The Hebraic-Roots Version Old Review
Old Review
NOTE - Please see last paragraph! I do not recommend this translation!
The Hebraic Roots Version Scriptures is an update to the Hebraic-Roots Version "New Testament" by James Trimm, originally called the Hebraic Roots Version Complete Messianic Study Bible. This version now includes the Tanak, in the TaNaK order, making it the first version of the Scriptures to have both the original order for the Hebrew Scriptures and the Nazarene Writings (Pauline epistles always come last in the original and Eastern canons). In addition to that, names have been restored to their original Hebraic form, most notably our Heavenly Fathers (written as YHWH, allowing you to pronounce it however you wish). For the most part, "God" is rendered back in it's original form of Elohim, "Holy" is Set-Apart, etc. Everything you would expect from a Nazarene translation is typically included. However, you may notice that the rating for the HRV is not that high. There are a few reasons for that.
First, let me say that the binding on here is far superior to that of the Hebraic-Roots Version "New Testament". The paper actually feels like bible paper, it's gold gilded, and the book opens up flat without any trouble right from the very first page. However, despite this, the size of this book makes it unpractical for carrying around and using 99% of the time. It's the size of a lectern bible, so it would be suitable for that I suppose. The cover though is kind of weird. It's bonded leather, but it's not really a hardcover or soft cover. It's an in-between blend that you'll see below in the pictures. Another issue is that the text quality is fairly poor. Some pages the text is dark, other times it's light and fading. There is also some bleed through. To make matters worse, my particular copy is also missing some pages near the middle in Jeremiah, skipping over several chapters. The margins are wide though so there is plenty of room to write notes, and the text is large so there should be zero trouble reading. The format is still single column verse format, so while it might be easy to find a passage, it won't flow together very well. The ribbon marker that comes with this is short and frays quickly. Mine looks pretty bad as you'll see in the pictures below.
My review of the Nazarene writings can be read here. Nothing much has changed with the text, just a few minor clean ups as far as I can tell. The one exception is Hebrews which is now translated from a Hebrew manuscript by Munster instead of the Peshitta. Besides the textual changes, Trimm opts for translating Yeshua's name as Yahushua from the Hebrew text of Hebrews. Trimm believes that the Masorites changed the vowel pointing for the beginning of the names in Tanak to read Yeho instead of Yahu; the manuscript Trimm uses for the letter to the Hebrews does say Yehoshua though. There are some very interesting changes in the Hebrew manuscript though. I won't go through all of them, but I suggest reading the opening to chapter one and notice how different it is from Peshitta and Greek. There are some serious "Godhead" implications here.
The Tanak is based off of the 1917 JPS Tanak with promised extensive textual criticism based off of the Septuagint, Dead Sea Scrolls, Aramaic Peshitta Tanak, Samaritan Pentateuch, Targums, etc. But unfortunately, it leaves much to be desired. While there are some helpful notes here and there, only 299 footnotes/changes exist in the Tanak, and while this would be great, 134 of those are the places in which the Massorah makes note of the name of YHWH being removed and replaced by Adonai. This leaves very few additional footnotes when, if you check your DSS Bible, there is the potential for thousands of them.
Another issue with the Tanak is that, since it's based on the JPS translation, it does carry some Rabbinical baggage. While this is corrected in places like Zechariah 12:10 (they will look upon ME whom they have pierced and they will mourn for HIM), much of it is left over. One example is Leviticus 23:15-16,
"And you shall count unto you from the morrow after the day of rest, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the waving; seven full weeks shall there be complete; even unto the morrow after the seventh week shall you number fifty days; and you shall present a new meal-offering unto YHWH"
This is of course referring to the Omer count which starts during Unleavened Bread and goes until Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks. Rabbinical tradition changed it so that they start the count right after the high Shabbat (the 1st day of Unleavened bread) instead of after the weekly Shabbat during the feast. This is because Yeshua presented Himself as a first fruits offering on the first day of the week. But in the original text "day of rest" reads Shabbat, and so does "week". This is a blatant mis-translation of the part of the JPS translators which Trimm failed to correct.
Another example is Ecclesiastes 12:13 which reads,
"The end of the matter, all heaving been heard: Fear Elohim and keep His commandments; for this is the whole man"
The correct translation, as ISR's "The Scriptures" and many mainstream translations render it "for this applies to all mankind!" Rabbinical tradition has this idea that Torah is for Jews only, and Elohim-fearers / Gentile proselytes should only follow the "Noachide laws". This is very unscriptural since the text makes it extremely clear that anyone who wishes to worship the Elohim of Awraham, Yitz'chak and Ya'akov will do and appear exactly the same before Him as the native born before. Hence, this verse is saying that Torah (His commands) applies to EVERYONE. Not just the Jew only.
As for special features, there is an extensive 50 page introduction which has a lot of useful quotes often used by Nazarenes and Messianics in various debates, so it's a good reference for that. At the back there are several cheap illustrations, 4 charts (High priests During the Time of the Ketuvim Netzarim, Chart of Correspondence of the Four Gospels, Parables of Yeshua and Parables of Tanak), and finally, there are 6 cheap maps in the back.
Unfortunately, having all this said, I cannot recommend this translation. There has been some controversy regarding the release of this translation which can be read in full detail from our Netzarim brother Baruch ben Daniel here. It appears that the shady business practices regarding the plagiarism of the Nazarene Writings has come to fruition in another form. Some startling announcements regarding James Trimm can also be read about here. I don't wish to fuel the flames here, but I cannot in good conscience recommend this work and support the author until he comes to repentance and clears his name and reputation in front of the Messianic/Netzarim community. If you'd like a good literal Messianic Sacred Name translation, please purchase "The Scriptures" by the Institute for Scripture Research. Shalom!