I was somewhat surprised to find, in No. 186. of "N. & Q.," two instances quoted of the use of the
word "its" in the version of the Bible. It has long been an established opinion that this word did not exist in it; and the fact has been recently referred to by two different authorities, Mr. Keightley in "N. & Q.," Vol. vii., p. 160., and Mr. Watts of the British Museum, in a paper "On some philological peculiarities in the English authorised Version of the Bible," read before the Philological Society on December 10, 1852.
Feeling curious on the subject, I have taken the trouble of referring to several different versions of the Bible in the British Museum, and the following variorum readings of the verses quoted by your correspondent B. H. C. are the result:
1. The Wickliffite version, before 1390 (edit. Forshall and Wadden):
"And he shal ben as a tree, that is plauntid beside the doun rennyngis of watris; that his frut shal ȝive in his time."—Ps. i. 3.
"Duke of the weie thou were in his (sc. the vine) siȝt; and thou plauntidist his rootis, and it fulfilde the erthe."—Ps. lxxx. 10.
2. Coverdale's Bible, 1536:
"Yt brīgeth forth his frute in due season."
"Thou maydest rowme for it, and caused it to take rote, so yt it fylled the lōde."
3. Matthews, 1537:
"That bryngeth forth his frute in due season."
"Thou madest rowme for it, and caused it to take rote, so that it fylled the lande."
4. Cranmer, 1539: