I just read a really good article over at ReligionDispatches.org: Here is a couple of quotes:
The following is a select listing of obsolete
terms and their meanings in current terminology. A more complete list may be
found in The Interpreter's Dictionary of The Bible published by Abingdon
Press. The number of obsolete words is well over 1000, many of the words though
obsolete in common language are still used in enough circles that their meaning
is still easily enough understood. This list will only deal with words that are
more likely to be misunderstood. For those who find themselves sucked into the
King James only debate I would encourage you to read "The King James
Only Controversy Can You Trust the Modern Translations?" by James R.
White published by Bethany House.
The word “abomination” is found, of course, in the King James translation of Leviticus 18:22, a translation which reads, “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it [is] abomination.” Yet this is a thoroughly misleading rendition of the word toevah, which, while we may not know exactly what it means, definitely does not mean “abomination.” An “abomination” conjures up images of things which should not exist on the face of the earth: three-legged babies, oceans choked with oil, or Cheez-Whiz. And indeed, this is how many religious people regard gays and lesbians. It’s Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve. Homosexuality is unnatural, a perversion, a disease, an abomination.It reminds me of the many obsolete terms in the King James Bible. Here is a list I put together several years ago.
Yet a close reading of the term toevah suggests an entirely different meaning: something permitted to one group, and forbidden to another. Though there is (probably) no etymological relationship, toevah means taboo.
The term toevah (and its plural, toevot) occurs 103 times in the Hebrew Bible, and almost always has the connotation of a non-Israelite cultic practice. In the Torah, the primary toevah is avodah zara, foreign forms of worship, and most other toevot flow from it. The Israelites are instructed not to commit toevah because other nations do so. Deuteronomy 18:9-12 makes this quite clear:
Obsolete King James Bible Words
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Addicted
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1 Cor. 16:15
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Devoted
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Advise thyself
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1 Chr. 21:12
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Decide
|
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Affinity
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1 Kings 3:1
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Alliance
|
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Allege
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Acts 17:3
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Prove
|
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Anon
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Matt. 13:20
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Immediately
|
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Armholes
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Jer. 38:12
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Armpits
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Assuaged
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Gen. 8:1
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Subsided
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Barbarian
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1 Cor. 14:11
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Foreigner
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Botch
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Deut. 28:27
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Boils
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Bowels
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Phil. 1:8
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Affection
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Bruit
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Jer. 10:22
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Rumor
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Carriage
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1 Sam. 17:22
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Baggage
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Cast about
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Jer. 41:14
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Turn around
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Chambering
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Rom. 13:13
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Debauchery
|
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Chapman
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2 Chr.9:14
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Trader
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Cieled
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Ezek. 41: 16
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Paneled
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Clouted
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Josh. 9:5
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Patched
|
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Clouts
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Jer. 38:11
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Rags
|
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Compass
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Josh. 6:3
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March around
|
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Compass, fetch a
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Acts 28:13
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Make a circuit
|
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Concupiscence
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1 Thess. 4:5
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Lust
|
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Confection
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Exod. 30:35
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Incense blended
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Confectionaries
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1 Sam. 8:13
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Perfumers
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Curious
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Acts 19:19
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Magical
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Curiously
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Ps. 139:15
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Intricately
|
|
Darling
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Ps. 22:20
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My life
|
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Daysman
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Job 9:33
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Umpire
|
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Degree
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1 Tim. 3:13
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Standing
|
|
Degrees
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2 Kings 20:9
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Steps
|
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Delicacies
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Rev. 18:3
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Wantonness, luxury
|
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Descry
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Judg. 1:23
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Spy out
|
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Doctor
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Luke 2:46
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Teacher
|
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Draught
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Matt. 15:17
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Sewer, latrine, privy
|
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Draught house
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2 Kings 10:27
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Latrine
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Dure
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Matt. 13:21
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Endure
|
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Ear
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1 Sam. 8:12
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Plow
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Eared
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Deut. 21:4
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Plowed
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Emulation
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Gal. 5:20
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Jealousy
|
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Enlargement
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Esth. 4:14
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Relief
|
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Ensue
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1 Pet. 3:11
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Pursue
|
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Exchanger
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Matt 25:27
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Banker
|
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Fat
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Joel 2:24
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Vat
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Fining pot
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Prov. 17:3
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Crucible
|
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Flagons
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Song of S. 2:5
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Raisins
|
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Flood
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Josh. 24:3
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River
|
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Flux
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Acts 28:8
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Dysentery
|
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Fray
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Deut. 28:26
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Frighten
|
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Froward
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Deut. 32:20
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Perverse
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Furniture
|
Gen. 31:34
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Saddle
|
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Gainsay
|
Luke 21:15
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Contradict
|
|
Gender
|
Gal. 4:24
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Bear children
|
|
Heavily
|
Ps. 35:14
|
In mourning
|
|
Heavy
|
1 Kings 20:43
|
Resentful
|
|
Herb
|
Gen. 1:29
|
Plant
|
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Hough
|
Josh. 11:6
|
Hamstring
|
|
Imagination
|
Deut. 29:19
|
Stubbornness
|
|
Implead
|
Acts 19:38
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Accuse
|
|
Impotent
|
Acts 14:8
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Crippled
|
|
Jangling
|
1 Tim. 1:6
|
Vain discussion
|
|
Leasing
|
Ps. 5:6
|
Lies
|
|
Let
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Isa. 43:13
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Hinder
|
|
Light bread
|
Num. 21:5
|
Worthless food
|
|
In good liking
|
Job 39:4
|
Strong
|
|
worse liking
|
Dan. 1:10
|
In poorer condition
|
|
Lucre
|
1 Tim. 3:3
|
Gain
|
|
Lunatick
|
Matt. 4:24
|
Epileptic
|
|
Mansion
|
John 14:2
|
Room
|
|
Mar
|
1 Sam. 6:5
|
Ravage
|
|
Meat
|
Gen. 1:29
|
Food
|
|
Murrian
|
Exod. 9:3
|
Plague
|
|
Neesing
|
Job 41:8
|
Sneezing
|
|
Nephew
|
Judg. 12:14
|
Grandson
|
|
Noisome
|
Ps. 91:3
|
Deadly
|
|
Pap
|
Luke 11:27
|
Breast
|
|
Pastor
|
Jer. 23:1
|
Shepherd
|
|
A peculiar people
|
1 Pet. 2:9
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God's own people
|
|
Peradventure
|
Gen. 24:5
|
Perhaps
|
|
Persecute
|
Ps. 71:11
|
Pursue
|
|
Pitiful
|
Jas. 5:11
|
Compassionate
|
|
Prick
|
Acts 26:14
|
Goad
|
|
Profane
|
Ezek.22:26
|
Common, ordinary
|
|
Publican
|
Mark 2:15
|
Tax collector
|
|
Pulse
|
Dan. 1:12
|
Vegetables
|
|
Purge
|
John 15:2
|
Prune
|
|
Purtenance
|
Exod. 12:9
|
Inner parts
|
|
Reins
|
Jer. 12:2
|
Heart
|
|
Reprobate
|
Jer. 6:30
|
Refuse
|
|
Rid
|
Gen. 37:22
|
Rescue
|
|
Ringstraked
|
Gen. 30:35
|
Striped
|
|
Road
|
1 Sam. 27:10
|
Raid
|
|
Scall
|
Lev. 13:30
|
Itch
|
|
Scrip
|
Matt. 10:10
|
Bag
|
|
Settle
|
Ezek. 43:14
|
Ledge
|
|
Shambles
|
1 Cor. 10:25
|
Meat market
|
|
Shamefacedness
|
1 Tim. 2:9
|
Modesty
|
|
Simplicity
|
Rom. 12:8
|
Liberality
|
|
Sleight
|
Eph. 4:14
|
Cunning
|
|
Slime
|
Gen. 11:3
|
Bitumen
|
|
Sod
|
Gen. 25:29
|
Boiled
|
|
Sodden
|
Exod. 12:9
|
Boiled
|
|
Sop
|
John 13:26
|
Morsel
|
|
Sore
|
Gen. 19:9
|
Hard
|
|
Sore
|
Ps. 38:11
|
Plague
|
|
Sottish
|
Jer. 4:22
|
Stupid
|
|
Sped
|
Judg. 5:30
|
Succeeded
|
|
Speed
|
Gen. 24:12
|
Success
|
|
Strait
|
Job 36:16
|
Distress
|
|
Strait
|
Matt. 7:13
|
Narrow
|
|
Straitness
|
Jer. 19:9
|
Distress
|
|
Streak
|
Gen.30:37
|
Streak
|
|
To supple
|
Ezek. 16:4
|
To cleanse
|
|
Surfeiting
|
Luke 1:63
|
Dissipation
|
|
Swellings
|
2 Cor. 12:20
|
Conceit
|
|
Taber upon
|
Nah. 2:7
|
Beat
|
|
Table
|
Luke 1:68
|
Tablet
|
|
Tale
|
1 Sam. 18:27
|
Number
|
|
Target
|
1 Sam. 17:6
|
Javelin
|
|
Tell
|
Gen. 15:5
|
Number
|
|
Tire
|
2 Kings 9:30
|
Adorn
|
|
Tire
|
Exek. 24:17
|
Turban
|
|
Translate
|
2 Sam 3:10
|
Transfer
|
|
Turtle
|
Song of S. 2:12
|
Turtledove
|
|
Twain
|
1 Sam. 18:21
|
A second time
|
|
Unction
|
1 John 2:20
|
Anointing
|
|
Witty inventions
|
Prov. 8:12
|
Discretion
|
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Compiled by Ron Corson 1999
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