The Institute for Bible Translation (IBT) has released a new publication – the books of 1,2 Samuel and  1,2 Kings in the Kabardian language of the North Caucasus.

These four books  (also known as 1-4 Kingdoms in the Greek and Russian tradition) belong to the historical section of the Old Testament. They narrate the stories of famous kings and prophets of the people of Israel: Saul, David, Solomon, Elijah, and many others. These texts describe  the establishment of the monarchy, its first achievements and failures, the glorious deeds of David and the wise reign of Solomon, and the subsequent history of the divided Northern and Southern Kingdoms with their complex neighborly relations. These historical books  are among the most dynamic books of the Bible, and the events described in them have been foundational for much art, music and literature around the world.

The Kabardian language belongs to the Adyghe group of languages (also known as Circassian or Cherkess). It is spoken by about 515,700 people living in Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, Adygea, North Ossetia, as well as in the Krasnodar and Stavropol regions of the Russian Federation.

The new publication contains several illustrations, including a diagram of the First Jerusalem Temple and maps of the presumed borders of the Israelite tribes and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. A chart of the reigns of the kings, as well as a glossary of biblical terms and names, will help readers better understand the setting of the narrated events. The print run of this trial  publication is 500 copies, which will be distributed  via churches and national libraries in the republics of Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Adygea, Ingushetia, as well as  the library systems of the city of Mozdok.

Previously, the Institute for Bible Translation had published a Kabardian translation of the New Testament (1993), the book of Proverbs (2017), Ecclesiastes (2020), and "Stories from the Holy Scriptures" (2024). All these texts can be found on the IBT website.