His
An Archaic Pronoun Usage
Modern readers of the King James Version often encounter the pronoun "his" in places where contemporary English would use "its." This is not a translation error but a reflection of early seventeenth-century English grammar. In 1611, when the KJV was published, the word "its" was a very recent innovation in the English language and was not yet widely accepted in formal or literary writing. The KJV translators used "his" as the standard possessive pronoun for all nouns, including animals, objects, and abstract concepts.
Examples in the Creation Account
The most noticeable instance of this usage appears in the creation narrative. Genesis 1:11 in the KJV reads, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind." Modern translations render this as "according to its kind" (Genesis 1:11, ESV, NIV). The same pattern recurs throughout Genesis 1, where plants and animals are described as reproducing "after his kind" rather than "after its kind" (Genesis 1:12, 21, 24, 25).
This usage does not imply that the KJV translators believed plants and animals were gendered in the way humans are. It simply reflects the linguistic norms of their time, where "his" served as a general-purpose possessive pronoun.
Examples with Animals and Objects
The pattern extends well beyond Genesis. In Leviticus 1:16, the KJV describes a sacrificial bird with the instruction to "pluck away his crop," meaning the bird's crop (a pouch in its throat). Modern translations read "its crop." In Acts 12:10, the KJV says a gate opened "of his own accord," while modern versions read "of its own accord." Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:38 that God gives each seed "his own body" (KJV), where modern translations say "its own body."
These examples illustrate how pervasive the pattern is. Hundreds of instances of "his" in the KJV would read "its" in any modern translation.
The History of 'Its' in English
The word "its" first appeared in English in the late sixteenth century but was considered informal or even improper for decades. Shakespeare used "its" only a handful of times in all his works, and it does not appear at all in the 1611 KJV. The word gradually gained acceptance throughout the seventeenth century, and by the time of the Revised Version (1881-1885), translators replaced "his" with "its" wherever the reference was to an inanimate object or an animal.
This linguistic shift is a clear example of how language evolves and why periodic translation revision is necessary. A pronoun that was perfectly normal in 1611 now creates confusion for modern readers who assume "his" always refers to a male person.
Theological Implications
While this is primarily a grammatical issue rather than a theological one, it does have practical consequences for Bible reading. When modern readers encounter "his" in the KJV and assume it refers to a male entity, they may misinterpret the text. For example, reading "the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind" might suggest a personification of the tree that the original Hebrew does not intend. Understanding the archaic pronoun usage helps readers grasp the straightforward meaning of the text without importing unintended theological ideas.
The Value of Updated Translation
The shift from "his" to "its" in modern Bibles is a prime example of why Bible translation is an ongoing process. The goal of translation is to communicate the original meaning as clearly as possible in the language of the reader. When pronoun conventions change, as they did between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, translations must be updated to prevent misunderstanding. This does not diminish the literary or spiritual value of the KJV but acknowledges that faithfulness to the original text sometimes requires new words for new generations.
Biblical Context
The archaic use of 'his' for 'its' appears throughout the KJV in references to plants (Genesis 1:11-12), animals (Genesis 1:21, 24-25; Leviticus 1:16), inanimate objects (Acts 12:10), and abstract concepts (1 Corinthians 15:38). Modern translations such as the ESV, NIV, and NASB consistently replace 'his' with 'its' in these contexts.
Theological Significance
While this is a linguistic rather than theological issue, understanding the KJV's use of 'his' prevents misreading passages as personifying animals or objects in ways the original Hebrew and Greek do not support. It also illustrates the broader principle that faithful Bible translation requires clarity in the target language, not merely literal reproduction of older English forms.
Historical Background
The English word 'its' emerged in the late 1500s as a contraction of 'it is' or as an analogy to 'his' and 'her.' It was rare in formal writing before 1620 and does not appear in the 1611 KJV. The first major Bible to systematically replace 'his' with 'its' was the Revised Version of 1881-1885. This grammatical evolution is well documented in the history of the English language and parallels other pronoun changes over the same period.