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Ancient Roots Translinear Bible (ARTB) (Old Testament)

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This translation of the Old Testament (aka Hebrew or shared Scripture) grows out of a well-founded desire - to bring to the English reader a specific aspect of the Hebrew text, the ability to recognize the repetition of words and word-roots. This is an important element of understanding the original text - allowing the reader to develop an ever more precise understanding of the way the term is used in Hebrew. Ideally, this would slowly build in the mind of the reader a semantic web of Biblical Hebrew.

Unfortunately, this text fails because of false assumptions about the nature of language: (1) a word in one language translates into a single word in another language. So if an Eskimo language has 32 words for snow so does English. Or if English uses a single word "rocket" to mean both a plant and a mechanical device that goes upward at great speeds, so does Hebrew. Or if one language uses inflexions, another position, a third agglutination, a fourth particles to specify time, voice and number they all require the same number of words to say something like "she might have fled." (2) the meaning of words is static over time - has "gay" always meant both an emotion and a sexual preference? (3) if words share a root, they share a meaning. This is closely related to assumption two. Consider the following English words derived from the same Indo-European root: iris, iridescent, vinegar, vicar, wicker, wattle, witch ...

In Werner's notation of added/missing words and measures of consistency, she needs to look a bit deeper and consider the words not at the grammatic level but at the semantic level to account for differences in vocabulary and grammatic structure. She needs to look a words not at the morphological level but as units of meaning to allow for multiple meanings of a word and for changes of meaning over time.

On the positive side, Werner's noting of doubling (repeating a word), hyphenation (use indicating single'double Hebrew word, etc. and leaving certain words in the Hebrew does give added value to her text. This value would be enhanced if she specified which Hebrew and Aramaic texts she is deriving her notation from. (My usual test for the Masoretic text (Gen. 4:7-9) is inconclusive in this translation.)

With additional work focusing on the domain of meaning of a particular word and, perhaps, semantic webs, this translation has potential.

Total satisfaction with every aspect of purchasing this very enlightening book! The entire purchasing experience was one of my best...arriving in the mail before expected and so much more than anticipated. This TRANSLINEAR BIBLE is revolutionary. An incredible treasure has been given to the world through this ANCIENT ROOTS BIBLE! A trustworthy, superb and unique translation, faithful to Hebraic language & thought patterns, you will also discover that the actual physical book is beautiful to behold and a pleasure to hold while you are either reading or studying. Clear type. Wonderful font size. It also has an appealing cover that invites the reader to explore inside to relish familiar scriptures with ancient insights and to unearth sweet riches. In my personal evaluation, after researching the biblical texts as a pastor for over forty years and owning 8,000+ books in my library I would have to say of the ANCIENT ROOTS BIBLE what A. Frances Werner herself writes concerning the Torah's essence in her characteristic elegant style and literal vocabulary, using the words of the Psalmist, that it is my honor to say that the ANCIENT ROOTS TRANSLINEAR BIBLE is "sweeter than the honey nectar of the honeycomb" Ps. 19:10b (ARTB). I have chosen to make her website [...] my Home Page on my computer so that I can quickly access the concordance and other helpful features she makes available. Hope it comes out in genuine leather some day. The words printed at the bottom of the front cover capture what I am hoping this review says in just a sentence: "Find out what you've been missing." A must have!!

In discussions of Bible translations there is an underlying assumption that we can know what was meant in the original language and on that basis express this meaning in an accessible way. But think about it: even translating let's say a Harry Potter book from English to German, the translator cannot know always 100% what the author had in mind. There are flavors of words and expressions that are uniquely English, even British. So the translator in the best case guesses right and happens to find a parallel expression in the target language.

But what if you have a book like the Old Testament, written by many authors, a long time ago? Let's say you decided to "give up" on the idea that you could guess right. You also give up beforehand on the attempt to find good accessible modern expressions to represent any guesses as to what the text means. Instead you decide to use a kind of coded consistency: if one word is used in 150 different contexts, maybe actually meaning different things (but you ignore that for the moment, since that would lead you back to guessing), then you make sure that the English translation uses exactly one and the same word for each of those occurrences. Even if the result is awkward. If any extra words need to be added that weren't there in the original you keep these to a minimum. You furthermore do not try to add into the mix your own theology. Something like this seems to lie behind the ARTB and gives this Bible translation its peculiar power.

It doesn't replace the more fluent and poetic translations that we already know, the NKJV, the NIV, and so on. If you want an easy to read Bible the ARTB one is not a good choice.

If you are searching for a freshness in the text, seeing it again for the first time, and being shocked at certain familiar phrases sounding very different, then this Bible does that for you. I find that I am truly amazed reading a chapter from Genesis or a well-known psalm. Lot's wife did not get turned into a "pillar" of salt, no she got turned into a "garrison" of salt. At least that is the Hebrew word being used. Now yes, maybe the original author did actually mean "pillar" if he could speak English, but we don't know. What we do know is that the word that elsewhere in the Bible is used for garrison, here is used to describe what Lot's wife turned into. Or what about the first line of Psalm 23, "The Lord is my shepherd"? In this translation it says, "Yahweh feeds me." That is so different. God feeds me, He is not a concept, His care is active.

I didn't believe at first that the Hebrew actually had these possible meanings, but with a concordance and a dictionary and an interlinear Bible I have to admit that these translations are probably good. Not "better", since they lack the poetic flow and the evocative imagery of the KVJ/NIV. But good, instructive, tantalizing, and prodding deeper research into the meaning of the words. It creates an effect of a deeper meaning shining out, not poetic, but more like metal ore shines out of hard stone. This Bible is like a mining tool, a simple one, since it does not require lots of notes and explanations. You get the plain text with only a minimum of commentary. I love to see the silver and gold sheen of an inner sense lighting up in the verses.

I just received the Ancient Roots Translinear Bible and srarted reading some key chapters; and I have to say it reads very well, its very poetic. I love the Idea of striving for 100% accuracy to the original languages. I LOVE, ABSOLULTY Love that you are using Yahweh instead of LORD. I hope they use Yashua (sp) instead of Jesus in the New testament as well.

I also notice in some cases they are putting the Hebrew Names, such as Adam, and than listing the English meaning (Human) in parentheses, this is a great idea.

Now this is not done in Gen chapter 5, but if it were we might see this.
ADAM (Human) SETH (established) Enosh (Mortal) Kenan (sorrow) Mahalalel (the blessed God) Jared (coming or shall come down) Enoch (Teacher or teaching) Methuselah (his death shall bring) lamech (despairing) Noah (rest). {Human established Mortal sorrow, the blessed God, shall come down teaching, his death shall bring (the) despairing rest}. I would love to see this putting the English meaning in parentheses throughout the whole text.

I like the cover and also the text in the ARTB, I need reading glasses and I am putting off getting them, and I have to say the print hear is very clear and dark and is easy to read.


So far so good, great JOB, and an excellent study tool

As a layman, amateur Bible scholar and consultant, I found the Ancient Roots(tm) Translinear Bible by A. Frances Werner a fresh translational approach that continuously provokes insight into the hidden nuances of the Hebrew text, breaking with the same tired phraseology, both familiar and musty. Since Genesis is my main focus of late, a couple of samples should suffice, to contrast her new approach with the seemingly endless variations on stale themes appearing on bookshelves and computer screens near you.

Whenever I read a new translation I immediately head for the "problem" areas (for Biblical scholars, that is). One is the famous "song" of Lamech, descendant of Cain. The Authorized Version reads:

And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah,
Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech,
hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man
to my wounding, and a young man
to my hurt.
If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech
seventy and sevenfold.

There is an apocryphal legend that Lamech (some say Nimrod) inadvertantly slew Cain while out hunting, but here Genesis knows only that apparently two were killed, some man who wounded him and some young man who hurt him, at least according to the translators of the King James Version. Lamech seems awful, threatening that if he is killed for murdering someone, his death will be avenged much more terribly than old Cain. Even worse, he is in a sense stealing God's protection of Cain to cover himself. The speculation about what the text really says is ongoing, some pointing out that only one man was slain (or wounded or both), due to the conventions of repetition in Hebrew poetry, others seek clarification in translations that attempt to show that Lamech kills a man, but wounds another, and Lamech is still a murderer no matter how you look at the passage.

However, the ARTB translation makes it clear that Lamech has probably not killed or maimed anyone (yet).

Lamech said to his wives, Adah and Zillah,
"Hear my voice, women of Lamech!
Hearken to my sayings: I will slay a man
who wounds me, and a boy
for my stripes.
Cain avenges sevenfold, but Lamech
seventy-seven!"

Lamech merely sounds tough, issuing a warning to anyone who might even think of doing him some minor offense. In this sense it can be taken as a boasting song, typical of many ancient (and modern) tribal peoples, where the vengeance of an ancestor has become legendary and the current leaders must continue to surpass the previous standard, or at least brag that they will do so. Its function, recorded for posterity in the Hebrew, is to minimize actual violence, and replace it with ritualized "displays" that establish rank and status. Talk about fresh insight!

The ARTB is much more than a print Bible. The companion Web site includes an on-demand word search tool (Word/Strong's search) and, for registered users, the ARTB concordance. Ms. Werner writes a brief weekly essay for "Word for the Week." One previous week's word was "obey," where she points out you won't find it in the ARTB, but you will find the word "hear." In Genesis 11:6-7, the ARTB reads:

Yahweh said, "One people, all with one lip, all began to do this here! Now none are protected from their plotting which they do. Descend and mingle their lips there. Grant that no man hears his neighbor.

Instead of a scene out of The Bible movie, where supernaturally everyone starts speaking a different language and can no longer communicate, let alone cooperate, the text seems to suggest that they simply refused to listen to anyone else. In essence, Yahweh provokes a breakdown of authority, through some agency that "descends" there and, as I see it, starts the people to complaining amongst themselves until the project grinds to a halt. The phrase "their plotting" suggests that this was not a sociable bunch to begin with.

It is difficult to find fault with Ms. Werner's translation, but on balance, the work's niftiest feature is often the source of its weakness, namely the replacement of Biblical names with modern equivalents, as in Gen 2:11-14: West-Arabia" for Havilah and "North-Iraq" for Assyria. Personally the biblical names I would prefer to remain in the text, with the modern equivalents in parentheses, which would have worked just as well for me. However, all the reader need do is look up the modern rendering in the Places Index in the back of the translation. Despite this minor idiosyncrasy, I must thank Fran for finally producing an invaluable study tool that allows the biblical words to speak for themselves.

May 29, 2007
Revised: July 23, 2007

I know that many may be leery when any new translation of the Bible is released. The fear is always there that perhaps the translation will put forth something contrary to what the Lord is actually saying and it could lead to some confusion in our Spiritual walk. In my opinion I have to say that this is not the case with this new translation by A. Frances Werner. This is one translation that can only enhance your Spiritual understanding of God's Word. Having been in the ministry with my husband for almost 30-years I have seen many Spiritual works come and go, but I truly believe this one is here to stay.
I love to read the Word and often cross-reference to try to get a deeper revelation of a Scripture. I would want to know, where in our world was Abraham living, exactly where does certain countries and cities appear in the Word? Our author gives us those answers and more, right in the verse we are reading, no more digging out tons of reference books to find it. Not only is this helpful but this knowledge definitely brings the Word alive in your spirit.
As I sat and read through the Psalm's I was delighted. The meaning became more clear within my Spirit than I ever thought possible. I especially loved Psalm 103:1, "Bless Yahweh, my soul, and all that is in my center, bless his holy name." I had never realized the full meaning of that, but when the word 'center,' was used, a greater understanding filled me. Think about it!
To me this translation is a God-send. One more step to knowing our Heavenly Father and His Word in a clearer way.
The book is well written, the type is crisp, clear and easy to read. If you are truly looking for a translation of the Word of God that will help you in your walk, this one is for you. I can't wait to see what the New Testament holds. Very highly recommended; a must have for all those who believe and hunger for the true Word of God.
Shirley Johnson
Senior Reviewer
MidWest Book Review

Why, oh why hasn't anyone thought of this before? This is what the Bible should be....this is how it should have been "written"......A.F. Werner unlocks all the doors for us. We can finally identify the locations of all of the events....we can understand the true words....the erroneous translations have been methodically corrected and updated for accuracy. I believe that this is the most exciting work/effort ever undertaken in showing the world what the Bible was to really have been.

Additionally, Werner allows anyone to get into it online......not a typical thing with most books out there. This is an absolutely amazing discovery/breakthrough.

I have bought Ancient Roots for friends....passed mine around in Bible study groups, encouraged everyone I know to get online and view this amazing work. Thank you A. F. Werner for all of your efforts in producing this amazing Bible.

I had never thought about the consistency of translations. But once I did, the Ancient Roots Translinear Bible is the bible to read for me! I've been using the website and can not wait to get the hard copy in my own hands. Familiar passages become richer and geography more recognizable. I've learned so much from this Bible already! Thank-you for making the best book so much better!

I really like this translation and I really appreciate the author's use of the divine name throughout the text. This makes the text come alive as never before. Other translations have tried this but the "Ancient Roots" seems to be more "animated". After all, the word is active; it's the living Torah of G-d. I`ve also checked the text against Young's Literal in some areas and the Ancient Roots is just as literal. I'm not a language expert but I prefer the literalness of the text and not a paraphrase. Anyway, this version is a keeper. I hope the author plans on a New Testament version and combines both in one edition. I'll be the first in line to purchase one.

This Bible is fantastic! I am astounded that no one has thought to do this before now. I am enthralled by what I am learning and the new insights I am gaining into God's Word.