Did Shakespeare help translate the King James bible?

Answer 1

Probably not. It has been said that Shakespeare worked his name into the King James Version of The Bible. At the time Psalm 46 was translated, Shakespeare was 46 years old. The forty-sixth word in the King James Version of Psalm 46 is "shake," while the word that is forty-sixth from the end is "spear." While this seems like too many appearances of 46 to be coincidential, it may very well be. At least three translations prior to the KJV use the words "shake" and "spear." The placement of the words, however, varies. It may be that someone translating the KJV doctored the translation to put each half of Shakespeare's name forty-six words from each end of the psalm, but the words themselves were probably not selected for that reason. It is noteworthy that the New King James retains the same phenomenon.

Answer 2

No. Because it was done at about the same time, there are similarities in style and vocabulary, but Shakespeare was not a scholar nor a translator. He did not have the skill to do the translation: he had "little Latin and less Greek". He also does not appear to have been particularly interested in religious issues, either.

Answer 3

William Shakespeare died before the King James Version was produced.

Answer 4

No, the Book of Psalms 46-36 was not written by William Shakespeare.