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Psalm 128

A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.

How joyful are those who fear the Lord
    all who follow his ways!
You will enjoy the fruit of your labor.
    How joyful and prosperous you will be!
Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine,
    flourishing within your home.
Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees
    as they sit around your table.
That is the Lord’s blessing
    for those who fear him.

May the Lord continually bless you from Zion.
    May you see Jerusalem prosper as long as you live.
May you live to enjoy your grandchildren.
    May Israel have peace!

Blessed Is Everyone Who Fears the Lord

A Song of (A)Ascents.

128 (B)Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
    who (C)walks in his ways!
You (D)shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
    you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.

Your wife will be like (E)a fruitful vine
    within your house;
your children will be like (F)olive shoots
    around your table.
Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
    who fears the Lord.

(G)The Lord bless you (H)from Zion!
    May you see (I)the prosperity of Jerusalem
    all the days of your life!
May you see your (J)children's children!
    (K)Peace be upon Israel!

The Bronze Snake

Then the people of Israel set out from Mount Hor, taking the road to the Red Sea[a] to go around the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient with the long journey, and they began to speak against God and Moses. “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die here in the wilderness?” they complained. “There is nothing to eat here and nothing to drink. And we hate this horrible manna!”

So the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many were bitten and died. Then the people came to Moses and cried out, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take away the snakes.” So Moses prayed for the people.

Then the Lord told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!” So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed!

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Footnotes

  1. 21:4 Hebrew sea of reeds.

The Bronze Serpent

From Mount Hor (A)they set out by the way to the Red Sea, (B)to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. And the people (C)spoke against God and against Moses, (D)“Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and (E)we loathe this worthless food.” (F)Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and (G)they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. (H)And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. (I)Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” So (J)Moses made a bronze[a] serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 21:9 Or copper

Jesus Is Greater Than Moses

And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God and[a] are partners with those called to heaven, think carefully about this Jesus whom we declare to be God’s messenger[b] and High Priest. For he was faithful to God, who appointed him, just as Moses served faithfully when he was entrusted with God’s entire[c] house.

But Jesus deserves far more glory than Moses, just as a person who builds a house deserves more praise than the house itself. For every house has a builder, but the one who built everything is God.

Moses was certainly faithful in God’s house as a servant. His work was an illustration of the truths God would reveal later. But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ.[d]

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Footnotes

  1. 3:1a Greek And so, holy brothers who.
  2. 3:1b Greek God’s apostle.
  3. 3:2 Some manuscripts do not include entire.
  4. 3:6 Some manuscripts add faithful to the end.

Jesus Greater Than Moses

Therefore, holy brothers,[a] you who share in (A)a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, (B)the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to him who appointed him, (C)just as Moses also was faithful in all God's[b] house. For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. (For every house is built by someone, but (D)the builder of all things is God.) (E)Now Moses was faithful in all God's house (F)as a servant, (G)to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God's house as (H)a son. And (I)we are his house, if indeed we (J)hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.[c]

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 3:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 12
  2. Hebrews 3:2 Greek his; also verses 5, 6
  3. Hebrews 3:6 Some manuscripts insert firm to the end