« | Hosea 5 | » |
1 Hear this, O priests, Pay attention, O house of Israel, O household of the king, give ear! It is you who are called to judgment. For you have become a snare at Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor.
2 In their perversity they have sunk into wickedness, and I am rejected by them all.
3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from me; Now Ephraim has played the harlot, Israel is defiled.
4 Their deeds do not allow them to return to their God; For the spirit of harlotry is in them, and they do not recognize the LORD.
5 The arrogance of Israel bears witness against him; Ephraim stumbles in his guilt, and Judah stumbles with them.
6 With their flocks and their herds they shall go to seek the LORD, but they shall not find him; he has withdrawn himself from them.
7 They have been untrue to the LORD, for they have begotten illegitimate children; Now shall the new moon devour them together with their fields.
8 Blow the horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah! Sound the alarm in Beth-aven: "Look behind you, O Benjamin!"
9 Ephraim shall become a waste on the day of chastisement: Against the tribes of Israel I announce what is sure to be.
10 The princes of Judah have become like those that move a boundary line; Upon them I will pour out my wrath like water.
11 Is Ephraim maltreated, his rights violated? No, he has willingly gone after filth!
12 I am like a moth for Ephraim, like maggots for the house of Judah.
13 When Ephraim saw his infirmity, and Judah his sore, Ephraim went to Assyria, and Judah sent to the great king. But he cannot heal you nor take away your sore.
14 For I am like a lion to Ephraim, like a young lion to the house of Judah; It is I who rend the prey and depart, I carry it away and no one can save it from me.
15 I will go back to my place until they pay for their guilt and seek my presence.
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.