1 Samuel 2 Cross References - ISV

¹ Hannah’s Thanksgiving PsalmThen Hannah prayed: “My heart exults in the LORD; my strength is increased by the LORD. I will open my mouth to speak against my enemies, because I rejoice in your deliverance. ² Indeed, there is no one holy like the LORD, indeed, there is no one besides you, there is no rock like our God. ³ Don’t continue to talk proudly, and don’t speak arrogantly, for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. ⁴ The bows of warriors are shattered, but those who stumble are equipped with strength. ⁵ Those who had an abundance of bread now hire themselves out, and those who were hungry hunger no more. While the barren woman gives birth to seven children, she who had many children languishes. ⁶ The LORD kills and gives life, he brings people down to where the dead are and he raises them up. ⁷ The LORD makes people poor and he makes people rich, he brings them low, and he also exalts them. ⁸ He raises the poor up from the dust, he lifts up the needy from the trash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. Indeed the pillars of the earth belong to the LORD, and he has set the world on them. ⁹ He guards the steps of his faithful ones, while the wicked are made silent in darkness. He grants the request of the one who prays. He blesses the year of the righteous. Indeed it’s not by strength that a person prevails. ¹⁰ The LORD will shatter his enemies —those who contend against him. Who is holy? The one who will thunder against them in the heavens. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth, he will give strength to his king, and he will increase the strength of His anointed one.”
¹¹ Then Elkanah went to his house at Ramah, while the boy was ministering to the LORD in the presence of Eli the priest.
¹² Eli’s Wicked SonsNow the sons of Eli were worthless men who did not know the LORD. ¹³ The custom of the priests with the people was that whenever a person offered a sacrifice, a servant of the priest would come with a three pronged fork in his hand while the meat was boiling, and ¹⁴ he would stick it into the boiler or pot, and take everything the fork brought up—that is, the priest would take it for himself. This is what they were supposed to do with all the Israelis who came there to Shiloh. ¹⁵ But even before they burned the fat, the servant of the priest would come and say to the person offering the sacrifice, “Give me meat to roast for the priest. He won’t accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.” ¹⁶ If the man told him, “They must surely burn up the fat first, and then take for yourself whatever you desire,” the servant would say, “No, give it now, and if you don’t, I’ll take it by force!” ¹⁷ By doing this, the sin of the young men was very serious in the LORD’s sight because the men despised the LORD’s offering.
¹⁸ Samuel at ShilohNow Samuel was ministering in the LORD’s presence, as a boy wearing a linen ephod. ¹⁹ His mother would make a small robe for him, and she would bring it each year when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. ²⁰ Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May the LORD give you descendants from this woman in place of the one she dedicated to the LORD.” Then they would return to their home.
²¹ The LORD took note of Hannah, and she became pregnant and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel continued to grow, and the LORD was constantly with him.
²² Judgment against Eli’s SonsNow Eli was very old, and he had heard everything that his sons were doing to the Israelis, and how they lay with the women who were serving regularly at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. ²³ “Why are you doing these things that I’m hearing about?” he asked his sons, “These reports about your evil deeds are coming from all these people! ²⁴ No, my sons, I’m not hearing good news being circulated by the LORD’s people. ²⁵ If a person sins against another, God will mediate for him, but if a person sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?”
But they would not follow the advice of their father; for the LORD wanted to put them to death. ²⁶ But the boy Samuel continued to grow both physically and in favor with the LORD and the people.
²⁷ A man of God came to Eli, saying to him, “This is what the LORD says: ‘When they were in Egypt and slaves to the house of Pharaoh, did I not reveal to the family of your ancestor Aaron ²⁸ that I had chosen him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer up burnt offerings on my altar, burn incense, and carry the ephod in my presence? And did I not give to your ancestors’ family all the Israeli fire-offerings? ²⁹ Why, then, do all of you show contempt for my sacrifice and offering that I’ve commanded for my dwelling? And you honor your sons more than me in order to fatten yourselves from the best of all the offerings of my people Israel.’
³⁰ “Therefore, the LORD God of Israel has declared, ‘I did, in fact, say that your family and your ancestor’s family would walk before me forever,’ but now the LORD declares, ‘Far be it from me! The one who honors me I’ll honor, and the one who despises me is to be treated with contempt. ³¹ The time is coming when I’ll cut away at your family and your ancestor’s family until there are no old men left in your family. ³² Distress will settle down to live in your household, and despite all the good that I do for Israel, there will never be an old man in your family forever, and you will never again have an old man in my house. ³³ Any of you whom I don’t eliminate from serving at my altar will grow tired from weeping, and their souls will grieve. All the increase of your family will die by violence. ³⁴ Here’s a sign for you—your two sons Hophni and Phineas will both die on the same day! ³⁵ And I’ll raise up for myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in my heart and according to my desire. I’ll build for him an enduring house and he will walk before my anointed one forever. ³⁶ Anyone who remains in your family will come and prostrate themselves before him for a small wage or a loaf of bread and will say, “Please put me in one of the priest’s offices so I can eat a piece of bread.”’”

¹ The Song of MosesThen Moses and the Israelis sang this song to the LORD: “I’ll sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has thrown into the sea.

²¹ Miriam sang to them, “Sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted! The horse and its rider he has thrown into the sea.”

¹ Deborah and Barak Celebrate in SongLater that day, Deborah and Abinoam’s son Barak celebrated by singing this song: ² “When hair grows long in Israel, when the people give themselves willingly, bless the LORD!

¹ Hannah’s Thanksgiving PsalmThen Hannah prayed: “My heart exults in the LORD; my strength is increased by the LORD. I will open my mouth to speak against my enemies, because I rejoice in your deliverance. ² Indeed, there is no one holy like the LORD, indeed, there is no one besides you, there is no rock like our God. ³ Don’t continue to talk proudly, and don’t speak arrogantly, for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. ⁴ The bows of warriors are shattered, but those who stumble are equipped with strength. ⁵ Those who had an abundance of bread now hire themselves out, and those who were hungry hunger no more. While the barren woman gives birth to seven children, she who had many children languishes. ⁶ The LORD kills and gives life, he brings people down to where the dead are and he raises them up. ⁷ The LORD makes people poor and he makes people rich, he brings them low, and he also exalts them. ⁸ He raises the poor up from the dust, he lifts up the needy from the trash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. Indeed the pillars of the earth belong to the LORD, and he has set the world on them. ⁹ He guards the steps of his faithful ones, while the wicked are made silent in darkness. He grants the request of the one who prays. He blesses the year of the righteous. Indeed it’s not by strength that a person prevails. ¹⁰ The LORD will shatter his enemies —those who contend against him. Who is holy? The one who will thunder against them in the heavens. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth, he will give strength to his king, and he will increase the strength of His anointed one.”

¹⁷ and Mattaniah son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, who led the thanksgiving prayer, and Bakbukiah, second among his relatives, and Abda son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.

¹⁴ so I may declare everything for which you should be praised in the gates of the daughter of Zion, so I will rejoice in your deliverance.

⁵ As for me, I have trusted in your gracious love, my heart will rejoice in your deliverance.

² The LORD is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my God, my stronghold in whom I take refuge, my shield, the glory of my salvation, and my high tower.”

⁵ May we shout for joy at your deliverance and unfurl our banners in the name of our God. May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.

⁹ My soul will rejoice in the LORD and be glad in his deliverance.

¹⁵ Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.

⁸ My mouth is filled with your praise and your splendor daily.

¹⁰ I will cut down the strength of the wicked, but the strength of the righteous will be lifted up.

¹⁷ For you are their strength’s grandeur; by your favor you exalted our power.

²⁴ My faithfulness and gracious love will be with him, and in my name his power will be exalted.

¹⁰ You’ve grown my strength like the horn of a wild ox; I was anointed with fresh oil.

⁸ His heart is steadfast, he will not fear. In the end he will look in triumph over his enemy. ⁹ He gives generously to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn is exalted in honor.

¹⁴ The LORD is my strength and protector, for he has become my deliverer.

² “Look! God—yes God—is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid. For the LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”
³ You will draw water joyfully from the wells of salvation. And you will say at that time:

¹ Habakkuk’s Prayer of FaithA prayer by the prophet Habakkuk, set to music.

¹⁸ as for me, I will rejoice in the LORD. I will find my joy in the God who delivers me.

⁴⁶ Mary’s Song of PraiseThen Mary said, “My soul praises the greatness of the Lord! ⁴⁷ My spirit exults in God, my Savior, ⁴⁸ because he has looked favorably on his humble servant. From now on, all generations will call me blessed, ⁴⁹ because the Almighty has done great things for me. His name is holy. ⁵⁰ His mercy lasts from generation to generation for those who fear him. ⁵¹ He displayed his mighty power with his arm. He scattered people who were proud in mind and heart. ⁵² He pulled powerful rulers from their thrones and lifted up humble people. ⁵³ He filled hungry people with good things and sent rich people away with nothing. ⁵⁴ He helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful, ⁵⁵ according to the promise he made to our ancestors— to Abraham and his descendants forever.”
⁵⁶ Now Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.

⁶⁹ He has raised up a mighty Savior for us from the family of his servant David,

¹¹ Not only that, but we also continue to boast about God through our Lord Jesus the Messiah, through whom we have now been reconciled.

³ For it is we who are the circumcision—we who worship in the Spirit of God and find our joy in the Messiah Jesus. We have not placed any confidence in the flesh,

⁴ Keep on rejoicing in the Lord at all times. I will say it again: Keep on rejoicing!

⁶ Never worry about anything. Instead, in every situation let your petitions be made known to God through prayers and requests, with thanksgiving.

⁸ Though you have not seen him, you love him. And even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,

²⁰ Be happy about her, heaven, saints, apostles, and prophets, for God has condemned her for you!”

¹¹ “Who is like you among the gods, LORD? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in splendor, and working wonders?

² “Tell the entire assembly of Israel that they are to be holy, since I, the LORD your God, am holy.

²⁴ ‘LORD God, you’ve begun to show your greatness and your strong power to your servant. For what god in heaven or on earth can equal your works and mighty deeds?

³⁵ “You have been shown this in order to know that ‘the LORD is God’ and there is no one like him.

⁴ Flawless is the work of the Rock, because all his ways are just. A faithful God—never unjust— righteous and upright is he.

²⁰ So he said: “Let me hide my face from them. I will observe what their end will be, because they are a perverted generation, children within whom there is no loyalty.

³⁰ How can one person chase a thousand of them and two put a myriad to flight, unless their Rock delivers them and the LORD gives them up? ³¹ For their rock isn’t like our Rock, as even our enemies admit.

³⁹ “Look now! I AM, and there is no other god besides me. I myself cause death and I sustain life; I wound severely and I also heal; from my power no one can deliver.

³² For who is God apart from the LORD? And who is a Rock, apart from our God?

³ Be my sheltering refuge where I may go continuously; command my deliverance for you are my rock and fortress.

¹⁹ Your many righteous deeds, God, are great,

²⁵ Whom do I have in heaven but you? I desire nothing on this earth.

⁸ No one can compare with you among the gods, Lord; No one can accomplish your work.

⁶ For who in the skies compares to the LORD? Who is like the LORD among the divine beings?

⁸ LORD God of the Heavenly Armies, who is as mighty as you, LORD? Your faithfulness surrounds you.

⁵ Exalt the LORD our God; worship and bow down at his footstool; He is holy!

⁹ Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the LORD our God is holy!

⁹ He sent deliverance to his people; he ordained his covenant to last forever; his name is holy and awesome.

³ They kept on calling to each other: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of the Heavenly Armies! The whole earth is full of his glory!”

¹⁸ “To whom, then, will you compare me, the One who is God? Or to what image will you liken me?

¹⁰ “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and trust me and understand that I am the One. Before me no God was formed, nor will there be one after me. ¹¹ I, yes I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior.

⁶ I am the First and the LastThis is what the LORD says, the King of Israel and its Redeemer— the LORD of the Heavenly Armies is his name— “I am the first and I am the last, and apart from me there is no God.

⁸ Don’t tremble, and don’t be afraid. Didn’t I tell you and announce it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? There is no other Rock— I don’t know of any.”

¹⁵ “For this is what the high and lofty One says, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “He lives in the height and in holiness, and also with the one who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

⁶ There is no one like you, LORD. You are great, and your name is great and powerful.

⁸ How blessed is the person whose sins the Lord will never charge against him!”

⁴ For everything that was written long ago was written to instruct us, so that we might have hope through the endurance and encouragement that the Scriptures give us.

¹⁶ For it is written, “You must be holy, because I am holy.”

⁷ The LORD told Samuel, “Don’t look at his appearance or his height, for I’ve rejected him. Truly, God does not see what man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”

³⁹ then hear from heaven, the place where you reside, and forgive, repaying each person according to all of his ways, since you know their hearts—for you alone know the hearts of all human beings—

⁶ let my righteousness be weighed in honest scales, and God will make known my integrity.

²¹ wouldn’t God find out since he knows the secrets of the heart?

⁴ When they speak, they spew arrogance. Everyone who practices iniquity brags about it.

⁷ They say, “The LORD cannot see, and the God of Jacob will not notice.” ⁸ Pay attention, you dull ones among the crowds! You fools! Will you ever become wise? ⁹ The one who formed the ear can hear, can he not? The one who made the eyes can see, can he not? ¹⁰ The one who disciplines nations can rebuke them, can he not? The one who teaches mankind can discern, can he not?

⁵ Our Lord is great, and rich in power; his understanding has no limitation.

¹³ The fear of the LORD is to hate evil. Pride, arrogance, an evil lifestyle, and perverted speech I despise.

² Everything a person does seems pure in his own opinion, but the LORD weighs intentions.

¹² If you say, “Look here, we didn’t know about this,” doesn’t God, who examines motives, discern it? Doesn’t the one who guards your soul know about it? Won’t he repay each person according to what he has done?

⁷ “The path of the righteous is level; O Upright One, you make safe the way of justice.

²³ Whom have you insulted and reviled? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel!

¹⁰ I am the LORD who searches the heart, who tests the inner depths to give to each person according to what he deserves, according to the fruit of his deeds.

³⁰ he commented to himself, “Isn’t Babylon great? I’ve built a royal palace in it by my own might and power, for the sake of my majesty.”
³¹ As these words were being spoken by the king, a voice came out of heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, this is declared to you: ‘The kingdom has been taken from you!

³⁷ In conclusion, I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and give glory to the King of heaven: For everything he does is true, his ways are just, and he is able to humble those who walk in pride.”

²⁷ TEKEL: You’ve been weighed on the scales—and you don’t measure up.

¹³ God’s Seventh Complaint: Against His People—Slandering God“You have spoken arrogant words against me,” says the LORD. “Yet you ask, ‘What did we say against you?’

¹² For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul and spirit, joints and marrow, as it judges the thoughts and purposes of the heart.

¹⁵ He will judge all people and convict everyone of all the ungodly things that they have done in such an ungodly way, including all the harsh things that these ungodly sinners have said about him.” ¹⁶ These people are complainers and faultfinders, following their own desires. They say arrogant things and flatter people in order to take advantage of them.

²³ I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches minds and hearts. I will reward each of you as your actions deserve.

¹⁵ But their sword will pierce their own heart, and their bows will be broken!

¹⁷ For the arms of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.

⁹ He causes wars to cease all over the earth, he causes the bow to break, the spear to snap, the chariots to ignite and burn.

³ There he shattered sharp arrows, shields, swords, and weapons of war. Interlude

⁴ so you won’t have to crouch among those in chains or fall among the slain? “Yet for all this, his anger has not turned away, and his hand is still stretched out, ready to strike.”

¹⁰ Indeed, even if you defeated the entire Chaldean army that is fighting against you, and they had only wounded men left in their tents, they would get up and burn this city with fire.’”’”

⁹ persecuted but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed. ¹⁰ We are always carrying around the death of Jesus in our bodies, so that the life of Jesus may be clearly shown in our bodies.

⁹ but he has told me, “My grace is all you need, because my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most happily boast about my weaknesses, so that the Messiah’s power may rest on me.

¹⁴ Stand firm, therefore, having fastened the belt of truth around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

¹³ I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

³⁴ put out raging fires, escaped death by the sword, found strength in weakness, became powerful in battle, and routed foreign armies.

⁶ Her rival would provoke her severely so that she complained loudly because the LORD had closed her womb.

²⁰ By the time of the next year’s sacrifice, Hannah had become pregnant and had borne a son. She named him Samuel because she said, “I asked the LORD for him.”

¹⁰ Young lions lack and go hungry, but those who seek the LORD will never lack any good thing.

⁹ He makes the barren woman among her household a happy mother of joyful children. Hallelujah!

¹ The Coming Glory of Israel “Sing, you barren woman, even the one who never bore a child! Burst into song and shout for joy, even you who were never in labor! For the children of the desolate woman will be more than the children of her that is married,” says the LORD.

⁹ “The woman who gave birth to seven will grow faint, her life will expire. Her sun will set while it’s still day. She will be disgraced and humiliated. I’ll kill the rest of them with swords in the presence of their enemies,” declares the LORD.

⁵³ He filled hungry people with good things and sent rich people away with nothing.

²⁵ “But Abraham said, ‘My child, remember that during your lifetime you received blessings, while Lazarus received hardships. But now he is being comforted here, while you suffer.

²⁷ For it is written, “Rejoice, you childless woman, who cannot give birth to any children! Break into song and shout, you who feel no pains of childbirth! For the children of the deserted woman are more numerous than the children of the woman who has a husband.”

³ David again took an oath: “Your father certainly knows that I’ve found favor with you, and so he told himself, ‘Jonathan must not know this so he won’t be upset.’ But as certainly as the LORD is alive and living, and as certainly as I’m alive and living, too, there is only a step between me and death.”

⁷ When the king of Israel read the letter, he ripped his clothes and cried out, “Am I God? Can I kill and give life? Is this man sending me a request to heal a man’s leprosy? Let’s think about this—he’s looking for a reason to start a fight with me!”

¹⁸ because though he wounds, but then applies bandages; though he strikes, his hands still heal.

²⁰ God is for us the God of our deliverance. The Lord GOD rescues us from death.

³ The ropes of death were wound around me and the anguish of Sheol came upon me; I encountered distress and sorrow.

¹⁹ The Resurrection of the Dead“But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. Those who live in the dust will wake up and shout for joy! For your dew is like the dew of dawn, and the earth will give birth to the dead.

¹ A Call for Israel to Repent “Come, let us return to the LORD; even though he has torn us, he will heal us. Even though he has wounded us, he will bind our wounds. ² After two days, he will restore us to life, on the third day he will raise us up, and we will live in his presence.

² He said: “I called out to the LORD from the midst of affliction directed at me, and he answered me. From the depths of death I cried out for help; and you heard my cry. ³ You cast me into the deep— into the heart of the sea. Flood waters engulfed me. All your breakers and your waves swirled over me. ⁴ So I told myself, ‘I have been driven away from you. How will I again gaze on your holy Temple?’ ⁵ Flood waters encompassed me, the deep surrounded me while seaweed wrapped around my head. ⁶ I sank to the roots of the mountains; the earth’s prison bars closed around me forever. Yet you resurrect the dead from the Pit, LORD my God!

⁴⁰ because just as Jonah was in the stomach of the sea creature for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.

²⁵ Truly, I tell all of you emphatically, the time approaches, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear it will live. ²⁶ Just as the Father has life in himself, so also he has granted the Son to have life in himself, ²⁷ and he has given him authority to judge, because he is the Son of Man. ²⁸ Don’t be amazed at this, because the time is approaching when everyone in their graves will hear the Son of Man’s voice ²⁹ and will come out—those who have done what is good to the resurrection that leads to life, and those who have practiced what is evil to the resurrection that ends in condemnation.

²⁵ Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The person who believes in me, even though he dies, will live.

⁹ In fact, we felt that we had received a death sentence so we would not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. ¹⁰ He has rescued us from a terrible death, and he will continue to rescue us. Yes, he is the one on whom we have set our hope, and he will rescue us again,

¹⁸ the living one. I was dead—but look!—I am alive forever and ever! I have the keys of Death and Hades.

¹⁷ You may say to yourselves, ‘I have become wealthy by my own strength and by my own ability.’ ¹⁸ But remember the LORD your God, because he is the one who gives you the ability to produce wealth, in order to confirm his covenant that he promised by an oath to your ancestors, as is the case today.

²¹ and exclaimed: “I left my mother’s womb naked, and I will return to God naked. The LORD has given, and the LORD has taken. May the name of the LORD be blessed.”

¹¹ He sets the lowly on high, and lifts those who mourn to safety.

⁷ since God is the judge. This one he will debase or that one he will exalt.

¹⁰ because of your indignation and wrath, when you lifted and threw me away.

¹² “For the LORD of the Heavenly Armies has reserved a time to oppose all who are proud and haughty, and the self-exalting— they will be humbled.

⁹ A brother of humble means should rejoice in his having been exalted, ¹⁰ and a rich person in his having been humbled, because he will fade away like a wild flower.

¹⁰ Humble yourselves in the Lord’s presence, and he will exalt you.

¹⁴ Pharaoh Tells Joseph His DreamPharoah sent word to summon Joseph quickly from the dungeon, so they shaved his beard, changed his clothes, and then sent him straight to Pharaoh.

⁴⁰ So you are to be appointed in charge over my palace, and all of my people are to do whatever you command them to do. Only the throne will have greater authority than you.”

¹⁷ So Samuel replied, “Is it not true that though you were small in your own eyes you became head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed you king over Israel?

⁸ “‘“Now therefore this is what you are to tell my servant David: ‘This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: “I took you from the pasture myself—from tending sheep—to become Commander-in-Chief over my people, that is, over Israel.

⁸ Job took a broken piece of pottery to scrape himself while sitting among the ashes.

⁶ He doesn’t let the wicked live; he grants justice to the afflicted. ⁷ He won’t stop looking at righteous people; he seats them on thrones with kings forever, and they are exalted.

⁴ On the Natural World“Where were you when I laid the foundation of my earth? Tell me, since you’re so informed! ⁵ Who set its measurement? Am I to assume you know? Who stretched a boundary line over it? ⁶ On what were its bases set? Who laid its corner stone

¹⁰ Job’s Prosperity ReturnsThe LORD restored Job’s prosperity after he prayed for his friends. The LORD doubled everything that Job had once possessed. ¹¹ Then all his brothers and sisters and all those who knew him before arrived. They ate food with him in his house, mourned for him, and consoled him for all the trouble that the LORD had brought and placed on him. Some gave him gold bullion and some brought gold earrings.
¹² The LORD blessed Job during the latter part of his life more than the former, since he owned 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 teams of oxen and 1,000 female donkeys.

² Indeed, he founded it upon the seas, he established it upon deep waters.

²⁵ You established the earth long ago; the heavens are the work of your hands.

⁵ He established the earth on its foundations, so that it never falters.

⁷ He lifts the poor person from the dust, raising the needy from the trash pile ⁸ and giving him a seat among nobles— with the nobles of his people.

¹⁴ The former can come out of prison to reign, while the latter, even if born to kingship, may become poor.

⁴⁸ Then the king promoted Daniel to a high position and lavished many great gifts on him, including making him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief administrator over the advisors of Babylon.

¹⁷ This order is announced by the observers, and the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over human kingdoms and grants them to whomever he desires, and he places the least important of men over them.’

³ Daniel distinguished himself among all the administrators and regional authorities, because he was of an extraordinary spirit. Therefore the king planned to appoint him over the whole kingdom.

⁵¹ He displayed his mighty power with his arm. He scattered people who were proud in mind and heart. ⁵² He pulled powerful rulers from their thrones and lifted up humble people.

³ He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact likeness of his being, and he holds everything together by his powerful word. After he had provided a cleansing from sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Highest Majesty

⁵ Listen, my dear brothers! God has chosen the poor in the world to become rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who keep on loving him, has he not?

⁶ and has made us a kingdom, priests for his God and Father, be glory and power forever and ever! Amen.

²¹ To the one who conquers I will give a place to sit with me on my throne, just as I have conquered and have sat down with my Father on his throne.

¹⁰ You made them a kingdom and priests for our God, and they will reign on the earth.”

⁵ There will be no more night, and they will not need any light from lamps or the sun because the Lord God will shine on them. They will rule forever and ever.

³ Indeed, lover of people, all of his holy ones are in your control. They gather at your feet to do as you have instructed.

⁴⁹ David reached his hand into the bag, took out a stone, slung it, and struck the Philistine in his forehead. The stone sunk into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground. ⁵⁰ David defeated the Philistine with a sling and a stone; he struck down the Philistine and killed him, and there was no sword in David’s hand.

¹⁶ Therefore there is hope for those who are poor, and iniquity shuts its mouth.

²⁴ You’ll know that your home is secure; when you search your possessions, and nothing will be missing.

¹⁶ A king is not saved by a large army; a mighty soldier is not delivered by his great strength. ¹⁷ It is vain to trust in a horse for deliverance, even with its great strength, it cannot deliver.

²³ A man’s steps are established by the LORD, and the LORD delights in his way. ²⁴ Though he stumbles, he will not fall down flat, for the LORD will hold up his hand.

²⁸ Indeed, the LORD loves justice, and he will not abandon his godly ones. They are kept safe forever, but the lawless will be chased away, and the descendants of the wicked will be cut off.

¹¹ for he will command his angels to protect you in all your ways. ¹² With their hands they will lift you up so you will not trip over a stone.

¹⁸ When I say that my foot is shaking, your gracious love, LORD, will sustain me.

¹⁰ Hate evil, you who love the LORD! He guards the lives of those who love him, delivering them from domination by the wicked.

³ He will never let your foot slip, nor will your guardian become drowsy.

⁵ The LORD is your guardian; the LORD is your shade at your right side.

⁸ The LORD will guard your goings and comings, from this time on and forever.

⁸ guarding the paths of the just and protecting the way of his faithful ones.

²⁶ Indeed, the LORD will be your confidence, and he will keep your foot from being caught.

⁹ A person plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.

¹⁷ Furthermore, all his days he lives in darkness with great sorrow, anger, and affliction.

¹¹ I considered and observed on earth the following: The race doesn’t go to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor food to the wise, nor wealth to the smart, nor recognition to the skilled. Instead, timing and circumstances meet them all.

¹⁴ The People RespondWhy are we sitting here? Join together! Let’s go to the fortified cities and perish there! For the LORD our God has condemned us to perish and given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against him.

²³ True Wisdom and the Coming JudgmentThis is what the LORD says: “The wise man is not to boast in his wisdom; the strong man is not to boast in his strength; and the rich man is not to boast in his riches.

¹⁵ That day will be filled with wrath, a day of trouble and tribulation, a day of desolation and devastation, a day of doom and gloom, a day of clouds and shadows,

⁶ The LORD’s First Charge to ZerubbabelThen he replied to me, “This is this message from the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by valor nor by strength, but only by my Spirit,’ says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies.

¹² But the unfaithful heirs of that kingdom will be thrown into the darkness outside. In that place there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

¹² He asked him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But the man was speechless. ¹³ Then the king told his servants, ‘Tie his hands and feet, and throw him into the darkness outside!’ In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth,

¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the Law says applies to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.

⁵ Through faith you are being protected by God’s power for a salvation that is ready to be revealed at the end of this era.

¹⁷ These men are dried-up springs, mere clouds driven by a storm. Gloomy darkness is reserved for them.

¹ GreetingsFrom: Jude, a servant of Jesus the Messiah, and yet a brother of James.
To: Those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept safe by Jesus, the Messiah.

³ Warning about False TeachersDear friends, although I was eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I found it necessary to write to you and urge you to continue your vigorous defense of the faith that was passed down to the saints once and for all.

¹³ They are wild waves of the sea, churning up the foam of their own shame. They are wandering stars for whom the deepest darkness has been reserved forever.

⁶ Your right hand, LORD, was majestic in strength, your right hand, LORD, shattered the enemy.

³¹ “May all of your enemies perish like this, LORD! But may those who love him be like the ascending sun in its strength!”
Then the land enjoyed quiet for 40 years.

¹⁰ While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines approached to attack Israel. But that day the LORD thundered against the Philistines and threw them into panic, and they were defeated before Israel.

³ Here I am. Testify against me in the LORD’s presence and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken? Who have I cheated? Who have I oppressed? Who bribed me to look the other way? I’ll restore it to you.”

¹³ “Now, here is the king you have chosen, the one whom you asked for. See, the Lord has appointed a king over you.

¹⁸ Samuel called upon the LORD that same day, and the LORD sent thunder and rain. So all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.

²⁸ Samuel told him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel away from you today, and he has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.

¹ David Anointed to Succeed SaulThe LORD told Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I’ve rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I’m sending you to Jesse from Bethlehem because I’ve chosen for myself one of his sons as king.”

¹³ He will build a Temple dedicated to my Name, and I will make the throne of his kingdom last forever.

¹⁴ The LORD roared from heaven! The Most High let his voice be heard!

⁹ Do you have strength like God? Can you create thunder with a sound like he can?”

² As the kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers conspire together against the LORD and his anointed one, they say,

⁶ “I have set my king on Zion, my holy mountain.”

⁹ You will break them with an iron rod, you will shatter them like pottery.”

¹³ Then the LORD thundered in the heavens, and the Most High sounded aloud, calling for hail stones and flashes of fire. ¹⁴ He shot his arrows and scattered them; with many lightning bolts he frightened them.

⁶ Now I know that the LORD has delivered his anointed; he has answered him from his sanctuary with the strength of his right hand of deliverance.

¹ To the Director: A Davidic Psalm.
Praise for the LORD’s Deliverance The king rejoices in your strength, LORD. How greatly he rejoices in your deliverance.

⁷ The king trusts in the LORD; because of the gracious love of the Most High, he will stand firm. ⁸ Your hand will find all your enemies, your right hand will find those who hate you. ⁹ When you appear, you will set them ablaze like a fire furnace. In his wrath, the LORD will consume them, and the fire will devour them.

⁸ The LORD is the strength of his people; he is a refuge of deliverance for his anointed.

⁷ You love justice and hate wickedness. That is why God, even your God, has anointed you rather than your companions with the oil of gladness.

¹ A song of Asaph.
The Acceptable Sacrifice God, the LORD, has spoken. He has summoned the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting place. ² From Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shined forth. ³ Our God has appeared and he has not been silent; a devouring fire blazed before him, and a mighty storm swirled around him. ⁴ He summoned the heavens above and the earth below, to sit in judgment on his people. ⁵ “Assemble before me, my saints, who have entered into my covenant by sacrifice.” ⁶ The heavens revealed his justice, for God is himself the judge. Interlude

¹ To the Director of music: A Psalm. A song.
A Song of Praise to God God arises, and his enemies are scattered. Those who hate him flee from his presence. ² As smoke is driven away, so you drive them away. As wax melts in the presence of fire, so the wicked die in the presence of God.

⁹ Look at your enemies, LORD! Look at your enemies, for they are destroyed; everyone who practices iniquity will be scattered. ¹⁰ You’ve grown my strength like the horn of a wild ox; I was anointed with fresh oil.

¹³ in the LORD’s presence, because he is coming; indeed, he will come to judge the earth. He will judge the world fairly and its people reliably.

⁹ in the LORD’s presence, who comes to judge the earth; He’ll judge the world righteously; and its people fairly.

¹⁴ He has raised up a source of strength for his people, an object of praise for all of his holy ones, that is, for the people of Israel who are near him. Hallelujah!

⁹ So enjoy yourself in your youth, young man, and be encouraged during your younger days. Live as you like, consistent with your world view, but keep in mind that God will bring you to account for everything.

¹⁴ For God will judge every deed, along with every secret, whether good or evil.

¹ The Government of Justice “Look, a king will reign in righteousness, and rulers will rule with justice.

²⁴ One will say of me, ‘Only in the LORD are victories and might.’ All who raged against him will come to him and will be put to shame.

³¹ The Judgment of the Nations“When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels are with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be assembled in front of him, and he will cull them out, one from another, like a shepherd separates sheep from goats.

³⁴ “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who have been blessed by my Father! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world,

¹⁸ Then Jesus approached them and told them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

²⁷ But as for these enemies of mine who didn’t want me to be their king—bring them here and slaughter them in my presence!’”

²¹ Just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to those he chooses. ²² The Father judges no one, but has given all authority to judge to the Son,

²⁷ For in this city both Herod and Pontius Pilate actually met together with unbelievers and the people of Israel to oppose your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed,

³⁸ God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, he went around doing good and healing everyone who was oppressed by the devil.

¹⁰ Why, then, do you criticize your brother? Or why do you despise your brother? For all of us will stand before the judgment seat of God. ¹¹ For it is written, “As certainly as I live, declares the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will praise God.”
¹² Consequently, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

¹⁰ For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of the Messiah, so that each of us may receive what he deserves for what he has done in his body, whether good or worthless.

¹¹ The Vision of the White Throne JudgmentThen I saw a large, white throne and the one who was sitting on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. ¹² I saw the dead, both unimportant and important, standing in front of the throne, and books were open. Another book was opened—the Book of Life. The dead were judged according to their actions, as recorded in the books. ¹³ The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and all were judged according to their actions. ¹⁴ Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. (This is the second death—the lake of fire.) ¹⁵ Anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.

¹⁹ They got up early the next morning and worshipped in the LORD’s presence, and then they returned and came to their house at Ramah. Elkanah had marital relations with his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her.

²⁸ Now I’m dedicating him to the LORD, and as long as he lives, he will be dedicated to the LORD.” Then they worshipped the LORD there.

¹⁸ Samuel at ShilohNow Samuel was ministering in the LORD’s presence, as a boy wearing a linen ephod.

¹ The LORD Calls SamuelMeanwhile the boy Samuel was serving the LORD before Eli. A word from the LORD was rare in those days, and visions were infrequent.

¹⁵ Samuel Delivers God’s MessageSamuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the LORD, but he was afraid to report the vision to Eli.

¹³ that worthless men have come from among you to entice those who live in the towns. They may say, ‘Let’s go and serve other gods that you haven’t known.’

¹⁰ After that whole generation had died, another generation grew up after them that was not acquainted with the LORD or with what he had done for Israel.

²² While they were enjoying themselves, all of a sudden certain ungodly men who lived in the city surrounded the house, pounded on the door, and ordered the old man who owned the home, “Bring out the man who came to visit your home so we can have sex with him.”

⁷ Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD and had not yet had the word of the LORD revealed to him.

²⁷ But some troublemakers said, “How can this man deliver us?” They despised him and did not bring him a gift. But Saul remained silent.
The Ammonites Threaten Jabesh-gilead²⁸Meanwhile, Nahash, king of the Ammonites, had been severely oppressing the descendants of Gad and descendants of Reuben, gouging out their right eyes and not allowing Israel to have a deliverer. No one was left among the Israelis across the Jordan whose right eye Nahash, king of the Ammonites, had not gouged out. However, 7,000 men had escaped from the Ammonites and entered Jabesh-gilead.

¹⁷ Now, be aware of this and consider what you should do. Calamity is being planned against our master and against his entire household. He’s such a worthless person that no one can talk to him.”

¹⁰ Seat two wicked men in front of him, and make them testify against him. Tell them to claim ‘You cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”

¹³ Two wicked men came in, sat down in front of them, and testified against Naboth in public, “Naboth cursed God and the king!” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death.

⁸ “The priests didn’t say, ‘Where is the LORD?’ and those handling the Law didn’t know me. The rulers transgressed against me, the prophets prophesied by Baal, and they followed that which does not profit.

⁶ You yourself live in the midst of deception, and because they are deceived they do not know me,” declares the LORD.

¹⁶ He judged the case of the poor and needy. And then it went well for him. Isn’t this what it means to know me?

⁶ My people are destroyed because they lack knowledge of me. Because you rejected that knowledge, I will reject you as a priest for me. Since you forget the Law of your God, I will also forget your children. ⁷ “The more they increased in number, the more they sinned against me, so I will change their glory into shame. ⁸ They feed on the sin of my people; they purpose in their heart to transgress. ⁹ So it will be: like people, like priest. I will punish them for their lifestyles, rewarding them according to their behavior.

¹ God’s Third Complaint: Against His Priests—Failing to Honor HimNow this commandment is for you priests: ² “If you don’t listen, and if you don’t choose to give honor to my name,” says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, “then I’ll curse both you and your blessings. I’ve even cursed them already, because none of you are taking it to heart. ³ Look! I’m rebuking your descendants because of you, and I’ll spread waste on your faces, the waste of your festival sacrifices, and you will be carried off with it.
⁴ “You will know that I sent this commandment to you in order to continue my covenant with Levi,” says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. ⁵ “My covenant with him was for life and peace, and I gave the commandments to him so he would fear me. He did fear me as he stood in my presence. ⁶ True teachings were in his mouth, and falsehood was not found on his lips. He walked with me peacefully and righteously, and he turned many from sin. ⁷ For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he’s the messenger of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies.
⁸ “But you priests turned aside from the way, and by your teaching you caused many to stumble. You have violated the covenant of Levi,” says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. ⁹ “So I also made you despised, humiliating you before all of the people, because you aren’t following my ways and are showing partiality when you teach.”

⁵⁵ You don’t know him, but I know him. If I were to say that I don’t know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him and keep his word.

³ They’ll do this because they haven’t known the Father or me.

³ And this is eternal life: to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent—Jesus the Messiah.

²¹ For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him. Instead, their thoughts turned to worthless things, and their senseless hearts were darkened.

²⁸ Furthermore, because they did not think it worthwhile to keep knowing God fully, God delivered them to degraded minds to perform acts that should not be done. ²⁹ They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, quarreling, deceit, and viciousness. They are gossips, ³⁰ slanderers, God-haters, haughty, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to their parents,

¹⁵ What harmony exists between the Messiah and Beliar, or what do a believer and an unbeliever have in common?

²⁹ “Tell the Israelis that whoever brings a peace offering sacrifice to the LORD is to bring his offering to the LORD from the sacrifice of his peace offerings. ³⁰ He is to bring the offering made by fire with his own hands to the LORD. He is to bring the fat with the breast, since the breast is to be waved as a raised offering to the LORD. ³¹ The priest will burn the fat on the altar, but the breast belongs to Aaron and his sons. ³² From the sacrifices of your peace offerings give the right thigh to the priest as a raised offering to the LORD. ³³ The descendant of Aaron’s sons who brings the blood and the fat from the peace offering is to keep the right thigh for his own portion, ³⁴ since I’ve taken the breast and the thigh as raised offerings from the sacrifices of peace offerings of the Israelis and have given them to Aaron the priest and his sons as their perpetual portion from the Israelis.”

²⁷ You are to consecrate the portion of the ram of ordination that belongs to Aaron and his sons: the breast of the wave offering that was waved and the thigh of the presented offering that was presented. ²⁸ These offerings from the Israelis are to be a perpetual ordinance for Aaron and his sons. They are presented offerings, and they are to be presented offerings from the Israelis out of their peace offerings. They are presented offerings to the LORD.

³⁴ since I’ve taken the breast and the thigh as raised offerings from the sacrifices of peace offerings of the Israelis and have given them to Aaron the priest and his sons as their perpetual portion from the Israelis.”

²⁹ Why, then, do all of you show contempt for my sacrifice and offering that I’ve commanded for my dwelling? And you honor your sons more than me in order to fatten yourselves from the best of all the offerings of my people Israel.’

¹¹ Meanwhile, the dogs have a mighty appetite— they can never get enough. And as for them, they are the shepherds who lack understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, each and every one.

¹⁰ Useless Offerings and Useless Altar Fires“Oh, that one of you would shut the Temple doors and not light useless fires on the altar! I’m not pleased with you,” says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, “and I’ll accept no offerings from you.

¹³ suffering harm as punishment for their wrongdoing. They take pleasure in wild parties in broad daylight. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceitful pleasures while they eat with you. ¹⁴ With eyes full of adultery, they cannot get enough of sin. They seduce unsteady souls and have had their hearts expertly trained in greed. They are doomed to a curse. ¹⁵ They have left the straight path and wandered off to follow the path of Bosor’s son Balaam, who loved the reward he got for doing wrong.

³ “The presenter is then to bring a gift from the peace offering, an offering made by fire to the LORD. He is to remove the fat that covers the internal organs, all of the fat that is inside the internal organs, ⁴ the two kidneys with the fat on them by the loins, and the fatty mass that surrounds the liver and kidneys. ⁵ Then Aaron’s sons are to burn them on the altar, over the burnt offering that has been placed on the wood over the fire, as an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD.

¹⁶ The priest is to burn it on the altar, a food offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma. All the fat belongs to the LORD.

¹⁸ because such people are not serving the Messiah our Lord, but their own desires. By their smooth talk and flattering words they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.

¹⁹ Their destiny is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on worldly things.

¹² These people are stains on your love feasts. They feast with you without any sense of awe. They are shepherds who care only for themselves. They are waterless clouds blown about by the winds. They are autumn trees that are fruitless, totally dead, and uprooted.

²³ “Tell the Israelis, ‘You are not to eat the fat of an ox, a lamb, or a goat. ²⁴ The carcass of an animal that died of its own and an animal torn by wild beast may be used for any purpose except for eating. ²⁵ Anyone who eats the fat of an animal that has been offered by fire to the LORD is to be eliminated from contact with his people.

²⁵ The descendants of Dan answered him, “You had better not talk to us about this, or else these bad guys here will attack you. You will lose your life, along with the lives of your whole household.”

¹⁵ Nevertheless, the former governors before me placed a heavy burden on the people. They received food and wine, plus a tax of 40 shekels of silver. Even their young men took advantage of the people, but I never did so because I feared God.

¹ God’s Warning to His People “Woe to those who are crafting iniquity, planning evil well into the night! When morning’s light comes, they carry out their plans because they have the power to do so. ² They covet fields and seize them; they covet houses, and grab them, too. They harass the valiant man, along with his household, an individual and his estate.

⁵ God’s Judgment against False Prophets“This is what the LORD says about the prophets who are causing my people to go astray, who are calling out ‘Peace’ when they’re being fed, but who declare war against those who won’t feed them:

² Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you, watching over it, not because you must but because you want to, and not greedily but eagerly, as God desires. ³ Do not lord it over the people entrusted to you, but be examples to the flock.

¹¹ By this time, the earth had become ruined in God’s opinion and filled with violence.

⁹ He became a fearless hunter in defiance of the LORD. That is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a fearless hunter in defiance of the LORD.”

¹³ Now the men of Sodom were particularly evil and sinful in their defiance of the LORD.

⁶ He made his son into a burnt offering, practiced witchcraft, used divination, and consorted with mediums and spirit-channelers. He practiced many things that the LORD considered to be evil and provoked him.

⁴ Against you, you only, have I sinned, and done what was evil in your sight. As a result, you are just in your pronouncement and clear in your judgment.

⁸ “For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because what they say and do opposes the LORD; they keep defying him.

¹³ God’s Fourth Complaint: Against His Priests—Marital Abuses“This is another thing you do: you flood the altar of the LORD with tears, weeping and wailing because he no longer pays attention to your offering nor takes pleasure in it from your hand.

⁷ How terrible it will be for the world due to its temptations to sin! Temptations to sin are bound to happen, but how terrible it will be for that person who causes someone to sin!

⁴ These are the garments that they are to make: a breast piece, an ephod, a robe, a checkered tunic, a turban, and a sash. They are to make holy garments for Aaron your brother and for his sons to serve me as priests.

⁷ Then he clothed Aaron with the tunic, girded him with the band for priests, clothed him with the robe, placed the ephod on him, girded him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and bound it on him.

¹¹ Then Elkanah went to his house at Ramah, while the boy was ministering to the LORD in the presence of Eli the priest.

²⁸ that I had chosen him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer up burnt offerings on my altar, burn incense, and carry the ephod in my presence? And did I not give to your ancestors’ family all the Israeli fire-offerings?

¹⁸ Then the king told Doeg, “You turn and attack the priests.” Doeg the Edomite turned and attacked the priests. That day he killed eighty-five men who carry the linen ephod.

¹⁴ dancing in front of the LORD with all of his strength and wearing a linen ephod.

²⁷ David wore a robe made from fine linen, as did all of the descendants of Levi who were carrying the ark, the singers, and Chenaniah the music and choir director. David also wore a linen ephod.

¹⁴ The Three Major Festivals“Three times a year you are to celebrate a festival for me.

³ That man would go up from his town each year to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of the Heavenly Armies at Shiloh, where Eli’s two sons Hophni and Phineas served as priests of the LORD.

²¹ Hannah Dedicates Samuel to the LORDThen Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the yearly sacrifice to the LORD and pay his vow.

¹⁹ Melchizedek blessed Abram and said, “Abram is blessed by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,

²⁷ So Jacob drew closer to kiss him. When Isaac smelled the scent of his son’s clothes, he blessed him and said, “How my son’s scent is the fragrance of the field that the LORD has blessed. ²⁸ May the LORD grant you dew from the skies, and from the fertile land; may he grant you abundant grain and fresh wine. ²⁹ May people serve and bow before you; may you be master over your brothers; may your mother’s sons bow before you; may anyone who curses you be cursed; and may anyone who blesses you be blessed.”

²³ “Teach Aaron and his sons to bless the Israelis: ²⁴ May the LORD bless you and guard you. ²⁵ May the LORD’s face enlighten you and bestow favor on you. ²⁶ May the LORD turn to face you, lavishing peace on you!
²⁷ They are to pour out my name to the Israelis while I continue to bless them.”

¹² May the LORD repay you for your work, and may a full reward be given you from the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.”

¹¹ Then all of the assembled people, including the elders who were there, said, “We are witnesses! May the LORD make this woman who enters your house like Rachel and Leah, who together established the house of Israel. May you prosper in Ephrathah, and may you excel in Bethlehem!

¹¹ Hannah made a vow: “LORD of the Heavenly Armies, if you just look at the misery of your maid servant, remember me, and don’t forget your maid servant. If you give your maid servant a son, then I’ll give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and a razor is never to touch his head.”

²⁷ I prayed for this boy, and the LORD granted me the request I asked of him. ²⁸ Now I’m dedicating him to the LORD, and as long as he lives, he will be dedicated to the LORD.” Then they worshipped the LORD there.

³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them and told Mary, his mother, “This infant is destined to cause many in Israel to fall and rise. Also, he will be a sign that will be opposed.

¹ Isaac is BornThe LORD came to Sarah, just as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised.

²⁴ Later on, the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson. The child grew strong and the LORD blessed him.

¹⁹ They got up early the next morning and worshipped in the LORD’s presence, and then they returned and came to their house at Ramah. Elkanah had marital relations with his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her. ²⁰ By the time of the next year’s sacrifice, Hannah had become pregnant and had borne a son. She named him Samuel because she said, “I asked the LORD for him.”

²⁶ But the boy Samuel continued to grow both physically and in favor with the LORD and the people.

¹⁹ As Samuel grew, the LORD was with him and did not let any of Samuel’s predictions fail.

⁶⁸ “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel! He has taken care of his people and has set them free.

⁸⁰ Now the child continued to grow and to become spiritually strong. He lived in the wilderness until the day he appeared in Israel.

⁴⁰ Meanwhile, the child continued to grow and to become strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor rested upon him.

⁵² Meanwhile, Jesus kept on growing wiser and more mature, and in favor with God and his fellow man.

⁸ The Bronze BasinHe made the bronze basin and its bronze base from mirrors contributed by the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

¹³ The custom of the priests with the people was that whenever a person offered a sacrifice, a servant of the priest would come with a three pronged fork in his hand while the meat was boiling, and ¹⁴ he would stick it into the boiler or pot, and take everything the fork brought up—that is, the priest would take it for himself. This is what they were supposed to do with all the Israelis who came there to Shiloh. ¹⁵ But even before they burned the fat, the servant of the priest would come and say to the person offering the sacrifice, “Give me meat to roast for the priest. He won’t accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.” ¹⁶ If the man told him, “They must surely burn up the fat first, and then take for yourself whatever you desire,” the servant would say, “No, give it now, and if you don’t, I’ll take it by force!” ¹⁷ By doing this, the sin of the young men was very serious in the LORD’s sight because the men despised the LORD’s offering.

¹ Israel Demands a KingWhen Samuel became old, he appointed his sons judges over Israel.

⁹ Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear by false gods, burn incense to Baal, follow other gods that you don’t know, ¹⁰ and then come to stand before me in this house that is called by my name and say, ‘We’re delivered’ so we can continue to do all these things that are repugnant to God?

²⁶ Her priests have violated my Law and profaned my sacred things. They didn’t differentiate between what’s sacred and what’s common. They didn’t instruct others to discern clean from unclean things. They refused to keep my Sabbaths.
“‘I’m constantly being profaned among them.

⁹ So it will be: like people, like priest. I will punish them for their lifestyles, rewarding them according to their behavior. ¹⁰ They will eat, but will not be satisfied. They will engage in prostitution, but they won’t increase, because they have stopped listening to the LORD. ¹¹ “Sexual immorality, wine, and fresh wine seduce the heart of my people.

⁶ His father had never challenged him at any time during his life by asking him, “Why are you acting like this?” Adonijah was very handsome and had been born after Absalom.

⁹ “The expressions on their faces give them away. They parade their sin around like Sodom; they don’t even try to hide it. How horrible it will be for them, because they have brought disaster on themselves!”

³ This is why the rain has been withheld and there are no spring showers. Yet you have a harlot’s look and you refuse to be ashamed.

¹² Are they ashamed because they have done what is repugnant to God? They weren’t ashamed at all; they don’t even know how to blush! Therefore they’ll fall with those who fall. When I punish them, they’ll be brought down,” says the LORD.

⁴ He dropped to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”

¹⁵ “Men, why are you doing this? We are merely human beings with natures like yours. We are telling you the good news so you’ll turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them.

²¹ Then Moses asked Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you brought such great sin upon them?”

¹⁷ By doing this, the sin of the young men was very serious in the LORD’s sight because the men despised the LORD’s offering.

²² Judgment against Eli’s SonsNow Eli was very old, and he had heard everything that his sons were doing to the Israelis, and how they lay with the women who were serving regularly at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

¹⁸ “I’m a prophet like you,” the old man replied, “and an angel spoke to me and delivered this message from the LORD: ‘Bring him back with you to your house and give him food and water.’” But he was lying, ¹⁹ and the man of God accompanied the old prophet back to his house, ate some food, and drank some water.
²⁰ Later, while they were sitting down at the table, a message from the LORD was delivered to the prophet who had brought him back, ²¹ so he cried out to the man of God from Judah: “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because you disobeyed a command from the LORD and haven’t done what the LORD your God commanded you to do,

³⁰ because of the sins that Jeroboam had committed, and because he led Israel into sin, provoking the LORD God of Israel to become angry.

³¹ But Jehu did not remain careful to walk in the instruction of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart. He never abandoned the sins of Jeroboam that had caused Israel to sin.

⁸ “But you priests turned aside from the way, and by your teaching you caused many to stumble. You have violated the covenant of Levi,” says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies.

³ Therefore, brothers, appoint seven men among you who have a good reputation, who are full of the Spirit and wisdom, and we’ll put them in charge of this work.

⁸ through honor and dishonor; through ill repute and good repute; perceived as deceivers and yet true,

⁷ He must be well thought of by outsiders, so he doesn’t fall into disgrace and the trap set for him by the devil.

¹⁸ By talking high-sounding nonsense and using sinful cravings of the flesh, they entice people who have just escaped from those who live in error.

¹² Demetrius has received a good report from everyone, including the truth itself. We, too, can testify to this report, and you know that our testimony is true.

²⁰ But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet and who teaches and leads my servants to practice immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

³⁰ On Willful Sin“But if some person acts with a high hand, whether a native-born or a resident alien, he blasphemes God, and that person is to be eliminated from among his people.

¹⁷ When you hold a hearing, don’t be partial in judgment toward the least important or toward the great. Never fear men, because judgment belongs to God. If the matter is difficult for you, bring it to me for a hearing.’

³⁰ But King Sihon of Heshbon did not allow us to pass through, because the LORD your God had hardened his spirit and made him arrogant, in order to deliver him into your control today.

⁸ Deciding Difficult Cases“If a case is too difficult for you to decide with respect to bloodshed, civil claims, assault and battery, or other matters of dispute within your courts, bring it to the place that the LORD your God will choose. ⁹ Present the case to the Levitical priest or the judge at that time. When you have inquired and they have announced the verdict, ¹⁰ carry out the verdict that was declared to you at the place that the LORD will choose. Carefully observe all of their instructions to you ¹¹ in accordance with what the Law says, and in accordance with the verdict that will be handed to you. You must not deviate from the verdict that they declare to you either to the right or to the left. ¹² If a man presumptuously disregards the priest who is serving the LORD your God there or the judge, that person must die so you will purge evil from Israel.

¹ Limitations on Punishment“When there is a conflict between individuals, let them come to court to judge the case, decide who is innocent, and condemn the guilty person. ² If the guilty person deserves a beating, the judge will make him lie down and be beaten in his presence with the number of lashes fit for his crime. ³ But he must not be beaten more than 40 lashes, because if he receives more than 40 lashes, your brother will be humiliated in your eyes.

²⁰ because the LORD had hardened their hearts so they would fight Israel in war, be completely destroyed without mercy, and be completely wiped out, as the LORD had commanded Moses.

¹⁴ Therefore I’ve sworn concerning Eli’s family that the iniquity of his family is not to be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”

¹⁶ But even while the prophet was speaking, the king asked him, “Did we appoint you to be a royal counselor? Stop! Why should you be struck down?”
So the prophet stopped speaking, but he also said, “I know God has determined to destroy you, because you’ve done all this and ignored my counsel.”

¹⁶ Indeed, you do not delight in sacrifices, or I would give them, nor do you desire burnt offerings.

¹⁰ Severe punishment awaits anyone who wanders off the path— anyone who despises reproof will die.

³⁹ This is why they could not believe: Isaiah also said, ⁴⁰ “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, so that they might not perceive with their eyes, and understand with their mind and turn, and I would heal them.”

⁵ There is one God. There is also one mediator between God and human beings—a human, the Messiah Jesus.

²⁵ Therefore, because he always lives to intercede for them, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him.

²⁶ For if we choose to go on sinning after we have learned the full truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

²¹ The LORD took note of Hannah, and she became pregnant and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel continued to grow, and the LORD was constantly with him.

³ Do not let gracious love and truth leave you. Bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart,

⁴⁷ They were praising God and enjoying the good will of all the people. Every day the Lord was adding to their number those who were being saved.

¹⁸ For the person who serves the Messiah in this way is pleasing to God and approved by people.

¹⁴ Then the LORD was angry with Moses and said, “There is your brother Aaron, a descendant of Levi, isn’t there? I know that he certainly is eloquent. Right now he’s coming to meet you and he will be pleased to see you. ¹⁵ You’re to speak to him and tell him what to say. I’ll help both you and him with your speech, and I’ll teach both of you what you are to do. ¹⁶ He is to speak to the people for you as your spokesman and you are to act in the role of God for him.

²⁷ Moses and Aaron Meet and Return to EgyptThe LORD told Aaron, “Go meet Moses in the desert.” So Aaron went, found him at the mountain of God, and embraced him.

¹ The Passover is InstitutedThe LORD told Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,

⁴³ Instructions for the PassoverThe LORD told Moses and Aaron, “These are the regulations for the Passover: No foreigner is to eat it,

¹ Moses Reviews the Tribes of IsraelThis is the blessing with which Moses, the man of God, blessed the Israelis before his death.

⁸ the LORD sent a man who was a prophet to the Israelis and told them, “This is what the LORD God of Israel says: ‘I was the one who brought you up from the land of Egypt, delivering you from the house of servitude.

⁶ Then the woman went to tell her husband. She said, “A man of God appeared to me. He looked like what an angel of God would look like—very frightening. I didn’t ask him where he had come from and he didn’t tell me his name.

⁴ He went through the hill country of Ephraim and through the region of Shalishah, but they did not find them. Then they went through the region of Shaalim, but they were not there. They also went through the territory of the descendants of Benjamin, but they did not find them.

¹ Josiah’s Desecration Predicted by a Man of GodRight when Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn some incense, a man of God arrived in Bethel from Judah in obedience to a command from the LORD.

¹¹ Advice for TimothyBut you, man of God, must flee from all these things. Instead, you must pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness.

²¹ because no prophecy ever originated through a human decision. Instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

¹ The Garments for the Priests“You are to bring your brother Aaron, along with his sons, from among the Israelis so they can serve as priests for me: that is, Aaron and his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

⁶ The Ephod“They are to make the ephod from gold, along with blue, purple, and scarlet material and fine woven linen, all of it skillfully worked. ⁷ It is to have two shoulder-pieces attached to its two edges so it can be joined together. ⁸ The skillfully woven band that is on it is to be made like it, that is, of one piece with it, of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet material, and fine woven linen. ⁹ You are to take two onyx stones and engrave the names of the sons of Israel on them, ¹⁰ six of their names on one stone, and the six remaining names on the other stone. Engrave them according to their order of birth. ¹¹ With work like a jeweler engraves on a signet, you are to inscribe the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel, and you are to mount them in settings of gold filigree. ¹² You are to put the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as stones of remembrance representing the sons of Israel, and Aaron is to carry their names into the LORD’s presence on his two shoulders as a memorial. ¹³ You are to make settings of gold filigree, ¹⁴ and you are to make two chains of pure gold twisted like cords, and then fasten the twisted chains to the filigree settings.”
¹⁵ The Breast Piece“You are to make a breast piece to be worn by the high priest when he makes legal decisions. It is to be skillfully worked, made like the work of the ephod from gold, blue, purple, and scarlet material, and from fine woven linen. ¹⁶ It is to be square when folded double, one hand span long and one hand span wide. ¹⁷ You are to mount on it a setting for four rows of stones. The first row is to contain carnelian, topaz, and emerald; ¹⁸ the second row ruby, sapphire, and crystal; ¹⁹ the third row jacinth, agate, and amethyst; ²⁰ the fourth row beryl, onyx, and jasper, and they are to be set in gold filigree. ²¹ The stones are to correspond to the names of the sons of Israel, twelve stones corresponding to their names. They are to be engraved like a signet, each with the name of one of the twelve tribes.
²² “You are to make chains of pure gold, twisted like cords, for the breast piece. ²³ You are to make two gold rings for the breast piece, and put the two rings on the two edges of the breast piece. ²⁴ You are to put the two gold cords on the two gold rings at the edges of the breast piece, ²⁵ and you are to attach the other two ends of the two cords to the filigree settings and attach them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod in front.
²⁶ “You are to make two gold rings and attach them to the two edges of the breast piece, on the side of it that is toward the inner side of the ephod. ²⁷ You are to make two gold rings and attach them in front on the lower part of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod close to the place where it’s joined, above the skillfully woven band of the ephod. ²⁸ They are to fasten the rings on the breast piece to the rings on the ephod with a blue cord so it will rest on the skillfully woven band of the ephod and so the breast piece won’t come loose from the ephod.
²⁹ “Aaron is to carry the names of Israel’s sons on his heart on the breast piece to be worn by the high priest when he makes legal decisions, that is, whenever he goes into the Holy Place in order to remember them continuously in the LORD’s presence. ³⁰ You are to put the Urim and Thummim into the breast piece of judgment, and they are to be on Aaron’s heart when he goes into the LORD’s presence. He is to carry the breast piece of decision that depicts Israel’s sons on his heart in the LORD’s presence continuously.”

⁴ You are to bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the Tent of Meeting, and wash them with water. ⁵ Take the garments and clothe Aaron with the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod, and the breast piece, and then gird him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod. ⁶ Then put the turban on his head, and place the holy crown on the turban. ⁷ You are to take the anointing oil, pour it on his head, and anoint him. ⁸ Then you are to bring his sons and clothe them with tunics. ⁹ You are to gird Aaron and his sons with sashes and tie headdresses on them. The priesthood is to belong to them by perpetual ordinance, and you are to ordain Aaron and his sons.
¹⁰ “You are to bring the bull in front of the Tent of Meeting, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the bull. ¹¹ Then you are to slaughter the bull in the LORD’s presence at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting. ¹² Take some of the blood of the bull, put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. ¹³ You are to take all the fat that covers the entrails, the lobe of the liver, the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them and send them up in smoke on the altar. ¹⁴ You are to burn the flesh of the bull, its hide, and its refuse with fire outside the camp. It is a sin offering.
¹⁵ “You are to take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head. ¹⁶ Then you are to slaughter the ram, take its blood, and scatter it around the altar. ¹⁷ You are to cut the ram into pieces, wash its entrails and legs, put them on the altar along with the pieces and its head, ¹⁸ and send up the whole ram in smoke on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the LORD; it’s a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the LORD.
¹⁹ “You are to take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram. ²⁰ You are to slaughter the ram, take some of its blood, and put it on the lobe of Aaron’s right ear, the lobe of his sons’ right ears, the thumbs of their right hands, and the big toes of their right feet. Then you are to scatter the rest of the blood around the altar. ²¹ You are to take some of the blood which is on the altar, along with some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments, and on his sons and their garments. He is to be consecrated with his garments, along with his sons and their garments
²² “You are to take the fat from the ram, the fat tail, the fat that covers the entrails, the lobe of the liver, the two kidneys and the fat that is on them, the right thigh (for it’s a ram of ordination), ²³ and one loaf of bread, one cake of bread mixed with oil, and one wafer out of the basket of unleavened bread that is in the LORD’s presence. ²⁴ You are to put all of these in the hands of Aaron and in the hands of his sons, and present them as a wave offering in the LORD’s presence. ²⁵ Then you are to take them from their hands and send them up in smoke on the altar on top of the burnt offering for a soothing aroma in the LORD’s presence. It is an offering by fire to the LORD.
²⁶ “You are to take the breast of the ram of Aaron’s ordination, and present it as a wave offering in the LORD’s presence, and it is to be your portion. ²⁷ You are to consecrate the portion of the ram of ordination that belongs to Aaron and his sons: the breast of the wave offering that was waved and the thigh of the presented offering that was presented. ²⁸ These offerings from the Israelis are to be a perpetual ordinance for Aaron and his sons. They are presented offerings, and they are to be presented offerings from the Israelis out of their peace offerings. They are presented offerings to the LORD.
²⁹ “The holy garments of Aaron are to be for his sons after him so that they may be anointed in them and ordained in them. ³⁰ Aaron’s son, who is priest in his place, is to wear them for seven days when he comes into the Tent of Meeting to minister in the Holy Place.
³¹ “You are to take the ram of ordination and boil its flesh in a Holy Place. ³² Then Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram along with the bread that is in the basket at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting. ³³ They shall eat these things by which atonement was made at their ordination to consecrate them, but an unqualified person is not to eat because these things are holy. ³⁴ If any of the flesh of the ordination ram or any of the bread is left until morning, you are to burn what is left with fire. Because it’s holy, what remains is not to be eaten. ³⁵ You are to do this for Aaron and his sons, just as I’ve commanded you. You are to ordain them for seven days, ³⁶ and every day you are to offer a bull as a sin offering for atonement. Offer the sin offering on the altar when you make atonement for it and anoint the altar to consecrate it. ³⁷ You are to make atonement for the altar for seven days and consecrate it. It will be most holy, and whatever touches it will be holy.”

¹ The Priestly GarmentsFrom the blue, purple, and scarlet material they made finely woven garments for ministering in the Holy Place, and they made the holy garments for Aaron, just as the LORD commanded Moses.
² The EphodHe made the ephod out of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet material and fine woven linen. ³ They hammered out gold sheets and cut off threads to work into the blue, purple, and scarlet material and into the fine linen, a work of skillful design. ⁴ They made connecting shoulder pieces for the ephod and attached them to its two edges. ⁵ The skillfully woven band that was on it was made like it, of one piece with it: of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet material and fine woven linen, just as the LORD commanded Moses. ⁶ They prepared the onyx stones, engraved with the names of the sons of Israel like the engraving on a signet, and mounted them in settings of gold filigree. ⁷ He put them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel, just as the LORD commanded Moses.

³ The remnants from the grain offering is for Aaron and his sons—the holiest of the offerings made by fire to the LORD.”

¹⁰ The remainder from the memorial offering is for Aaron and his sons—the holiest of the offerings made by fire to the LORD.”

¹⁶ Aaron and his sons are to eat what remains of the unleavened offering at this sacred place—the court of the Tent of Meeting.

⁷ The law for the sin offering is the same as the guilt offering. It belongs to the priest who made atonement with it. ⁸ The hide from the burnt offering brought by the offeror is to belong to the priest.

³² From the sacrifices of your peace offerings give the right thigh to the priest as a raised offering to the LORD.

³⁴ since I’ve taken the breast and the thigh as raised offerings from the sacrifices of peace offerings of the Israelis and have given them to Aaron the priest and his sons as their perpetual portion from the Israelis.”
³⁵ This is the consecrated portion for Aaron and his descendants from the offerings made by fire to the LORD, the day they were presented to be priests to the LORD.

⁷ Then he clothed Aaron with the tunic, girded him with the band for priests, clothed him with the robe, placed the ephod on him, girded him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and bound it on him. ⁸ He set the breastplate on him, placed the Urim and Thummim on top of the breastplate,

¹⁴ As to the breast and thigh raised offerings, you and your sons and daughters with you may eat them at a clean place, because they belong to you and are your sons’ prescribed portions and were taken from the sacrifices of peace offering presented by the Israelis. ¹⁵ They are to bring the thigh offering, the breast raised offering, and the offerings made by fire from the fat to wave as a raised offering in the LORD’s presence. It will be a perpetual portion for you and your sons with you, just as the LORD commanded.”

⁹ Every offering from all the most sacred things of the Israelis that they bring to the priest is to belong to him. ¹⁰ Furthermore, everyone’s sacred things belong to him, and as well as regarding whatever a person gives to the priest.”

⁵ Then he addressed Korah and his entire company, “In the morning, may the LORD reveal who belongs to him and who is holy. May he cause that person to approach him. May he cause to approach him the one whom he has chosen.

⁵ The rod that belongs to the man whom I’ll choose will burst into bloom. That’s how I’ll put a stop to the complaints of the Israelis, who are complaining against you.”
⁶ So Moses spoke to the Israelis, and each of the tribe leaders gave him a rod, one for each leader, according to their ancestral tribes, for a total of twelve rods. Aaron’s rod was one of them. ⁷ Then Moses laid out the rods in the LORD’S presence, inside the Tent of Testimony. ⁸ The next morning, Moses went to the Tent of Testimony and the rod of Aaron of the tribe of Levi had burst into bloom! It sprouted buds, bloomed blossoms, and produced fully ripe almonds!

¹ Responsibilities for Priests and Descendants of LeviLater, the LORD told Aaron, “You, your sons, and your father’s tribe with you are to bear the iniquity of the sanctuary. Also, you and your sons with you are to bear the iniquity of your priesthood. ² Moreover, bring your brothers from your father’s tribe of Levi with you, so they may join you and minister to you while you and your sons with you stand in the presence of the Tent of Testimony. ³ They are to take care of your concerns and all the responsibilities involved with the tent. But they’re not to approach the holy vessels or the altar. That way, neither you nor they will die. ⁴ They are to join you to maintain services related to the Tent of Meeting, for all the responsibilities involved with the tent. But no unauthorized person is to approach you. ⁵ Take care of the sanctuary and the services of the altar so that there won’t be any more wrath on the Israelis. ⁶ Notice that I’ve taken your brothers, the descendants of Levi, from among the Israelis, giving them to you as a gift from the LORD to perform the service of the Tent of Meeting. ⁷ Now you and your sons with you are to maintain your priestly duties and all matters that concern the altar and what is housed within the veil. You are to perform these services. I’m giving you the priesthood as a gift of service, but any unauthorized person who approaches is to be put to death.”
⁸ Ownership for OfferingsThen the LORD told Aaron, “Look! I am indeed placing you in charge of my raised offerings and the holy things concerning the Israelis. Because of your anointing, I’m giving you and your sons a prescribed portion forever.

¹⁹ I’m giving you, your sons, and your daughters as a prescribed portion forever all the raised offerings of the consecrated things that the Israelis offer to the LORD. It’s a salt covenant forever before the LORD with you and your descendants with you.”

¹ Provision for the Descendants of Levi“The Levitical priests, the whole tribe of Levi, will not have a portion or an inheritance within Israel. Instead, they will eat the burnt offerings of the LORD, because that is their inheritance. ² But they will not have an inheritance among their relatives, because the LORD alone is their inheritance—as he promised them.”
³ Provision for the Priests“A portion of what the people offer in sacrifice, whether cattle or sheep, is to be due the priests. They must set aside the shoulder, jowls, and stomach for the priest. ⁴ Give them the first gatherings of your grain, wine, oil, and wool from the shearing of your flock. ⁵ For the LORD your God has chosen them and their descendants from among your tribes to stand and serve in the name of the LORD all their lives.”
⁶ Provision for the Itinerant Levite“Any descendant of Levi who wishes to do so may come from any city or part of Israel where he resides to the place that the LORD will choose. ⁷ There he may serve in the name of the LORD his God. Like his fellow descendants of Levi who stand there in the LORD’s presence, ⁸ he may eat the same share as they do regardless of what he receives from his ancestral estate.”

⁷ But Nathan replied to David, “You are the man! This is what the LORD God of Israel says:
“‘I anointed you king—and you became king over Israel.
“‘I delivered you from Saul’s control.

¹⁵ “You are not to be unjust in deciding a case. You are not to show partiality to the poor or honor the great. Instead, decide the case of your neighbor with righteousness.”

⁵ Instead, you must seek to enter only the place that the LORD your God will choose among your tribes. There he will establish his name and live. ⁶ Bring your burnt offerings there, along with your sacrifices, your tithes, your hand-carried gifts, your offerings in fulfillment of promises, your freely given offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks.

¹⁵ Israel’s RebellionJacob dined until satisfied; Jeshurun grew fat and kicked. He grew fat, coarse, and gross, so that he abandoned the God who made him and spurned the Rock that was his salvation.

⁹ the one who told his mother and father, ‘I don’t know them,’ and who would neither acknowledge his brothers nor know his own children. For they kept your word and guarded your covenant.

¹ Other Tribal AllotmentsAfter this, the entire assembly of the Israelis gathered together at Shiloh and set up the Tent of Meeting there, where the land lay conquered before them.

¹¹ Meanwhile, the dogs have a mighty appetite— they can never get enough. And as for them, they are the shepherds who lack understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, each and every one. ¹² “‘Come!’ they say, ‘let’s have some wine, and let’s fill ourselves with strong drink! Then, tomorrow will be like today, or even much better!’”

¹⁹ You’ve profaned me among my people for a handful of barley and a morsel of bread. You’re causing people to die who shouldn’t have to die, and you’re causing people to live who shouldn’t survive, when you deceive my people who tend to listen to lies.”

² “Son of Man, prophesy against Israel’s shepherds. Tell those shepherds, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says:
“Woe to you shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves and not the sheep. Shouldn’t shepherds feed the sheep?

⁸ They feed on the sin of my people; they purpose in their heart to transgress.

¹² “But you are profaning my name by saying that the Table of the LORD is defiled and that its fruit and its food are contemptible.
¹³ “And you say, ‘What a burden!’ and sniff contemptuously at it,” says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, “when you present maimed, crippled, and diseased animals, and when you bring the offering. Should I accept this from your hand?” asks the LORD.

³⁷ The Cost of Discipleship
“The one who loves his father or mother more than me isn’t worthy of me, and the one who loves a son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me.

¹⁶ They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. They said, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere and that you teach the way of God truthfully. You don’t favor any individual, because you pay no attention to external appearance.

²⁶ “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, as well as his own life, he can’t be my disciple.

¹⁶ So then, from now on we do not think of anyone from a human point of view. Even if we did think of the Messiah from a human point of view, we don’t think of him that way anymore.

¹⁷ However, the wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, willing to yield, full of compassion and good deeds, and without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.

⁴³ They shall be on Aaron and his sons when they enter the Tent of Meeting or when they approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place so they don’t incur guilt and die. This is to be a perpetual ordinance for him and for his descendants after him.”

⁹ You are to gird Aaron and his sons with sashes and tie headdresses on them. The priesthood is to belong to them by perpetual ordinance, and you are to ordain Aaron and his sons.

²⁰ but for a whole month—until it comes out your nostrils and makes you vomit. This is because you’ve despised the LORD, who is among you, and you cried out in his presence by complaining, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”

¹¹ “Eleazar’s son Phinehas, grandson of Aaron the priest, has turned my wrath away from Israel. Because his zealousness reflected my own zeal for them, I didn’t consume Israel in my jealousy. ¹² Therefore, I’m certainly going to be giving him my covenant of peace, ¹³ for him and for his descendants after him, too, a covenant of perpetual priesthood, because he was zealous for his God and made atonement for the Israelis.”

³⁴ You are not to defile the land where you will be living, because I’m living among you. I am the LORD, who lives in Israel.”

¹⁰ “So the trees told the fig tree, ‘Hey you! Come and reign over us!’

⁹ “‘Why did you despise what the LORD has promised by doing what is detestable in his sight?
“‘You struck down Uriah the Hittite with a battle sword.
“‘You took his wife to be your own.
“‘You killed him with the sword of the Ammonite army.
¹⁰ “‘Therefore the sword will never leave your household, because you have despised me by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’

² so he went out to meet Asa and rebuked him: “Listen to me, Asa, Judah, and Benjamin! The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will allow you to find him, but if you abandon him, he will abandon you.

²⁰ God’s Reward to the RighteousThe LORD will reward me because I am righteous; because my hands are clean he will restore me;

²³ Whoever offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies me, and I will reveal the salvation of God to whomever continues in my way.”

¹⁴ The LORD SpeaksBecause he has focused his love on me, I will deliver him. I will protect him because he knows my name.

⁹ Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the first of all your produce, ¹⁰ so your barns will be filled with abundance, and your vats will burst open with new wine.

¹³ A Rebuke of Hypocritical WorshipThen the Lord said: “Because these people draw near with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, worship of me has become merely like rules taught by human beings.

⁹ At another moment I may speak about a nation or kingdom to build it or plant it. ¹⁰ But if that nation does evil in my eyes by not obeying me, I’ll change my mind about the good that I said I would bring on it.

³⁴ The King’s Sanity Returns“When that period of time was over, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven and my sanity returned to me. I blessed the Most High, praising and honoring the one who lives forever: For his sovereignty is eternal, and his kingdom continues from generation to generation.

⁶ God’s Second Complaint: Against His Priests—A Despised Offering“A son honors his father and a servant his master. So if I’m a father, where is my honor? And if I’m a master, where is my respect?” says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies to you priests who are despising my name. “But you ask, ‘How have we despised your name?’

²³ so that everyone may honor the Son as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

⁴⁴ How can you believe when you accept each other’s praise and do not look for the praise that comes from the only God?

⁴⁹ Jesus answered, “I don’t have a demon. On the contrary, I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.

²⁶ If anyone serves me, he must follow me. And where I am, there my servant will also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.”

³¹ The New CommandmentAfter Judas had gone out, Jesus said, “The Son of Man is now glorified, and God has been glorified by him. ³² If God has been glorified by him, God himself also will glorify the Son of Man, and he will do so quickly.

⁴ I glorified you on earth by completing the task you gave me to do.
⁵ “So now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world existed.

⁵ Therefore, stop judging prematurely, before the Lord comes, for he will bring to light what is now hidden in darkness and reveal the motives of our hearts. Then each person will receive his praise from God.

⁷ so that your genuine faith, which is more valuable than gold that perishes when tested by fire, may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus, the Messiah, is revealed.

² The Philistines deployed their forces to meet Israel, and as the battle spread Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the battlefield.

¹¹ The Ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, died.
¹² The Death of EliThat very same day, a man who was a descendant of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh, with his garments torn and dirt on his head. ¹³ When he arrived, Eli was sitting there on a seat beside the road, watching because his heart trembled for the Ark of God. The man went into the town to give the report, and the whole town cried out. ¹⁴ Eli heard the sound of the cry and asked, “What is the meaning of this commotion?” Then the man quickly came and told Eli. ¹⁵ Now Eli was 98 years old, and his vision had failed.
¹⁶ The man told Eli, “I’ve just come from the battle line, and I escaped from the battle today.”
He asked, “What happened, my son?”
¹⁷ The messenger answered, “Israel fled from the Philistines and the people suffered a great defeat as well. Moreover, your two sons, Hophni and Phineas, are dead, and the Ark of God was captured.”
¹⁸ When he mentioned the Ark of God, Eli fell off the seat backwards by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, since he was old and heavy. Eli had judged Israel for 40 years.
¹⁹ Ichabod is BornEli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phineas, was pregnant and ready to give birth. When she heard the report about the capture of the Ark of God and that her father-in-law and husband were dead, she crouched down and gave birth, because her labor pains suddenly began. ²⁰ As she was about to die, the women standing around her said, “Don’t be afraid! You’ve given birth to a son.” But she did not respond or pay attention.

³ Along with him were Ahitub’s son Ahijah, Ichabod’s brother, who was Phineas’ son and a grandson of Eli the priest of the LORD at Shiloh, who was carrying the ephod. The people did not know that Jonathan had gone.

¹⁷ The king told the guards, who were standing beside him, “Turn and kill the priests of the LORD because they supported David, and because they knew he was fleeing, but didn’t inform me.” But the officials of the king did not want to lift their hands to attack the priests of the LORD.
¹⁸ Then the king told Doeg, “You turn and attack the priests.” Doeg the Edomite turned and attacked the priests. That day he killed eighty-five men who carry the linen ephod. ¹⁹ He attacked the priestly town of Nob with the sword. Men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys and sheep were put to the sword.
²⁰ Abiathar Takes the Ephod to DavidOne man, Ahimelech’s son Abiathar, a grandson of Ahitub, escaped and fled to David.

²⁶ The king also told Abiathar the priest, “Go home to Anathoth. You deserve to die, but I won’t kill you today, because you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before my father David and because you shared all the troubles that my father went through.” ²⁷ So Solomon fired Abiathar as the LORD’s priest, thus fulfilling the promise that the LORD had spoken in Shiloh concerning Eli’s household.

³⁵ The king appointed Jehoiada’s son Benaiah in charge of the army to replace Joab and also appointed Zadok the priest to replace Abiathar.

⁹ You sent away widows empty-handed, and broke the outstretched arms of orphans.

²¹ “Son of Man, I’ve broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Look! It hasn’t been set in a splint for healing or wrapped with a bandage so it could be strong enough to hold a sword! ²² Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says:
‘I’m coming to attack Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and I’m going to break both of his arms, the strong one and the wounded one. That will make him drop his sword. ²³ I’m going to scatter Egypt throughout the surrounding nations and disperse them throughout the world. ²⁴ I’m going to strengthen the military might of the king of Babylon, put my own sword in his hand, and break Pharaoh’s strength. Then Pharaoh will groan like a dying man right in front of the king of Babylon.

¹⁰ But the descendants of Levi, who went far away from me when Israel abandoned me, who left me to follow their idols, are to bear the punishment of their iniquity.

⁴ So the people sent word to Shiloh and took away from there the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, who sits above the cherubim.
Now the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, were there with the Ark of the Covenant of God.

¹¹ The Ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, died.

²² She said, “Glory has departed from Israel, because the Ark of God has been captured.”

⁵⁹ God heard and became furious, and he completely rejected Israel. ⁶⁰ He abandoned the tent at Shiloh, the tent that he established among mankind. ⁶¹ Then he sent his might into captivity and his glory into the control of the adversary. ⁶² He delivered his people over to the sword and was angry with his possession. ⁶³ The young men were consumed by fire, and the virgins had no marriage celebrations. ⁶⁴ The priests fell by the sword, yet their widows couldn’t weep.

⁴ “This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: ‘There will yet be old men and old women sitting in the parks of Jerusalem, each one of them holding canes in their hands due to their old age!

²¹ Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD. ²² David told Abiathar, “I knew on that day when Doeg the Edomite was there that he would certainly tell Saul! I’m responsible for the deaths of your father’s whole family. ²³ Stay with me, and don’t be afraid because the one who seeks my life, seeks your life. Indeed, you will be safe with me.”

⁷ He had the support of Zeruiah’s son Joab and of Abiathar the priest, who followed Adonijah and assisted him,

¹⁹ Adonijah has sacrificed myriads of oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep, and he has invited all of the king’s sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited your servant Solomon.

¹⁶ The Massacre of the InfantsHerod flew into a rage when he learned that he had been tricked by the wise men, so he ordered the execution of all the male children in Bethlehem and all its neighboring regions, who were two years old and younger, according to the time that he had determined from the wise men. ¹⁷ Then what was declared by the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled when he said, ¹⁸ “A voice was heard in Ramah: wailing and great mourning. Rachel was crying for her children. She refused to be comforted, because they no longer existed.”

¹² I’ll fulfill every promise that I’ve spoken concerning Eli’s family, from beginning to end.

¹⁷ The messenger answered, “Israel fled from the Philistines and the people suffered a great defeat as well. Moreover, your two sons, Hophni and Phineas, are dead, and the Ark of God was captured.”

³ Later that same day, he gave them a special display of power of what was to come when he said, “Here’s proof that the LORD has decreed this: Look! This altar will be split apart and the ashes that are on it will spill out.”

¹² “Now get up and go home. When your feet cross the city line, your child will die.

²¹ Because the midwives feared God, he provided families for them.

¹³ for him and for his descendants after him, too, a covenant of perpetual priesthood, because he was zealous for his God and made atonement for the Israelis.”

¹³ God’s Spirit Comes on David and Departs from SaulThen Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed David in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD came on David from that day forward. Then Samuel got up and went to Ramah.

²⁸ Please forgive the offense of your servant. For the LORD will certainly make a strong dynasty for your majesty, for your majesty is fighting the LORD’s battles. May evil not be found in you for all of your life.

¹¹ when I had commanded judges to administer my people Israel. I’ll also grant you relief from all your enemies.”’ “‘The LORD also announces to you: “The LORD will himself build a house for you.

²⁷ For you, LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, have revealed this to your servant, telling him, ‘I will build a dynasty for you,’ so that your servant has found fortitude to pray this prayer to you.

⁸ but Zadok the priest, Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s personal elite forces would have nothing to do with Adonijah.

⁴⁵ Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him in Gihon, and they just left from there rejoicing, and that’s why the city is all in an uproar. That’s the noise that you’ve been hearing!

³⁸ If you listen to everything that I command you to do, and if you live your life my way, and if you do what I consider to be right by observing my statutes and my commandments, just like my servant David did, then I will be with you, I will build an enduring dynasty for you, just like I did for David, and I’ll give Israel to you.

⁸ Ahitub fathered Zadok, Zadok fathered Ahimaaz, ⁹ Ahimaaz fathered Azariah, Azariah fathered Johanan, ¹⁰ and Johanan fathered Azariah, who served as priest in the Temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem. ¹¹ Azariah fathered Amariah, Amariah fathered Ahitub, ¹² Ahitub fathered Zadok, Zadok fathered Shallum, ¹³ Shallum fathered Hilkiah, Hilkiah fathered Azariah, ¹⁴ Azariah fathered Seraiah, and Seraiah fathered Jehozadak. ¹⁵ The LORD sent Jehozadak, Judah, and Jerusalem into exile, using Nebuchadnezzar to do it.

²² and they ate and drank in the LORD’s presence with great joy.
Solomon is Anointed King
They crowned David’s son Solomon king a second time and anointed him to serve as Commander-in-Chief to the LORD and Zadok to serve as priest.

¹⁰ Jeshua fathered Joiakim, Joiakim fathered Eliashib, and Eliashib fathered Joiada. ¹¹ Joiada fathered Jonathan and Jonathan fathered Jaddua.

⁵⁰ He is the one who gives victories to his king; who shows gracious love to his anointed, to David and his seed forever.

²³ God’s Shepherd: His Servant David“‘Then I’ll install one shepherd for them—my servant David—and he will feed them, will be there for them, and will serve as their shepherd.

¹⁵ Levitical Ordinances“The descendants of Zadok, Levitical priests who took care of my sanctuary when the Israelis wandered away from me, are to come near me to minister to me. They are to stand before me to offer the fat and the blood to me,” declares the Lord GOD. ¹⁶ “They are to enter my sanctuary, approach my table to minister to me, and carry out my requirements.

¹⁷ thereby becoming like his brothers in every way, so that he could be a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God and could atone for the people’s sins.

²⁶ We need such a high priest—one who is holy, innocent, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. ²⁷ He has no need to offer sacrifices every day like high priests do, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he sacrificed himself. ²⁸ For the Law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the promised oath, which came after the Law, results in a Son who is eternally perfect.

²⁹ Why, then, do all of you show contempt for my sacrifice and offering that I’ve commanded for my dwelling? And you honor your sons more than me in order to fatten yourselves from the best of all the offerings of my people Israel.’
³⁰ “Therefore, the LORD God of Israel has declared, ‘I did, in fact, say that your family and your ancestor’s family would walk before me forever,’ but now the LORD declares, ‘Far be it from me! The one who honors me I’ll honor, and the one who despises me is to be treated with contempt.

²⁷ So Solomon fired Abiathar as the LORD’s priest, thus fulfilling the promise that the LORD had spoken in Shiloh concerning Eli’s household.

¹⁰ But the descendants of Levi, who went far away from me when Israel abandoned me, who left me to follow their idols, are to bear the punishment of their iniquity. ¹¹ Nevertheless, they are to serve in my sanctuary, overseeing the gates of the Temple, taking care of the Temple, slaughtering the burnt offerings and the sacrifices presented for the people, standing in the presence of the people, and ministering to them. ¹² Because they kept serving them in the presence of their idols, becoming a sin-filled stumbling block to the house of Israel,’ declares the Lord GOD.
“‘I have sworn to them that they are to bear the consequences of their iniquity.

¹³ “And you say, ‘What a burden!’ and sniff contemptuously at it,” says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, “when you present maimed, crippled, and diseased animals, and when you bring the offering. Should I accept this from your hand?” asks the LORD.