The Parable of the Talents^(A)

^14 (B)“For the kingdom of heaven is ^(C)like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. ¹⁵ And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, ^(D)to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. ¹⁶ Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. ¹⁷ And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. ¹⁸ But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. ¹⁹ After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

²⁰ “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ ²¹ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were ^(E)faithful over a few things, ^(F)I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into ^(G)the joy of your lord.’ ²² He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ ²³ His lord said to him, ^(H)‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into ^(I)the joy of your lord.’

²⁴ “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵ And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’

²⁶ “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You ^(J)wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. ²⁷ So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. ²⁸ So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

^29 (K)‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And cast the unprofitable servant ^(L)into the outer darkness. ^(M)There will be weeping and ^(N)gnashing of teeth.’

From Suffering to Glory

¹⁸ For I consider that ^(A)the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. ¹⁹ For ^(B)the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. ²⁰ For ^(C)the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; ²¹ because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of ^[a]corruption into the glorious ^(D)liberty of the children of God. ²² For we know that the whole creation ^(E)groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. ²³ Not only that, but we also who have ^(F)the firstfruits of the Spirit, ^(G)even we ourselves groan ^(H)within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the ^(I)redemption of our body. ²⁴ For we were saved in this hope, but ^(J)hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

²⁶ Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For ^(K)we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but ^(L)the Spirit Himself makes intercession ^[b]for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. ²⁷ Now ^(M)He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints ^(N)according to the will of God.

²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those ^(O)who are the called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For whom ^(P)He foreknew, ^(Q)He also predestined ^(R)to be conformed to the image of His Son, ^(S)that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. ³⁰ Moreover whom He predestined, these He also ^(T)called; whom He called, these He also ^(U)justified; and whom He justified, these He also ^(V)glorified.

God’s Everlasting Love

³¹ What then shall we say to these things? ^(W)If God is for us, who can be against us? ^32 (X)He who did not spare His own Son, but ^(Y)delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? ³³ Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? ^(Z)It is God who justifies. ^34 (AA)Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, ^(AB)who is even at the right hand of God, ^(AC)who also makes intercession for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:

^37 (AE)Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor ^(AF)principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Urgent Prayer for the Restored Favor of God^(A)

To the Chief Musician. ^(B)Set to ^[a]“Lily of the Testimony.” A Michtam of David. For teaching. ^(C)When he fought against Mesopotamia and Syria of Zobah, and Joab returned and killed twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.

Vengeance on the Midianites

31 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ^2 (A)“Take vengeance on the Midianites for the children of Israel. Afterward you shall ^(B)be gathered to your people.”

³ So Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm some of yourselves for war, and let them go against the Midianites to take vengeance for the Lord on ^(C)Midian. ⁴ A thousand from each tribe of all the tribes of Israel you shall send to the war.”

⁵ So there were recruited from the divisions of Israel one thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. ⁶ Then Moses sent them to the war, one thousand from each tribe; he sent them to the war with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, with the holy articles and ^(D)the signal trumpets in his hand. ⁷ And they warred against the Midianites, just as the Lord commanded Moses, and ^(E)they killed all the ^(F)males. ⁸ They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of those who were killed—^(G)Evi, Rekem, ^(H)Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. ^(I)Balaam the son of Beor they also killed with the sword.

⁹ And the children of Israel took the women of Midian captive, with their little ones, and took as spoil all their cattle, all their flocks, and all their goods. ¹⁰ They also burned with fire all the cities where they dwelt, and all their forts. ¹¹ And ^(J)they took all the spoil and all the booty—of man and beast.

Return from the War

¹² Then they brought the captives, the booty, and the spoil to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the children of Israel, to the camp in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho. ¹³ And Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the congregation, went to meet them outside the camp. ¹⁴ But Moses was angry with the officers of the army, with the captains over thousands and captains over hundreds, who had come from the battle.

¹⁵ And Moses said to them: “Have you kept ^(K)all the women alive? ¹⁶ Look, ^(L)these women caused the children of Israel, through the ^(M)counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and ^(N)there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord. ¹⁷ Now therefore, ^(O)kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known a man intimately. ¹⁸ But keep alive ^(P)for yourselves all the young girls who have not known a man intimately. ¹⁹ And as for you, ^(Q)remain outside the camp seven days; whoever has killed any person, and ^(R)whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day. ²⁰ Purify every garment, everything made of leather, everything woven of goats’ hair, and everything made of wood.”

²¹ Then Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who had gone to the battle, “This is the ^[a]ordinance of the law which the Lord commanded Moses: ²² Only the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead, ²³ everything that can endure fire, you shall put through the fire, and it shall be clean; and it shall be purified ^(S)with the water of purification. But all that cannot endure fire you shall put through water. ^24 (T)And you shall wash your clothes on the seventh day and be clean, and afterward you may come into the camp.”

Division of the Plunder

²⁵ Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ²⁶ “Count up the plunder that was ^[b]taken—of man and beast—you and Eleazar the priest and the chief fathers of the congregation; ²⁷ and ^(U)divide the plunder into two parts, between those who took part in the war, who went out to battle, and all the congregation. ²⁸ And levy a ^[c]tribute for the Lord on the men of war who went out to battle: ^(V)one of every five hundred of the persons, the cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep; ²⁹ take it from their half, and ^(W)give it to Eleazar the priest as a heave offering to the Lord. ³⁰ And from the children of Israel’s half you shall take ^(X)one of every fifty, drawn from the persons, the cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep, from all the livestock, and give them to the Levites ^(Y)who ^[d]keep charge of the tabernacle of the Lord.” ³¹ So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses.

³² The booty remaining from the plunder, which the men of war had taken, was six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep, ³³ seventy-two thousand cattle, ³⁴ sixty-one thousand donkeys, ³⁵ and thirty-two thousand persons in all, of women who had not known a man intimately. ³⁶ And the half, the portion for those who had gone out to war, was in number three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep; ³⁷ and the Lord’s ^[e]tribute of the sheep was six hundred and seventy-five. ³⁸ The cattle were thirty-six thousand, of which the Lord’s tribute was seventy-two. ³⁹ The donkeys were thirty thousand five hundred, of which the Lord’s tribute was sixty-one. ⁴⁰ The persons were sixteen thousand, of which the Lord’s tribute was thirty-two persons. ⁴¹ So Moses gave the tribute which was the Lord’s heave offering to Eleazar the priest, ^(Z)as the Lord commanded Moses.

⁴² And from the children of Israel’s half, which Moses separated from the men who fought— ⁴³ now the half belonging to the congregation was three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep, ⁴⁴ thirty-six thousand cattle, ⁴⁵ thirty thousand five hundred donkeys, ⁴⁶ and sixteen thousand persons— ⁴⁷ and ^(AA)from the children of Israel’s half Moses took one of every fifty, drawn from man and beast, and gave them to the Levites, who kept charge of the tabernacle of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.

⁴⁸ Then the officers who were over thousands of the army, the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, came near to Moses; ⁴⁹ and they said to Moses, “Your servants have taken a count of the men of war who are under our command, and not a man of us is missing. ⁵⁰ Therefore we have brought an offering for the Lord, what every man found of ornaments of gold: armlets and bracelets and signet rings and earrings and necklaces, ^(AB)to make ^[f]atonement for ourselves before the Lord.” ⁵¹ So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from them, all the fashioned ornaments. ⁵² And all the gold of the offering that they offered to the Lord, from the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels. ^53 (AC)(The men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself.) ⁵⁴ And Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tabernacle of meeting ^(AD)as a memorial for the children of Israel before the Lord.

The Tribes Settling East of the Jordan^(AE)

32 Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of livestock; and when they saw the land of ^(AF)Jazer and the land of ^(AG)Gilead, that indeed the region was a place for livestock, ² the children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the leaders of the congregation, saying, ³ “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, ^(AH)Nimrah, ^(AI)Heshbon, Elealeh, ^(AJ)Shebam, Nebo, and ^(AK)Beon, ⁴ the country ^(AL)which the Lord defeated before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.” ⁵ Therefore they said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Do not take us over the Jordan.”

⁶ And Moses said to the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben: “Shall your brethren go to war while you sit here? ⁷ Now why will you ^(AM)discourage the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord has given them? ⁸ Thus your fathers did ^(AN)when I sent them away from Kadesh Barnea ^(AO)to see the land. ⁹ For ^(AP)when they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, so that they did not go into the land which the Lord had given them. ^10 (AQ)So the Lord’s anger was aroused on that day, and He swore an oath, saying, ¹¹ ‘Surely none of the men who came up from Egypt, ^(AR)from twenty years old and above, shall see the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because ^(AS)they have not wholly followed Me, ¹² except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun, ^(AT)for they have wholly followed the Lord.’ ¹³ So the Lord’s anger was aroused against Israel, and He made them ^(AU)wander in the wilderness forty years, until ^(AV)all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the Lord was gone. ¹⁴ And look! You have risen in your fathers’ place, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more the ^(AW)fierce anger of the Lord against Israel. ¹⁵ For if you ^(AX)turn away from following Him, He will once again leave them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all these people.”

¹⁶ Then they came near to him and said: “We will build sheepfolds here for our livestock, and cities for our little ones, ¹⁷ but ^(AY)we ourselves will be armed, ready to go before the children of Israel until we have brought them to their place; and our little ones will dwell in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. ^18 (AZ)We will not return to our homes until every one of the children of Israel has ^[g]received his inheritance. ¹⁹ For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond, ^(BA)because our inheritance has fallen to us on this eastern side of the Jordan.”

²⁰ Then ^(BB)Moses said to them: “If you do this thing, if you arm yourselves before the Lord for the war, ²¹ and all your armed men cross over the Jordan before the Lord until He has driven out His enemies from before Him, ²² and ^(BC)the land is subdued before the Lord, then afterward ^(BD)you may return and be blameless before the Lord and before Israel; and ^(BE)this land shall be your possession before the Lord. ²³ But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the Lord; and be sure ^(BF)your sin will find you out. ^24 (BG)Build cities for your little ones and folds for your sheep, and do ^[h]what has proceeded out of your mouth.”

²⁵ And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying: “Your servants will do as my lord commands. ^26 (BH)Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock will be there in the cities of Gilead; ^27 (BI)but your servants will cross over, every man armed for war, before the Lord to battle, just as my lord says.”

²⁸ So Moses gave command ^(BJ)concerning them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel. ²⁹ And Moses said to them: “If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben cross over the Jordan with you, every man armed for battle before the Lord, and the land is subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead as a possession. ³⁰ But if they do not cross over armed with you, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.”

³¹ Then the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying: “As the Lord has said to your servants, so we will do. ³² We will cross over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan, but the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us on this side of the Jordan.”

³³ So ^(BK)Moses gave to the children of Gad, to the children of Reuben, and to half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, ^(BL)the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land with its cities within the borders, the cities of the surrounding country. ³⁴ And the children of Gad built ^(BM)Dibon and Ataroth and ^(BN)Aroer, ³⁵ Atroth and Shophan and ^(BO)Jazer and Jogbehah, ^36 (BP)Beth Nimrah and Beth Haran, ^(BQ)fortified cities, and folds for sheep. ³⁷ And the children of Reuben built ^(BR)Heshbon and Elealeh and Kirjathaim, ^38 (BS)Nebo and ^(BT)Baal Meon ^(BU)(their names being changed) and Shibmah; and they gave other names to the cities which they built.

³⁹ And the children of ^(BV)Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead and took it, and ^[i]dispossessed the Amorites who were in it. ⁴⁰ So Moses ^(BW)gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh, and he dwelt in it. ⁴¹ Also ^(BX)Jair the son of Manasseh went and took its small towns, and called them ^(BY)Havoth Jair.^{[j] 42} Then Nobah went and took Kenath and its villages, and he called it Nobah, after his own name.