American Congregationalist missionary Hiram Bingham arrived in Hawaii in 1820, undertaking Hawaiian Bible translation completed in 1839. Bingham and fellow missionaries created Hawaiian alphabet (12 letters), established printing press at Lahainaluna, and produced Hawaiian grammar books and dictionaries. Their missionary linguistics work included Hawaiian-language newspapers, educational texts, and religious literature. This translation occurred after Hawaiian king Liholiho abolished traditional Hawaiian religious restrictions (1819), opening Hawaii to Christian missionary work. The Hawaiian Bible became foundation for Hawaiian literary development.

Hawaiian Bible translation established standardized literary Hawaiian, enabling Hawaiian poetic traditions including mele (poetry) and oral literature adaptation for Christian themes. Missionary alphabet creation enabled Hawaiian print literature including newspapers, poetry collections, and historical writings. The translation influenced Hawaiian Christian poetry that preserved Hawaiian cultural identity through Christian literary expression, though later American colonization threatened Hawaiian language survival.