« | Isaiah 36 | » |
1 Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of the reign of Hezekiah, [that] Sennacherib, king of the Assyrians, came up against the strong cities of Judah, and took them.
2 And the king of the Assyrians sent Rabshakeh out of Lachish to Jerusalem, to King Hezekiah with a large force; and he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the way of the fuller's field.
3 And there went forth to him Eliakim the steward, the [son] of Hilkiah, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the [son] of Asaph, the recorder.
4 And Rabshakeh said to them, Say to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of the Assyrians, Why are you secure?
5 Is war carried on with counsel and [mere] words of the lips? And now on whom do you trust, that you rebel against me?
6 Behold, you trust on this bruised staff of reed, on Egypt; [as soon] as a man leans upon it, it shall go into his hand, and pierce it; so is Pharaoh king of Egypt and all that trust in him.
7 But if you say, We trust in the Lord our God;
8 yet now make an agreement with my lord the king of the Assyrians, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you shall be able to set riders upon them.
9 And how can you [then] turn to the face of the satraps? They that trust on the Egyptians for horse and rider are [our] servants.
10 And now, Have we come up against this land to fight against it without the Lord? The Lord said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
11 Then Eliakim, Shebna and Joah said to him, Speak to your servants in the Syrian tongue; for we understand [it]; and speak not to us in the Jewish tongue; and why do you speak in the ears of the men on the wall?
12 And Rabshakeh said to them, Has my lord sent me to your master or to you, to speak these words? [Has he] not [sent] me to the men that sit on the wall, that they may eat dung, and drink [their] water together with you?
13 And Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jewish language, and said, Hear the words of the great king, the king of the Assyrians:
14 Thus says the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you with words; he will not be able to deliver you.
15 And let not Hezekiah say to you, That God will deliver you, and this city will not at all be delivered into the hand of the king of the Assyrians.
16 Hearken not to Hezekiah; thus says the king of the Assyrians: If you wish to be blessed, come out to me; and you shall all eat [of] his own vine and his [own] fig trees, and you shall drink water out of your own cisterns;
17 until I come and take you to a land, like your own land, a land of grain and wine, and bread and vineyards.
18 Let not Hezekiah deceive you, saying, God will deliver you. Have the gods of the nations delivered each one his own land out of the hand of the king of the Assyrians?
19 Where is the god of Hamath, and Arpad? And where is the god of Sepharvaim? Have they been able to deliver Samaria out of my hand?
20 Which is the god of all these nations that has delivered his land out of my hand, that God should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?
21 And they were silent, and none answered him a word; because the king had commanded that none should answer.
22 And Eliakim the [son] of Hilkiah, the steward, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the [son] of Asaph the recorder, came in to Hezekiah, having torn their clothes, and they reported to him the words of Rabshakeh.
The Apostles’ Bible Complete (ABC)
The Apostles’ Bible Complete (ABC) is a modern translation of the Bible that strives to offer a clear and faithful rendering of the scriptures in contemporary language. This translation is designed to be accessible to a wide audience, providing an easy-to-read yet accurate version of the biblical text. The ABC translation aims to bridge the gap between the ancient languages in which the Bible was originally written and the modern vernacular, making it an ideal choice for both personal study and public reading.
One of the notable features of the Apostles’ Bible Complete is its dedication to maintaining the integrity of the original manuscripts. The translators of the ABC worked meticulously with the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts to ensure that their translation accurately reflects the original meaning and intent of the scriptures. By employing a balance of formal equivalence (word-for-word) and dynamic equivalence (thought-for-thought) translation techniques, the ABC aims to preserve the nuances and richness of the original languages while ensuring readability and clarity for modern readers.
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Despite its strengths, the Apostles’ Bible Complete has faced some criticisms. Some readers feel that the translation could benefit from further refinement in certain passages, as the balance between formal and dynamic equivalence can sometimes lead to inconsistencies in style and tone. Others have noted that while the study aids are helpful, they can occasionally overwhelm the main text, making it difficult to focus on the scripture itself. Nonetheless, the ABC remains a valuable and respected translation, appreciated for its commitment to accuracy, clarity, and accessibility, and for its ability to bring the ancient words of the Bible to life for contemporary readers.