« | Exodus 18 | » |
1 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, how that LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.
2 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her away,
3 and her two sons, of whom the name of the one was Gershom, for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.
4 And the name of the other was Eliezer, for he said, The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.
5 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the mount of God.
6 And he said to Moses, I, thy father-in-law Jethro, have come to thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.
7 And Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and did obeisance, and kissed him. And they asked each other of their welfare, and they came into the tent.
8 And Moses told his father-in-law all that LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how LORD delivered them.
9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which LORD had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.
10 And Jethro said, Blessed be LORD, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.
11 Now I know that LORD is greater than all gods, yea, in the thing wherein they dealt proudly against them.
12 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God. And Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God.
13 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning to the evening.
14 And when Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou do to the people? Why do thou sit by thyself, and all the people stand about thee from morning to evening?
15 And Moses said to his father-in-law, Because the people come to me to inquire of God.
16 When they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor. And I make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.
17 And Moses' father-in-law said to him, The thing that thou do is not good.
18 Thou will surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee, for the thing is too heavy for thee. Thou are not able to perform it thyself alone.
19 Hearken now to my voice. I will give thee counsel, and God be with thee. Be thou for the people toward God, and bring thou the cases to God.
20 And thou shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and shall show them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do.
21 Moreover thou shall provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating unjust gain, and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens,
22 and let them judge the people at all seasons. And it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring to thee, but every small matter they shall judge themselves. So shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.
23 If thou shall do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shall be able to endure, and all this people also shall go to their place in peace.
24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.
25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens,
26 and they judged the people at all seasons. The hard cases they brought to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
27 And Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land.
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.