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Soldiers Skilled in War
18 There were forty-four thousand seven hundred sixty ·soldiers [able-bodied/valiant men] from the tribes of Reuben and Gad and ·East [L the half-tribe of] Manasseh who carried shields and swords and bows. They were ·skilled in war [trained for battle]. 19 They ·started [waged] a war against the Hagrites and the people of Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. 20 The men from the tribes of Manasseh, Reuben, and Gad ·prayed [cried out] to God during the ·war [battle], asking him to help them. So he helped them because they trusted him. He handed over to them the Hagrites and all those who were with them. 21 They took the animals that belonged to the Hagrites: fifty thousand camels, two hundred fifty thousand sheep, and two thousand donkeys. They also captured one hundred thousand people. 22 Many Hagrites were killed because God helped the people of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh. Then they ·lived there [occupied their land/territory] until ·Babylon captured them and took them away [L the exile/captivity; 2 Chr. 36:17–21].
East Manasseh
23 The many people of ·East [L the half-tribe of] Manasseh lived in the area of Bashan all the way to Baal Hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon.
24 These were the ·family [clan] leaders: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were ·all strong, brave [mighty warriors/men of valor], and ·famous men [men of reputation], and ·leaders in their families [head of their clans]. 25 But they ·sinned against [were unfaithful to] the God ·that their ancestors had worshiped [L of their fathers]. They ·began worshiping [L prostituted themselves to] the gods of the people in that land, ·and those were the people God was destroying [whom God had destroyed before them]. 26 So the God of Israel ·made Pul king of Assyria want to go to war [L stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria]. (Pul was also called Tiglath-pileser [C ruled 744–727 bc].) He ·captured [carried into exile] the people of Reuben, Gad, and ·East [L the half-tribe of] Manasseh, and he took them away to Halah, Habor, Hara, and near the Gozan River. They have lived there from that time until this day.
Levi’s Children
6 Levi’s sons were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
2 Kohath’s sons were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
3 Amram’s children were Aaron, Moses, and Miriam.
Aaron’s sons were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar [Ex. 6:23; Lev. 10:1]. 4 Eleazar was the father of Phinehas [Num. 25:7, 11; 31:6; Ps. 106:30]. Phinehas was the father of Abishua. 5 Abishua was the father of Bukki. Bukki was the father of Uzzi. 6 Uzzi was the father of Zerahiah. Zerahiah was the father of Meraioth. 7 Meraioth was the father of Amariah. Amariah was the father of Ahitub. 8 Ahitub was the father of Zadok. Zadok was the father of Ahimaaz. 9 Ahimaaz was the father of Azariah. Azariah was the father of Johanan. 10 Johanan was the father of Azariah. (Azariah was a priest in the ·Temple [L house] Solomon built in Jerusalem.) 11 Azariah was the father of Amariah. Amariah was the father of Ahitub. 12 Ahitub was the father of Zadok. Zadok was the father of Shallum. 13 Shallum was the father of Hilkiah. Hilkiah was the father of Azariah. 14 Azariah was the father of Seraiah, and Seraiah was the father of Jehozadak.
15 Jehozadak ·was forced to leave his home [went into exile] when the Lord sent Judah and Jerusalem into ·captivity [exile] under Nebu-chadnezzar [2 Kin. 25:1–21; 2 Chr. 36:17–21].
16 Levi’s sons were ·Gershon [or Gershom; v. 1], Kohath, and Merari.
17 The names of ·Gershon’s [or Gershom’s] sons were Libni and Shimei.
18 Kohath’s sons were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
19 Merari’s sons were Mahli and Mushi.
This is a list of the ·family groups [clans] of Levi, ·listed by the name of the father of each group [L by their fathers].
20 ·Gershon’s [or Gershom’s; v. 16] son was Libni. Libni’s son was Jehath. Jehath’s son was Zimmah. 21 Zimmah’s son was Joah. Joah’s son was Iddo. Iddo’s son was Zerah. And Zerah’s son was Jeatherai.
22 Kohath’s ·son [descendant; C the list differs from v. 18] was Amminadab. Amminadab’s son was Korah. Korah’s son was Assir. 23 Assir’s son was Elkanah. Elkanah’s son was Ebiasaph. Ebiasaph’s son was Assir. 24 Assir’s son was Tahath. Tahath’s son was Uriel. Uriel’s son was Uzziah, and Uzziah’s son was Shaul.
25 Elkanah’s sons were Amasai and Ahimoth. 26 Ahimoth’s son was Elkanah. Elkanah’s son was Zophai. Zophai’s son was Nahath. 27 Nahath’s son was Eliab. Eliab’s son was Jeroham. Jeroham’s son was Elkanah, and Elkanah’s son was Samuel.
28 Samuel’s sons were Joel, the ·first son [firstborn], and Abijah, the second son [1 Sam. 8:1–3].
29 Merari’s son was Mahli. Mahli’s son was Libni. Libni’s son was Shimei. Shimei’s son was Uzzah. 30 Uzzah’s son was Shimea. Shimea’s son was Haggiah, and Haggiah’s son was Asaiah.
The Temple Musicians
31 David ·chose [appointed; assigned] some people to be in charge of the music in the house of the Lord. They began their work after the ·Ark of the Agreement [L Ark] was put there. 32 They ·served by making music [ministered with song] at the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle] (also called the Meeting Tent), and they served until Solomon built the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord in Jerusalem. They ·followed the rules for their work [served according to the regulations].
33 These are ·the musicians [L those who served] and their sons:
From ·Kohath’s family [L the sons of the Kohathites] there was Heman the ·singer [musician]. Heman was Joel’s son. Joel was Samuel’s son. 34 Samuel was Elkanah’s son. Elkanah was Jeroham’s son. Jeroham was Eliel’s son. Eliel was Toah’s son. 35 Toah was Zuph’s son. Zuph was Elkanah’s son. Elkanah was Mahath’s son. Mahath was Amasai’s son. 36 Amasai was Elkanah’s son. Elkanah was Joel’s son. Joel was Azariah’s son. Azariah was Zephaniah’s son. 37 Zephaniah was Tahath’s son. Tahath was Assir’s son. Assir was Ebiasaph’s son. Ebiasaph was Korah’s son. 38 Korah was Izhar’s son. Izhar was Kohath’s son. Kohath was Levi’s son. Levi was Israel’s son.
39 There was Heman’s ·helper [assistant; or kinsman; L brother] Asaph, whose group stood by Heman’s right side. Asaph was Berekiah’s son. Berekiah was Shimea’s son. 40 Shimea was Michael’s son. Michael was ·Baaseiah’s[a] son. Baaseiah was Malkijah’s son. 41 Malkijah was Ethni’s son. Ethni was Zerah’s son. Zerah was Adaiah’s son. 42 Adaiah was Ethan’s son. Ethan was Zimmah’s son. Zimmah was Shimei’s son. 43 Shimei was Jahath’s son. Jahath was ·Gershon’s [Gershom’s; v. 16] son, and Gershon was Levi’s son.
44 Merari’s ·family [clan] were the ·helpers [assistants; or kinsmen; L brothers;] of Heman and Asaph, and they stood by Heman’s left side. In this group was Ethan son of Kishi. Kishi was Abdi’s son. Abdi was Malluch’s son. 45 Malluch was Hashabiah’s son. Hashabiah was Amaziah’s son. Amaziah was Hilkiah’s son. 46 Hilkiah was Amzi’s son. Amzi was Bani’s son. Bani was Shemer’s son. 47 Shemer was Mahli’s son. Mahli was Mushi’s son. Mushi was Merari’s son, and Merari was Levi’s son.
48 ·The other [L Their brothers/kinsmen the] Levites ·served by doing their own special work [were appointed/assigned to other tasks/duties/service] in the ·Holy Tent [Tabernacle], the house of God. 49 Aaron and his descendants offered the sacrifices on the altar of burnt offering [Lev. 1:1–17] and burned the incense on the altar of incense [Ex. 30:1–6]. They offered the sacrifices that ·removed [made atonement for] the Israelites’ sins. They did all the work in the Most Holy Place ·and followed all the laws [according to all] that Moses, God’s servant, had commanded.
50 These were Aaron’s sons: Eleazar was Aaron’s son. Phinehas was Eleazar’s son. Abishua was Phinehas’ son. 51 Bukki was Abishua’s son. Uzzi was Bukki’s son. Zerahiah was Uzzi’s son. 52 Meraioth was Zerahiah’s son. Amariah was Meraioth’s son. Ahitub was Amariah’s son. 53 Zadok was Ahitub’s son, and Ahimaaz was Zadok’s son.
Land for the Levites
54 These are the ·places [settlements; areas] where Aaron’s descendants lived. His descendants from the Kohath ·family group [clan] received the first ·share of the land [or territory by means of sacred lots].
55 They were given the city of Hebron in Judah and the pastures around it, 56 but the fields farther from the city and the villages near Hebron were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh. 57 So the descendants of Aaron were given Hebron, one of the cities of ·safety [refuge]. They also received the towns and pastures of Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, 58 ·Hilen [or Hilez; Josh. 21:15], Debir, 59 ·Ashan [or Ain; Josh. 21:16], Juttah, and Beth Shemesh. 60 They also received these towns and pastures from the tribe of Benjamin: Gibeon, Geba, Alemeth, and Anathoth.
The Kohath ·family groups [clans; C Aaron’s descendants] received a total of thirteen towns.
61 The rest of the ·Kohath family group [L sons of Kohath] was given ten towns from the ·family groups of West [L the half-tribe of] Manasseh. The towns were chosen by ·throwing [sacred] lots.
62 The Gershon ·family group [clan] received thirteen towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the part of Manasseh living in Bashan.
63 The ·Merari family group [L sons/descendants of Merari] received twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. Those towns were chosen by ·throwing [sacred] lots.
64 So the Israelites gave these towns and their pastures to the Levites. 65 The towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, ·which were named [previously mentioned], were chosen by ·throwing [sacred] lots.
66 Some of the Kohath ·family groups [clans] received ·towns and pastures [territory] from the tribe of Ephraim. 67 They received Shechem, one of the cities of ·safety [refuge; C someone who accidentally killed another person could receive protection from those seeking revenge; Num. 35:9–34; Josh. 20:1–9], with its pastures in the ·mountains [hill country] of Ephraim. They also received the towns and pastures of Gezer, 68 Jokmeam, Beth Horon, 69 Aijalon, and Gath Rimmon.
70 The rest of the people in the Kohath ·family group [clan] received the towns of Aner and Bileam and their pastures from ·West [L the half-tribe of] Manasseh.
71 From ·East [L the half-tribe of] Manasseh, the ·Gershon [or Gershom; v. 16] ·family [clan] received the towns and pastures of Golan in Bashan and Ashtaroth.
76 From the tribe of Naphtali, the ·Gershon [or Gershom] ·family [clan] received the towns and pastures of Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon, and Kiriathaim.
77 The rest of the Levites, the people from the Merari ·family [clan], received from the tribe of Zebulun the towns and pastures of Jokneam, Kartah, Rimmono, and Tabor.
Paul Defends Himself
26 Agrippa said to Paul, “You may now speak for yourself.”
Then Paul ·raised [stretched out] his hand and began to defend himself. 2 He said, “King Agrippa, I am very ·blessed [or fortunate] to stand before you and will ·answer [L defend myself against] all the charges the Jews make against me. 3 ·You know so much [You especially know; or I am especially blessed because you know] about all the customs and the ·things they argue about [controversies of the Jews], so ·please [I urge/beg you to] listen to me patiently.
4 “All ·my people [L the Jews] know about my ·whole life [L manner of life from youth], how I lived from the beginning ·in my own country and later [or among my own people and] in Jerusalem. 5 They have known me for a long time. If they ·want [are willing] to, they can ·tell [testify to] you that I ·was a good [L lived as a] Pharisee. ·And the Pharisees obey the laws of my tradition more carefully than any other group [L …the strictest sect/party of our religion]. 6 Now I ·am [stand here] on trial because I hope for the promise that God made to our ·ancestors [forefathers; fathers; C either the hope of the Messiah or the resurrection from the dead]. 7 This is the promise that the twelve tribes of our people hope to receive as they ·serve [or worship] God day and night. My king, ·they [L the Jews] have accused me because ·I hope for this same promise [L of this hope]! 8 Why do any of you people think it is ·impossible [unbelievable] for God to raise people from the dead?
9 “I, too, thought ·I ought [it was necessary] to do many things against [L the name of] Jesus ·from Nazareth [or the Nazarene]. 10 And that is what I did in Jerusalem. The ·leading [T chief] priests gave me the ·power [authority] to put many of ·God’s people [God’s holy people; the saints] in ·jail [prison], and when they were ·being killed [or condemned to die], I ·agreed it was a good thing [L cast my vote against them]. 11 In every synagogue, I often punished them and tried to make them ·speak against [blaspheme; curse] Jesus. I was so ·angry [enraged] against them I even went to ·other [or foreign] cities to ·find them and punish [pursue; or persecute] them.
12 “One time the ·leading [T chief] priests gave me ·permission [commission] and the ·power [authority] to go to Damascus. 13 On the ·way [road] there, at noon, [L O king,] I saw a light from heaven. It was brighter than the sun and ·flashed [shone] all around me and those who were traveling with me. 14 We all fell to the ground. Then I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew language [C probably Aramaic, the common language of the people in that area; 21:40], saying, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? ·You are only hurting yourself by fighting me [L It is hard for you to kick against the goads; Eccl. 12:11; C a goad was a sharp instrument to herd cattle].’ 15 I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. 16 ·Stand up [L Get up and stand on your feet]! This is why I have come [appeared] to you today: I have ·chosen [appointed] you to be my servant and my witness—you will tell people the things that you have seen and the things that I will show you. 17 I will ·keep you safe [rescue you] from your own people and also from the ·Gentiles [nations]. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn away from darkness to the light, away from the ·power [or authority] of Satan and to God. ·Then [or …so that] their sins can be forgiven, and they can have a place with those people who have been ·made holy [sanctified] by ·believing [faith] in me.’
19 “[L So; Therefore] King Agrippa, after I had this vision from heaven, I ·obeyed [L was not disobedient to] it. 20 [Indeed; or On the contrary] I began telling people that they should ·change their hearts and lives and turn to God [repent] and do ·things [works] ·to show they really had changed [L worthy of repentance]. I told this first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem, and ·in every part [all throughout the countryside] of Judea, and also to ·people everywhere [L the Gentiles; the nations]. 21 This is why the Jews ·took [seized] me and were trying to kill me in the Temple [C courts; 2:46]. 22 But God has helped me [from that day until now; L until this day], and so I stand here today, ·telling [testifying/witnessing to] all people, small and great, what I have seen. But I am saying only what the prophets and Moses [C meaning the whole OT] said would happen— 23 that the ·Christ [Messiah; C the promised king and Savior] would ·die [L suffer; 3:17; 17:3], and as the first to rise from the dead, he would ·bring [L proclaim] light to his own people [C the Jews] and to ·the Gentiles [the nations; people everywhere].”
Paul Tries to Persuade Agrippa
24 While Paul was saying these things to defend himself, Festus said loudly, “Paul, you are ·out of your mind [insane]! Too much ·study [learning] has driven you ·crazy [insane; mad]!”
25 Paul said, “Most excellent Festus, I am not crazy. My words are true and ·sensible [sober; rational]. 26 [L For] ·King Agrippa [L The king] knows about these things, and I can speak ·freely [boldly] to him. [L For] I ·know [L am convinced/persuaded] ·he has heard about all of these things [L none of these things were hidden from him], because they did not happen off in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe ·what the prophets wrote [L the prophets]? I know you believe.”
28 King Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian in such a short time? [or In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian!]”
29 Paul said, “Whether it is a short or a long time, I pray to God that not only you but every person listening to me today ·would be saved and be [L might become] like me—except for these chains I have.”
30 Then ·King Agrippa [L the king], ·Governor Festus [L the governor], Bernice, and all the people sitting with them stood up 31 and left the room. Talking to each other, they said, “This man has done nothing ·that deserves [worthy of] death or ·imprisonment [chains].” 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “We could let this man go free, ·but he has [L if he had not] ·asked Caesar to hear his case [L appealed to Caesar].”
A Prayer for Mercy in Troubled Times
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. Upon the ·sheminith [L eighth; C a reference to an eight-stringed instrument or possibly the manner of singing]. A psalm of David.
6 Lord, don’t ·correct [rebuke; reprove] me when you are angry;
don’t ·punish [discipline] me when you are ·very angry [enraged].
2 Lord, ·have mercy on [be gracious to] me because I ·am weak [languish; faint].
Heal me, Lord, because my bones ·ache [are in agony].
3 I ·am very upset [ache; am in agony].
Lord, how long will it be?
4 Lord, return and save me;
·save [rescue; T deliver] me because of your ·kindness [loyalty; covenant love].
5 Dead people don’t remember you;
those in ·the grave [or the underworld; L Sheol] don’t praise you.
6 I am ·tired [weary] ·of crying to you [L because of my moaning].
Every night ·my bed is wet [L I flood my pillow] with tears;
my bed is soaked from my crying.
7 My eyes are weak ·from so much crying [L because of my grief];
they are weak ·from crying about [L because of] my enemies.
8 Get away from me, all you who do evil,
because the Lord has heard my ·crying [supplication].
9 The Lord has heard my cry for help;
the Lord will ·answer [accept] my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be ashamed and ·troubled [in agony; vv. 2–3].
They will turn and suddenly leave in shame.
20 ·People will be rewarded for what they say [L From the fruit of the mouth of a person is their stomach satisfied];
·they will be rewarded by how they speak [L the yield/gain of their lips satisfies].
21 ·What you say can mean [L In the power of the tongue are] life or death.
Those who ·speak with care [love it] will ·be rewarded [L eat its fruit].
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