33 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath^(A) to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’^{(B) 2} I will send an angel^(C) before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.^{(D) 3} Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey.^(E) But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked^(F) people and I might destroy^(G) you on the way.”

⁴ When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mourn^(H) and no one put on any ornaments. ⁵ For the Lord had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people.^(I) If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy^(J) you. Now take off your ornaments and I will decide what to do with you.’” ⁶ So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments at Mount Horeb.^(K)

The Tent of Meeting

⁷ Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.”^(L) Anyone inquiring^(M) of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. ⁸ And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents,^(N) watching Moses until he entered the tent. ⁹ As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud^(O) would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke^(P) with Moses. ¹⁰ Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent.^{(Q) 11} The Lord would speak to Moses face to face,^(R) as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua^(S) son of Nun did not leave the tent.

²⁸ When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah though not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the Lord and took hold of the horns^(A) of the altar. ²⁹ King Solomon was told that Joab had fled to the tent of the Lord and was beside the altar.^(B) Then Solomon ordered Benaiah^(C) son of Jehoiada, “Go, strike him down!”

³⁰ So Benaiah entered the tent^(D) of the Lord and said to Joab, “The king says, ‘Come out!^(E)’”

But he answered, “No, I will die here.”

Benaiah reported to the king, “This is how Joab answered me.”

³¹ Then the king commanded Benaiah, “Do as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so clear me and my whole family of the guilt of the innocent blood^(F) that Joab shed. ³² The Lord will repay^(G) him for the blood he shed,^(H) because without my father David knowing it he attacked two men and killed them with the sword. Both of them—Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa^(I) son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army—were better^(J) men and more upright than he. ³³ May the guilt of their blood rest on the head of Joab and his descendants forever. But on David and his descendants, his house and his throne, may there be the Lord’s peace forever.”

³⁴ So Benaiah^(K) son of Jehoiada went up and struck down Joab^(L) and killed him, and he was buried at his home out in the country. ³⁵ The king put Benaiah^(M) son of Jehoiada over the army in Joab’s position and replaced Abiathar with Zadok^(N) the priest.

³⁶ Then the king sent for Shimei^(O) and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else. ³⁷ The day you leave and cross the Kidron Valley,^(P) you can be sure you will die; your blood will be on your own head.”^(Q)

³⁸ Shimei answered the king, “What you say is good. Your servant will do as my lord the king has said.” And Shimei stayed in Jerusalem for a long time.

³⁹ But three years later, two of Shimei’s slaves ran off to Achish^(R) son of Maakah, king of Gath, and Shimei was told, “Your slaves are in Gath.” ⁴⁰ At this, he saddled his donkey and went to Achish at Gath in search of his slaves. So Shimei went away and brought the slaves back from Gath.

⁴¹ When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned, ⁴² the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord and warn^(S) you, ‘On the day you leave to go anywhere else, you can be sure you will die’? At that time you said to me, ‘What you say is good. I will obey.’ ⁴³ Why then did you not keep your oath to the Lord and obey the command I gave you?”

⁴⁴ The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the wrong^(T) you did to my father David. Now the Lord will repay you for your wrongdoing. ⁴⁵ But King Solomon will be blessed, and David’s throne will remain secure^(U) before the Lord forever.”

⁴⁶ Then the king gave the order to Benaiah^(V) son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei^(W) down and he died.

The kingdom was now established^(X) in Solomon’s hands.

42 Then all the army officers, including Johanan^(A) son of Kareah and Jezaniah^[a] son of Hoshaiah,^(B) and all the people from the least to the greatest^(C) approached ² Jeremiah the prophet and said to him, “Please hear our petition and pray^(D) to the Lord your God for this entire remnant.^(E) For as you now see, though we were once many, now only a few^(F) are left. ³ Pray that the Lord your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.”^(G)

⁴ “I have heard you,” replied Jeremiah the prophet. “I will certainly pray^(H) to the Lord your God as you have requested; I will tell^(I) you everything the Lord says and will keep nothing back from you.”^(J)

⁵ Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the Lord be a true^(K) and faithful^(L) witness^(M) against us if we do not act in accordance with everything the Lord your God sends you to tell us. ⁶ Whether it is favorable or unfavorable, we will obey the Lord our God, to whom we are sending you, so that it will go well^(N) with us, for we will obey^(O) the Lord our God.”

⁷ Ten days later the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah. ⁸ So he called together Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers^(P) who were with him and all the people from the least to the greatest.^{(Q) 9} He said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your petition,^(R) says:^(S)

Psalm 66

For the director of music. A song. A psalm.

²⁴ “But in those days, following that distress,

²⁶ “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds^(B) with great power and glory. ²⁷ And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.^(C)

²⁸ “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. ²⁹ Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it^[b] is near, right at the door. ³⁰ Truly I tell you, this generation^(D) will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.^{(E) 31} Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.^(F)

The Day and Hour Unknown

³² “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.^{(G) 33} Be on guard! Be alert^[c]!^(H) You do not know when that time will come. ³⁴ It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants^(I) in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

³⁵ “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. ³⁶ If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. ³⁷ What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”^(J)

Love in Action

⁹ Love must be sincere.^(A) Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.^{(B) 10} Be devoted to one another in love.^(C) Honor one another above yourselves.^{(D) 11} Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor,^(E) serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope,^(F) patient in affliction,^(G) faithful in prayer.^{(H) 13} Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.^(I) Practice hospitality.^(J)

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you;^(K) bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.^{(L) 16} Live in harmony with one another.^(M) Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.^[a] Do not be conceited.^(N)

¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil.^(O) Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.^{(P) 18} If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.^{(Q) 19} Do not take revenge,^(R) my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”^[b](S) says the Lord. ²⁰ On the contrary:

²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.