NJPS? Is the 1985 JPS with Strong's in Accordance the newest edition?

[Evan Bryant]

Hi all, 

 

I was reading the JPS Commentary on Deuteronomy this afternoon and came across a citation reference to the NJPS, or New Jewish Publication Society Bible. I didn't know what to make of it, and it made me wonder if the 1985 JPS with Strong's in Accordance is, in fact, the New JPS, or if there is a newer revised edition which has not yet been made available as an Accordance module. After a little research online, I wasn't able to satisfactorily answer my question (I found some history about the original 1917 JPS Bible, but I also found some evidence that there have been revisions since 1985, too), so I thought I'd ask it here. Does anyone know? Is the NJPS referred to in the JPS Commentary the version of the JPS Bible that is in Accordance, or is there a newer translation out there?

 

Thanks!

Evan

[ukfraser]

Hi Evan

 

There is this on the jps web site.

https://jps.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/JPSTanakh_CustomerGuide.pdf

My understanding is that what we have in accordance is the njps which is the current published edition. the original jps is also available in accordance, see link below, (and they may well be working on a revision not yet published).

 

From page 12 of the pdf:

 

What is the difference between the new and old JPS translations?

The old JPS translation (OJPS) of the Tanakh was published in 1917. This translation is based on the Protestant Revised Version with the “un-Jewish and anti-Jewish” phrases re- placed with traditional Jewish interpretation to reflect Jewish feeling, law, faith, and tradi- tion. The OJPS translation uses some archaic language, such as “shalt,” “thee,” and “thou,” because it borrowed heavily from the King James Version. Several passages in the 1917 ver- sion are much more poetic in tone than the later translation. The 1917 edition, now in the public domain, is not available from JPS in print form. It is available as a free downloadable pdf from the JPS website.

 

The new JPS translation (NJPS) of the Tanakh’s three parts (Torah, Prophets, Writings) were published over a twenty-year period. The JPS Torah was published first in 1962. The Prophets (Nevi’im) was published in 1978 and the Writings (Ketuvim) in 1980. The three parts were then combined into the JPS Tanakh in 1985. See this article written in 2012 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the “New JPS Translation” of the Torah.

 

(The article is also worth reading but you have to go to the link in the pdf and then search fifty years and there is also an interesting pdf The Past and Future of American Jewish Bible Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz on the linked page .)

 

Original jps here

https://www.accordancebible.com/store/details/?pid=CJB

Edited August 16, 2019 by ukfraser

[Graham Buck]

Also to note, the current NJPS printing is the second edition, which was published in 1999. Any digital edition you find should be this edition.

[Evan Bryant]

Thanks to both of you!

 

I understand that there was an old JPS from 1917, and therefore the 1985 edition is technically the new JPS.

 

But Graham, what you've said about the second edition from 1999 is what I'm interested in. The newest JPS Bible in Accordance is called "JPS (1985) with Strong's," and there's no mention of "second edition" or "1999." As you say, it makes sense that "any digital edition should be this edition," but then, why wouldn't Accordance mention that it's the second edition from 1999 in the bibliographic information of the module? Because of that, I'm inclined to think that it's actually the 1985 edition, as labeled, and not the newest 1999 edition. I don't know what differences, if any, there are between the 1985 and 1999, but now I'm curious to find out. And I'd love to know for sure if the "JPS (1985) with Strong's" module is actually the second edition from 1999, and if it is, may I suggest adding that to the bibliographic information of the module?

 

Thanks again!

[Solly]

Also to note, the current NJPS printing is the second edition, which was published in 1999. Any digital edition you find should be this edition.

 

What Graham said.

 

As a test see: http://www.jhsonline.org/reviews/review003.htm

 

Note g at Isa. 22.8 conforms to what is present in the 1999 JPS edition when the current version of the JPSS is examined in Accordance.

 

Shalom,

Joseph

[DavidKrishef]

Hi Evan

 

There is this on the jps web site.

https://jps.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/JPSTanakh_CustomerGuide.pdf

My understanding is that what we have in accordance is the njps which is the current published edition. the original jps is also available in accordance, see link below, (and they may well be working on a revision not yet published).

 

From page 12 of the pdf:

 

What is the difference between the new and old JPS translations?

The old JPS translation (OJPS) of the Tanakh was published in 1917. This translation is based on the Protestant Revised Version with the “un-Jewish and anti-Jewish” phrases re- placed with traditional Jewish interpretation to reflect Jewish feeling, law, faith, and tradi- tion. The OJPS translation uses some archaic language, such as “shalt,” “thee,” and “thou,” because it borrowed heavily from the King James Version. Several passages in the 1917 ver- sion are much more poetic in tone than the later translation. The 1917 edition, now in the public domain, is not available from JPS in print form. It is available as a free downloadable pdf from the JPS website.

 

The new JPS translation (NJPS) of the Tanakh’s three parts (Torah, Prophets, Writings) were published over a twenty-year period. The JPS Torah was published first in 1962. The Prophets (Nevi’im) was published in 1978 and the Writings (Ketuvim) in 1980. The three parts were then combined into the JPS Tanakh in 1985. See this article written in 2012 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the “New JPS Translation” of the Torah.

 

(The article is also worth reading but you have to go to the link in the pdf and then search fifty years and there is also an interesting pdf The Past and Future of American Jewish Bible Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz on the linked page .)

 

Original jps here

https://www.accordancebible.com/store/details/?pid=CJB

Is the 1917 OJPS in its original form (i.e., not revised and annotated by a Hebrew Christian like the one you have linked) available as an accordance Bible?

[ukfraser]

Is the 1917 OJPS in its original form available as an accordance Bible?

I dont believe so but am happy to be corrected. Im pretty sure there is another thread on the forum where i saw the linked one as the only option and have just run a quick search in the store.

[Helen Brown]

No, we have never received such a e-text, and I do not see it on our Exchange either.

[Graham Buck]

If you sign up for their mailing list, the JPS will send you a free PDF of the 1917 JPS Tanakh.

 

 

 

 The 1917 edition, now in the public domain, is not available from JPS in print form. It is available as a free downloadable pdf from the JPS website.

 

https://jps.org/books/holy-scriptures-tanakh-1917-edition/