Old/New Testament
Chapter 32
1 [a]Give ear, O heavens, and let me speak;
let the earth hear the words of my mouth!(A)
2 May my teaching soak in like the rain,
and my utterance drench like the dew,
Like a downpour upon the grass,
like a shower upon the crops.
3 For I will proclaim the name of the Lord,
praise the greatness of our God!
4 The Rock—how faultless are his deeds,
how right all his ways!
A faithful God, without deceit,
just and upright is he!(B)
5 Yet his degenerate children have treated him basely,
a twisted and crooked generation!(C)
6 Is this how you repay the Lord,
so foolish and unwise a people?
Is he not your father who begot you,
the one who made and established you?(D)
7 Remember the days of old,
consider the years of generations past.
Ask your father, he will inform you,
your elders, they will tell you:(E)
8 When the Most High allotted each nation its heritage,
when he separated out human beings,(F)
He set up the boundaries of the peoples
after the number of the divine beings;[b]
9 But the Lord’s portion was his people;
his allotted share was Jacob.(G)
10 He found them in a wilderness,
a wasteland of howling desert.
He shielded them, cared for them,
guarded them as the apple of his eye.(H)
11 As an eagle incites its nestlings,
hovering over its young,
So he spread his wings, took them,
bore them upon his pinions.(I)
12 The Lord alone guided them,
no foreign god was with them.(J)
13 (K)He had them mount the summits of the land,[c]
fed them the produce of its fields;
He suckled them with honey from the crags
and olive oil from the flinty rock;
14 Butter from cows and milk from sheep,
with the best of lambs;
Bashan[d] bulls and goats,
with the cream of finest wheat;
and the foaming blood of grapes you drank.
15 So Jacob ate and was satisfied,
Jeshurun[e] grew fat and kicked;
you became fat and gross and gorged.
They forsook the God who made them
and scorned the Rock of their salvation.(L)
16 With strange gods they incited him,
with abominations provoked him to anger.(M)
17 They sacrificed to demons, to “no-gods,”
to gods they had never known,
Newcomers from afar,
before whom your ancestors had never trembled.
18 You were unmindful of the Rock that begot you,
you forgot the God who gave you birth.(N)
19 The Lord saw and was filled with loathing,
provoked by his sons and daughters.(O)
20 He said, I will hide my face from them,
and see what becomes of them.
For they are a fickle generation,
children with no loyalty in them!(P)
21 Since they have incited me with a “no-god,”
and provoked me with their empty idols,
I will incite them with a “no-people”;[f]
with a foolish nation I will provoke them.(Q)
22 For by my wrath a fire is kindled
that has raged to the depths of Sheol,
It has consumed the earth with its yield,
and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.(R)
23 I will heap evils upon them
and exhaust all my arrows against them:(S)
24 Emaciating hunger and consuming fever
and bitter pestilence,
And the teeth of wild beasts I will send among them,
with the venom of reptiles gliding in the dust.(T)
25 Out in the street the sword shall bereave,
and at home the terror
For the young man and the young woman alike,
the nursing babe as well as the gray beard.(U)
26 I said: I will make an end of them
and blot out their name from human memory,
27 Had I not feared the provocation by the enemy,
that their foes might misunderstand,
And say, “Our own hand won the victory;
the Lord had nothing to do with any of it.”(V)
28 For they are a nation devoid of reason,[g]
having no understanding.
29 If they had insight they would realize this,
they would understand their end:
30 “How could one rout a thousand,
or two put ten thousand to flight,
Unless it was because their Rock sold them,
the Lord delivered them up?”
31 Indeed, their “rock” is not like our Rock;
our enemies are fools.
32 For their vine is from the vine of Sodom,
from the vineyards of Gomorrah.
Their grapes are grapes of poison,
and their clusters are bitter.(W)
33 Their wine is the venom of serpents,
the cruel poison of vipers.
34 Is not this stored up with me,
sealed up in my storehouses?
35 Vengeance is mine and recompense,
for the time they lose their footing;
Because the day of their disaster is at hand
and their doom is rushing upon them!(X)
36 Surely, the Lord will do justice for his people;
on his servants he will have pity.
When he sees their strength is gone,
and neither bond nor free[h] is left,(Y)
37 He will say, Where are their gods,(Z)
the rock in whom they took refuge,
38 Who ate the fat of their sacrifices
and drank the wine of their libations?
Let them rise up now and help you!
Let them be your protection!
39 See now that I, I alone, am he,
and there is no god besides me.
It is I who bring both death and life,
I who inflict wounds and heal them,
and from my hand no one can deliver.(AA)
40 For I raise my hand to the heavens
and will say: As surely as I live forever,
41 When I sharpen my flashing sword,
and my hand lays hold of judgment,
With vengeance I will repay my foes
and requite those who hate me.(AB)
42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood,
and my sword shall devour flesh—
With the blood of the slain and the captured,
from the long-haired heads of the enemy.
43 Exult with him, you heavens,
bow to him, all you divine beings!
For he will avenge the blood of his servants,
take vengeance on his foes;
He will requite those who hate him,
and purge his people’s land.(AC)
44 So Moses, together with Hoshea,[i] son of Nun, went and spoke all the words of this song in the hearing of the people.(AD)
Final Appeal. 45 When Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, 46 he said to them,(AE) Take to heart all the words that I am giving in witness against you today, words you should command your children, that they may observe carefully every word of this law. 47 For this is no trivial matter for you, but rather your very life; by this word you will enjoy a long life on the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.(AF)
Moses Looks upon Canaan. 48 On that very day the Lord said to Moses, 49 Ascend this mountain of the Abarim,[j] Mount Nebo in the land of Moab facing Jericho, and view the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites as a possession.(AG) 50 Then you shall die on the mountain you are about to ascend, and shall be gathered to your people, just as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor[k] and there was gathered to his people,(AH) 51 because both of you broke faith with me among the Israelites at the waters of Meribath-kadesh in the wilderness of Zin: you did not manifest my holiness among the Israelites.[l](AI) 52 You may indeed see the land from a distance, but you shall not enter that land which I am giving to the Israelites.(AJ)
Chapter 33
Blessing upon the Tribes.[m] 1 This is the blessing with which Moses, the man of God, blessed the Israelites before he died.(AK)
2 (AL)He said:
The Lord came from Sinai
and dawned on his people from Seir;
he shone forth from Mount Paran.
With him were myriads of holy ones;
at his right hand advanced the gods.[n]
3 Indeed, lover of the peoples,
all the holy ones are at your side;
They follow at your heels,
carry out your decisions.
4 Moses charged us with the law,
as a possession for the assembly of Jacob.(AM)
5 A king arose[o] in Jeshurun
when the chiefs of the people assembled,
and the tribes of Israel united.(AN)
6 May Reuben live and not die out,(AO)
but let his numbers be few.
7 Of Judah he said this:
Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah,
and bring him to his people.[p]
His own hands defend his cause;
be a help against his foes.(AP)
8 Of Levi he said:(AQ)
Give to Levi your Thummim,
your Urim[q] to your faithful one;
Him you tested at Massah,
contended against him at the waters of Meribah.(AR)
9 [r]He said of his father and mother,
“I have no regard for them”;
His brothers he would not acknowledge,
and his own children he did not recognize.
For they kept your words,
and your covenant they upheld.(AS)
10 (AT)They teach your ordinances to Jacob,
your law to Israel.
They bring incense to your nostrils,
and burnt offerings to your altar.
11 Bless, Lord, his strength,
be pleased with the work of his hands.
Crush the loins of his adversaries
and of his foes, that they may not rise.
12 Of Benjamin he said:
The beloved of the Lord,
he abides in safety beside him;
He shelters him all day long;
the beloved abides at his breast.[s](AU)
13 Of Joseph he said:(AV)
Blessed by the Lord is his land
with the best of heaven above
and of the abyss crouching beneath;
14 With the best of the produce of the sun,
and the choicest yield of the months;
15 With the finest gifts of the ancient mountains
and the best from the everlasting hills;
16 With the best of the earth and its fullness,
and the favor of the one who dwells on Sinai.
Let these come upon the head of Joseph
and upon the brow of the prince among his brothers.(AW)
17 His firstborn bull, majesty is his!
His horns are the horns of a wild ox;
With them he gores the peoples,
attacks the ends of the earth.
These are the myriads of Ephraim,
and these the thousands of Manasseh.
18 Of Zebulun he said:(AX)
Rejoice, Zebulun, in your expeditions,
exult, Issachar, in your tents!
19 They invite peoples to the mountain
where they offer right sacrifices,
Because they suck up the abundance of the seas[t]
and the hidden treasures of the sand.
20 Of Gad he said:(AY)
Blessed be the one who has made Gad so vast!
He lies there like a lion;
he tears the arm, the head as well.
21 He saw that the best should be his,
for there the commander’s portion was assigned;
he came at the head of the people.
He carried out the justice of the Lord
and his ordinances for Israel.(AZ)
22 Of Dan he said:
Dan is a lion’s cub,(BA)
that springs away from a viper!
23 Of Naphtali he said:
Naphtali, abounding with favor,
filled with the blessing of the Lord,
take possession of the west and south.(BB)
24 Of Asher he said:(BC)
Most blessed[u] of sons be Asher!
May he be the favorite among his brothers,
and may he dip his foot in oil!
25 May the bolts of your gates be iron and bronze;
may your strength endure through all your days!
26 There is none like the God of Jeshurun,
who rides the heavens in his power,
who rides the clouds in his majesty;(BD)
27 The God of old is a refuge;
a support are the arms of the Everlasting.
He drove the enemy out of your way
and he said, “Destroy!”(BE)
28 Israel abides securely,
Jacob dwells apart,
In a land of grain and wine,
where the heavens drip with dew.(BF)
29 Happy are you, Israel! Who is like you,
a people delivered by the Lord,
Your help and shield,
and the sword of your glory.
Your enemies cringe before you;
you stride upon their backs.(BG)
IV. The Death of Moses
Chapter 34
1 Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo,(BH) the peak of Pisgah which faces Jericho, and the Lord showed him all the land—Gilead, and as far as Dan, 2 all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea,(BI) 3 the Negeb, the plain (the valley of Jericho, the City of Palms), and as far as Zoar. 4 The Lord then said to him, This is the land(BJ) about which I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, “I will give it to your descendants.” I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you shall not cross over. 5 So there, in the land of Moab, Moses, the servant of the Lord, died(BK) as the Lord had said; 6 and he was buried in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor; to this day no one knows the place of his burial.(BL) 7 Moses was one hundred and twenty years old(BM) when he died, yet his eyes were undimmed and his vigor unabated. 8 The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab for thirty days, till they had completed the period of grief and mourning for Moses.
9 Now Joshua, son of Nun,(BN) was filled with the spirit of wisdom, since Moses had laid his hands upon him; and so the Israelites gave him their obedience, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
10 (BO)Since then no prophet has arisen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, 11 (BP)in all the signs and wonders the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh and all his servants and against all his land, 12 and all the great might and the awesome power that Moses displayed in the sight of all Israel.
26 [a]The inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” 27 With him they crucified two revolutionaries, one on his right and one on his left.(A) [28 ][b] 29 [c]Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying,(B) “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save yourself by coming down from the cross.” 31 Likewise the chief priests, with the scribes, mocked him among themselves and said, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32 Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also kept abusing him.(C)
The Death of Jesus. 33 At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 And at three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”[d] which is translated, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”(D) 35 [e]Some of the bystanders who heard it said, “Look, he is calling Elijah.” 36 One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down.” 37 Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. 38 [f]The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 [g](E)When the centurion who stood facing him saw how he breathed his last he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” 40 [h]There were also women looking on from a distance.(F) Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joses, and Salome. 41 These women had followed him when he was in Galilee and ministered to him. There were also many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem.
The Burial of Jesus. 42 (G)When it was already evening, since it was the day of preparation, the day before the sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea,[i] a distinguished member of the council, who was himself awaiting the kingdom of God, came and courageously went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate was amazed that he was already dead. He summoned the centurion and asked him if Jesus had already died. 45 And when he learned of it from the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. 46 Having bought a linen cloth, he took him down, wrapped him in the linen cloth and laid him in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses watched where he was laid.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.