Hendrickson KJV Thinline Reference Bible Review

Hendrickson’s KJV Thinline Reference Bible is a low-end thinline with some no-nonsense features that many will appreciate. I like thinlines because they’re easy to carry, but unfortunately most low-end editions skimp on paper and print quality. They’re also usually glued. That’s not the case with this Hendrickson. To get this price it does make a few sacrifices. Are they worth it? Absolutely. In this review I’m taking a look at the imitation edition (ISBN: 9781619709591 provided for free by Hendrickson).

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and many local Bible bookstores

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BINDING

The cover is black imitation leather. It’s a single sheet is plastic that’s cut at the edges rather than having folded edges and corners like most covers. The paper liner has an interesting pattern. It’s sewn and lies flat nicely, although Genesis 1 will take some breaking in.

The cover is functional and helps keep the price low. It’s a good choice for carry when you’re concerned with getting a Bible damaged. It weighs 1 pound 3.5 ounces. The overall size is 8 3/4″ x 5 1/2″ x 7/8″. It has a single black ribbon and black and white head/tail bands.

PAPER

The paper feels like mid 30’s in gsm and has very little show-through. It looks better in person than in the photos. It has a slight cream color and a rough texture. I had no issues turning pages. It’s good paper for marking. It seems like they were able to include better paper by using a lower-quality cover. This is a trade that I appreciate. The cover can be replaced and this paper, the fact that it’s sewn, and the print quality make it worth rebinding. The paper has white edges.

TYPOGRAPHY

The text is presented in double-column, verse-by-verse format. Chapter and verse numbers are in bold. The header includes the book name, chapter, and verse numbers in the outer margin, and page numbers in the center. A line separates the header from the text.

This Thinline Reference Bible has a dark, almost 9-point, font with the words of Christ in red. The red isn’t as dark as I’d like, but it is consistent throughout. It has no reference keys in the text. References are placed at the end of verses. It has italics for supplied words. The text seems mostly line-matched. Where it doesn’t match is still easy to read.

It has around 48 characters per line with around 10 words per line. The words never feel cramped. It has a good amount of leading (space between the lines) to help with readability.

The paper and print quality make this a good Bible to read for long periods of time.

REFERENCES

The references are not very extensive. Many verses have a reference but none have more than one. If having a reference edition is your goal then you’ll be disappointed with these references. It’s a good choice if you just want a few. Here are some examples to help you compare:

  • Genesis 1:1
    • Heb 11:3
  • Deuteronomy 6:4
    • Jn 17:3
  • Isaiah 9:6
    • Is 7:14
  • Matthew 17:20
    • Lk 17:6
  • Mark 11:23
    • Mt 17:20
  • Mark 12:29
    • Dt 6:4
  • John 1:1
    • Jn 17:5
  • Acts 2:38
    • Lk 24:47
  • 1 John 1:1
    • Jn 20:27

CONCORDANCE

The concordance is much larger than I expected. It’s 52 pages with 3 columns per page. It includes quite a bit of entries and is decent for study and sermon prep.

Here are a few example entries with the number of references given:

  • Christ – 38
  • Christian (Christians) – 2
  • Faith – 89
  • Faithless – 2
  • Faithful – 30
  • Faithfulness – 8
  • God – 18
  • Godhead – 3
  • Godly – 4
  • Godliness – 7
  • Praise (Praised) – 19
  • Praises – 5
  • Pray – 17
  • Praying (Prayed) – 6
  • Prayer – 18
  • Prayers – 3

MAPS

There are 8 colorful maps on thick glossy paper. They’re labeled with dark red ink, which is unique and interesting. They include distance, topography, borders, routes, water, alternate names for locations, etc. There isn’t an index but they are labeled well.

Here’s the list of maps:

  1. Geography of the Land of Israel/Palestine
  2. Exodus and Conquest of Canaan
  3. Kingdoms of Israel and Judah During the Divided Monarchy
  4. The Land of Israel/Palestine in the First Century of the Common Era
  5. The Roman Empire (Paul’s Journeys)
  6. Jerusalem and the Temple in Old Testament Times
  7. Jerusalem and the Temple in New Testament Times
  8. Jewish and Christian Communities in Late Antiquity

ENDING THOUGHTS ABOUT THE KJV THINLINE REFERENCE BIBLE

Hendrickson’s KJV Thinline Reference Bible is a nice inexpensive edition. It’s rare to find one at this price-point that’s sewn. It has nice paper and a good quality print. The cover is the cheapest feature, but the paper and print make up for it. It’s an especially good choice for when you need an inexpensive Bible to use or carry.

_________________________________

Buy from (includes some affiliate links)

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

and many local Bible bookstores

_________________________________

Photography by hannah C brown

Hendrickson provided this Bible free for review. I was not required to give a positive review – only an honest review. My opinions are my own.

About The Author

Randy A Brown

WordPress writer by day, Bible reviewer by night, pastor all the time. And there's also that author thing.

4 Comments

  1. Hal

    Big surprise. The KJV translator’s notes are once again missing. Hendrickson still doesn’t feel the need to publish the whole KJV. I surely won’t be buying or recommending this. It’s inferior to my other bibles that do have the translator’s notes.

    Reply
  2. Hal

    And how about right-justifying the end-of-verse references so they don’t always interrupt the flow of the reader? That’s the design other publishers intelligently use.

    Reply
  3. James

    Thank you Pastor Brown for another Bible review.
    I have used your website many times in determining my final decision on purchasing a Bible, especially the high end Bibles.

    IMO- your site is still the best online review site for Bibles.
    The comparison photos are so helpful and you provide them in a very professional manner.

    I really would love to see all the High End Bible Publishers send you free review copies of all their new releases.

    I will be praying for this to happen. 🙂

    Reply
    • Randy A Brown

      Thanks James! I appreciate the kind words and prayers!

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