« | Ezekiel 4 | » |
1 "You also, son of man, take a clay tablet and lay it before you, and portray on it a city, Jerusalem.
2 "Lay siege against it, build a siege wall against it, and heap up a mound against it; set camps against it also, and place battering rams against it all around.
3 "Moreover take for yourself an iron plate, and set it [as] an iron wall between you and the city. Set your face against it, and it shall be besieged, and you shall lay siege against it. This [will be] a sign to the house of Israel.
4 " Lie also on your left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it. [According] to the number of the days that you lie on it, you shall bear their iniquity.
5 "For I have laid on you the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days; so you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel.
6 "And when you have completed them, lie again on your right side; then you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days. I have laid on you a day for each year.
7 "Therefore you shall set your face toward the siege of Jerusalem; your arm [shall be] uncovered, and you shall prophesy against it.
8 "And surely I will restrain you so that you cannot turn from one side to another till you have ended the days of your siege.
9 " Also take for yourself wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt; put them into one vessel, and make bread of them for yourself. [During] the number of days that you lie on your side, three hundred and ninety days, you shall eat it.
10 "And your food which you eat [shall be] by weight, twenty shekels a day; from time to time you shall eat it.
11 "You shall also drink water by measure, one-sixth of a hin; from time to time you shall drink.
12 "And you shall eat it [as] barley cakes; and bake it using fuel of human waste in their sight."
13 Then the LORD said, "So shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, where I will drive them."
14 So I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Indeed I have never defiled myself from my youth till now; I have never eaten what died of itself or was torn by beasts, nor has abominable flesh ever come into my mouth."
15 Then He said to me, "See, I am giving you cow dung instead of human waste, and you shall prepare your bread over it."
16 Moreover He said to me, "Son of man, surely I will cut off the supply of bread in Jerusalem; they shall eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and shall drink water by measure and with dread,
17 "that they may lack bread and water, and be dismayed with one another, and waste away because of their iniquity.
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.
Despite its strengths, the NKJV has faced criticism from some quarters. Critics argue that by adhering too closely to the Textus Receptus, it may not fully reflect the breadth of available manuscript evidence. Others feel that it may still be too archaic for some readers, especially those who are new to the Bible or who come from different linguistic backgrounds. Nonetheless, the NKJV remains a significant and respected translation, offering a bridge between the venerable tradition of the KJV and the needs of modern readers.