Egg Whites or Turnips? Archaeology and Bible Translation
Digital Logos Edition
Overview
Why are Bible translations so different from each other in places? Don’t Bible translators know whether it was peacocks or baboons that King Solomon brought into Israel? Why has “sapphire” been replaced by “lapis lazuli” in some more modern versions? What animal provided the leather for the tabernacle? A badger? A sea cow? Or did the term in question simply mean “leather"? Can archaeology tell us what David’s harp looked like? What is the evidence for leprosy in Bible times? Is there evidence for cotton, silk, and chickens at the time of the Bible? Answers to these and many other questions are given in this book. But how are such questions to be answered? Essentially the answer is "from the ground"--what can be called "archaeology.” This book explores how, over the past two centuries, archaeology has shed its light on the text of the Bible.
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“Why does the King James Version say Solomon had peacocks, but
recent ones say baboons? From experience in Bible translating,
Lawrence shows how discoveries in ancient languages and archaeology
lead to more precision. Covering animals, plants, and trees,
precious stones, music, and much more, his book will intrigue Bible
readers. He shows there are uncertainties and some words remain
obscure, so while he informs, he challenges: much has been learned,
there is still much study to be done!”
—Alan Millard, University of Liverpool
“Paul Lawrence, a world-class linguist and Bible translator, has
amassed an impressive array of up-to-date archaeological data and
textual material from various ancient languages in order to
elucidate scores of obscure Hebrew words in the Old Testament and
Greek terms in the New Testament. This book will be a useful tool
for serious students of the Bible as they try to unravel some of
the complicated terms. Those troubled by why Bible translations
differ significantly will find compelling explanations.”
—James K. Hoffmeier, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
- Title: Egg Whites or Turnips? Archaeology and Bible Translation
- Author: Paul J. N. Lawrence
- Publisher: Wipf and Stock
- Print Publication Date: 2020
- Logos Release Date: 2020
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Reader Edition
- ISBNs: 9781725260368, 9781725260344, 9781725260351, 1725260360, 1725260344, 1725260352
- Resource ID: LLS:9781725260368
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2025-10-16T06:42:32Z
Paul J. N. Lawrence works for SIL International checking Bible
translations. He is the author of The IVP Atlas of Bible
History (2006) and The Books of Moses Revisited
(2011).