« | Exodus 39 | » |
1 They used blue, purple, and red thread to make woven clothes for the priests to wear when they served in the Holy Place. They made the holy clothes for Aaron as the Lord had commanded Moses.
2 They made the holy vest of gold, and blue, purple, and red thread, and fine linen.
3 They hammered the gold into sheets and then cut it into long, thin strips. They worked the gold into the blue, purple, and red thread, and fine linen. This was done by skilled craftsmen.
4 They made the shoulder straps for the holy vest, which were attached to the top corners of the vest and tied together over each shoulder.
5 The skillfully woven belt was made in the same way; it was joined to the holy vest as one piece. It was made of gold, and blue, purple, and red thread, and fine linen, the way the Lord commanded Moses.
6 They put gold around the onyx stones and then wrote the names of the sons of Israel on these gems, as a person carves words and designs on a seal.
7 Then they attached the gems on the shoulder straps of the holy vest, as reminders of the twelve sons of Israel. This was done just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
8 The skilled craftsmen made the chest covering like the holy vest; it was made of gold, and blue, purple, and red thread, and fine linen.
9 The chest covering was square -- nine inches long and nine inches wide -- and it was folded double to make a pocket.
10 Then they put four rows of beautiful jewels on it: In the first row there was a ruby, a topaz, and a yellow quartz;
11 in the second there was a turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald;
12 in the third there was a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst;
13 in the fourth there was a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. Gold was put around these jewels to attach them to the chest covering,
14 and the names of the sons of Israel were carved on these twelve jewels as a person carves a seal. Each jewel had the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
15 They made chains of pure gold, twisted together like a rope, for the chest covering.
16 The workers made two gold pieces and two gold rings. They put the two gold rings on the two upper corners of the chest covering.
17 Then they put two gold chains in the two rings at the ends of the chest covering,
18 and they fastened the other two ends of the chains to the two gold pieces. They attached these gold pieces to the two shoulder straps in the front of the holy vest.
19 They made two gold rings and put them at the lower corners of the chest covering on the inside edge next to the holy vest.
20 They made two more gold rings on the bottom of the shoulder straps in front of the holy vest, near the seam, just above the woven belt of the holy vest.
21 They used a blue ribbon and tied the rings of the chest covering to the rings of the holy vest, connecting it to the woven belt. In this way the chest covering would not swing out from the holy vest. They did all these things the way the Lord commanded.
22 Then they made the outer robe to be worn under the holy vest. It was woven only of blue cloth.
23 They made a hole in the center of the outer robe, with a woven collar sewn around it so it would not tear.
24 Then they made balls like pomegranates of blue, purple, and red thread, and fine linen and hung them around the bottom of the outer robe.
25 They also made bells of pure gold and hung these around the bottom of the outer robe between the balls.
26 So around the bottom of the outer robe there was a bell and a pomegranate ball, a bell and a pomegranate ball. The priest wore this outer robe when he served as priest, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
27 They wove inner robes of fine linen for Aaron and his sons,
28 and they made turbans, headbands, and underclothes of fine linen.
29 Then they made the cloth belt of fine linen, and blue, purple, and red thread, and designs were sewn onto it, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
30 They made a strip of pure gold, which is the holy crown, and carved these words in the gold, as one might carve on a seal: "Holy to the Lord."
31 Then they tied this flat piece to the turban with a blue ribbon, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
32 So all the work on the Meeting Tent was finished. The Israelites did everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
33 Then they brought the Holy Tent to Moses: the Tent and all its furniture, hooks, frames, crossbars, posts, and bases;
34 the covering made of male sheepskins colored red, the covering made of fine leather, and the curtain that covered the entrance to the Most Holy Place;
35 the Ark of the Agreement, its poles and lid;
36 the table, all its containers, and the bread that showed they were in God's presence;
37 the pure gold lampstand with its lamps in a row, all its tools, and the olive oil for the light;
38 the gold altar, the special olive oil used for appointing priests, the sweet-smelling incense, and the curtain that covered the entrance to the Tent;
39 the bronze altar and its screen, its poles and all its tools, the bowl and its stand;
40 the curtains for the courtyard with their posts and bases, the curtain that covered the entry to the courtyard, the cords, pegs, and all the things in the Meeting Tent.
41 They brought the clothes for the priests to wear when they served in the Holy Tent -- the holy clothes for Aaron the priest and the clothes for his sons, which they wore when they served as priests.
42 The Israelites had done all this work just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
43 Moses looked closely at all the work and saw they had done it just as the Lord had commanded. So Moses blessed them.
The New Century Version (NCV)
The New Century Version (NCV) is a contemporary English translation of the Bible designed to be easily understandable and accessible to a broad audience. First published in 1987 by Thomas Nelson, the NCV originated from a project aimed at creating a simplified English translation for children. Over time, the scope of the translation expanded to cater to readers of all ages, including those with limited English proficiency and those new to the Bible. The NCV’s primary goal is to communicate the truths of Scripture in clear, everyday language that resonates with modern readers.
A notable feature of the NCV is its use of dynamic equivalence, or thought-for-thought translation philosophy. This approach prioritizes conveying the meaning and intent of the original texts over maintaining a strict word-for-word correspondence. By doing so, the NCV aims to make the Bible’s messages more relatable and easier to understand, especially for those who may find traditional translations challenging. The translation team worked diligently to balance accuracy with readability, ensuring that the essence of the biblical texts is preserved while making them more accessible to contemporary audiences.
The NCV also includes various study aids and features designed to enhance comprehension and engagement with the biblical text. These include introductions to each book of the Bible, footnotes that provide historical and cultural context, and cross-references that help readers see connections between different parts of Scripture. Additionally, the NCV often employs gender-neutral language where appropriate, aiming to be inclusive and respectful of modern sensibilities while remaining faithful to the original texts.
Despite its strengths, the New Century Version has faced some criticism from those who prefer more traditional or literal translations. Critics argue that the dynamic equivalence approach can sometimes result in a loss of nuance and depth found in the original languages. Additionally, some theologians express concern that the simplified language may not fully capture the richness and complexity of certain theological concepts. Nonetheless, the NCV remains a valuable resource for many readers, particularly those seeking a clear and approachable version of the Bible that helps them connect with and understand its timeless messages.