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Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh Fight Hagar’s Descendants
18 The descendants of Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 soldiers ready to go to war. They were skilled fighters who could carry shields and swords and shoot arrows. 19 They went to war against Hagar’s descendants (including Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab) 20 and received help while fighting them. Hagar’s descendants and the nations with them were handed over to Reuben’s descendants. They had called out to God during the battle, and he answered their prayers because they trusted him. 21 They confiscated the Hagrites’ livestock: 50,000 of their camels, 250,000 sheep and goats, and 2,000 donkeys. They captured 100,000 people. 22 Many were killed in battle because this was God’s war. Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh lived in the Hagrites’ land until the Assyrians captured them.
The Leaders of the Tribe of Manasseh East of the Jordan River
23 Half of the tribe of Manasseh lived in the land from Bashan to Baal Hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon. The tribe members were numerous. 24 These were the heads of Manasseh’s families: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were soldiers who were famous heads of their families.
The Assyrians Capture Gad, Reuben, and Half of the Tribe of Manasseh
25 But Gad, Reuben, and half of the tribe of Manasseh were unfaithful to the God of their ancestors. They chased after the gods of the people of the land as if they were prostitutes. God had destroyed these people as the Israelites arrived. 26 Then the God of Israel led King Pul of Assyria (King Tiglath Pilneser of Assyria) to take Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh into captivity. He brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the Gozan River. They are still there today.
Levi’s Descendants
6 [a]Levi’s sons were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 2 Kohath’s sons were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 3 Amram’s children were Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. Aaron’s sons were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
4 Eleazar was the father of Phinehas. Phinehas was the father of Abishua. 5 Abishua was the father of Bukki. Bukki was the father of Uzzi. 6 Uzzi was the father of Zerahiah. Zerahiah was the father of Meraioth. 7 Meraioth was the father of Amariah. Amariah was the father of Ahitub. 8 Ahitub was the father of Zadok. Zadok was the father of Ahimaaz. 9 Ahimaaz was the father of Azariah. Azariah was the father of Johanan. 10 Johanan was the father of Azariah. (He was the one who served as priest in the temple Solomon built in Jerusalem.) 11 Azariah was the father of Amariah. Amariah was the father of Ahitub. 12 Ahitub was the father of Zadok. Zadok was the father of Shallum. 13 Shallum was the father of Hilkiah. Hilkiah was the father of Azariah. 14 Azariah was the father of Seraiah. Seraiah was the father of Jehozadak. 15 Jehozadak was taken captive when the Lord used Nebuchadnezzar to take Judah and Jerusalem away into captivity.
16 Levi’s sons were Gershom, Kohath, and Merari. 17 These are the names of Gershom’s sons: Libni and Shimei. 18 Kohath’s sons were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 19 Merari’s sons were Mahli and Mushi.
These are the descendants of Levi’s sons. They are grouped by families:
20 Gershom’s son was Libni. Libni’s son was Jahath. Jahath’s son was Zimmah. 21 Zimmah’s son was Joah. Joah’s son was Iddo. Iddo’s son was Zerah. Zerah’s son was Jeatherai.
22 These were Kohath’s descendants: Kohath’s son was Amminadab. Amminadab’s son was Korah. Korah’s son was Assir. 23 Assir’s son was Elkanah. Elkanah’s son was Ebiasaph. Ebiasaph’s son was Assir. 24 Assir’s son was Tahath. Tahath’s son was Uriel. Uriel’s son was Uzziah. Uzziah’s son was Shaul. 25 Elkanah’s sons were Amasai and Ahimoth. 26 Ahimoth’s son was Elkanah. Elkanah’s son was Zophai. Zophai’s son was Nahath. 27 Nahath’s son was Eliab. Eliab’s son was Jeroham. Jeroham’s son was Elkanah. 28 Samuel’s sons were Joel, who was his firstborn, and Abijah, who was his second son.
29 These were Merari’s descendants: Merari’s son was Mahli. Mahli’s son was Libni. Libni’s son was Shimei. Shimei’s son was Uzzah. 30 Uzzah’s son was Shimea. Shimea’s son was Haggiah. Haggiah’s son was Asaiah.
31 David put men in charge of the music in the Lord’s temple after the ark was placed there permanently. 32 They served as musicians in the courtyard in front of the tent of meeting until Solomon built the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem. They performed their duties according to the regulations set down for them.
33 These are the men who served (their descendants also served):
The musician Heman was from Kohath’s family line. Heman was the son of Joel, who was the son of Samuel, 34 who was the son of Elkanah, who was the son of Jeroham, who was the son of Eliel, who was the son of Toah, 35 who was the son of Zuph, who was the son of Elkanah, who was the son of Mahath, who was the son of Amasai, 36 who was the son of Elkanah, who was the son of Joel, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Zephaniah, 37 who was the son of Tahath, who was the son of Assir, who was the son of Ebiasaph, who was the son of Korah, 38 who was the son of Izhar, who was the son of Kohath, who was the son of Levi, who was the son of Israel.
39 Heman’s relative Asaph stood on his right. He was the son of Berechiah, who was the son of Shimea, 40 who was the son of Michael, who was the son of Baaseiah, who was the son of Malchiah, 41 who was the son of Ethni, who was the son of Zerah, who was the son of Adaiah, 42 who was the son of Ethan, who was the son of Zimmah, who was the son of Shimei, 43 who was the son of Jahath, who was the son of Gershom, who was the son of Levi.
44 On the left was Ethan, one of Heman’s relatives descended from Merari. Ethan was the son of Kishi, who was the son of Abdi, who was the son of Malluch, 45 who was the son of Hashabiah, who was the son of Amaziah, who was the son of Hilkiah, 46 who was the son of Amzi, who was the son of Bani, who was the son of Shemer, 47 who was the son of Mahli, who was the son of Mushi, who was the son of Merari, who was the son of Levi.
48 Their relatives, the Levites, were assigned all the other duties in the tent, the house of God.
49 Aaron and his descendants offered sacrifices on the altar for burnt offerings and on the altar for incense. They did all the work in the most holy place and removed Israel’s sins to make Israel acceptable to God. They did exactly what God’s servant Moses had commanded.
50 These were Aaron’s descendants: His son was Eleazar. Eleazar’s son was Phinehas. Phinehas’ son was Abishua. 51 Abishua’s son was Bukki. Bukki’s son was Uzzi. Uzzi’s son was Zerahiah. 52 Zerahiah’s son was Meraioth. Meraioth’s son was Amariah. Amariah’s son was Ahitub. 53 Ahitub’s son was Zadok. Zadok’s son was Ahimaaz.
The Cities Belonging to Levi’s Descendants
54 These are the places where Levi’s descendants lived, the places where they settled in the territory chosen for them when lots were drawn:
The ⌞first⌟ lot was drawn for the descendants of Aaron from the family descended from Kohath. 55 They were given Hebron in the territory of Judah as well as the pastureland around it, 56 but the fields belonging to the city and its villages were given to Caleb, son of Jephunneh. 57 Aaron’s descendants were given Hebron as a city of refuge, Libnah with its pastureland, Jattir, Eshtemoa with its pastureland, 58 Hilen with its pastureland, Debir with its pastureland, 59 Ashan with its pastureland, and Beth Shemesh with its pastureland. 60 From the tribe of Benjamin, Aaron’s descendants received Geba with its pastureland, Alemeth with its pastureland, and Anathoth with its pastureland. There was a total of 13 cities for their families.
61 The rest of Kohath’s descendants received 10 cities chosen by lot from the families of half of the tribe of Manasseh. 62 The families of Gershom’s descendants were given 13 cities chosen by lot from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and ⌞the part of⌟ the tribe of Manasseh that lived in Bashan. 63 The families of Merari’s descendants were given 12 cities chosen by lot from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.
64 So the Israelites gave the Levites the cities with their pasturelands. 65 They gave ⌞them⌟ the cities chosen by lot and mentioned here by name from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.
66 Some of the families of Kohath’s descendants had cities chosen by lot from the tribe of Ephraim. 67 They were given these cities of refuge: Shechem with its pastureland in the hills of Ephraim, Gezer with its pastureland, 68 Jokmeam with its pastureland, Beth Horon with its pastureland, 69 Aijalon with its pastureland, and Gath Rimmon with its pastureland. 70 From half of the tribe of Manasseh, they were given Aner with its pastureland and Bileam with its pastureland for the families of the rest of Kohath’s descendants.
71 Gershom’s descendants received Golan in Bashan with its pastureland and Ashtaroth with its pastureland from the families of half of the tribe of Manasseh. 72 From the tribe of Issachar, they received Kedesh with its pastureland, Daberath with its pastureland, 73 Ramoth with its pastureland, and Anem with its pastureland. 74 From the tribe of Asher, they received Mashal with its pastureland, Abdon with its pastureland, 75 Hukok with its pastureland, and Rehob with its pastureland. 76 From the tribe of Naphtali, they received Kedesh in Galilee with its pastureland, Hammon with its pastureland, and Kiriathaim with its pastureland.
77 The rest of Merari’s descendants received Rimmono with its pastureland and Tabor with its pastureland from the tribe of Zebulun. 78 From the tribe of Reuben,[b] Merari’s descendants received land east of the Jordan River and across from Jericho: Bezer in the wilderness with its pastureland, Jahzah with its pastureland, 79 Kedemoth with its pastureland and Mephaath with its pastureland. 80 From the tribe of Gad, they received Ramoth in Gilead with its pastureland, Mahanaim with its pastureland, 81 Heshbon with its pastureland, and Jazer with its pastureland.
26 Agrippa said to Paul, “You’re free to speak for yourself.”
Paul acknowledged King Agrippa and then began his defense. 2 “King Agrippa, I think I’m fortunate today to stand in front of you and defend myself against every charge that the Jews brought against me. 3 I say this since you are especially familiar with every custom and controversy in Judaism. So I ask you to listen patiently to me.
4 “All the Jews know how I lived the earliest days of my youth with my own people and in Jerusalem. 5 They’ve known me for a long time and can testify, if they’re willing, that I followed the strictest party of our religion. They know that I lived my life as a Pharisee.
6 “I’m on trial now because I expect God to keep the promise that he made to our ancestors. 7 Our twelve tribes expect this promise to be kept as they worship with intense devotion day and night. Your Majesty, the Jews are making accusations against me because I expect God to keep his promise. 8 Why do all of you refuse to believe that God can bring dead people back to life?
9 “I used to think that I had to do a lot of things to oppose the one named Jesus of Nazareth. 10 That is what I did in Jerusalem. By the authority I received from the chief priests, I locked many Christians in prison. I voted to have them killed every time a vote was taken. 11 I even went to each synagogue, punished believers, and forced them to curse ⌞the name of Jesus⌟. In my furious rage against them, I hunted them down in cities outside ⌞Jerusalem⌟.
12 “I was carrying out these activities when I went to the city of Damascus. I had the power and authority of the chief priests. 13 Your Majesty, at noon, while I was traveling, I saw a light that was brighter than the sun. The light came from the sky and shined around me and those who were with me. 14 All of us fell to the ground, and I heard a voice asking me in Hebrew, ‘Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting me? It’s hard for ⌞a mortal like⌟ you to resist God.’
15 “I asked, ‘Who are you, sir?’
“The Lord answered, ‘I am Jesus, the one you’re persecuting. 16 Stand up! I have appeared to you for a reason. I’m appointing you to be a servant and witness of what you have seen and of what I will show you. 17 I will rescue you from the Jewish people and from the non-Jewish people to whom I am sending you. 18 You will open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from Satan’s control to God’s. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and a share among God’s people who are made holy by believing in me.’
19 “At that point I did not disobey the vision I saw from heaven, King Agrippa. 20 Instead, I spread the message that I first told to the ⌞Jewish⌟ people in Damascus and Jerusalem and throughout the whole country of Judea. I spread the same message to non-Jewish people. Both groups were expected to change the way they thought and acted and to turn to God. I told them to do things that prove they had changed their lives. 21 For this reason the Jews took me prisoner in the temple courtyard and tried to murder me.
22 “God has been helping me to this day so that I can stand and testify to important and unimportant people. I tell them only what the prophets and Moses said would happen. 23 They said that the Messiah would suffer and be the first to come back to life and would spread light to Jewish and non-Jewish people.”
24 As Paul was defending himself in this way, Festus shouted, “Paul, you’re crazy! Too much education is driving you crazy!”
25 Paul replied, “I’m not crazy, Your Excellency Festus. What I’m saying is true and sane. 26 I can easily speak to a king who knows about these things. I’m sure that none of these things has escaped his attention. None of this was done secretly. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe them!”
28 Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think you can quickly persuade me to become a Christian?”
29 Paul replied, “I wish to God that you and everyone listening to me today would quickly and completely become as I am (except for being a prisoner).”
30 The king, the governor, Bernice, and the people who were sitting with them got up. 31 As they were leaving, they said to each other, “This man isn’t doing anything for which he deserves to die or be put in prison.”
32 Agrippa told Festus, “This man could have been set free if he hadn’t appealed his case to the emperor.”
For the choir director; with stringed instruments, on the sheminith; [a] a psalm by David.
6 O Lord, do not punish me in your anger
or discipline me in your rage.
2 Have pity on me, O Lord, because I am weak.
Heal me, O Lord, because my bones shake with terror.
3 My soul has been deeply shaken with terror.
But you, O Lord, how long … ?
4 Come back, O Lord.
Rescue me.
Save me because of your mercy!
5 In death, no one remembers you.
In the grave, who praises you?
6 I am worn out from my groaning.
My eyes flood my bed every night.
I soak my couch with tears.
7 My eyes blur from grief.
They fail because of my enemies.
8 Get away from me, all you troublemakers,
because the Lord has heard the sound of my crying.
9 The Lord has heard my plea for mercy.
The Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be put to shame and deeply shaken with terror.
In a moment they will retreat and be put to shame.
20 A person’s speaking ability provides for his stomach.
His talking provides him a living.
21 The tongue has the power of life and death,
and those who love to talk will have to eat their own words.
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