« | 2 Kings 24 | » |
1 In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years. Then he turned and rebelled against him.
2 And Jehovah sent against him troops of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and troops of the Moabites, and troops of the Ammonites. And He sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the Word of Jehovah which He spoke by His servants the prophets.
3 Surely at the commandment of Jehovah this came on Judah, to remove them out of His sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did;
4 and also for the innocent blood which he shed, for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, which Jehovah would not pardon.
5 And the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Judah?
6 And Jehoiakim slept with his fathers. And Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place.
7 And the king of Egypt did not come again out of his land any more. For the king of Babylon had taken from the river of Egypt to the river Euphrates all that belonged to the king of Egypt.
8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother's name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.
9 And he did the evil in the sight of Jehovah, according to all that his father had done.
10 At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.
11 And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his servants besieged it.
12 And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he and his mother, and his servants, and his leaders, and his eunuchs. And the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.
13 And he carried out from there all the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of Jehovah, as Jehovah had said.
14 And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the leaders, and all the mighty men of war, ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths. None remained except the poorest sort of the people of the land.
15 And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his eunuchs. And the mighty of the land he carried into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.
16 And the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon all the men of might, seven thousand of them, and a thousand craftsmen and smiths, all who were strong and able for war.
17 And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, his father's brother, king in his place. And he changed his name to Zedekiah.
18 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
19 And he did the evil in the sight of Jehovah, according to all that Jehoiakim had done.
20 For it was through the anger of Jehovah that Zedekiah happened to rebel against the king of Babylon in Jerusalem and in Judah, until God had put them out of His presence.
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.