Moab Revolts

3 Joram^[a](A) son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years. ² He did evil^(B) in the eyes of the Lord, but not as his father^(C) and mother had done. He got rid of the sacred stone^(D) of Baal that his father had made. ³ Nevertheless he clung to the sins^(E) of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.

⁴ Now Mesha king of Moab^(F) raised sheep, and he had to pay the king of Israel a tribute of a hundred thousand lambs^(G) and the wool of a hundred thousand rams. ⁵ But after Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled^(H) against the king of Israel. ⁶ So at that time King Joram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel. ⁷ He also sent this message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight^(I) against Moab?”

“I will go with you,” he replied. “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”

⁸ “By what route shall we attack?” he asked.

“Through the Desert of Edom,” he answered.

⁹ So the king of Israel set out with the king of Judah and the king of Edom.^(J) After a roundabout march of seven days, the army had no more water for themselves or for the animals with them.

¹⁰ “What!” exclaimed the king of Israel. “Has the Lord called us three kings together only to deliver us into the hands of Moab?”

¹¹ But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here, through whom we may inquire^(K) of the Lord?”

An officer of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha^(L) son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.^[b](M)”

¹² Jehoshaphat said, “The word^(N) of the Lord is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

¹³ Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Why do you want to involve me? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother.”

“No,” the king of Israel answered, “because it was the Lord who called us three kings together to deliver us into the hands of Moab.”

¹⁴ Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, if I did not have respect for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not pay any attention to you. ¹⁵ But now bring me a harpist.”^(O)

While the harpist was playing, the hand^(P) of the Lord came on Elisha ¹⁶ and he said, “This is what the Lord says: I will fill this valley with pools of water. ¹⁷ For this is what the Lord says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water,^(Q) and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. ¹⁸ This is an easy^(R) thing in the eyes of the Lord; he will also deliver Moab into your hands. ¹⁹ You will overthrow every fortified city and every major town. You will cut down every good tree, stop up all the springs, and ruin every good field with stones.”

²⁰ The next morning, about the time^(S) for offering the sacrifice, there it was—water flowing from the direction of Edom! And the land was filled with water.^(T)

²¹ Now all the Moabites had heard that the kings had come to fight against them; so every man, young and old, who could bear arms was called up and stationed on the border. ²² When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water. To the Moabites across the way, the water looked red—like blood. ²³ “That’s blood!” they said. “Those kings must have fought and slaughtered each other. Now to the plunder, Moab!”

²⁴ But when the Moabites came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and fought them until they fled. And the Israelites invaded the land and slaughtered the Moabites. ²⁵ They destroyed the towns, and each man threw a stone on every good field until it was covered. They stopped up all the springs and cut down every good tree. Only Kir Hareseth^(U) was left with its stones in place, but men armed with slings surrounded it and attacked it.

²⁶ When the king of Moab saw that the battle had gone against him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they failed. ²⁷ Then he took his firstborn^(V) son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him as a sacrifice on the city wall. The fury against Israel was great; they withdrew and returned to their own land.

Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ

4 As a prisoner^(A) for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy^(B) of the calling^(C) you have received. ² Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another^(D) in love.^{(E) 3} Make every effort to keep the unity^(F) of the Spirit through the bond of peace.^{(G) 4} There is one body^(H) and one Spirit,^(I) just as you were called to one hope when you were called^(J); ⁵ one Lord,^(K) one faith, one baptism; ⁶ one God and Father of all,^(L) who is over all and through all and in all.^(M)

⁷ But to each one of us^(N) grace^(O) has been given^(P) as Christ apportioned it. ⁸ This is why it^[a] says:

⁹ (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions^[c]? ¹⁰ He who descended is the very one who ascended^(S) higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)^{(T) 11} So Christ himself gave^(U) the apostles,^(V) the prophets,^(W) the evangelists,^(X) the pastors and teachers,^{(Y) 12} to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ^(Z) may be built up^{(AA) 13} until we all reach unity^(AB) in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God^(AC) and become mature,^(AD) attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.^(AE)

¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants,^(AF) tossed back and forth by the waves,^(AG) and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.^{(AH) 15} Instead, speaking the truth in love,^(AI) we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head,^(AJ) that is, Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows^(AK) and builds itself up^(AL) in love,^(AM) as each part does its work.

Instructions for Christian Living

¹⁷ So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer^(AN) live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.^{(AO) 18} They are darkened in their understanding^(AP) and separated from the life of God^(AQ) because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.^{(AR) 19} Having lost all sensitivity,^(AS) they have given themselves over^(AT) to sensuality^(AU) so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

²⁰ That, however, is not the way of life you learned ²¹ when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. ²² You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off^(AV) your old self,^(AW) which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;^{(AX) 23} to be made new in the attitude of your minds;^{(AY) 24} and to put on^(AZ) the new self,^(BA) created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.^(BB)

²⁵ Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully^(BC) to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.^{(BD) 26} “In your anger do not sin”^[d]:^(BE) Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ and do not give the devil a foothold.^{(BF) 28} Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work,^(BG) doing something useful with their own hands,^(BH) that they may have something to share with those in need.^(BI)

²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,^(BJ) but only what is helpful for building others up^(BK) according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,^(BL) with whom you were sealed^(BM) for the day of redemption.^{(BN) 31} Get rid of^(BO) all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.^{(BP) 32} Be kind and compassionate to one another,^(BQ) forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.^(BR)

46 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The gate of the inner court^(A) facing east^(B) is to be shut on the six working days, but on the Sabbath day and on the day of the New Moon^(C) it is to be opened. ² The prince is to enter from the outside through the portico^(D) of the gateway and stand by the gatepost. The priests are to sacrifice his burnt offering^(E) and his fellowship offerings. He is to bow down in worship at the threshold of the gateway and then go out, but the gate will not be shut until evening.^{(F) 3} On the Sabbaths^(G) and New Moons the people of the land are to worship in the presence of the Lord at the entrance of that gateway.^{(H) 4} The burnt offering the prince brings to the Lord on the Sabbath day is to be six male lambs and a ram, all without defect. ⁵ The grain offering given with the ram is to be an ephah,^[a] and the grain offering with the lambs is to be as much as he pleases, along with a hin^[b] of olive oil for each ephah.^{(I) 6} On the day of the New Moon^(J) he is to offer a young bull, six lambs and a ram, all without defect.^{(K) 7} He is to provide as a grain offering one ephah with the bull, one ephah with the ram, and with the lambs as much as he wants to give, along with a hin of oil for each ephah.^{(L) 8} When the prince enters, he is to go in through the portico^(M) of the gateway, and he is to come out the same way.^(N)

⁹ “‘When the people of the land come before the Lord at the appointed festivals,^(O) whoever enters by the north gate to worship is to go out the south gate; and whoever enters by the south gate is to go out the north gate. No one is to return through the gate by which they entered, but each is to go out the opposite gate. ¹⁰ The prince is to be among them, going in when they go in and going out when they go out.^{(P) 11} At the feasts and the appointed festivals, the grain offering is to be an ephah with a bull, an ephah with a ram, and with the lambs as much as he pleases, along with a hin of oil for each ephah.^(Q)

¹² “‘When the prince provides^(R) a freewill offering^(S) to the Lord—whether a burnt offering or fellowship offerings—the gate facing east is to be opened for him. He shall offer his burnt offering or his fellowship offerings as he does on the Sabbath day. Then he shall go out, and after he has gone out, the gate will be shut.^(T)

¹³ “‘Every day you are to provide a year-old lamb without defect for a burnt offering to the Lord; morning by morning^(U) you shall provide it.^{(V) 14} You are also to provide with it morning by morning a grain offering, consisting of a sixth of an ephah^[c] with a third of a hin^[d] of oil^(W) to moisten the flour. The presenting of this grain offering to the Lord is a lasting ordinance.^{(X) 15} So the lamb and the grain offering and the oil shall be provided morning by morning for a regular^(Y) burnt offering.^(Z)

¹⁶ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: If the prince makes a gift from his inheritance to one of his sons, it will also belong to his descendants; it is to be their property by inheritance.^{(AA) 17} If, however, he makes a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, the servant may keep it until the year of freedom;^(AB) then it will revert to the prince. His inheritance belongs to his sons only; it is theirs. ¹⁸ The prince must not take^(AC) any of the inheritance^(AD) of the people, driving them off their property. He is to give his sons their inheritance out of his own property, so that not one of my people will be separated from their property.’”

¹⁹ Then the man brought me through the entrance^(AE) at the side of the gate to the sacred rooms facing north,^(AF) which belonged to the priests, and showed me a place at the western end. ²⁰ He said to me, “This is the place where the priests are to cook the guilt offering and the sin offering^[e] and bake the grain offering, to avoid bringing them into the outer court and consecrating^(AG) the people.”^(AH)

²¹ He then brought me to the outer court and led me around to its four corners, and I saw in each corner another court. ²² In the four corners of the outer court were enclosed^[f] courts, forty cubits long and thirty cubits wide;^[g] each of the courts in the four corners was the same size. ²³ Around the inside of each of the four courts was a ledge of stone, with places for fire built all around under the ledge. ²⁴ He said to me, “These are the kitchens where those who minister at the temple are to cook the sacrifices of the people.”

BOOK V

Psalms 107–150

Psalm 107