The Word Defined : Research Study Bible by Mike Dobbs

The Word Defined : Research Study Bible

The Word Defined : Research Study Bible is a great resource for any student of the Word. Word Defined is a three volume set: Volume one - Genesis through II Kings; Volume two - 1 Chronicles through Malachi; Volume three - The New Testament. My volume has a great design and sturdy binding. Often times we pick up our Bibles and see words that we know have more meaning than we might notice at first glance. In this series of works, while using the KJV, Dr. Mike Dobbs takes each proper noun offers the phonetic pronunciation, the appropriate Hebrew or Greek word and the definition of that proper noun.

Here is an example:

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God (El-o-HEEM' [El ohiym']: "The supreme God") created the heavens (Shaw-mahh'-yim [Shamayim]: "to be lofty; the sky; the visible arch in which the clouds move") and the earth. KJV

There is also an "How to" guide on transliteration and pronunciation. The guide gives the letter, name, and English phonetic. For example, aleph is the first word in the Hebrew alphabet. It is silent as in "h" in "hour". Footnotes are also throughout each volume for easy reference. For example, in Genesis 35:16 we see the proper noun Ephrath. The footnotes clarify further: "Ephrath or Ephratha is the ancient name of Bethlehem of Judah, which the prophet Micah refers to as "Bethlehem Ephratha." (Dobbs, pg. 120)

Throughout the text there are also "Did You Know?" information boxes that also help clarify. For example, Deuteronomy 4:3 mentions Baal-Peor. The information box explains, "Baal-Peor was an idol of the Moabites and the Midianites. As the name indicates, this god was worshipped, by obscene rites, in celebration of fertility and the female anatomy. The Moabite women lured the men of Israel away from God with these lustful and licentious rites." (Dobbs, pg. 450) Numbers 15:9 uses the the phrase "hin of wine". The information box explains "A hin was a liquid measure equal to about 8 quarts." (Dobbs, pg. 369)

This study Bible series was born out of Dr. Dobb's visitation to the nation of Israel. A Jewis Rabbi spoke to him while in the Holy Land saying, "the Western world has only partially translated the scriptures and by leaving the names of people and places of the Bible undefined, there is much that the Western mind would never discern or see, contained in the Scriptures." (Dobbs, pg. 7) There is much that we do not readily see because of familiarity with certain words. As we begin to uncover the meaning of these words, especially proper nouns, we are able to provide a "more accurate account of a particular event." (Dobbs, pg. 7)

This study Bible is a recommend for anyone interested in study of the Word. It is a one of a kind study Bible by a Oneness Pentecostal. It is especially helpful to those who want to quickly see how to pronounce the word in English as well. Often times we are unsure of how to pronounce a certain name or place. The work is done for you and provided after each proper noun. For example: Moses (MOE zez [Mos 'she]: "drawn out"

Dr.Mike Dobbs is a husband and pastor in Wiggins, Mississippi and has pastored Word Alive Revival Center for over 18 years. He is also a father of two. You can also access Dr. Dobb's radio podcast here.

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