« | Exodus 8 | » |
1 Then the Lord told Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and tell him that the Lord says, 'Let my people go to worship me!
2 If you refuse to let my people go, then I will fill Egypt with frogs.
3 The Nile River will be filled with frogs. They will come from the river and enter your houses. They will be in your bedrooms and in your beds. They will be in the houses of your officials and in your ovens and in your jars of water.
4 The frogs will be all over you, your people, and your officials.'"
5 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Tell Aaron to hold the walking stick in his hand over the canals, rivers, and lakes. Then the frogs will come out onto the land of Egypt."
6 So Aaron raised his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs began coming out of the water and covered the land of Egypt.
7 The magicians used their magic to do the same thing—so even more frogs came out onto the land in Egypt!
8 Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, "Ask the Lord to remove the frogs from me and my people. I will let the people go to offer sacrifices to the Lord."
9 Moses said to Pharaoh, "I will pray for you, your people, and your officials. Then the frogs will leave you and your houses. They will remain only in the river. When do you want the frogs to go away?"
10 Pharaoh said, "Tomorrow." Moses said, "It will happen as you say. In this way you will know that there is no god like the Lord our God.
11 The frogs will leave you, your house, your officials, and your people. They will remain only in the river."
12 Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh. Moses prayed to the Lord about the frogs he had sent against Pharaoh.
13 And the Lord did what Moses asked. The frogs died in the houses, in the yards, and in the fields.
14 They began to rot, and the whole country began to stink.
15 But when Pharaoh saw that they were free of the frogs, he again became stubborn. Pharaoh did not do what Moses and Aaron had asked him to do. This happened just as the Lord had said.
16 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Tell Aaron to raise his stick and hit the dust on the ground, and everywhere in Egypt dust will become lice."
17 They did this. Aaron raised the stick in his hand and hit the dust on the ground, and everywhere in Egypt the dust became lice. The lice got on the animals and the people.
18 The magicians used their magic and tried to do the same thing. But the magicians could not make lice come from the dust. The lice remained on the animals and the people.
19 So the magicians told Pharaoh that the power of God did this. But Pharaoh refused to listen to them. This happened just as the Lord had said.
20 The Lord said to Moses, "Get up in the morning and go to Pharaoh. He will go out to the river. Tell him that the Lord says, 'Let my people go and worship me!
21 If you don't let my people go, then flies will come into your houses. The flies will be on you and your officials. The houses of Egypt will be full of flies. They will be all over the ground too!
22 But I will not treat the Israelites the same as the Egyptians. There will not be any flies in Goshen, where my people live. In this way you will know that I, the Lord, am in this land.
23 So tomorrow I will treat my people differently from your people. This will be my proof.'"
24 So the Lord did just what he said. Millions of flies came into Egypt. The flies were in Pharaoh's house, and they were in all his officials' houses. They were all over Egypt. The flies were ruining the country.
25 So Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and told them, "Offer sacrifices to your God here in this country."
26 But Moses said, "It would not be right to do that. The Egyptians think it is terrible to kill animals as sacrifices for the Lord our God. If we do this here, the Egyptians will see us and throw stones at us and kill us.
27 Let us go three days into the desert and offer sacrifices to the Lord our God. This is what the Lord told us to do."
28 So Pharaoh said, "I will let you go and offer sacrifices to the Lord your God in the desert, but you must not go very far. Now, go and pray for me."
29 Moses said, "Look, I will leave and ask the Lord to remove the flies from you, your people, and your officials tomorrow. But you must not stop the people from offering sacrifices to the Lord."
30 So Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord.
31 And the Lord did what Moses asked. He removed the flies from Pharaoh, his officials, and his people. None of the flies remained.
32 But Pharaoh again became stubborn and did not let the people go.
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.