Benjamin Blayney facts for kids
Benjamin Blayney (born 1728 – died September 20, 1801) was an English religious scholar and expert in the Hebrew language. He is most famous for his important work on the King James Version of the Bible. He helped to correct and improve this widely used Bible translation.
Benjamin Blayney's Life
Benjamin Blayney went to Worcester College, Oxford to study. He earned his first degree there in 1750. Later, he became a senior member and then a leader at Hertford College. He continued his studies and received a higher degree in religious studies in 1768.
Working on the Bible
The Clarendon Press, a famous publisher, hired Blayney for a very important job. He was asked to create a corrected version of the King James Version of the Bible. This new edition was finished in 1769.
However, a sad event happened: most of the printed Bibles were destroyed in a fire. The fire broke out in a Bible warehouse in Paternoster Row, London.
Studying Hebrew
After this, Blayney focused on studying Hebrew, an ancient language. He earned an even higher degree, called a D.D. In 1787, he became a special professor of Hebrew at Oxford University. This was a very important position. In the same year, he also became a church official at Christ Church, Oxford.
Benjamin Blayney passed away on September 20, 1801. He died at his home in Poulshot, Wiltshire.
Benjamin Blayney's Main Books
Blayney wrote several important academic works. These books often focused on his studies of the Bible and the Hebrew language.
- He wrote a long study about a specific part of the Bible's Book of Daniel. This work was even translated into German.
- He created a new translation of the Bible's books of Jeremiah and Lamentations in 1784.
- He also prepared a special edition of the Samaritan Pentateuch in Hebrew writing in 1790.
- In 1797, he published a new translation of the Bible's Book of Zechariah.
