Today's Reading

¹Now David was old and full of days; and he made Solomon his son king over Israel.

²He gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites.

³The Levites were numbered from thirty years old and upward: and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty-eight thousand.

⁴David said, "Of these, twenty-four thousand were to oversee the work of the house of the Lord; six thousand were officers and judges;

⁵four thousand were doorkeepers; and four thousand praised the Lord with the instruments which I made, for giving praise."

⁶David divided them into divisions according to the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

⁷Of the Gershonites: Ladan and Shimei.

⁸The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the chief, and Zetham, and Joel, three.

⁹The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, and Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the heads of the fathers' households of Ladan.

¹⁰The sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei.

¹¹Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second: but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons; therefore they became a fathers' house in one reckoning.

¹²The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.

¹³The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons, forever, to burn incense before the Lord, to minister to him, and to bless in his name, forever.

¹⁴But as for Moses the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi.

¹⁵The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

¹⁶The sons of Gershom: Shebuel the chief.

¹⁷The sons of Eliezer were: Rehabiah the chief; and Eliezer had no other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.

¹⁸The sons of Izhar: Shelomith the chief.

¹⁹The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the chief, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

²⁰The sons of Uzziel: Micah the chief, and Isshiah the second.

²¹The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.

²²Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters only: and their brothers the sons of Kish took them as wives.

²³The sons of Mushi: Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth, three.

²⁴These were the sons of Levi after their fathers' houses, even the heads of the fathers' houses of those who were counted individually, in the number of names by their polls, who did the work for the service of the house of the Lord, from twenty years old and upward.

²⁵For David said, "The Lord, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people; and he dwells in Jerusalem forever.

²⁶Also the Levites will no longer need to carry the tabernacle and all its vessels for its service."

²⁷For by the last words of David the sons of Levi were numbered, from twenty years old and upward.

²⁸For their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the Lord, in the courts, and in the rooms, and in the purifying of all holy things, even the work of the service of God's house;

²⁹for the show bread also, and for the fine flour for a meal offering, whether of unleavened wafers, or of that which is baked in the pan, or of that which is soaked, and for all kinds of measure and size;

³⁰and to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise in the evening;

³¹and to offer all burnt offerings to the Lord, on the Sabbaths, on the new moons, and on the set feasts, in number according to the ordinance concerning them, continually before the Lord;

³²and that they should keep the duty of the Tent of Meeting, and the duty of the holy place, and the duty of the sons of Aaron their brothers, for the service of the house of the Lord.

¹These were the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron: Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

²But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest's office.

³David with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, divided them according to their ordering in their service.

⁴There were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar; and they were divided like this: of the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen, heads of fathers' houses; and of the sons of Ithamar, according to their fathers' houses, eight.

⁵Thus were they divided impartially by drawing lots; for there were princes of the sanctuary, and princes of God, both of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.

⁶Shemaiah the son of Nethanel the scribe, who was of the Levites, wrote them in the presence of the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and the heads of the fathers' households of the priests and of the Levites; one fathers' house being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar.

⁷Now the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,

⁸the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,

⁹the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,

¹⁰the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,

¹¹the ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah,

¹²the eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,

¹³the thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,

¹⁴the fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,

¹⁵the seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez,

¹⁶the nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezkel,

¹⁷the twenty-first to Jachin, the twenty-second to Gamul,

¹⁸the twenty-third to Delaiah, the twenty-fourth to Maaziah.

¹⁹This was their ordering in their service, to come into the house of the Lord according to the ordinance given to them by Aaron their father, as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded him.

²⁰Of the rest of the sons of Levi: of the sons of Amram, Shubael; of the sons of Shubael, Jehdeiah.

²¹Of Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, Isshiah the chief.

²²Of the Izharites, Shelomoth; of the sons of Shelomoth, Jahath.

²³The sons of Hebron: Jeriah, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth.

²⁴The sons of Uzziel, Micah; of the sons of Micah, Shamir.

²⁵The brother of Micah, Isshiah; of the sons of Isshiah, Zechariah.

²⁶The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi; the sons of Jaaziah: Beno.

²⁷The sons of Merari: of Jaaziah, Beno, and Shoham, and Zaccur, and Ibri.

²⁸Of Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons.

²⁹Of Kish; the sons of Kish: Jerahmeel.

³⁰The sons of Mushi: Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites after their fathers' houses.

³¹These likewise cast lots even as their brothers the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the king, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and the heads of the fathers' households of the priests and of the Levites; the fathers' households of the chief even as those of his younger brother.

¹Moreover, David and the captains of the army set apart for the service certain of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with stringed instruments, and with cymbals: and the number of those who did the work according to their service was:

²of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asharelah, the sons of Asaph, under the hand of Asaph, who prophesied after the order of the king.

³Of Jeduthun; the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising the Lord.

⁴Of Heman; the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth.

⁵All these were the sons of Heman the king's seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn. God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

⁶All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, stringed instruments, and harps, for the service of God's house; Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman being under the order of the king.

⁷The number of them, with their brothers who were instructed in singing to the Lord, even all who were skillful, was two hundred eighty-eight.

⁸They cast lots for their offices, all alike, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar.

⁹Now the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph: the second to Gedaliah; he and his brothers and sons were twelve:

¹⁰the third to Zaccur, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

¹¹the fourth to Izri, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

¹²the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

¹³the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

¹⁴the seventh to Jesharelah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

¹⁵the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

¹⁶the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

¹⁷the tenth to Shimei, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

¹⁸the eleventh to Azarel, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

¹⁹the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

²⁰for the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

²¹for the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

²²for the fifteenth to Jeremoth, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

²³for the sixteenth to Hananiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

²⁴for the seventeenth to Joshbekashah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

²⁵for the eighteenth to Hanani, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

²⁶for the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

²⁷for the twentieth to Eliathah, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

²⁸for the one and twentieth to Hothir, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

²⁹for the two and twentieth to Giddalti, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

³⁰for the three and twentieth to Mahazioth, his sons and his brothers, twelve:

³¹for the four and twentieth to Romamti-Ezer, his sons and his brothers, twelve.

¹What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found according to the flesh?

²For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not toward God.

³For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."

⁴Now to him who works, the reward is not counted as grace, but as debt.

⁵But to him who does not work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.

⁶Even as David also pronounces blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works,

⁷"Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

⁸Blessed is the man whom the Lord will by no means charge with sin."

⁹Is this blessing then pronounced on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness.

¹⁰How then was it counted? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

¹¹He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might also be accounted to them.

¹²The father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had in uncircumcision.

¹³For the promise to Abraham and to his seed that he should be heir of the world was not through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

¹⁴For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect.

¹⁵For the law works wrath, for where there is no law, neither is there disobedience.

¹⁶For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace, to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed, not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.

¹⁷As it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations." This is in the presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were.

¹⁸Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, "So will your seed be."

¹⁹Without being weakened in faith, he considered his own body, already having been worn out, (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb.

²⁰Yet, looking to the promise of God, he did not waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God,

²¹and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

²²Therefore it also was "reckoned to him for righteousness."

²³Now it was not written that it was accounted to him for his sake alone,

²⁴but for our sake also, to whom it will be accounted, who believe in him who raised Jesus, our Lord, from the dead,

²⁵who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification.

¹ I will lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?

²My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

³He will not allow your foot to be moved. He who keeps you will not slumber.

⁴Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵The Lord is your keeper. The Lord is your shade on your right hand.

⁶The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

⁷The Lord will keep you from all evil. He will keep your soul.

⁸The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in, from this time forth, and forevermore.

¹The wicked flee when no one pursues; but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

²In rebellion, a land has many rulers, but order is maintained by a man of understanding and knowledge.

³A needy man who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain which leaves no crops.

⁴Those who forsake the Law praise the wicked; but those who keep the Law contend with them.

⁵Evil men do not understand justice; but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.

⁶Better is the poor who walks in his integrity, than he who is perverse in his ways, and he is rich.

⁷Whoever keeps the Law is a wise son; but he who is a companion of gluttons shames his father.

⁸He who increases his wealth by excessive interest gathers it for one who has pity on the poor.

⁹He who turns away his ear from hearing the Law, even his prayer is an abomination.

¹⁰Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way, he will fall into his own trap; but the blameless will inherit good.

¹¹The rich man is wise in his own eyes; but the poor who has understanding sees through him.

¹²When the righteous triumph, there is great glory; but when the wicked rise, men hide themselves.

¹³He who conceals his sins doesn't prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

¹⁴Blessed is the man who always fears; but one who hardens his heart falls into trouble.

¹⁵As a roaring lion or a charging bear, so is a wicked ruler over helpless people.

¹⁶A tyrannical ruler lacks judgment. One who hates ill-gotten gain will have long days.

¹⁷A man who is tormented by life blood will be a fugitive until death; no one will support him.

¹⁸Whoever walks blamelessly is kept safe; but one with perverse ways will fall suddenly.

¹⁹One who works his land will have an abundance of food; but one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.

²⁰A faithful man is rich with blessings; but one who is eager to be rich will not go unpunished.

²¹To show partiality is not good; yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread.

²²A stingy man hurries after riches, and doesn't know that poverty waits for him.

²³One who rebukes a man will afterward find more favor than one who flatters with the tongue.

²⁴Whoever robs his father or his mother, and says, "It's not wrong." He is a partner with a destroyer.

²⁵One who is greedy stirs up strife; but one who trusts in the Lord will prosper.

²⁶One who trusts in himself is a fool; but one who walks in wisdom is kept safe.

²⁷One who gives to the poor has no lack; but one who closes his eyes will have many curses.

²⁸When the wicked rise, men hide themselves; but when they perish, the righteous thrive.