Annotations

VirginiaHuguenot · #1 (**permalink**) 08-09-2005, 08:14 PM

What's the best place to get a copy of the Westminster and Dutch Annotations on the Bible?

So far, from what I can tell, I am thinking Still Water Revival Books and Reformation Heritage Books, respectively.

Any other thoughts?

joshua · #2 (**permalink**) 08-09-2005, 08:14 PM

Wal-Mart? Sam's? :P Sorry.

VirginiaHuguenot · #3 (**permalink**) 08-09-2005, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by joshua
Wal-Mart? Sam's? :P Sorry.

love2read · #4 (**permalink**) 08-23-2005, 12:30 PM

I think my best friend bought the Dutch Annotations (by Haak, right?) from Reformation Heritage. Even including shipping to the Netherlands they were the cheapest.... but still... I am not 100% sure.

VirginiaHuguenot · #5 (**permalink**) 09-21-2005, 09:47 AM

Westminster Divines who prepared the Annotations:

The English Annotations was a composition by a number of the divines, to serve as commentary notes on scripture, with the following contributions: The Pentateuch by Mr. John Ley, I and I Kings, I and II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, and Job by William Gouge, The Psalms by Meric Casabon, Proverbs by Francis Taylor, Ecclesiastes by Edward Reynolds, Song of Solomon by Mr. Smallwood, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Lamentations by Thomas Gataker, Ezekiel, Daniel, and the Minor Prophets by Mr. Pemberton (revised in the second edition by Bishop Richardson), The Gospels by John Ley, and Dr. Fealty commented on the Pauline Epistles.

VirginiaHuguenot · #6 (**permalink**) 03-24-2006, 11:06 PM

Studying the Westminster Annotations now, and comparing them to the Dutch Annotations. Two great resources!

VirginiaHuguenot · #7 (**permalink**) 06-05-2006, 10:14 PM

The prefaces to the Dutch and English Annotations, as well as the preface to Matthew Poole's Annotations, provide a remarkable testimony to the history of the English Bible and Biblical Annotations.

VirginiaHuguenot · #8 (**permalink**) 07-19-2006, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by VirginiaHuguenot
Westminster Divines who prepared the Annotations:

The English Annotations was a composition by a number of the divines, to serve as commentary notes on scripture, with the following contributions: The Pentateuch by Mr. John Ley, I and I Kings, I and II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, and Job by William Gouge, The Psalms by Meric Casabon, Proverbs by Francis Taylor, Ecclesiastes by Edward Reynolds, Song of Solomon by Mr. Smallwood, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Lamentations by Thomas Gataker, Ezekiel, Daniel, and the Minor Prophets by Mr. Pemberton (revised in the second edition by Bishop Richardson), The Gospels by John Ley, and Dr. Fealty commented on the Pauline Epistles.

William Barker says in Puritan Profiles, p. 242 that the comments on Revelation were done by "presumably John Downham and Mr. Reading," and that the overall production was supervised by John Downham.

VirginiaHuguenot · #9 (**permalink**) 03-01-2007, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

Westminster Divines who prepared the Annotations:

The English Annotations was a composition by a number of the divines, to serve as commentary notes on scripture, with the following contributions: The Pentateuch by Mr. John Ley, I and I Kings, I and II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, and Job by William Gouge, The Psalms by Meric Casabon, Proverbs by Francis Taylor, Ecclesiastes by Edward Reynolds, Song of Solomon by Mr. Smallwood, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Lamentations by Thomas Gataker, Ezekiel, Daniel, and the Minor Prophets by Mr. Pemberton (revised in the second edition by Bishop Richardson), The Gospels by John Ley, and Dr. Fealty commented on the Pauline Epistles.

I know that Bishop Richardson is John Richardson, Bishop of Ardagh in Ireland, who was a colleague of James Usher, who also recommended that Parliament employ Mr. Smallwood.

Does anyone know the first name of Mr. Smallwood? I found a Matthew Smallwood (d. 1683) who may be a possibility. How about Mr. Pemberton?

VirginiaHuguenot · #10 (**permalink**) 07-11-2007, 10:25 AM

Inheritance Publications is working on the Dort Study Bible project. It is a republication of the Dutch Annotations in modern typeface. So far, the first three volumes have been published with a new volume expected each year (the entire series will comprise 14 volumes).

For more info, see here.

VirginiaHuguenot · #11 (**permalink**) 09-18-2007, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

Quote:

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

Westminster Divines who prepared the Annotations:

The English Annotations was a composition by a number of the divines, to serve as commentary notes on scripture, with the following contributions: The Pentateuch by Mr. John Ley, I and I Kings, I and II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, and Job by William Gouge, The Psalms by Meric Casabon, Proverbs by Francis Taylor, Ecclesiastes by Edward Reynolds, Song of Solomon by Mr. Smallwood, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Lamentations by Thomas Gataker, Ezekiel, Daniel, and the Minor Prophets by Mr. Pemberton (revised in the second edition by Bishop Richardson), The Gospels by John Ley, and Dr. Fealty commented on the Pauline Epistles.

I know that Bishop Richardson is John Richardson, Bishop of Ardagh in Ireland, who was a colleague of James Usher, who also recommended that Parliament employ Mr. Smallwood.

Does anyone know the first name of Mr. Smallwood? I found a Matthew Smallwood (d. 1683) who may be a possibility. How about Mr. Pemberton?

Richard A. Muller, Scripture and Worship: Biblical Interpretation & The Directory of Worship (2007), p. 25, identifies Matthew Smallwood as a possible candidate, along with Allan Smallwood, but does not conclusively state the identity of "Mr. Smallwood." He lists a few possibilities for "Mr. Pemberton" but again cannot confirm his identity.

His chapter on the English Annotations is a valuable resource for studying the background of the same.

VirginiaHuguenot · #12 (**permalink**) 09-21-2007, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

Quote:

Originally posted by VirginiaHuguenot
Westminster Divines who prepared the Annotations:

The English Annotations was a composition by a number of the divines, to serve as commentary notes on scripture, with the following contributions: The Pentateuch by Mr. John Ley, I and I Kings, I and II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, and Job by William Gouge, The Psalms by Meric Casabon, Proverbs by Francis Taylor, Ecclesiastes by Edward Reynolds, Song of Solomon by Mr. Smallwood, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Lamentations by Thomas Gataker, Ezekiel, Daniel, and the Minor Prophets by Mr. Pemberton (revised in the second edition by Bishop Richardson), The Gospels by John Ley, and Dr. Fealty commented on the Pauline Epistles.

William Barker says in Puritan Profiles, p. 242 that the comments on Revelation were done by "presumably John Downham and Mr. Reading," and that the overall production was supervised by John Downham.

Richard Muller says that James Ussher provided editiorial assistance on some of the Genesis annotations in the 1655 edition (this is noted both in Scripture and Worship: Biblical Interpretation & The Directory For Worship, pp. 21, 25; and in Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics, Vol. 2, p. 91). The former volume also has a brief biographical sketch of John Reading (p. 24), as well as all of the other annotators.

danmpem · #13 (**permalink**) 12-25-2007, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

Does anyone know the first name of Mr. Smallwood? I found a Matthew Smallwood (d. 1683) who may be a possibility. How about Mr. Pemberton?

My first name is Dan. :P

VirginiaHuguenot · #14 (**permalink**) 12-25-2007, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danmpem

Quote:

Originally Posted by VirginiaHuguenot

Does anyone know the first name of Mr. Smallwood? I found a Matthew Smallwood (d. 1683) who may be a possibility. How about Mr. Pemberton?

My first name is Dan. :P

VirginiaHuguenot · #15 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008, 08:03 PM

Volume 4 of the Dort Study Bible is available now at Inheritance Publications:

Vol. 4 1 Kings-1 Chronicles Can.$24.95 U.S.$24.95

VirginiaHuguenot · #16 (**permalink**) Yesterday, 06:30 PM

From Roelof A. Janssen of Inheritance Publications:

Quote:

The National Synod of Dort, held 1618/19, is probably the most important synod since the Reformation. Although the Dutch officially refer to it as a National Synod, it had official advisers from several countries, including England and some territories within what we now call Germany. Though the French king did not allow the invited French delegates to attend, the French Reformed Churches did later extend their approval to the decisions which had been made at Dort in relation to the Remonstrants or Arminians.

The Synod's decisions in rejecting the errors of the Arminians are well known; those decisions are inscribed in the Canons of Dort. But the Synod also made an important decision to commission a completely new translation of the Bible into the Dutch language. Some of the most learned theologians were appointed to carry out this task, and the result has been a great blessing for the Dutch churches.

Of special benefit are the annotations that were made by the translators. Because those annotations are so important, we considered translating them into English. Great was our excitement when we were told by Rev. Jerome Julien that those annotations had already been translated and that the late Rev. Charles Spurgeon had a copy of the translated annotations in his personal library. Again we were delighted when we found that several libraries had a microfilm edition of this translation. After obtaining a microfilm and then photocopying all the pages, we got several people to help with the task of typing the original translation of Theodore Haak into the computer.

We have carefully compared the translation with the Dutch editions of Den Hertog (1997, based on a 1657 edition; 1980, based on a 19th century edition). We then re-translated and edited further, and generally updated the translation. We have tried to remain as close as possible to the original Dutch text.

The Dutch States Bible is an accurate translation of the same original texts as the Authorized Version of 1611. However, since the annotations were directly related to the Dutch text, we found it necessary to follow the exact Dutch translation of the Greek and Hebrew text of the Bible, just as Theodore Haak had done (see "A Plain and True Narrative" by Theodore Haak on pages 17 and 18 of the first volume).

We have checked all text references and corrected a few obvious printing errors. The Dutch editions kept the annotations (which often included text references) separate from the text references which indicated other places where the exact Hebrew word was also used. For some reason unknown to us, Theodore Haak omitted most of these references. We have included them within the annotations.

- Roelof A. Janssen

The Dort Study Bible

An English translation of the Annotations to the Dutch Staten Bijbel of 1637 in accordance with a decree of the Synod of Dort 1618-1619

Rev. Jerome Julien in The Outlook: This is a wonderful addition to a home, church, school, or minister's library . . . Originally, these notes were commissioned by the Great Synod of Dort, 1618-1619, along with the Staten Bijbel, a completely new translation of Scripture. In a very real sense, this is probably the earliest study Bible ever produced. We might say of it that it is a short commentary on the Bible.

The notes are preceded by an introduction to each Bible book, and a summary at the head of each chapter. While the notes on Genesis are much more detailed due to the nature of the content, many insights are found on all the pages. These notes might not be what you would read in a commentary published today, but they give concise explanations of the verses. Regularly, they give cross references to other Biblical passages which shed further light on what God says in the text. Also, these notes give a historic-redemptive understanding of the Bible history. Ministers, as well as Bible students, will find helpful information here, as well as ideas to develop.

For those who might be interested, the position on creation days is "that night and day.. . made up one natural day together . . . comprehending twenty-four hours" (see Genesis 1:5). Further, the Book of Genesis lays open God's "everlasting covenant." The note on Genesis 17:7 states that it is "Everlasting for all believers in Christ . . ." This subject is discussed at great length in the appropriate places.

Of what value is this new, but very old set of notes? Some scholars might look withdisdain on a republication of these notes. Yet, historically they have value because we can read in English what our fathers at Dort taught and believed concerning Biblical teachings other than those well explained in the Canons of Dort. It is foolhardy to cut ourselves off from our heritage, as so many wish to do today. Now, what has been readily available in the Dutch language for the last 350 years, is in a newly translated and typeset English edition for our reading and spiritual benefit.

Further, this volume has a practical value. For those who still attend church society meetings, or for those involved in Bible studies, here is a concise and helpful Reformed commentary. Its format allows it to be on the table with our Bibles, Psalters, and notes. This is an ambitious project which Inheritance has undertaken. We must be grateful for their dedicated work. It is the hope of this reviewer that the day will come, beginning now, when this set will not only be displayed in many, many homes, but also well worn through use. In this day of seemingly shrinking interest in the Reformed Faith we and our children must be grounded in God's Truth!

Special package deal for the first 4 volumes (until July 31, 2008):

$80.00 (regular $99.80)

IP/CMR Product 5

(See this page also for more information and sample pages)

The easiest way to get vol. 5 - 14 automatically sent to you (D.V. from 2009 - 2016) is to join the Inheritance Publications Book Club.

IP/CMR Product14

Vol. 1 Genesis and Exodus ISBN 1-894666-51-8 $24.95

Vol. 2 Leviticus - Deuteronomy ISBN 1-894666-52-6 $24.95

Vol. 3 Joshua - 2 Samuel ISBN 1-894666-53-4 $24.95

Vol. 4 1 Kings-1 Chronicles ISBN 978-1-894666-54-1 $24.95

With friendly regards,

Roelof A. Janssen

INHERITANCE PUBLICATIONS

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greenbaggins · #17 (**permalink**) Yesterday, 06:41 PM

I do know, by the way, that both Annotations are available on Early English Books Online.

py3ak · #18 (**permalink**) Yesterday, 06:48 PM

Andrew, what did you make of the charge that some portions of the English Annotations were basically extensive plagiarism from Diodati?

VirginiaHuguenot · #19 (**permalink**) Yesterday, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by py3ak

Andrew, what did you make of the charge that some portions of the English Annotations were basically extensive plagiarism from Diodati?

Reuben -- Richard Muller analyzes this issue in Scripture and Worship: Biblical Interpretation & the Directory for Worship. The accusation first appeared in the preface to the second edition of Diodati's Annotations. Most of the English Annotators vindicated themselves of the charge of plagiarism in a subsequent edition of the English Annotations. However, that subsequent edition did not exonerate Pemberton of the charge, and he seems to have been guilty as charged. The later editions still relied much upon Diodati and other previous commentators but Pemberton's work was revised accordingly. Diodati influenced many later commentators, including Matthew Poole and Matthew Henry, but I think the later editions of the English Annotations made the effort to avoid plagiarism without neglecting his godly influence.

py3ak · #20 (**permalink**) Yesterday, 07:16 PM

It seems like that must have been embarrassing for Pemberton.

JohnGill · #21 (**permalink**) Yesterday, 07:17 PM

Are they available online for free?