DSE –4 Bible influence

 

        The Bible translated by Tyndale and Coverdale, the Authorized Version of King James and many other translations of Bible have exercised a profound influence on the English language. A great many biblical phrases have passed into English and many biblical expressions have encouraged analogous coinages. Tyndale has bequeathed to us such common words as ‘peace maker’, ‘stumbling block’, ‘glad tidings’, ‘scapegoat’ etc. 

The currency of such everyday expressions as ‘the power that be’, ‘a still small voice within’, ‘at the eleventh hour’, ‘wash one’s hands of’ etc. bear out the influence of Bible on English. Indeed, many a smart idioms may be traced to the Authorized Version of Bible: e.g. ‘to cast pearls before swine’, ‘hope against hope’, ‘of the earth earthy’ etc. This version of Bible has lent a fresh lease of life to a few near-extinct words and made them almost indispensable: e.g. ‘apparel’, ‘raiment’, ‘damsel’ etc.

Some biblical proper names have found their way into English as appellatives: e.g. ‘Jezebel’, immoral woman; ‘Daniel’, person of infallible wisdom; ‘Jonah’, person bringing bad luck etc. Today a driver is called ‘Jehu’ or a judge ‘Solomon’, the reference is obviously to the reckless driving of Jehu and the wise verdict of king Solomon.