The Death of Aaron

²² The whole Israelite community set out from Kadesh^(A) and came to Mount Hor.^{(B) 23} At Mount Hor, near the border of Edom,^(C) the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ²⁴ “Aaron will be gathered to his people.^(D) He will not enter the land I give the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against my command^(E) at the waters of Meribah.^{(F) 25} Get Aaron and his son Eleazar and take them up Mount Hor.^{(G) 26} Remove Aaron’s garments^(H) and put them on his son Eleazar, for Aaron will be gathered to his people;^(I) he will die there.”

²⁷ Moses did as the Lord commanded: They went up Mount Hor^(J) in the sight of the whole community. ²⁸ Moses removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar.^(K) And Aaron died there^(L) on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain, ²⁹ and when the whole community learned that Aaron had died,^(M) all the Israelites mourned for him^(N) thirty days.

Arad Destroyed

21 When the Canaanite king of Arad,^(O) who lived in the Negev,^(P) heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked the Israelites and captured some of them. ² Then Israel made this vow^(Q) to the Lord: “If you will deliver these people into our hands, we will totally destroy^[a](R) their cities.” ³ The Lord listened to Israel’s plea and gave the Canaanites^(S) over to them. They completely destroyed them^(T) and their towns; so the place was named Hormah.^[b](U)

The Bronze Snake

⁴ They traveled from Mount Hor^(V) along the route to the Red Sea,^[c](W) to go around Edom.^(X) But the people grew impatient on the way;^{(Y) 5} they spoke against God^(Z) and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt^(AA) to die in the wilderness?^(AB) There is no bread! There is no water!^(AC) And we detest this miserable food!”^(AD)

⁶ Then the Lord sent venomous snakes^(AE) among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.^{(AF) 7} The people came to Moses^(AG) and said, “We sinned^(AH) when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord^(AI) will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed^(AJ) for the people.

⁸ The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole;^(AK) anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” ⁹ So Moses made a bronze snake^(AL) and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.^(AM)

The Musicians

25 David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph,^(A) Heman^(B) and Jeduthun^(C) for the ministry of prophesying,^(D) accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals.^(E) Here is the list of the men^(F) who performed this service:^(G)

² From the sons of Asaph:

³ As for Jeduthun, from his sons:^(H)

⁴ As for Heman, from his sons:

⁶ All these men were under the supervision of their father^(J) for the music of the temple of the Lord, with cymbals, lyres and harps, for the ministry at the house of God.

Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman^(K) were under the supervision of the king.^{(L) 7} Along with their relatives—all of them trained and skilled in music for the Lord—they numbered 288. ⁸ Young and old alike, teacher as well as student, cast lots^(M) for their duties.

The Division of the Land

48 “These are the tribes, listed by name: At the northern frontier, Dan^(A) will have one portion; it will follow the Hethlon road^(B) to Lebo Hamath;^(C) Hazar Enan and the northern border of Damascus next to Hamath will be part of its border from the east side to the west side.

² “Asher^(D) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Dan from east to west.

³ “Naphtali^(E) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Asher from east to west.

⁴ “Manasseh^(F) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Naphtali from east to west.

⁵ “Ephraim^(G) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Manasseh^(H) from east to west.^(I)

⁶ “Reuben^(J) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Ephraim from east to west.

⁷ “Judah^(K) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Reuben from east to west.

⁸ “Bordering the territory of Judah from east to west will be the portion you are to present as a special gift. It will be 25,000 cubits^[a] wide, and its length from east to west will equal one of the tribal portions; the sanctuary will be in the center of it.^(L)

⁹ “The special portion you are to offer to the Lord will be 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits^[b] wide.^{(M) 10} This will be the sacred portion for the priests. It will be 25,000 cubits long on the north side, 10,000 cubits wide on the west side, 10,000 cubits wide on the east side and 25,000 cubits long on the south side. In the center of it will be the sanctuary of the Lord.^{(N) 11} This will be for the consecrated priests, the Zadokites,^(O) who were faithful in serving me^(P) and did not go astray as the Levites did when the Israelites went astray.^{(Q) 12} It will be a special gift to them from the sacred portion of the land, a most holy portion, bordering the territory of the Levites.

¹³ “Alongside the territory of the priests, the Levites will have an allotment 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits wide. Its total length will be 25,000 cubits and its width 10,000 cubits.^{(R) 14} They must not sell or exchange any of it. This is the best of the land and must not pass into other hands, because it is holy to the Lord.^(S)

¹⁵ “The remaining area, 5,000 cubits^[c] wide and 25,000 cubits long, will be for the common use of the city, for houses and for pastureland. The city will be in the center of it ¹⁶ and will have these measurements: the north side 4,500 cubits,^[d] the south side 4,500 cubits, the east side 4,500 cubits, and the west side 4,500 cubits.^(T)

Psalm 149

Psalm 150

¹³ Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, ¹⁴ and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him.^{(A) 15} Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. ¹⁶ Therefore, I will punish him^(B) and then release him.” ^[17] [a]

¹⁸ But the whole crowd shouted, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!”^{(C) 19} (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)

²⁰ Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. ²¹ But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

²² For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.”^(D)

²³ But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. ²⁴ So Pilate decided to grant their demand. ²⁵ He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.

Paul’s Longing to See the Thessalonians

¹⁷ But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought),^(A) out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you.^{(B) 18} For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan^(C) blocked our way.^{(D) 19} For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown^(E) in which we will glory^(F) in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes?^(G) Is it not you? ²⁰ Indeed, you are our glory^(H) and joy.