The KJV Study Bible from Barbour Publishing (Illustrated Version)

The KJV Study Bible from Barbour Publishing is the smallest of the KJV study Bibles that are available. This is a hand size edition that is made for carry without bogging you down with information you don’t need with you.

Pros

Hand size
Sewn binding
Cons

No references
Features

KJV
Imitation leather
Sewn binding
Red letter
Book introductions
Section headings
6500 notes
Dictionary/Concordance
8 maps
Gold ribbon marker
8 7/8 x 5 5/8 x 1 1/4
ISBN: 9781624166587
SRP $39.99
Cover and Binding

The cover is imitation leather. My review copy is two-tone with burgundy and tan. It has stitching all around the outsides. The liner is paper. I like the look and feel. It’s one of my favorite imitation leathers. It feels like it will last a while. The binding is section-sewn.

Paper and Print

The paper is the standard paper found in most study Bibles today. It is fairly thick and opaque. The edges are not gilted. The font is a 7-point with 8-point leading (7/8). The black letter has some slight variation. There is more variation in the red letter than the black.

Layout

The text is presented in verse format with 2 columns per page. There are section headings within the text. They’re in bold print and all-caps. Notes are at the bottom and have the verse numbers that they correspond to printed in bold. There isn’t much marginal space. The text goes all the way to the edge of the gutter. The chapter and verse numbers appear at the top of the page. Most Bibles show the verse number for the first verse that starts on that page. This one shows the number for the first verse even if it started on the previous page.

Notes

There are 6500 notes. They are from the Simplified Bible Commentary Series. The notes mostly contain general comments. There are a few that give references. There are also some doctrinal comments. Like all commentary I urge readers to do their own study, allowing Scripture to interpret Scripture.

Illustrations

There are 64 pages of illustrations. The illustrations are either old paintings or photographs of landscapes. They are very colorful and are printed on heavy card stock. They’re grouped in sections of 8 pages (4 pages front and back) and placed throughout the Bible. The paintings tell the artist (if it’s known) and the date. Each one relates to a Scripture. They look nice. They should have been placed closer to the portion of Scripture they relate to in my opinion.

Book Introductions

Each book is introduced with 3 paragraphs that cover some basic information about the book, the author, and the occasion that it was written. They give some good information without taking up too much space.

Dictionary/Concordance

The concordance is combined with a dictionary. It is 17 pages with 3 columns per page. It includes names and places. It covers some basic words. There’s not enough in it for any serious study. It might be helpful if you’re out somewhere and don’t have access to any other material.

Maps

There are 8 pages of full-color maps printed on heavy glossy card stock. They are color-coded and annotated for easy use. They look nice.

Conclusion

The KJV Study Bible is a study Bible with simplicity in mind. It’s a good for those that want a little extra without having to carry one of the larger study Bibles and features they don’t want. It’s especially a good choice for reading and carry.