« | Zechariah 11 | » |
1 Open your doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour your cedars!
2 Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen, for the glorious trees are ruined! Wail, oaks of Bashan, for the thick forest has been felled!
3 The sound of the wail of the shepherds, for their glory is ruined! The sound of the roar of the lions, for the thicket of the Jordan is ruined!
4 Thus said the LORD my God: "Become shepherd of the flock doomed to slaughter.
5 Those who buy them slaughter them and go unpunished, and those who sell them say, 'Blessed be the LORD, I have become rich,' and their own shepherds have no pity on them.
6 For I will no longer have pity on the inhabitants of this land, declares the LORD. Behold, I will cause each of them to fall into the hand of his neighbor, and each into the hand of his king, and they shall crush the land, and I will deliver none from their hand."
7 So I became the shepherd of the flock doomed to be slaughtered by the sheep traders. And I took two staffs, one I named Favor, the other I named Union. And I tended the sheep.
8 In one month I destroyed the three shepherds. But I became impatient with them, and they also detested me.
9 So I said, "I will not be your shepherd. What is to die, let it die. What is to be destroyed, let it be destroyed. And let those who are left devour the flesh of one another."
10 And I took my staff Favor, and I broke it, annulling the covenant that I had made with all the peoples.
11 So it was annulled on that day, and the sheep traders, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the LORD.
12 Then I said to them, "If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them." And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver.
13 Then the LORD said to me, "Throw it to the potter"- the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD, to the potter.
14 Then I broke my second staff Union, annulling the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
15 Then the LORD said to me, "Take once more the equipment of a foolish shepherd.
16 For behold, I am raising up in the land a shepherd who does not care for those being destroyed, or seek the young or heal the maimed or nourish the healthy, but devours the flesh of the fat ones, tearing off even their hoofs.
17 "Woe to my worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May the sword strike his arm and his right eye! Let his arm be wholly withered, his right eye utterly blinded!"
The English Standard Version (ESV)
The English Standard Version (ESV) is a prominent Bible translation that strives to balance word-for-word accuracy with readability. First published in 2001 by Crossway, the ESV was developed by a team of more than 100 leading evangelical scholars and pastors. It aims to provide a faithful rendering of the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts while maintaining the literary quality and stylistic beauty of the English language. This translation approach makes the ESV suitable for both personal study and public worship.
A key feature of the ESV is its commitment to formal equivalence, or essentially literal translation philosophy. This method prioritizes a close correspondence between the original languages and the English text, ensuring that the translation remains as true as possible to the original words and structures. The ESV translators worked meticulously to preserve the nuances and intricacies of the biblical languages, while also striving for clarity and smoothness in English. This balance makes the ESV highly regarded for its accuracy and readability.
The ESV is also known for its use in academic and scholarly settings. Its rigorous translation process and commitment to textual fidelity make it a reliable resource for in-depth Bible study and theological research. The translation includes extensive footnotes and cross-references that provide additional context and insights, helping readers to understand the historical, cultural, and linguistic background of the scriptures. The ESV’s clear and precise language has made it a preferred choice for pastors, scholars, and serious students of the Bible.
Despite its many strengths, the ESV has faced some criticism. Some readers and scholars argue that the translation’s formal equivalence approach can sometimes result in a text that is overly rigid and less fluid than more dynamic translations. Others have raised concerns about gender-specific language in the ESV, suggesting that it may not be as inclusive as some other modern translations. Nonetheless, the English Standard Version remains a highly respected and widely used translation, valued for its accuracy, readability, and commitment to preserving the original meaning of the biblical texts.