¹⁷ So the tabernacle^(A) was set up on the first day of the first month^(B) in the second year. ¹⁸ When Moses^(C) set up the tabernacle, he put the bases in place, erected the frames,^(D) inserted the crossbars and set up the posts. ¹⁹ Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering^(E) over the tent, as the Lord commanded^(F) him.

²⁰ He took the tablets of the covenant law^(G) and placed them in the ark,^(H) attached the poles to the ark and put the atonement cover^(I) over it. ²¹ Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle and hung the shielding curtain^(J) and shielded the ark of the covenant law, as the Lord commanded^(K) him.

²² Moses placed the table^(L) in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle outside the curtain ²³ and set out the bread^(M) on it before the Lord, as the Lord commanded^(N) him.

²⁴ He placed the lampstand^(O) in the tent of meeting opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle ²⁵ and set up the lamps^(P) before the Lord, as the Lord commanded^(Q) him.

²⁶ Moses placed the gold altar^(R) in the tent of meeting in front of the curtain ²⁷ and burned fragrant incense on it, as the Lord commanded^(S) him.

²⁸ Then he put up the curtain^(T) at the entrance to the tabernacle. ²⁹ He set the altar^(U) of burnt offering near the entrance to the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, and offered on it burnt offerings and grain offerings,^(V) as the Lord commanded^(W) him.

³⁰ He placed the basin^(X) between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing, ³¹ and Moses and Aaron and his sons used it to wash^(Y) their hands and feet. ³² They washed whenever they entered the tent of meeting or approached the altar,^(Z) as the Lord commanded^(AA) Moses.

³³ Then Moses set up the courtyard^(AB) around the tabernacle and altar and put up the curtain^(AC) at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses finished the work.

The Glory of the Lord

³⁴ Then the cloud^(AD) covered the tent of meeting, and the glory^(AE) of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁵ Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory^(AF) of the Lord filled the tabernacle.^(AG)

³⁶ In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out;^{(AH) 37} but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. ³⁸ So the cloud^(AI) of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.

Solomon’s Wives

11 King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women^(A) besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites,^(B) Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. ² They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry^(C) with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. ³ He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines,^(D) and his wives led him astray.^{(E) 4} As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods,^(F) and his heart was not fully devoted^(G) to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. ⁵ He followed Ashtoreth^(H) the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek^(I) the detestable god of the Ammonites. ⁶ So Solomon did evil^(J) in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done.

⁷ On a hill east^(K) of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh^(L) the detestable god of Moab, and for Molek^(M) the detestable god of the Ammonites. ⁸ He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods.

⁹ The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared^(N) to him twice. ¹⁰ Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods,^(O) Solomon did not keep the Lord’s command.^{(P) 11} So the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees,^(Q) which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear^(R) the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates. ¹² Nevertheless, for the sake of David^(S) your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son. ¹³ Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but will give him one tribe^(T) for the sake^(U) of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”^(V)

Solomon’s Adversaries

¹⁴ Then the Lord raised up against Solomon an adversary,^(W) Hadad the Edomite, from the royal line of Edom. ¹⁵ Earlier when David was fighting with Edom, Joab the commander of the army, who had gone up to bury the dead, had struck down all the men in Edom.^{(X) 16} Joab and all the Israelites stayed there for six months, until they had destroyed all the men in Edom. ¹⁷ But Hadad, still only a boy, fled to Egypt with some Edomite officials who had served his father. ¹⁸ They set out from Midian and went to Paran.^(Y) Then taking people from Paran with them, they went to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave Hadad a house and land and provided him with food.

¹⁹ Pharaoh was so pleased with Hadad that he gave him a sister of his own wife, Queen Tahpenes, in marriage. ²⁰ The sister of Tahpenes bore him a son named Genubath, whom Tahpenes brought up in the royal palace. There Genubath lived with Pharaoh’s own children.

²¹ While he was in Egypt, Hadad heard that David rested with his ancestors and that Joab the commander of the army was also dead. Then Hadad said to Pharaoh, “Let me go, that I may return to my own country.”

²² “What have you lacked here that you want to go back to your own country?” Pharaoh asked.

“Nothing,” Hadad replied, “but do let me go!”

²³ And God raised up against Solomon another adversary,^(Z) Rezon son of Eliada, who had fled from his master, Hadadezer^(AA) king of Zobah. ²⁴ When David destroyed Zobah’s army, Rezon gathered a band of men around him and became their leader; they went to Damascus,^(AB) where they settled and took control. ²⁵ Rezon was Israel’s adversary as long as Solomon lived, adding to the trouble caused by Hadad. So Rezon ruled in Aram^(AC) and was hostile toward Israel.

51 This is what the Lord says:

Psalm 76^[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of Asaph. A song.

¹⁵ for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink,^(A) and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit^(B) even before he is born.^{(C) 16} He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ And he will go on before the Lord,^(D) in the spirit and power of Elijah,^(E) to turn the hearts of the parents to their children^(F) and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”^(G)

¹⁸ Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this?^(H) I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”^(I)

¹⁹ The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel.^(J) I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. ²⁰ And now you will be silent and not able to speak^(K) until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”

²¹ Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. ²² When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs^(L) to them but remained unable to speak.

²³ When his time of service was completed, he returned home. ²⁴ After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. ²⁵ “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace^(M) among the people.”

Paul’s Appeal and Warning

¹⁴ I am writing this not to shame you^(A) but to warn you as my dear children.^{(B) 15} Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father^(C) through the gospel.^{(D) 16} Therefore I urge you to imitate me.^{(E) 17} For this reason I have sent to you^(F) Timothy,^(G) my son^(H) whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.^(I)

¹⁸ Some of you have become arrogant,^(J) as if I were not coming to you.^{(K) 19} But I will come to you very soon,^(L) if the Lord is willing,^(M) and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. ²⁰ For the kingdom of God is not a matter of^(N) talk but of power.^{(O) 21} What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline,^(P) or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?