Cambridge ESV Clarion Reference Bible, Black Goatskin Leather

35 reviews for Cambridge ESV Clarion Reference Bible, Black Goatskin Leather

1. Rated 5 out of 5

   alan gibble – April 13, 2023

   “It was this or an Allan PSR Bible. Allan would be the hands down choice in a smaller SCR Bible except the 7.5 font is a definite deal breaker for aging eyes.
   So first the negatives about the Clarion:
   1. The ribbons are cheap, to say the least. Almost wrapping paper quality.
   2. The lack of any real yapp is a downside, but outweighs the negative of Allan\’s smaller font in the type of a Bible.
   3. The art guilded edges are not up to Allan quality, but not shabby either.
   And the positives:
   1. The size is just about right, easy to carry, fits well in the hand and sits well on the lap.
   2. The 9.0 (yeah, that is about what it really is) font in this size Bible is a huge plus, easy to read, plenty of leading, and the paragraph style, while perhaps a downside for public teaching, is great for daily reading. This Bible, as others have noted, really does read bigger than the advertised font size.
   The line matching (except for one or two pages around Revelation 3, take note you fussy complainers) overcomes the thiness of the paper. Note: if the paper were any thicker, the Bible would be 2\ instead of 1.5+\”” thick.
   3. The goatskin leather is incredibly soft lays flat is leather lined and feels great.
   4. I\’m not really a fan of the Moody/Beitzel maps in a Bible (eg Allan\’s ESV SCR) and that is what we have here. But the finish on them is sooo much better and there are about 5 additional maps (Assyrian Babylonion Persian and Greek empires
   1 showing the extension of Christianity to the 2nd century and one of modern Palestine) that Cambridge has really raised the bar here. That along with an excellent map index. No one Bible does it all. That said for this category this one nearly does. A great Bible.”” “

2. Rated 4 out of 5

   Jarrod Murdock – September 21, 2022

   This is the best reference Bible layout in existence. I like how Cambridge uses a serif font for cross-references and footnotes, unlike Crossway’s use of sans-serif font for those. It gives the whole page a more classic, timeless, and consistent appearance. The Clarion is hand-sized, and stout yet easy to carry. It’s the perfect all-around, take-anywhere Bible. It’s got the references you can use in church or at a Bible study, and the paragraph format makes it great for simply reading at home.

   Why only four stars?

   The goatskin cover is beautiful and durable, but there are a couple downsides to the edge-lined binding here.

   First, the cover is very floppy with the synthetic lining, and it doesn’t support the relatively heavy text block as well as the paste-down covers of the calfskin and calf split editions. This is noticeable if you’re trying to balance this Bible on your lap/leg while sitting at church, or if you’re holding it in one hand to read. There have been times this Bible has almost “flopped” out of my hand, and more than once it’s fallen to the floor after having it open near the end (most of the New Testament) or the beginning. Even when I’m carrying the Bible closed, by my side, spine down, it constantly is trying to flop open. Imagine filling a quart-size ziploc bag with water and trying to hold it open in one hand without spilling any water. It’s like that. Not a major flaw, but something to keep in mind. This Bible would be a little more manageable with a little bit of a board or some sort of material between the leather cover and the synthetic lining.

   The other consideration is that while this edge-lined binding is very secure (and probably longer-lasting), it’s also tight, and it doesn’t open as flat as the two paste-down bindings of the Clarion. You can see this in the photo albums for the ESV Clarion on EvangelicalBible.com. When the calf split or calfskin Clarions are open on the table, the center of the text block spine is more flexible and rises, resulting in a larger-looking margin in the center between the pages. In this goatskin Clarion, the spine always stays completely flat, causing the text to be noticeably closer to the gutter.

   Out of the three bindings of the Clarion (all of which I have in different translations), I prefer the calf-split or the calfskin for everyday use rather than the goatskin, for the reasons mentioned. The goatskin feels nice in the hand (as long as I can hold on to it!) but I think the relatively heavy and thick text block of the Clarion is too much for this very limp binding. Many would find the two other sturdier binding options easier to manage.

3. Rated 5 out of 5

   Truck – November 10, 2021

   The Clarion is so handy and readable I own three now – KJV, NKJV, and now the ESV. I think it is the best overall Bible available at this time. It is readable, portable, and available in several translations to suit most anybody. It is an expensive Bible (relatively speaking of course!) but I really think most people can save a lot of money by buying the calfskin (if not calf split) versions. The goatskin is really for people who want the best, in my opinion it is not necessary. My NKJV is calf split and it is every bit as readable, portable, and comfortable as my new Goatskin ESV.

   The Clarion is about the same footprint as a Pitt Minion or an 8″ Kindle Fire tablet, so it is not a large Bible (although it is thick due to the single column and readable print).

   Unlike a lot of modern Bibles, to me the Clarion reads as a true black ink. So many modern digital Bibles read as dark gray. I really don’t think it is possible to find a Bible that is as readable as the Clarion for it’s size. Not to mention the Clarion offers a complete reference suite, maps, concordance, and space for small notes – it’s easy to see that a Clarion could be someone’s one and only Bible for their entire life.

   When I travel I usually carry an 8″ Kindle Fire tablet, and the Clarion is basically the same footprint as that (although thicker obviously). It makes a perfect all around use Bible. Some complain that individual verses can be hard to find, in my opinion it’s not really any harder than any other paragraphed Bible.

   Complaints? None from me. In my opinion the Clarion is the best Bible available at this current time in history, with the closest competition being the TBS Westminster reference Bible.

4. Rated 5 out of 5

   Justin Logsdon – February 22, 2021

   This is my first premium Bible and my first experience with Evangelical Bible. I’ve wanted a nice leather Bible for some time now and have been researching them for longer than necessary.
   First, I’d like to say a quick word about Evangelical Bible. I was set on purchasing from Amazon. The familiarity, the ease, the quick shipping and the price was slightly lower at the time. However, in all my research I used this site several times in reviews, the awesome pictures they provide for many of the products as well as all the extra information available on this site. In the end I decided I wanted to support a smaller business and that I give Amazon enough of my business as it is. Not sure how typical this is, but I ordered on a Friday early in the day, the product shipped by mid-afternoon and was delivered to me in Ohio on Monday morning. I did opt for the FedEx shipping over USPS. I normally don’t like to pay for shipping but it was well worth it. Just all around great experience as the product arrived in a bubble wrap shipping envelope with the box the Bible was in also wrapped in bubble wrap. I would not hesitate from purchasing here again in the future.
   As far as the Bible is concerned, it is beautiful. I’m not going to review in detail as there are many on YouTube who do much better than I ever could, but the leather, the print size/font, the overall size; I just love every part of it. I’m so excited to start using this as my everyday Bible as this is also my first single column Bible. I did go with the ESV, as it is my preferred translation to read and the one I gravitate to the most.
   Overall, I would say don’t hesitate to go with this Bible and definitely purchase through this site.

5. Rated 4 out of 5

   Martin Scoville – December 10, 2019

   This bible is my “the one” bible. I have been using this bible as my main bible for 3 years. The size of the bible is great for reading with a comfortable sized font and lovely printing. It is a great size in your hand and is small enough to take with you anywhere. It’s not a full sized bible, though it is stout and hardy.

   The single column layout inside is so well done that I believe in a pure design sense it is the most beautiful and readable bible I have ever seen. Very classy, with no frills. I like Schuyler, red numbers, but I believe this Bible still surpasses it for sheer aesthetics. There is even enough room in the margins for some delicate not taking (which I do with a design ebony pencil, 4B). The references are spaced well on the outside of the page and roughly match the location of the corresponding verse where possible.

   This bible has a very nice concordance as well which is lacking in the Schuyler PSQ.

   The Art gilting is a nice shade of salmon under gold.

   The goatskin is soft and pliable and maybe too much so, but very durable.

   All that being said, here are the cons of this bible, which I’m hoping Cambridge can address in the coming years in an upgrade.

   The liner inside is plastic, this really bothers me in terms of longevity, when paying so much for a bible I want time tested materials. I have seen the plastic fail in one fellow Clarion owner’s bible. This bible needs a leather liner.

   It would also be nice in this market to have a couple choices in color, but that is a minor concern.

   Overall, a beautiful bible which I truly enjoy using.

6. Rated 5 out of 5

   Tom Cunliffe – August 27, 2018

   I have had my Clarion Goatskin ESV for nearly a year now and can report that it remains a Bible I love and cherish and use daily. To have the sacred scriptures in such a beautiful presentation as this is a joy and delight. I like the nice “chunky” feel to the Bible. The single column works well for me and definitely aids readability. As for the cover, yes, it is floppy, but surely that is the point of buying a Bible like this?

   The paper is thin but for someone like me who is careful with books and treats them well, this is no problem. If you buy a Bible at this price, you are going to look after it anyway. The print size and font seem to be “just right” and should I need a bigger Bible I can always refer to my Schuyler ESV Quentel – which I actually find slightly too big for general purpose reading.

   I am a recent convert to heritage Bibles and now I have both the Clarion and the Schuyler I find my love for the Word of God has increased even more. Its as though the commitment I exhibited in buying them has resulted in a greater attention to the words on the printed page. When you think of all the other things people spend their money on, a fine Bible which will last you years and years seems a wise purchase if you have the money.

7. Rated 5 out of 5

   antcaputi978 – July 23, 2018

   Excellent bible, fast 2 day shipping as always, this is a great travel bible. The Goatskin is great, the print on this bible is very legible, the gilding is very nice, check out more of my reviews at https://youtu.be/bUlThPKDFSI.

8. Rated 5 out of 5

   Jeff Brown – April 22, 2018

   The third Clarion is the charm. This was my third try with the Cambridge Clarion and I can say I am very satisfied. The first two Clairions I ordered in 2012 and 2014 were unacceptable due to excessive page curl. I had given up on the Clarion. Then I recently read a review online indicating the ESV 2016 Clarions did not have the page curl issues the ESV 2011 had.
   I called evangelicalbible to discuss this issue and I was told they had not had any Clarions returned for page curl issues for sometime.
   I went ahead and ordered a Clarion in goatskin and I am very pleased with my purchase. The Clarion is the perfect size for carrying and the real surprise is the text. The text is very readable, it almost leaps off the page! I think the combination of font size, line matching and line spacing make the difference. This combination makes for one of the most readable Bibles I have seen.
   The fact that the text is printed and bound by Youngblood in the Netherlands is just icing on the cake. This about as lose to perfection as you ca get. I highly recommend the Cambridge Clarion.

9. Rated 2 out of 5

   Roy Blevins – December 5, 2017

   The paper was just too thin. In a lot of ways this could have become my carry bible if the paper wasn’t so thin. Beyond that I love the single column paragraph format with references. I ended up giving my copy away.

10. Rated 5 out of 5

    pleonic – January 2, 2017

    I’ve owned my black goatskin Clarion ESV for about a month and have come to the conclusion that it is the perfect Bible (for me at least). My requirements were that I wanted a.) an ESV b.) a single column edition so there is ample room for poetry c.) references, and d.) it had to be of the highest quality so it can last me decades.

    This Bible has all I wanted, and much more. The Clarion is the perfect size and thickness to fit in the palm of my hand — and I’ve got stubby fingers! When I teach from it, it’s as though it’s an extension of my arm. But despite it’s size, the print in this Bible is so easy to read. I’m 58 and have no problem seeing the words.

    The paper is thinner India paper, which ever since my mother gave me a brown Cambridge calfskin KJV when I went off to seminary has meant a quality Bible to me. So, that the paper isn’t thicker in the Clarion isn’t a bother to me. I don’t do much marking so I couldn’t tell you whether it bleeds through the paper.

    And then there’s that black goatskin. It’s so soft and supple that it does whatever you want it to do with no resistance or stiffness whatsoever. I’ll tell you a secret: sometimes after I’ve finished my morning scripture study I’ll just sit there holding it, just for the tactile pleasure of doing so.

    This is a magnificent, magnificent Bible!

11. Rated 3 out of 5

    Joshua – June 29, 2016

    I just want to second what others have reported about the pages curling. I read the reviews and knew the risk but went for it anyway, underestimating just how noticeable the problem is.

    In every other way this Bible is absolutely perfect for me. The leather, the font size and layout, the overall size — it’s all just what I’d want from a fairly compact (albeit thick) Bible. I especially love that it has a good size font for being such a small Bible.

    But when you’re trying to read and the pages keep lifting up right before your eyes, you can smooth them back down only so many times before you start second-guessing the price tag.

12. Rated 2 out of 5

    joetucker04 – March 29, 2016

    In short – I had hoped this Bible would be one I would use heavily for many years. It is well made, and seemingly well designed with the exception of one glaring flaw that makes it utterly unusable.

    This Clarion was my second Cambridge purchase (I also own the Wide Margin ESV, which I would give six stars, if possible). I was initially very impressed with the Clarion and found it to be extremely well made and a joy to read. The gutter issue was noticeable, but not a deal-breaker – I knew that it would be a factor at the outset.

    The same can not be said for the page curling – it is intolerable. For a $160 Bible, I am frankly shocked by how glaring of an issue it is and how nothing seems to have been done to correct it. For example – I’m working on memorizing Ephesians and early this afternoon had the Clarion opened to Chapter 1, sitting on my desk completely untouched. As I’m reciting – I literally watched one of the pages curl over on itself to the point of not being able to see the references on the side. It’s hard articulate how frustrating this is.

13. Rated 4 out of 5

    Tony – January 28, 2016

    I’ve had my Goatskin Clarion ESV for approximately a year now. As someone new to the premium Bible market I am completely wow’d by the “liquidity” of this Bible in the hand. If you’ve never held one you really owe it to yourself to learn what a premium, well executed binding with high quality cover feels like. Be warned though, it will spoil you completely. It is a sultry piece of craftsmanship for sure. I bought my wife an RL Allan ESV Personal Size Study Bible and the Clarion feels far more floppy / liquid in the hand which is likely due to the synthetic liner and the book proportion differences combined.

    Here are the things I like about this Bible: It is a very portable size; just as much as a thinline and is actually more comfortable in the hand than a goatskin thinline such as the Heirloom in my opinion. The font size and spacing are the best I have personally seen with my eyes, which are now over 40 eyes. The more I compare other Bibles, the more I study about Bible layout compromises and challenges, the more I really appreciate what Cambridge did with the Clarion. This page layout is exactly like so many trade paperback books in size and reading experience. I initially wondered about references in the outer margin but what I’ve learned is that it allows them to be far more legible than they are in the gutter. The references are far easier to read than they are in something like an ESV Study Bible. I have found the reference system to be very useful and adequate for study. This being the first Cambridge Bible I’ve owned, I’m new to their map index and maps. I very much appreciate the map index as it allows me to quickly locate a city coded to their maps. There are, I think, 13 maps in this Bible. That’s quite a lot for a package this size.

    The parts I don’t like about the Clarion: The paper is very thin and the issues I read about with page curling are very real. I find the pages curl in specific areas of the text block. Mine curls badly in 1 Corinthians. This sometimes causes a simple movement of arm to cause a page turn which can be frustrating. The paper is a tad on the transparent side for my liking. The line matching does help with this, as well as a quick “fluffing” of the page you are reading to lift it slightly from the page below. But, even a modest increase in opacity would go FAR with this Bible. Compared to some, I do not however feel that this paper is weak. It’s actually quite strong in practice and feels that way in my opinion.

    The text can read into the gutter on this Bible depending on how you use it. I predominately use it while reading in the mornings and evenings, sitting on the couch or in bed. When held in the hand, the flexible binding allows a simple adjustment of the hands to position the left or right page in a manner that keeps the text out of the gutter. However, I tried teaching one message on Revelation with the Clarion and found this to be a noticeable challenge when the Bible is laying on a pulpit / lectern / table. The text block is much thicker than a thinline and all that paper causes books near ends of the Bible to read into the gutter if not held in the hand. One thing to keep in mind in that same context is a sweeping motion of the arm potentially causing the page to turn on you. The thinness of the paper I also find a bit challenging to deal with if you are going to be flipping from passage to passage. Though I’ve only used it once for teaching, I do wonder about the ease of locating verse numbers in this Bible. Single column isn’t the best format for that and this Bible is designed with a bent toward being a “Reader’s Bible” which means the verse numbers are not accented in any way to make them easier to identify. There have been a couple of times when I’ve had a verse number “2” a few words away from a superscript “2” and have had to stop with Deja-Vu to figure out what just happened, and where does verse 2 really begin. The superscript is similar to the verse number font and size.

    Though I praised the floppiness / liquidity of this Bible, I’ve found it somewhat difficult to transport. I tried placing it in my leather satchel and due to the liquidity of the binding it was nearly folded in half when I arrived at church and looked inside to get the Clarion. That’s something to think about. Though I praised the proportions of the pages and the comfort of holding the Clarion being better than a goatskin thinline, there’s also something a tad odd about the proportions of the Clarion. It’s squatty and fat, and that’s not wrong. But, there is just something “right” to me about the proportions of the thinline. I find that I can elevate the Clarion without it sliding out of my hands better than the Heirloom Thinline which wants to slide at the slightest incline.

    So, a summation: The binding, goatskin, liquidity, quality of printing and craftsmanship, art gilding, font size and leading (line spacing), overall package of references, text format and maps is quite frankly a powerhouse of value. Things to take into consideration: thin paper that will curl from time to time, print that will read into the gutter on books near either end if placed on a pulpit, verse numbers may be a little challenging to identify in a teaching / preaching setting, if you are accustomed to older Bibles the ghosting in this Bible will almost certainly bother you. My original Bible was a glue bound, bonded leather KJV Study Bible that I still have. It’s not much, if any thicker than the Clarion and the paper is FAR better as well as the bold print. That KJV was purchased back around 1994-1996 and I’m not sure if the Bible paper industry has changed since then but it would appear so.

    Now, with all of those pluses and minuses, it’s hard for me to not recommend that you buy one of these Bibles. I’ve come to the realization that there are simply a host of things that go into Bible design and there are ALWAYS compromises that MUST be made. This is one of the finest Bibles on the market, period. You simply have to live with some kind of trade offs. The paper opacity issue is mostly overcome by simply fluffing a page before reading it in this Bible. It is a joy to read in Church or at Home. It is easy to travel with due to it’s size and is probably one of the best all around Bibles one can find anywhere in ESV. It would be interesting to see what the product would be for Cambridge to put this text layout onto more opaque paper and add 1.5″ margins all around as a Wide Margin Bible and make the verse numbers more bold.

    Regarding Evangelical Bible, they are great folks to deal with and I can heartily recommend giving them your business!

14. Rated 5 out of 5

    Bob Snyder – January 30, 2015

    What qualities do you look for in a Bible? Clear print, font size, paper opacity, sewn binding, quality cover, solid translation, lifetime warranty that you probably won’t have to use? Well the Cambridge Clarion, ESV Bible in black edge-lined goatskin leather has it all. I know you are probably getting tired of me giving these Cambridge Bibles such good reviews, but if they weren’t simply better than the others I wouldn’t. I think the other publishers might even wish I would stop reviewing Cambridge Bibles. Their publications don’t look as good compared to the Cambridge Bibles. Now, I know there are plenty of good Bibles out there, but when contrasted with the outstanding ones they fall short in some areas. With Bibles I’ve noticed that you get what you pay for in general.

    The ESV is a solid translation from Crossway. It is not a dynamic equivalent or thought for thought translation. It is more of a formal equivalent or word for word translation. Hebrew and Greek don’t have the same sentence structure and grammar as English. In translating the words are translated directly into English, but are arranged as English sentences so that we can understand them. In a dynamic equivalent the sentence or paragraph is read and studied by the team and they basically paraphrase it in English to convey the meaning in the most accurate way they can. The NIV is a dynamic equivalent. Dynamic equivalents may be easier to read, but in my opinion are by nature less precise. That is why I prefer formal equivalent translations like the ESV or NASB.

    Besides being an ESV this Bible is like Goldilocks and the baby bear’s stuff. It is just right. It isn’t too big, or too small. The paper isn’t too thick or too thin. The print isn’t too big or too small. The cover isn’t too soft or too rigid. It gets just about everything right. The Clarion arrived in an easy to open cardboard box along with an REB that I will review later. Both Bibles arrived undamaged and in good condition. The Clarion was in a one piece clam-shell box. The box should be retained for storage, should you ever decide to put this Bible down for a bit to read another… I doubt that will happen. The first thing you’ll notice is the smell of the leather. The next thing you’ll notice is the supple, perimeter stitched, edge lined, black goatskin leather cover. If you have never owned a Bible with a cover like this, you don’t know what you are missing. For durability, functionality, and comfort, you can’t beat it. The cover works in concert with the sewn binding and quality paper to allow this Bible to open well and lay flat on a table or desk. It also lays flat while held in one hand. This makes it a joy to read. I love that you forget you are holding something. You aren’t constantly fighting the cover, the paper, or the binding. The Spine of the Clarion has, “Holy Bible” at the top. Under that is, “English Standard Version”. On the bottom of the spine is, “Cambridge.” They are all hot-stamped in gold. There are five small decorative hubs as well. The grain of the goatskin cover is more pebbled than a top grain cowhide. It is softer than the shiny genuine leather covers that are made from pigskin. The perimeter stitching is uniform and well done. The corners are stitched as well so you won’t see the typical corner treatment.

    When you open the Bible, you’ll see the end papers are glued to cover and text block so that they will be more durable. There is a simple presentation page that is made of heavier card paper. It has several blank lines on it. Then there is a Title Page. After that is the copyright page with the font size and type. It list the font as 8.75/10.5 pt. Lexicon No. 1 A (Enschede ff) We also can see from this page that this Bible is printed by Jongbloed in the Netherlands. For those of you in the know, that is a big plus. They have been doing great work for many years. One truly great feature of this Bible is the line matching utilized by Jongbloed. The lines of text are printed exactly opposite of the lines on the other side of the page so that the text isn’t distractingly visible through the paper. The paper is a little off white and the black text contrasts against it nicely. It is printed clearly and uniformly throughout. The text is laid out in a single column paragraph format with the cross-references on the outside edge of the page in the margin. This layout is conducive to long sessions of uninterrupted reading. The paper is smooth. The page edges are art gilded with red under gold. I think this is a pleasing aesthetic. When the Bible is open the red shows through and while it is closed the gold is prominent.

    There are two red ribbon markers for keeping your place. Most other Bibles only give you one ribbon. It is nice to have to so you can mark your reading in the Old and New Testaments. There is a useful concordance in the end with a map index and 15 color maps printed on a heavier card paper. I like this approach better than the glossy maps as the high clay content in their paper makes them crack easier.

    With all of the features like, quality construction, quality materials, attention in design, you can tell why I love the Clarion Bibles from Cambridge. If you are in the market for a premium Bible, look no further.

15. Rated 5 out of 5

    Jeffrey Mellema – November 7, 2014

    This is one of the nicest, most readable ESV Bibles on the market. I won’t dance around things: this is one of the finest text blocks known to man. Ever since I first beheld the Clarion, I have hailed it as one of the best all-around Bibles available. There is no other single column reference Bible that can match it. To find out why, visit my detailed photo-review here: http://writness.wordpress.com/2014/11/01/cambridge-bibles-the-clarion-reference-series/