One Year Bible.

The Sons of Aaron

¹This is the account of Aaron and Moses at the time the LORD spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.

²These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, then Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. ³These were Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests.

⁴Nadab and Abihu, however, died in the presence of the LORD when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai. And since they had no sons, only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.

The Duties of the Levites

⁵Then the LORD said to Moses, ⁶“Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him. ⁷They are to perform duties for him and for the whole congregation before the Tent of Meeting, attending to the service of the tabernacle. ⁸They shall take care of all the furnishings of the Tent of Meeting and fulfill obligations for the Israelites by attending to the service of the tabernacle.

⁹Assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they have been given exclusively to him from among the Israelites. ¹⁰So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle must be put to death.”

¹¹Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ¹²“Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel in place of every firstborn Israelite from the womb. The Levites belong to Me, ¹³for all the firstborn are Mine. On the day I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They are Mine; I am the LORD.”

The Numbering of the Levites

¹⁴Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, saying, ¹⁵“Number the Levites by their families and clans. You are to count every male a month old or more.”

¹⁶So Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he had been commanded.

¹⁷These were the sons of Levi by name: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. ¹⁸These were the names of the sons of Gershon by their clans: Libni and Shimei. ¹⁹The sons of Kohath by their clans were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. ²⁰And the sons of Merari by their clans were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Levites, according to their families.

The Gershonites

²¹From Gershon came the Libnite clan and the Shimeite clan; these were the Gershonite clans. ²²The number of all the males a month old or more was 7,500.

²³The Gershonite clans were to camp on the west, behind the tabernacle, ²⁴and the leader of the families of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael.

²⁵The duties of the Gershonites at the Tent of Meeting were the tabernacle and tent, its covering, the curtain for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, ²⁶the curtains of the courtyard, the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and altar, and the cords— all the service for these items.

The Kohathites

²⁷From Kohath came the clans of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites; these were the clans of the Kohathites. ²⁸The number of all the males a month old or more was 8,600. They were responsible for the duties of the sanctuary.

²⁹The clans of the Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle, ³⁰and the leader of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan son of Uzziel.

³¹Their duties were the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used with them, and the curtain— all the service for these items.

³²The chief of the leaders of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest; he oversaw those responsible for the duties of the sanctuary.

The Merarites

³³From Merari came the clans of the Mahlites and Mushites; these were the Merarite clans. ³⁴The number of all the males a month old or more was 6,200.

³⁵The leader of the families of the Merarites was Zuriel son of Abihail; they were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle.

³⁶The duties assigned to the sons of Merari were the tabernacle’s frames, crossbars, posts, bases, and all its equipment— all the service for these items, ³⁷as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes.

Moses and Aaron

³⁸Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, before the Tent of Meeting. They were to perform the duties of the sanctuary as a service on behalf of the Israelites; but any outsider who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.

³⁹The total number of Levites that Moses and Aaron counted by their clans at the LORD’s command, including all the males a month old or more, was 22,000.

The Redemption of the Firstborn

⁴⁰Then the LORD said to Moses, “Number every firstborn male of the Israelites a month old or more, and list their names. ⁴¹You are to take the Levites for Me— I am the LORD— in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites.”

⁴²So Moses numbered all the firstborn of the Israelites, as the LORD had commanded him. ⁴³The total number of the firstborn males a month old or more, listed by name, was 22,273.

⁴⁴Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ⁴⁵“Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites belong to Me; I am the LORD. ⁴⁶To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who outnumber the Levites, ⁴⁷you are to collect five shekels for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel of twenty gerahs. ⁴⁸Give the money to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for the excess among the Israelites.”

⁴⁹So Moses collected the redemption money from those in excess of the number redeemed by the Levites. ⁵⁰He collected the money from the firstborn of the Israelites: 1,365 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel. ⁵¹And Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons in obedience to the word of the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded him.

The Duties of the Kohathites

¹Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ²“Take a census of the Kohathites among the Levites by their clans and families, ³men from thirty to fifty years old— everyone who is qualified to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.

⁴This service of the Kohathites at the Tent of Meeting regards the most holy things. ⁵Whenever the camp sets out, Aaron and his sons are to go in, take down the veil of the curtain, and cover the ark of the Testimony with it. ⁶They are to place over this a covering of fine leather, spread a solid blue cloth over it, and insert its poles.

⁷Over the table of the Presence they are to spread a blue cloth and place the plates and cups on it, along with the bowls and pitchers for the drink offering. The regular bread offering is to remain on it. ⁸And they shall spread a scarlet cloth over them, cover them with fine leather, and insert the poles.

⁹They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand used for light, together with its lamps, wick trimmers, and trays, as well as the jars of oil with which to supply it. ¹⁰Then they shall wrap it and all its utensils inside a covering of fine leather and put it on the carrying frame.

¹¹Over the gold altar they are to spread a blue cloth, cover it with fine leather, and insert the poles. ¹²They are to take all the utensils for serving in the sanctuary, place them in a blue cloth, cover them with fine leather, and put them on the carrying frame.

¹³Then they shall remove the ashes from the bronze altar, spread a purple cloth over it, ¹⁴and place on it all the vessels used to serve there: the firepans, meat forks, shovels, and sprinkling bowls— all the equipment of the altar. They are to spread over it a covering of fine leather and insert the poles.

¹⁵When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all their equipment, as soon as the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites shall come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy objects, or they will die. These are the transportation duties of the Kohathites regarding the Tent of Meeting.

¹⁶Eleazar son of Aaron the priest shall oversee the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil. He has oversight of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, including the holy objects and their utensils.”

¹⁷Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ¹⁸“Do not allow the Kohathite tribal clans to be cut off from among the Levites. ¹⁹In order that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons are to go in and assign each man his task and what he is to carry. ²⁰But the Kohathites are not to go in and look at the holy objects, even for a moment, or they will die.”

The Duties of the Gershonites

²¹And the LORD said to Moses, ²²“Take a census of the Gershonites as well, by their families and clans, ²³from thirty to fifty years old, counting everyone who comes to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.

²⁴This is the service of the Gershonite clans regarding work and transport: ²⁵They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting with the covering of fine leather over it, the curtains for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, ²⁶the curtains of the courtyard, and the curtains for the entrance at the gate of the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and altar, along with their ropes and all the equipment for their service. The Gershonites will do all that needs to be done with these items.

²⁷All the service of the Gershonites — all their transport duties and other work — is to be done at the direction of Aaron and his sons; you are to assign to them all that they are responsible to carry. ²⁸This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the Tent of Meeting, and their duties shall be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

The Duties of the Merarites

²⁹As for the sons of Merari, you are to number them by their clans and families, ³⁰from thirty to fifty years old, counting everyone who comes to serve in the work of the Tent of Meeting.

³¹This is the duty for all their service at the Tent of Meeting: to carry the frames of the tabernacle with its crossbars, posts, and bases, ³²and the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes, including all their equipment and everything related to their use. You shall assign by name the items that they are responsible to carry.

³³This is the service of the Merarite clans according to all their work at the Tent of Meeting, under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.”

The Numbering of the Levite Clans

³⁴So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of the congregation numbered the Kohathites by their clans and families, ³⁵everyone from thirty to fifty years old who came to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting. ³⁶And those numbered by their clans totaled 2,750. ³⁷These were counted from the Kohathite clans, everyone who could serve at the Tent of Meeting. Moses and Aaron numbered them according to the command of the LORD through Moses.

³⁸Then the Gershonites were numbered by their clans and families, ³⁹everyone from thirty to fifty years old who came to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting. ⁴⁰And those numbered by their clans and families totaled 2,630. ⁴¹These were counted from the Gershonite clans who served at the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted at the LORD’s command.

⁴²And the Merarites were numbered by their clans and families, ⁴³everyone from thirty to fifty years old who came to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting. ⁴⁴The men registered by their clans numbered 3,200. ⁴⁵These were counted from the Merarite clans, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the LORD’s command through Moses.

⁴⁶So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel numbered by their clans and families all the Levites ⁴⁷from thirty to fifty years old who came to do the work of serving and carrying the Tent of Meeting. ⁴⁸And the number of men was 8,580. ⁴⁹At the LORD’s command through Moses they were numbered, and each one was assigned his work and burden, as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Why Have You Rejected Us Forever?

¹A Maskil of Asaph.

Why have You rejected us forever, O God?

Why does Your anger smolder

against the sheep of Your pasture?

²Remember Your congregation,

which You purchased long ago

and redeemed as the tribe of Your inheritance —

Mount Zion, where You dwell.

³Turn Your steps to the everlasting ruins,

to everything in the sanctuary the enemy has destroyed.

⁴Your foes have roared within Your meeting place;

they have unfurled their banners as signs,

⁵like men wielding axes in a thicket of trees

⁶and smashing all the carvings with hatchets and picks.

⁷They have burned Your sanctuary to the ground;

they have defiled the dwelling place of Your Name.

⁸They said in their hearts,

“We will crush them completely.”

They burned down every place

where God met us in the land.

⁹There are no signs for us to see.

There is no longer any prophet.

And none of us knows how long this will last.

¹⁰How long, O God, will the enemy taunt You?

Will the foe revile Your name forever?

¹¹Why do You withdraw Your strong right hand?

Stretch it out to destroy them!

¹²Yet God is my King from ancient times,

working salvation on the earth.

¹³You divided the sea by Your strength;

You smashed the heads of the dragons of the sea;

¹⁴You crushed the heads of Leviathan;

You fed him to the creatures of the desert.

¹⁵You broke open the fountain and the flood;

You dried up the ever-flowing rivers.

¹⁶The day is Yours, and also the night;

You established the moon and the sun.

¹⁷You set all the boundaries of the earth;

You made the summer and winter.

¹⁸Remember how the enemy has mocked You, O LORD,

how a foolish people has spurned Your name.

¹⁹Do not deliver the soul of Your dove to beasts;

do not forget the lives of Your afflicted forever.

²⁰Consider Your covenant,

for haunts of violence fill the dark places of the land.

²¹Do not let the oppressed retreat in shame;

may the poor and needy praise Your name.

²²Rise up, O God; defend Your cause!

Remember how the fool mocks You all day long.

²³Do not disregard the clamor of Your adversaries,

the uproar of Your enemies that ascends continually.

Overcoming the World

¹Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves those born of Him. ²By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments. ³For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, ⁴because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.

⁵Who then overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. ⁶This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ — not by water alone, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies to this, because the Spirit is the truth. ⁷For there are three that testify: ⁸the Spirit, the water, and the blood — and these three are in agreement.

God’s Testimony about His Son

⁹Even if we accept human testimony, the testimony of God is greater. For this is the testimony that God has given about His Son. ¹⁰Whoever believes in the Son of God has this testimony within him; whoever does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given about His Son.

¹¹And this is that testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. ¹²Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Effective Prayer

¹³I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. ¹⁴And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. ¹⁵And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we already possess what we have asked of Him.

¹⁶If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he should ask God, who will give life to those who commit this kind of sin. There is a sin that leads to death; I am not saying he should ask regarding that sin. ¹⁷All unrighteousness is sin, yet there is sin that does not lead to death.

The True God

¹⁸We know that anyone born of God does not keep on sinning; the One who was born of God protects him, and the evil one cannot touch him. ¹⁹We know that we are of God, and that the whole world is under the power of the evil one. ²⁰And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true — in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

²¹Little children, keep yourselves from idols.