Deuteronomy 33-34

New International Version

Moses Blesses the Tribes^(A)

33 This is the blessing^(B) that Moses the man of God^(C) pronounced on the Israelites before his death. ²He said:

“The Lord came from Sinai^(D)
    and dawned over them from Seir;^(E)
    he shone forth^(F) from Mount Paran.^(G)
He came with^[a] myriads of holy ones^(H)
    from the south, from his mountain slopes.^[b]
³Surely it is you who love^(I) the people;
    all the holy ones are in your hand.^(J)
At your feet they all bow down,^(K)
    and from you receive instruction,
⁴the law that Moses gave us,^(L)
    the possession of the assembly of Jacob.^(M)
⁵He was king^(N) over Jeshurun^[c]^(O)
    when the leaders of the people assembled,
    along with the tribes of Israel.

⁶“Let Reuben live and not die,
nor^[d] his people be few.”^(P)

⁷And this he said about Judah:^(Q)

“Hear, Lord, the cry of Judah;
bring him to his people.
With his own hands he defends his cause.
Oh, be his help against his foes!”

⁸About Levi^(R) he said:

“Your Thummim and Urim^(S) belong
    to your faithful servant.^(T)
You tested^(U) him at Massah;
    you contended with him at the waters of Meribah.^(V)
⁹He said of his father and mother,^(W)
    ‘I have no regard for them.’
He did not recognize his brothers
    or acknowledge his own children,
but he watched over your word
    and guarded your covenant.^(X)
¹⁰He teaches^(Y) your precepts to Jacob
    and your law to Israel.^(Z)
He offers incense before you^(AA)
    and whole burnt offerings on your altar.^(AB)
¹¹Bless all his skills, Lord,
    and be pleased with the work of his hands.^(AC)
Strike down those who rise against him,
    his foes till they rise no more.”

¹²About Benjamin^(AD) he said:

“Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him,^(AE)
for he shields him all day long,^(AF)
and the one the Lord loves^(AG) rests between his shoulders.^(AH)”

¹³About Joseph^(AI) he said:

“May the Lord bless his land
    with the precious dew from heaven above
    and with the deep waters that lie below;^(AJ)
¹⁴with the best the sun brings forth
    and the finest the moon can yield;
¹⁵with the choicest gifts of the ancient mountains^(AK)
    and the fruitfulness of the everlasting hills;
¹⁶with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness
    and the favor of him who dwelt in the burning bush.^(AL)
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,
    on the brow of the prince among^[e] his brothers.^(AM)
¹⁷In majesty he is like a firstborn bull;
    his horns^(AN) are the horns of a wild ox.^(AO)
With them he will gore^(AP) the nations,
    even those at the ends of the earth.
Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim;^(AQ)
    such are the thousands of Manasseh.^(AR)”

¹⁸About Zebulun^(AS) he said:

“Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out,
    and you, Issachar,^(AT) in your tents.
¹⁹They will summon peoples to the mountain^(AU)
    and there offer the sacrifices of the righteous;^(AV)
they will feast on the abundance of the seas,^(AW)
    on the treasures hidden in the sand.”

²⁰About Gad^(AX) he said:

“Blessed is he who enlarges Gad’s domain!^(AY)
    Gad lives there like a lion,
    tearing at arm or head.
²¹He chose the best land for himself;^(AZ)
    the leader’s portion was kept for him.^(BA)
When the heads of the people assembled,
    he carried out the Lord’s righteous will,^(BB)
    and his judgments concerning Israel.”

²²About Dan^(BC) he said:

“Dan is a lion’s cub,
springing out of Bashan.”

²³About Naphtali^(BD) he said:

“Naphtali is abounding with the favor of the Lord
and is full of his blessing;
he will inherit southward to the lake.”

²⁴About Asher^(BE) he said:

“Most blessed of sons is Asher;
    let him be favored by his brothers,
    and let him bathe his feet in oil.^(BF)
²⁵The bolts of your gates will be iron and bronze,^(BG)
    and your strength will equal your days.^(BH)

²⁶“There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,^(BI)
    who rides^(BJ) across the heavens to help you^(BK)
    and on the clouds^(BL) in his majesty.^(BM)
²⁷The eternal^(BN) God is your refuge,^(BO)
    and underneath are the everlasting^(BP) arms.
He will drive out your enemies before you,^(BQ)
    saying, ‘Destroy them!’^(BR)
²⁸So Israel will live in safety;^(BS)
    Jacob will dwell^[f] secure
in a land of grain and new wine,
    where the heavens drop dew.^(BT)
²⁹Blessed are you, Israel!^(BU)
    Who is like you,^(BV)
    a people saved by the Lord?^(BW)
He is your shield and helper^(BX)
    and your glorious sword.
Your enemies will cower before you,
    and you will tread on their heights.^(BY)”

The Death of Moses

34 Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo^(BZ) from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah,^(CA) across from Jericho.^(CB) There the Lord showed^(CC) him the whole land—from Gilead to Dan,^(CD) ²all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea,^(CE) ³the Negev^(CF) and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms,^(CG) as far as Zoar.^(CH) ⁴Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land I promised on oath^(CI) to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob^(CJ) when I said, ‘I will give it^(CK) to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross^(CL) over into it.”

⁵And Moses the servant of the Lord^(CM) died^(CN) there in Moab, as the Lord had said. ⁶He buried him^[g] in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor,^(CO) but to this day no one knows where his grave is.^(CP) ⁷Moses was a hundred and twenty years old^(CQ) when he died, yet his eyes were not weak^(CR) nor his strength gone.^(CS) ⁸The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab^(CT) thirty days,^(CU) until the time of weeping and mourning^(CV) was over.

⁹Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit^[h] of wisdom^(CW) because Moses had laid his hands on him.^(CX) So the Israelites listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses.

¹⁰Since then, no prophet^(CY) has risen in Israel like Moses,^(CZ) whom the Lord knew face to face,^(DA) ¹¹who did all those signs and wonders^(DB) the Lord sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials^(DC) and to his whole land. ¹²For no one has^(DD) ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds^(DE) that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.

Footnotes

Deuteronomy 33:2 Or from
Deuteronomy 33:2 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
Deuteronomy 33:5 Jeshurun means the upright one, that is, Israel; also in verse 26.
Deuteronomy 33:6 Or but let
Deuteronomy 33:16 Or of the one separated from
Deuteronomy 33:28 Septuagint; Hebrew Jacob’s spring is
Deuteronomy 34:6 Or He was buried
Deuteronomy 34:9 Or Spirit

Jeremiah 25

New International Version

Seventy Years of Captivity

25 The word came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim^(A) son of Josiah king of Judah, which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar^(B) king of Babylon. ²So Jeremiah the prophet said to all the people of Judah^(C) and to all those living in Jerusalem: ³For twenty-three years—from the thirteenth year of Josiah^(D) son of Amon king of Judah until this very day—the word of the Lord has come to me and I have spoken to you again and again,^(E) but you have not listened.^(F)

⁴And though the Lord has sent all his servants the prophets^(G) to you again and again, you have not listened or paid any attention.^(H) ⁵They said, “Turn^(I) now, each of you, from your evil ways and your evil practices, and you can stay in the land^(J) the Lord gave to you and your ancestors for ever and ever. ⁶Do not follow other gods^(K) to serve and worship them; do not arouse my anger with what your hands have made. Then I will not harm you.”

⁷“But you did not listen to me,” declares the Lord, “and you have aroused^(L) my anger with what your hands have made,^(M) and you have brought harm^(N) to yourselves.”

⁸Therefore the Lord Almighty says this: “Because you have not listened to my words, ⁹I will summon^(O) all the peoples of the north^(P) and my servant^(Q) Nebuchadnezzar^(R) king of Babylon,” declares the Lord, “and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and against all the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy^[a]^(S) them and make them an object of horror and scorn,^(T) and an everlasting ruin.^(U) ¹⁰I will banish from them the sounds^(V) of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom,^(W) the sound of millstones^(X) and the light of the lamp.^(Y) ¹¹This whole country will become a desolate wasteland,^(Z) and these nations will serve^(AA) the king of Babylon seventy years.^(AB)

¹²“But when the seventy years^(AC) are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon^(AD) and his nation, the land of the Babylonians,^[b] for their guilt,” declares the Lord, “and will make it desolate^(AE) forever. ¹³I will bring on that land all the things I have spoken against it, all that are written^(AF) in this book and prophesied by Jeremiah against all the nations. ¹⁴They themselves will be enslaved^(AG) by many nations^(AH) and great kings; I will repay^(AI) them according to their deeds and the work of their hands.”

The Cup of God’s Wrath

¹⁵This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup^(AJ) filled with the wine of my wrath and make all the nations to whom I send^(AK) you drink it. ¹⁶When they drink^(AL) it, they will stagger^(AM) and go mad^(AN) because of the sword^(AO) I will send among them.”

¹⁷So I took the cup from the Lord’s hand and made all the nations to whom he sent^(AP) me drink it: ¹⁸Jerusalem^(AQ) and the towns of Judah, its kings and officials, to make them a ruin^(AR) and an object of horror and scorn,^(AS) a curse^[c]^(AT)—as they are today;^(AU) ¹⁹Pharaoh king^(AV) of Egypt,^(AW) his attendants, his officials and all his people, ²⁰and all the foreign people there; all the kings of Uz;^(AX) all the kings of the Philistines^(AY) (those of Ashkelon,^(AZ) Gaza,^(BA) Ekron, and the people left at Ashdod); ²¹Edom,^(BB) Moab^(BC) and Ammon;^(BD) ²²all the kings of Tyre^(BE) and Sidon;^(BF) the kings of the coastlands^(BG) across the sea; ²³Dedan,^(BH) Tema,^(BI) Buz^(BJ) and all who are in distant places^[d];^(BK) ²⁴all the kings of Arabia^(BL) and all the kings of the foreign people^(BM) who live in the wilderness; ²⁵all the kings of Zimri,^(BN) Elam^(BO) and Media;^(BP) ²⁶and all the kings of the north,^(BQ) near and far, one after the other—all the kingdoms^(BR) on the face of the earth. And after all of them, the king of Sheshak^[e]^(BS) will drink it too.

²⁷“Then tell them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Drink, get drunk^(BT) and vomit, and fall to rise no more because of the sword^(BU) I will send among you.’ ²⁸But if they refuse to take the cup from your hand and drink^(BV), tell them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: You must drink it! ²⁹See, I am beginning to bring disaster^(BW) on the city that bears my Name,^(BX) and will you indeed go unpunished?^(BY) You will not go unpunished, for I am calling down a sword^(BZ) on all^(CA) who live on the earth,^(CB) declares the Lord Almighty.’

³⁰“Now prophesy all these words against them and say to them:

“‘The Lord will roar^(CC) from on high;
    he will thunder^(CD) from his holy dwelling^(CE)
    and roar mightily against his land.
He will shout like those who tread^(CF) the grapes,
    shout against all who live on the earth.
³¹The tumult^(CG) will resound to the ends of the earth,
    for the Lord will bring charges^(CH) against the nations;
he will bring judgment^(CI) on all^(CJ) mankind
    and put the wicked to the sword,^(CK)’”
declares the Lord.

³²This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Look! Disaster^(CL) is spreading
from nation to nation;^(CM)
a mighty storm^(CN) is rising
from the ends of the earth.”^(CO)

³³At that time those slain^(CP) by the Lord will be everywhere—from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned or gathered^(CQ) up or buried,^(CR) but will be like dung lying on the ground.

³⁴Weep and wail, you shepherds;^(CS)
    roll^(CT) in the dust, you leaders of the flock.
For your time to be slaughtered^(CU) has come;
    you will fall like the best of the rams.^[f]^(CV)
³⁵The shepherds will have nowhere to flee,
    the leaders of the flock no place to escape.^(CW)
³⁶Hear the cry^(CX) of the shepherds,^(CY)
    the wailing of the leaders of the flock,
    for the Lord is destroying their pasture.
³⁷The peaceful meadows will be laid waste
    because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
³⁸Like a lion^(CZ) he will leave his lair,
    and their land will become desolate^(DA)
because of the sword^[g] of the oppressor^(DB)
    and because of the Lord’s fierce anger.^(DC)

Footnotes

Jeremiah 25:9 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
Jeremiah 25:12 Or Chaldeans
Jeremiah 25:18 That is, their names to be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, to be seen by others as cursed
Jeremiah 25:23 Or who clip the hair by their foreheads
Jeremiah 25:26 Sheshak is a cryptogram for Babylon.
Jeremiah 25:34 Septuagint; Hebrew fall and be shattered like fine pottery
Jeremiah 25:38 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 46:16 and 50:16); most Hebrew manuscripts anger

2 Corinthians 9

New International Version

9 There is no need^(A) for me to write to you about this service^(B) to the Lord’s people.^(C) ²For I know your eagerness to help,^(D) and I have been boasting^(E) about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year^(F) you in Achaia^(G) were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. ³But I am sending the brothers^(H) in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be.^(I) ⁴For if any Macedonians^(J) come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to say anything about you—would be ashamed of having been so confident. ⁵So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers^(K) to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift,^(L) not as one grudgingly given.^(M)

Generosity Encouraged

⁶Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.^(N) ⁷Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give,^(O) not reluctantly or under compulsion,^(P) for God loves a cheerful giver.^(Q) ⁸And God is able^(R) to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need,^(S) you will abound in every good work. ⁹As it is written:

“They have freely scattered their gifts^(T) to the poor;
their righteousness endures forever.”^[a]^(U)

¹⁰Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food^(V) will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.^(W) ¹¹You will be enriched^(X) in every way so that you can be generous^(Y) on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.^(Z)

¹²This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs^(AA) of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.^(AB) ¹³Because of the service^(AC) by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God^(AD) for the obedience that accompanies your confession^(AE) of the gospel of Christ,^(AF) and for your generosity^(AG) in sharing with them and with everyone else. ¹⁴And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. ¹⁵Thanks be to God^(AH) for his indescribable gift!^(AI)