Bible Readings for March 17, 2015

Today our passages are Numbers 26:1-51; Luke 2:36-52; Psalm 60:1-12; and Proverbs 11:15. The readings are the Contemporary English Version.  

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Numbers 26:1-51 (Contemporary English Version)

Numbers 26

The Israelites Are Counted a Second Time

¹After the LORD had stopped the deadly disease from killing the Israelites, he said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron, ²" I want you to find out how many Israelites are in each family. And list every man twenty years and older who is able to serve in Israel's army." ³Israel was now camped in the hills of Moab across the Jordan River from the town of Jericho. Moses and Eleazar told them ⁴what the LORD had said about counting the men twenty years and older, just as Moses and their ancestors had done when they left Egypt. ^[a]5-7There were 43,730 men from the tribe of Reuben, the oldest son of Jacob. ^[b] These men were from the clans of Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. ⁸Pallu was the father of Eliab ⁹and the grandfather of Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the same Dathan and Abiram who had been chosen by the people, but who followed Korah and rebelled against Moses, Aaron, and the LORD. ¹⁰That's when the LORD made the earth open up and swallow Dathan, Abiram, and Korah. At the same time, fire destroyed two hundred fifty men as a warning to the other Israelites. ^[c]11But the Korahite clan wasn't destroyed. ^12-14There were 22,200 men from the tribe of Simeon; they were from the clans of Nemuel, Jamin, Jachin, Zerah, and Shaul.
^15-18There were 40,500 men from the tribe of Gad; they were from the clans of Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ozni, Eri, Arod, and Areli.
^19-22There were 76,500 men from the tribe of Judah; they were from the clans of Shelah, Perez, Zerah, Hezron, and Hamul. Judah's sons Er and Onan had died in Canaan. ^[d]23-25There were 64,300 men from the tribe of Issachar; they were from the clans of Tola, Puvah, Jashub, and Shimron.
^26-27There were 60,500 men from the tribe of Zebulun; they were from the clans of Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.
^28-34There were 52,700 men from the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph; they were from the clan of Machir, the clan of Gilead his son, and the clans of his six grandsons: Iezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Shemida, and Hepher. Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons, but he had five daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. ^[e]35-37There were 32,500 men from the tribe of Ephraim son of Joseph; they were from the clans of Shuthelah, Becher, Tahan, and Eran the son of Shuthelah.
^38-41There were 45,600 men from the tribe of Benjamin; they were from the clans of Bela, Ashbel, Ahiram, Shephupham, Hupham, as well as from Ard and Naaman, the two sons of Bela.
^42-43There were 64,400 men from the tribe of Dan; they were all from the clan of Shuham.
^44-47There were 53,400 men from the tribe of Asher; they were from the clans of Imnah, Ishvi, and Beriah, and from the two clans of Heber and Malchiel, the sons of Beriah. Asher's daughter was Serah.
^48-50There were 45,400 men from the tribe of Naphtali; they were from the clans of Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.
⁵¹The total number of Israelite men listed was 601,730.

Footnotes:

1. Numbers 26:4just as. . . Egypt: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
2. Numbers 26:5Jacob: The Hebrew text has " Israel," Jacob's name after God renamed him.
3. Numbers 26:10Israelites: See 16.1-35.
4. Numbers 26:19Judah's sons. . . Canaan: See Genesis 38.1-10.
5. Numbers 26:28Zelophehad. . . Tirzah: See also 27.1-11; 36.1-12.

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Luke 2:36-52 (Contemporary English Version)

Anna Speaks about the Child Jesus

³⁶The prophet Anna was also there in the temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. In her youth she had been married for seven years, but her husband died. ³⁷And now she was eighty-four years old. ^[a] Night and day she served God in the temple by praying and often going without eating. ^[b]38At that time Anna came in and praised God. She spoke about the child Jesus to everyone who hoped for Jerusalem to be set free.

The Return to Nazareth

³⁹After Joseph and Mary had done everything that the Law of the Lord commands, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. ⁴⁰The child Jesus grew. He became strong and wise, and God blessed him.

The Boy Jesus in the Temple

⁴¹Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for Passover. ⁴²And when Jesus was twelve years old, they all went there as usual for the celebration. ⁴³After Passover his parents left, but they did not know that Jesus had stayed on in the city. ⁴⁴They thought he was traveling with some other people, and they went a whole day before they started looking for him. ⁴⁵When they could not find him with their relatives and friends, they went back to Jerusalem and started looking for him there. ⁴⁶Three days later they found Jesus sitting in the temple, listening to the teachers and asking them questions. ⁴⁷Everyone who heard him was surprised at how much he knew and at the answers he gave.
⁴⁸When his parents found him, they were amazed. His mother said, "Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been very worried, and we have been searching for you!"
⁴⁹Jesus answered, "Why did you have to look for me? Didn't you know that I would be in my Father's house?" ^[c]50But they did not understand what he meant. ⁵¹Jesus went back to Nazareth with his parents and obeyed them. His mother kept on thinking about all that had happened.
⁵²Jesus became wise, and he grew strong. God was pleased with him and so were the people.

Footnotes:

1. Luke 2:37And now she was eighty-four years old: Or " And now she had been a widow for eighty-four years."
2. Luke 2:37without eating: The Jewish people sometimes went without eating (also called " fasting" ) to show their love for God or to show sorrow for their sins.
3. Luke 2:49in my Father's house: Or " doing my Father's work."

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Psalm 60:1-12 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 60

(For the music leader. To the tune "Lily of the Promise." A special psalm by David for teaching. He wrote it during his wars with the Arameans of northern Syria, ^[a] in Salt Valley.)

You Can Depend on God

¹You, God, are angry with us! We are rejected and crushed.
Make us strong again!
²You made the earth shake
and split wide open;
now heal its wounds
and stop its trembling.
³You brought hard times
on your people,
and you gave us wine
that made us stagger.
⁴You gave a signal to those
who worship you,
so they could escape
from enemy arrows. ^[b]5Answer our prayers!
Use your powerful arm
and give us victory.
Then the people you love
will be safe.
⁶Our God, you solemnly promised,
"I would gladly divide up
the city of Shechem
and give away Succoth Valley
piece by piece.
⁷The lands of Gilead
and Manasseh are mine.
Ephraim is my war helmet,
and Judah is the symbol
of my royal power.
⁸Moab is merely my washbasin.
Edom belongs to me,
and I shout in triumph
over the Philistines."
⁹Our God, who will bring me
to the fortress,
or lead me to Edom?
¹⁰Have you rejected us
and deserted our armies?
¹¹Help us defeat our enemies!
No one else can rescue us.
¹²You will give us victory
and crush our enemies.

Footnotes:

 

1. Psalm 60:1 (Psalm 60 wars. . . Syria: See 2 Samuel 8.3-8; 10.16-18; 1 Chronicles 18.3-11; 19.6-19.) when Joab came back and killed twelve thousand Edomites Psalm 60 killed. . . Edomites: See 2 Samuel 8.13; 1 Chronicles 18.12.
2. Psalm 60:4so. . . arrows: Some ancient translations and one possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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Proverbs 11:15 (Contemporary English Version)

¹⁵It's a dangerous thing
to guarantee payment
for someone's debts.
Don't do it!

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Verse of the Day

“[(A psalm by David.)][The Good Shepherd]You, LORD, are my shepherd. I will never be in need. You let me rest in fields of green grass. You lead me to streams of peaceful water, and you refresh my life. You are true to your name, and you lead me along the right paths.” - Psalm 23:1-3

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

 

Irish poet, author, priest, and Hegelian philosopher, John O’Donohue wrote, “The joyful heart sees and reads the world with a sense of freedom and graciousness.”