¹⁵ “Make upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle. ¹⁶ Each frame is to be ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide,^{[a] 17} with two projections set parallel to each other. Make all the frames of the tabernacle in this way. ¹⁸ Make twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle ¹⁹ and make forty silver bases^(A) to go under them—two bases for each frame, one under each projection. ²⁰ For the other side, the north side of the tabernacle, make twenty frames ²¹ and forty silver bases^(B)—two under each frame. ²² Make six frames for the far end, that is, the west end of the tabernacle, ²³ and make two frames for the corners at the far end. ²⁴ At these two corners they must be double from the bottom all the way to the top and fitted into a single ring; both shall be like that. ²⁵ So there will be eight frames and sixteen silver bases—two under each frame.

²⁶ “Also make crossbars of acacia wood: five for the frames on one side of the tabernacle, ²⁷ five for those on the other side, and five for the frames on the west, at the far end of the tabernacle. ²⁸ The center crossbar is to extend from end to end at the middle of the frames. ²⁹ Overlay the frames with gold and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Also overlay the crossbars with gold.

³⁰ “Set up the tabernacle^(C) according to the plan^(D) shown you on the mountain.

Sheba Rebels Against David

20 Now a troublemaker named Sheba son of Bikri, a Benjamite, happened to be there. He sounded the trumpet and shouted,

² So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bikri. But the men of Judah stayed by their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

³ When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines^(D) he had left to take care of the palace and put them in a house under guard. He provided for them but had no sexual relations with them. They were kept in confinement till the day of their death, living as widows.

⁴ Then the king said to Amasa,^(E) “Summon the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and be here yourself.” ⁵ But when Amasa went to summon Judah, he took longer than the time the king had set for him.

⁶ David said to Abishai,^(F) “Now Sheba son of Bikri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your master’s men and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and escape from us.”^{[a] 7} So Joab’s men and the Kerethites^(G) and Pelethites and all the mighty warriors went out under the command of Abishai. They marched out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.

⁸ While they were at the great rock in Gibeon,^(H) Amasa came to meet them. Joab^(I) was wearing his military tunic, and strapped over it at his waist was a belt with a dagger in its sheath. As he stepped forward, it dropped out of its sheath.

⁹ Joab said to Amasa, “How are you, my brother?” Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. ¹⁰ Amasa was not on his guard against the dagger^(J) in Joab’s^(K) hand, and Joab plunged it into his belly, and his intestines spilled out on the ground. Without being stabbed again, Amasa died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bikri.

¹¹ One of Joab’s men stood beside Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!” ¹² Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road, and the man saw that all the troops came to a halt^(L) there. When he realized that everyone who came up to Amasa stopped, he dragged him from the road into a field and threw a garment over him. ¹³ After Amasa had been removed from the road, everyone went on with Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.

¹⁴ Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel Beth Maakah and through the entire region of the Bikrites,^[b](M) who gathered together and followed him. ¹⁵ All the troops with Joab came and besieged Sheba in Abel Beth Maakah.^(N) They built a siege ramp^(O) up to the city, and it stood against the outer fortifications. While they were battering the wall to bring it down, ¹⁶ a wise woman^(P) called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here so I can speak to him.” ¹⁷ He went toward her, and she asked, “Are you Joab?”

“I am,” he answered.

She said, “Listen to what your servant has to say.”

“I’m listening,” he said.

¹⁸ She continued, “Long ago they used to say, ‘Get your answer at Abel,’ and that settled it. ¹⁹ We are the peaceful^(Q) and faithful in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up the Lord’s inheritance?”^(R)

²⁰ “Far be it from me!” Joab replied, “Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy! ²¹ That is not the case. A man named Sheba son of Bikri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Hand over this one man, and I’ll withdraw from the city.”

The woman said to Joab, “His head^(S) will be thrown to you from the wall.”

²² Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice,^(T) and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bikri and threw it to Joab. So he sounded the trumpet, and his men dispersed from the city, each returning to his home. And Joab went back to the king in Jerusalem.

David’s Officials

²³ Joab^(U) was over Israel’s entire army; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; ²⁴ Adoniram^[c](V) was in charge of forced labor; Jehoshaphat^(W) son of Ahilud was recorder; ²⁵ Sheva was secretary; Zadok^(X) and Abiathar were priests; ²⁶ and Ira the Jairite^[d] was David’s priest.

Promise of Restoration

33 While Jeremiah was still confined^(A) in the courtyard^(B) of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him a second time:^{(C) 2} “This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth,^(D) the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is his name:^{(E) 3} ‘Call^(F) to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable^(G) things you do not know.’ ⁴ For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the houses in this city and the royal palaces of Judah that have been torn down to be used against the siege^(H) ramps^(I) and the sword ⁵ in the fight with the Babylonians^[a]: ‘They will be filled with the dead bodies of the people I will slay in my anger and wrath.^(J) I will hide my face^(K) from this city because of all its wickedness.

⁶ “‘Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal^(L) my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace^(M) and security. ⁷ I will bring Judah^(N) and Israel back from captivity^[b](O) and will rebuild^(P) them as they were before.^{(Q) 8} I will cleanse^(R) them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive^(S) all their sins of rebellion against me. ⁹ Then this city will bring me renown,^(T) joy, praise^(U) and honor^(V) before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble^(W) at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.’

¹⁰ “This is what the Lord says: ‘You say about this place, “It is a desolate waste, without people or animals.”^(X) Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted,^(Y) inhabited by neither people nor animals, there will be heard once more ¹¹ the sounds of joy and gladness,^(Z) the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings^(AA) to the house of the Lord, saying,

For I will restore the fortunes^(AD) of the land as they were before,^(AE)’ says the Lord.

¹² “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In this place, desolate^(AF) and without people or animals^(AG)—in all its towns there will again be pastures for shepherds to rest their flocks.^{(AH) 13} In the towns of the hill^(AI) country, of the western foothills and of the Negev,^(AJ) in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah, flocks will again pass under the hand^(AK) of the one who counts them,’ says the Lord.

Psalm 52^[a]

For the director of music. A maskil^[b] of David. When Doeg the Edomite^(A) had gone to Saul and told him: “David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.”

The Rich and the Kingdom of God^(A)

¹⁷ As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees^(B) before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”^(C)

¹⁸ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. ¹⁹ You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’^[a]”^(D)

²⁰ “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

²¹ Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor,^(E) and you will have treasure in heaven.^(F) Then come, follow me.”^(G)

²² At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

²³ Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich^(H) to enter the kingdom of God!”

²⁴ The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is^[b] to enter the kingdom of God!^{(I) 25} It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”^(J)

²⁶ The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”

²⁷ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”^(K)

²⁸ Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”^(L)

²⁹ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel ³⁰ will fail to receive a hundred times as much^(M) in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come^(N) eternal life.^{(O) 31} But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”^(P)

¹⁴ We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual,^(A) sold^(B) as a slave to sin.^{(C) 15} I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.^{(D) 16} And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.^{(E) 17} As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.^{(F) 18} For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.^[a](G) For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.^{(H) 20} Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.^(I)

²¹ So I find this law at work:^(J) Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. ²² For in my inner being^(K) I delight in God’s law;^{(L) 23} but I see another law at work in me, waging war^(M) against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin^(N) at work within me. ²⁴ What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?^{(O) 25} Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!^(P)

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law,^(Q) but in my sinful nature^[b] a slave to the law of sin.^(R)