« | 1 Chronicles 9 | » |
1 The names of all the Israelites were listed in their family histories. Those family histories were put in the book, The History of the Kings of Israel. The people of Judah were made prisoners and forced to go to Babylon. They were taken there because they were not faithful to God.
2 The first people to come back and live in their own lands and towns were some Israelites, priests, Levites, and servants who work in the Temple.
3 These are the people from the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh who lived in Jerusalem:
4 Uthai was Ammihud's son. Ammihud was Omri's son. Omri was Imri's son. Imri was Bani's son. Bani was a descendant of Perez. Perez was Judah's son.
5 The Shilonites who lived in Jerusalem were Asaiah the oldest son and his sons.
6 The Zerahites who lived in Jerusalem were Jeuel and their relatives. There were 690 of them in all.
7 These are the people from the tribe of Benjamin who lived in Jerusalem: Sallu was Meshullam's son. Meshullam was Hodaviah's son. Hodaviah was Hassenuah's son.
8 Ibneiah was Jeroham's son. Elah was Uzzi's son. Uzzi was Micri's son. And Meshullam was Shephatiah's son. Shephatiah was Reuel's son. Reuel was Ibnijah's son.
9 The family history of Benjamin shows there were 956 of them living in Jerusalem. All these men were leaders in their families.
10 These are the priests who lived in Jerusalem: Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, Jakin, and
11 Azariah. Azariah was Hilkiah's son. Hilkiah was Meshullam's son. Meshullam was Zadok's son. Zadok was Meraioth's son. Meraioth was Ahitub's son. Ahitub was the important official responsible for God's Temple.
12 Also there was Jeroham's son, Adaiah. Jeroham was Pashhur's son. Pashhur was Malkijah's son. And there was Adiel's son, Maasai. Adiel was Jahzerah's son. Jahzerah was Meshullam's son. Meshullam was Meshillemith's son. Meshillemith was Immer's son.
13 There were 1760 priests. They were leaders of their families. They were responsible for the work of serving in God's Temple.
14 These are the people from the tribe of Levi who lived in Jerusalem: Hasshub's son, Shemaiah. Hasshub was Azrikam's son. Azrikam was Hashabiah's son. Hashabiah was a descendant of Merari.
15 Also living in Jerusalem were Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, and Mattaniah. Mattaniah was Mica's son. Mica was Zicri's son. Zicri was Asaph's son.
16 Obadiah was Shemaiah's son. Shemaiah was Galal's son. Galal was Jeduthun's son. Berekiah was Asa's son. Asa was Elkanah's son. Berekiah lived in the small towns near the people of Netophah.
17 These are the gatekeepers who lived in Jerusalem: Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their relatives. Shallum was their leader.
18 Now these men stand next to the King's Gate on the east side. They were the gatekeepers from the tribe of Levi.
19 Shallum was Kore's son. Kore was Ebiasaph's son. Ebiasaph was Korah's son. Shallum and his brothers were gatekeepers. They were from the family of Korah. They had the job of guarding the gates to the Holy Tent. They did this just as their ancestors had done before them. Their ancestors had the job of guarding the entrance to the Holy Tent.
20 In the past, Phinehas was in charge of the gatekeepers. Phinehas was Eleazar's son. The Lord was with Phinehas.
21 Zechariah was the gatekeeper at the entrance to the Holy Tent.
22 In all there were 212 men who were chosen to guard the gates of the Holy Tent. Their names were written in their family histories in their small towns. David and Samuel the seer chose these men because they could be trusted.
23 The gatekeepers and their descendants had the responsibility of guarding the gates of the Lord's house, the Holy Tent.
24 There were gates on the four sides: east, west, north, and south.
25 The gatekeepers' relatives who lived in the small towns had to come and help them at certain times. They came and helped the gatekeepers for seven days each time.
26 There were four gatekeepers who were the leaders of all the gatekeepers. They were Levites. They had the job of caring for the rooms and treasures in God's Temple.
27 They stayed up all night guarding God's Temple, and they had the job of opening God's Temple every morning.
28 Some of the gatekeepers had the job of caring for the dishes used in the Temple services. They counted them when they were brought in. They also counted these dishes when they were taken out.
29 Other gatekeepers were chosen to care for the furniture and the special dishes. They also took care of the flour, wine, oil, incense, and special oil.
30 But it was the priests who had the job of mixing the special oil.
31 There was a Levite named Mattithiah who had the job of baking the bread used for the offerings. Mattithiah was Shallum's oldest son. Shallum was from the Korah family.
32 Some of the gatekeepers who were in the Korah family had the job of preparing the bread put on the table every Sabbath.
33 The Levites who were singers and leaders of their families stayed in the rooms at the Temple. They did not have to do other work because they were responsible for the work in the Temple day and night.
34 All these Levites were leaders of their families. They were listed as leaders in their family histories. They lived in Jerusalem.
35 Jeiel was Gibeon's father. Jeiel lived in the town of Gibeon. His wife was named Maacah.
36 Jeiel's oldest son was Abdon. Other sons were Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab,
37 Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth.
38 Mikloth was Shimeam's father. Jeiel's family lived near their relatives in Jerusalem.
39 Ner was Kish's father. Kish was Saul's father. And Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malki Shua, Abinadab, and Esh Baal.
40 Jonathan's son was Merib Baal. Merib Baal was Micah's father.
41 Micah's sons were Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and Ahaz.
42 Ahaz was Jadah's father. Jadah was Jarah's father. Jarah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri was Moza's father.
43 Moza was the father of Binea. Rephaiah was Binea's son. Eleasah was Rephaiah's son. And Azel was Eleasah's son.
44 Azel had six sons. Their names were Azrikam, Bokeru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. They were Azel's children.
The Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)
The Easy-To-Read Version (ERV) is a Bible translation specifically designed to be accessible and comprehensible for people with limited reading skills or those for whom English is a second language. Originally published in 1987 by the World Bible Translation Center, the ERV was initially developed to serve the deaf community, using a simplified vocabulary and straightforward sentence structures. The goal of the ERV is to make the scriptures understandable to a wide range of readers, ensuring that everyone can grasp the essential messages of the Bible without being hindered by complex language or archaic terms.
One of the defining characteristics of the ERV is its commitment to clarity and simplicity. The translators employed a thought-for-thought translation philosophy, focusing on conveying the meaning of the original texts in plain, everyday English. This approach ensures that readers can easily comprehend the Bible’s teachings and narratives, making it a valuable resource for children, new Christians, and those with limited literacy skills. The ERV avoids technical theological terms and instead uses language that is commonly spoken, making it accessible for personal study and public reading alike.
The ERV also pays careful attention to the cultural and contextual nuances of the original manuscripts. The translators sought to present the Bible’s messages in a way that is relevant and meaningful to contemporary readers while maintaining faithfulness to the original texts. This cultural sensitivity helps bridge the gap between ancient scriptures and modern readers, allowing them to connect more deeply with the biblical stories and teachings. Additionally, the ERV includes helpful footnotes and cross-references that provide further explanation and context, enhancing the reader’s understanding of the text.
Despite its strengths, the ERV has faced some criticism from those who prefer more traditional or literal translations. Critics argue that the simplified language and thought-for-thought approach can sometimes result in a loss of depth and richness found in the original texts. Some theologians believe that the ERV’s emphasis on accessibility may lead to oversimplification of complex theological concepts. Nonetheless, the Easy-To-Read Version remains a highly valuable translation for its target audience, offering a clear and approachable rendition of the Bible that helps people of all backgrounds engage with and understand the scriptures.