The Census

1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting^(A) in the Desert of Sinai^(B) on the first day of the second month^(C) of the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt.^(D) He said: ² “Take a census^(E) of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families,^(F) listing every man by name,^(G) one by one. ³ You and Aaron^(H) are to count according to their divisions all the men in Israel who are twenty years old or more^(I) and able to serve in the army.^{(J) 4} One man from each tribe,^(K) each of them the head of his family,^(L) is to help you.^{(M) 5} These are the names^(N) of the men who are to assist you:

¹⁶ These were the men appointed from the community, the leaders^(AM) of their ancestral tribes.^(AN) They were the heads of the clans of Israel.^(AO)

¹⁷ Moses and Aaron took these men whose names had been specified, ¹⁸ and they called the whole community together on the first day of the second month.^(AP) The people registered their ancestry^(AQ) by their clans and families,^(AR) and the men twenty years old or more^(AS) were listed by name, one by one, ¹⁹ as the Lord commanded Moses. And so he counted^(AT) them in the Desert of Sinai:

⁴⁴ These were the men counted by Moses and Aaron^(BV) and the twelve leaders of Israel, each one representing his family. ⁴⁵ All the Israelites twenty years old or more^(BW) who were able to serve in Israel’s army were counted according to their families.^{(BX) 46} The total number was 603,550.^(BY)

⁴⁷ The ancestral tribe of the Levites,^(BZ) however, was not counted^(CA) along with the others. ⁴⁸ The Lord had said to Moses: ⁴⁹ “You must not count the tribe of Levi or include them in the census of the other Israelites. ⁵⁰ Instead, appoint the Levites to be in charge of the tabernacle^(CB) of the covenant law^(CC)—over all its furnishings^(CD) and everything belonging to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings; they are to take care of it and encamp around it. ⁵¹ Whenever the tabernacle^(CE) is to move,^(CF) the Levites are to take it down, and whenever the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall do it.^(CG) Anyone else who approaches it is to be put to death.^{(CH) 52} The Israelites are to set up their tents by divisions, each of them in their own camp under their standard.^{(CI) 53} The Levites, however, are to set up their tents around the tabernacle^(CJ) of the covenant law so that my wrath will not fall^(CK) on the Israelite community. The Levites are to be responsible for the care of the tabernacle of the covenant law.^(CL)”

⁵⁴ The Israelites did all this just as the Lord commanded Moses.

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King^(A)(B)

11 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany^(C) at the Mount of Olives,^(D) Jesus sent two of his disciples, ² saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden.^(E) Untie it and bring it here. ³ If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’”

⁴ They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway.^(F) As they untied it, ⁵ some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” ⁶ They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. ⁷ When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. ⁸ Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. ⁹ Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,

¹¹ Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.^(I)

Jesus Curses a Fig Tree and Clears the Temple Courts^(J)(K)(L)

¹² The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. ¹³ Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.^{(M) 14} Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.

¹⁵ On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, ¹⁶ and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. ¹⁷ And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’^[c]?^(N) But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’^[d]”^(O)

¹⁸ The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him,^(P) because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.^(Q)

¹⁹ When evening came, Jesus and his disciples^[e] went out of the city.^(R)

²⁰ In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. ²¹ Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi,^(S) look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”

²² “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. ²³ “Truly^[f] I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.^{(T) 24} Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.^{(U) 25} And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”^(V)