⁴¹ Moses gave the tribute to Eleazar the priest as the Lord’s part,^(A) as the Lord commanded Moses.^(B)

⁴² The half belonging to the Israelites, which Moses set apart from that of the fighting men— ⁴³ the community’s half—was 337,500 sheep, ⁴⁴ 36,000 cattle, ⁴⁵ 30,500 donkeys ⁴⁶ and 16,000 people. ⁴⁷ From the Israelites’ half, Moses selected one out of every fifty people and animals, as the Lord commanded him, and gave them to the Levites, who were responsible for the care of the Lord’s tabernacle.

⁴⁸ Then the officers^(C) who were over the units of the army—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—went to Moses ⁴⁹ and said to him, “Your servants have counted^(D) the soldiers under our command, and not one is missing.^{(E) 50} So we have brought as an offering to the Lord the gold articles each of us acquired—armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings and necklaces—to make atonement for ourselves^(F) before the Lord.”

⁵¹ Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted from them the gold—all the crafted articles. ⁵² All the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds that Moses and Eleazar presented as a gift to the Lord weighed 16,750 shekels.^{[a] 53} Each soldier had taken plunder^(G) for himself. ⁵⁴ Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds and brought it into the tent of meeting^(H) as a memorial^(I) for the Israelites before the Lord.

Asa’s Last Years^(A)(B)

16 In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign Baasha^(C) king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah.

² Asa then took the silver and gold out of the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of his own palace and sent it to Ben-Hadad king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus.^{(D) 3} “Let there be a treaty^(E) between me and you,” he said, “as there was between my father and your father. See, I am sending you silver and gold. Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so he will withdraw from me.”

⁴ Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel. They conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim^[a] and all the store cities of Naphtali.^{(F) 5} When Baasha heard this, he stopped building Ramah and abandoned his work. ⁶ Then King Asa brought all the men of Judah, and they carried away from Ramah the stones and timber Baasha had been using. With them he built up Geba and Mizpah.^(G)

⁷ At that time Hanani^(H) the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: “Because you relied^(I) on the king of Aram and not on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand. ⁸ Were not the Cushites^[b](J) and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers^(K) of chariots and horsemen^[c]? Yet when you relied on the Lord, he delivered^(L) them into your hand. ⁹ For the eyes^(M) of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish^(N) thing, and from now on you will be at war.^(O)”

¹⁰ Asa was angry with the seer because of this; he was so enraged that he put him in prison.^(P) At the same time Asa brutally oppressed some of the people.

¹¹ The events of Asa’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. ¹² In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted^(Q) with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek^(R) help from the Lord,^(S) but only from the physicians. ¹³ Then in the forty-first year of his reign Asa died and rested with his ancestors. ¹⁴ They buried him in the tomb that he had cut out for himself^(T) in the City of David. They laid him on a bier covered with spices and various blended perfumes,^(U) and they made a huge fire^(V) in his honor.

⁴⁰ “At the time of the end the king of the South^(A) will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm^(B) out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood.^{(C) 41} He will also invade the Beautiful Land.^(D) Many countries will fall, but Edom,^(E) Moab^(F) and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand. ⁴² He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape. ⁴³ He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt,^(G) with the Libyans^(H) and Cushites^[a] in submission. ⁴⁴ But reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many. ⁴⁵ He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at^[b] the beautiful holy mountain.^(I) Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.

The End Times

12 “At that time Michael,^(J) the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress^(K) such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book^(L)—will be delivered.^{(M) 2} Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake:^(N) some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.^{(O) 3} Those who are wise^[c](P) will shine^(Q) like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness,^(R) like the stars for ever and ever.^{(S) 4} But you, Daniel, roll up and seal^(T) the words of the scroll until the time of the end.^(U) Many will go here and there^(V) to increase knowledge.”

⁵ Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank.^{(W) 6} One of them said to the man clothed in linen,^(X) who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?”^(Y)

⁷ The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand^(Z) and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever,^(AA) saying, “It will be for a time, times and half a time.^[d](AB) When the power of the holy people^(AC) has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.^(AD)”

⁸ I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, “My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?”

⁹ He replied, “Go your way, Daniel, because the words are rolled up and sealed^(AE) until the time of the end.^{(AF) 10} Many will be purified, made spotless and refined,^(AG) but the wicked will continue to be wicked.^(AH) None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.^(AI)

¹¹ “From the time that the daily sacrifice^(AJ) is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation^(AK) is set up, there will be 1,290 days.^{(AL) 12} Blessed is the one who waits^(AM) for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.^(AN)

¹³ “As for you, go your way till the end.^(AO) You will rest,^(AP) and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.^(AQ)”

³³ Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?”

³⁴ “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will^(A) of him who sent me and to finish his work.^{(B) 35} Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.^{(C) 36} Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests^(D) a crop for eternal life,^(E) so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. ³⁷ Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’^(F) is true. ³⁸ I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”

Many Samaritans Believe

³⁹ Many of the Samaritans from that town^(G) believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.”^{(H) 40} So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. ⁴¹ And because of his words many more became believers.

⁴² They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”^(I)

Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle

9 Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary.^{(A) 2} A tabernacle^(B) was set up. In its first room were the lampstand^(C) and the table^(D) with its consecrated bread;^(E) this was called the Holy Place.^{(F) 3} Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place,^{(G) 4} which had the golden altar of incense^(H) and the gold-covered ark of the covenant.^(I) This ark contained the gold jar of manna,^(J) Aaron’s staff that had budded,^(K) and the stone tablets of the covenant.^{(L) 5} Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory,^(M) overshadowing the atonement cover.^(N) But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.

⁶ When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly^(O) into the outer room to carry on their ministry. ⁷ But only the high priest entered^(P) the inner room,^(Q) and that only once a year,^(R) and never without blood,^(S) which he offered for himself^(T) and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.^{(U) 8} The Holy Spirit was showing^(V) by this that the way^(W) into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. ⁹ This is an illustration^(X) for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered^(Y) were not able to clear the conscience^(Z) of the worshiper. ¹⁰ They are only a matter of food^(AA) and drink^(AB) and various ceremonial washings^(AC)—external regulations^(AD) applying until the time of the new order.

The Blood of Christ

¹¹ But when Christ came as high priest^(AE) of the good things that are now already here,^[a](AF) he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle^(AG) that is not made with human hands,^(AH) that is to say, is not a part of this creation.