« | Genesis 35 | » |
1 And God said to Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and live there. And make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.
2 Then Jacob said to his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods among you, and be clean, and change your garments.
3 And let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.
4 And they gave all the strange gods which were in their hands to Jacob, and the earrings in their ears. And Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.
5 And they moved. And the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob.
6 And Jacob came to Luz in the land of Canaan, that is, Bethel, he and all the people with him.
7 And he built an altar there and called the place El-bethel, because God appeared to him there when he fled from the face of his brother.
8 But Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died, and she was buried beneath Bethel, under an oak. And the name of it was called Oak of Weeping.
9 And God appeared to Jacob again when he came out of Padan-aram and blessed him.
10 And God said to him, Your name is Jacob. Your name shall not be called Jacob any more, but Israel shall be your name. And He called his name Israel.
11 And God said to him, I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall be from you, and kings shall come out of your loins.
12 And the land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give to you, and to your seed after you I will give the land.
13 And God went up from him in the place where He talked with him.
14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He talked with him, a pillar of stone. And he poured a drink offering on it, and he poured oil on it.
15 And Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him, Bethel.
16 And they moved from Bethel. And there was only a length of land to come to Ephrath. And Rachel travailed, and she had hard labor in her bearing.
17 And it happened when she was in hard labor in her bearing, the midwife said to her, Do not fear, you shall have this son also.
18 And it happened as her soul was departing (for she died) that she called his name Benoni. But his father called him Benjamin.
19 And Rachel died and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.
20 And Jacob set up a pillar upon her grave. That is the pillar of Rachel's grave to this day.
21 And Israel moved, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar.
22 And it happened when Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine. And Israel heard it. And the sons of Jacob were twelve:
23 The sons of Leah: Reuben, Jacob's first-born, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun.
24 The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.
25 And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's slave woman: Dan and Naphtali.
26 And the sons of Zilpah, Leah's slave woman: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob born to him in Padan-aram.
27 And Jacob came to his father Isaac, to Mamre, to the city of Arba, which is Hebron, where Abraham had lived, and Isaac.
28 And the days of Isaac were a hundred and eighty years.
29 And Isaac expired and died, and was gathered to his people, old and satisfied of days. And his sons, Esau and Jacob, buried him.
The Modern King James Version (MKJV)
The Modern King James Version (MKJV) is a contemporary English translation of the Bible that aims to preserve the majesty and accuracy of the original King James Version (KJV) while updating its language for modern readers. Developed by Jay P. Green Sr. and first published in 1990, the MKJV seeks to maintain the literary beauty and doctrinal reliability of the KJV, making only necessary adjustments to archaic terms and phrases to enhance readability. This careful balance allows the MKJV to retain the classic feel of the KJV while making it more accessible to today’s audience.
One of the standout features of the MKJV is its commitment to formal equivalence, or word-for-word translation. The translators have meticulously preserved the structure and vocabulary of the KJV, only updating words and phrases that have become outdated or whose meanings have shifted over time. This approach ensures that the MKJV remains faithful to the original texts and maintains the theological and literary integrity of the KJV. By preserving the cadence and phrasing of the original, the MKJV offers a reading experience that is both familiar and refreshed for modern readers.
The MKJV also pays special attention to the textual basis of the translation. Like the KJV, it relies on the Textus Receptus for the New Testament and the Masoretic Text for the Old Testament. This adherence to traditional source texts underscores the MKJV’s commitment to continuity with the historic Christian tradition. The translation is designed to serve both devotional and scholarly purposes, providing a text that is suitable for study, teaching, and public reading in a variety of settings.
Despite its strengths, the Modern King James Version has faced some criticism. Some scholars and readers argue that the translation could benefit from a more extensive revision to fully embrace contemporary language, suggesting that the MKJV’s adherence to the structure and style of the KJV may still pose challenges for modern readers. Others appreciate the balance it strikes but note that it occupies a niche space, appealing primarily to those who have a strong attachment to the KJV. Nonetheless, the MKJV remains a respected and valued translation for those seeking a modern update of the KJV that honors its rich heritage and timeless message.