The Holman Handcrafted KJV Giant Print Bible is an elegant verse-by-verse Pure Cambridge Edition KJV that’s excellent for preaching and reading. It’s available in two colors of calfskin covers. I’m reviewing the marbled chestnut calfskin leather, ISBN 9798384518419. It was printed in China.

Features:

  • Pure Cambridge Edition of the KJV text
  • Calfskin leather cover
  • Wide margins
  • Smyth-sewn
  • Edge-lined binding
  • High-quality Bible paper
  • Two-column text format
  • 12-point type size
  • Red-letter text
  • Art gilt page edges
  • Three ribbon markers
  • Concordance
  • Full-color maps

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This Bible is available at (includes some affiliate links)

Amazon

Christianbook

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Table of Contents

  1. Cover and Binding
  2. Paper
  3. Typography
  4. Where to Turn
  5. Table of Weights and Measures
  6. Topical Concordance
  7. Maps
  8. Video Review
  9. Conclusion

Cover and Binding

The cover is marbled chestnut calfskin leather. It’s a light brown with lots of color variation. The texture is smooth, but you can feel the grain. It includes perimeter stitching and no printing on the front or back. The spine has five raised hubs and text stamped in gold.

It’s edge-lined with a leather liner that seems to be calfskin. A gold line traces the outer edge. The edge-lined tab is a touch stiff, but it stays open in the middle of Genesis with no trouble. The block is sewn and feels durable. I like the three double-sided satin matching chestnut ribbons. The overall size is 6.75 x 10 x 1.75 inches, and it weighs 3 lbs, 0.3 oz.

Paper

The paper seems to be 36GSM or higher. It’s white and highly opaque with a slightly rough texture that’s great for writing. I had no trouble turning pages. It has no glare under direct light. The page edges are art-gilt. The first few pages have crinkles.

I’m using a Pigma Micron for notes in these photos. It does have noticeable show-through, but it’s not terrible. I found the inner margin difficult to write in, but I managed it. There isn’t much space for notes in the inner margin, but the outer margin isn’t bad.

Typography

The Pure Cambridge KJV text is presented in a double-column, verse-by-verse layout with no other formatting. The header includes the book name and chapters in the outer margin, page number in the center, and topical page headings in the inner margin. The header, chapter, and verse numbers are in red. Pilcrows mark paragraphs, and supplied words are in italics.

The typeface is 12-point and is red-letter. It was typeset with the MCM typeface designed by 2K/Denmark. The print is dark and consistent. The red is a medium shade. There is plenty of space between the letters and words, making it comfortable to read and mark. There is enough space between the lines for underlining.

It appears to be line-matched, but there are a few pages where the print is off. This is mostly noticeable in the header, where the text is in different locations. The paper is opaque enough that line-matching isn’t crucial. Each verse is indented and includes red verse numbers. The numbers are over half the size of the text, making them easy to see. They’re a touch thinner than the text, making them easy to ignore when reading. I find this font to be great for reading and preaching.

Wide Margins

It has a 1-inch margin on the outside, and approximately a half-inch margin on the top, bottom, and inner edges. Wide margins are not the main focus of this Bible, but they are great for references, definitions, or small notes.

Where to Turn

This is a two-page list of Scriptures that show where to find information when you are in need. It lists the needs and then gives the verse and page number. This is a good list for personal use and counseling. I can also see it used for studying, teaching, and personal devotions. It only gives one verse for each need, but it’s a good starting point, and it might be all you need, depending on the situation.

Table of Weights and Measures

The Table of Weights and Measures is two pages and includes weights, length, dry measures, and liquid measures. It shows the biblical unit, language, biblical measure, U.S. equivalent, metric equivalent, and various translations. I especially like the translations because something can be known as more than one thing, but that’s not evident from reading.

Topical Concordance

The topical concordance is 13 pages. It’s more like a topical index. It shows a topic, and then gives subtopics and a list of Scripture references. There are 15 subtopics for God with 56 references. This is good for basic study and teaching. It does include some theology, so use it for reference and do your own study.

Maps

In the back are 8 full-color maps on thick non-glossy paper. They have dark and bold colors, and are clean and easy to read. It doesn’t include a map index, but they are clean and annotated well, making them easy to use. The maps include distance, topography, mountain peaks, routes, cities, major roads, Scripture references, locations on the globe, kingdoms, locations of events, dates, etc.

Maps include:

  1. The Migration of Abraham
  2. The Route of the Exodus
  3. The Tribal Allotments of Israel
  4. The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah
  5. Israel in the Time of Jesus
  6. The Ministry of Jesus Around the Sea of Galilee
  7. The Passion Week in Jerusalem
  8. Paul’s Missionary Journeys

Video Review

Conclusion

The Holman Handcrafted KJV Giant Print Bible is an excellent giant print edition. It’s made well, highly readable, and I like the red highlights throughout. It doesn’t have a lot of tools, so you’ll need external tools for study and sermon prep. The margins are a touch small for extensive notes, but it’s good for short thoughts, definitions, references, etc. If you’re looking for a high-quality giant print KJV in the Pure Cambridge Edition, the Holman Handcrafted Giant Print KJV is a great choice.

_________________________________________________________

This Bible is available at (includes some affiliate links)

Amazon

Christianbook

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Lifeway provided this Bible in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review, only an honest one. All opinions are my own.