Can Two Walk Together: Cambridge Versus Oxford

​Amos 3:3 - "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?"

     In this text of Scripture, a shepherd from the south has a sermon for the Northern Kingdom. Although he was no prophet or a prophet’s son, this simple herdsman was prophesying to Israel that they could not walk in unison with the Lord because of their differences. Israel had fallen into sin, and they were not progressing with the Lord, thus they could not walk together.
     Another illustration of this principle was given by Moses. Deuteronomy 22:10 states, “Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together.” According to Aben Ezra, an ass did not have the equal strength of an ox, and plowing the two together would be a calamity.
     Paul also addressed this issue in 2 Corinthians 6:14, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers…” The unequal yoke would not lead to fellowship and communion. Therefore, unless two are in agreement, there will be differences, unless two are in agreement there will be different strengths, and unless two are in agreement there will not be any fellowship and communion.
     Such is the case of the Cambridge editions of the King James Bible and the Oxford editions of the King James Bible. They cannot walk together, plow together, and labor together because they are different in their actual text of the Scriptures. In other words, the Oxford KJV does not match word-for-word the 1611 King James Version and the Cambridge KJV. Why is this so? Which one is right?
     Most King James Version defenders state that the 1629 and 1638 revisions of the 1611 correct printing errors while the 1762 and 1769 changes standardized the spelling of the 1611. They state that after 1769, there were no more revisions to the 1611. To some extent this may be true, but not altogether.
     Cambridge had their 1629, 1638, 1762, 1790, 1824, 1833, 1842, 1844, 1865, 1869, 1872, and 1887 editions with newer ones on the market today. Then, Oxford had their 1795, 1804, 1810, 1821, 1828, 1829, 1835, 1838, 1840, 1847, 1857, 1859, 1865, 1868, 1870, 1876, and 1880 editions with newer ones on the market today.
     Now the question is which one of these editions will be true to the 1611 printing of the Authorized Version. A comparison of the Cambridge “Concord 8vo” to the Oxford “8vo Refs.”, commonly used in the Old Scofield Bible, will reveal that the Cambridge University Press has preserved the original 1611 with accuracy while the Oxford University Press has many differences. Let us note just a few of the differences between the companies.

     Genesis 10:7

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…and Sabtecha…”
2. Cambridge- “…and Sabtecha…”
3. Oxford- “…and Sabtechah…”

 
     Genesis 24:57

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…and enquire at…”
2. Cambridge- “…and enquire at…”
3. Oxford- “…and inquire at…”

 
     Genesis 25:4

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…Abida…”
2. Cambridge- “…Abida…”
3. Oxford- “…Abidah…”

 
     Genesis 46:12

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…and Zerah…”
2. Cambridge- “…and Zerah…”
3. Oxford- “…and Zarah…”

 
     Exodus 34:23

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…your men children…”
2. Cambridge- “…your men children…”
3. Oxford- “…your menchildren…”

 
     Deuteronomy 22:3

1. Authorized Version 1611- “with all loft thing…”
2. Cambridge- “…with all lost thing…”
3. Oxford- “…with all lost things…”

 
     Joshua 13:18

1. Authorized Version 1611- “And Jahazah…”
2. Cambridge- “And Jahazah…”
3. Oxford- “And Jahaza…”

 
     Joshua 19:2

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…Beer-sheba, or Sheba, and Moladah,”
2. Cambridge- “…Beer-sheba, or Sheba, and Moladah,”
3. Oxford- “…Beer-sheba, and Sheba, and Moladah,”

 
     Joshua 19:19

1. Authorized Version 1611- “And Hapharaim…”
2. Cambridge- “And Hapharaim…”
3. Oxford- “And Haphraim…”

 
     Joshua 19:19

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…and Shion…”
2. Cambridge- “…and Shion…”
3. Oxford- “…and Shihon…”

 
     Judges 13:19

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…did wonderoufly…”
2. Cambridge- “…did wondrously…”
3. Oxford- “…did wonderously…”

 
     1 Samuel 17:48

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…that David hafted…”
2. Cambridge- “…that David hasted…”
3. Oxford- “…that David hastened…”

 
     1 Samuel 31:2

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…and Malchifhua…”
2. Cambridge- “…and Malchishua…”
3. Oxford- “…and Melchishua…”

 
     2 Samuel 5:14

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…Shammua…”
2. Cambridge- “…Shammua…”
3. Oxford- “…Shammuah…”

 
     2 Samuel 21:21

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…fonne of Shimea…”
2. Cambridge- “…son of Shimea…”
3. Oxford- “…son of Shimeah…”

 
     2 Samuel 23:37

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…Naharai the Berothite…”
2. Cambridge- “…Naharai the Beerothite…”
3. Oxford- “…Nahari the Beerothite…”

 
     1 Kings 8:56

1. Authorized Version 1611- “Bleffed be the LORD…”
2. Cambridge- “Blessed be the LORD…”
3. Oxford- “Blessed be the Lord…"

 
     1 Chronicles 2:47

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…and Gefhan…”
2. Cambridge- “…and Geshan…”
3. Oxford- “…and Gesham…”

 
     1 Chronicles 2:49

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…was Achfah.”
2. Cambridge- “…was Achsah.”
3. Oxford- “…was Achsa.”

 
     1 Chronicles 7:1

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…and Shimron, foure.”
2. Cambridge- “…and Shimron, four.”
3. Oxford- “…and Shimrom, four.”

 
     1 Chronicles 7:19

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…of Shemida…”
2. Cambridge- “…of Shemida…”
3. Oxford- “…of Shemidah…”

 
     1 Chronicles 7:27

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…Jehofhua his fonne.”
2. Cambridge- “…Jehoshua his son.”
3. Oxford- “…Jehoshuah his son.”

 
     1 Chronicles 23:20

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…Michah the firft…”
2. Cambridge- “…Michah the first…”
3. Oxford- “…Micah the first…”

 
     1 Chronicles 24:11

1. Authorized Version 1611- “The ninth to Jefhua…”
2. Cambridge- “The ninth to Jeshua…”
3. Oxford- “The ninth to Jeshuah…”

 
     2 Chronicles 33:19

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…and all his sinne…”
2. Cambridge- “…and all his sin…”
3. Oxford- “…and all his sins…”

 
     2 Chronicles 35:20

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…againft Carchemifh…”
2. Cambridge- “…against Carchemish…”
3. Oxford- “…against Charchemish…”

 
     Ezra 2:2

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…Mifpar…”
2. Cambridge- “…Mispar…”
3. Oxford- “…Mizpar…”

 
     Ezra 4:10

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…and noble Afnappar…”
2. Cambridge- “…and noble Asnappar…”
3. Oxford- “…and noble Asnapper…”

 
     Nehemiah 7:30

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…and Geba…”
2. Cambridge- “…and Geba…”
3. Oxford- “…and Gaba…”

 
     Job 30:6

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…dwell in the clifts…”
2. Cambridge- “…dwell in the clifts…”
3. Oxford- “…dwell in the cliffs…”

 
     Psalm 148:8

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…fnow and vapour…”
2. Cambridge- “…snow, and vapour…”
3. Oxford- “…snow, and vapours…”

 
     Proverbs 20:29

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…the gray head.”
2. Cambridge- “…the gray head.”
3. Oxford- “…the grey head.”

 
     Jeremiah 34:16

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…whome yee had set…”
2. Cambridge- “…whom ye had set…”
3. Oxford- “…whom he had set…”

 
     Amos 2:2

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…the palaces of Kerioth…”
2. Cambridge- “…the palaces of Kerioth…”
3. Oxford- “…the palaces of Kirioth…”

 
     Nahum 3:16

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…the cankerworme spoileth & flieth away.”
2. Cambridge- “…the cankerworm spoileth, and flieth away.”
3. Oxford- “…the cankerworm spoileth, and fleeth away.”

     Matthew 4:1

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…Jesus led vp of the Spirit into…”
2. Cambridge- “…Jesus led up of the Spirit into…”
3. Oxford- “…Jesus led up of the spirit into…”

 
     Matthew 26:39

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…he went a little further…”
2. Cambridge- “…he went a little further…”
3. Oxford- “…he went a little farther…”

 
     Mark 1:12

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…immediately the Spirit…”
2. Cambridge- “…immediately the Spirit…”
3. Oxford- “…immediately the spirit…”

 
     Romans 9:9

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…and Sara fhall haue…”
2. Cambridge- “…and Sara shall have…”
3. Oxford- “…and Sarah shall have…”

 
     1 Corinthians 4:15

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…ten thousand inftructors…”
2. Cambridge- “…ten thousand instructors…”
3. Oxford- “…ten thousand instructers…”

 
     Revelation 2:6

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…of the Nicolaitans…”
2. Cambridge- “…of the Nicolaitans…”
3. Oxford- “…of the Nicolaitanes…”

 
     Revelation 21:20

1. Authorized Version 1611- “…the feuenth Chryfolite…”
2. Cambridge- “…the seventh, chrysolite…”
3. Oxford- “…the seventh, chrysolyte…”

Can two walk together, except they be agreed? Are you supposed to plow an ox and an ass together? Isn’t an unequal yoke forbidden? It appears if an individual desires the King James Version without any changes they need to purchase a Cambridge King James Version. To put it in the words of Samuel Goldwyn, Oxford University, “You’ve improved it worse”.
     Many a preacher has suggested to their congregation that they should use the King James Version (formerly known as the Authorized Version) as their Bible. However, given the many translations of the King James Version, they need to state specifically which one to use. It must be brought to our attention that there are many varieties of the King James Version on the market today.
     Does it really matter from which company you purchase your King James Version of the Bible? Are not they all the same? After a careful examination of the text of these, we find that not all of these are the same. However, in almost all these instances the Cambridge text held true to the original Authorized Version (1611). Therefore, we must conclude that the Cambridge text is the only text that is reliable enough for our daily reading, study, teaching, and preaching of the Bible.