Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 24

A song of David.

¹¹ When the cloud finally rose up (on the twentieth day of the second month of the second year) from over the congregation tent that housed the terms of the covenant, ¹² the Israelites set out from the Sinai Wilderness until the cloud indicated they should stop in the Paran Wilderness. ¹³ This was the first time they were organized and traveled in this manner—as the Eternal had instructed through Moses.

¹⁴ First the Judahite division left, following their banner. Judah’s tribal troops were led by Nahshon, Amminadab’s son. ¹⁵ The Issachar tribal troops were led by Nethanel, Zuar’s son; ¹⁶ and Helon’s son, Eliab, led the Zebulunite tribal troops.

¹⁷ At that point, the tent was properly disassembled and carried out by the Gershonites and Merarites.

¹⁸ They were followed by the Reubenite division, following their banner. Reuben’s tribal troops were led by Shedeur’s son, Elizur. ¹⁹ The Simeon tribe’s troops were led by Shelumiel, Zurishaddai’s son; ²⁰ and the Gadite tribal army followed the direction of Eliasaph, son of Deuel.

²¹ Next to leave were the Kohathites, who carried the holy things as instructed. The tent would be set up again before they arrived by the Gershonites and Merarites.

²² Then the Ephraimite division departed under their banner. Ephraim’s tribal troops were led by Elishama (Ammihud’s son). ²³ The Manassehite tribal troops were led by Gamaliel, son of Pedahzur; ²⁴ and Benjamin’s tribal troops were led by Gideoni’s son, Abidan.

²⁵ Finally, at the rear came the Danite division following their banner. Dan’s tribal troops were led by Ahiezer, Ammishaddai’s son. ²⁶ The Asherite tribal troops went under the leadership of Pagiel, Ochran’s son; ²⁷ and the Naphtali tribal troops under Enan’s son, Ahira. ²⁸ This is the order in which the Israelites broke camp and journeyed through the wilderness.

²⁹ When they were just about to depart, Moses took aside Hobab (son of Reuel, Moses’ father-in-law), his Midianite brother-in-law.

³³ So off they went, and they traveled for three days after leaving the Eternal’s mountain, known as Sinai or Horeb. At the very front of the traveling company was the precious box containing the terms of Israel’s agreement with their God—namely, the chest containing their covenant with the Eternal to seek out a good resting place. ³⁴ God’s cloud led them on by day when they broke camp and set out. ³⁵ When the chest began to move, Moses would always say,

³⁶ And when the chest settled down again, Moses would say,

⁵⁷ When the time was right, Elizabeth gave birth to a son. ⁵⁸ News about the Lord’s special kindness to her had spread through her extended family and the community. Everyone shared her joy, for after all these years of infertility, she had a son! ⁵⁹ As was customary, eight days after the baby’s birth the time came for his circumcision and naming. Everyone assumed he would be named Zacharias, like his father.

⁶² They turned to Zacharias and asked him what he wanted the baby’s name to be.

⁶³ He motioned for a tablet, and he wrote, “His name is John.” Everyone was shocked by this breach of family custom. ⁶⁴ They were even more surprised when, at that moment, Zacharias was able to talk again, and he shouted out praises to God. ⁶⁵ A sense of reverence spread through the whole community. In fact, this story was spread throughout the hilly countryside of Judea. ⁶⁶ People were certain that God’s hand was on this child, and they wondered what sort of person John would turn out to be when he became a man.

⁶⁷ When Zacharias’s voice was restored to him, he sang from the fullness of the Spirit a prophetic blessing.

⁸⁰ And John grew up and became strong in spirit. He lived in the wilderness, outside the cities, until the day came for him to step into the public eye in Israel.