1 Chronicles 23-25
1 So when David was old and full of days, he made his son Solomon king over Israel. 2 And he gathered together all the leaders of Israel, with the priests and the Levites. 3 Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and above. The number of individual males was thirty-eight thousand. 4 Of these, twenty-four thousand were taskmasters over the work of the house of the Lord, six thousand were officers and judges, 5 four thousand were gatekeepers, and four thousand praised the Lord with musical instruments which he made to praise the Lord. 6 David also separated them into divisions among the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 7 And to Paroshom, to Edan, and to Shimei. 8 The sons of Laadan: the first Jehiel, then Zetham and Joel, three in all. 9 The sons of Shimei: Shelomith, Haziel, and Haran, three in all. These were the heads of the fathers’ houses of Laadan. 10 And the sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These were the four sons of Shimei. 11 Jahath was the first, and Zizah the second. As for Jeush and Beriah, they did not multiply sons, and they became but one reckoning, according to their father’s house.
12 The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four in all. 13 The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron was set apart that he should sanctify the holy of holies, that he and his sons forever should burn incense before the Lord, to minister and to offer prayers in His name forever. 14 Now the sons of Moses the man of God had been called to the tribe of Levi. 15 The sons of Moses were Gershon and Eliezer. 16 Of the sons of Gershon, Shebuel was the first. 17 Of the descendants of Eliezer, Rehabiah was the first. And Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah greatly multiplied.
18 Of the sons of Izhar, Shelomith was the first. 19 Of the sons of Hebron, Jeriah was the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth. 20 Of the sons of Uzziel, Michah was the first and Jesshiah the second. 21 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli were Eleazar and Kish. 22 And Eleazar died and had no sons, only daughters; and their brethren, the sons of Kish, took them as wives. 23 The sons of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth, three in all.
24 These were the sons of Levi according to the houses of their fathers, chiefs of their families according to the number in the household, according to their polls, who from the age of twenty years and older did the work for the service of the house of the Lord. 25 For David said, “The Lord God of Israel has given rest to His people, and dwells in Jerusalem forever.” 26 And the Levites carried not the tabernacle nor all of its vessels for its ministry. 27 For by the last words of David was the numbering of the Levites taken, from twenty years of age and older. 28 For their duty was to help the sons of Aaron in the service of the house of the Lord, in the courts and in the chambers, in the purification of all holy things and the work of the service of the house of God; 29 for the showbread and fine flour for the meat offering, and for the unleavened cakes, the fried cake, and the dough, and for every measure; 30 to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise at evening; 31 and regularly before the Lord—at every presentation of a whole burnt offering to the Lord, on the Sabbaths, on the New Moons, and on the set feasts, as by the number according to the ordinance governing them. 32 They are to keep charge of the tabernacle of witness, of the holy places, and the sons of Aaron their brethren, to minister in the house of the Lord.
Assignments to the Priests
1 Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 2 And Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children; therefore Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priests. 3 Then David, with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, divided them according to their census, according to their ministry, according to their fathers’ houses. 4 There were more leaders found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar, and thus they were divided. Among the sons of Eleazar were sixteen heads of their fathers’ houses, and eight heads of their fathers’ houses among the sons of Ithamar. 5 Thus they were divided by lot, one group as another, for there were officials of the sanctuary and officials of the house of God, from the sons of Eleazar and from the sons of Ithamar. 6 And the scribe, Shemaiah the son of Nethanel, one of the Levites, wrote them down before the king, the leaders, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the priests and Levites, one father’s house taken for Eleazar and one for Ithamar. 7 Now the first lot fell to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah, 8 the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim, 9 the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin, 10 the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah, 11 the ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah, 12 the eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim, 13 the thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab, 14 the fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer, 15 the seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez, 16 the nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezekel, 17 the twenty-first to Jachin, the twenty-second to Gamul, 18 the twenty-third to Delaiah, the twenty-fourth to Maaziah. 19 This was their numbering according to their ministry for coming into the house of the Lord, according to their ordinance by the hand of Aaron their father, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded him.
The Other Levites
20 And the rest of the sons of Levi: of the sons of Amram, Shubael; of the sons of Shubael, Jehdeiah. 21 Concerning Rehabiah, of the sons of Rehabiah, the first was Isshiah. 22 Of the Izharites, Shelomoth; of the sons of Shelomoth, Jahath. 23 Of the sons of Hebron, Jeriah was the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth. 24 Of the sons of Uzziel, Michah; of the sons of Michah, Shamir. 25 The brother of Michah, Isshiah; of the sons of Isshiah, Zechariah. 26 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi; the sons of Jaaziah, the sons of Beno. 27 The sons of Merari by Jaaziah, his sons were Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri. 28 Of Mahil: Eleazar and Ithamar; and Eleazar died, and there were no sons by him. 29 Of Kish: the son of Kish, Jerahmeel. 30 Also the sons of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth.
These were the sons of the Levites according to their fathers’ houses. 31 These also cast lots just as their brothers the sons of Aaron did, in the presence of King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the priests and Levites. The chief fathers did just as their younger brethren.
The Temple Musicians
1 David the king and the captains of the hosts appointed the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun to their service, for the purpose of playing the lyre and harp, stringed instruments, and cymbals. The list of ministrants for this service was as follows: 2 of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah; the sons of Asaph were under the direction of Asaph the prophet and were loyal to the king. 3 Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, after their father Jeduthun on the harp, led the music of thanks and praise to the Lord. 4 Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. 5 All these were the sons of Heman the king’s chief musician in the words of God, to lift up the horn. And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. 6 All these sang hymns with their father in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, and harps, and lyres for the service of the king and Asaph, and Jeduthun, Heman.
7 And the number of them with their brethren, those being instructed to sing to the Lord, everyone who was skilled in singing, was two hundred and eighty-eight. 8 And they cast lots for their duty, the small as well as the great, those taught and the students.
9 Now the first lot for Asaph of his sons and his brethren came out for Joseph; the second for Gedaliah by Iniah, his brethren and his sons, twelve; 10 the third for Zaccur, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 11 the fourth for Jizri, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 12 the fifth for Nethaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 13 the sixth for Bukkiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 14 the seventh for Jesharelah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 15 the eighth for Jeshaiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 16 the ninth for Mattaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 17 the tenth for Shimei, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 18 the eleventh for Azarel, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 19 the twelfth for Hashabiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 20 the thirteenth for Shubael, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 21 the fourteenth for Mattithiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 22 the fifteenth for Jeremoth, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 23 the sixteenth for Hananiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 24 the seventeenth for Joshbekashah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 25 the eighteenth for Hanani, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 26 the nineteenth for Mallothi, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 27 the twentieth for Eliathah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 28 the twenty-first for Hothir, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 29 the twenty-second for Giddalti, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 30 the twenty-third for Mahazioth, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 31 the twenty-fourth for Romamti-Ezer, his sons and his brethren, twelve.
Psalm 118:33–48
33 Give me as law, O Lord, the way of Your ordinances,
And I shall always search them.
34 Cause me to understand, and I shall search out Your law;
And I shall keep it with my whole heart.
35 Guide me in the path of Your commandments,
For I desire it.
36 Incline my heart to Your testimonies
And not to greediness.
37 Turn away my eyes that I may not see vanity;
Give me life in Your way.
38 Establish Your teaching in Your servant
In regard to Your fear.
39 Take away my blame, which I have suspected,
For Your judgments are good.
40 Behold, I long for Your commandments;
Give me life in Your righteousness.
41 And may Your mercy come upon me, O Lord,
Your salvation according to Your teaching.
42 And I shall answer those who insult me with a word,
For I hope in Your words.
43 Do not take away the word of truth completely from my mouth,
For I hope in Your judgments.
44 So I shall keep Your law always,
Forever and unto ages of ages.
45 And I walk in a broad space,
For I searched Your commandments.
46 I spoke of Your testimonies
Before kings, and I was not ashamed.
47 And I meditate on Your commandments,
Which I love exceedingly.
48 And I raise my hands to Your commandments, which I love,
And I meditate on Your ordinances.
Proverbs 25:27–31
27 It is better to dwell in a corner on a housetop
Than in a house shared with an abusive woman.
28 As cold water is agreeable to a thirsty soul,
So is good news from a far-off land.
29 As if someone would stop a spring and corrupt an outlet of water,
So it is unseemly for a righteous man to fall before the ungodly.
30 It is not good to eat too much honey,
But it is necessary to honor words held in honor.
31 As an unfortified city whose walls are broken down,
So is a man who does something without counsel.
John 9:13–41
13 They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees.
14 Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.
15 Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”
16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them.
17 They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”
18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight.
19 And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”
20 His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind;
21 “but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.”
22 His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.
23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
24 So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.”
25 He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”
26 Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”
27 He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”
28 Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples.
29 “We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.”
30 The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes!
31 “Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.
32 “Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind.
33 “If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”
34 They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out.
True Vision and True Blindness
35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”
36 He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”
37 And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”
38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.
39 And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”
40 Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?”
41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.