Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Hear the Word Audio Bible


The Hear the Word Audio Bible is a presentation of the complete Bible (English Standard Version (ESV) translation) read by David Cochran Heath.  He does a solid job.  He alters his voice slightly when reading different characters, but there's no further dramatization- no orchestral accompaniment or sound effects, which was perfect.  It's presented on 7 MP3 CDs (5 for the Old Testament, 2 for the New); you can purchase this here at Amazon.

The Bible is the most important book you'll ever read.  I've read it cover-to-cover a handful of times over the years, but I had never before listened to it (aside from short readings).  We pick up on different things when we listen- we process the information differently, I suppose- so in April I decided to listen to the Bible on my commute.  It took 6.5 months, but it was quite the worthwhile endeavor.  The ESV is the translation now regarded by many as the best available in our tongue, and it was nice to hear it read aloud.

There are several good reasons to listen to the Bible.  First, you can 'digest' more material in a sitting;  I routinely listened to 5-10 chapters per day.  That helps with the 'big picture' view- it's easier to spot themes and remember context.  Second, you pick up on different things when you listen, so it's a nice complement to reading.  Third, hearing the Word is how most people throughout history have digested the material- most of Scripture would have been read aloud in a community context, so it's closer to the original mechanism of delivery.  Fourth, listening helps 'de-versify' the Bible, getting it back to its original form, as Glenn Paauw mentions in Saving the Bible from Ourselves (review).  Overall, I highly recommend it.

Rating: A+

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