« | 2 Kings 7 | » |
1 And Elisha said, Hear the Word of Jehovah! So says Jehovah, Tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour will be sold at a shekel, and two measures of barley at a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.
2 And the third officer on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if Jehovah would make windows in heaven, then this thing might be. And he said, Behold, you shall see with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it.
3 And four men, lepers, were at the gate entrance. And they said to one 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 still sit here, we also shall die. And now 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 only die.
5 And they rose up in the twilight to go to the camp of the Syrians. And when they had come to the outermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, no man was there!
6 For Jehovah had made the army of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots and a noise of horses, the noise of a great army. And they said to one another, Lo, the king of Israel has hired the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians against us, to come on us.
7 And they arose and fled in the twilight and left their tents and their horses and their asses, 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 silver and gold and clothing from there, and went and hid it. And they came again and entered into another tent and carried from there, and went and hid it.
9 And they said to one another, We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we hold our peace. If we stay until the morning light, some punishment will come on us. And now come, so that we may go and tell the king's household.
10 And 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, no man was there, neither voice of man, but horses tied, and asses tied, and the tents as they were .
11 And he called the porters. And they told it to the king's house inside.
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, and they have gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they come out of the city, we shall catch them alive and get into the city.
13 And one of his servants answered and said, Please let some take five of the horses which remain, which are left in the city; behold, they are like all the multitude of Israel that are left in it; behold, they are even as all the multitude of the Israelites that are consumed. And we will send and see.
14 And 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 Jordan. And, lo, all the way was full of clothing and vessels which the Syrians had thrown away in their haste. And the messengers returned and told the king.
16 And the people went out and plundered the tents of the Syrians. And it happened, a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the Word of Jehovah.
17 And the king appointed the third officer over the gate, the one on whose hand he had leaned. And the people trampled on 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 happened according to the saying of the man of God to the king, saying, Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel: This shall be tomorrow about this time in the gate of Samaria.
19 And the third officer answered the man of God and said, Behold, if Jehovah should make windows in heaven, then such a thing might be. And he said, Behold, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it.
20 And it happened to him, for the people trampled on him in the gate, and he died.
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.