city. The city and all that is in it shall be sacrificed to Jehovah; only Rahab and those who are with her in her house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent."

So, the people shouted the battle-cry and the wall fell down and they went straight up into the city and captured it. But Joshua spared the lives of Rahab and her father's family and all that she had, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to explore Jericho; and they have lived among the Israelites even to this day…

Then Joshua and the Israelites pretended to be beaten and fled toward the wilderness; and all the people that were in the town were called together to pursue them. So they left the town unguarded and pursued the Israelites. Then the men who were hiding rose quickly out of their place and set the town on fire. When the men of Ai looked back, they saw the smoke of the town rising to heaven; and they had no chance to flee this way or that, for the Israelites who had been fleeing to the wilderness turned back upon those who were following them. When the smoke of the town rose up, the rest of the Israelites came out of the town against them; so they were surrounded by the Israelites, some on this side, and some on that, so that they let none of the people of Ai remain or escape.

Hebrew Translation: 15And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times. 16And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city. 17And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. 18And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. 19But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD. 20So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. 21And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.

22But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her. 23And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred and left them without the camp of Israel. 24And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD. 25And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

The children's version combines the downfall of both Jericho and Ai making the version difficult to follow.