« | Ezekiel 17 | » |
1 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2 "Son of man, pose a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel,
3 "and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "A great eagle with large wings and long pinions, Full of feathers of various colors, Came to Lebanon And took from the cedar the highest branch.
4 He cropped off its topmost young twig And carried it to a land of trade; He set it in a city of merchants.
5 Then he took some of the seed of the land And planted it in a fertile field; He placed [it] by abundant waters [And] set it like a willow tree.
6 And it grew and became a spreading vine of low stature; Its branches turned toward him, But its roots were under it. So it became a vine, Brought forth branches, And put forth shoots.
7 " But there was another great eagle with large wings and many feathers; And behold, this vine bent its roots toward him, And stretched its branches toward him, From the garden terrace where it had been planted, That he might water it.
8 It was planted in good soil by many waters, To bring forth branches, bear fruit, [And] become a majestic vine." '
9 " Say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Will it thrive? Will he not pull up its roots, Cut off its fruit, And leave it to wither? All of its spring leaves will wither, And no great power or many people Will be needed to pluck it up by its roots.
10 Behold, [it is] planted, Will it thrive? Will it not utterly wither when the east wind touches it? It will wither in the garden terrace where it grew." ' "
11 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
12 "Say now to the rebellious house: 'Do you not know what these [things mean?'] Tell [them,] 'Indeed the king of Babylon went to Jerusalem and took its king and princes, and led them with him to Babylon.
13 'And he took the king's offspring, made a covenant with him, and put him under oath. He also took away the mighty of the land,
14 'that the kingdom might be brought low and not lift itself up, [but] that by keeping his covenant it might stand.
15 'But he rebelled against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt, that they might give him horses and many people. Will he prosper? Will he who does such [things] escape? Can he break a covenant and still be delivered?
16 '[As] I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'surely in the place [where] the king [dwells] who made him king, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke -- with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die.
17 'Nor will Pharaoh with [his] mighty army and great company do anything in the war, when they heap up a siege mound and build a wall to cut off many persons.
18 'Since he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, and in fact gave his hand and still did all these [things,] he shall not escape.' "
19 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "[As] I live, surely My oath which he despised, and My covenant which he broke, I will recompense on his own head.
20 "I will spread My net over him, and he shall be taken in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon and try him there for the treason which he committed against Me.
21 "All his fugitives with all his troops shall fall by the sword, and those who remain shall be scattered to every wind; and you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken."
22 Thus says the Lord GOD: "I will take also [one] of the highest branches of the high cedar and set [it] out. I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and will plant [it] on a high and prominent mountain.
23 "On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it; and it will bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a majestic cedar. Under it will dwell birds of every sort; in the shadow of its branches they will dwell.
24 "And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the LORD, have brought down the high tree and exalted the low tree, dried up the green tree and made the dry tree flourish; I, the LORD, have spoken and have done [it."]
The New King James Version (NKJV)
The New King James Version (NKJV) is a modern translation of the Bible that seeks to preserve the stylistic and literary beauty of the original King James Version (KJV) while making it more accessible to contemporary readers. The project to create the NKJV began in 1975, spearheaded by Arthur Farstad and a team of over 130 scholars, theologians, and pastors. They aimed to maintain the traditional language and rhythm of the KJV while updating archaic terms and expressions to be more understandable for modern audiences. The translation was completed and published in 1982, offering a blend of reverence for the past and clarity for the present.
One of the defining features of the NKJV is its commitment to the Textus Receptus, the same Greek text underlying the New Testament of the KJV. This ensures a high degree of continuity between the two versions, making the NKJV familiar to those who have long cherished the KJV. However, the NKJV also considers findings from more recent scholarship and textual criticism, incorporating insights from the latest manuscripts and research. This approach helps to balance respect for the historical text with a recognition of the advancements in biblical studies.
The NKJV has been praised for its readability and poetic qualities, which make it suitable for both private study and public worship. Its translators worked diligently to preserve the lyrical and memorable phrasing of the KJV, which has deeply influenced English literature and religious practice. By modernizing the language without compromising the text’s inherent dignity and solemnity, the NKJV has become a popular choice among those who value both accuracy and elegance in their Bible reading.
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