The Earthly Sanctuary^(A)

9 Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and ^(B)the earthly sanctuary. ² For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the ^[a]sanctuary; ^3 (C)and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, ⁴ which had the ^(D)golden censer and ^(E)the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were ^(F)the golden pot that had the manna, ^(G)Aaron’s rod that budded, and ^(H)the tablets of the covenant; ⁵ and ^(I)above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

Limitations of the Earthly Service

⁶ Now when these things had been thus prepared, ^(J)the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. ⁷ But into the second part the high priest went alone ^(K)once a year, not without blood, which he offered for ^(L)himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance; ⁸ the Holy Spirit indicating this, that ^(M)the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. ⁹ It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered ^(N)which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience— ¹⁰ concerned only with ^(O)foods and drinks, ^(P)various ^[b]washings, ^(Q)and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.

The Heavenly Sanctuary

¹¹ But Christ came as High Priest of ^(R)the good things ^[c]to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. ¹² Not ^(S)with the blood of goats and calves, but ^(T)with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place ^(U)once for all, ^(V)having obtained eternal redemption. ¹³ For if ^(W)the blood of bulls and goats and ^(X)the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, ^[d]sanctifies for the ^[e]purifying of the flesh, ¹⁴ how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without ^[f]spot to God, ^(Y)cleanse your conscience from ^(Z)dead works ^(AA)to serve the living God? ¹⁵ And for this reason ^(AB)He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that ^(AC)those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

The Mediator’s Death Necessary

¹⁶ For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. ¹⁷ For ^(AD)a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. ^18 (AE)Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. ¹⁹ For when Moses had spoken every ^[g]precept to all the people according to the law, ^(AF)he took the blood of calves and goats, ^(AG)with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, ²⁰ saying, ^(AH)“This is the ^(AI)blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.” ²¹ Then likewise ^(AJ)he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. ²² And according to the law almost all things are ^[h]purified with blood, and ^(AK)without shedding of blood there is no ^[i]remission.

Greatness of Christ’s Sacrifice

²³ Therefore it was necessary that ^(AL)the copies of the things in the heavens should be ^[j]purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. ²⁴ For ^(AM)Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are ^[k]copies of ^(AN)the true, but into heaven itself, now ^(AO)to appear in the presence of God for us; ²⁵ not that He should offer Himself often, as ^(AP)the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— ²⁶ He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. ^27 (AQ)And as it is appointed for men to die once, ^(AR)but after this the judgment, ²⁸ so ^(AS)Christ was ^(AT)offered once to bear the sins ^(AU)of many. To those who ^(AV)eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

The Fall of Ai

8 Now the Lord said to Joshua: ^(A)“Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, ^(B)I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land. ² And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to ^(C)Jericho and its king. Only ^(D)its spoil and its cattle you shall take as booty for yourselves. Lay an ambush for the city behind it.”

³ So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai; and Joshua chose thirty thousand mighty men of valor and sent them away by night. ⁴ And he commanded them, saying: “Behold, ^(E)you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind the city. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready. ⁵ Then I and all the people who are with me will approach the city; and it will come about, when they come out against us as at the first, that ^(F)we shall flee before them. ⁶ For they will come out after us till we have drawn them from the city, for they will say, ‘They are fleeing before us as at the first.’ Therefore we will flee before them. ⁷ Then you shall rise from the ambush and seize the city, for the Lord your God will deliver it into your hand. ⁸ And it will be, when you have taken the city, that you shall set the city on fire. According to the commandment of the Lord you shall do. ^(G)See, I have commanded you.”

⁹ Joshua therefore sent them out; and they went to lie in ambush, and stayed between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai; but Joshua lodged that night among the people. ¹⁰ Then Joshua rose up early in the morning and mustered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai. ^11 (H)And all the people of war who were with him went up and drew near; and they came before the city and camped on the north side of Ai. Now a valley lay between them and Ai. ¹² So he took about five thousand men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of ^[a]the city. ¹³ And when they had set the people, all the army that was on the north of the city, and its rear guard on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.

¹⁴ Now it happened, when the king of Ai saw it, that the men of the city hurried and rose early and went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at an appointed place before the plain. But he ^(I)did not know that there was an ambush against him behind the city. ¹⁵ And Joshua and all Israel ^(J)made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness. ¹⁶ So all the people who were in Ai were called together to pursue them. And they pursued Joshua and were drawn away from the city. ¹⁷ There was not a man left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel. So they left the city open and pursued Israel.

¹⁸ Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Stretch out the spear that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand.” And Joshua stretched out the spear that was in his hand toward the city. ¹⁹ So those in ambush arose quickly out of their place; they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand, and they entered the city and took it, and hurried to set the city on fire. ²⁰ And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and behold, the smoke of the city ascended to heaven. So they had no power to flee this way or that way, and the people who had fled to the wilderness turned back on the pursuers.