Numbers 20

• 1. In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.
• 2. Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron.
• 3. They quarreled with Moses and said, "If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the LORD!
• 4. Why did you bring the LORD's community into this desert, that we and our livestock should die here?
• 5. Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!"
• 6. Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them.
• 7. The LORD said to Moses,
• 8. "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink."
• 9. So Moses took the staff from the LORD's presence, just as he commanded him.
• 10. He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?"
• 11. Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.
• 12. But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them."
• 13. These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the LORD and where he showed himself holy among them.
• 14. Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying: "This is what your brother Israel says: You know about all the hardships that have come upon us.
• 15. Our forefathers went down into Egypt, and we lived there many years. The Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers,
• 16. but when we cried out to the LORD, he heard our cry and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt. "Now we are here at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory.
• 17. Please let us pass through your country. We will not go through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the king's highway and not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory."
• 18. But Edom answered: "You may not pass through here; if you try, we will march out and attack you with the sword."
• 19. The Israelites replied: "We will go along the main road, and if we or our livestock drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We only want to pass through on foot-nothing else."
• 20. Again they answered: "You may not pass through." Then Edom came out against them with a large and powerful army.
• 21. Since Edom refused to let them go through their territory, Israel turned away from them.
• 22. The whole Israelite community set out from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor.
• 23. At Mount Hor, near the border of Edom, the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
• 24. "Aaron will be gathered to his people. He will not enter the land I give the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah.
• 25. Get Aaron and his son Eleazar and take them up Mount Hor.
• 26. Remove Aaron's garments and put them on his son Eleazar, for Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will die there."
• 27. Moses did as the LORD commanded: They went up Mount Hor in the sight of the whole community.
• 28. Moses removed Aaron's garments and put them on his son Eleazar. And Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain,
• 29. and when the whole community learned that Aaron had died, the entire house of Israel mourned for him thirty days.

Psalms 58

• 1. Do you rulers indeed speak justly? Do you judge uprightly among men?
• 2. No, in your heart you devise injustice, and your hands mete out violence on the earth.
• 3. Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward and speak lies.
• 4. Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
• 5. that will not heed the tune of the charmer, however skillful the enchanter may be.
• 6. Break the teeth in their mouths, O God; tear out, O LORD, the fangs of the lions!
• 7. Let them vanish like water that flows away; when they draw the bow, let their arrows be blunted.
• 8. Like a slug melting away as it moves along, like a stillborn child, may they not see the sun.
• 9. Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns- whether they be green or dry-the wicked will be swept away.
• 10. The righteous will be glad when they are avenged, when they bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.
• 11. Then men will say, "Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth."

Psalms 59

• 1. Deliver me from my enemies, O God; protect me from those who rise up against me.
• 2. Deliver me from evildoers and save me from bloodthirsty men.
• 3. See how they lie in wait for me! Fierce men conspire against me for no offense or sin of mine, O LORD.
• 4. I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Arise to help me; look on my plight!
• 5. O LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish all the nations; show no mercy to wicked traitors. Selah
• 6. They return at evening, snarling like dogs, and prowl about the city.
• 7. See what they spew from their mouths- they spew out swords from their lips, and they say, "Who can hear us?"
• 8. But you, O LORD, laugh at them; you scoff at all those nations.
• 9. O my Strength, I watch for you; you, O God, are my fortress,
• 10. my loving God. God will go before me and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
• 11. But do not kill them, O Lord our shield, or my people will forget. In your might make them wander about, and bring them down.
• 12. For the sins of their mouths, for the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride. For the curses and lies they utter,
• 13. consume them in wrath, consume them till they are no more. Then it will be known to the ends of the earth that God rules over Jacob. Selah
• 14. They return at evening, snarling like dogs, and prowl about the city.
• 15. They wander about for food and howl if not satisfied.
• 16. But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.
• 17. O my Strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.

Isaiah 9

• 1. Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan-
• 2. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.
• 3. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder.
• 4. For as in the day of Midian's defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor.
• 5. Every warrior's boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.
• 6. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
• 7. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.
• 8. The Lord has sent a message against Jacob; it will fall on Israel.
• 9. All the people will know it- Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria- who say with pride and arrogance of heart,
• 10. "The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone; the fig trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars."
• 11. But the LORD has strengthened Rezin's foes against them and has spurred their enemies on.
• 12. Arameans from the east and Philistines from the west have devoured Israel with open mouth. Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised.
• 13. But the people have not returned to him who struck them, nor have they sought the LORD Almighty.
• 14. So the LORD will cut off from Israel both head and tail, both palm branch and reed in a single day;
• 15. the elders and prominent men are the head, the prophets who teach lies are the tail.
• 16. Those who guide this people mislead them, and those who are guided are led astray.
• 17. Therefore the Lord will take no pleasure in the young men, nor will he pity the fatherless and widows, for everyone is ungodly and wicked, every mouth speaks vileness. Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised.
• 18. Surely wickedness burns like a fire; it consumes briers and thorns, it sets the forest thickets ablaze, so that it rolls upward in a column of smoke.
• 19. By the wrath of the LORD Almighty the land will be scorched and the people will be fuel for the fire; no one will spare his brother.
• 20. On the right they will devour, but still be hungry; on the left they will eat, but not be satisfied. Each will feed on the flesh of his own offspring:
• 21. Manasseh will feed on Ephraim, and Ephraim on Manasseh; together they will turn against Judah. Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised.

New International Version

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