« | 1 Chronicles 15 | » |
1 David built houses for himself in the city of David. He made a place ready for the special box of God. And he set up a tent for it.
2 Then David said, "No one but the Levites may carry the special box of God. For the Lord chose them to carry the special box of the agreement and to serve Him forever."
3 David gathered all Israel together at Jerusalem, to bring up the special box of the Lord to the place he had made for it.
4 He gathered together the sons of Aaron and the Levites.
5 Uriel became leader of the sons of Kohath, and 120 of his brothers.
6 Asaiah became the leader of the sons of Merari, and 220 of his brothers.
7 Joel became the leader of the sons of Gershom, and 130 of his brothers.
8 Shemaiah became the leader of the sons of Elizaphan, and 200 of his brothers.
9 Eliel became the leader of the sons of Hebron, and 80 of his brothers.
10 Amminadab became the leader of the sons of Uzziel, and 112 of his brothers.
11 Then David called for Zadok and Abiathar the religious leaders. And he called for the Levites, Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab.
12 He said to them, "You are the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites. Make yourselves and your brothers holy, that you may bring up the special box of the Lord God of Israel to the place I have made for it.
13 The Lord our God brought trouble upon us because you did not carry it the first time. We did not care for it the way He had told us."
14 So the religious leaders and the Levites made themselves holy, to bring up the special box of the Lord God of Israel.
15 The sons of the Levites carried the special box of God on their shoulders with the long pieces of wood. They did as Moses had told them by the Word of the Lord.
16 Then David told the heads of the Levites to choose their brothers who sing and play music. They were to play harps and timbrels and make sounds of joy.
17 So the Levites chose Heman the son of Joel. From his brothers they chose Asaph the son of Berechiah. From the sons of Merari their brothers, they chose Ethan the son of Kushaiah.
18 With them they chose their brothers of the second group. These were Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, the gate-keepers.
19 The singers, Heman, Asaph and Ethan were chosen to make sounds of joy with objects of brass.
20 Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah were chosen to play the high sounds on harps.
21 Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were chosen to lead by playing the deep sounds on different kinds of harps.
22 Chenaniah, head of the Levites, was to lead the singing. He taught the singing because he was able.
23 Berechiah and Elkanah were to watch the gate for the special box.
24 Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer, the religious leaders, were to blow the horns in front of the special box of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah were gatekeepers for the special box of God also.
25 So David, the leaders of Israel and the captains of thousands went to bring up the special box with the Law of the Lord from the house of Obededom with joy.
26 God was helping the Levites who were carrying the special box of the agreement of the Lord. So they killed seven bulls and seven rams on the altar in worship.
27 David was dressed in a long piece of clothing of fine linen. So were all the Levites who were carrying the special box of God. And so were the singers and Chenaniah the leader of the singing. David wore a linen vest also.
28 So all Israel brought up the special box with the Law of the Lord. They brought it up with a loud voice, the sound of horns, and with loud-sounding timbrels and harps.
29 When the special box with the Law of the Lord came to the city of David, Saul's daughter Michal looked out of the window. She saw King David dancing and jumping for joy. And she hated him in her heart.
The New Life Version (NLV)
The New Life Version (NLV) is a unique English translation of the Bible designed to be exceptionally easy to read and understand. First published in 1969, the NLV was created by Gleason Ledyard, a missionary and linguist, to make the Scriptures accessible to people who have limited English proficiency or are new to the language. Ledyard’s aim was to provide a Bible that even those with minimal education could read and comprehend, thus opening the door for a wider audience to engage with the biblical texts.
A defining characteristic of the New Life Version is its use of a limited vocabulary of about 850 basic English words, along with some necessary theological terms. This restricted vocabulary ensures that the language remains simple and straightforward, making the text accessible to young readers, new Christians, and those for whom English is a second language. The translators also avoided idiomatic expressions and complex sentence structures, further enhancing clarity and understanding. This makes the NLV a particularly valuable resource for educational and missionary work.
The NLV also emphasizes faithfulness to the original texts, despite its simplified language. The translation aims to maintain the integrity and message of the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts. By carefully choosing words that accurately convey the meaning of the original texts while ensuring simplicity, the NLV provides a balance between accessibility and fidelity. Additionally, the NLV includes explanatory footnotes and cross-references that help readers understand the context and deeper meanings of the passages, making it a useful tool for both personal study and group teaching.
However, the New Life Version is not without its critics. Some scholars and traditionalists argue that the limited vocabulary and simplified language can lead to a loss of nuance and depth found in the original texts. They suggest that the NLV’s focus on simplicity may sometimes oversimplify complex theological concepts. Despite these criticisms, the New Life Version remains a valuable translation for its intended audience, offering a clear and approachable rendition of the Bible that helps a wide range of readers engage with the Scriptures and grow in their faith.