2 Chronicles 35 Cross References - ISV

¹ Passover is Observed Again
Josiah observed the Passover to the LORD in Jerusalem. They slaughtered the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. ² He appointed priests to their offices, encouraging them in their service at the LORD’s Temple. ³ He addressed the descendants of Levi who were teaching all Israel and who had consecrated themselves to the LORD, telling them: “Put the holy ark in the Temple that Solomon, the son of Israel’s King David, built. It will no longer be a burden on their shoulders. Now go serve the LORD your God and his people Israel. ⁴ Prepare yourselves by divisions according to your ancestral households, keeping to what King David of Israel and his son Solomon wrote about this. ⁵ In addition to this, take your place in the Holy Place according to the groupings of the ancestral households of your relatives consistent with the division of the descendants of Levi by their ancestral households. ⁶ Now slaughter the Passover, consecrate yourselves, and prepare your relatives to obey the command from the LORD given by Moses.”
⁷ Josiah contributed 30,000 animals from the flocks of lambs and young goats, giving Passover offerings to all of the people who were present, plus an additional 3,000 bulls from the king’s private possessions. ⁸ His officers contributed a voluntary offering to the people, the priests, and the descendants of Levi. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, the officials who supervised God’s Temple, gave 2,600 animals from their flocks to the priests for Passover offerings, along with 300 bulls. ⁹ Also, Conaniah, and his relatives Shemaiah, and Nethanel, along with Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad, the officers in charge of the descendants of Levi, contributed 5,000 animals from the flocks to the descendants of Levi for the Passover offerings, along with 500 bulls. ¹⁰ As a result, the Passover service was prepared, the priests took their assigned places, and the descendants of Levi stood in their divisions as the king had commanded.
¹¹ They slaughtered the Passover lamb, and the priests poured out the blood that they had received from the lambs while the descendants of Levi flayed the sacrifices. ¹² They set aside in reserve the burnt offerings, so they could distribute them in proportion to the divisions of their ancestral households for presentation by the people to the LORD, as is required by the book of Moses. They did this with respect to the bulls, also. ¹³ They roasted the Passover in fire, as required by the ordinances, and boiled the holy things in pots, kettles, and pans, and delivered them quickly to all the people. ¹⁴ After this, because the priests, who were descendants of Aaron, were busy offering the burnt offerings and fat portions until evening, the descendants of Levi prepared the Passover for themselves and their fellow-descendants of Aaron, the priests. ¹⁵ The singers, as descendants of Asaph, remained at their stations as David, Asaph, Heman, and the king’s seer Jeduthun required, and the gatekeepers did not have to leave their posts because their descendant of Levi relatives prepared the Passover for them.
¹⁶ That’s how the LORD’s service was prepared that day to celebrate the Passover and to offer burnt offerings on the LORD’s altar according to what King Josiah had commanded. ¹⁷ The Israelis who were present celebrated the Passover that day, as well as the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days. ¹⁸ There had not been a Passover celebration like it in Israel since Samuel the prophet was alive, nor had any of the kings of Israel celebrated a Passover like Josiah did at that time with the priests, the descendants of Levi, everyone from Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ¹⁹ This Passover celebration was observed during the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah.
²⁰ Pharaoh Neco and Josiah’s Death
Some time after all of this, after Josiah had finished preparing the Temple, King Neco of Egypt invaded Carchemish on the Euphrates River, and Josiah went out to fight him. ²¹ But he sent messengers to him, who asked him, “What do we have in common, King of Judah? I am not here today opposing you. I am fighting the dynasty that is fighting me, and God has ordered me to hurry. For your own good, stop interfering with God, who is with me, and he won’t destroy you!”
²² But Josiah wouldn’t turn around. In fact, he put on a disguise so he could fight Neco. He wouldn’t listen to what God told him through what Neco had to say, and as a result, Josiah came to attack Neco on the Megiddo plain. ²³ Some archers shot King Josiah, and the king told his servants, “Take me away, because I’m badly wounded.” ²⁴ So his servants removed him from the chariot he was in and carried him away in a backup chariot that he had and took him back to Jerusalem, where he died and was buried in the tombs of his ancestors. All of Judah and Jerusalem went into mourning for Josiah.
²⁵ Jeremiah sang a lament for Josiah, and all the male and female singers recite that lamentation about Josiah to this day. In fact, they made singing it an ordinance in Israel, and they are recorded in the Lamentations. ²⁶ Now the rest of the accomplishments of Josiah, including his faithful acts of devotion as required in the Law of the LORD, ²⁷ and his other activities from first to last, are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.

⁶ It is to remain under your care until the fourteenth day of this month, and then the entire assembly of the congregation of Israel is to slaughter it at twilight.

³ on the fourteenth day of this month. You are to observe it at this appointed time between the evenings. You are to observe it according to all its decrees and laws.”

¹ Celebrate the Passover“Observe the month of Abib, keeping the Passover to the LORD your God, because the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt during the night in the month of Abib. ² Then sacrifice sheep and cattle for the Passover to the LORD your God at the place where the LORD your God will choose to establish his name. ³ You must not eat any yeast with it. Instead, for seven days eat bread without yeast—the bread of affliction—because you left the land of Egypt in haste. Remember the day you went out of the land of Egypt for the rest of your lives. ⁴ Yeast is not to be seen in any of your territories for seven days. The meat is not to remain from the evening of the first day until morning.
⁵ “You must not sacrifice the Passover in just any of your cities that the LORD your God is about to give you. ⁶ But at the place where your God will choose to establish his name, you are to sacrifice the Passover in the evening at dusk, at the time of day you left Egypt. ⁷ Boil and eat the Passover meal at the place that the LORD your God will choose. In the morning you may go back to your tents. ⁸ Eat bread without yeast for six days. Then on the seventh day, hold an assembly to the LORD your God. Don’t do any work.”

²¹ Josiah Reinstates the PassoverAfter this, the king commanded all of the people, “Celebrate the Passover to the LORD your God, just as it’s prescribed in this Book of the Covenant.” ²² From the days of the judges who ruled in Israel, no Passover had been celebrated like this, not even in all the reigns of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah. ²³ In the eighteenth year of the reign of King Josiah, this Passover was observed in Jerusalem to honor the LORD.

¹ Israel Celebrates the PassoverHezekiah also sent word to all of Israel and Judah, and wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh that they should come to the LORD’s Temple in Jerusalem to observe the Passover to the LORD God of Israel. ² The king, his princes, and the entire assembly in Jerusalem had mutually decided to observe the Passover in the second month, ³ but they had been unable to celebrate it then because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not yet been gathered together in Jerusalem. ⁴ This decision seemed to be a good one in the opinion of the king and of the entire assembly, ⁵ so they published a decree that was circulated throughout Israel from Beer-sheba to Dan that they are to come celebrate the Passover to the LORD God of Israel in Jerusalem. The Passover had not been celebrated in great numbers as was being prescribed by the decree.
⁶ Couriers were sent throughout all of Israel and Judah with letters written by the king and his princes, just as the king had commanded: “Listen, you descendants of Israel! Come back to the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so he may come back to those of you who have escaped and survived from domination by the kings of Assyria. ⁷ Don’t be like your ancestors and your relatives, who weren’t faithful to the LORD God of their ancestors, who, as a result, made them a desolate horror, as you well know. ⁸ So don’t be stiff-necked like your ancestors were. Instead, submit to the LORD, enter his sanctuary that he has sanctified forever, and serve the LORD your God so that he’ll stop being angry with you. ⁹ If you return to the LORD, your relatives and children will receive compassion from those who took them away captive, and they’ll return to this land, because the LORD is both gracious and compassionate—he will not turn away from you if you return to him.”
¹⁰ Couriers crossed from city to city throughout the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh as far as Zebulun, but those people just mocked them and laughed at them. ¹¹ Nevertheless, a few men from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and traveled to Jerusalem. ¹² God also poured out his grace throughout Judah, giving them a dedicated heart to do what the king and princes had decreed according to the message from the LORD. ¹³ Many of the people gathered together in Jerusalem to observe the Festival of Unleavened Bread during the second month. It was a very large assembly. ¹⁴ They all got to work and removed the idolatrous altars that were throughout Jerusalem. They also removed all the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Brook. ¹⁵ Then they slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month.
The priests and descendants of Levi felt ashamed of themselves, so they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the LORD’s Temple. ¹⁶ Then they took their customary places, as the Law of Moses the man of God prescribes, and the priests sprinkled the blood that they were given by the descendants of Levi. ¹⁷ Because there were so many in the assembly that had not consecrated themselves, therefore the descendants of Levi supervised the slaughter of the Passover sacrifices on behalf of everyone who remained unclean, so they could be consecrated to the LORD. ¹⁸ Even though a large crowd of people from as far away as Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not completed consecrating themselves, they still ate the Passover in a manner not proscribed by the Law, because Hezekiah had prayed like this for them: “May the good LORD extend a pardon on behalf of ¹⁹ everyone who prepares his own heart to seek God, the LORD God of his ancestors, even though he does so inconsistent with the laws of consecration.” ²⁰ The LORD listened to Hezekiah and healed the people.
²¹ The Festival of Unleavened Bread is ObservedThe Israelis who were present in Jerusalem observed the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days with immense gladness, and the descendants of Levi and priests praised the LORD throughout each day, singing mightily to the LORD. ²² Hezekiah encouraged all the descendants of Levi who demonstrated significant insight in their service to the LORD, so they all participated in the festival meals for seven days, all the while sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the LORD God of their ancestors. ²³ After this, the whole assembly agreed to celebrate for another seven days, and so they did—and they were very happy to do so! ²⁴ King Hezekiah of Judah gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep for offerings, and the princes contributed 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep, and a large number of priests consecrated themselves.
²⁵ Everyone in the assembly of Judah rejoiced, as did the priests, the descendants of Levi, and the people who gathered together from throughout Israel, including those who came from the land of Israel and those who lived in Judah. ²⁶ There was great joy throughout Jerusalem, because nothing had happened like this in Jerusalem since the days of David’s son Solomon, king of Israel. ²⁷ After this, the priests arose, blessed the people, and their voices were heard in prayer all the way to heaven, where God resides in holiness.

¹⁹ The First Post-Captivity Passover
The former exiles observed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month

²¹ “‘On the fourteenth day of the first month, you are to observe the Passover as a festival for seven days. Unleavened bread is to be eaten.

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.”

¹⁹ So set your minds and hearts to seek the LORD your God, to get up, and to build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD and the holy vessels of God may be stored in a temple built for the name of the LORD.”

¹ The Priestly DivisionsWith respect to the descendants of Aaron, classes of service were organized for Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, the descendants of Aaron. ² But Nadab and Abihu died before their father did, leaving no sons, so Eleazar and Ithamar became priests. ³ Along with Zadok, one of Eleazar’s descendants, and Ahimelech, one of Ithamar’s descendants, David organized their service according to their assigned responsibilities.
⁴ More leaders were located among Eleazar’s descendants than among those of Ithamar, so sixteen leaders were appointed from the leaders of the ancestral households of Eleazar’s descendants and eight from those of Ithamar. ⁵ They were chosen by impartial lottery, since there were trustees of the sanctuary and officers of God among both Eleazar’s descendants and among Ithamar’s descendants. ⁶ Nethanel’s son Shemaiah, a Levitical scribe, made an official record of them for the king, the officers, Zadok the priest, Abiathar’s son Ahimelech, and the heads of ancestral households of both the priests and the descendants of Levi. One ancestral house was chosen for Eleazar and one for Ithamar.
⁷ The first lottery was chosen in favor of Jehoiarib, the second for Jedaiah, ⁸ third for Harim, the fourth for Seorim, ⁹ the fifth for Malchijah, the sixth for Mijamin, ¹⁰ the seventh for Hakkoz, the eighth for Abijah, ¹¹ the ninth for Jeshua, the tenth for Shecaniah, ¹² the eleventh for Eliashib, the twelfth for Jakim, ¹³ the thirteenth for Huppah, the fourteenth for Jeshebeab, ¹⁴ the fifteenth for Bilgah, the sixteenth for Immer, ¹⁵ the seventeenth for Hezir, the eighteenth for Happizzez, ¹⁶ the nineteenth for Pethahiah, the twentieth for Jehezkel, ¹⁷ the twenty-first for Jachin, the twenty-second for Gamul, ¹⁸ the twenty-third for Delaiah, and the twenty-fourth for Maaziah. ¹⁹ These were appointed to enter the Temple of the LORD according to their protocols established by their ancestor Aaron, as commanded by the LORD God of Israel.
²⁰ Other Levitical DivisionsNow with respect to the descendants of Levi there remained Shubael from the descendants of Amram and Jehdeiah from the descendants of Shubael; ²¹ with respect to Rehabiah, Isshiah their chief from the descendants Rehabiah; ²² with respect to the Izharites, Shelomoth, Jahath from the descendants of Shelomoth; ²³ with respect to the descendants of Hebron, Jeriah their chief, Amariah their second in rank, Jahaziel their third, and Jekameam their fourth; ²⁴ with respect to the descendants of Uzziel, Micah; with respect to the descendants of Micah, Shamir; ²⁵ with respect to Micah’s brother Isshiah; with respect to the descendants of Isshiah, Zechariah; ²⁶ with respect to Merari’s sons, Mahli and Mushi; with respect to the sons of Jaaziah, Beno; ²⁷ with respect to the sons of Merari, Jaaziah, Beno, Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri; ²⁸ with respect to Mahli, Eleazar, who had no sons; ²⁹ with respect to Kish, Jerahmeel, one of the descendants of Kish; ³⁰ and with respect to the descendants of Mushi, Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the descendants of Levi according to their ancestral households. ³¹ These individuals also cast lots corresponding to their relatives, Aaron’s descendants, in the presence of King David, Zadok, and Ahimelech, and in the presence of the heads of the ancestral households of the priests and of the descendants of Levi, and the eldest was treated as impartially as was the younger brother.

⁸ What Jehoiada the priest ordered is precisely what the descendants of Levi and all of Judah did. Each of them took the men who were on duty on the Sabbath as well as those who were off duty. Jehoiada the priest did not release the divisions from service,

¹⁸ Jehoiada also placed the offices of the LORD’s Temple under the authority of the Levitical priests whom David had assigned over the LORD’s Temple, just as is required by the Law of Moses, to offer the LORD’s burnt offerings with joy and singing, just as David had ordered.

⁵ and told them, “Pay attention to me, you descendants of Levi! Consecrate yourselves and the Temple of the LORD God of your ancestors by taking out from the Holy Place whatever is unclean. ⁶ Our ancestors have been unfaithful. They practiced what the LORD considers to be evil, abandoned him, turned their faces away from the place where the LORD resides, and turned their backs to him. ⁷ They shut the doors to the vestibule of the Temple, extinguished its lamps, and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel in the Holy Place. ⁸ That’s why the LORD was angry with Judah and Jerusalem and made them an object of terror, horror, and derision, as you’ve seen with your own eyes. ⁹ Now look! Our ancestors have been killed with swords and our sons, daughters, and wives are being held captive because of all of this. ¹⁰ I’m intending to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel so his burning anger may turn away from us. ¹¹ Please don’t be careless, you descendants of Aaron, because the LORD has chosen you to minister in his presence, to serve him, to be his ministers, and to burn incense.”

² Hezekiah Continues His ReformsHezekiah appointed the priestly divisions and the divisions of the descendants of Levi, each according to their service duties, including both priests and descendants of Levi who offered morning and evening burnt offerings, peace offerings, general ministry, thanksgiving, and praise in the gateways to the LORD’s campgrounds.

¹⁸ Furthermore, they established the priests in their divisions and the descendants of Levi in their positions for the service of God conducted at Jerusalem, as is proscribed in the Book of Moses.

¹⁵ “When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the utensils of the sanctuary, and the camp is about to travel, then the descendants of Kohath are to come and carry them, but they are not to touch the most sacred objects, so they won’t die. These are the duties of the descendants of Kohath at the Tent of Meeting.”
¹⁶ “Now the duty of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest is to maintain the oil for the light, the spiced incense, the daily offerings, the oil for anointing, and to carry out all the duties of the tent and the sanctuary, and to maintain its utensils.”
¹⁷ Protecting the Descendants of KohathThen the LORD told Moses and Aaron, ¹⁸ “You are not to eliminate the tribe of the families of the descendants of Kohath from the descendants of Levi. ¹⁹ But do this for them so that they may live and not die when they approach the Most Holy Place: Aaron and his sons are to go in and set specific responsibilities for each of them to carry out. ²⁰ But they are not to go in to see the sanctuary as it is being covered, so they won’t die.”
²¹ Eleazar’s DutiesThen the LORD told Moses, ²² “Take a census of the descendants of Gershon according to their ancestral house and tribes. ²³ Count their number from between 30 to 50 years old, including everyone who can enter the service to perform work at the Tent of Meeting.”
²⁴ Gershonite Responsibilities“These are the responsibilities that the descendants of Gershon are to have: ²⁵ They are to carry the curtain of the tent, the covering of the Tent of Meeting, the dyed leather covering that goes over it, the curtain for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, ²⁶ the hangings for the courtyard, the curtain for the entrance to the gate of the courtyard that surrounds the tent, the altar, the ropes, all the service utensils, and everything made for them. This is to be their service area. ²⁷ The descendants of Gershon are to carry out the instructions of Aaron and his sons. You are to assign them their responsibilities to carry out. ²⁸ This is the work of the tribes of Gershon at the Tent of Meeting—their duties under the supervision of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.
²⁹ Merarite Responsibilities“For the descendants of Merari, number them according to their tribes and ancestral houses ³⁰ from 30 to 50 years old as you count them, including everyone who can enter service and perform work at the Tent of Meeting. ³¹ This is to be their area of responsibility to carry out with respect to their service at the Tent of Meeting: the board of the tent, its bars, its crossbars, its sockets, ³² the pillars around the courtyard, their sockets, their pegs, their ropes, and all the utensils for all their services. Assign the utensils by name to each person whose responsibility it will be to carry them. ³³ This is the work of the tribes of the descendants of Merari with reference to their service at the Tent of Meeting under the supervision of Aaron the priest’s son Ithamar.”
³⁴ Responsibilities are AssignedMoses, Aaron, and the congregational leaders numbered the descendants of Kohath according to their tribes and ancestral houses ³⁵ from 30 to 50 fifty years old—that is, everyone who entered the service to perform work at the Tent of Meeting. ³⁶ The total according to their tribe numbered 2,750 ³⁷ from the tribe of the descendants of Kohath, everyone who would be serving at the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to what the LORD had said, under the supervision of Moses.
³⁸ The tribes and the ancestral houses of the descendants of Gershon were numbered ³⁹ from 30 to 50 years old; that is, everyone who entered the service to perform work at the Tent of Meeting. ⁴⁰ The total according to their tribes and ancestral house numbered 2,630 ⁴¹ from the tribes of the descendants of Gershon, everyone who would be serving at the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to what the LORD had said.
⁴² The tribes and ancestral house of Merari were numbered ⁴³ from 30 to 50 years old; that is, everyone who entered the service to perform work at the Tent of Meeting. ⁴⁴ The total according to their tribes numbered 3,200 ⁴⁵ from the tribes of the descendants of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to what the LORD had said, under the supervision of Moses.
⁴⁶ The total of those who were numbered from the descendants of Levi by Moses and Aaron; that is, from the leaders of Israel counted according to their tribes and ancestral houses ⁴⁷ from 30 to 50 years old, who entered the service for work at the Tent of Meeting ⁴⁸ was 8,580. ⁴⁹ They were numbered under the supervision of Moses according to what the LORD had said. Each person was assigned a responsibility to carry out, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

¹⁹ I’ve set the descendants of Levi apart from the Israelis so that Aaron and his sons would work in service at the appointed place of meeting, making atonement on behalf of the Israelis so that there won’t be a plague among the Israelis whenever they approach the sanctuary.”

⁹ Is it such an insignificant thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the Israelis to draw you to himself, appointing you to do the work of the tent of the LORD and to stand before the community to minister to them? ¹⁰ He brought you near, along with all of your relatives, the descendants of Levi. Are you also seeking the priesthood?

¹⁰ They will teach your ordinances to Jacob, and your Law to Israel. They will offer incense as a pleasant aroma to you and a whole burnt offering upon your altar.

²⁶ Therefore the descendants of Levi are no longer to carry the Tent or its service implements.”

⁷ The priests transported the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD to the place created for it within the inner sanctuary of the Temple, into the Most Holy Place under the wings of the cherubim.

¹¹ Later, Solomon moved Pharaoh’s daughter from the City of David to the palace that he had constructed to house her, because he reasoned, “My wife isn’t going to live in the palace where King David of Israel lived, because wherever the ark of the LORD entered is holy.”

⁸ They were accompanied by the descendants of Levi, including Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah. These descendants of Levi were accompanied by the priests Elishama and Jehoram. ⁹ They taught throughout Judah from a copy of the Book of the Law of the LORD that they took with them as they passed through all the cities of Judah, teaching among all the people.

²² Hezekiah encouraged all the descendants of Levi who demonstrated significant insight in their service to the LORD, so they all participated in the festival meals for seven days, all the while sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the LORD God of their ancestors.

¹⁴ The Book of the Law is Discovered
While they were bringing out the money that had come in as gifts to the LORD’s Temple, Hilkiah the priest discovered the Book of the Law of the LORD that had been handed down by Moses.

⁷ Furthermore, Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the descendants of Levi taught the Law to the people while the people remained standing. ⁸ They read from the Book of the Law of God, distinctly communicating its meaning, so they could understand the reading.

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.

⁵ For we do not preach ourselves, but rather Jesus the Messiah as Lord, and ourselves as merely your servants for Jesus’ sake.

¹⁰ Priests in ServiceFrom the priests there were Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, Jachin, ¹¹ and Hilkiah’s son Azariah, who was fathered by Meshullam, who was fathered by Zadok, who was fathered by Meraioth, who was fathered by Ahitub, the Chief Operating Officer of the Temple of God. ¹² There was Jeroham’s son Adaiah, who was fathered by Pashhur, who was fathered by Malchijah, and Adiel’s son Maasai, who was fathered by Jahzerah, who was fathered by Meshullam, who was fathered by Meshillemith, who was fathered by Immer, ¹³ along with 1,760 of their relatives, who were leaders of their ancestral households, valiant and qualified to serve in the Temple of God.
¹⁴ Levitical FamiliesFrom the descendants of Levi there was Hasshub’s son Shemaiah, who was the grandson of Azrikam, who was fathered by Hashabiah, from the descendants of Merari; ¹⁵ along with Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, and Mica’s son Mattaniah, who was the grandson of Zichri and great-grandson of Asaph, ¹⁶ and Shemaiah’s son Obadiah, who was the grandson of Galal, who was fathered by Jeduthun, and Asa’s son Berechiah, who was the grandson of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites.
¹⁷ The gatekeepers included Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and other relatives. Shallum was the leader. ¹⁸ He used to be stationed in the King’s Gate on the east side as one of the gatekeepers of the camp belonging to the descendants of Levi. ¹⁹ Kore’s son Shallum, who was the grandson of Ebiasaph and the great-grandson of Korah, and the descendants of Korah (who were relatives of his ancestral house) were over the service responsibilities and served as guardians of the entrances of the Tent, just as their ancestors had been in charge of the camp of the LORD and guardians of the entrance. ²⁰ Eleazar’s son Phinehas used to be Commander-in-Chief over them—the LORD was with him. ²¹ Meshelemiah’s son Zechariah was gatekeeper at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. ²² All these, who had been set apart as gatekeepers at the entrances, numbered 212 and had been enrolled by genealogies in their villages.
David and Samuel the seer installed them in their positions of trust, ²³ so they and their descendants were in charge of the gates of the house of the LORD, that is, the House of the Tent, as guardians. ²⁴ The guardians were stationed on four sides—east, west, north, and south. ²⁵ Their relatives who lived in their villages were required to visit every seven days to be with them in turn, ²⁶ because the four senior gatekeepers (who were descendants of Levi) had been placed in charge of the chambers and the treasury of the Temple of God. ²⁷ They spent the night near the Temple of God, since they had been entrusted to guard it. They were in charge of opening it every morning.
²⁸ Some were responsible for the service utensils, and they were required to take an inventory of them when they were brought in and out. ²⁹ Others were responsible for the furniture and for all of the holy utensils, including the flour, wine, oil, incense, and spices. ³⁰ Other descendants of the priests prepared the mixed spices. ³¹ Mattithiah, a descendant of Levi and firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, was in charge of making the offering cakes. ³² Some of their Kohathite relatives were responsible to prepare the rows of bread for each Sabbath. ³³ These singers, leaders of ancestral households of the descendants of Levi, were living in the chambers of the Temple. Freed from other service responsibilities, they were on duty day and night. ³⁴ These leaders of the descendants of Levi, enrolled according to their genealogies, lived in Jerusalem.

¹ The Levitical DivisionsAfter David had reached old age, and had completed his reign, he set his son Solomon as king over Israel. ² David then gathered together all of the leaders of Israel, including the priests and descendants of Levi. ³ descendants of Levi 30 years old and above were counted for a total of 38,000. ⁴ “24,000 of these,” David said, “are to be set in charge of the work of the Temple of the LORD, with 6,000 serving as officers and judges, ⁵ with 4,000 gatekeepers, and with 4,000 offering praises to the LORD with the musical instruments that I have had crafted.”
⁶ David divided them into divisions based on Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, Levi’s sons.
⁷ An Abbreviated Genealogy of Levi’s SonsThe descendants of Gershon were Ladan and Shimei. ⁸ The three descendants of Ladan included Jehiel (their chief), Zetham, and Joel. ⁹ The three descendants of Shimei included Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran. These were the heads of families of Ladan.
¹⁰ The descendants of Shimei included Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These four were sons of Shimei. ¹¹ Jahath served as chief and Zizah was second in rank, but since Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, they were enrolled as a single family unit.
¹² The four descendants of Kohath included Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. ¹³ The descendants of Amram included Aaron and Moses. Aaron had been set apart to consecrate the most holy things, with the intent that he and his sons should present offerings in the LORD’s presence forever, ministering to him and pronouncing blessings in his name forever.
¹⁴ Meanwhile, as for Moses the man of God, his sons were considered among the tribe of Levi. ¹⁵ The descendants of Moses included Gershom and Eliezer. ¹⁶ The descendants of Gershom included Shebuel as their chief.
¹⁷ The descendants of Eliezer included Rehabiah as their chief. Eliezer had no other sons, but Rehabiah had many descendants.
¹⁸ The descendants of Izhar included Shelomith their chief.
¹⁹ The descendants of Hebron included Jeriah their chief, Amariah their second in rank, Jahaziel their third, and Jekameam their fourth.
²⁰ The descendants of Uzziel included Micah their chief and Isshiah their second in rank.
²¹ The descendants of Merari included Mahli and Mushi. The descendants of Mahli included Eleazar and Kish, ²² but Eleazar died having no sons, but only daughters. Their relatives (the descendants of Kish) married them. ²³ The three descendants of Mushi included Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth.
²⁴ These were the descendants of Levi according to their ancestral households, with family heads documented according to the names of persons 20 years and older who were appointed to perform work in service to the Temple of the LORD.
²⁵ For David had said “The LORD God of Israel has granted rest to his people, and he has taken Israel as his eternal residence. ²⁶ Therefore the descendants of Levi are no longer to carry the Tent or its service implements.”

¹ The Priestly DivisionsWith respect to the descendants of Aaron, classes of service were organized for Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, the descendants of Aaron.

¹⁴ Following proscriptions laid down by his father David, Solomon appointed divisions of priests for their service as well as descendants of Levi for duties of praise and ministry before the priests consistent with the daily rules. Furthermore, because David, the man of God, had commanded it, Solomon also appointed gatekeepers to serve by divisions at every gate of the Temple.

¹⁰ From the Priests:
Joiarib’s son Jedaiah, Jachin, ¹¹ Hilkiah’s son Seraiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the administrator of the Temple of God. ¹² Their associates who performed the work of the Temple numbered 822. Jeroham’s son Adaiah, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah, ¹³ along with his associates, the leaders of the families, numbered 242, along with Amashsai, the son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, ¹⁴ along with their relatives, 128 mighty, valiant men, and their overseer Zabdiel son of Haggedolim.
¹⁵ From the descendants of Levi:
Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni, ¹⁶ and Shabbethai and Jozabad, from the leaders of the descendants of Levi who oversaw the exterior work of the Temple of God, 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. ¹⁸ All of the descendants of Levi in the holy city numbered 284.
¹⁹ The Gatekeepers:
Akkub, Talmon, and their relatives, who kept watch at the gates, numbered 172.
²⁰ Those who Lived Outside JerusalemThe rest of Israel—the priests and the descendants of Levi—lived in all the cities of Judah, each on his own property,

¹ A Song of Ascents
Praise to the Creator Now bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD who serve nightly in the LORD’s Temple.

² you who are standing in the LORD’s Temple, in the courtyards of the house of our God.

² Jacob announced to his household and to everyone with him, “Throw away the foreign gods that you’ve kept among you, purify yourselves, and change your clothes.

²¹ Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and told them, “Choose sheep for your families, and slaughter the Passover lamb. ²² Take a bundle of hyssop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and apply some of the blood in the basin to the lintel and the two doorposts. None of you is to go out of the doorway of his house until morning,

¹⁰ Preparation for the CovenantThe LORD told Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes,

¹⁵ He told the people, “Be ready for the third day; don’t go near a woman.”

¹¹ Purification for Contact with the Dead“Whoever comes in contact with the body of a dead person is to remain unclean for seven days. ¹² He is to purify himself on the third day and he will be clean on the seventh day. But if he can’t purify himself on the third day then he can’t be clean on the seventh day. ¹³ Anyone who comes in contact with a dead person (that is, with the corpse of a human being who has died), but who does not purify himself, defiles the LORD’s tent. That person is to be eliminated from Israel, because the water of impurity wasn’t sprinkled on him. He remains unclean and his uncleanness will remain with him.
¹⁴ “This is the procedure to follow when a man dies in his tent: Everyone who enters the tent and everyone in it is to remain unclean for seven days. ¹⁵ Every open vessel that has no covering fastened around it is to be considered unclean. ¹⁶ Whoever is out in an open field and touches the body of someone who was killed by a sword, or a dead body, or someone’s bones, or a grave, he is to be considered unclean for seven days.
¹⁷ “Now as for the unclean, they are to take ashes from the burning sin offering, and pour running water on it inside a vessel. ¹⁸ A clean person is to take some hyssop, dip it in water, and then sprinkle it on the tent, on every vessel, and on whoever was there (that is, on whoever touched the bones, the killed person, or the dead body, including whoever dug the grave). ¹⁹ The clean person is to sprinkle the unclean person on the third day and seventh day and then he is to purify himself on the seventh day, wash his clothes, and bathe with water. He is to be considered clean at evening.
²⁰ “The person who is unclean but who doesn’t purify himself is to be eliminated from contact with the assembly, since he has defiled the LORD’s sanctuary and the water of impurity wasn’t sprinkled on him. He is to be considered unclean

⁵ and told them, “Pay attention to me, you descendants of Levi! Consecrate yourselves and the Temple of the LORD God of your ancestors by taking out from the Holy Place whatever is unclean.

¹⁵ They also brought together their brothers, consecrated themselves, and proceeded to cleanse the LORD’s Temple, just as the king had ordered in accordance with what the LORD had told him.

³⁴ Because there weren’t enough priests, they were unable to prepare all the burnt offerings until other priests came forward after having consecrated themselves, so their descendant of Levi relatives assisted them until the services were complete. (The descendants of Levi had been more conscientious in consecrating themselves than had been the priests.)

³ but they had been unable to celebrate it then because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not yet been gathered together in Jerusalem.

¹⁵ Then they slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month.
The priests and descendants of Levi felt ashamed of themselves, so they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the LORD’s Temple. ¹⁶ Then they took their customary places, as the Law of Moses the man of God prescribes, and the priests sprinkled the blood that they were given by the descendants of Levi. ¹⁷ Because there were so many in the assembly that had not consecrated themselves, therefore the descendants of Levi supervised the slaughter of the Passover sacrifices on behalf of everyone who remained unclean, so they could be consecrated to the LORD. ¹⁸ Even though a large crowd of people from as far away as Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not completed consecrating themselves, they still ate the Passover in a manner not proscribed by the Law, because Hezekiah had prayed like this for them: “May the good LORD extend a pardon on behalf of ¹⁹ everyone who prepares his own heart to seek God, the LORD God of his ancestors, even though he does so inconsistent with the laws of consecration.”

²⁰ because the priests and descendants of Levi had purified themselves together—all of them were pure—and they killed the Passover lamb for every former exile, for their relatives the priests, and for themselves.
²¹ So the Israelis who had returned from captivity ate the Passover with all who had consecrated themselves from the uncleanness of the nations of the land in order to seek the LORD God of Israel.

⁵ When their time of feasting had concluded, Job would rise early in the morning to send for them and consecrate them to God. He would offer a burnt offering for each one, because Job thought, “Perhaps my children sinned by cursing God in their hearts.” Job did this time and again.

⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

¹⁶ Gather the people! Dedicate the congregation! Bring in the elders. Gather the youngsters and even the nursing infants. Call the bridegroom from his wedding preparations, and the bride from her dressing room.

¹³ For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are unclean purifies them physically, ¹⁴ how much more will the blood of the Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead actions so that we may serve the living God!

⁶³ Solomon offered peace offerings to the LORD consisting of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the Israelis dedicated the LORD’s Temple.

³ “In addition to everything that I have supplied for the Temple, it pleases me to provide my own treasure of gold and silver, so because of my love for the Temple of my God I hereby give to the Temple of my God the following:

⁸ At that time Solomon also held a week-long festival attended by all of Israel. The assembly was very large, and included people from as far away as Lebo-hamath to the Wadi of Egypt. ⁹ On the day after the festival ended, they convened a solemn assembly, because they had been dedicating the altar for seven days and observing the festival for seven days. ¹⁰ On the twenty-third day of the seventh month, King Solomon sent the people back home, and they returned rejoicing and in good spirits because of the goodness that the LORD had shown to David, to Solomon, and to his people Israel.

²⁴ King Hezekiah of Judah gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep for offerings, and the princes contributed 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep, and a large number of priests consecrated themselves.

³ He also gave a portion of his own income for both morning and evening burnt offerings, for burnt offerings on the Sabbath, New Moons, and for the scheduled festivals, as is recorded in the LORD’s Law.

⁸ But those who are decent plan noble things, and by noble deeds they stand.”

¹⁷ The Regent Prince is to provide the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings at the festivals, on the New Moons and Sabbaths, and at all of the prescribed festivals of the house of Israel. He is to provide the grain offerings, burnt offerings, and peace offerings in order to make atonement for the house of Israel.”

²⁰ Eleazar’s son Phinehas used to be Commander-in-Chief over them—the LORD was with him.

⁴ More leaders were located among Eleazar’s descendants than among those of Ithamar, so sixteen leaders were appointed from the leaders of the ancestral households of Eleazar’s descendants and eight from those of Ithamar. ⁵ They were chosen by impartial lottery, since there were trustees of the sanctuary and officers of God among both Eleazar’s descendants and among Ithamar’s descendants.

⁶ So the leaders of the ancestral households presented their voluntary offerings, as did the leaders of the tribes, the commanders of thousands and hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king’s business. ⁷ They presented 5,000 gold talents and 10,000 gold darics for the work of the Temple of God, 10,000 silver talents, 18,000 bronze talents, and 100,000 iron talents. ⁸ Whoever owned precious stones gave them to the treasury of the Temple of the LORD, in care of Jehiel the Gershonite. ⁹ Then the people rejoiced because they had given voluntarily, since with a devoted heart they had freely given to the LORD.
David’s Praise to GodKing David also rejoiced greatly.

¹⁷ And I know, God, that it is you who searches the heart and you who finds pleasure in righteousness. With a righteous heart I have freely given all these things, and now I have seen all of these people of yours giving freely and joyfully to you!

³¹ After this, Hezekiah announced, “Now that you’ve consecrated yourselves to the LORD, come near and bring your sacrifices and thanksgiving offerings to the LORD’s Temple. So the assembly brought sacrifices and thanksgiving offerings, and everyone who was willing to do so brought burnt offerings. ³² The number of burnt offerings brought by the assembly was 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 lambs. All of these were burnt offerings to the LORD. ³³ The consecrated offerings numbered 600 bulls and 3,000 sheep.

¹⁴ The Book of the Law is Discovered
While they were bringing out the money that had come in as gifts to the LORD’s Temple, Hilkiah the priest discovered the Book of the Law of the LORD that had been handed down by Moses. ¹⁵ Hilkiah reported his finding to Shaphan the scribe, telling him, “I found the Book of the Law in the LORD’s Temple. Then he gave the book to Shaphan. ¹⁶ Shaphan took the book to the king and gave an additional report to the king, telling him “Everything that you’ve entrusted to your servants is being carried out. ¹⁷ They’ve removed the money that was found in the LORD’s Temple and have passed it on to the supervisors and the workmen.” ¹⁸ Shaphan the scribe also informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest gave me a book.” Shaphan read from its contents to the king.
¹⁹ As soon as he heard what the Law said, he tore his clothes. ²⁰ He issued these orders to Hilkiah, Shaphan’s son Ahikam, Micah’s son Abdon, Shaphan the scribe, and the king’s personal assistant Asaiah:

⁶ So all of their neighbors equipped the travelers with silver, gold, equipment, pack animals, and valuable goods, in addition to voluntary offerings.

⁶⁸ Gifts for the Temple
When they arrived at the Temple of the LORD in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families contributed toward building the Temple of God on its former site. ⁶⁹ They contributed to the treasury for this work in accordance with their ability: 61,000 golden drachma, 5,000 units of silver, and 100 priestly robes.

¹⁶ together with all of the silver and gold that you can raise in the province of Babylon, plus the freewill offerings given by the people and the priests, contributed for the Temple of their God, which is in Jerusalem.

²⁵ and divided between them the silver, the gold, the vessels, and the offering for the Temple of our God which the king had offered, along with his advisors, his senior officials, and all of Israel assembled there. ²⁶ I divided among them 650 silver talents, silver utensils weighing 100 talents, 100 talents of gold, ²⁷ 20 gold basins weighing 1,000 darics each, and two vessels made of polished brass, as valuable as gold.
²⁸ I told them, “You are consecrated to the LORD, and the vessels are also consecrated. The silver and the gold are a freely given offering to the LORD God of your ancestors. ²⁹ Guard and protect them until you disperse them to the chief priests, the descendants of Levi, and to the family leaders of Israel at Jerusalem in the chambers of the Temple of the LORD.”
³⁰ So the priests and descendants of Levi took possession of the silver, the gold, and the vessels in order to bring them to Jerusalem, to the Temple of our God.
³¹ Then we left the Ahava River for Jerusalem on the twelfth day of the first month. Our God’s protection was with us, and he delivered us from the enemy’s power and from ambush along the way.
³² Ezra’s Delegation Arrives in JerusalemWe arrived in Jerusalem and remained there three days. ³³ On the fourth day the silver, the gold, and the vessels were distributed at the Temple of our God into the care of Uriah’s son Meremoth the priest, Phinehas’ son Eleazar, Jeshua’s son Jozabad, and Binnui’s son Noadiah, the descendants of Levi. ³⁴ Distribution was according to inventory and weight, with all weights being recorded at that time.
³⁵ The descendants of those who had been taken into captivity and who had returned from captivity offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all of Israel, 96 rams, 77 lambs, and twelve male goats as a sin offering—all of them burnt offerings to the LORD.

⁷⁰ Gifts for the Temple
Some of the heads of the families contributed to the work. The governor contributed 1,000 gold drachmas to the treasury, along with 50 basins, and 530 priestly garments. ⁷¹ Some of the heads of the families gave to the treasury 20,000 gold drachmas and 2,200 silver units for the work. ⁷² The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold drachmas, 2,000 silver units, and 67 priestly garments.

¹² The daughter of Tyre will come with a wedding gift; wealthy people will entreat your favor.

²⁵ ‘This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Because you sent letters in your own name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, to Maaseiah’s son Zephaniah the priest and to all the priests— ²⁶ The LORD made you a priest instead of Jehoiada the priest to serve in the LORD’s Temple as an official against every crazy prophet, and to put him in stocks and restraints.

⁴⁴ All the believers were united and shared everything with one another. ⁴⁵ They made it their practice to sell their possessions and goods and to distribute the proceeds to anyone who was in need.

¹ Peter and John are Tried before the Jewish CouncilWhile they were speaking to the people, the priests, the commander of the Temple guards, and the Sadducees came to them.

³⁴ since none of them needed anything, because everyone who had land or houses would sell them and bring the money received for the things sold ³⁵ and lay it at the apostles’ feet. Then it was distributed to anyone who needed it.

²⁶ So the commander of the Temple guards went with his men to bring them back without force, because they were afraid of being stoned to death by the people.

¹² For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what you have, not according to what you do not have.

⁷ Each of you must give what you have decided in your heart, not with regret or under compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver.

¹² They faithfully brought in the gifts, tithes, and consecrated materials, and Conaniah the descendant of Levi was placed in charge of them. His brother Shimei was second in command,

¹⁰ “Listen to what the LORD says, you rulers of Sodom, and pay attention to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah! ¹¹ “How do your voluminous sacrifices benefit me?” the LORD is asking. “I’ve had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts. I don’t enjoy the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats. ¹² “When you come to present yourselves in my presence, who has required you to trample on my courts? ¹³ Stop bringing useless offerings! Incense is detestable to me, as are your New Moons, Sabbaths, and calling of convocations. I cannot stand iniquity within a solemn assembly. ¹⁴ As for your New Moons and your appointed festivals, I abhor them. They’ve become a burden to me; I’ve grown weary of carrying that burden. ¹⁵ When you spread out your hands in prayer, I’ll hide my eyes from you. Even though you pray repeatedly, I won’t listen. Your hands are full of blood, your fingers drenched with iniquity.”

¹⁰ Yet in all this her treacherous sister Judah didn’t return to me with her whole heart, but rather deceptively,” declares the LORD.

²¹ This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices and eat the meat. ²² Indeed, when I brought your ancestors out of the land of Egypt, I didn’t speak or command them about burnt offering and sacrifice, ²³ but I did give them this command: ‘Obey me and I’ll be your God, and you will be my people. Walk in all the ways that I command you so it will go well for you.’ ²⁴ But they didn’t listen, nor did they pay attention. They pursued their own plans, stubbornly following their own evil desires. They went backward and not forward. ²⁵ From the day your ancestors left the land of Egypt to this present time, I’ve sent all my servants, the prophets, to you, again and again. ²⁶ But they didn’t listen to me, and they didn’t pay attention. They stiffened their necks, and they did more evil than their ancestors. ²⁷ “You will tell them all these things, but they won’t listen to you. You will call out to them, but they won’t answer you. ²⁸ You will say to them, ‘This is the nation that wouldn’t listen to the voice of the LORD its God and wouldn’t accept correction. Truth has perished; it has been eliminated from their discussions.’

⁶ The Nature of True RighteousnessHow am I to present myself in the LORD’s presence and bow in the presence of the High God? Should I present myself with burnt offerings, with year-old calves? ⁷ Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with endless rivers of oil? Am I to give my firstborn to pay for my rebellion, the fruit of my body in exchange for my soul? ⁸ He has made it clear to you, mortal man, what is good and what the LORD is requiring from you— to act with justice, to treasure the LORD’s gracious love, and to walk humbly in the company of your God.

¹⁶ Then they took their customary places, as the Law of Moses the man of God prescribes, and the priests sprinkled the blood that they were given by the descendants of Levi.

⁴ Prepare yourselves by divisions according to your ancestral households, keeping to what King David of Israel and his son Solomon wrote about this. ⁵ In addition to this, take your place in the Holy Place according to the groupings of the ancestral households of your relatives consistent with the division of the descendants of Levi by their ancestral households.

⁵ Then he is to slaughter the young bull in the LORD’s presence.”
General Instructions“Aaron’s sons, the priests, are to bring the blood and sprinkle it around the altar that stands at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. ⁶ He is to skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces.

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.

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.”

²² So they slaughtered the bulls and the priests sprinkled the blood on the altar. They also slaughtered the rams and sprinkled the blood on the altar, and they also slaughtered the lambs and sprinkled the blood on the altar. ²³ They brought the male goats for the sin offering to the king within the assembled gathering, laid their hands on them, ²⁴ and then the priests slaughtered them and purged the altar with their blood as a sin offering to atone for all Israel, because the king ordered that the burnt offering and the sin offering be made for all Israel.

²¹ In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and everything used in worship. ²² In fact, under the Law almost everything is cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of the blood there is no forgiveness.

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,

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.

⁹ “The presenter is then to bring a gift from the peace offering as an offering made by fire to the LORD. He is to remove the fat—the entire fat tail near the spine, the fat that covers the internal organs, all of the fat that is inside the internal organs, ¹⁰ the two kidneys with the fat on them by the loins, and the fatty mass that surrounds the liver and kidneys. ¹¹ Then the priest is to burn them on the altar as a food offering made by fire to the LORD.

¹⁴ “The presenter is then to present the gift as an offering made by fire to the LORD, that is, the fat that covers the internal organs, all the fat that is inside the internal organs, ¹⁵ the two kidneys with the fat on them by the loins, and the fatty mass that surrounds the liver and kidneys. 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.

⁸ That very night they’re to eat the meat, roasted over the fire, with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. ⁹ Don’t eat any of it raw or boiled in water. Instead, roast it over the fire, with its head, legs, and internal organs.

²⁸ The earthen vessel in which it was boiled is to be broken, unless it was boiled in a bronze vessel, in which case it is to be polished very well and rinsed in water.

¹⁹ Then the priest is to take the boiled shoulder of the ram, one cake of unleavened bread from the basket, and one wafer of unleavened bread. He is to place them in the hands of the Nazirite, after he himself has shaved his symbol of consecration.

⁷ Boil and eat the Passover meal at the place that the LORD your God will choose. In the morning you may go back to your tents.

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.”

¹⁴ I am poured out like water; all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melting within me.

¹² May it not befall you, all who pass along the road! Look and see: Is there any grief like my grief dealt out to me, by which the LORD afflicted me in the time of his fierce wrath? ¹³ He sent fire from on high, making it penetrate my bones. He stretched out a net at my feet, forcing me to turn back. He made me desolate; I’m fainting all day long.

¹¹ Never be lazy in showing such devotion. Be on fire with the Spirit. Serve the Lord.

² So the Twelve called the whole group of disciples together and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect messages from God in order to wait on tables. 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. ⁴ Then we’ll devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

¹⁷ The gatekeepers included Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and other relatives. Shallum was the leader. ¹⁸ He used to be stationed in the King’s Gate on the east side as one of the gatekeepers of the camp belonging to the descendants of Levi. ¹⁹ Kore’s son Shallum, who was the grandson of Ebiasaph and the great-grandson of Korah, and the descendants of Korah (who were relatives of his ancestral house) were over the service responsibilities and served as guardians of the entrances of the Tent, just as their ancestors had been in charge of the camp of the LORD and guardians of the entrance.

⁴¹ David also appointed Heman, Jeduthun, and others chosen by name to give thanks to the LORD, because “his gracious love is eternal.” ⁴² They accompanied their songs of praise to God with trumpets, cymbals, and other musical instruments while Jeduthun’s children served as trustees.

⁵ with 4,000 gatekeepers, and with 4,000 offering praises to the LORD with the musical instruments that I have had crafted.”

¹ The MusiciansAlong with officers in his army, David consecrated to assist in service to the descendants of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun those who prophesy with lyres, harps, and cymbals.
The list of those who participated in this service included: ² from the descendants of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah, sons of Asaph mentored by Asaph himself, who prophesied under the supervision of the king; ³ from Jeduthun, these six of his descendants: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, mentored by their father Jeduthun, who played a lyre and prophesied, giving thanks and praise to the LORD; ⁴ from Heman, these descendants: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. ⁵ All of these were descendants of Heman the king’s seer, according to God’s promise to exalt him, since God had given Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. ⁶ They were all under their father’s supervision regarding music in the Temple of the LORD with cymbals, harps, and lyres for the service of the Temple of God.
Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under command of the king. ⁷ They and their relatives who had been skillfully trained in singing to the LORD, numbered 288.

¹² With respect to their leaders, these courses of trustees had responsibilities, along with their relatives, regarding ministry within the Temple of the LORD ¹³ assigned by lottery according to their ancestral households, whether large or small alike, for their gate assignments. ¹⁴ The lot for the eastern gate fell to Shelemiah. They also cast lots for his son Zechariah, who was a wise counselor, and his lot indicated the northern gate. ¹⁵ Obed-edom’s lot indicated the south gate, and his sons were also allotted responsibility for the storehouse. ¹⁶ For Shuppim and Hosah the lot indicated the west at the gate of Shallecheth on the ascending road.
Each guard corresponding to each guard, ¹⁷ on the east six descendants of Levi were assigned for each day, on the north four for each day, on the south four for each day (as well as two pairs of guards assigned to the storehouse), ¹⁸ and for the colonnade on the west four were assigned at the road and two at the colonnade. ¹⁹ These were the ranks of trustees assigned among the descendants of Korah and the sons of Merari.

²⁵ Hezekiah stationed descendants of Levi in the LORD’s Temple to play cymbals and stringed instruments, just as David, Gad the seer, and Nathan the prophet had directed, because the command to do so was from the LORD through those prophets. ²⁶ The descendants of Levi played instruments that had been crafted by David and the priests sounded trumpets.

¹ To the director: To Jeduthun. A psalm of Asaph.
Remembering God in Times of Trouble I cry out to God! I cry out to God and he hears me.

¹ An instruction of Asaph
Remembering God in Times of Trouble Listen, my people, to my instruction. Hear the words of my mouth.

¹ A Psalm of Asaph
A Prayer for Jerusalem God, nations have invaded your land to desecrate your holy Temple, to destroy Jerusalem,

¹⁵ You are to eat unleavened bread for seven days. On the first day be sure to remove all the leaven from your houses, because any person who eats anything leavened from the first day until the seventh will be cut off from Israel. ¹⁶ Also, on the first day you’re to hold a holy assembly, and on the seventh day you’re to hold a holy assembly. No work is to be done during those days, except for preparing what is to be eaten by each person.
¹⁷ “‘You are to observe the Festival of Unleavened Bread, since on this very day I brought your tribal divisions from the land of Egypt. You are to observe this day from generation to generation as a perpetual ordinance. ¹⁸ In the first month, from the evening of the fourteenth day of the month until the evening of the twenty-first day of the month, you are to eat unleavened bread. ¹⁹ For seven days leaven is not to be found in your houses. Indeed, any person who eats anything leavened, is to be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether an alien or a native of the land. ²⁰ You are not to eat what is leavened. You are to eat unleavened bread in all your settlements.’”

⁶ You are to eat unleavened bread for seven days, and on the seventh day there is to be a festival to the LORD. ⁷ Unleavened bread is to be eaten for seven days, and nothing leavened is to be seen among you, nor is leaven to be seen among you throughout your territory.

¹⁵ You are to observe the Festival of Unleavened Bread. As I commanded you, you are to eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month Abib, because in it you came out of Egypt. No one is to appear before me empty handed.

¹⁸ “You are to observe the Festival of Unleavened Bread. For seven days, at the appointed time in the month Abib, you are to eat unleavened bread as I commanded you, for in the month Abib you came out of Egypt.

⁵ “The LORD’s Passover is to begin on the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight. ⁶ On the fifteenth day of that month is the Festival of Unleavened Bread to the LORD. For seven days you are to eat unleavened bread. ⁷ On the first day that you hold the sacred assembly, you are to do no servile work. ⁸ Instead, you are to bring an offering made by fire to the LORD daily for seven days. On the seventh day, you are also to hold a sacred assembly during which you are to do no servile work.”

¹⁶ Annual Offerings“The LORD’s Passover is to take place on the fourteenth day of the first month. ¹⁷ You are to hold a festival on the fifteenth day of this month for seven days, during which time unleavened bread is to be eaten.”
¹⁸ A Week of Post-Passover Offerings“On the first day, you are to hold a sacred assembly. No servile work is to be done. ¹⁹ Bring an offering that is to be incinerated in the LORD’s presence, consisting of two young bulls, a ram, and seven one year old lambs, all without any defects, ²⁰ along with their grain offering of fine flour mixed with olive oil. Offer three tenths of an ephah for each bull, two tenths of an ephah for the ram, ²¹ and one tenth of an ephah for each of the seven lambs. ²² Then present one goat for a sin offering to make atonement for you, ²³ apart from the burnt offering in the morning, which you are to continue offering. ²⁴ Do this every day for seven days, as an edible sacrifice to the LORD made by fire, a pleasing aroma. It is to be offered apart from the regular burnt offering and its corresponding drink offering. ²⁵ On the seventh day you are to hold another sacred assembly for your benefit, on which no servile work is to be done.”

³ You must not eat any yeast with it. Instead, for seven days eat bread without yeast—the bread of affliction—because you left the land of Egypt in haste. Remember the day you went out of the land of Egypt for the rest of your lives. ⁴ Yeast is not to be seen in any of your territories for seven days. The meat is not to remain from the evening of the first day until morning.

⁸ Eat bread without yeast for six days. Then on the seventh day, hold an assembly to the LORD your God. Don’t do any work.”

²¹ The Festival of Unleavened Bread is ObservedThe Israelis who were present in Jerusalem observed the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days with immense gladness, and the descendants of Levi and priests praised the LORD throughout each day, singing mightily to the LORD. ²² Hezekiah encouraged all the descendants of Levi who demonstrated significant insight in their service to the LORD, so they all participated in the festival meals for seven days, all the while sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the LORD God of their ancestors. ²³ After this, the whole assembly agreed to celebrate for another seven days, and so they did—and they were very happy to do so!

⁷ Get rid of the old yeast so that you may be a new batch of dough, since you are to be free from yeast. For the Messiah, our Passover, has been sacrificed. ⁸ So let’s keep celebrating the festival, neither with old yeast nor with yeast that is evil and wicked, but with yeast-free bread that is both sincere and true.

⁵ so they published a decree that was circulated throughout Israel from Beer-sheba to Dan that they are to come celebrate the Passover to the LORD God of Israel in Jerusalem. The Passover had not been celebrated in great numbers as was being prescribed by the decree.

²⁹ During his reign, Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, marched out toward the Euphrates River to meet the king of Assyria. King Josiah went out to engage him in battle, but Pharaoh Neco killed him at Megiddo as soon as he saw him. ³⁰ Josiah’s servants drove his corpse in a chariot from Megiddo to Jerusalem and buried him in a tomb made for him.
Jehoahaz is Anointed KingThe people of the land took Josiah’s son Jehoahaz, anointed him, and installed him as king in his father’s place.

⁹ Isn’t Calno like Carchemish? Isn’t Hamath like Arpad? Isn’t Samaria like Damascus?

² Prophecies against Egypt: Its Defeat at CarchemishTo Egypt: Concerning the army of King Pharaoh Neco of Egypt, which was encamped by the Euphrates River at Carchemish and which King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of the reign of Josiah’s son Jehoiakim, king of Judah. ³ “Prepare buckler and shield, and advance into the battle! ⁴ Harness the horses! Riders, mount up! Take your positions with your helmets! Polish lances, and put on armor! ⁵ Why am I seeing this? They’re terrified, they have turned back. Their warriors are crushed, and they take flight. They don’t look back. Terror is on every side,” declares the LORD. ⁶ “The swift cannot flee, nor can the strong escape. In the north, beside the Euphrates River, they stumble and fall. ⁷ Who is this, rising like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge? ⁸ Egypt is rising like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge. He says, ‘I’ll rise and cover the land. I’ll destroy the city and its inhabitants.’ ⁹ Horses, get up! Chariots, drive furiously! Let the warriors go forward, Ethiopia and Put, who carry shields, and the Lydians who handle and bend the bow. ¹⁰ That day belongs to the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. It is a day of vengeance to take vengeance on his foes. The sword will devour and be satisfied, and will drink its fill of their blood. For the Lord GOD of the Heavenly Armies will hold a sacrifice in the land of the north, by the Euphrates river. ¹¹ Go up to Gilead and get balm, virgin daughter of Egypt! In vain you multiply remedies, but there is no healing for you. ¹² The nations have heard of your disgrace, and your cry of distress fills the earth. Indeed, one warrior stumbles over another, and both of them fall down together.”

¹⁰ But the king responded, “What do I have in common with you sons of Zeruiah? If he continues to curse—and if the LORD has told him, ‘Curse David!’—then who are you to be demanding to know ‘Why have you done this?’”

²⁵ “Now then, haven’t I come up—apart from the LORD—to attack and destroy this place? The LORD told me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it!’”’”

¹⁹ You claim you’ve defeated Edom, but you’re really only puffed up with arrogant boasting. So stay home. Why stir up trouble so you die, and the rest of Judah with you?”

¹⁰ One other thing: have I really marched against this country to destroy it apart from the LORD’s direction? The LORD himself ordered me, ‘March against this country to destroy it.’”

²⁹ Suddenly, they screamed, “What do you want with us, Son of God? Did you come here to torture us before the proper time?”

⁴ “How does that concern us, dear lady?” Jesus asked her. “My time hasn’t come yet.”

¹⁴ So the leaders of Israel sampled their provisions, but did not ask the LORD about it.

¹⁹ “Kings came to fight, then battled the kings of Canaan at Taanach near the waters of Megiddo. They took no silver as the spoils of war.

² so Jeroboam suggested to his wife, “Get up, disguise yourself so that no one will know that you’re Jeroboam’s wife, and go to Shiloh where the prophet Ahijah lives. He’s the one who told me that I would be king over this people.

³⁰ The king of Israel suggested to Jehoshaphat, “I’ll go into battle in disguise, but you keep your royal uniform on.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and they both went into the battle.

³⁴ Meanwhile, somebody drew his bow aimlessly and struck the king of Israel between the scales where his armor breastplates joined, so he instructed his chariot driver, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, because I’ve been severely wounded.”

²⁷ King Ahaziah is Also Killed
As soon as King Ahaziah of Judah observed this, he attempted to flee by the garden house road, but Jehu pursued him. At the ascent toward Gur which is near Ibleam, he ordered, “Shoot him in the chariot, too!”
Ahaziah fled to Megiddo, where he died.

³⁰ Josiah’s servants drove his corpse in a chariot from Megiddo to Jerusalem and buried him in a tomb made for him.
Jehoahaz is Anointed KingThe people of the land took Josiah’s son Jehoahaz, anointed him, and installed him as king in his father’s place.

⁴ But then Jehoshaphat asked the king of Israel, “Please ask for a message from the LORD, first.”
⁵ So the king of Israel gathered together 400 prophets and asked them, “Should we go attack Ramoth-gilead, or should I call off the attack?”
“Go attack them,” they all said, “because God will drop them right in the king’s hand.”
⁶ But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of the LORD left here that we could talk to?”

²⁹ The king of Israel suggested to Jehoshaphat, “I’ll go into battle in disguise, but you keep your royal uniform on.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and they both went into the battle.

²¹ But he sent messengers to him, who asked him, “What do we have in common, King of Judah? I am not here today opposing you. I am fighting the dynasty that is fighting me, and God has ordered me to hurry. For your own good, stop interfering with God, who is with me, and he won’t destroy you!”

¹¹ At that time, Jerusalem will mourn deeply, like the mourning about Hadad-rimmon that took place in the plain of Megiddo.

¹⁶ The spirits gathered the kings to the place that is called Armageddon in Hebrew.

²³ Even though enemies attacked him, shooting at him and pursuing him viciously,

²⁹ Then King Joram retreated to Jezreel to recover from the wounds that the Arameans had inflicted on him at Ramah during the battle against King Hazael of Aram. Jehoram’s son Ahaziah, king of Judah, went to visit Ahab’s son Joram in Jezreel because Joram was sick.

²⁴ But Jehu drew his bow with all of his strength, shooting Joram between his shoulder blades. The arrow pierced his heart, and he collapsed in his chariot.

³³ Meanwhile, somebody drew his bow and struck the king of Israel at a weak spot where his armor plates joined, so he instructed his chariot driver, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, because I’ve been severely wounded.”

¹³ He caused his war arrows to pierce my vital organs.

⁴³ Then he provided him with a chariot as his second-in-command, outfitted with a group of people who shouted out in front of him, “Bow your knees!” And that’s how Pharaoh set Joseph over the entire land of Egypt.

²⁸ “Look! I’m going to take you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in your grave in peace so that you won’t have to see all the evil that I’m going to bring to this place and to its inhabitants.”’”
So they all brought back this message to the king.

⁶ Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your justice is like the great depths of the sea. You deliver both people and animals, LORD.

¹⁴ Fruitless Righteousness, Fruitful EvilHere is a pointless thing that happens on earth: A righteous man receives what happens to the wicked, and a wicked man receives what happens to the righteous. I concluded that this, too, is pointless.

¹ God’s SovereigntyIn light of all of this, I committed myself to explain it this way: the righteous and the wise, along with everything they do, are in the hands of God. Furthermore, as to love and hate, no human being knows everything concerning them. ² Everyone shares the same experience: a single event affects the righteous, the wicked, the good, the clean, the unclean, whoever sacrifices, and whoever does not sacrifice. As it is with the good person, so also it is with the sinner; as it is with someone who takes an oath, so also it is with someone who fears taking an oath.

⁸ Let whoever curses days curse it— those who are ready to awaken monsters.

⁵ At that time they will fear climbing heights and dangers along the road while the almond tree will blossom, and the grasshopper is weighed down. Desire will cease, because the person goes to his eternal home, and mourners will gather in the marketplace.

¹⁷ A Call to LamentThis is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: “Think about what I’m saying! Indeed, call out the professional mourners! Send for the best of them to come. ¹⁸ Let them hurry and lament for us. Let tears run down from our eyes, and let our eyelids flow with water. ¹⁹ For a sound of mourning is heard from Zion: ‘How we’re ruined! Our shame is very great, because we have left the land, because our houses are torn down.’” ²⁰ “Now, you women, hear the message from the LORD; listen to what he has to say! Teach your daughters how to mourn, let every woman teach her friend how to lament. ²¹ For death comes up through our windows; it has come into our palaces to eliminate children from the streets and young men from the town squares.

¹⁰ “Don’t cry for the dead or grieve for them. Weep bitterly for the one going away, because he won’t return again nor see the land of his birth.

²⁰ An Oracle against JerusalemGo up to Lebanon and cry out, to Bashan and lift up your voice. Cry out from Abarim, for all your lovers have been crushed.

²⁰ The LORD’s anointed, the breath of our life, was captured in their pits. About him we had said, “Under his protection we will survive among the nations.”

²³ When Jesus came to the official’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion,

²⁰ Hezekiah did this throughout all of Judah, and he acted well, doing what the LORD his God considered to be right and true.

³² Now the rest of Hezekiah’s accomplishments and his faithful deeds are recorded in the vision of Amoz’s son Isaiah the prophet, and in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

³⁴ Jehoahaz Succeeds JehuNow as to the rest of Jehu’s activities, including his valiant deeds, they are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel, are they not?

¹⁹ Now the rest of Ahaz’s activities are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah, are they not?

²⁰ Now the rest of Hezekiah’s actions, as well as his glorious deeds, including how he constructed the pool and the conduit to bring water into the city, are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah, are they not?

²⁵ Now the rest of Amon’s activities that he undertook are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah, are they not?

³⁴ The rest of Jehoshaphat’s accomplishments, from first to last, are recorded in the annals of Hanani’s son Jehu, which appears in the Book of the Kings of Israel.

²⁷ Records concerning his sons, the various prophetic statements rebuking him, and records of the reconstruction work on God’s Temple are written in the Midrash of the Book of the Kings. Joash’s son Amaziah reigned in his place.

²⁶ The rest of Amaziah’s accomplishments, from first to last, are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel, are they not?

²² Now the rest of Uzziah’s accomplishments, from first to last, have been recorded by Amoz’s son Isaiah the prophet.

¹⁹ His prayer, how God was moved by him, all of his sin and unfaithfulness, and a record of the sites where he constructed high places, erected Asherim and carved images before he humbled himself are written in the Acts of the Seers.