Numbers 9

• 1. The LORD gave these instructions to Moses in early spring, during the second year after Israel's departure from Egypt, while he and the rest of the Israelites were in the wilderness of Sinai:
• 2. "Tell the Israelites to celebrate the Passover at the proper time,
• 3. at twilight on the appointed day in early spring. Be sure to follow all my laws and regulations concerning this celebration."
• 4. So Moses told the people to celebrate the Passover
• 5. in the wilderness of Sinai as twilight fell on the appointed day. And they celebrated the festival there, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
• 6. But some of the men had been ceremonially defiled by touching a dead person, so they could not offer their Passover lambs that day. So they came to Moses and Aaron that day
• 7. and said, "We have become ceremonially unclean by touching a dead person. But why should we be excluded from presenting the LORD's offering at the proper time with the rest of the Israelites?"
• 8. Moses answered, "Wait here until I have received instructions for you from the LORD."
• 9. This was the LORD's reply:
• 10. "Say to the Israelites: `If any of the people now or in future generations are ceremonially unclean at Passover time because of touching a dead body, or if they are on a journey and cannot be present at the ceremony, they may still celebrate the LORD's Passover.
• 11. They must offer the Passover sacrifice one month later, at twilight on the appointed day. They must eat the lamb at that time with bitter herbs and bread made without yeast.
• 12. They must not leave any of the lamb until the next morning, and they must not break any of its bones. They must follow all the normal regulations concerning the Passover.
• 13. " `But those who are ceremonially clean and not away on a trip, yet still refuse to celebrate the Passover at the regular time, will be cut off from the community of Israel for failing to present the LORD's offering at the proper time. They will suffer the consequences of their guilt.
• 14. And if foreigners living among you want to celebrate the Passover to the LORD, they must follow these same laws and regulations. The same laws apply both to you and to the foreigners living among you.'"
• 15. The Tabernacle was set up, and on that day the cloud covered it. Then from evening until morning the cloud over the Tabernacle appeared to be a pillar of fire.
• 16. This was the regular pattern--at night the cloud changed to the appearance of fire.
• 17. When the cloud lifted from over the sacred tent, the people of Israel followed it. And wherever the cloud settled, the people of Israel camped.
• 18. In this way, they traveled at the LORD's command and stopped wherever he told them to. Then they remained where they were as long as the cloud stayed over the Tabernacle.
• 19. If the cloud remained over the Tabernacle for a long time, the Israelites stayed for a long time, just as the LORD commanded.
• 20. Sometimes the cloud would stay over the Tabernacle for only a few days, so the people would stay for only a few days. Then at the LORD's command they would break camp.
• 21. Sometimes the cloud stayed only overnight and moved on the next morning. But day or night, when the cloud lifted, the people broke camp and followed.
• 22. Whether the cloud stayed above the Tabernacle for two days, a month, or a year, the people of Israel stayed in camp and did not move on. But as soon as it lifted, they broke camp and moved on.
• 23. So they camped or traveled at the LORD's command, and they did whatever the LORD told them through Moses.

Psalms 45

• 1. My heart overflows with a beautiful thought! I will recite a lovely poem to the king, for my tongue is like the pen of a skillful poet.
• 2. You are the most handsome of all. Gracious words stream from your lips. God himself has blessed you forever.
• 3. Put on your sword, O mighty warrior! You are so glorious, so majestic!
• 4. In your majesty, ride out to victory, defending truth, humility, and justice. Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds!
• 5. Your arrows are sharp, piercing your enemies' hearts. The nations fall before you, lying down beneath your feet.
• 6. Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. Your royal power is expressed in justice.
• 7. You love what is right and hate what is wrong. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.
• 8. Your robes are perfumed with myrrh, aloes, and cassia. In palaces decorated with ivory, you are entertained by the music of harps.
• 9. Kings' daughters are among your concubines. At your right side stands the queen, wearing jewelry of finest gold from Ophir!
• 10. Listen to me, O royal daughter; take to heart what I say. Forget your people and your homeland far away.
• 11. For your royal husband delights in your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord.
• 12. The princes of Tyre will shower you with gifts. People of great wealth will entreat your favor.
• 13. The bride, a princess, waits within her chamber, dressed in a gown woven with gold.
• 14. In her beautiful robes, she is led to the king, accompanied by her bridesmaids.
• 15. What a joyful, enthusiastic procession as they enter the king's palace!
• 16. Your sons will become kings like their father. You will make them rulers over many lands.
• 17. I will bring honor to your name in every generation. Therefore, the nations will praise you forever and ever.

Song of Songs 7

• 1. How beautiful are your sandaled feet, O queenly maiden. Your rounded thighs are like jewels, the work of a skilled craftsman.
• 2. Your navel is as delicious as a goblet filled with wine. Your belly is lovely, like a heap of wheat set about with lilies.
• 3. Your breasts are like twin fawns of a gazelle.
• 4. Your neck is as stately as an ivory tower. Your eyes are like the sparkling pools in Heshbon by the gate of Bath-rabbim. Your nose is as fine as the tower of Lebanon overlooking Damascus.
• 5. Your head is as majestic as Mount Carmel, and the sheen of your hair radiates royalty. A king is held captive in your queenly tresses.
• 6. "Oh, how delightful you are, my beloved; how pleasant for utter delight!
• 7. You are tall and slim like a palm tree, and your breasts are like its clusters of dates.
• 8. I said, `I will climb up into the palm tree and take hold of its branches.' Now may your breasts be like grape clusters, and the scent of your breath like apples.
• 9. May your kisses be as exciting as the best wine, smooth and sweet, flowing gently over lips and teeth. "
• 10. I am my lovers, the one he desires.
• 11. Come, my love, let us go out into the fields and spend the night among the wildflowers.
• 12. Let us get up early and go out to the vineyards. Let us see whether the vines have budded, whether the blossoms have opened, and whether the pomegranates are in flower. And there I will give you my love.
• 13. There the mandrakes give forth their fragrance, and the rarest fruits are at our doors, the new as well as old, for I have stored them up for you, my lover.

New Living Translation: 122 of 365 days.