« | 2 Chronicles 23 | » |
1 And in the seventh year Jehoiada made himself strong. And he took the commanders of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri into covenant with him.
2 And they went about in Judah and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the chief of the fathers of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.
3 And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said to them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as Jehovah has said of the sons of David.
4 This is the thing that you shall do. A third part of you entering on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be keepers of the doors.
5 And a third part shall be at the king's house. And a third part shall be at the gate of the foundation. And all the people shall be in the courts of the house of Jehovah.
6 But let none come into the house of Jehovah except the priests, and those of the Levites who minister. They shall go in, for they are holy. But all the people shall keep the watch of Jehovah.
7 And the Levites shall surround the king, each man with his weapons in his hand. And whoever comes into the house, he shall be put to death. But you be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.
8 And the Levites and all Judah did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest had commanded. And every man took his men who were to come in on the sabbath, with the ones who were to go out on the sabbath. For Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss the divisions.
9 And Jehoiada the priest delivered to the commanders of hundreds King David's spears and bucklers and shields, which were in the house of God.
10 And he set all the people, each man having his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, along by the altar and the temple, by the king round about.
11 And they brought out the king's son and put the crown on him, and gave him the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him and said, Let the king live!
12 And Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, and she came to the people into the house of Jehovah.
13 And she looked, and behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entrance, and the rulers and the trumpets by the king. And all the people of the land were rejoicing and sounding with trumpets, and the singers with instruments of music, and giving signals to praise. And Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, Treason! Treason!
14 And Jehoiada the priest brought out the commanders of hundreds who were set over the army, and said to them, Take her out of the ranks. And whoever follows her shall be killed with the sword. For the priest said, Do not kill her in the house of Jehovah.
15 And they laid hands on her; and she came to the entrance of the Gate of the Horses, beside the king's house, and they executed her there.
16 And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people and between the king, that they should be Jehovah's people.
17 And all the people went to the house of Baal and broke it down, and smashed his altars and his images. And they killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.
18 And Jehoiada chose the officers of the house of Jehovah by the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of Jehovah, to offer the burnt offerings of Jehovah, as it is written in the Law of Moses, with joy and with singing, by the hands of David.
19 And he set the gatekeepers at the gates of the house of Jehovah, so that the unclean in any way could not go in.
20 And he took the commanders of hundreds, and the nobles, and the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought the king down from the house of Jehovah. And they came through the Upper Gate into the king's house, and set the king on the throne of the kingdom.
21 And all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city was quiet after they had killed Athaliah with the sword.
The Modern King James Version (MKJV)
The Modern King James Version (MKJV) is a contemporary English translation of the Bible that aims to preserve the majesty and accuracy of the original King James Version (KJV) while updating its language for modern readers. Developed by Jay P. Green Sr. and first published in 1990, the MKJV seeks to maintain the literary beauty and doctrinal reliability of the KJV, making only necessary adjustments to archaic terms and phrases to enhance readability. This careful balance allows the MKJV to retain the classic feel of the KJV while making it more accessible to today’s audience.
One of the standout features of the MKJV is its commitment to formal equivalence, or word-for-word translation. The translators have meticulously preserved the structure and vocabulary of the KJV, only updating words and phrases that have become outdated or whose meanings have shifted over time. This approach ensures that the MKJV remains faithful to the original texts and maintains the theological and literary integrity of the KJV. By preserving the cadence and phrasing of the original, the MKJV offers a reading experience that is both familiar and refreshed for modern readers.
The MKJV also pays special attention to the textual basis of the translation. Like the KJV, it relies on the Textus Receptus for the New Testament and the Masoretic Text for the Old Testament. This adherence to traditional source texts underscores the MKJV’s commitment to continuity with the historic Christian tradition. The translation is designed to serve both devotional and scholarly purposes, providing a text that is suitable for study, teaching, and public reading in a variety of settings.
Despite its strengths, the Modern King James Version has faced some criticism. Some scholars and readers argue that the translation could benefit from a more extensive revision to fully embrace contemporary language, suggesting that the MKJV’s adherence to the structure and style of the KJV may still pose challenges for modern readers. Others appreciate the balance it strikes but note that it occupies a niche space, appealing primarily to those who have a strong attachment to the KJV. Nonetheless, the MKJV remains a respected and valued translation for those seeking a modern update of the KJV that honors its rich heritage and timeless message.