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1 And Elisha said, Hear ye the word of LORD. Thus says LORD, Tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.
2 Then the captain on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if LORD should make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shall see it with thine eyes, but shall not eat of it.
3 Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate, and they said one to another, Why do we sit here until we die?
4 If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall to the army of the Syrians. If they save us alive, we shall live, and if they kill us, we shall but die.
5 And they rose up in the twilight, to go to the camp of the Syrians. And when they came to the outermost part of the camp of the Syrians, behold, there was no man there.
6 For LORD had made the army of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great army. And they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.
7 Therefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their donkeys, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.
8 And when these lepers came to the outermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and ate and drank, and carried from there silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it. And they came back, and entered into another tent, and carried from there also, and went and hid it.
9 Then they said one to another, We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we keep silent. If we delay till the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come, let us go and tell the king's household.
10 So they came and called to the porter of the city. And they told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but the horses tied, and the donkeys tied, and the tents as they were.
11 And he called the porters, and they told it to the king's household within.
12 And the king arose in the night, and said to his servants, I will now show you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we are hungry. Therefore they have gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they come out of the city we shall take them alive, and get into the city.
13 And one of his servants answered and said, Let, I pray thee, some men take five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city (behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel that are left in it; behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel that are consumed), and let us send and see.
14 Therefore they took two chariots with horses. And the king sent after the army of the Syrians, saying, Go and see.
15 And they went after them to the Jordan. And, lo, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. And the messengers returned, and told the king.
16 And the people went out, and plundered the camp of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of LORD.
17 And the king appointed the captain on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate. And the people trampled upon him in the gate, and he died as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him.
18 And it came to pass, as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, shall be tomorrow about this time in the gate of Samaria.
19 And that captain answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if LORD should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shall see it with thine eyes, but shall not eat of it.
20 It came to pass even so to him, for the people trampled upon him in the gate, and he died.
A Conservative Version (ACV)
A Conservative Version (ACV) of the Bible is a translation that aims to provide a conservative and literal interpretation of the biblical texts. Developed with a focus on maintaining fidelity to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts, the ACV emphasizes a word-for-word translation methodology. The goal is to preserve the subtleties and nuances of the original languages as accurately as possible. This approach results in a version of the Bible that seeks to remain true to the text's original meaning and context, appealing to readers who prioritize precision and doctrinal integrity.
The text of the Old Testament for A Conservative Version (ACV) came from the American Standard Version published in 1901. The main changes done for the ACV were the replacement of archaic words with more modern ones, except for the old English pronouns, which were kept because they are more communicative. The New Testament was translated from, The New Testament in the Original Greek According to the Byzantine-Majority Text form. That edition was compiled by Maurice A. Robinson and William G. Pierpont, and is of the Textus Receptus tradition from which came the King James Version.
The ACV was created in response to what its translators saw as a trend toward more liberal or dynamic-equivalence translations that prioritize readability over literal accuracy. The translators aimed to produce a text that adheres closely to the original languages, even if this makes the translation more challenging for contemporary readers. This reflects their belief in the importance of preserving the exact words and phrases used in the original scriptures. The ACV also employs traditional theological terminology and phrasing, avoiding modern slang and colloquial expressions in favor of language that conveys the gravity and solemnity of the biblical message.
While the ACV has found appreciation among conservative circles, it has faced criticism for its perceived rigidity and difficulty. Critics argue that its strict adherence to a word-for-word translation can make the text less readable and accessible, potentially alienating readers unfamiliar with the original languages or who prefer a more fluid translation. Despite these criticisms, the ACV remains a valued translation for those who prioritize a conservative and literal approach to Bible interpretation, supporting their doctrinal views with a text they believe closely reflects the original scriptures.