« | Ezekiel 30 | » |
1 The word of the LORD came to me again, saying,
2 "Son of man, prophesy and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Wail, 'Woe to the day!'
3 For the day [is] near, Even the day of the LORD [is] near; It will be a day of clouds, the time of the Gentiles.
4 The sword shall come upon Egypt, And great anguish shall be in Ethiopia, When the slain fall in Egypt, And they take away her wealth, And her foundations are broken down.
5 "Ethiopia, Libya, Lydia, all the mingled people, Chub, and the men of the lands who are allied, shall fall with them by the sword."
6 ' Thus says the LORD: "Those who uphold Egypt shall fall, And the pride of her power shall come down. From Migdol [to] Syene Those within her shall fall by the sword," Says the Lord GOD.
7 "They shall be desolate in the midst of the desolate countries, And her cities shall be in the midst of the cities [that are] laid waste.
8 Then they will know that I [am] the LORD, When I have set a fire in Egypt And all her helpers are destroyed.
9 On that day messengers shall go forth from Me in ships To make the careless Ethiopians afraid, And great anguish shall come upon them, As on the day of Egypt; For indeed it is coming!"
10 ' Thus says the Lord GOD: "I will also make a multitude of Egypt to cease By the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.
11 He and his people with him, the most terrible of the nations, Shall be brought to destroy the land; They shall draw their swords against Egypt, And fill the land with the slain.
12 I will make the rivers dry, And sell the land into the hand of the wicked; I will make the land waste, and all that is in it, By the hand of aliens. I, the LORD, have spoken."
13 ' Thus says the Lord GOD: "I will also destroy the idols, And cause the images to cease from Noph; There shall no longer be princes from the land of Egypt; I will put fear in the land of Egypt.
14 I will make Pathros desolate, Set fire to Zoan, And execute judgments in No.
15 I will pour My fury on Sin, the strength of Egypt; I will cut off the multitude of No,
16 And set a fire in Egypt; Sin shall have great pain, No shall be split open, And Noph [shall be in] distress daily.
17 The young men of Aven and Pi Beseth shall fall by the sword, And these [cities] shall go into captivity.
18 At Tehaphnehes the day shall also be darkened, When I break the yokes of Egypt there. And her arrogant strength shall cease in her; As for her, a cloud shall cover her, And her daughters shall go into captivity.
19 Thus I will execute judgments on Egypt, Then they shall know that I [am] the LORD." ' "
20 And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first [month,] on the seventh [day] of the month, [that] the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
21 "Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and see, it has not been bandaged for healing, nor a splint put on to bind it, to make it strong enough to hold a sword.
22 "Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Surely I [am] against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and will break his arms, both the strong one and the one that was broken; and I will make the sword fall out of his hand.
23 'I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them throughout the countries.
24 'I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put My sword in his hand; but I will break Pharaoh's arms, and he will groan before him with the groanings of a mortally wounded [man.]
25 'Thus I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; they shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I put My sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he stretches it out against the land of Egypt.
26 'I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries. Then they shall know that I [am] the LORD.' "
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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