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

⁴⁷ The ancestral tribe of the Levites,^(I) however, was not counted^(J) 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^(K) of the covenant law^(L)—over all its furnishings^(M) 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^(N) is to move,^(O) the Levites are to take it down, and whenever the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall do it.^(P) Anyone else who approaches it is to be put to death.^{(Q) 52} The Israelites are to set up their tents by divisions, each of them in their own camp under their standard.^{(R) 53} The Levites, however, are to set up their tents around the tabernacle^(S) of the covenant law so that my wrath will not fall^(T) on the Israelite community. The Levites are to be responsible for the care of the tabernacle of the covenant law.^(U)”

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

Zedekiah King of Judah^(A)

¹⁸ Zedekiah^(B) was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother’s name was Hamutal^(C) daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah. ¹⁹ He did evil^(D) in the eyes of the Lord, just as Jehoiakim had done. ²⁰ It was because of the Lord’s anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah, and in the end he thrust^(E) them from his presence.^(F)

The Fall of Jerusalem^(G)(H)(I)

Now Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

25 So in the ninth^(J) year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar^(K) king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army. He encamped outside the city and built siege works^(L) all around it. ² The city was kept under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.

³ By the ninth day of the fourth^[a] month the famine^(M) in the city had become so severe that there was no food for the people to eat. ⁴ Then the city wall was broken through,^(N) and the whole army fled at night through the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden, though the Babylonians^[b] were surrounding^(O) the city. They fled toward the Arabah,^{[c] 5} but the Babylonian^[d] army pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him and scattered,^{(P) 6} and he was captured.^(Q)

He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah,^(R) where sentence was pronounced on him. ⁷ They killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon.^(S)

⁸ On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard, an official of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. ⁹ He set fire^(T) to the temple of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down.^{(U) 10} The whole Babylonian army under the commander of the imperial guard broke down the walls^(V) around Jerusalem. ¹¹ Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried into exile^(W) the people who remained in the city, along with the rest of the populace and those who had deserted to the king of Babylon.^{(X) 12} But the commander left behind some of the poorest people^(Y) of the land to work the vineyards and fields.

¹³ The Babylonians broke^(Z) up the bronze pillars, the movable stands and the bronze Sea that were at the temple of the Lord and they carried the bronze to Babylon. ¹⁴ They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, dishes^(AA) and all the bronze articles^(AB) used in the temple service. ¹⁵ The commander of the imperial guard took away the censers and sprinkling bowls—all that were made of pure gold or silver.^(AC)

¹⁶ The bronze from the two pillars, the Sea and the movable stands, which Solomon had made for the temple of the Lord, was more than could be weighed. ¹⁷ Each pillar^(AD) was eighteen cubits^[e] high. The bronze capital on top of one pillar was three cubits^[f] high and was decorated with a network and pomegranates of bronze all around. The other pillar, with its network, was similar.

¹⁸ The commander of the guard took as prisoners Seraiah^(AE) the chief priest, Zephaniah^(AF) the priest next in rank and the three doorkeepers.^{(AG) 19} Of those still in the city, he took the officer in charge of the fighting men, and five royal advisers. He also took the secretary who was chief officer in charge of conscripting the people of the land and sixty of the conscripts who were found in the city. ²⁰ Nebuzaradan the commander took them all and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. ²¹ There at Riblah,^(AH) in the land of Hamath, the king had them executed.^(AI)

So Judah went into captivity,^(AJ) away from her land.^(AK)

²² Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon appointed Gedaliah^(AL) son of Ahikam,^(AM) the son of Shaphan, to be over the people he had left behind in Judah. ²³ When all the army officers and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah as governor, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, Jaazaniah the son of the Maakathite, and their men. ²⁴ Gedaliah took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid of the Babylonian officials,” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.”

²⁵ In the seventh month, however, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was of royal blood, came with ten men and assassinated^(AN) Gedaliah and also the men of Judah and the Babylonians who were with him at Mizpah.^{(AO) 26} At this, all the people from the least to the greatest, together with the army officers, fled to Egypt^(AP) for fear of the Babylonians.

Jehoiachin Released^(AQ)

²⁷ In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the year Awel-Marduk became king of Babylon, he released Jehoiachin^(AR) king of Judah from prison. He did this on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month. ²⁸ He spoke kindly^(AS) to him and gave him a seat of honor^(AT) higher than those of the other kings who were with him in Babylon. ²⁹ So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king’s table.^{(AU) 30} Day by day the king gave Jehoiachin a regular allowance as long as he lived.^(AV)

A Prophecy Against Ammon

25 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, set your face against^(A) the Ammonites^(B) and prophesy against them.^{(C) 3} Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the Sovereign Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you said “Aha!^(D)” over my sanctuary when it was desecrated^(E) and over the land of Israel when it was laid waste and over the people of Judah when they went into exile,^{(F) 4} therefore I am going to give you to the people of the East^(G) as a possession. They will set up their camps^(H) and pitch their tents among you; they will eat your fruit and drink your milk.^{(I) 5} I will turn Rabbah^(J) into a pasture for camels and Ammon into a resting place for sheep.^(K) Then you will know that I am the Lord. ⁶ For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you have clapped your hands^(L) and stamped your feet, rejoicing with all the malice of your heart against the land of Israel,^{(M) 7} therefore I will stretch out my hand^(N) against you and give you as plunder^(O) to the nations. I will wipe you out from among the nations and exterminate you from the countries. I will destroy^(P) you, and you will know that I am the Lord.^(Q)’”

A Prophecy Against Moab

⁸ “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because Moab^(R) and Seir^(S) said, “Look, Judah has become like all the other nations,” ⁹ therefore I will expose the flank of Moab, beginning at its frontier towns—Beth Jeshimoth^(T), Baal Meon^(U) and Kiriathaim^(V)—the glory of that land. ¹⁰ I will give Moab along with the Ammonites to the people of the East as a possession, so that the Ammonites will not be remembered^(W) among the nations; ¹¹ and I will inflict punishment on Moab. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”^(X)

A Prophecy Against Edom

¹² “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because Edom^(Y) took revenge on Judah and became very guilty by doing so, ¹³ therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will stretch out my hand^(Z) against Edom and kill both man and beast.^(AA) I will lay it waste, and from Teman^(AB) to Dedan^(AC) they will fall by the sword.^{(AD) 14} I will take vengeance on Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they will deal with Edom in accordance with my anger^(AE) and my wrath; they will know my vengeance, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”^(AF)

A Prophecy Against Philistia

¹⁵ “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because the Philistines^(AG) acted in vengeance and took revenge with malice^(AH) in their hearts, and with ancient hostility sought to destroy Judah, ¹⁶ therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to stretch out my hand against the Philistines,^(AI) and I will wipe out the Kerethites^(AJ) and destroy those remaining along the coast.^{(AK) 17} I will carry out great vengeance^(AL) on them and punish^(AM) them in my wrath. Then they will know that I am the Lord,^(AN) when I take vengeance on them.^(AO)’”

Psalm 115^(A)

Not Peace but Division^(A)

⁴⁹ “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! ⁵⁰ But I have a baptism^(B) to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!^{(C) 51} Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. ⁵² From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. ⁵³ They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”^(D)

Interpreting the Times

⁵⁴ He said to the crowd: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does.^{(E) 55} And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. ⁵⁶ Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?^(F)

⁵⁷ “Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? ⁵⁸ As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.^{(G) 59} I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”^(H)

Faith or Works of the Law

3 You foolish^(A) Galatians!^(B) Who has bewitched you?^(C) Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.^{(D) 2} I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit^(E) by the works of the law,^(F) or by believing what you heard?^{(G) 3} Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?^{[a] 4} Have you experienced^[b] so much in vain—if it really was in vain? ⁵ So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles^(H) among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?^{(I) 6} So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”^[c](J)

⁷ Understand, then, that those who have faith^(K) are children of Abraham.^{(L) 8} Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”^{[d](M) 9} So those who rely on faith^(N) are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.^(O)

¹⁰ For all who rely on the works of the law^(P) are under a curse,^(Q) as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”^{[e](R) 11} Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God,^(S) because “the righteous will live by faith.”^{[f](T) 12} The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.”^{[g](U) 13} Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law^(V) by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”^{[h](W) 14} He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus,^(X) so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.^(Y)