« | Numbers 5 | » |
1 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
2 Command the sons of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper and everyone that has an issue, and whoever is defiled by a dead body.
3 You shall put out both male and female. You shall put them outside the camp so that they do not defile their camps in the midst of which I dwell.
4 And the sons of Israel did so, and put them out outside the camp. Even as Jehovah spoke to Moses, so the sons of Israel did.
5 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
6 Speak to the sons of Israel: When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to commit a trespass against Jehovah, and that person is guilty,
7 then they shall confess their sin which they have done. And he shall make restitution for his guilt in full, and add to it one fifth of it, and give it to him against whom he has sinned.
8 But if the man has no kinsman to whom he may make restitution for the guilt, the guilt which is restored shall be given to Jehovah, to the priest, besides the ram of the atonement by which an atonement shall be made for him.
9 And every offering of all the holy things of the sons of Israel which they shall bring to the priest, shall be his.
10 And every man's devoted things shall be his. Whatever any man gives the priest, it shall be his.
11 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
12 Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, If any man's wife goes astray, and has committed a trespass against him,
13 and a man lie with her carnally, and if it is hidden from the eyes of her husband and is kept hidden, and she is defiled, and there is no witness against her, neither is she taken in the act;
14 and if the spirit of jealousy comes upon him and he is jealous of his wife, and she is defiled-- or if the spirit of jealousy comes upon him and he is jealous of his wife, and she is not defiled--
15 then the man shall bring his wife to the priest. And he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth of an ephah of barley meal. He shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense on it, for it is an offering of jealousy, a reminding offering, bringing iniquity to mind.
16 And the priest shall bring her near and set her before Jehovah.
17 And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel. And the priest shall take of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water.
18 And the priest shall set the woman before Jehovah, and uncover the woman's head, and put the reminding offering in her hands, which is the jealousy offering. And the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causes the curse.
19 And the priest shall charge her by an oath, and say to the woman, If no man has lain with you, and if you have not gone aside to uncleanness, being under your husband, you are free from this bitter water that causes the curse.
20 But if you have gone aside, being under your husband, and if you are defiled and some man besides your husband has given his semen to you,
21 then the priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing. And the priest shall say to the woman, Jehovah make you a curse and an oath among your people, when Jehovah makes your thigh to fall away and your belly to swell.
22 And this water that causes the curse shall go into your bowels to make your belly swell and your thigh fall away. And the woman shall say, Amen, amen.
23 And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out with the bitter water.
24 And he shall cause the woman to drink the bitter water that causes the curse. And the water that causes the curse shall enter into her and become bitter.
25 Then the priest shall take the jealousy offering out of the woman's hand and shall wave the offering before Jehovah, and offer it upon the altar.
26 And the priest shall take a handful of the offering, as a memorial of it, and burn it upon the altar, and afterward he shall cause the woman to drink the water.
27 And when he has made her drink the water, then it shall be, if she is defiled and has committed a trespass against her husband, the water that causes the curse shall enter into her and become bitter. And her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall fall away. And the woman shall be a curse among her people.
28 And if the woman is not defiled, but is clean, then she shall be clean, and shall conceive seed.
29 This is the law of jealousies when a woman goes aside, being under her husband, and is defiled.
30 Or when the spirit of jealousy comes on a man, and he is jealous over his wife, and shall set the woman before Jehovah, and the priest shall execute upon her all this law.
31 Then shall the man be guiltless from iniquity, and the woman shall bear her iniquity.
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.