« | Exodus 37 | » |
1 Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood; two cubits and a half was its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height.
2 And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a molding of gold around it.
3 And he cast for it four rings of gold for its four corners, two rings on its one side and two rings on its other side.
4 And he made poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold,
5 and put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark.
6 And he made a mercy seat of pure gold; two cubits and a half was its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth.
7 And he made two cherubim of hammered gold; on the two ends of the mercy seat he made them,
8 one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end; of one piece with the mercy seat he made the cherubim on its two ends.
9 The cherubim spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat were the faces of the cherubim.
10 He also made the table of acacia wood; two cubits was its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height;
11 and he overlaid it with pure gold, and made a molding of gold around it.
12 And he made around it a frame a handbreadth wide, and made a molding of gold around the frame.
13 He cast for it four rings of gold, and fastened the rings to the four corners at its four legs.
14 Close to the frame were the rings, as holders for the poles to carry the table.
15 He made the poles of acacia wood to carry the table, and overlaid them with gold.
16 And he made the vessels of pure gold which were to be upon the table, its plates and dishes for incense, and its bowls and flagons with which to pour libations.
17 He also made the lampstand of pure gold. The base and the shaft of the lampstand were made of hammered work; its cups, its capitals, and its flowers were of one piece with it.
18 And there were six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it;
19 three cups made like almonds, each with capital and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almonds, each with capital and flower, on the other branch -- so for the six branches going out of the lampstand.
20 And on the lampstand itself were four cups made like almonds, with their capitals and flowers,
21 and a capital of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out of it.
22 Their capitals and their branches were of one piece with it; the whole of it was one piece of hammered work of pure gold.
23 And he made its seven lamps and its snuffers and its trays of pure gold.
24 He made it and all its utensils of a talent of pure gold.
25 He made the altar of incense of acacia wood; its length was a cubit, and its breadth was a cubit; it was square, and two cubits was its height; its horns were of one piece with it.
26 He overlaid it with pure gold, its top, and its sides round about, and its horns; and he made a molding of gold round about it,
27 and made two rings of gold on it under its molding, on two opposite sides of it, as holders for the poles with which to carry it.
28 And he made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold.
29 He made the holy anointing oil also, and the pure fragrant incense, blended as by the perfumer.
The Revised Standard Version (RSV)
The Revised Standard Version (RSV) is a widely respected English translation of the Bible that was first published in 1952 by the National Council of Churches. It was developed as a revision of the American Standard Version (ASV) of 1901, with the primary aim of providing a more accurate and readable text while retaining the literary qualities of its predecessor. The RSV sought to modernize the language of the ASV without sacrificing its faithfulness to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts, making it a significant milestone in the history of English Bible translations.
One of the key features of the RSV is its commitment to formal equivalence, or a word-for-word translation approach. This method ensures that the translation closely mirrors the structure and wording of the original texts, allowing readers to engage more directly with the biblical languages. The translators of the RSV were guided by the latest biblical scholarship of their time, and they endeavored to produce a text that was both accurate and elegant. This combination of precision and literary quality has made the RSV a popular choice for both academic study and liturgical use.
The RSV also stands out for its ecumenical appeal. It was one of the first translations to be accepted across a wide range of Christian denominations, including Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox traditions. This broad acceptance was partly due to the inclusive approach of the translation committee, which included scholars from various religious backgrounds. The RSV’s ecumenical nature helped it gain widespread usage in churches, seminaries, and universities, fostering a greater sense of unity among different Christian communities.
Despite its many strengths, the RSV has faced some criticism over the years. Some conservative scholars and readers have expressed concerns about certain translation choices, arguing that they reflect modernist theological perspectives. Additionally, the RSV’s use of archaic language in certain passages has been a point of contention for those seeking a more contemporary rendering of the Bible. Nonetheless, the Revised Standard Version remains a highly respected and influential translation, valued for its accuracy, literary excellence, and broad ecumenical acceptance. It continues to serve as a foundation for later revisions and translations, such as the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) and the English Standard Version (ESV).