1 Chronicles 26, 27
1 Concerning the divisions of the gates: of the Korahites, Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph. 2 And the sons of Meshelemiah were Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth, 3 Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh.
4 Moreover the sons of Obed-Edom were Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sacar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth, 5 Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth; for God blessed him. 6 Also to Shemaiah his son were sons born from the firstborn Roshai in his father’s house, because they were men of great ability. 7 The sons of Shemaiah were Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad, whose brothers Elihu and Semachiah were able men. 8 All these were of the sons of Obed-Edom, they and their sons and their brethren, able men with strength for the work: sixty-two of Obed-Edom. 9 And Meshelemiah had sons and brethren, eighteen able men.
10 Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons who guarded the first, since he was not the firstborn, yet his father made him the first of the second division: 11 Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth; all the sons and brethren of Hosah were thirteen.
12 Among these were the divisions of the gatekeepers assigned daily by the leaders of the army, just like their brethren, to serve in the house of the Lord. 13 And they cast lots for each gate, the small as well as the great, according to their father’s house. 14 The lot of those for the East Gate fell to Shelemiah and Zechariah. The sons of Joash cast lots for Melchiah, and his lot came out for the North Gate; 15 to Obed-Edom the South Gate opposite the storehouse. 16 For the second: to Hosah for the West Gate following the Pastophorion Gate of the ascending highway: watchman opposite watchman. 17 On the east were six each day, on the north four each day, on the south four each day, and for the storehouse two by two. 18 For relief, to the west there were four and on the track there were two relief guards. 19 These were the divisions of the gatekeepers among the sons of Korah and among the sons of Merari.
Other Duties of the Levites
20 And their Levite brethren were over the treasuries of the house of the Lord and over the treasuries of the dedicated things. 21 These were the sons of Laadan, the descendants of the Gershonites; to Laadan were the heads of their families; the son of Laadan the Gershonite was Jehieli. 22 The sons of Jetheli, Zetham and Joel, were brothers over the treasuries of the house of the Lord. 23 Of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites: 24 Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was overseer of the treasuries. 25 And his brethren by Eliezer were Rehabiah his son, Jeshaiah his son, Joram his son, Zichri his son, and Shelomith his son. 26 This Shelomith and his brethren were over all the treasuries of the dedicated things which King David and the heads of fathers’ houses, the captains over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the army had dedicated. 27 He also dedicated things taken from battles and from the spoils so that there would not be any lack in the maintenance of the house of the Lord. 28 And all that Samuel the seer, Saul the son of Kish, Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah dedicated—every dedicated thing was under the hand of Shelomith and his brethren.
29 Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons performed outside duties as officials and judges over Israel. 30 Of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brethren, one thousand seven hundred able men, had the oversight of Israel on the west side of the Jordan in every service of the Lord and duty for the king. 31 Among the Hebronites, Jerijah was head of the Hebronites according to their generations, according to their families. In the fortieth year of the reign of David they were numbered, and among them in Jazer of Gilead mighty men were found. 32 And his brethren were two thousand seven hundred able men, heads of fathers’ houses, whom King David made officials over the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in every edict of the Lord and utterance of the king.
Military Commanders
1 Now the sons of Israel according to their number—heads of the families, captains of thousands and captains of hundreds and their officers, scribes ministering to the king, and for every affair of the king according to their divisions, for every matter coming in and going out monthly, for all the months of the year, one division of them was twenty-four thousand.
2 Over the first division for the first month was Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel, and in his division were twenty-four thousand; 3 he was of the children of Perez and the chief of all the captains of the army for the first month. 4 Over the division of the second month was Dodai, an Ahohite, and in his division were twenty-four thousand leaders of the army. 5 The third captain of the army for the third month was Benaiah the son of Jehoiada the priest, who was chief; in his division were twenty-four thousand. 6 This was the Benaiah who was mighty among the thirty, and was over the thirty; in his division was Ammizabad his son. 7 The fourth captain for the fourth month was Asahel the brother of Joab and Zebadiah his son after him; in his division were twenty-four thousand. 8 The fifth captain for the fifth month was Shamhuth the Izrahite; in his division were twenty-four thousand.
9 The sixth captain for the sixth month was Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite; in his division were twenty-four thousand. 10 The seventh captain for the seventh month was Helez the Pelonite of the children of Ephraim; in his division were twenty-four thousand. 11 The eighth captain for the eighth month was Sibbechai the Hushathite of the Zarhites; in his division were twenty-four thousand. 12 The ninth captain for the ninth month was Abiezer the Anathothite of the Benjamites; in his division were twenty-four thousand. 13 The tenth captain for the tenth month was Maharai the Netophathite of the Zarhites; in his division were twenty-four thousand. 14 The eleventh captain for the eleventh month was Benaiah the Pirathonite of the children of Ephraim; in his division were twenty-four thousand. 15 The twelfth captain for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite of Othniel; in his division were twenty-four thousand.
Tribal Leaders
16 Furthermore, over the tribes of Israel: the officer over the Reubenites was Eliezer the son of Zichri; over the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maachah; 17 over the Levites, Hashabiah the son of Kemuel; over the Aaronites, Zadok; 18 over Judah, Elihu, one of David’s brothers; over Issachar, Omri the son of Michael; 19 over Zebulun, Ishmaiah the son of Obadiah; over Naphtali, Jerimoth the son of Azriel; 20 over the children of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Azaziah; over the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joel the son of Pedaiah; 21 over the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo the son of Zechariah; over the sons of Benjamin, Jaasiel the son of Abner; 22 over Dan, Azarel the son of Jeroham. These were the leaders of the tribes of Israel. 23 But David did not take into consideration the number of those twenty years old and younger, because the Lord said He would multiply Israel like the stars of the heavens. 24 Joab the son of Zeruiah began a census, but he did not finish, for wrath came upon Israel because of this census; nor was the number recorded in the account of the chronicles of King David.
Property Administration
25 And Azmaveth the son of Adiel was over the king’s treasuries; and Jehonathan the son of Uzziah was over the storehouses in the field, in the cities, in the villages, and in the fortresses. 26 Ezri the son of Chelub was over those who did the work of the field for tilling the ground. 27 And Shimei the Ramathite was over the vineyards, and Zabdi the Shiphmite was over the produce of the vineyards for the supply of wine. 28 Baal-Hanan the Gederite was over the olive trees and the sycamore trees that were in the lowlands, and Joash was over the store of oil. 29 And Shitrai the Sharonite was over the herds that fed in Sharon, and Shaphat the son of Adlai was over the herds that were in the valleys. 30 Obil the Ishmaelite was over the camels, Jehdeiah the Meronothite was over the donkeys, 31 and Jaziz the Hagrite was over the flocks. All these were the officials over King David’s property. 32 Also Jehonathan, David’s uncle, was a counselor, a wise man and a scribe; and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni was with the king’s sons. 33 Ahithophel was the king’s counselor, and Hushai was the king’s best friend. 34 After Ahithophel was Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, then Abiathar. And the general of the king’s army was Joab.
Psalm 118:49–64
49 Remember Your word to Your servant,
In which You give me hope.
50 This comforted me in my humiliation,
For Your teaching gives me life.
51 The arrogant transgressed exceedingly,
But I did not turn away from Your law.
52 I remembered Your judgments of old, O Lord,
And I was comforted.
53 Despondency held me because of sinners
Who abandon Your law.
54 Your ordinances were sung to me
In the place of my sojourning.
55 I remembered Your name in the night, O Lord,
And I kept Your law.
56 This happened to me in the night,
Because I searched Your ordinances.
57 You are my portion, O Lord;
I said I will keep Your law.
58 I sought Your presence with my whole heart;
Have mercy on me according to Your teaching.
59 I considered Your ways,
And I turned my feet toward Your testimonies.
60 I prepared myself, and I was not troubled,
That I might keep Your commandments.
61 The ropes of sinners ensnared me,
But I did not forget Your law.
62 At midnight I arose to give thanks to You
Because of the judgments of Your righteousness.
63 I am a companion of all who fear You
And keep Your commandments.
64 O Lord, the earth is full of Your mercy;
Teach me Your ordinances.
Proverbs 26:1–5
1 As dew in harvest and as rain in summer,
So honor is not for a man without discernment.
2 As birds and sparrows fly,
So a curse will not come upon anyone without a cause.
3 As a whip for a horse and a prod for a donkey,
So is a rod for a lawless nation.
4 Do not answer an undiscerning man in relation to his lack of discernment,
Lest you become like him.
5 But answer an undiscerning man contrary to his lack of discernment,
So he may not appear wise to himself.
John 10:1–21
1 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2 “But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 “To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4 “And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
5 “Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.
Jesus the Good Shepherd
7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 “All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
9 “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
10 “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
12 “But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.
13 “The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.
15 “As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.
16 “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.
18 “No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”
19 Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings.
20 And many of them said, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?”
21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”