Question: I guess I didn’t isolate the part that bothered me. It is the other drink mentioned. The New King James says “wine or similar drink”. The Old King James says “wine or strong drink”. The Complete Jewish Bible says “wine, other intoxicating liquor”. One source I read says the noun in Hebrew means an intoxicating drink. Where did the New King James get “similar”? I was raised in a Baptist church and never ever heard a word about this verse. Do you disagree with the meaning of the Hebrew word for the other drink mentioned with wine?
Answer: Yes, I do stand by the New King James Version translation “wine or other similar drink.”
I do this for two reasons: first, having been raised in a Baptist church (which I myself was a MK (Missionary Kid) and PK (Pastors Kid), you will know that one does not make a doctrine out of one verse. The rest of Scripture is very clear on this subject. I hope you have had a chance to look at my articles, and the other web sites listed.
Second, the NKJV used the 1967/1977 Stuttgart edition of the Biblia Hebraica, based on the ben Asher text, while frequent comparisons were made with the Bombert edition of 1524-25. The Septuagint (Greek) Version of the Old Testament and the Latin Vulgate also were consulted.
In addition to referring to a variety of ancient versions of the Hebrew Scriptures, the New King James Version draws on the resources of relevant manuscripts from the Dead Sea Caves. You can read more of these quotes from the front of a good NKJV.
To read more on this subject found in Deuteronomy 14:26, read the discussion question on this verse.
I hope this was helpful,
Gary T. Panell
For more information email me.