Preparation of James 1:5

My husband and I got to go on a date to a symposium on the King James version of the Bible. The first presenter, John S. Tanner, who is the academic vice president of BYU and husband of Susan Tanner (previous general YW president of the church.) He has a great sense of humor making it a delight to listen to him. His paper was titled: The King James version of the Bible: Appointed to be read in Churches. The King James version of the Bible was translated by a group of scholars who focused particularly on how the words would sound coming from a pulpit. They read each proposed verse aloud to try to make each word "heart deep." It was intriguing to hear how James 1:5 was molded by the Lord as the group chose which previous translations to follow. As this was the version Joseph Smith would be reading, this verse was of great import to the Lord. Most of the King James verses follow the Tyndale version of the Bible, yet, was not followed for James 1:5. The Tyndale Bible reads as follows for James 1:5:
"Let him ask of God, who giveth to all men indifferently and casteth no man in the teeth . . . "
(italics added.) Just the image of the Lord kicking someone in the teeth is enough to send away the spirit. And is an indifferent God one who will answer our prayers as He did Joseph Smith's?

In the second presentation of the night, Dan L. Belnap made another interesting point about James 1:5 and the translations that were consulted. There are other translations of the Bible, like the Geneva Bible that had commentary in the margins of the pages, directing the thoughts of those reading. The KJV had no marginalia. Imagine if Joseph Smith had read this definition from the Geneva Bible next to James 1:5: To endure patiently what favor God layeth on a man. So, if we lack wisdom, we should just wait patiently for God to send his knowledge to us- all without serious effort on our part.

Now consider the beautiful wording that was chosen for the King James version:

5^aIf any of you lack ^bwisdom, let him ask of God, that ^cgiveth to all men liberally, and ^dupbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

6But let him ^aask in ^bfaith, nothing ^cwavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

Does that show you a God who would cast a man in the teeth? Instead, we see that He giveth to all men liberally. We just need to ask.

I noticed another plain and simple version of James 1:5 in 1 Nephi 15:11 as I was reading:

Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?—If ye will not harden your hearts, and aask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you.

Obviously, this isn't just a doctrine that was revealed to James. It's an age-old truth, no matter how you say it.