« | Leviticus 24 | » |
1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
2 "Command the children of Israel that they bring to you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to make the lamps burn continually.
3 "Outside the veil of the Testimony, in the tabernacle of meeting, Aaron shall be in charge of it from evening until morning before the LORD continually; [it shall be] a statute forever in your generations.
4 "He shall be in charge of the lamps on the pure [gold] lampstand before the LORD continually.
5 " And you shall take fine flour and bake twelve cakes with it. Two-tenths [of an ephah] shall be in each cake.
6 "You shall set them in two rows, six in a row, on the pure [gold] table before the LORD.
7 "And you shall put pure frankincense on [each] row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, an offering made by fire to the LORD.
8 "Every Sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, [being taken] from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant.
9 "And it shall be for Aaron and his sons, and they shall eat it in a holy place; for it [is] most holy to him from the offerings of the LORD made by fire, by a perpetual statute."
10 Now the son of an Israelite woman, whose father [was] an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel; and this Israelite [woman's] son and a man of Israel fought each other in the camp.
11 And the Israelite woman's son blasphemed the name [of the] [Lord] and cursed; and so they brought him to Moses. (His mother's name [was] Shelomith the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.)
12 Then they put him in custody, that the mind of the LORD might be shown to them.
13 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
14 "Take outside the camp him who has cursed; then let all who heard [him] lay their hands on his head, and let all the congregation stone him.
15 "Then you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin.
16 'And whoever blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall certainly stone him, the stranger as well as him who is born in the land. When he blasphemes the name [of the] [Lord,] he shall be put to death.
17 ' Whoever kills any man shall surely be put to death.
18 'Whoever kills an animal shall make it good, animal for animal.
19 'If a man causes disfigurement of his neighbor, as he has done, so shall it be done to him --
20 'fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he has caused disfigurement of a man, so shall it be done to him.
21 'And whoever kills an animal shall restore it; but whoever kills a man shall be put to death.
22 'You shall have the same law for the stranger and for one from your own country; for I [am] the LORD your God.' "
23 Then Moses spoke to the children of Israel; and they took outside the camp him who had cursed, and stoned him with stones. So the children of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses.
The New King James Version (NKJV)
The New King James Version (NKJV) is a modern translation of the Bible that seeks to preserve the stylistic and literary beauty of the original King James Version (KJV) while making it more accessible to contemporary readers. The project to create the NKJV began in 1975, spearheaded by Arthur Farstad and a team of over 130 scholars, theologians, and pastors. They aimed to maintain the traditional language and rhythm of the KJV while updating archaic terms and expressions to be more understandable for modern audiences. The translation was completed and published in 1982, offering a blend of reverence for the past and clarity for the present.
One of the defining features of the NKJV is its commitment to the Textus Receptus, the same Greek text underlying the New Testament of the KJV. This ensures a high degree of continuity between the two versions, making the NKJV familiar to those who have long cherished the KJV. However, the NKJV also considers findings from more recent scholarship and textual criticism, incorporating insights from the latest manuscripts and research. This approach helps to balance respect for the historical text with a recognition of the advancements in biblical studies.
The NKJV has been praised for its readability and poetic qualities, which make it suitable for both private study and public worship. Its translators worked diligently to preserve the lyrical and memorable phrasing of the KJV, which has deeply influenced English literature and religious practice. By modernizing the language without compromising the text’s inherent dignity and solemnity, the NKJV has become a popular choice among those who value both accuracy and elegance in their Bible reading.
Despite its strengths, the NKJV has faced criticism from some quarters. Critics argue that by adhering too closely to the Textus Receptus, it may not fully reflect the breadth of available manuscript evidence. Others feel that it may still be too archaic for some readers, especially those who are new to the Bible or who come from different linguistic backgrounds. Nonetheless, the NKJV remains a significant and respected translation, offering a bridge between the venerable tradition of the KJV and the needs of modern readers.