This article is part of a series on the changing meaning of English words and its impact on the King James Only debate. To see the introduction to this series, click The King James Version and the changing use of words.

In any language, words change over time. It’s part of the very nature of human language. Not only do some words drop out of use and new words come into being but, perhaps more importantly, words change in their meaning and usage. Words that meant one thing in past generations may now mean something completely different to present-day speakers. These kinds of changes can impact how we understand older writings in our own language without our even realizing it. We read the same sentence that was written a few centuries ago, but because the definition of even one of the words has changed, the sentence may mean something quite different to us than it did to the person who wrote it. There are, for example, many passages in the KJV that seem to modern readers to be saying one thing when, in fact, in their own time they meant something quite different. For an example of this, let’s consider the word “judgment.”

Till he have set judgment in the Earth

When you think of God bringing judgment to the earth, what comes to mind? Perhaps the raining down of fire from heaven to destroy evil and punish wickedness? Or perhaps God setting up His throne and sitting as judge over the earth, meting out His sentencing on its inhabitants. Our idea today of God’s “judgment” that He will bring to the earth is directly related to the idea of God as a judge rendering a guilty verdict on a sinful world or as carrying out that verdict through punishment by destruction. And there are certainly numerous passages that speak of just such a reality. God certainly will act judicially against wickedness and punish the unbelieving nations. The concept is quite biblical and true. But this is not necessarily what the word “judgment” meant to earlier English-speakers. For example, we read:

“He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law,” (Isaiah 42:4, KJV).

What does it mean for God to set “judgment” on the earth? What did Isaiah have in mind here? Interestingly, several earlier English translations from before the KJV worded this differently, saying that God would:

“…restore righteousness unto the earth…” (Coverdale, see also Matthew Bible, Great Bible, Bishops Bible).

So, which is it? Is God going to “set judgment” or “restore righteousness?” The truth is, there is no conflict! The two are actually saying the same thing! “Judgment,” in older times, often meant “justice.” God is going to set up justice on earth. He is going to make the world just and good. He is going to set things right. That is what Isaiah promises here. This is why modern translations render this phrase:

“…established justice in the earth…” (NASB, ESV, NIV, NKJV, CSB, MEV).

“Set judgment,” “restore righteousness,” and “establish justice,” were all ways of saying the same thing, though “set judgment” no longer carries that sense today.

To do justice and what?

To take another example, we are told in Genesis regarding Abraham:

“For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him,” (Genesis 18:19, KJV).

Today, this sounds either like Abraham is going to bring judgment upon someone or perhaps that God is going to bring judgment upon Abraham. Either way, someone is going to be “judged,” and that’s not a good thing for them, right? Or perhaps it’s trying to say that Abraham has good judgment, as in he makes good decisions. Those are the kinds of things we might mean by “judgment” today. Again, however, “judgment” here doesn’t mean here what we would mean by it in our day. Note the other ways the phrase ” justice and judgment,” is rendered, both before and after the time of the KJV:

“…right and conscience…” (Tyndale, see also Coverdale, Matthew Bible, Great Bible).

“…righteousness and judgment…” (Geneva Bible).

“…righteousness and justice…” (NASB, see also ESV, NKJV, MEV).

“…doing what is right and just…” (NIV, CSB, NET).

“Judgment” means here to act justly. It means to do what is right or conscionable. It is a term of goodness in character and action, not one of punishment, judicial decree, or even decision-making. Like many other words, “judgment” has lost an old sense it once carried and has taken on new meaning to our culture today, causing once clear statements to now become obscured. The same ideas today must be expressed in different English words if they are to maintain the same meaning.