Exodus 1 | » |
1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who, accompanied by their households, migrated with Jacob into Egypt:
2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah;
3 Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin;
4 Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher.
5 The total number of the direct descendants of Jacob was seventy. Joseph was already in Egypt.
6 Now Joseph and all his brothers and that whole generation died.
7 But the Israelites were fruitful and prolific. They became so numerous and strong that the land was filled with them.
8 Then a new king, who knew nothing of Joseph, came to power in Egypt.
9 He said to his subjects, "Look how numerous and powerful the Israelite people are growing, more so than we ourselves!
10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them to stop their increase; otherwise, in time of war they too may join our enemies to fight against us, and so leave our country."
11 Accordingly, taskmasters were set over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. Thus they had to build for Pharaoh the supply cities of Pithom and Raamses.
12 Yet the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread. The Egyptians, then, dreaded the Israelites
13 and reduced them to cruel slavery,
14 making life bitter for them with hard work in mortar and brick and all kinds of field work-- the whole cruel fate of slaves.
15 The king of Egypt told the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was called Shiphrah and the other Puah,
16 "When you act as midwives for the Hebrew women and see them giving birth, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, she may live."
17 The midwives, however, feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt had ordered them, but let the boys live.
18 So the king summoned the midwives and asked them, "Why have you acted thus, allowing the boys to live?"
19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, "The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women. They are robust and give birth before the midwife arrives."
20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives. The people, too, increased and grew strong.
21 And because the midwives feared God, he built up families for them.
22 Pharaoh then commanded all his subjects, "Throw into the river every boy that is born to the Hebrews, but you may let all the girls live."
The New American Standard Updated Version (NASU)
The New American Standard Updated Version (NASU) is a highly respected English translation of the Bible known for its rigorous adherence to the original languages of Scripture. First published in 1995 by the Lockman Foundation, the NASU is an update of the New American Standard Bible (NASB), which was originally completed in 1971. The NASU seeks to improve upon the NASB by enhancing readability and modernizing the language while maintaining the translation’s reputation for being one of the most literal translations available. This makes the NASU a preferred choice for serious Bible study, preaching, and teaching.
A key feature of the NASU is its commitment to formal equivalence, or a word-for-word translation philosophy. The translators aimed to produce a text that is as close as possible to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts. This approach ensures that the NASU captures the precise meaning and structure of the original texts, providing readers with a highly accurate and reliable representation of the Scriptures. The use of formal equivalence makes the NASU particularly valuable for those who desire a deep and detailed understanding of the Bible, including scholars, theologians, and students of the Word.
In updating the NASB, the NASU made several important changes to improve clarity and readability. While maintaining the accuracy and literalness of the translation, the NASU incorporates modern English expressions and smoother sentence structures. This makes the text more accessible to contemporary readers without compromising the precision that the NASB is known for. The NASU also includes updated cross-references and footnotes, which provide additional context and insights, further aiding in the study and understanding of the biblical text.
Despite its many strengths, the NASU has faced some criticism. Some readers and scholars argue that the translation’s emphasis on literalness can sometimes result in a text that feels stiff or less fluid than more dynamic translations. Additionally, while the NASU’s updated language makes it more accessible, some feel that it could go further in adapting to contemporary usage without losing its accuracy. Nevertheless, the New American Standard Updated Version remains a highly esteemed translation, valued for its fidelity to the original texts and its usefulness for in-depth study and precise interpretation of the Bible.