Numbers 3:1-4:33
1 Now these are the genealogies of Aaron and Moses when the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. 2 These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab, the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, whom he consecrated to minister as priests. 4 Nadab and Abihu had died before the Lord when they offered strange fire before the Lord in the Wilderness of Sinai; and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priests with Aaron their father.
Levites Serve in the Tabernacle
5 Again, the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 6 “Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, so they may minister liturgically with him. 7 They shall perform duties for him and for the children of Israel before the tabernacle of testimony, according to all the works of the tabernacle. 8 They shall also perform duties for all the furnishings of the tabernacle of testimony, and for all the children of Israel, according to all the works of the tabernacle. 9 Thus you shall assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons the priests; they are given entirely to Me from the children of Israel. 10 And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons over the tabernacle of testimony, and they shall guard their priesthood and all the things related to the altar and within the veil; but the foreigner who touches these things shall be put to death.”
11 Moreover, the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “Now behold, I Myself have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the children of Israel. The Levites shall be a ransom from them; therefore, they shall be Mine, 13 because all the firstborn are Mine. On the day I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, from man to cattle. They shall be Mine; I am the Lord.”
Census of the Levites
14 Furthermore, the Lord spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, saying, 15 “Number the children of Levi by their fathers’ houses, by their tribes, and by their families; you shall number every male from a month old and above.” 16 So Moses and Aaron numbered them according to the voice of the Lord, in the manner the Lord commanded them. 17 These are the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 18 These are the names of the sons of Gershon by their tribes: Libni and Shimei; 19 and the sons of Kohath by their families: Amram, Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel; 20 and the sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the tribes of the Levites by their fathers’ houses.
21 From Gershon came the tribe of the Libnites and the Shimites; these are the families of the Gershonites. 22 Their census, according to the number of all the males from a month old and above, was seven thousand five hundred. 23 The children of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle along the west side, 24 and the ruler of the father’s house of the tribe of Gershon was Eliasaph the son of Lael. 25 The charge of the children of Gershon in the tabernacle of testimony included the overall covering of the tabernacle and the screen for the door of the tabernacle of testimony, 26 and the curtains of the court, and the screen for the gate of the court by the tabernacle, and the rest of all its works.
27 From Kohath came the tribes of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites; these are the tribes of the Kohathites. 28 Their census, according to the number of all the males from a month old and above, was eight thousand six hundred, keeping charge of the holy things. 29 The tribes of the children of Kohath were to camp along the south side of the tabernacle, 30 and the ruler of the house of the families of the Kohathite tribes was Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. 31 Their charge included the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the utensils of the holy place with which they ministered liturgically, the screen, and all their works. 32 Now the ruler over the rulers of the Levites was Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest. He was appointed to be in charge of those responsible for the holy things.
33 From Merari came the tribe of the Mahlites and the tribe of the Mushites; these were the tribes of Merari. 34 Their census, according to the number of all the males from a month old and above, was six thousand five hundred, 35 and the ruler of the house of the families of the Merari tribe was Zuriel the son of Abihail. These were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. 36 The appointed duty of the children of Merari included the pillars of the tabernacle, and the bars, the columns, and the bases, and all their furnishings and works, 37 and the pillars of the court all around, with their bases, pegs, and cords.
38 Those camped in front of the tabernacle of testimony on the east were Moses, Aaron, and his sons, performing the guard duties of the holy place on behalf of the children of Israel; but the foreigner who touches these things shall be put to death.
39 The entire census of the Levites whom Moses and Aaron numbered by the voice of the Lord, by their tribes, all the males from a month old and above, was twenty-two thousand.
Levites Dedicated, Replacing the Firstborn
40 Again, the Lord said to Moses, “Take a census of all the firstborn males of the children of Israel from a month old and above, and take the number of their names. 41 You shall take the Levites for Me—I am the Lord—instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstborn cattle among the children of Israel.” 42 So Moses took a census of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, in the manner the Lord commanded him. 43 Thus all the firstborn males, according to the number of names from a month old and above from the census, were twenty-two thousand two hundred seventy-three.
44 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 45 “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle. The Levites shall be Mine: I am the Lord. 46 But for the redemption of the two hundred and seventy-three firstborn from the children of Israel who are more in number than the Levites, 47 you shall take five shekels for each one individually; you shall take them according to the holy didrachm, the twenty obols of the shekel. 48 Then you shall give the silver with which the excess number of them is redeemed to Aaron and his sons.” 49 So Moses took the silver, the redemption of those who exceeded the number, for the redemption of the Levites. 50 From the firstborn of the children of Israel he took the silver, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, according to the holy shekel. 51 Then Moses gave their redemption money for those in excess to Aaron and his sons, according to the voice of the Lord, in the manner the Lord commanded Moses.
The Service of the Sons of Kohath
1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 2 “Take a sum total of the sons of Kohath from among the children of Levi, by their tribes and the houses of their families, 3 from twenty-five years old and above, even to fifty years old, all who enter liturgical service to do all the works in the tabernacle of testimony. 4 These are the works, the most holy things, of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of testimony: 5 When the camp prepares to journey, Aaron and his sons shall enter, and take down the overshadowing veil and cover the ark of the testimony with it. 6 Then they shall put on it a blue leather covering; and on top of this they shall spread an entirely blue cloth, and then insert the carrying-poles. 7 On the table of presentation they shall spread a cloth all of purple and put on it the dishes, the censers, the cups, and the bowls for pouring the drink-offerings; and the perpetual loaves shall be on it. 8 They shall spread over it a scarlet cloth; and they shall cover it with a blue leather covering and then insert its carrying-poles. 9 Then they shall take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand of the light with its lamps, its wick-trimmers, its funnels, and all its oil vessels with which they minister liturgically. 10 Then they shall put it with all its vessels in a covering of blue leather, and put it on a carrying-pole. 11 Over the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth; and they shall cover it with a covering of blue leather and then insert its carrying-poles. 12 Then they shall take all the vessels for liturgical service with which they minister liturgically in the holy things, put them in a blue cloth, cover them with blue leather covering, and put them on carrying-poles. 13 Also they shall put the covering on the altar and spread a cloth entirely of purple over it. 14 They shall put on it all its vessels with which they minister liturgically there—the fire pans, the forks, the bowls, the cover, and all the vessels of the altar—and they shall spread on it a covering of blue leather and insert its carrying-poles. Then they shall spread on it a blue leather cover, and insert its carrying-poles. After this, they shall take a purple cloth to cover the laver and its base, and put them into a blue leather cover, and then put them on carrying-poles. 15 Then after Aaron and his sons finish covering the holy things and all the holy vessels, when the camp is set to go, then the sons of Kohath shall enter to carry them; but they shall not touch the holy things, lest they die. These are the things in the tabernacle of testimony the sons of Kohath are to carry: 16 (the overseer is Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest) the oil for the light, the incense compound, the daily grain offering, the anointing oil, the oversight of all the tabernacle, and whatever is in it, in the holy place with all its works.” 17 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 18 “Do not destroy the tribe of the Kohathite families from among the Levites; 19 but do this in regard to them, so they may live and not die when they approach the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint each of them according to his transport duty. 20 But they shall not go in unexpectedly to watch the holy things, lest they die.”
Service of the Sons of Gershon
21 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 22 “Also take a census of the sons of Gershon, by their fathers’ houses according to their tribes. 23 From twenty-five years old and above, even to fifty years old, you shall take a census of them, all who enter to minister liturgically, to do its works in the tabernacle of testimony. 24 This is the liturgical service of the tribe of the Gershonites, in serving liturgically and in carrying: 25 They shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle and the tabernacle of testimony with its covering, the covering of blue leather over it, the screen for the door of the tabernacle of testimony, 26 the curtains of the court, which are around the tabernacle of testimony, and all the abundance of liturgical vessels, with which they minister liturgically: so shall they do. 27 Aaron and his sons shall assign all the liturgical service of the sons of the Gershonites, according to all their liturgical service and all the things to be carried by them. You shall assign them by name with all the matters to be carried by them. 28 This is the liturgical service of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of testimony, and their duties shall be under the authority of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
Service of the Sons of Merari
29 “As for the sons of Merari, you shall number them by their tribes and their fathers’ houses. 30 From twenty-five years old and above, even to fifty years old, you shall number them, everyone who enters the liturgical service to do the work of the tabernacle of testimony. 31 These things to be carried by them are their duties relative to all their works in the tabernacle of testimony: the capitals of the tabernacle, and its bars, pillars, bases, and the screen. They shall also carry the bases, the pillars, and the screen of the door of the tabernacle, 32 and the pillars around the court with their bases, and the pillars of the screen of the courtyard gate, and their bases, pegs, and cords, with all their vessels and liturgical things; and you shall assign them by name all the vessels they are responsible to carry. 33 This is the liturgical service of the tribe of the sons of Merari, in all their works for the tabernacle of testimony, under the authority of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.”
Psalm 40
1 For the End; a psalm by David.
2 Blessed is he who understands the poor and needy;
The Lord will deliver him in an evil day.
3 May the Lord keep him, and give him life,
And make him blessed on the earth,
And not deliver him into the hands of his enemies.
4 May the Lord help him on his bed of pain;
You turned his bed from sickness to wholeness.
5 O Lord, I said, “Have mercy on me;
Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.”
6 My enemies speak evil things against me,
“When will he die, and his name perish?”
7 And if he comes to see us, he speaks in vain;
His heart gathered lawlessness to itself;
He went forth and spoke the same.
8 All my enemies whisper together against me;
Against me they devise evils for me;
9 They testify a lawless word against me,
“Since he is asleep, will he rise up again?”
10 For even the man of my peace, in whom I hoped,
He who ate my bread, dealt deceptively with me;
11 But You, O Lord, have mercy on me,
And raise me up; and I will repay them.
12 By this I know You are pleased with me,
Because my enemy did not rejoice over me.
13 And because of my innocence, You supported me,
And established me before You forever.
14 Blessed is the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen! Amen!
Proverbs 8:22–26
22 “If I declare to you the things that happen daily,
I will also remember to recount the things of old.
23 The Lord created me in the beginning of His ways for His works;
He established me in the beginning before time,
24 Before He made the earth, and before He made the abysses,
Before the going forth of the fountains of waters,
25 Before the mountains were created;
And He begot me before all hills.
26 The Lord made the fields and the uninhabited places
And the inhabited heights under heaven.
Matthew 27:1–26
1 When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death.
2 And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.
Judas Hangs Himself
3 Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!”
5 Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.
6 But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.”
7 And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in.
8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.
9 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced,
10 “and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.”
Jesus Faces Pilate
11 Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.”
12 And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing.
13 Then Pilate said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?”
14 But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.
Taking the Place of Barabbas
15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished.
16 And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.
17 Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”
18 For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.
19 While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.”
20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.
21 The governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They said, “Barabbas!”
22 Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!”
23 Then the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!”
24 When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.”
25 And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.”26 Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.