Through the Bible – Day 148

Bible text(s)

1 Chronicles 22

David prepares to build the temple

2David ordered the foreigners living in Israel to come to Jerusalem. Then he assigned some to cut blocks of stone for building the temple. 3He got a large supply of iron to make into nails and hinges for the doors, and he provided so much bronze that it could not be weighed. 4He also had cedar logs brought in from the cities of Sidon and Tyre.

5He said, “The temple for the LORD must be great, so that everyone in the world will know about it. But since my son Solomon is young and has no experience, I will make sure that everything is ready for the temple to be built.”

That's why David did all these things before he died.

David instructs Solomon to build the temple

6David sent for his son Solomon and told him to build a temple for the LORD God of Israel. 7He said:

My son, I wanted to build a temple where the LORD my God would be worshipped. 8But some time ago, he told me, “David, you have killed too many people and have fought too many battles. That's why you are not the one to build my temple. 9But when your son becomes king, I will give him peace throughout his kingdom. His name will be Solomon, because during his rule I will keep Israel safe and peaceful. 10Solomon will build my temple. He will be like a son to me, and I will be like a father to him. In fact, one of his descendants will always rule in Israel.”

11Solomon, my son, I now pray that the LORD your God will be with you and keep his promise to help you build a temple for him. 12May he give you wisdom and knowledge, so that you can rule Israel according to his Law. 13If you obey the laws and teachings that the LORD gave Moses, you will be successful. Be strong and brave and don't get discouraged or be afraid of anything.

14I have all the supplies you'll need to build the temple: you have more than three thousand tonnes of gold and over thirty-four thousand tonnes of silver. There's also plenty of wood, stone, and more bronze and iron than I could weigh. Ask for anything else you need. 15I have also assigned men who will cut and lay the stone. And there are carpenters and people who are experts in working with 16gold, silver, bronze, and iron. You have plenty of workers to do the job. Now get started, and I pray that the LORD will be with you in your work.

17David then gave orders for the leaders of Israel to help Solomon. 18David said:

The LORD our God has helped me defeat all the people who lived here before us, and he has given you peace from all your enemies. Now this land belongs to the LORD and his people. 19Obey the LORD your God with your heart and soul. Begin work on the temple to honour him, so that the sacred chest and the things used for worship can be kept there.

1 Chronicles 23

David assigns the Levites their duties

1David was old when he chose his son Solomon to be king of Israel. 2Some time later, David called together all of Israel's leaders, priests, and Levites. 3He then counted the Levite men who were at least thirty years old, and the total was thirty-eight thousand. 4He said, “Twenty-four thousand of the Levites will be in charge of the temple, six thousand will be temple officials and judges, 5four thousand will be guards at the temple, and four thousand will praise the LORD by playing the musical instruments I have given them.”

6David then divided the Levites into three groups according to the clans of Levi's sons, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

7Gershon had two sons: Ladan and Shimei. 8Ladan was the father of Jehiel, Zetham, and Joel. 9They were all family leaders among their father's descendants. Shimei was the father of Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran. 10-11Later, Shimei had four more sons, in the following order: Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. But Jeush and Beriah didn't have many children, so their descendants were counted as one family.

12Kohath had four sons: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 13Amram was the father of Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his descendants were chosen to be in charge of all the sacred things. They served the LORD by offering sacrifices to him and by blessing the people in his name. 14-15Moses, the man of God, was the father of Gershom and Eliezer, and their descendants were considered Levites. 16Gershom's eldest son was Shebuel. 17Rehabiah, who was Eliezer's only son, had many children. 18The second son born to Kohath was Izhar, and his eldest son was Shelomith. 19Hebron, the third son of Kohath, was the father of Jeriah, Amariah, Jahaziel, and Jekameam. 20Kohath's youngest son, Uzziel, was the father of Micah and Isshiah.

21Merari had two sons: Mahli and Mushi. Mahli was the father of Eleazar and Kish. 22Eleazar had no sons, only daughters, and they married their uncle's sons. 23Mushi the second son of Merari, was the father of Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth.

24These were the clans and families of the tribe of Levi. Those who were twenty years and older were assigned to work at the LORD's temple.

25David said:

The LORD God of Israel has given his people peace, and he will live in Jerusalem for ever. 26And so, the Levites won't need to move the sacred tent and the things used for worship from place to place. 27From now on, all Levites at least twenty years old 28will serve the LORD by helping Aaron's descendants do their work at the temple, by keeping the courtyards and rooms of the temple clean, and by making sure that everything used in worship stays pure. 29They will also be in charge of the sacred loaves of bread, the flour for the grain sacrifices, the thin wafers, any offerings to be baked, and the flour mixed with olive oil. These Levites will weigh and measure these offerings.

30Every morning and evening, the Levites are to give thanks to the LORD and sing praises to him. 31They must also give thanks and sing praises when sacrifices are offered on each Sabbath, as well as during New Moon Festivals and other religious feasts. There must always be enough Levites on duty at the temple to do everything that needs to be done. 32They were once in charge of taking care of the sacred tent; now they are responsible for the temple and for helping Aaron's descendants.

1 Chronicles 24

David assigns the priests their duties

1Aaron's descendants were then divided into work groups. Aaron had four sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 2But Nadab and Abihu died long before their father, without having any sons. That's why Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests.

3David divided Aaron's descendants into groups, according to their assigned work. Zadok, one of Eleazar's descendants, and Ahimelech, one of Ithamar's descendants, helped David.

4Eleazar's descendants were divided into sixteen groups, and Ithamar's were divided into eight groups, because Eleazar's family included more family leaders. 5However, both families included temple officials and priests, and so to make sure the work was divided fairly, David asked God what to do.

6As each group was assigned their duties, Shemaiah the son of Nethanel the Levite wrote down the name of the family leader in charge of that group. The witnesses were David and his officials, as well as Zadok the priest, Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and the family leaders from the clans of the priests and the Levites.

7-18Each group of priests went by the name of its family leader, and they were assigned their duties in the following order: Jehoiarib, Jedaiah, Harim, Seorim, Malchijah, Mijamin, Hakkoz, Abijah, Jeshua, Shecaniah, Eliashib, Jakim, Huppah, Jeshebeab, Bilgah, Immer, Hezir, Happizzez, Pethahiah, Jehezkel, Jachin, Gamul, Delaiah, Maaziah. 19These men were assigned their duties at the temple, just as the LORD God of Israel had commanded their ancestor Aaron.

The rest of the Levites are assigned their duties

20Here is a list of the other descendants of Levi:

    Amram was the ancestor of Shubael and Jehdeiah.
    21Rehabiah was the ancestor of Isshiah, the eldest son in his family.
    22Izhar was the father of Shelomoth and the grandfather of Jahath.
    23Hebron had four sons, in the following order: Jeriah, Amariah, Jahaziel, and Jekameam.
    24Uzziel was the father of Micah and the grandfather of Shamir.
    25Isshiah, Micah's brother, was the father of Zechariah.
    26Merari was the father of Mahli, Mushi, and Jaaziah.

27Jaaziah had three sons: Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri. 28-29Mahli was the father of Eleazar and Kish. Eleazar had no sons, but Kish was the father of Jerahmeel. 30Mushi had three sons: Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth.

These were the descendants of Levi, according to their clans. 31Each one was assigned his duties in the same way that their relatives the priests had been assigned their duties. David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the family leaders of the priests and Levites were the witnesses.

1 Chronicles 22:2-24:31CEVOpen in Bible reader

John 11

The death of Lazarus

1-2A man called Lazarus was sick in the village of Bethany. He had two sisters, Mary and Martha. This was the same Mary who later poured perfume on the Lord's head and wiped his feet with her hair. 3The sisters sent a message to the Lord and told him that his good friend Lazarus was sick.

4When Jesus heard this, he said, “His sickness won't end in death. It will bring glory to God and his Son.”

5Jesus loved Martha and her sister and brother. 6But he stayed where he was for two more days. 7Then he said to his disciples, “Now we will go back to Judea.”

8“Teacher,” they said, “the people there want to stone you to death! Why do you want to go back?”

9Jesus answered, “Aren't there twelve hours in each day? If you walk during the day, you will have light from the sun, and you won't stumble. 10But if you walk during the night, you will stumble, because you don't have any light.” 11Then he told them, “Our friend Lazarus is asleep, and I am going there to wake him up.”

12They replied, “Lord, if he is asleep, he will get better.” 13Jesus really meant that Lazarus was dead, but they thought he was talking only about sleep.

14Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead! 15I am glad that I wasn't there, because now you will have a chance to put your faith in me. Let's go to him.”

16Thomas, whose nickname was “Twin”, said to the other disciples, “Come on. Let's go, so we can die with him.”

Jesus brings Lazarus to life

17When Jesus got to Bethany, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18Bethany was less than three kilometres from Jerusalem, 19and many people had come from the city to comfort Martha and Mary because their brother had died.

20When Martha heard that Jesus had arrived, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed in the house. 21Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22Yet even now I know that God will do anything you ask.”

23Jesus told her, “Your brother will live again!”

24Martha answered, “I know that he will be raised to life on the last day, when all the dead are raised.”

25Jesus then said, “I am the one who raises the dead to life! Everyone who has faith in me will live, even if they die. 26And everyone who lives because of faith in me will never really die. Do you believe this?”

27“Yes, Lord!” she replied. “I believe that you are Christ, the Son of God. You are the one we hoped would come into the world.”

28After Martha said this, she went and privately said to her sister Mary, “The Teacher is here, and he wants to see you.” 29As soon as Mary heard this, she got up and went out to Jesus. 30He was still outside the village where Martha had gone to meet him. 31Many people had come to comfort Mary, and when they saw her quickly leave the house, they thought she was going out to the tomb to cry. So they followed her.

32Mary went to where Jesus was. Then as soon as she saw him, she knelt at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

33When Jesus saw that Mary and the people with her were crying, he was terribly upset 34and asked, “Where have you put his body?”

They replied, “Lord, come and you will see.”

35Jesus started crying, 36and the people said, “See how much he loved Lazarus.”

37Some of them said, “He gives sight to the blind. Why couldn't he have kept Lazarus from dying?”

38Jesus was still terribly upset. So he went to the tomb, which was a cave with a stone rolled against the entrance. 39Then he told the people to roll the stone away. But Martha said, “Lord, you know that Lazarus has been dead four days, and there will be a bad smell.”

40Jesus replied, “Didn't I tell you that if you had faith, you would see the glory of God?”

41After the stone had been rolled aside, Jesus looked up towards heaven and prayed, “Father, I thank you for answering my prayer. 42I know that you always answer my prayers. But I said this, so that the people here would believe that you sent me.”

43When Jesus had finished praying, he shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” 44The man who had been dead came out. His hands and feet were wrapped with strips of burial cloth, and a cloth covered his face.

Jesus then told the people, “Untie him and let him go.”

John 11:1-44CEVOpen in Bible reader
Canadian Bible Societyv.4.24.4
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