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NASB | 2 Samuel 21:19 There was war with the Philistines again at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver's beam. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 2 Samuel 21:19 There was war with the Philistines again at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim, a Bethlehemite, killed Goliath the Gittite, whose spear shaft was like a weaver's beam. |
Subject: The NKJV? |
Bible Note: Colin, herewith a "second" to your notion that KJV locutions do indeed induce word studies by causing the modern reader to pause and reflect on what exactly the Elizabethan-age translators were driving at with their curious words and sentence constructions. For a half-dozen years my wife and I have attended a Thursday evening "cottage" Bible study group composed, by the way, of Presbyterians, Methodists and Baptists -- a motley crew, perhaps, but we're congenial! I teach the class occasionally and usually use the NASB, but the man who teaches it more frequently uses the KJV. Recently he asked someone to read a verse from 2 Chronicles and this dear old lady who is a member of the class, who is on record as saying "I just love my Living Bible; it's so easy to understand," read the passage aloud from her beloved Living Bible. The verse from the Living Bible, as would be expected, resembled the KJV rendition like a porcupine resembles a swan. So the teacher jokingly asked if any of the rest of us happened to have brought a real translation of the Bible with us!..... But being serious for a moment, Colin, I do think you make a good point: trying to manage the KJV does (or certainly should) demand that the careful reader delve into grammar, syntax and vocabulary to a much greater degree than some of the contemporary translations do, and that's good! The KJV is packed with richness of meaning and beauty of language that have never been quite equalled by any subsequent translation. If one has neither the time nor inclination to unlock the treasure chest afforded by the King James Bible, then the NASB among newer works is hard to beat for literal accuracy. The Living Bible is a sterling example of the ever-growing genre of loosey-goosey paraphrased imitation Bibles to avoid. And, of course, if one prefers to be politically and socially, but not theologically, correct these days, then the TNIV or some other gender-neutral version should fit in nicely. And of course I would surmise that those who thus favor these doctored-up translations will wish you Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas, and render the Pater Noster as Our Parent. :-) --Hank |