« | Isaiah 22 | » |
1 The special word about the Valley of Visions: What is wrong, that you have all gone up to the house tops,
2 you who were full of noise, you loud town, you joy-filled city? Your dead were not killed with the sword. They did not die in battle.
3 All your rulers have run away together, and were taken without using the bow. All of you who were found were taken away together, even though you had run far away.
4 So I said, "Turn your eyes away from me. Let me cry with much sorrow. Do not try to comfort me about my people being destroyed."
5 For the Lord God of All has a day of fear, crushing down, and trouble in the Valley of Vision. There is a breaking down of walls and a crying out to the mountain.
6 Elam took up the arrows with the war-wagons, soldiers and horsemen. And Kir let the battle-covering be seen.
7 Your best valleys were full of war-wagons, and the horsemen took their places at the gate.
8 Then God took away the safe-covering of Judah. In that day you trusted in the objects you had to fight with that were stored in the house among the trees.
9 You saw that there were many broken places in the wall of the city of David. You stored water in the lower pool.
10 Then you numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and tore down houses to make the wall stronger.
11 You made a place to store water between the two walls for the waters of the old pool. But you did not trust in God Who made it. You did not think about Him Who planned it long ago.
12 So in that day the Lord God of All called you to cry in sorrow, to cut off the hair from your head, and to wear cloth made from hair.
13 But instead, there is joy and happiness, killing of cattle and sheep, eating of meat, and drinking of wine. You say, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."
14 But the Lord of All has made Himself known to me. The Lord God of All says, "For sure you will not be forgiven for this sin until you die."
15 The Lord God of All says, "Come, go to this person in Shebna who is taking care of the king's house. Say to him,
16 'What right do you have here? Who told you that you could cut out a grave for yourself here? You cut out a grave on a high place! You cut a resting place for yourself in the rock!
17 See, the Lord will throw you away without pity, O you strong man. He will take a strong hold of you
18 and roll you up like a ball to be thrown into a wide land. There you will die, and there your great war-wagons will be. You are a shame to your king's house.'
19 I will throw you out of your place of power. I will take you down from your place.
20 In that day I will call My servant Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah.
21 I will clothe him with your coat, and tie your belt around him. I will give him the power you had. He will become a father to the people of Jerusalem and to the family of Judah.
22 Then I will put on his shoulder the rule of the family of David. What he opens, no one will shut. What he shuts, no one will open.
23 I will drive him like a nail in a hard place. He will become a throne of honor to his father's house.
24 So they will put on him all the honor of his father's house, and of his children, and every little dish, from the cups to all the jars.
25 "In that day," says the Lord of All, "the nail driven in a hard place will give way. It will break off and fall, and the load hanging on it will be cut off. For the Lord has spoken."
The New Life Version (NLV)
The New Life Version (NLV) is a unique English translation of the Bible designed to be exceptionally easy to read and understand. First published in 1969, the NLV was created by Gleason Ledyard, a missionary and linguist, to make the Scriptures accessible to people who have limited English proficiency or are new to the language. Ledyard’s aim was to provide a Bible that even those with minimal education could read and comprehend, thus opening the door for a wider audience to engage with the biblical texts.
A defining characteristic of the New Life Version is its use of a limited vocabulary of about 850 basic English words, along with some necessary theological terms. This restricted vocabulary ensures that the language remains simple and straightforward, making the text accessible to young readers, new Christians, and those for whom English is a second language. The translators also avoided idiomatic expressions and complex sentence structures, further enhancing clarity and understanding. This makes the NLV a particularly valuable resource for educational and missionary work.
The NLV also emphasizes faithfulness to the original texts, despite its simplified language. The translation aims to maintain the integrity and message of the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts. By carefully choosing words that accurately convey the meaning of the original texts while ensuring simplicity, the NLV provides a balance between accessibility and fidelity. Additionally, the NLV includes explanatory footnotes and cross-references that help readers understand the context and deeper meanings of the passages, making it a useful tool for both personal study and group teaching.
However, the New Life Version is not without its critics. Some scholars and traditionalists argue that the limited vocabulary and simplified language can lead to a loss of nuance and depth found in the original texts. They suggest that the NLV’s focus on simplicity may sometimes oversimplify complex theological concepts. Despite these criticisms, the New Life Version remains a valuable translation for its intended audience, offering a clear and approachable rendition of the Bible that helps a wide range of readers engage with the Scriptures and grow in their faith.