« | 1 Kings 13 | » |
1 One day, Jeroboam was standing at the altar in Bethel, ready to make an offering. Suddenly one of God's prophets arrived from Judah and shouted: The LORD sent me with a message about this altar. A child named Josiah will be born into David's family. He will sacrifice on this altar the priests who make offerings here, and human bones will be burned on it.
2 (SEE 13:1)
3 You will know that the LORD has said these things when the altar splits in half, and the ashes on it fall to the ground.
4 Jeroboam pointed at the prophet and shouted, "Grab him!" But right away, Jeroboam's hand became stiff, and he could not move it.
5 The altar split in half, and the ashes fell to the ground, just as the prophet had warned.
6 "Please pray to the LORD your God and ask him to heal my hand," Jeroboam begged. The prophet prayed, and Jeroboam's hand was healed.
7 "Come home with me and eat something," Jeroboam said. "I want to give you a gift for what you have done."
8 "No, I wouldn't go with you, even if you offered me half of your kingdom. I won't eat or drink here either.
9 The LORD said I can't eat or drink anything and that I can't go home the same way I came."
10 Then he started home down a different road.
11 At that time an old prophet lived in Bethel, and one of his sons told him what the prophet from Judah had said and done.
12 "Show me which way he went," the old prophet said, and his sons pointed out the road.
13 "Put a saddle on my donkey," he told them. After they did, he got on the donkey
14 and rode off to look for the prophet from Judah. The old prophet found him sitting under an oak tree and asked, "Are you the prophet from Judah?" "Yes, I am."
15 "Come home with me," the old prophet said, "and have something to eat."
16 "I can't go back with you," the prophet replied, "and I can't eat or drink anything with you.
17 The LORD warned me not to eat or drink or to go home the same way I came."
18 The old prophet said, "I'm a prophet too. One of the LORD's angels told me to take you to my house and give you something to eat and drink." The prophet from Judah did not know that the old prophet was lying,
19 so he went home with him and ate and drank.
20 During the meal the LORD gave the old prophet
21 a message for the prophet from Judah: Listen to the LORD's message. You have disobeyed the LORD your God.
22 He told you not to eat or drink anything here, but you came home and ate with me. And so, when you die, your body won't be buried in your family tomb.
23 After the meal the old prophet got a donkey ready,
24 and the prophet from Judah left. Along the way, a lion attacked and killed him, and the donkey and the lion stood there beside his dead body.
25 Some people walked by and saw the body with the lion standing there. They ran into Bethel, telling everyone what they had seen.
26 When the old prophet heard the news, he said, "That must be the prophet from Judah. The LORD warned him, but he disobeyed. So the LORD sent a lion to kill him."
27 The old prophet told his sons to saddle his donkey, and when it was ready,
28 he left. He found the body lying on the road, with the donkey and lion standing there. The lion had not eaten the body or attacked the donkey.
29 The old prophet picked up the body, put it on his own donkey, and took it back to Bethel, so he could bury it and mourn for the prophet from Judah.
30 He buried the body in his own family tomb and cried for the prophet.
31 He said to his sons, "When I die, bury my body next to this prophet.
32 I'm sure that everything he said about the altar in Bethel and the shrines in Samaria will happen."
33 But Jeroboam kept on doing evil things. He appointed men to be priests at the local shrines, even if they were not Levites. In fact, anyone who wanted to be a priest could be one.
34 This sinful thing led to the downfall of his kingdom.
The Contemporary English Version (CEV)
The Contemporary English Version (CEV) is a modern Bible translation that aims to make the scriptures accessible and understandable to a broad audience, including children and those with limited English proficiency. Published by the American Bible Society in 1995, the CEV emphasizes clarity, readability, and ease of comprehension. Unlike more literal translations, the CEV uses a thought-for-thought translation philosophy, which focuses on conveying the original meaning of the text in a way that is clear and straightforward for contemporary readers.
One of the key features of the CEV is its use of everyday language and simple sentence structures. The translators avoided theological jargon and archaic terms, instead opting for language that is commonly used in daily conversation. This makes the CEV particularly well-suited for public reading, educational settings, and outreach programs where the audience might not be familiar with traditional biblical language. The translation strives to communicate the essence of the biblical message without the barriers that complex language can sometimes create.
The CEV also pays special attention to cultural sensitivity and inclusivity. The translators sought to avoid expressions and idioms that might be misunderstood or offensive in different cultural contexts. Additionally, the CEV includes gender-neutral language where appropriate, aiming to make the text more inclusive while still remaining faithful to the original manuscripts. This approach helps ensure that Bible teachings are accessible to a diverse global audience, promoting understanding and acceptance across different cultures and communities.
Despite its strengths, the CEV has faced some criticism from those who prefer more literal translations. Critics argue that the CEV emphasises on simplicity and readability which can sometimes result in a loss of nuance and depth found in the original languages. Some theologians and scholars believe that the thought-for-thought approach may oversimplify complex theological concepts. Nevertheless, the Contemporary English Version remains a valuable resource for many readers, offering a clear and approachable rendition of the Bible that is particularly effective for those new to the scriptures or those seeking a more accessible way to engage with the biblical text.