The Journey to Moab

¹⁰ The Israelites moved on and camped at Oboth.^{(A) 11} Then they set out from Oboth and camped in Iye Abarim, in the wilderness that faces Moab^(B) toward the sunrise. ¹² From there they moved on and camped in the Zered Valley.^{(C) 13} They set out from there and camped alongside the Arnon^(D), which is in the wilderness extending into Amorite territory. The Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.^{(E) 14} That is why the Book of the Wars^(F) of the Lord says:

¹⁶ From there they continued on to Beer,^(H) the well where the Lord said to Moses, “Gather the people together and I will give them water.”

¹⁷ Then Israel sang this song:^(I)

Then they went from the wilderness to Mattanah, ¹⁹ from Mattanah to Nahaliel, from Nahaliel to Bamoth, ²⁰ and from Bamoth to the valley in Moab where the top of Pisgah^(J) overlooks the wasteland.

The Gatekeepers

26 The divisions of the gatekeepers:^(A)

¹⁷ The pastureland for the city will be 250 cubits^[a] on the north, 250 cubits on the south, 250 cubits on the east, and 250 cubits on the west. ¹⁸ What remains of the area, bordering on the sacred portion and running the length of it, will be 10,000 cubits on the east side and 10,000 cubits on the west side. Its produce will supply food for the workers of the city.^{(A) 19} The workers from the city who farm it will come from all the tribes of Israel. ²⁰ The entire portion will be a square, 25,000 cubits on each side. As a special gift you will set aside the sacred portion, along with the property of the city.

²¹ “What remains on both sides of the area formed by the sacred portion and the property of the city will belong to the prince. It will extend eastward from the 25,000 cubits of the sacred portion to the eastern border, and westward from the 25,000 cubits to the western border. Both these areas running the length of the tribal portions will belong to the prince, and the sacred portion with the temple sanctuary will be in the center of them.^{(B) 22} So the property of the Levites and the property of the city will lie in the center of the area that belongs to the prince. The area belonging to the prince will lie between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin.

²³ “As for the rest of the tribes: Benjamin^(C) will have one portion; it will extend from the east side to the west side.

²⁴ “Simeon^(D) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Benjamin from east to west.

²⁵ “Issachar^(E) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Simeon from east to west.

²⁶ “Zebulun^(F) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Issachar from east to west.

²⁷ “Gad^(G) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Zebulun from east to west.

²⁸ “The southern boundary of Gad will run south from Tamar^(H) to the waters of Meribah Kadesh, then along the Wadi of Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea.^(I)

²⁹ “This is the land you are to allot as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel, and these will be their portions,” declares the Sovereign Lord.^(J)

The Gates of the New City

³⁰ “These will be the exits of the city: Beginning on the north side, which is 4,500 cubits long, ³¹ the gates of the city will be named after the tribes of Israel. The three gates on the north side will be the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah and the gate of Levi.

³² “On the east side, which is 4,500 cubits long, will be three gates: the gate of Joseph, the gate of Benjamin and the gate of Dan.

³³ “On the south side, which measures 4,500 cubits, will be three gates: the gate of Simeon, the gate of Issachar and the gate of Zebulun.

³⁴ “On the west side, which is 4,500 cubits long, will be three gates: the gate of Gad, the gate of Asher and the gate of Naphtali.^(K)

³⁵ “The distance all around will be 18,000 cubits.^[b]

“And the name of the city from that time on will be:

Purpose and Theme

1 The proverbs^(A) of Solomon^(B) son of David, king of Israel:^(C)

The Crucifixion of Jesus^(A)

²⁶ As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene,^(B) who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.^{(C) 27} A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed^(D) for him. ²⁸ Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.^{(E) 29} For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’^{(F) 30} Then

³¹ For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”^(H)

³² Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.^{(I) 33} When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left.

3 So when we could stand it no longer,^(A) we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens.^{(B) 2} We sent Timothy,^(C) who is our brother and co-worker^(D) in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ,^(E) to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, ³ so that no one would be unsettled by these trials.^(F) For you know quite well that we are destined for them.^{(G) 4} In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know.^{(H) 5} For this reason, when I could stand it no longer,^(I) I sent to find out about your faith.^(J) I was afraid that in some way the tempter^(K) had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain.^(L)

Timothy’s Encouraging Report

⁶ But Timothy^(M) has just now come to us from you^(N) and has brought good news about your faith and love.^(O) He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you.^{(P) 7} Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. ⁸ For now we really live, since you are standing firm^(Q) in the Lord. ⁹ How can we thank God enough for you^(R) in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?^{(S) 10} Night and day we pray^(T) most earnestly that we may see you again^(U) and supply what is lacking in your faith.

¹¹ Now may our God and Father^(V) himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. ¹² May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other^(W) and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. ¹³ May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless^(X) and holy in the presence of our God and Father^(Y) when our Lord Jesus comes^(Z) with all his holy ones.^(AA)