Archaic Words in the NIV

by Dr. Laurence M. Vance

The following list of archaic words in the New International Version (NIV) is taken from the 560-page, intensive and detailed work entitled, "Archaic Words and the Authorized Version," by Dr. Laurence M. Vance.

As we have seen throughout the main body of this work, archaic words are not limited to the AV. Not only do modem versions often retain the supposedly archaic words found in the AV, but many times a more formidable word is used to correct a perfectly understandable word or phrase in the AV. This appendix gives those places in the NIV where a simple word or phrase in the AV is replaced by a more difficult word, the base or root form of a word is unnecessarily extended, and those instances where an archaic or somewhat arduous word in the AV is replaced by an equally archaic or even more onerous word. In two respects, however, this list is not intended to be exhaustive. Not listed are those cases where a word or phrase in the AV is replaced by two or more words in the NIV; however, singular words in the NIV that update a small phrase in the AV are included. And secondly, due to the tremendous size of the Bible itself, an exhaustive list would not be suitable for inclusion as an appendix.

NIV -----------BIBLE VERSE------------- AV

abasement------ Ezra 9:5--------------- heaviness

abashed ---------Is 24:23---------------- confounded

abutted -----------Ezek 40:18----------- over against

acclamation ----2 Chr 15:14----------- voice

aghast------------ Is 13:8----------------- amazed

alcove------------ Ezek 40:13----------- little chamber

annotations -----2 Chr 13:22---------- story

armless---------- Nurn 31:50----------- chains

bewilderment ---Acts 2:6-------------- confounded

blunted------------ Ps 58:7-------------- cut in pieces

blustering-------- Job 8:2--------------- strong

breakers---------- Ps 93:4-------------- waves

brooches--------- Ex 35:22------------- bracelets

brood-------------- Is 57:4---------------- children

burnished--------- Dan 10:6------------ polished

carnelian---------- Rev 4:3-------------- sardine

charioteers------- I Sam 13:5---------- horsemen

citron--------------- Rev 18:12----------- thyine

colonnade-------- I Ki 7:6---------------- porch

commemorate--- Ex 13:3-------------- remember

cooing-------------- Song 2:12---------- voice

cors------------------ I Ki 4:22------------ measures

curds---------------- Gen 18:8----------- butter

dappled------------- Zec 6:6------------ gristled

debauchery-------- Gal 5:19------------ lasciviousness

decimated---------- 2 Sam 21:5------ destroyed

dejected------------- Gen 40:6---------- sad

deluded--------------- Is 44:20---------- deceived

denarii---------------- Matt 18:28------- pence

denarius-------------- Matt 20:2-------- penny

desecrate------------ Lev 21:12------- profane

despoil---------------- Jer 30:16------- give for a prey

detachment---------- John 18:3------- band

disheartened-------- Ezek 13:22----- sad

disillusionment------ Ps 7:14---------- falsehood

dissipation------------ I Pet 4:4--------- riot

drachmas------------- Ezra 2:69------- drams

dragnet---------------- Hab 1:15-------- drag

duplicity---------------- Lk 20:23-------- craftiness

elation------------------ Pro 28:12------- glory

embedded------------ Ecc 12:11------- fastened

embitter---------------- Ps 73:21-------- grieved

embodiment---------- Rom 2:20------- form

emphatically---------- Mk 14:31-------- vehemently

encouragingly-------- 2 Chr 30:22----- comfortably

encrouch--------------- Pro 23:10------- enter

engulf--------------------Ps 69:2---------- overflow

enrollment--------------2 Chr 17:14------ numbers

enthralled-------------- Ps 45:11---------- greatly desire

enveloped------------- Lk 9:34-------------overshadowed

exasperate------------ Eph 6:4------------ provoke

exterminate----------- Ezek 25:7--------- perish

exult--------------------- Is 14:8-------------- rejoice

factions----------------- I Ki 16:21--------- parts

famished--------------- Is 8:21------------- hungry

fattened----------------- I Sam 28:24----- fat

faultfinders------------- Jude 16----------- complainers

fawns-------------------- Song 4:5---------- roes

fellowman-------------- Micah 2:2--------- man

festival------------------ Ex 5:1-------------- feast

festive------------------- I Sam 25:8-------- good

fieldstones------------- Deut 27:6---------- whole stones

figurehead------------- Acts 28:11-------- sign

filigree------------------ Ex 28:20----------- enclosings

fishnets----------------- Ezek 26:5---------- nets

flagstaff----------------- Is 30:17------------- beacon

flank--------------------- Ezek 34:21-------- side

fleeting----------------- Ps 89:47------------ short

flinging----------------- Acts 22:23---------- threw

flogged---------------- Acts 5:40------------ beaten

floodgates------------ Gen 7:11------------ windows

fluttering---------------- Is 16:2--------------- wandering

fomenting-------------- Is 59:13------------- speaking

forded------------------ Josh 2:23------------ passed over

forevermore---------- Jude 25-------------- for ever

frolic--------------------- Ps 104:26---------- play

fruitage----------------- Is 27:9---------------- fruit

gadfly------------------ Jer 46:20------------- destruction

gaiety------------------- Is 24:8---------------- mirth

galled------------------- I Sam 18:8---------- displeased

gateway---------------- Gen 19:1------------ gate

gaunt --------------------Gen 41:3------------ leanfleshed

gauntness-------------- Job 16:8------------ leanness

gecko-------------------- Lev 11:30---------- ferret

glancing----------------- Ex 2:12------------- looked

glint----------------------- Hab 3:11----------- light

glistening--------------- Job 41:32---------- shine

gloat---------------------- Ps 30:1------------- rejoice

gloom-------------------- Job 10:21---------- darkness

glutted-------------------- Ezek 39:19-------- full

goblet--------------------- Is 51:17------------ cup

goum--------------------- Gen 14:1----------- nations

grapevine--------------- James 3:12------- vine

Hades-------------------- Rev 20:14--------- hell

harrowing---------------- Is 28:24------------ break the clods

haunt---------------------- Ps 44:19----------- place

headwaters------------- Gen 2:10 -----------heads

hoopoe------------------- Lev 11:19---------- lapwing

horde---------------------- Ezek 17:17------- army

ibex------------------------ Deut 14:5----- ---- pygarg

ignoble-------------------- 2 Tim 2:20-------- dishonour

impaled------------------- Ezra 6:11---------- hanged

imperishable------------- I Cor 15:50------- incorruption

impetuous---------------- Hab 1:6------------ hasty

improvise----------------- Amos 6:5--------- invent

incited---------------------- I Chr 21:1-------- provoked

incurs---------------------- Pro 9:7------------ getteth

indestructible------------ Heb 7:16--------- endless

indignant------------------ Mk 10:41-------- displeased

indispensable----------- I Cor 12:22------- necessary

infamy--------------------- Is 44:11----------- ashamed

innumerable------------- 2 Chr 12:3-------- without number

insolence---------------- Jer 48:30---------- wrath

insolent------------------- Rom 1:30--------- despiteful

jeered--------------------- 2 Ki 2:23---------- mocked

joists----------------------- 2 Chr 34:11------ couplings

jowls----------------------- Deut 18:3--------- cheeks

kingship------------------ I Sam 10:16------ kingdom

lifeboat------------------- Acts 27:30-------- boat

magi---------------------- Matt 2:1------------ wise men

mainstay---------------- Jer 49:25---------- chief

marauders------------- Job 12:6------------ robbers

marshaled-------------- Job 32:14--------- directed

mattocks----------------- I Sam 13:20----- courter

maxiums---------------- Job 13:12--------- remembrances

melodious--------------- Ps 81:2----------- pleasant

memorandum---------- Ezra 6:2----------- record

mina----------------------- Lk 19:16---------- pound

misdemeanor---------- Acts 18:14-------- wrong

naive---------------------- Rom 16:18------- simple

nationality--------------- Est 2:10------------ people

naught-------------------- Is 40:23------------ nothing

Negev-------------------- Gen 12:9---------- South

Nephilim----------------- Gen 6:4------------ giants

nightfall------------------- 2 Sam 19:7------- night

noonday------------------ 2 Sam 4:5-------- noon

Nubians------------------ Dan 11:43-------- Ethiopians

nuggets------------------ Job 22:24--------- gold

nurtured------------------- Lam 4:5---------- brought

oarsmen------------------ Ezek 27:26------ rowers

oblivion-------------------- Ps 88:12--------- forgetfulness

obscenity----------------- Eph 5:4----------- filthiness

offal------------------------ Ex 29:14---------- dung

officiate------------------- 2 Ki 17:32------- sacrificed

opportune---------------- Mk 6:1------------ convenient

ore------------------------- Job 28:2---------- stone

overawed---------------- Ps 49:16--------- afraid

overweening------------ Is 16:6------------ very

parapet------------------- Deut 22:8------- battlement

plied----------------------- Lk 23:9---------- questioned

pinions-------------------- Deut 32:11----- wings

porphyry------------------- Est 1:6---------- red

portent--------------------- Is 20:3----------- wonder

portico--------------------- I Ki 6:3---------- porch

poultice------------------- 2 Ki 20:7-------- lump

Praetorium--------------- Matt 27:27----- common hall

prefects-------------------- Dan 3:3--------governors

proconsul----------------- Acts 13:8-------deputy

profligate------------------ Deut 21:20---- glutton

promiscuity--------------- Ezek 16:26---- whoredoms

qualm---------------------- Jude 12---------- fear

rabble---------------------- Num 11:4------- mixed multitude

ramparts------------------- Hab 2:11------- tower

rawboned----------------- Gen 49:14----- strong

reeked--------------------- Ex 8:14--------- stank

repointing----------------- I Sam 13:21--- sharpen

reposes------------------- Pro 14:33------ resteth

reputed-------------------- Gal 2:9---------- seemed

resound-------------------- I Chr 16:32----- roar

resplendent--------------- Ps 76:4--------- glorious

reveled-------------------- Neh 9:25-------- delighted themselves

revelry---------------------- Is 22:13--------- gladness

revening------------------ Jer 2:30---------- destroying

rifts------------------------- Jer 2:6------------ pits

sachet-------------------- Song 1:13-------- bundle

satraps------------------- Est 3:12----------- lieutenants

sheathed----------------- Ps 68:13--------- covered

siegeworks-------------- Ecc 9:14---------- bulwarks

simplehearted---------- Ps 116:6---------- simple

sistrums------------------ 2 Sam 6:5-------- comets

squall--------------------- Mk 4:37------------ storm of wind

stadia-------------------- Rev 14:20---------- furlongs

stag---------------------- Song 2:9------------ hart

stipulations------------- Deut 4:45----------- testimonies

suckling----------------- I Sam 7:9------------ sucking

sullen--------------------- I Ki 21:5------------- sad

temperate-------------- I Tim 3:11----------- sober

tempest----------------- Ps 55:8-------------- storm

terebinth---------------- Hos 4:13------------ elms

tethered----------------- 2 Ki 7:10------------ tied

thong--------------------- Lk 3:16-------------- latchet

thornbush--------------- Is 55:13-------------- thorn

thundercloud----------- Ps 81:7-------------- thunder

timidity------------------ 2 Tim 1:7------------- fear

tinder-------------------- Is 1:31----------------- tow

torrent------------------- Rev 12:15------------ flood

tranquillity-------------- Ecc 4:6--------------- quietness

transcends------------ Phil 4:7---------------- passeth

transplanted---------- Ezek 17:10----------- planted

tresses----------------- Song 7:5-------------- galleries

tumult------------------- I Sam 14:19---------- noise

turbulent--------------- Gen 49:4-------------- unstable

tyrannical-------------- Pro 28:16------------ oppressor

tyranny----------------- Is 54:14--------------- oppression

underlings------------ 2 Ki 19:6-------------- servants

vassal----------------- 2 Ki 24:1-------------- servant

vaunts----------------- Job 15:25------------- strengtheneth

vent-------------------- Job 20:23------------- cast

verdant--------------- Song 1:16------------- green

vestments----------- Ezra 3:10-------------- apparel

vexed----------------- Ps 112:10------------- grieved

wadi------------------ Num 34:5--------------- river

waylaid-------------- I Sam 15:2------------- laid wait for

waywardness------ Hosea 14:4----------- backsliding

weakling------------ Joel 3:10--------------- weak

wily------------------- Job 5:13---------------- froward

windstorm---------- Is 29:6------------------ storm

wrenched----------- Gen 32:25------------ out of joint

wretches------------ Matt 21:41----------- wicked men

yearling-------------- Is 11:6----------------- fatling

 

Archaic Words and the Authorized Version

By Dr. Laurence M. Vance

As suitable for reading as it is valuable for reference this book provides an explicit and comprehensive examination of every word in the Authorized Version of the Bible that has been deemed archaic, obsolete, antiquated, or otherwise outmoded. The result is both a fascinating and encyclopedic study of words -their meaning, derivation, usage, and significance. The thesis of this seminal work is that the Authorized Version is no more archaic than daily newspapers, current magazines, and modem Bible versions. This book is unique in that it seeks neither to criticize nor to correct the text of the Authorized Version. Extensively documented with over 5,000 footnotes, the book contains twenty-four chapters and fourteen appendixes, with a preface, introduction, epilogue, and bibliography. 589 Pages

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