best source for each absent book

[hp1706]

I have attempted to identify the best source for each absent book in this sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15CHNuFyGhNeTfA2qKJsePolCFgg5lMbpZYrfEgMoASU/edit?gid=0#gid=0

Not sure of the best source for Leviticus.

Comments or corrections welcomed.

[jbj99]

@openenglishbible Is there still a plan to use Moffatt as the base for some/the remainder of the OT books? I transcribed a bunch last year which (I believe) are now released in the OEB 2025.5. I have also partially transcribed Judges from Moffatt and could finish that up if it's useful. However, I don't want to duplicate my work if it has already been done, or if it won't be of any use to the project.
Kind regards,
Joel

[hp1706]

Hi Joel,

Thanks for the note about Moffatt. I was unaware of that, which could provide source material to finish out the OT.

I found this OT Volume 2 that has nice OCR'd text, but it does not have the early OT books.
https://archive.org/details/the-old-testament-vol.-2-james-moffatt-1925/page/n9/mode/2up

I wonder if the matching Vol 1 is out there somewhere.

Are you using something like this for the transcription work?
https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Old_Testament/W9_YAAAAMAAJ

Could OCR help?

Also, how do you handle the verse location being approximate (in the margins) instead of being inline as superscripts in the text?

Thanks,
hp1706

[jbj99]

Hi hp1706, Yes I have been using this source for my transcription: https://archive.org/details/oldtestamentnewt0001unse It's ok for OCR (not amazing when I last tried last year), but I still checked everything. For most of it, I just typed it out manually; it's only takes a little longer for me that way, and I incorporated it as part of my daily devotions. For the verse numbers, they're usually fairly clear (i.e. the verse will begin at the start of the sentence, or the lines will be clear in poetry sections). However, I also cross-checked where I thought the verse began against the versification of a standard biblical text (ESV in my case). So for example, I can see that Zech 11:13 begins "Then the LORD said to me..." so when I transcribe it for Moffatt's translation, I begin verse 13 at the corresponding point in his translation. Joel

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On Tue, 18 Nov 2025 at 11:41, hp1706 ***@***.***> wrote: Hi Joel, Thanks for the note about Moffatt. I was unaware of that, which could provide source material to finish out the OT. I found this OT Volume 2 that has nice OCR'd text, but it does not have the early OT books. https://archive.org/details/the-old-testament-vol.-2-james-moffatt-1925/page/n9/mode/2up <https://archive.org/details/the-old-testament-vol.-2-james-moffatt-1925/page/n9/mode/2up> I wonder if the matching Vol 1 is out there somewhere. Are you using something like this for the transcription work? https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Old_Testament/W9_YAAAAMAAJ <https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Old_Testament/W9_YAAAAMAAJ> Could OCR help? Also, how do you handle the verse location being approximate (in the margins) instead of being inline as superscripts in the text? Thanks, hp1706 — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#372 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/BHCXCORJHRVO4S5IFJSQWCL35J2LLAVCNFSM6AAAAACGPP24P6VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43URDJONRXK43TNFXW4Q3PNVWWK3TUHMYTIOJZGU4DIOI> . You are receiving this because you commented.Message ID: <openenglishbible/Open-English-Bible/repo-discussions/372/comments/14995849 @github.com>

[openenglishbible]

OEB's Joshua is based on Moffatt, and it worked well in the end. So I do think basing things on Moffatt will make a lot of sense for moving forward.

I've also come to appreciate Moffatt's Bible :)

I have come to the decision though that Moffatt doesn't give us enough benefit to replace already done and released books. Also there are a couple of books which are near enough not to be replaced.

In particular I'm trying to finish off Genesis, which isn't based on Moffatt but was worked on ages ago. It really just needs a final check and polish and replacing it with Moffatt at this stage doesn't really make any sense.

But Moffatt will definitely work for the narrative historical books as starters, so any transcriptions for Judges, and the two Kings Samuels and Chronicles would be very useful.

A good workflow would be to get them into https://github.com/openenglishbible/usfm-bibles as straight transcriptions, then import them into the OEB and do some initial automated editing before a closer look.

I see someone unrelated made a start a few years ago at https://github.com/ThomHehl/Moffatt but it is unfinished and would need checking.

Maybe these could be merged with jbj99's work? Even where the OEB doesn't use these, having the Moffatt in USFM would be a great thing and it could be added to a bunch of online systems for people to read.

[jbj99]

I had a quick look at https://github.com/ThomHehl/Moffatt and have spotted a number of typos. Maybe it is just straight OCR text. So it will need close proof-reading before it can be incorporated.

[openenglishbible]

Inadequate OCR has been one of the most frustrating aspects of the project!

[jbj99]

I will aim to finish transcribing Judges if I can, but not sure if I will be able to contribute much past that (time-wise).

[openenglishbible]

Hi Did it come back? I can see some scans on the Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/oldtestament0001jame/ https://archive.org/details/oldtestamentnewt0000unse_z0r9/ I can also upload a PDF if that would help Cheers

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On 21/11/2025 12:04 am, jbj99 wrote: Update: the Internet Archive version of Moffatt I have been using (https://archive.org/details/oldtestamentnewt0000unse) is no longer accessible. Perhaps taken down... I'll see if it gets restored, but in the meantime I guess my transcription of Judges will stop, unless someone knows of somewhere else I can access the 1st volume. The 2nd volume (Job-Malachi) is still available. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#372 (reply in thread)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AABXZ5JGDROFRZYFKFDZ4S335W35RAVCNFSM6AAAAACGPP24P6VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43URDJONRXK43TNFXW4Q3PNVWWK3TUHMYTKMBSGYYDQMQ>. You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[jbj99]

Yes it looks like it's back up now. For some reason it was down yesterday... On Fri, 21 Nov 2025, 4:12 pm Open English Bible, ***@***.***> wrote:

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Hi Did it come back? I can see some scans on the Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/oldtestament0001jame/ <https://archive.org/details/oldtestament0001jame/> https://archive.org/details/oldtestamentnewt0000unse_z0r9/ <https://archive.org/details/oldtestamentnewt0000unse_z0r9/> I can also upload a PDF if that would help Cheers On 21/11/2025 12:04 am, jbj99 wrote: > > Update: the Internet Archive version of Moffatt I have been using > (https://archive.org/details/oldtestamentnewt0000unse <https://archive.org/details/oldtestamentnewt0000unse>) is no longer > accessible. Perhaps taken down... > I'll see if it gets restored, but in the meantime I guess my > transcription of Judges will stop, unless someone knows of somewhere > else I can access the 1st volume. The 2nd volume (Job-Malachi) is > still available. > > — > Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub > < #372 (reply in thread) <#372 (reply in thread)>>, > or unsubscribe > < https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AABXZ5JGDROFRZYFKFDZ4S335W35RAVCNFSM6AAAAACGPP24P6VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43URDJONRXK43TNFXW4Q3PNVWWK3TUHMYTKMBSGYYDQMQ <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AABXZ5JGDROFRZYFKFDZ4S335W35RAVCNFSM6AAAAACGPP24P6VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43URDJONRXK43TNFXW4Q3PNVWWK3TUHMYTKMBSGYYDQMQ> >. > You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: > ***@***.***> > — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#372 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/BHCXCORHXBYSPXA5U53MHH3352UNZAVCNFSM6AAAAACGPP24P6VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43URDJONRXK43TNFXW4Q3PNVWWK3TUHMYTKMBTGQ4DCOI> . You are receiving this because you commented.Message ID: <openenglishbible/Open-English-Bible/repo-discussions/372/comments/15034819 @github.com>