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52 The Lord said to Moses, 53 “·Divide [Apportion] the land among these people by the number of names. 54 A large tribe will get more ·land [L inheritance], and a small tribe will get less ·land [L inheritance]; the amount of ·land each tribe gets [L inheritance] will depend on the number of its people. 55 ·Divide [Apportion] the land by drawing lots, and the land each tribe ·gets [L inherits] will be named for that tribe. 56 ·Divide [Apportion] the land between large and small groups by drawing lots [Josh. 14:2; 18:6, 8].”
57 The tribe of Levi was also counted. These were the ·family groups [clans] of Levi: From Gershon came the Gershonite ·family group [clan]; from Kohath came the Kohathite ·family group [clan]; from Merari came the Merarite ·family group [clan]. 58 These also were Levite ·family groups [clans]: the Libnite ·family group [clan], the Hebronite ·family group [clan], the Mahlite ·family group [clan], the Mushite ·family group [clan], and the Korahite ·family group [clan]. (Kohath was the ancestor of Amram, 59 whose wife was named Jochebed. She was from the tribe of Levi and she was born in Egypt. She and Amram had two sons, Aaron and Moses, and their sister Miriam [Ex. 2:1–10]. 60 Aaron was the father of Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 61 But Nadab and Abihu died because they made an offering before the Lord with ·the wrong kind of [L strange; C unauthorized by God] fire [Lev. 10:1–20].)
62 The total number of male Levites one month old or older was 23,000. But these men were not counted with the other ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel], because they were not given any ·of the land [L inheritance] among the other ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel].
63 Moses and Eleazar the priest counted all these people. They counted the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] on the plains of Moab across the Jordan River from Jericho. 64 Moses and Aaron the priest had counted the Israelites in the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Sinai [1:1–54], but no one Moses counted on the plains of Moab was in the first counting. 65 The Lord had told the Israelites they would all die in the ·desert [wilderness], and the only two left were Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun [14:20–25].
Zelophehad’s Daughters
27 Then the daughters of Zelophehad came near. Zelophehad was the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh. Zelophehad’s daughters belonged to the ·family groups [clans] of Manasseh son of Joseph [26:29–34]. The daughters’ names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 2 They went to the entrance of the Meeting Tent and stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and all the ·people [community; congregation; assembly]. They said, 3 “Our father died in the ·desert [wilderness]. He was not ·one of Korah’s followers [L in the community/congregation/assembly of Korah] who came together against the Lord [16:1–50], but he died because of his own sin, and he had no sons. 4 ·Our father’s name will [L Why should our father’s name…?] die out because he had no sons. Give us ·property [a possession] among our father’s relatives [36:1–13; Josh. 17:3–6].”
5 So Moses brought their case to the Lord, 6 and the Lord said to him, 7 “The daughters of Zelophehad are right; they should certainly get ·what their father owned [L a possession of the inheritance in the midst of the relatives of their father]. ·Give [L Pass on to] them ·property among their father’s relatives [L the inheritance of their father].
8 “Tell the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel], ‘If a man dies and has no son, then ·everything he owned should go [L pass on his inheritance] to his daughter. 9 If he has no daughter, then ·everything he owned should go [L you should give his inheritance] to his brothers. 10 If he has no brothers, then ·everything he owned should go [L you should give his inheritance] to his father’s brothers. 11 And if his father had no brothers, then ·everything he owned should go [L you should give his inheritance] to the nearest relative in his ·family group [clan]. This should be a ·rule [statute; ordinance; requirement] among the ·people [L sons; T children] of Israel, as the Lord has given this command to Moses.’”
Joshua Is the New Leader
12 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Climb this mountain in the Abarim Mountains, and look at the land I have given to the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel]. 13 After you have seen it, you will ·die and join your ancestors [L be gathered to your people] as your brother Aaron ·did [L was gathered; 20:22–29], 14 because you both ·acted [rebelled] against my command in the ·Desert [Wilderness] of Zin. You did not honor me as holy before the people at the waters of Meribah [20:1–13].” (This was at Meribah in Kadesh in the ·Desert [L Wilderness] of Zin.)
15 Moses said to the Lord, 16 “The Lord is the God of the spirits of all ·people [L flesh]. May he ·choose a leader for these people [L appoint someone over the community/assembly/congregation], 17 who will go in and out before them. He must lead them out like sheep and bring them in; the Lord’s ·people [community; assembly; congregation] must not be like sheep without a shepherd.”
18 So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, because my Spirit is in him. ·Put [Lay] your hand on him, 19 and have him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the ·people [community; assembly; congregation]. Then give him his orders ·as they watch [L before their eyes]. 20 Let him share your honor so that all the ·Israelites [L community/assembly/congregation of the sons/T children of Israel] will ·obey [listen to] him. 21 He must stand before Eleazar the priest, and Eleazar will get advice from the Lord by using the Urim [Ex. 28:30]. At his command all the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel, the whole community/assembly/congregation] will go out, and at his command they will all come in.”
22 Moses did what the Lord told him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the ·people [community; assembly; congregation], 23 and he ·put [lay] his hands on him and gave him orders, just as the Lord had told him.
Daily Offerings
28 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Give this command to the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel]. Tell them: ‘Bring me food offerings made by fire, for a smell that is pleasing to me, and be sure to bring them at the ·right [appointed] time.’ 3 Say to them, ‘These are the offerings you must bring to the Lord: two male lambs, a year old, as a burnt offering [Lev. 1:1–17] each day. They must have ·nothing wrong with them [no blemish]. 4 Offer one lamb in the morning and the other lamb ·at twilight [L between the two evenings]. 5 Also bring a ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering [Lev. 2:1] of ·two quarts [L one-tenth of an ephah] of ·fine [choice] flour, mixed with ·one quart [L one-fourth of a hin] of oil from pressed olives. 6 This is the daily burnt offering [Lev. 1:1–17] which began at Mount Sinai; its smell is pleasing to the Lord. 7 Offer ·one quart [L one-fourth of a hin] of wine with each lamb as a drink offering; pour it out to the Lord at the Holy Place. 8 Offer the second lamb at ·twilight [L between the two evenings]. As in the morning, also give a ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering [Lev. 2:1] and a drink offering. This offering is made by fire, and its smell is pleasing to the Lord [Ex. 29:38–43].
Sabbath Offerings
9 “‘On the Sabbath day you must give two male lambs, a year old, that have ·nothing wrong with them [no blemish]. Also give a drink offering and a ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering [Lev. 2:1]; the ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering [Lev. 2:1] must be four quarts of fine flour mixed with olive oil. 10 This is the burnt offering [Lev. 1:1–17] for every Sabbath, in addition to the daily burnt offering [Lev. 1:1–17] and drink offering.
Monthly Offerings
11 “‘On the first day of each month bring a burnt offering [Lev. 1:1–17] to the Lord. This will be two young bulls, one ·male sheep [ram], and seven male lambs a year old, and they must have ·nothing wrong with them [no blemish]. 12 Give a ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering [Lev. 2:1] with each bull of ·six quarts [L three-tenths of an ephah] of ·fine [choice] flour mixed with olive oil. Also give a ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering [Lev. 2:1] with the ·male sheep [ram]. It must be ·four quarts [L two-tenths of an ephah] of ·fine [choice] flour mixed with olive oil. 13 And give a ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering [Lev. 2:1] with each lamb of ·two quarts [L one-tenth of an ephah] of ·fine [choice] flour mixed with olive oil. This is a burnt offering [Lev. 1:1–17], and its smell is pleasing to the Lord. 14 The drink offering with each bull will be ·two quarts [L half a hin] of wine, with the ·male sheep [ram] it will be ·one and one-third quarts [L one-third of a hin], and with each lamb it will be ·one quart [L one-fourth of a hin] of wine. This is the burnt offering [Lev. 1:1–17] that must be offered each month of the year. 15 Besides the daily burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17] and drink offerings, bring a ·sin [or purification] offering [Lev. 4:3] of one goat to the Lord.
The Preaching of John(A)
3 It was the fifteenth year of the rule of Tiberius Caesar [C the Roman emperor, ad 14–37]. ·These men were under Caesar: Pontius Pilate, [L …when Pontius Pilate was] the ·ruler [or governor; C his official title was “prefect”; Pilate governed from ad 26–36] of Judea; Herod [C Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great], the ·ruler [L tetrarch; C the title meant “ruler of a fourth,” but came to be used of any minor ruler] of Galilee; Philip [C another son of Herod the Great], the ·ruler [L tetrarch] of Iturea and Traconitis; and Lysanias, the ·ruler [L tetrarch] of Abilene. 2 Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests [C Annas was the former high priest and father-in-law of Caiaphas, the official high priest]. At this time, ·the word of [a message from] God came to John son of Zechariah in the ·desert [wilderness]. 3 He went all over the ·area [country; region] around the Jordan River preaching a baptism of ·changed hearts and lives [repentance] for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the ·book of [L book of the words/oracles of] Isaiah the prophet:
“This is a voice of one
who ·calls out [shouts; cries out] in the ·desert [wilderness]:
‘Prepare the way for the Lord.
Make ·the road straight [a clear path] for him.
5 Every ·valley [ravine; wadi] should be filled in,
and every mountain and hill should be made ·flat [level; low].
·Roads with turns [L Curved/T Crooked places] should be made straight,
and rough ·roads [paths; ways] should be made smooth.
6 And all ·people [humanity; T flesh] will ·know about [L see] the salvation of God [Is. 40:3–5]!’”
7 [L So; Therefore] To the crowds of people who came to be baptized by John, he said, “You ·are all snakes [T brood/offspring of vipers]! Who warned you to ·run [slither; L flee] away from God’s coming ·punishment [wrath; retribution]? 8 ·Do the things [L Produce the fruit] ·that show you really have changed your hearts and lives [that prove your repentance; L of repentance]. Don’t begin to say to yourselves, ‘Abraham is our father [C a claim to be God’s special people, since their ancestor Abraham was chosen and blessed by God; Gen. 12:1–3].’ [L For] I tell you that God could ·make [L raise up] children for Abraham from these rocks. 9 The ax ·is now ready to cut down [L already lies at the root of] the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire [C a metaphor for judgment against those who disobey God].”
10 The ·people [crowd] asked John, “Then what should we do?”
11 John answered, “If you have two ·shirts [tunics], share with the person who does not have one. If you have food, share that also [Is. 58:7].”
12 Even tax collectors came to John to be baptized [C tax collectors were despised because they worked for the Roman rulers and were notorious for corruption and extortion]. They said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?”
13 John said to them, “Don’t take more taxes from people than ·you have been ordered to take [is prescribed/authorized].”
14 The soldiers asked John, “What about us? What should we do?”
John said to them, “Don’t ·force people to give you [extort] money, and don’t ·lie about them [make false accusations]. Be satisfied with the pay you get.”
15 Since the people were ·hoping [waiting expectantly] for the ·Christ [Messiah] to come, they [L all] wondered if John might be the ·one [L Christ; Messiah].
16 John answered everyone, “I baptize you with water, but there is one coming who is ·greater [more powerful; mightier] than I am. I am not ·good enough [fit; qualified] to untie [L the thong/strap of] his sandals [C a task of a servant or slave]. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 ·He will come ready [L The winnowing fork is in his hand] to ·clean the grain, separating the good grain from the chaff [L clear his threshing floor]. He will put ·the good part of the grain [L the grain/wheat] into his ·barn [storehouse], but he will burn the chaff with ·a fire that cannot be put out [never-ending/unquenchable fire; C a metaphor for judgment, when Jesus will separate the righteous from the wicked].” 18 And John continued to preach the ·Good News [Gospel], saying many other things to ·encourage [exhort] the people.
19 But John ·spoke against [criticized; rebuked] Herod [C Antipas], the ·governor [L tetrarch; 3:1], ·because of his sin with [L concerning] Herodias, the wife of Herod’s brother [C Herod had divorced his wife and illicitly married the wife of his brother Philip; Lev. 18:16], and because of the many other evil things Herod did. 20 So Herod ·did something even worse [L added this to all his sins]: He ·put [locked; shut up] John in prison.
Jesus Is Baptized by John(B)
21 When all the people were being baptized by John, Jesus also was baptized. [L And] While Jesus was praying, heaven opened 22 and the Holy Spirit came down on him in ·the form of [L bodily appearance like] a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “You are my ·Son, whom I love [dearly beloved Son; Gen. 22:2; Ps. 2:7], ·and I am very pleased with you [in whom I take great delight [Is. 42:1].”
A Prayer for Protection
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. Of David.
61 God, hear my cry;
·listen [pay attention] to my prayer.
2 I call to you from the ends of the earth [C far from the Temple]
when ·I am afraid [L my heart grows faint].
·Carry [Lead] me away to ·a high mountain [L the rock that is higher than I am; C a place of refuge, perhaps referring to God as the rock; 18:2, 46; 19:14; 62:2].
3 You have been my ·protection [refuge],
like a strong tower against my enemies.
4 Let me ·live [sojourn] in your ·Holy Tent [L tent; C the sanctuary] forever.
Let me find ·safety [refuge] in the shelter of your wings [C an image of compassion, or perhaps referring to the cherubim whose wings cover the Ark of the Covenant; Ex. 25:20]. ·
5 God, you have heard my ·promises [vows].
You have given me what belongs to those who fear ·you [L your name].
6 ·Give the king a long life [L Add days to the days of the king];
let ·him live many years [L his years be forever and ever].
7 Let him ·rule [reign] in the presence of God forever.
Protect him with your ·love [loyalty] and ·truth [faithfulness].
8 Then I will ·praise [sing a psalm to] your name forever,
and every day I will ·keep my promises [fulfill my vows].
16 A ·kind [gracious] woman gets ·respect [honor],
but ·cruel [violent] men get only wealth.
17 ·Kind [or Loyal] people ·do themselves a favor [benefit themselves],
but cruel people ·bring trouble on themselves [L harm their own bodies].
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