« | Exodus 36 | » |
1 "Bezalel, therefore, will set to work with Oholiab and with all the experts whom the LORD has endowed with skill and understanding in knowing how to execute all the work for the service of the sanctuary, just as the LORD has commanded."
2 Moses then called Bezalel and Oholiab and all the other experts whom the LORD had endowed with skill, men whose hearts moved them to come and take part in the work.
3 They received from Moses all the contributions which the Israelites had brought for establishing the service of the sanctuary. Still, morning after morning the people continued to bring their voluntary offerings to Moses.
4 Thereupon the experts who were executing the various kinds of work for the sanctuary, all left the work they were doing,
5 and told Moses, "The people are bringing much more than is needed to carry out the work which the LORD has commanded us to do."
6 Moses, therefore, ordered a proclamation to be made throughout the camp: "Let neither man nor woman make any more contributions for the sanctuary." So the people stopped bringing their offerings;
7 there was already enough at hand, in fact, more than enough, to complete the work to be done.
8 The various experts who were executing the work, made the Dwelling with its ten sheets woven of fine linen twined, having cherubim embroidered on them with violet, purple and scarlet yarn.
9 The length of each sheet was twenty-eight cubits, and the width four cubits; all the sheets were of the same size.
10 Five of the sheets were sewed together, edge to edge; and the same for the other five.
11 Loops of violet yarn were made along the edge of the end sheet in the first set, and the same along the edge of the end sheet in the second set.
12 Fifty loops were thus put on one inner sheet, and fifty loops on the inner sheet in the other set, with the loops directly opposite each other.
13 Then fifty clasps of gold were made, with which the sheets were joined so that the Dwelling formed one whole.
14 Sheets of goat hair were also woven as a tent over the Dwelling. Eleven such sheets were made.
15 The length of each sheet was thirty cubits and the width four cubits; all eleven sheets were the same size.
16 Five of these sheets were sewed edge to edge into one set; and the other six sheets into another set.
17 Fifty loops were made along the edge of the end sheet in one set, and fifty loops along the edge of the corresponding sheet in the other set.
18 Fifty bronze clasps were made with which the tent was joined so that it formed one whole.
19 A covering for the tent was made of rams' skins dyed red, and above that, a covering of tahash skins.
20 Boards of acacia wood were made as walls for the Dwelling.
21 The length of each board was ten cubits, and the width one and a half cubits.
22 Each board had two arms, fastening them in line. In this way all the boards of the Dwelling were made.
23 They were set up as follows: twenty boards on the south side,
24 with forty silver pedestals under the twenty boards, so that there were two pedestals under each board, at its two arms;
25 twenty boards on the other side of the Dwelling, the north side,
26 with their forty silver pedestals, two under each board;
27 six boards at the rear of the Dwelling, to the west;
28 and two boards at the corners in the rear of the Dwelling.
29 These were double at the bottom, and likewise double at the top, to the first ring. That is how both boards in the corners were made.
30 Thus, there were in the rear eight boards, with their sixteen silver pedestals, two pedestals under each board.
31 Bars of acacia wood were also made, five for the boards on one side of the Dwelling,
32 five for those on the other side, and five for those at the rear, to the west.
33 The center bar, at the middle of the boards, was made to reach across from end to end.
34 The boards were plated with gold, and gold rings were made on them as holders for the bars, which were also plated with gold.
35 The veil was woven of violet, purple and scarlet yarn, and of fine linen twined, with cherubim embroidered on it.
36 Four gold-plated columns of acacia wood, with gold hooks, were made for it, and four silver pedestals were cast for them.
37 The curtain for the entrance of the tent was made of violet, purple and scarlet yarn, and of fine linen twined, woven in a variegated manner.
38 Its five columns, with their hooks as well as their capitals and bands, were plated with gold; their five pedestals were of bronze.
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.