« | Isaiah 22 | » |
1 Oracle of the Valley of Vision: What is the matter with you now, that you have gone up, all of you, to the housetops,
2 O city full of noise and chaos, O wanton town! Your slain are not slain with the sword, nor killed in battle.
3 All your leaders fled away together, fled afar off; All who were in you were captured together, captured without the use of a bow.
4 At this I say: Turn away from me, let me weep bitterly; Do not try to comfort me for the ruin of the daughter of my people.
5 It is a day of panic, rout and confusion, from the Lord, the GOD of hosts, in the Valley of Vision. Walls crash; they cry for help to the mountains.
6 Elam takes up the quivers, Aram mounts the horses, and Kir uncovers the shields.
7 Your choice valleys are filled with chariots, and horses are posted at the gates,
8 and shelter over Judah is removed. On that day you looked to the weapons in the House of the Forest;
9 you saw that the breaches in the City of David were many; you collected the water of the lower pool.
10 You numbered the houses of Jerusalem, tearing some down to strengthen the wall;
11 you made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But you did not look to the city's Maker, nor did you consider him who built it long ago.
12 On that day the Lord, the GOD of hosts, called on you To weep and mourn, to shave your head and put on sackcloth.
13 But look! you feast and celebrate, you slaughter oxen and butcher sheep, You eat meat and drink wine: "Eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!"
14 This reaches the ears of the LORD of hosts-- You shall not be pardoned this wickedness till you die, says the Lord, the GOD of hosts.
15 Thus says the Lord, the GOD of hosts: Up, go to that official, Shebna, master of the palace,
16 Who has hewn for himself a sepulcher on a height and carved his tomb in the rock: "What are you doing here, and what people have you here, that here you have hewn for yourself a tomb?"
17 The LORD shall hurl you down headlong, mortal man! He shall grip you firmly
18 And roll you up and toss you like a ball into an open land To perish there, you and the chariots you glory in, you disgrace to your master's house!
19 I will thrust you from your office and pull you down from your station.
20 On that day I will summon my servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah;
21 I will clothe him with your robe, and gird him with your sash, and give over to him your authority. He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.
22 I will place the key of the House of David on his shoulder; when he opens, no one shall shut, when he shuts, no one shall open.
23 I will fix him like a peg in a sure spot, to be a place of honor for his family;
24 On him shall hang all the glory of his family: descendants and offspring, all the little dishes, from bowls to jugs.
25 On that day, says the LORD of hosts, the peg fixed in a sure spot shall give way, break off and fall, and the weight that hung on it shall be done away with; for the LORD has spoken.
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.