Additionally, there are more than 11,400 enlightening footnotes, containing vital textual information as well as alternate renderings, that make this Reference Bible, in effect, a multiversion translation.

The Name Jehovah

The value of the footnotes and the appendix sections in the Reference Bible is seen in connection with the divine name, Jehovah. This name first appears at Genesis 2:4, and here is what a footnote to that verse says: “The first occurrence of God’s distinctive personal name, יהוה (YHWH); these four Heb[rew] letters are referred to as the Tetragrammaton. The divine name identifies Jehovah as the Purposer. Only the true God could rightly and authentically bear this name. See App 1A.”

Turning to Appendix 1A, we find the title: “The Divine Name in the Hebrew Scriptures.” Under this title, the appendix shows that the New World Translation renders YHWH as Jehovah all 6,827 times that it occurs in the traditional Hebrew text. It also adds 146 warranted restorations, making a grand total of 6,973 times that the name Jehovah appears from Genesis to Malachi. No other Bible translation gives this rightful place to Jehovah’s name. That alone makes the New World Translation superior to all others.

People of the Nations Must Make Active Response

The New World Translation gives serious consideration to preserving verb forms so as to increase accurate understanding. For example, in Genesis 22:18 we read: “By means of your seed all nations of the earth will certainly bless themselves.” There is an asterisk beside the phrase “will certainly bless themselves,” referring us to a footnote that says: “The Heb[rew] verb is in the reflexive, or hith·pa·‘elʹ form.”

Most Bible translations render these words in a way similar to the King James Version, which says: “In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” Incorrectly, such renderings convey the idea that Jehovah’s blessing will come automatically, whereas the Hebrew form here indicates that the people of the nations must “bless themselves.” They must make the effort to meet Jehovah’s requirements in order to receive his blessings through faith in the Messianic Seed, Jesus Christ.

This has great meaning for us today. Members of the “great crowd” must take positive steps in order to gain life. By means of actively exercising their faith in Jesus Christ, ‘they wash their robes in the blood of the lamb.’​—Revelation 7:14.

The Numbering of the Ten Commandments

The New World Translation footnotes give helpful information as to why differences exist between it and some other translations and why its renderings are reliable. For example, what is the proper way of dividing the text of the Ten Commandments? These commandments are found in the Bible in Exodus 20:1-17. In the Reference Bible, each separate commandment is written as a separate paragraph. Thus, the first commandment takes in Ex 20 verses 2 and 3. The second is covered in Ex 20 verses 4 to 6. The third is found in Ex 20 verse 7, and so forth. Not all would agree with this way of dividing the commandments. Hence, how do we know that it is correct?

A footnote to Exodus 20:17 gives this explanation: “This division of the Ten Commandments, Ex 20 vss 2-17, is the natural division. It agrees with the first-century C.E. Jewish historian Josephus . . . who divide[d] off Ex 20 vs 3 as the first commandment, Ex 20 vss 4-6 as the second commandment and Ex 20 vs 17, which forbids all covetousness, as the tenth commandment. Others, including Augustine, consider Ex 20 vss 3-6 as one commandment but divide Ex 20 vs 17 into two commandments, the ninth against coveting a fellowman’s house and the tenth against coveting his living possessions . . . Augustine’s division has been adopted by the Roman Catholic religious system.” However, the New World Translation follows the “natural division” of Exodus chapter 20 as presented above. Thus the prohibition against making and bowing down to images receives due emphasis as the second commandment.

Added Portions From the Septuagint

In preparing the New World Translation, editions of the Greek Septuagint, the Syriac Peshitta, the Latin Vulgate and several other early manuscripts were examined. For example, observe Habakkuk 2:4. In the second half of this verse, the main text reads: “But as for the righteous one, by his faithfulness he will keep living.” This represents what appears in the traditional Hebrew text. However, the footnote to these words indicates that the Greek Septuagint translation contains additional material not found in the Hebrew text: “If anyone shrinks back my soul . . . has no pleasure in him.” This is of interest when we note that the apostle Paul quoted from Habakkuk 2:4, writing in his letter to the Hebrews: “‘But my righteous one will live by reason of faith,’ and, ‘if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.’” (Hebrews 10:38) Hence, Paul’s quotation included the additional words found in the Septuagint version.

This reminds us of the fact that Paul and other writers of the inspired Christian Greek Scriptures often used the Septuagint version when quoting from earlier inspired writings. Since this version varies in some places from the traditional Hebrew text, their quotations sometimes contain material that is not found in the Hebrew text (as in the above example). In using this variant material, the Christian Bible writers made it part of the inspired record, and in such cases the footnotes in the Reference Bible are an invaluable aid in identifying the sources of quotations.

The above are only a few examples of the thousands of footnotes available in the Hebrew Scriptures section of the new Reference Bible. All these references support the accuracy and clarity of the New World Translation and its value in promoting Bible education. In the next issue of The Watchtower, interesting footnote information taken from the Christian Greek Scriptures, as found in the new Reference Bible, will be presented. Truly, there proves to be a modern stewardship of God’s Sacred Word.