Word List for the King James Bible

Published September 20, 2011

Word List for the King James Bible

Compiled by Timothy S. Morton

1629 kjv cambridge edition leather covers

The King James Bible is often criticized because some of the words found in it are words not in common use today. Though these words are relatively few in number and can be readily defined in any good dictionary, many new versions have been published in recent years claiming to “update” the AV’s language. Along with updating the language, however, the new “Bibles” make many other more serious changes. They omit or strongly question many verses; deny Jesus Christ’s deity, virgin birth, blood atonement, and ascension in several places and question or destroy many other precious truths. If one will compare the “archaic” KJV with any of the new translations, he will find the new versions are not updated “Bibles” at all; they are corrupted Bibles.

Of the 8000 different words found in the KJV, only 300 or so could be considered “archaic” or changed in their meaning; less than 4%. Furthermore, many of these words are only found once in the KJ text. There may be a few other words that some readers may not understand that are not archaic, but this is what dictionaries are for. Even in the corrupt new versions there are words many need to have defined. God has used the KJV more than He has used any other Bible in any language (including the originals!), thus it is not the place of man to change any of its words. Its text must be left as it stands.

Below we have compiled many of the older words from the KJV along with a brief definition and a biblical reference.

abjects: the lowest, outcasts. Ps 35:15
abroad: over a wide area. Mk. 1:28
adamant: a hard stone, diamond. Eze. 3:9
admire: to wonder, marvel at. 2Thes. 1:10
affect: seek after. Gal. 4:17
alleluia: “praise the LORD.” Rev. 19:1.
amazed: terrified, fearful. Mk. 9:15.
amerce: a fine or penalty. Deu. 22:19
amiable: lovely. Ps. 84:1
anon: immediately. Matt. 13:20
apothecary: perfume dealer. Ex. 30:25
asswage: to settle down; hold back. Gen. 8:1-2
astonied: astonished. Isa. 52:14
away with: endure, tolerate. Isa. 1:13
axle trees: bars that connect wheels. 1 Ki. 7:32

base: lowly, humble. 1 Cor. 1:28
beggarly: worthless. Gal. 4:9
besom: broom. Isa. 14:23
betimes: early. Gen. 26:31
bewrayeth: betrays, reveals. Matt. 26:73
bier: carriage for dead bodies. Luke 7:14-15
blains: sores, swelling. Ex. 9:9
bowels: affections, mercies from within. Phil. 1:8
bray: to pound in a mortar. Pro. 27:20
brigandine: breastplate. Jer. 46:4
bruit: rumor, report. Jer. 10:22
buckler: small shield. 2 Sam. 22:31
buffet: to strike with fist. Matt. 26:66-68
by: with reference to, against. 1 Cor. 4:4
by and by: immediately. Mark 6:25

canker: cancer, disease. 2 Tim. 2:17
carriages: baggage, goods. Act. 21:15
caul: membrane on liver or heart. Ex. 29:13
ceiled: paneled. Jer. 22:14
chambering: sensual, wanton living. Rom. 13:13
champaign: plain, flat countryside. Deut. 11:30
charger: dish or plate. Matt. 14:8
check: rebuke. Job 20:3
chide: contend; strive. Psa. 103:9-10
chode: complained. Gen. 31:36
choler: anger. Dan. 8:7
churlish: harsh, ill-tempered. 1 Sam. 25:3
clouts: rags. Jer. 38:11
coasts: borders, region. Ex. 10:14
coffer: box. 1 Sam. 6:8
compass: to circle, surround. Josh. 6:3
coney: rabbit like animal. Lev. 11:5
concupiscence: sexual lust, desire. 1 Thes. 4:5
contemn: despise, scorn. Psa. 10:13
conversant: dwelling with. Josh. 8:35
conversation: behavior. Eph. 4:22
coulter: blade, part of a plow. 1 Sam. 13:20
countenance: appearence. Luke 9:28
cruse: small jar. 1 Ki. 14:3
cumbered: distracted, worried. Luke 10:40
cumbereth: waste, make worthless. Luke 13:7
cunning: skillful, talented. 1 Sam 16:16
curious: embroidered. Ex. 28:8
custom: tax, tribute. Matt. 9:9

dam: mother animal or bird. Ex 22:30
daysman: mediator. Job 9:33
deal: a tenth part. Ex.29:40
dearth: a lack of rain. Jer. 14:1-4
descry: to spy out, search. Jud. 1:23
desired: regretted, mourned. 2 Chr. 21:20
discomfited: defeated, routed. Jud. 4:15
disdain: to reject; despise. Job 30:1
dissimulation: to pretend, disguise. Gal.2:13
divers: diverse, various. Matt. 4:24
doleful: howling; shrieking. Isa. 13:21
draught: drain, sewer. Matt. 15:17
dregs: sediment. Isa. 51:17

earing: ploughing. Gen.45:6
emerods: swellings, hemorrhoids. 1 Sam. 5:6
emulation: jealousy. Gal. 5:19-20
engines: machines. 2 Chr. 26:15
enjoin: to command, charge. Heb. 9:19-20
ensue: follow after. 1 Pet. 3:11
ephod: cape worn by priest. Ex. 39:2-5
eschew: avoid, shun. Job 1:1
espy: see, perceive. Josh. 14:7
extol: to lift up; esteem. Psa. 145:1-2

fain: gladly. Luke 15:16
feign: to pretend. Luke 20:19
fetters: shackles, metal bands. Psa. 105:18
flags: reeds, papyrus. Ex. 2:3
forbear: to refrain; cease. Job 16:6
fray: frighten. Deut. 28:26
fret: grieve, be angry. Psa. 37:1
froward: perverse, contrary. Psa. 18:26

gainsay: contradict. Luke 21:15
garner: barn, storage. Matt. 3:12
gender(eth): produce, bear young. Gal. 4:24
gin: snare, trap. Job 18:9
go to: come now! Gen. 11:3
greaves: armour for legs. 1 Sam. 17:6
grisled: gray. Gen. 31:10

habergeon: undergarment. Ex 28:32
haft: handle. Jud. 3:22
hallow: holy; set apart. Matt. 6:9
hap: to happen. Ruth 2:3
haply: perhaps. Mk. 11:13
hart: deer. Deut. 12:15
helve: axe-handle. Deu. 19:5
holpen: helped. Luke 1:54
hosanna: “save, we pray” a praise. Matt. 21:9
hosen: trousers, stockings. Dan. 3:21
hough: to cut, hamstring (horses). Josh. 11:6

immutable: unchangeable. Heb. 6:17-18
implead: to accuse. Acts 19:37
importunity: to press on, persistency. Luke 11:8
incontinent: unrestrained, no self control. 1 Tim 3:3
inditing: overflowing. Psa. 45:1
inordinate: without restraint. Eze. 23:10-11

jangling: foolish talking. 1 Tim. 1:6
jot: smallest Hebrew letter. Matt. 5:17-18

kine: cattle. Gen. 41:2

languish: to be made weak. Isa. 24:3-4
laud: praise. Rom. 5:11
laver: basin, bath. Ex. 38:8
leasing: lying, falsehood. Psa. 4:2
lees: dregs, sediment. Isa. 25:6
let: hinder, prevent. Rom. 1:13
lewd: vicious, ignorant. Act. 17:5
listeth: chooses, pleases. Matt. 17:12
litters: covered wagons. Isa. 66:20
lowering: gloomy. Matt. 16:3
lucre: gain. 1 Tim. 3: 2-3
lusty: vigorous, strong. Jud. 3:29

mammon: riches. Matt. 6:24
maw: animal’s stomach. Deu. 18:3
meat: food of and kind. Gen. 1:29
meet: suitable, fit. Matt. 3:8
mete: to measure. Matt. 7:2
milch: giving milk. Gen. 22:15
mote: speck of dust. Matt. 7:3-5
murrian: cattle plauge. Ex. 9:3

naught(y): worthless, bad. Pro. 6:12
neesings: sneezing. Job 41:18
nether: lower, beneath. Ex. 19:17
noisome: harmful, deadly. Rev. 16:2

oracle: a declaration. Heb. 5:11-12

palsy: paralysis. Matt. 4:24
paramour: a lover. Eze. 23:19-20
pate: head. Psa. 7:16
peculiar: one’s own property. Ex. 19:5
penury: poverty; need. Luke 21:1-4
peradventure: perhaps. Rom. 5:7
phylacteries: texts in a small case. Matt. 23:5
pilled: peeled, stripped. Gen. 30:37
play: fence, fight with swords. 2 Sam. 2:14
polled: cut hair. 2 Sam. 14:26
pommels: bowl-shaped ornament. 2 Chr. 4:12
prating: chattering, babbling. Pro. 10:8
prevent: precede (pre-event). 1 Thes. 4:15
pricks: goads for driving cattle. Act. 9:5
profane: common, unholy. Eze. 42:20
proselyte: a convert to Judaism. Matt. 23:15
prove: try, test. 1 Tim. 3:10
pulse: vegetables, beans. Dan. 1:12
purloining: stealing. Tit. 2:10
purtenance: animal intestines; inwards. Ex. 12:8-9

quarternions: party of four guards. Act. 12:4
quick: alive, living. 1 Pet.4:3
quit: behave, act, free. 1 Sam 4:9

rail: insult, blaspheme. Mk. 15:29
rase: demolish. Psa. 137:7
reins: innermost being, mind. Rev. 2:23
reprobate: refused, disapproved. Tit. 1:16
requite: repay; restore; return. Gen. 50:15
rifle: to plunder; spoil. Zech. 14:2
riot: bad behavior. Tit. 1:6
road: raid. 1 Sam. 27:10

scall: skin disease, sore. Lev. 13:30-37
seethe: boil. Ex. 23:19
set on: attack. Act. 18:10
severally: separately, 1 Cor. 12:11
shambles: meat market. 1 Cor. 10:25
silly: simple, foolish. 2 Tim. 3:6
sith: since. Eze. 35:6
sojourn: dwell for a time. Gen. 12:10
sottish: foolish. Jer. 4:22
strait: narrow. Matt. 7:13
succour: to help; aid. Heb. 2:17-18
sundry: various, many. Heb. 1:1-2
superfluous: excess, more than needed. Jam. 1:21
suppliant: one praying or pleading. Zep. 3:10
surfeiting: sick from overeating. Luke 21:34

tabering: beating. Nah. 2:7
tale: number. Ex. 5:8
tares: weeds. Matt. 13:25-40
target: shield. 1 Ki. 10:16
tell: to number; count. Gen. 15:5
teraphim: images. Jud. 17:5
trim: arrange carefully. Jer. 22:33
trow: think suppose. Luke. 17:9
twain: two. Isa. 6:2

upbraid: to scold; reprimand. James 1:5
usury: interest. Ex. 22:25

vaunt: brag, boast. Jud. 7:2
verily: surely, truly, indeed. Jn. 5:24
victuals: food; sustenance. Matt. 14:15

whit: completely. Jn. 7:23
wither: where. 2 Ki. 5:25
wimples: shawls, cloaks. Isa. 3:22
wist: knew. Mk. 9:6
wit: (to wit): to know. Gen. 24:21
withal: also, with. Act. 25:27
wont: accustomed. Act. 16:13
wot(teth): know, knoweth. Ex. 32:1
wreathen: twisted. Ex.28:14

For a copy of the author’s 75 page book, Which Translation Should You Trust, which defends the King James Bible, send $3.00 to Morton Publications, 2101 Morton Rd. Sutton, WV 26601 This book is also available on disk in HTML format (along with three other books) for $5.00.

SEE ALSO:

Archaic Words and the Authorized Version
King James Dictionary – a Windows program you can download

PDF

Posted in Bible Interpretation | Tagged bible, index, james, king, kjv, list, word

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