Through the Bible – Day 45

Bible text(s)

Numbers 1

The people of Israel are counted

1The people of Israel had left Egypt and were living in the Sinai Desert. Then on the first day of the second month of the second year, Moses was in the sacred tent when the LORD said:

2-3I want you and Aaron to find out how many people are in each of Israel's clans and families. And make a list of all the men twenty years and older who are able to fight in battle. 4-15The following twelve family leaders, one from each tribe, will help you:

    Elizur son of Shedeur from Reuben,
    Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai from Simeon,
    Nahshon son of Amminadab from Judah,
    Nethanel son of Zuar from Issachar,
    Eliab son of Helon from Zebulun,
    Elishama son of Ammihud from Ephraim,
    Gamaliel son of Pedahzur from Manasseh,
    Abidan son of Gideoni from Benjamin,
    Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai from Dan,
    Pagiel son of Ochran from Asher,
    Eliasaph son of Deuel from Gad,
    and Ahira son of Enan from Naphtali.

16-17Moses and Aaron, together with these twelve tribal leaders, 18called together the people that same day. They were counted according to their clans and families. Then Moses and the others listed the names of the men twenty years and older, 19just as the LORD had commanded. 20-46The number of men from each tribe who were at least twenty years old and strong enough to fight in Israel's army was as follows:

    46,500 from Reuben,
    the eldest son of Jacob,
    59,300 from Simeon,
    45,650 from Gad,
    74,600 from Judah,
    54,400 from Issachar,
    57,400 from Zebulun,
    40,500 from Ephraim,
    32,200 from Manasseh,
    35,400 from Benjamin,
    62,700 from Dan,
    41,500 from Asher,
    53,400 from Naphtali.

The total number of men registered by Moses, Aaron, and the twelve leaders was 603,550.

47But those from the Levi tribe were not included 48because the LORD had said to Moses:

49When you count the Israelites, do not include those from the Levi tribe. 50-51Instead, give them the job of caring for the sacred tent, its furnishings, and the objects used for worship. They will camp around the tent, and whenever you move, they will take it down, carry it to the new camp, and set it up again. Anyone else who tries to go near it must be put to death.

52The rest of the Israelites will camp in their own groups and under their own banners. 53But the Levites will camp around the sacred tent to make sure that no one goes near it and makes me furious with the Israelites.

54The people of Israel did everything the LORD had commanded.

Numbers 2

Instructions for setting up Israel's camp

1The LORD told Moses and Aaron 2how the Israelites should arrange their camp:

Each tribe must set up camp under its own banner and under the flags of its ancestral families. These camps will be arranged around the sacred tent, but not close to it.

3-4Judah and the tribes that march with it must set up camp on the east side of the sacred tent, under their own banner. The 74,600 troops of the tribe of Judah will be arranged by divisions and led by Nahshon son of Amminadab. 5-6On one side of Judah will be the tribe of Issachar, with Nethanel son of Zuar as the leader of its 54,400 troops. 7-8On the other side will be the tribe of Zebulun, with Eliab son of Helon as the leader of its 57,400 troops. 9These 186,400 troops will march into battle first.

10-11Reuben and the tribes that march with it must set up camp on the south side of the sacred tent, under their own banner. The 46,500 troops of the tribe of Reuben will be arranged by divisions and led by Elizur son of Shedeur. 12-13On one side of Reuben will be the tribe of Simeon, with Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai as the leader of its 59,300 troops. 14-15On the other side will be the tribe of Gad, with Eliasaph son of Deuel as the leader of its 45,650 troops. 16These 151,450 troops will march into battle second.

17Marching behind Reuben will be the Levites, arranged in groups, just as they are camped. They will carry the sacred tent and their own banners.

18-19Ephraim and the tribes that march with it must set up camp on the west side of the sacred tent, under their own banner. The 40,500 troops of the tribe of Ephraim will be arranged by divisions and led by Elishama son of Ammihud. 20-21On one side of Ephraim will be the tribe of Manasseh, with Gamaliel son of Pedahzur as the leader of its 32,200 troops. 22-23On the other side will be the tribe of Benjamin, with Abidan son of Gideoni as the leader of its 35,400 troops. 24These 108,100 troops will march into battle third.

25-26Dan and the tribes that march with it must set up camp on the north side of the sacred tent, under their own banner. The 62,700 troops of the tribe of Dan will be arranged by divisions and led by Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. 27-28On one side of Dan will be the tribe of Asher, with Pagiel son of Ochran as the leader of its 41,500 troops. 29-30On the other side will be the tribe of Naphtali with Ahira son of Enan as the leader of its 53,400 troops. 31These 157,600 troops will march into battle last.

32So all the Israelites in the camp were counted according to their ancestral families. The troops were arranged by divisions and totalled 603,550. 33The only Israelites not included were the Levites, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

34Israel did everything the LORD had told Moses. They arranged their camp according to clans and families, with each tribe under its own banner. And that was the order by which they marched into battle.

Numbers 3

The sons of Aaron

1When the LORD talked with Moses on Mount Sinai, 2Aaron's four sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, 3were the ones to be ordained as priests. 4But the LORD killed Nadab and Abihu in the Sinai Desert when they used fire that was unacceptable in their offering to the LORD. And because Nadab and Abihu had no sons, only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests with their father Aaron.

The duties of the Levites

5The LORD said to Moses:

6Assign the Levi tribe to Aaron the priest. They will be his assistants 7and will work at the sacred tent for him and for all the Israelites. 8The Levites will serve the community by being responsible for the furnishings of the tent. 9They are assigned to help Aaron and his sons, 10who have been appointed to be priests. Anyone else who tries to perform the duties of a priest must be put to death.

11-13Moses, I have chosen these Levites from all Israel, and they will belong to me in a special way. When I killed the firstborn sons of the Egyptians, I decided that the firstborn sons in every Israelite family and the firstborn males of their flocks and herds would be mine. But now I accept these Levites in place of the firstborn sons of the Israelites.

The Levites are counted

14In the Sinai Desert the LORD said to Moses, 15“Now I want you to count the men and boys in the Levi tribe by families and by clans. Include every one at least a month old.” 16So Moses obeyed and counted them.

17Levi's three sons, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, had become the heads of their own clans. 18Gershon's sons were Libni and Shimei. 19Kohath's sons were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20And Merari's sons were Mahli and Mushi. These were the sons and grandsons of Levi, and they had become the leaders of the Levite clans.

21The two Gershon clans were the Libnites and Shimeites, 22and they had seven thousand five hundred men and boys at least one month old. 23The Gershonites were to camp on the west side of the sacred tent, 24under the leadership of Eliasaph son of Lael. 25Their duties at the tent included taking care of the tent itself, along with its outer covering, the curtain for the entrance, 26the curtains hanging inside the courtyard around the tent, as well as the curtain and ropes for the entrance to the courtyard and its altar. The Gershonites were responsible for setting these things up and taking them down.

27The four Kohath clans were the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites, and the Uzzielites, 28and they had eight thousand six hundred men and boys at least one month old. 29The Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the sacred tent, 30under the leadership of Elizaphan son of Uzziel. 31Their duties at the tent included taking care of the sacred chest, the table for the sacred bread, the lampstand, the altars, the objects used for worship, and the curtain in front of the most holy place. The Kohathites were responsible for setting these things up and taking them down.

32Eleazar son of Aaron was the head of the Levite leaders, and he made sure that the work at the sacred tent was done.

33The two Merari clans were the Mahlites and the Mushites, 34and they had six thousand two hundred men and boys at least one month old. 35The Merarites were to camp on the north side of the sacred tent, under the leadership of Zuriel son of Abihail. 36-37Their duties included taking care of the tent frames and the pieces that held the tent up: the bars, the posts, the stands, and its other equipment. They were also in charge of the posts that supported the courtyard, as well as their stands, tent pegs, and ropes. The Merari clans were responsible for setting these things up and taking them down.

38Moses, Aaron, and his sons were to camp in front of the sacred tent, on the east side, and to make sure that the Israelites worshipped in the proper way. Anyone else who tried to do the work of Moses and Aaron was to be put to death.

39So Moses and Aaron obeyed the LORD and counted the Levites by their clans. The total number of Levites at least one month old was twenty-two thousand.

The Levites are accepted as substitutes for the firstborn sons

40The LORD said to Moses, “Make a list and count the firstborn sons at least one month old in each of the Israelite families. 41They belong to me, but I will accept the Levites as substitutes for them, and I will accept the Levites' livestock as substitutes for the Israelites' firstborn livestock.”

42Moses obeyed the LORD and counted the firstborn sons; 43there were 22,273 of them.

44Then the LORD said, 45“The Levites will belong to me and will take the place of the firstborn sons; their livestock will take the place of the Israelites' firstborn livestock. 46But since there are more firstborn sons than Levites, the extra two hundred and seventy-three men and boys must be bought back from me. 47For each one, you are to collect five pieces of silver, weighed according to the official standards. 48This money must then be given to Aaron and his sons.”

49Moses collected the silver from the extra two hundred and seventy-three firstborn men and boys, 50and it amounted to one thousand three hundred and sixty-five pieces of silver, weighed according to the official standards. 51Then he gave it to Aaron and his sons, just as the LORD had commanded.

Numbers 1:1-3:51CEVOpen in Bible reader

Matthew 26

Peter's promise

31Jesus said to his disciples, “During this very night, all of you will reject me, as the Scriptures say,

‘I will strike down

the shepherd,

and the sheep

will be scattered.’

32But after I am raised to life, I will go to Galilee ahead of you.”

33Peter spoke up, “Even if all the others reject you, I never will!”

34Jesus replied, “I promise you that before a cock crows tonight, you will say three times that you don't know me.” 35But Peter said, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never say I don't know you.”

All the others said the same thing.

Jesus prays

36Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane. When they got there, he told them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”

37Jesus took along Peter and the two brothers, James and John. He was very sad and troubled, 38and he said to them, “I am so sad that I feel as if I am dying. Stay here and keep awake with me.”

39Jesus walked on a little way. Then he knelt with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, don't make me suffer by making me drink from this cup. But do what you want, and not what I want.”

40He came back and found his disciples sleeping. So he said to Peter, “Can't any of you stay awake with me for just one hour? 41Stay awake and pray that you won't be tested. You want to do what is right, but you are weak.”

42Again Jesus went to pray and said, “My Father, if there is no other way, and I must suffer, I will still do what you want.”

43Jesus came back and found them sleeping again. They simply could not keep their eyes open. 44He left them and prayed the same prayer once more.

45Finally, Jesus returned to his disciples and said, “Are you still sleeping and resting? The time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to sinners. 46Get up! Let's go. The one who will betray me is already here.”

Jesus is arrested

47Jesus was still speaking, when Judas the betrayer came up. He was one of the twelve disciples, and a large mob armed with swords and clubs was with him. They had been sent by the chief priests and the nation's leaders. 48Judas had told them beforehand, “Arrest the man I greet with a kiss.”

49Judas walked right up to Jesus and said, “Hello, teacher.” Then Judas kissed him.

50Jesus replied, “My friend, why are you here?”

The men grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 51One of Jesus' followers pulled out a sword. He struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.

52But Jesus told him, “Put your sword away. Anyone who lives by fighting will die by fighting. 53Don't you know that I could ask my Father, and straight away he would send me more than twelve armies of angels? 54But then, how could the words of the Scriptures come true, which say that this must happen?”

55Jesus said to the mob, “Why do you come with swords and clubs to arrest me like a criminal? Day after day I sat and taught in the temple, and you didn't arrest me. 56But all this happened, so that what the prophets wrote would come true.”

All Jesus' disciples left him and ran away.

Matthew 26:31-56CEVOpen in Bible reader
Canadian Bible Societyv.4.24.4
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