« | Jeremiah 47 | » |
1 This is the message from the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet about the Philistines. This message came before Pharaoh attacked the city of Gaza.
2 This is what the Lord says: "Look, the enemy is gathering in the north like rising waters. They will come like a river spilling over its banks. They will cover the whole country like a flood. They will cover the towns and the people living in them. Everyone living in the country will cry for help. They will all cry out in pain.
3 They will hear the sound of running horses, the noisy chariots, the rumbling wheels. Fathers will not be able to protect their children. They will be too weak to help,
4 because the time has come to destroy all the Philistines. The time has come to destroy Tyre and Sidon's remaining helpers. The Lord will destroy the Philistines. He will destroy the survivors from the Island of Crete.
5 The people from Gaza will be sad and shave their heads. The people from Ashkelon will be silenced. Survivors from the valley, how long will you cut yourselves?
6 "Sword of the Lord, you have not stopped. How long will you keep fighting? Go back into your scabbard! Stop! Be still!
7 But how can the sword of the Lord rest? The Lord gave it a command. He commanded it to attack the city of Ashkelon and the seacoast."
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.