This versus that

Some of you probably aren’t as crazy about various odd details concerning words as I am. I was fascinated noticing the usage of my/mine and thy/thine in the King James Bible – also O/Oh.

Thine and Thy.

“Thy” and “thine” are the singular possessive case of thou/thee (used as an attributive adjective before a noun). For example, thy seed, thy table, thine eyes, thine heart.

Thy = Possessive (usually used before a noun that begins with a consonant, as in “thy brother”)

Thine = Possessive (usually used before a noun that begins with a vowel or vowel sound, as in “thine eyes”; or in place of a noun, as in “this is thine”)

Examples

• In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
• in thy mouth, and in thy heart
• I will not take any thing that is thine
• Lift up now thine eyes
• What is that in thine hand?
• thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever (thine = that which belongs to thee)

Interesting – both thine heart and thy heart are used

“Thy heart” is found in 19 verses of the King James Bible – 14 in the OT and 5 in the NT.

All (19)

Old Testament (14)

• Genesis (1)
• Deuteronomy (4)
• 1 Samuel (2)
• 2 Kings (1)
• Proverbs (1)
• Ecclesiastes (2)
• Isaiah (2)
• Daniel (1)

New Testament (5)

• Matthew (1)
• Mark (1)
• Luke (1)
• Acts (1)
• Romans (1)

“Thine heart” is found in 103 verses in the King James Bible – 97 in the OT and 6 in the NT.

All (103)

Old Testament (97)

• Exodus (1)
• Leviticus (1)
• Deuteronomy (19)
• Judges (5)
• 1 Samuel (4)
• 2 Samuel (2)
• 1 Kings (3)
• 2 Kings (3)
• 1 Chronicles (1)
• 2 Chronicles (5)
• Job (5)
• Psalm (2)
• Proverbs (19)
• Ecclesiastes (2)
• Song of Solomon (1)
• Isaiah (6)
• Jeremiah (6)
• Lamentations (1)
• Ezekiel (8)
• Daniel (2)
• Obadiah (1)

New Testament (6)

• Acts (4)
• Romans (2)

Numbers of verses based on searching for “thy heart” and “thine heart” in the “Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)” at BibleGateway.com.

Mine and My.

“My and Mine indicate a type of right to something or any possession of anything.”

Usually (possibly) “my” is a possessive adjective (a form of the possessive case of “I” used as an attributive adjective; my car, my sweater) and “mine” is a possessive pronoun (a form of the possessive case of “I” used as a predicate adjective; the yellow sweater is mine, mine is the red car). Or, stated another way, “my” is a possessive adjective that comes before a noun, while “mine” is a possessive pronoun that can stand alone. However, this seems to be a more modern definition that does not always align with the use of “mine” in the King James Bible. Many dictionaries will likely say that “mine” used as a possessive adjective is “archaic.” In the KJV “mine” is used instead of “my” before a word beginning with a vowel or a silent h, or following a noun). For example, mine eyes.

Interesting – both mine heart and my heart are used

“My heart” is found in 180 verses of the King James Bible – 166 in the OT and 14 in the NT.

All (180)

Old Testament (166)

• Genesis (3)
• Exodus (4)
• Deuteronomy (5)
• Joshua (1)
• Judges (2)
• 1 Samuel (3)
• 2 Samuel (3)
• 1 Kings (7)
• 2 Kings (1)
• 1 Chronicles (5)
• 2 Chronicles (4)
• Nehemiah (2)
• Esther (1)
• Job (9)
• Psalm (57)
• Proverbs (9)
• Ecclesiastes (9)
• Song of Solomon (2)
• Isaiah (9)
• Jeremiah (14)
• Lamentations (3)
• Ezekiel (7)
• Daniel (1)
• Hosea (3)
• Zechariah (1)
• Malachi (1)

New Testament (14)

• Matthew (3)
• Luke (1)
• John (1)
• Acts (2)
• Romans (2)
• Philippians (1)
• Colossians (1)
• Hebrews (3)

“Mine heart” is found in 50 verses in the King James Bible – 48 in the OT and 2 in the NT.

All (50)

Old Testament (48)

• Genesis (1)
• Deuteronomy (2)
• Joshua (1)
• Judges (1)
• 1 Samuel (3)
• 1 Kings (2)
• 2 Kings (2)
• 1 Chronicles (3)
• 2 Chronicles (2)
• Nehemiah (1)
• Job (2)
• Psalm (8)
• Proverbs (1)
• Ecclesiastes (8)
• Isaiah (1)
• Jeremiah (7)
• Lamentations (2)
• Hosea (1)

New Testament (2)

• Acts (2)

Numbers of verses based on searching for “my heart” and “mine heart” in the “Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)” at BibleGateway.com.

O and Oh.

“O” is addressive, used at the beginning of a line to show a direct address to a person, object, or idea. Some call it “a poetic apostrophe.”

“Oh” is expressive, an interjection we use to express a bunch of different emotions, like a sense of surprise, excitement, or even disappointment.

“O” occurs over a thousand times in the King James Bible.

• “O Lord” occurs in 335 verses.
• “O Father” occurs in 3 verses.
• “O son of ...” occurs in 6 verses.
• “O man ...” occurs in 9 verses.
• “O men ...” occurs in 1 verse.
• “O foolish ...” occurs in 3 verses.
• “O wicked ...” occurs in 2 verses.
• “O righteous ...” occurs in 1 verse.
• “O king ...” occurs in 48 verses.
• “O prince’s...” occurs in 1 verse.
• “O woman ...” occurs in 1 verse.
• “O Zion” occurs in 6 verses.
• “O Jerusalem...” occurs in 16 verses.
• “O Samaria ...” occurs in 1 verse.
• “O Israel ...” occurs in 35 verses.
• “O Jacob ...” occurs in 11 verses.

“Oh/oh” occurs in 37 verses in the King James Bible, all in the OT.

Old Testament (37)

• Genesis (5)
• Exodus (1)
• Judges (2)
• 1 Samuel (1)
• 2 Samuel (2)
• 1 Chronicles (2)
• Job (9)
• Psalm (11)
• Isaiah (1)
• Jeremiah (3)

Numbers of verses based on searching for “O” and “Oh” in the “Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)” at BibleGateway.com.