The Second Census

26 After the plague^(A) the Lord said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, ² “Take a census^(B) of the whole Israelite community by families—all those twenty years old or more who are able to serve in the army^(C) of Israel.” ³ So on the plains of Moab^(D) by the Jordan across from Jericho,^(E) Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them and said, ⁴ “Take a census of the men twenty years old or more, as the Lord commanded Moses.”

These were the Israelites who came out of Egypt:^(F)

⁵ The descendants of Reuben,^(G) the firstborn son of Israel, were:

⁷ These were the clans of Reuben; those numbered were 43,730.

⁸ The son of Pallu was Eliab, ⁹ and the sons of Eliab^(L) were Nemuel, Dathan and Abiram. The same Dathan and Abiram were the community^(M) officials who rebelled against Moses and Aaron and were among Korah’s followers when they rebelled against the Lord.^{(N) 10} The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them^(O) along with Korah, whose followers died when the fire devoured the 250 men.^(P) And they served as a warning sign.^{(Q) 11} The line of Korah,^(R) however, did not die out.^(S)

¹² The descendants of Simeon by their clans were:

¹⁴ These were the clans of Simeon;^(W) those numbered were 22,200.^(X)

¹⁵ The descendants of Gad by their clans were:

Solomon Builds the Temple^(A)

3 Then Solomon began to build^(B) the temple of the Lord^(C) in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David. It was on the threshing floor of Araunah^[a](D) the Jebusite, the place provided by David. ² He began building on the second day of the second month in the fourth year of his reign.^(E)

³ The foundation Solomon laid for building the temple of God was sixty cubits long and twenty cubits wide^[b](F) (using the cubit of the old standard). ⁴ The portico at the front of the temple was twenty cubits^[c] long across the width of the building and twenty^[d] cubits high.

He overlaid the inside with pure gold. ⁵ He paneled the main hall with juniper and covered it with fine gold and decorated it with palm tree^(G) and chain designs. ⁶ He adorned the temple with precious stones. And the gold he used was gold of Parvaim. ⁷ He overlaid the ceiling beams, doorframes, walls and doors of the temple with gold, and he carved cherubim^(H) on the walls.

⁸ He built the Most Holy Place,^(I) its length corresponding to the width of the temple—twenty cubits long and twenty cubits wide. He overlaid the inside with six hundred talents^[e] of fine gold. ⁹ The gold nails^(J) weighed fifty shekels.^[f] He also overlaid the upper parts with gold.

¹⁰ For the Most Holy Place he made a pair^(K) of sculptured cherubim and overlaid them with gold. ¹¹ The total wingspan of the cherubim was twenty cubits. One wing of the first cherub was five cubits^[g] long and touched the temple wall, while its other wing, also five cubits long, touched the wing of the other cherub. ¹² Similarly one wing of the second cherub was five cubits long and touched the other temple wall, and its other wing, also five cubits long, touched the wing of the first cherub. ¹³ The wings of these cherubim^(L) extended twenty cubits. They stood on their feet, facing the main hall.^[h]

¹⁴ He made the curtain^(M) of blue, purple and crimson yarn and fine linen, with cherubim^(N) worked into it.

¹⁵ For the front of the temple he made two pillars,^(O) which together were thirty-five cubits^[i] long, each with a capital^(P) five cubits high. ¹⁶ He made interwoven chains^[j](Q) and put them on top of the pillars. He also made a hundred pomegranates^(R) and attached them to the chains. ¹⁷ He erected the pillars in the front of the temple, one to the south and one to the north. The one to the south he named Jakin^[k] and the one to the north Boaz.^[l]

The Writing on the Wall

5 King Belshazzar^(W) gave a great banquet^(X) for a thousand of his nobles^(Y) and drank wine with them. ² While Belshazzar was drinking^(Z) his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets^(AA) that Nebuchadnezzar his father^[a] had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines^(AB) might drink from them.^{(AC) 3} So they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. ⁴ As they drank the wine, they praised the gods^(AD) of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.^(AE)

⁹ The true light^(A) that gives light to everyone^(B) was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him,^(C) the world did not recognize him. ¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.^{(D) 12} Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed^(E) in his name,^(F) he gave the right to become children of God^(G)— ¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.^(H)

¹⁴ The Word became flesh^(I) and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory,^(J) the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace^(K) and truth.^(L)

¹⁵ (John testified^(M) concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”)^{(N) 16} Out of his fullness^(O) we have all received grace^(P) in place of grace already given. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses;^(Q) grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.^{(R) 18} No one has ever seen God,^(S) but the one and only Son, who is himself God and^[a](T) is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

God’s Final Word: His Son

1 In the past God spoke^(A) to our ancestors through the prophets^(B) at many times and in various ways,^{(C) 2} but in these last days^(D) he has spoken to us by his Son,^(E) whom he appointed heir^(F) of all things, and through whom^(G) also he made the universe.^{(H) 3} The Son is the radiance of God’s glory^(I) and the exact representation of his being,^(J) sustaining all things^(K) by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins,^(L) he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.^{(M) 4} So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.^(N)

The Son Superior to Angels

⁵ For to which of the angels did God ever say,

Or again,

⁶ And again, when God brings his firstborn^(Q) into the world,^(R) he says,

⁷ In speaking of the angels he says,

⁸ But about the Son he says,

¹⁰ He also says,

¹³ To which of the angels did God ever say,

¹⁴ Are not all angels ministering spirits^(AF) sent to serve those who will inherit^(AG) salvation?^(AH)