« | Exodus 26 | » |
1 Furnish the sacred tent with curtains made from ten pieces of the finest linen. They must be woven with blue, purple, and red wool and embroidered with figures of winged creatures.
2 Make each piece fourteen yards long and two yards wide
3 and sew them together into two curtains with five sections each.
4 Put fifty loops of blue cloth along one of the wider sides of each curtain, then fasten the two curtains at the loops with fifty gold hooks.
5 (SEE 26:4)
6 (SEE 26:4)
7 As the material for the tent, use goat hair to weave eleven sections fifteen yards by two yards each.
8 (SEE 26:7)
9 Sew five of the sections together to make one panel. Then sew the other six together to make a second panel, and fold the sixth section double over the front of the tent.
10 Put fifty loops along one of the wider sides of each panel
11 and fasten the two panels at the loops with fifty bronze hooks.
12 The panel of goat hair will be a yard longer than the tent itself, so fold half a yard of the material behind the tent and on each side as a protective covering.
13 (SEE 26:12)
14 Make two more coverings--one with ram skins dyed red and the other with fine leather.
15 Build a framework of acacia wood for the walls of the sacred tent.
16 Each frame is to be fifteen feet high and twenty-seven inches wide
17 with two wooden pegs near the bottom.
18 Place two silver stands under each frame with sockets for the pegs, so the frames can be joined together. Twenty of these frames are to be used along the south side and twenty more along the north.
19 (SEE 26:18)
20 (SEE 26:18)
21 (SEE 26:18)
22 For the back wall along the west side use six frames
23 with two more at the southwest and northwest corners. Make certain that these corner frames are joined from top to bottom.
24 (SEE 26:23)
25 Altogether, this back wall will have eight frames with two silver stands under each one.
26 Make five crossbars for each of the wooden frames,
27 (SEE 26:26)
28 with the center crossbar running the full length of the wall.
29 Cover the frames and the crossbars with gold and attach gold rings to the frames to run the crossbars through.
30 Then set up the tent in the way I showed you on the mountain.
31 Make a curtain to separate the holy place from the most holy place. Use fine linen woven with blue, purple, and red wool, and embroidered with figures of winged creatures. Cover four acacia wood posts with gold and set them each on a silver stand. Then fasten gold hooks to the posts and hang the curtain there.
32 (SEE 26:31)
33 (SEE 26:31)
34 Inside the most holy place, you must put the sacred chest that has the place of mercy on its lid.
35 Outside the curtain put the table for the sacred bread on the right side and the gold lampstand on the left.
36 For the entrance to the tent, use a piece of fine linen woven with blue, purple, and red wool and embroidered with fancy needlework.
37 Cover five acacia wood posts with gold and set them each on a bronze stand. Then put gold hooks on the posts and hang the curtain there.
The Contemporary English Version (CEV)
The Contemporary English Version (CEV) is a modern Bible translation that aims to make the scriptures accessible and understandable to a broad audience, including children and those with limited English proficiency. Published by the American Bible Society in 1995, the CEV emphasizes clarity, readability, and ease of comprehension. Unlike more literal translations, the CEV uses a thought-for-thought translation philosophy, which focuses on conveying the original meaning of the text in a way that is clear and straightforward for contemporary readers.
One of the key features of the CEV is its use of everyday language and simple sentence structures. The translators avoided theological jargon and archaic terms, instead opting for language that is commonly used in daily conversation. This makes the CEV particularly well-suited for public reading, educational settings, and outreach programs where the audience might not be familiar with traditional biblical language. The translation strives to communicate the essence of the biblical message without the barriers that complex language can sometimes create.
The CEV also pays special attention to cultural sensitivity and inclusivity. The translators sought to avoid expressions and idioms that might be misunderstood or offensive in different cultural contexts. Additionally, the CEV includes gender-neutral language where appropriate, aiming to make the text more inclusive while still remaining faithful to the original manuscripts. This approach helps ensure that Bible teachings are accessible to a diverse global audience, promoting understanding and acceptance across different cultures and communities.
Despite its strengths, the CEV has faced some criticism from those who prefer more literal translations. Critics argue that the CEV emphasises on simplicity and readability which can sometimes result in a loss of nuance and depth found in the original languages. Some theologians and scholars believe that the thought-for-thought approach may oversimplify complex theological concepts. Nevertheless, the Contemporary English Version remains a valuable resource for many readers, offering a clear and approachable rendition of the Bible that is particularly effective for those new to the scriptures or those seeking a more accessible way to engage with the biblical text.