« | Genesis 9 | » |
1 God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, "Have many children. Fill the earth with your people.
2 Every animal on earth, every bird in the air, every animal that crawls on the ground, and every fish in the sea will be afraid of you. All of them will be under your control.
3 In the past, I gave you the green plants to eat. Now every animal will also be food for you. I give you everything on earth—it is yours.
4 But I give you one command. You must not eat meat that still has its life (blood) in it.
5 Also, I will demand your blood for your lives. That is, I will demand the life of any person or animal that takes a human life.
6 "God made humans to be like himself. So whoever kills a person must be killed by a person.
7 "Have many children and fill the earth with your people."
8 Then God said to Noah and his sons,
9 "I now make my promise to you and to your people who will live after you.
10 I make my promise to all the birds, and to all the cattle, and to all the animals that came out of the boat with you. I make my promise to every living thing on earth.
11 This is my promise to you: All life on the earth was destroyed by the flood. But that will never happen again. A flood will never again destroy all life on the earth."
12 And God said, "I will give you something to prove that I made this promise to you. It will continue forever to show that I have made an agreement with you and every living thing on earth. This agreement will continue for all time to come. This is the proof:
13 I am putting a rainbow in the clouds as proof of the agreement between me and the earth.
14 When I bring clouds over the earth, you will see the rainbow in the clouds.
15 When I see this rainbow, I will remember the agreement between me and you and every living thing on the earth. This agreement says that a flood will never again destroy all life on the earth.
16 When I look and see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the agreement that continues forever. I will remember the agreement between me and every living thing on the earth."
17 So God said to Noah, "This rainbow is proof of the agreement that I made with all living things on earth."
18 Noah's sons came out of the boat with him. Their names were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.)
19 These three men were Noah's sons. And all the people on earth came from these three sons.
20 Noah became a farmer and planted a vineyard.
21 One day Noah made some wine. He got drunk, went into his tent, and took off all his clothes.
22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw that his father was naked and told his brothers who were outside the tent.
23 Shem and Japheth took a robe, put it across their shoulders, and walked backward into the tent. Then they covered their father without looking at him.
24 Later, Noah woke up. (He was sleeping because of the wine.) When he learned what his youngest son Ham had done to him,
25 he said, "May there be a curse on Canaan! May he be a slave to his brothers."
26 Noah also said, "May the Lord, the God of Shem, be praised! May Canaan be Shem's slave.
27 May God give more land to Japheth. May God live in Shem's tents, and may Canaan be their slave."
28 After the flood Noah lived 350 years.
29 He lived a total of 950 years; then he died.
The Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)
The Easy-To-Read Version (ERV) is a Bible translation specifically designed to be accessible and comprehensible for people with limited reading skills or those for whom English is a second language. Originally published in 1987 by the World Bible Translation Center, the ERV was initially developed to serve the deaf community, using a simplified vocabulary and straightforward sentence structures. The goal of the ERV is to make the scriptures understandable to a wide range of readers, ensuring that everyone can grasp the essential messages of the Bible without being hindered by complex language or archaic terms.
One of the defining characteristics of the ERV is its commitment to clarity and simplicity. The translators employed a thought-for-thought translation philosophy, focusing on conveying the meaning of the original texts in plain, everyday English. This approach ensures that readers can easily comprehend the Bible’s teachings and narratives, making it a valuable resource for children, new Christians, and those with limited literacy skills. The ERV avoids technical theological terms and instead uses language that is commonly spoken, making it accessible for personal study and public reading alike.
The ERV also pays careful attention to the cultural and contextual nuances of the original manuscripts. The translators sought to present the Bible’s messages in a way that is relevant and meaningful to contemporary readers while maintaining faithfulness to the original texts. This cultural sensitivity helps bridge the gap between ancient scriptures and modern readers, allowing them to connect more deeply with the biblical stories and teachings. Additionally, the ERV includes helpful footnotes and cross-references that provide further explanation and context, enhancing the reader’s understanding of the text.
Despite its strengths, the ERV has faced some criticism from those who prefer more traditional or literal translations. Critics argue that the simplified language and thought-for-thought approach can sometimes result in a loss of depth and richness found in the original texts. Some theologians believe that the ERV’s emphasis on accessibility may lead to oversimplification of complex theological concepts. Nonetheless, the Easy-To-Read Version remains a highly valuable translation for its target audience, offering a clear and approachable rendition of the Bible that helps people of all backgrounds engage with and understand the scriptures.