Film Comment: KJB: The Book That Changed the World

KJB: The Book That Changed the World (2010) is a sort of narrated documentary drama. Modern actor John Rhys-Davies walks among the actors portraying persons from the late Sixteenth and early Seventeenth centuries.  The film documents the events which led to the creation of the King James Version of the Bible, a masterpiece of scholarship, translation, and literary English.

The film concentrates on the childhood and education of James Stuart, who, as James VI,  became King of Scotland in 1567, when he was thirteen months old.  When James was named as her successor by the childless Queen Elizabeth, he became also James I, King of England.  James was superbly educated by his tutor, James Buchanan and became a writer, linguist, intellectual, and theologian.  KJV depicts his political maneuvering for power and respect.

 

The actual places are shown where the fifty scholars spent seven years producing the English translation of the Hebrew and Greek documents.  Checks and double-checks and strict rules of translation were practiced.

The KJV was not instantly accepted and James did not live to see its worldwide acceptance.  His historical reputatiop as a king has been highly controversial but respect for his rule has grown in recent years.

I very much enjoyed this film as history.  I would personally like to see the producers make a sequel which focused on the translators.