Contents
The Thompson Chain HyperBible is the multimedia version of the Thompson Chain Reference Bible first compiled and edited by Dr. Frank Charles Thompson in 1908. The print version has been revised and updated periodically to increase "the completeness
of the topical references and [incorporate] the latest in archeological finds." (from the preface of the CD)
This hypercard version allows the Bible student to move from one topic to another, check maps of places mentioned, read background information about persons or places, copy and paste information to other documents, study topics, and locate passages in the
Bible by constructing part of a phrase.
The Thompson Chain HyperBible is divided into 3 main sections: the reference materials, the atlas, and the Bible.
The reference materials (introduction, quick reference, concordance, general index, and Thompson Chain references) help the reader find information within the program or within the Bible. The introduction and the quick reference give basic navi
gation information. The reader can type a phrase in the concordance section and locate the passages containing that phrase. The general index, arranged alphabetically, links names, places, and ideas to the scripture passages. Finally, the Thompson Chai
n reference assigns unique numbers to concepts, terms, people, and places and follows the developments of these ideas throughout the Bible.
The atlas contains 12 maps and a location index. Using the location index,the reader can find a place or a group of peoples in relation to the geography nearby. The place (or name) will flash to enable the reader to locate it on the map. The
12 basic maps include maps of each of Paul's 3 missionary journeys, 2 maps of Jerusalem (70 A. D. and modern-day), a physical map of Palestine, 3 maps of Jesus' travels during his life, a map of Old Testament Israel and Judah, and
a map for studying the Bible from Noah's time until the Babylonians released the Jewish captives. Some of these maps link place names with histories and archeological information about the places. Other maps include links to Biblical references to
the places highlighted. The two maps of Jerusalem can fade from one time frame to the other. The orientation and the scale of these two maps is the same to enable the reader to compare the city in the two frames.
Within the Bible section, the reader can read verse by verse, noting the references in the margin linking similar ideas and Thompson Chain references to other verses, or s/he can read whole chapters of the Bible comparing 2 selected versions. (The v
ersions available are King James Version, New King James Version, New International Version, Revised Standard Version, the Living Bible, and the New American Standard Version.) When the reader selects a particular chapter, s/he can get an overv
iew of that chapter including main themes or messages, the author, and a synopsis. Some of the "Goodies" (from the top toolbar) in this section include archeological information, Jewish festivals, and audible pronunciations of words f
rom a given list.
Ease of Use
All instructions for use were on the CD-Rom. Installation was quick and easy. The Introduction section walks the reader through the overall structure of The Thompson Chain HyperBible and its features. Basic hypercard navigation and functions are suppor
ted. Icons along the top and sides of each card in the Bible section serve as both navigational and quick reference aids. Linking from one card to another, from one stack to another, and from one section to another was quick.
Although the Thompson Chain HyperBible is written for mature students and adults, children can benefit from using this reference tool with the help of an adult. The maps and the pronunciations would be particularly interesting to children, as they were t
o me. The addition of color in the maps and text would add vibrancy and make the Bible study experience more pleasant. Other audio, such as music and narration, would also add to the vitality of this product.
