Numbers 3

• 1. This is the family line of Aaron and Moses as it was recorded when the LORD spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai:
• 2. Aaron's sons were Nadab (the firstborn), Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
• 3. They were anointed and set apart to minister as priests.
• 4. But Nadab and Abihu died in the LORD's presence in the wilderness of Sinai when they burned before the LORD a different kind of fire than he had commanded. Since they had no sons, this left only Eleazar and Ithamar to serve as priests with their father, Aaron.
• 5. Then the LORD said to Moses,
• 6. "Call forward the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest as his assistants.
• 7. They will serve Aaron and the whole community, performing their sacred duties in and around the Tabernacle.
• 8. They will also maintain all the furnishings of the sacred tent, serving in the Tabernacle on behalf of all the Israelites.
• 9. Assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons as their assistants.
• 10. Appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood. Anyone else who comes too near the sanctuary must be executed!"
• 11. And the LORD said to Moses,
• 12. "I have chosen the Levites from among the Israelites as substitutes for all the firstborn sons of the people of Israel. The Levites are mine
• 13. because all the firstborn sons are mine. From the day I killed all the firstborn sons of the Egyptians, I set apart for myself all the firstborn in Israel of both men and animals. They are mine; I am the LORD."
• 14. The LORD spoke again to Moses, there in the wilderness of Sinai. He said,
• 15. "Take a census of the tribe of Levi by its families and clans. Count every male who is one month old or older."
• 16. So Moses counted them, just as the LORD had commanded.
• 17. Levi had three sons, who were named Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
• 18. The clans descended from Gershon were named for two of his descendants, Libni and Shimei.
• 19. The clans descended from Kohath were named for four of his descendants, Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
• 20. The clans descended from Merari were named for two of his descendants, Mahli and Mushi. These were the Levite clans, listed according to their family groups.
• 21. The descendants of Gershon were composed of the clans descended from Libni and Shimei.
• 22. There were 7,500 males one month old or older among these Gershonite clans.
• 23. They were assigned the area to the west of the Tabernacle for their camp.
• 24. The leader of the Gershonite clans was Eliasaph son of Lael.
• 25. These two clans were responsible to care for the tent of the Tabernacle with its layers of coverings, its entry curtains,
• 26. the curtains of the courtyard that surrounded the Tabernacle and altar, the curtain at the courtyard entrance, the cords, and all the equipment related to their use.
• 27. The descendants of Kohath were composed of the clans descended from Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
• 28. There were 8,600 males one month old or older among these Kohathite clans. They were responsible for the care of the sanctuary.
• 29. They were assigned the area south of the Tabernacle for their camp.
• 30. The leader of the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan son of Uzziel.
• 31. These four clans were responsible for the care of the Ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the various utensils used in the sanctuary, the inner curtain, and all the equipment related to their use.
• 32. Eleazar the priest, Aaron's son, was the chief administrator over all the Levites, with special responsibility for the oversight of the sanctuary.
• 33. The descendants of Merari were composed of the clans descended from Mahli and Mushi.
• 34. There were 6,200 males one month old or older among these Merarite clans.
• 35. They were assigned the area north of the Tabernacle for their camp. The leader of the Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail.
• 36. These two clans were responsible for the care of the frames supporting the Tabernacle, the crossbars, the pillars, the bases, and all the equipment related to their use.
• 37. They were also responsible for the posts of the courtyard and all their bases, pegs, and cords.
• 38. The area in front of the Tabernacle in the east toward the sunrise was reserved for the tents of Moses and of Aaron and his sons, who had the final responsibility for the sanctuary on behalf of the people of Israel. Anyone other than a priest or Levite who came too near the sanctuary was to be executed.
• 39. So among the Levite clans counted by Moses and Aaron at the LORD's command, there were 22,000 males one month old or older.
• 40. Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now count all the firstborn sons in Israel who are one month old or older, and register each name.
• 41. The Levites will be reserved for me as substitutes for the firstborn sons of Israel; I am the LORD. And the Levites' livestock are mine as substitutes for the firstborn livestock of the whole nation of Israel."
• 42. So Moses counted the firstborn sons of the people of Israel, just as the LORD had commanded.
• 43. The total number of firstborn sons who were one month old or older was 22,273.
• 44. Now the LORD said to Moses,
• 45. "Take the Levites in place of the firstborn sons of the people of Israel. And take the livestock of the Levites as substitutes for the firstborn livestock of the people of Israel. The Levites will be mine; I am the LORD.
• 46. To redeem the 273 firstborn sons of Israel who are in excess of the number of Levites,
• 47. collect five pieces of silver for each person, each piece weighing the same as the standard sanctuary shekel.
• 48. Give the silver to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for the extra firstborn sons."
• 49. So Moses collected redemption money for the firstborn sons of Israel who exceeded the number of Levites.
• 50. The silver collected on behalf of these firstborn sons of Israel came to about thirty-four pounds in weight.
• 51. And Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons as the LORD had commanded.

Psalms 37

• 1. Don't worry about the wicked. Don't envy those who do wrong.
• 2. For like grass, they soon fade away. Like springtime flowers, they soon wither.
• 3. Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
• 4. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart's desires.
• 5. Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you.
• 6. He will make your innocence as clear as the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.
• 7. Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.
• 8. Stop your anger! Turn from your rage! Do not envy others--it only leads to harm.
• 9. For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the LORD will possess the land.
• 10. In a little while, the wicked will disappear. Though you look for them, they will be gone.
• 11. Those who are gentle and lowly will possess the land; they will live in prosperous security.
• 12. The wicked plot against the godly; they snarl at them in defiance.
• 13. But the Lord just laughs, for he sees their day of judgment coming.
• 14. The wicked draw their swords and string their bows to kill the poor and the oppressed, to slaughter those who do right.
• 15. But they will be stabbed through the heart with their own swords, and their bows will be broken.
• 16. It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and possess much.
• 17. For the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the LORD takes care of the godly.
• 18. Day by day the LORD takes care of the innocent, and they will receive a reward that lasts forever.
• 19. They will survive through hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough.
• 20. But the wicked will perish. The LORD's enemies are like flowers in a field--they will disappear like smoke.
• 21. The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers.
• 22. Those blessed by the LORD will inherit the land, but those cursed by him will die.
• 23. The steps of the godly are directed by the LORD. He delights in every detail of their lives.
• 24. Though they stumble, they will not fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand.
• 25. Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly forsaken, nor seen their children begging for bread.
• 26. The godly always give generous loans to others, and their children are a blessing.
• 27. Turn from evil and do good, and you will live in the land forever.
• 28. For the LORD loves justice, and he will never abandon the godly. He will keep them safe forever, but the children of the wicked will perish.
• 29. The godly will inherit the land and will live there forever.
• 30. The godly offer good counsel; they know what is right from wrong.
• 31. They fill their hearts with God's law, so they will never slip from his path.
• 32. Those who are evil spy on the godly, waiting for an excuse to kill them.
• 33. But the LORD will not let the wicked succeed or let the godly be condemned when they are brought before the judge.
• 34. Don't be impatient for the LORD to act! Travel steadily along his path. He will honor you, giving you the land. You will see the wicked destroyed.
• 35. I myself have seen it happen--proud and evil people thriving like mighty trees.
• 36. But when I looked again, they were gone! Though I searched for them, I could not find them!
• 37. Look at those who are honest and good, for a wonderful future lies before those who love peace.
• 38. But the wicked will be destroyed; they have no future.
• 39. The LORD saves the godly; he is their fortress in times of trouble.
• 40. The LORD helps them, rescuing them from the wicked. He saves them, and they find shelter in him.

Song of Songs 1

• 1. This is Solomon's song of songs, more wonderful than any other.
• 2. Kiss me again and again, for your love is sweeter than wine.
• 3. How fragrant your cologne, and how pleasing your name! No wonder all the young women love you!
• 4. Take me with you. Come, lets run! Bring me into your bedroom, O my king. How happy we are for him! We praise his love even more than wine. How right that the young women love you!
• 5. "I am dark and beautiful, O women of Jerusalem, tanned as the dark tents of Kedar. Yes, even as the tents of Solomon!
• 6. "Don't look down on me, you fair city girls, just because my complexion is so dark. The sun has burned my skin. My brothers were angry with me and sent me out to tend the vineyards in the hot sun. Now see what it has done to me!
• 7. "Tell me, O my love, where are you leading your flock today? Where will you rest your sheep at noon? For why should I wander like a prostitute among the flocks of your companions?"
• 8. If you dont know, O most beautiful woman, follow the trail of my flock to the shepherds tents, and there feed your young goats.
• 9. What a lovely filly you are, my beloved one!
• 10. How lovely are your cheeks, with your earrings setting them afire! How stately is your neck, accented with a long string of jewels.
• 11. We will make earrings of gold for you and beads of silver.
• 12. The king is lying on his couch, enchanted by the fragrance of my perfume.
• 13. My lover is like a sachet of myrrh lying between my breasts.
• 14. He is like a bouquet of flowers in the gardens of En-gedi.
• 15. How beautiful you are, my beloved, how beautiful! Your eyes are soft like doves.
• 16. What a lovely, pleasant sight you are, my love, as we lie here on the grass,
• 17. shaded by cedar trees and spreading firs.

New Living Translation: 116 of 365 days.