« | Judges 21 |
1 And the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, Not one of us shall give his daughter to Benjamin for a wife.
2 And the people came to the house of God and stayed there until evening before God, and lifted up their voice and wept grievously,
3 and said, O, Jehovah, the God of Israel, Why has this happened in Israel, that there should be today one tribe lacking in Israel?
4 And it happened on the next day the people rose early and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
5 And the sons of Israel said, Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that did not come up with the congregation to Jehovah? For they had made a great oath concerning him who did not come up to Jehovah to Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to death.
6 And the sons of Israel repented themselves for Benjamin their brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.
7 What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since we have sworn by Jehovah that we will not give them of our daughters for wives?
8 And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel that did not come up to Mizpeh to Jehovah? And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabesh-gilead to the assembly.
9 For the people were numbered, and behold, none of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead were there.
10 And the congregation sent there twelve thousand men of the most valiant, and commanded them, saying, Go, and you shall strike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the sword, with the women and the sons.
11 And this is the thing that you shall do. You shall utterly destroy every male and every woman who has lain with man.
12 And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young virgins who had known no man by lying with any male. And they brought them to the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
13 And the whole congregation sent to speak to the sons of Benjamin who were in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably to them.
14 And Benjamin came again at that time. And they gave them wives whom they had saved alive, of the women of Jabesh-gilead. And yet so they were not enough for them.
15 And the people repented themselves for Benjamin, because Jehovah had made a break in the tribes of Israel.
16 And the elders of the congregation said, What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?
17 And they said, There must be an inheritance for those of Benjamin who have escaped, so that a tribe may not be destroyed out of Israel.
18 However, we may not give them wives of our daughters. For the sons of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed is he who gives a wife to Benjamin.
19 Then they said, Behold, there is a feast of Jehovah in Shiloh yearly on the north side of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.
20 And they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards,
21 and see, and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then you come out of the vineyards and catch you a wife for every man from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.
22 And it shall be, when their fathers or their brothers come to us to complain, we will say to them, Be favorable to them for our sakes, because we did not reserve each man a wife in the war. For if you did not give to them at this time, you would be guilty.
23 And the sons of Benjamin did so, and took wives according to their number, from those that danced, whom they caught. And they went and returned to their inheritance, and repaired the cities and lived in them.
24 And the sons of Israel departed from there at that time, each man to his tribe and to his family. And they went out from there every man to his inheritance.
25 In those days there was no king in Israel. Every man did the right in his own eyes.
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.