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Thompson Chain HyperBible 3.0
CD-ROM Master Edition Plus

Review by Timothy K. Hoke, ThM

I was reading an article last evening about the Protestant Reformation. It occurred during a time when, for the first time, people had ready access to the Bible in Greek, Hebrew, Latin, or their native tongue. What made this possible? The printing press, of course! I'm not suggesting there will be another reformation in the church of the magnitude of the one in the 16th century, but the personal computer has opened up educational doors for the masses that remind me of the innovations five hundred years ago.

Today, there are a host of computer programs which give a mass of information, not only for professionals, but for all students of the Bible as well. I am amazed at how much these programs help me in my teaching and preaching preparation. I encourage every person interested in the Bible to acquire a computer Bible program. Some are shareware and others are commercial programs. This month I am reviewing an excellent commercial one: The Thompson Chain HyperBible. Those who cut their teeth on the familiar Thompson Chain Reference Bible will be happy to know that the electronic version contains identical information to that of the printed version. They have several editions with varying options. I am reviewing their cadillac version, the CD Master Edition Plus.

Translations

The version of HyperBible I reviewed featured five translations and one paraphrase. I was happy to see the King James Version (old and new), the New American Standard Bible, the Revised Standard Version, and the New International Version. The paraphrase included was the Living Bible. Other translations would be helpful. I also noted that there was neither the Greek or Hebrew available. This will limit the program's utility for the scholar who knows the original languages. However, those who are handicapped in this area will not miss this feature and should not refrain from HyperBible for this reason.
 
 

Strong's Concordance

One of the greatest inventions in the history of Bible study is the concordance. A concordance lists terms in the Bible and gives references where these terms are used. So, for example, if you wanted to know where the term "love" occurred in the Bible, you would use a concordance to give you a listing. HyperBible employs Strong's Concordance, one of the finest ever produced. This is very helpful because Strong's does key in on different Hebrew and Greek words translated by the same English term.

Character Studies

One of the things that has encouraged me about the people in the Bible is that they, like me, have feet of clay. Fortunately, the Bible portrays them just the way they were. I can study their lives and learn what not to do from their mistakes as well as what I should do from their positive examples. With the HyperBible character studies are very easy. Just highlight the character icon on the screen and choose from hundreds of Bible characters. I particularly like the way it is categorized. Not only are names available, but they fall under categories like "prominent New Testament characters," "kings of Israel," "principal patriarchs," "prominent women," "prominent New Testament men," etc.
 
 

Atlas

What's a Bible study tool without an atlas? I spent almost a month in Israel in the mid-80's just so I could understand the lay of the land. HyperBible does much the same for a lot less money! There are twelve different maps showing parts of Israel at various times in its history. I particularly appreciated the "modern Jerusalem" map. While this feature does not replace a good printed Bible Atlas or a personal trip to Israel, it is a helpful feature.
 
 

Pronunciation

As a native of Southeast Texas, I have been chagrined at how funny I sound to people from the north and California. Having lived in the Midwest for the better part of a decade, I can understand how those from other parts of the world think we are hicks. Let's face it. No one wants to sound like a hick when pronouncing Biblical terms. I was thrilled to find a feature in HyperBible that correctly pronounces Biblical terms. Just click on the Sounds icon and you get a listing of hard-to-pronounce terms. I only wish there were more there. For example, I have heard PhD's pronounce Haggai, as "Hag-gi-i.". That just can't be correct, can it? Unfortunately HyperBible did not include Haggai as one of its sounds. Still the other terms are most helpful.
 
 

Word Processor

You'll like this feature. HyperBible lets you configure your word processor to work from an icon in the Bible program. All I had to do was configure "Set word Processor" under "Preferences" from the pull-down menus, and I was able to click the word processor icon under HyperBible to call up my word processor. I much prefer this to their having added another word processor to my already over-filled hard drive.
 
 

Goodies

The Goodies section on the pull-down menu has a number of very helpful features. Archaic terms, for example, points out words that are "as old as the hills" and unusable for the modern ear. Keying off many terms employed by the King James Version, archaisms are pointed out and defined in abundance (such as ado, affinity, affore, accurse, ajure, archangel, apple-of-the- eye). Some terms, however, I didn't think qualified as archaic: Admiration, adventure, admire, and affect. Aren't these words employed today, or am I on the wrong side of the generation gap?

 I also liked it that festivals were included under the goodies section. I can never keep all the Biblical festivals straight, but with the click of a mouse, up pops six festival categories: The Sabbath, the six annual feasts, the day of atonement, the Sabbatical year, and the year of Jubilee. Click on any one of these and you get a brief description of it, as well as further references should you care to investigate it further. Other goodies include measures, harmonies of events and Biblical references, Hebrew calendar, measures, officials, worship, etc.

HyperBible runs on Windows 95, Windows 3.x, and the Macintosh. Since we are a PC User Group, I mention only that in the PC world you need at least a 386 machine with 4 MB RAM, 6 MB hard disk space, a CD-ROM drive, mouse, Windows 3.1 or higher, and VGA graphics. If you want to hear correct pronunciations, you will need a sound card. SRP runs from $89 to $249 when you get up to the Master Edition Plus. Street prices range from $65 to $199.