« | Exodus 35 | » |
1 Moses assembled the whole Israelite community and said to them, "This is what the LORD has commanded to be done.
2 On six days work may be done, but the seventh day shall be sacred to you as the sabbath of complete rest to the LORD. Anyone who does work on that day shall be put to death.
3 You shall not even light a fire in any of your dwellings on the sabbath day."
4 Moses told the whole Israelite community, "This is what the LORD has commanded:
5 Take up among you a collection for the LORD. Everyone, as his heart prompts him, shall bring, as a contribution to the LORD, gold, silver and bronze;
6 violet, purple and scarlet yarn; fine linen and goat hair;
7 rams' skins dyed red, and tahash skins; acacia wood;
8 oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense;
9 onyx stones and other gems for mounting on the ephod and on the breastpiece.
10 "Let every expert among you come and make all that the LORD has commanded: the Dwelling,
11 with its tent, its covering, its clasps, its boards, its bars, its columns and its pedestals;
12 the ark, with its poles, the propitiatory, and the curtain veil;
13 the table, with its poles and all its appurtenances, and the showbread;
14 the lampstand, with its appurtenances, the lamps, and the oil for the light;
15 the altar of incense, with its poles; the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense; the entrance curtain for the entrance of the Dwelling;
16 the altar of holocausts, with its bronze grating, its poles, and all its appurtenances; the laver, with its base;
17 the hangings of the court, with their columns and pedestals; the curtain for the entrance of the court;
18 the tent pegs for the Dwelling and for the court, with their ropes;
19 the service cloths for use in the sanctuary; the sacred vestments for Aaron, the priest, and the vestments worn by his sons in their ministry."
20 When the whole Israelite community left Moses' presence,
21 everyone, as his heart suggested and his spirit prompted, brought a contribution to the LORD for the construction of the meeting tent, for all its services, and for the sacred vestments.
22 Both the men and the women, all as their heart prompted them, brought brooches, earrings, rings, necklaces and various other gold articles. Everyone who could presented an offering of gold to the LORD.
23 Everyone who happened to have violet, purple or scarlet yarn, fine linen or goat hair, rams' skins dyed red or tahash skins, brought them.
24 Whoever could make a contribution of silver or bronze offered it to the LORD; and everyone who happened to have acacia wood for any part of the work, brought it.
25 All the women who were expert spinners brought hand-spun violet, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen thread.
26 All the women who possessed the skill, spun goat hair.
27 The princes brought onyx stones and other gems for mounting on the ephod and on the breastpiece;
28 as well as spices, and oil for the light, anointing oil, and fragrant incense.
29 Every Israelite man and woman brought to the LORD such voluntary offerings as they thought best, for the various kinds of work which the LORD had commanded Moses to have done.
30 Moses said to the Israelites, "See, the LORD has chosen Bezalel, son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,
31 and has filled him with a divine spirit of skill and understanding and knowledge in every craft:
32 in the production of embroidery, in making things of gold, silver or bronze,
33 in cutting and mounting precious stones, in carving wood, and in every other craft.
34 He has also given both him and Oholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others.
35 He has endowed them with skill to execute all types of work: engraving, embroidering, the making of variegated cloth of violet, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen thread, weaving, and all other arts and crafts.
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.