The Numbering of the Levite Clans

³⁴ Moses, Aaron and the leaders of the community counted the Kohathites^(A) by their clans and families. ³⁵ All the men from thirty to fifty years of age^(B) who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, ³⁶ counted by clans, were 2,750. ³⁷ This was the total of all those in the Kohathite clans^(C) who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command through Moses.

³⁸ The Gershonites^(D) were counted by their clans and families. ³⁹ All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, ⁴⁰ counted by their clans and families, were 2,630. ⁴¹ This was the total of those in the Gershonite clans who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command.

⁴² The Merarites were counted by their clans and families. ⁴³ All the men from thirty to fifty years of age^(E) who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, ⁴⁴ counted by their clans, were 3,200. ⁴⁵ This was the total of those in the Merarite clans.^(F) Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command through Moses.

⁴⁶ So Moses, Aaron and the leaders of Israel counted^(G) all the Levites by their clans and families. ⁴⁷ All the men from thirty to fifty years of age^(H) who came to do the work of serving and carrying the tent of meeting ⁴⁸ numbered 8,580.^{(I) 49} At the Lord’s command through Moses, each was assigned his work and told what to carry.

Thus they were counted,^(J) as the Lord commanded Moses.

The Purity of the Camp

5 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone who has a defiling skin disease^[a](K) or a discharge^(L) of any kind, or who is ceremonially unclean^(M) because of a dead body.^{(N) 3} Send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them.^(O)” ⁴ The Israelites did so; they sent them outside the camp. They did just as the Lord had instructed Moses.

Restitution for Wrongs

⁵ The Lord said to Moses, ⁶ “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any man or woman who wrongs another in any way^[b] and so is unfaithful^(P) to the Lord is guilty^{(Q) 7} and must confess^(R) the sin they have committed. They must make full restitution^(S) for the wrong they have done, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the person they have wronged. ⁸ But if that person has no close relative to whom restitution can be made for the wrong, the restitution belongs to the Lord and must be given to the priest, along with the ram^(T) with which atonement is made for the wrongdoer.^{(U) 9} All the sacred contributions the Israelites bring to a priest will belong to him.^{(V) 10} Sacred things belong to their owners, but what they give to the priest will belong to the priest.^(W)’”

Simeon^(A)

²⁷ Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children; so their entire clan did not become as numerous as the people of Judah. ²⁸ They lived in Beersheba,^(D) Moladah,^(E) Hazar Shual, ²⁹ Bilhah, Ezem,^(F) Tolad, ³⁰ Bethuel, Hormah,^(G) Ziklag,^{(H) 31} Beth Markaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri and Shaaraim.^(I) These were their towns until the reign of David. ³² Their surrounding villages were Etam, Ain,^(J) Rimmon, Token and Ashan^(K)—five towns— ³³ and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath.^[a] These were their settlements. And they kept a genealogical record.

³⁸ The men listed above by name were leaders of their clans. Their families increased greatly, ³⁹ and they went to the outskirts of Gedor^(L) to the east of the valley in search of pasture for their flocks. ⁴⁰ They found rich, good pasture, and the land was spacious, peaceful and quiet.^(M) Some Hamites had lived there formerly.

⁴¹ The men whose names were listed came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. They attacked the Hamites in their dwellings and also the Meunites^(N) who were there and completely destroyed^[b] them, as is evident to this day. Then they settled in their place, because there was pasture for their flocks. ⁴² And five hundred of these Simeonites, led by Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi, invaded the hill country of Seir.^{(O) 43} They killed the remaining Amalekites^(P) who had escaped, and they have lived there to this day.

Pharaoh’s Arms Are Broken

²⁰ In the eleventh year, in the first month on the seventh day, the word of the Lord came to me:^{(A) 21} “Son of man, I have broken the arm^(B) of Pharaoh^(C) king of Egypt. It has not been bound up to be healed^(D) or put in a splint so that it may become strong enough to hold a sword. ²² Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt.^(E) I will break both his arms, the good arm as well as the broken one, and make the sword fall from his hand.^{(F) 23} I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.^{(G) 24} I will strengthen^(H) the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword^(I) in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan^(J) before him like a mortally wounded man. ²⁵ I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall limp. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I put my sword^(K) into the hand of the king of Babylon and he brandishes it against Egypt.^{(L) 26} I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord.^(M)”

ח Heth

ט Teth

²¹ “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.^(A) I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe^(B) and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger^(C) and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again;^(D) he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.^(E)

²⁵ “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ²⁷ ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

²⁸ “The older brother became angry^(F) and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours who has squandered your property^(G) with prostitutes^(H) comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

³¹ “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”^(I)

1 Paul, an apostle^(A) of Christ Jesus by the will of God,^(B)

To God’s holy people^(C) in Ephesus,^[a](D) the faithful^(E) in Christ Jesus:

² Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.^(F)

Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,^(G) who has blessed us in the heavenly realms^(H) with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴ For he chose us^(I) in him before the creation of the world^(J) to be holy and blameless^(K) in his sight. In love^{(L) 5} he^[b] predestined^(M) us for adoption to sonship^[c](N) through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure^(O) and will— ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace,^(P) which he has freely given us in the One he loves.^{(Q) 7} In him we have redemption^(R) through his blood,^(S) the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches^(T) of God’s grace ⁸ that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, ⁹ he^[d] made known to us the mystery^(U) of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed^(V) in Christ, ¹⁰ to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment^(W)—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.^(X)

¹¹ In him we were also chosen,^[e] having been predestined^(Y) according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose^(Z) of his will, ¹² in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.^{(AA) 13} And you also were included in Christ^(AB) when you heard the message of truth,^(AC) the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal,^(AD) the promised Holy Spirit,^{(AE) 14} who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance^(AF) until the redemption^(AG) of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.^(AH)