Numbers 17

• 1. Then the LORD said to Moses,
• 2. "Take twelve wooden staffs, one from each of Israel's ancestral tribes, and inscribe each tribal leader's name on his staff.
• 3. Inscribe Aaron's name on the staff of the tribe of Levi, for there must be one staff for the leader of each ancestral tribe.
• 4. Put these staffs in the Tabernacle in front of the Ark of the Covenant, where I meet with you.
• 5. Buds will sprout on the staff belonging to the man I choose. Then I will finally put an end to this murmuring and complaining against you."
• 6. So Moses gave the instructions to the people of Israel, and each of the twelve tribal leaders, including Aaron, brought Moses a staff.
• 7. Moses put the staffs in the LORD's presence in the Tabernacle of the Covenant.
• 8. When he went into the Tabernacle of the Covenant the next day, he found that Aaron's staff, representing the tribe of Levi, had sprouted, blossomed, and produced almonds!
• 9. When Moses brought all the staffs out from the LORD's presence, he showed them to the people. Each man claimed his own staff.
• 10. And the LORD said to Moses: "Place Aaron's staff permanently before the Ark of the Covenant as a warning to rebels. This should put an end to their complaints against me and prevent any further deaths."
• 11. So Moses did as the LORD commanded him.
• 12. Then the people of Israel said to Moses, "We are as good as dead! We are ruined!
• 13. Everyone who even comes close to the Tabernacle of the LORD dies. We are all doomed!"

Numbers 18

• 1. The LORD now said to Aaron: "You, your sons, and your relatives from the tribe of Levi will be held responsible for any offenses related to the sanctuary. But you and your sons alone will be held liable for violations connected with the priesthood.
• 2. "Bring your relatives of the tribe of Levi to assist you and your sons as you perform the sacred duties in front of the Tabernacle of the Covenant.
• 3. But as the Levites go about their duties under your supervision, they must be careful not to touch any of the sacred objects or the altar. If they do, both you and they will die.
• 4. The Levites must join with you to fulfill their responsibilities for the care and maintenance of the Tabernacle, but no one who is not a Levite may officiate with you.
• 5. "You yourselves must perform the sacred duties within the sanctuary and at the altar. If you follow these instructions, the LORD's anger will never again blaze against the people of Israel.
• 6. I myself have chosen your fellow Levites from among the Israelites to be your special assistants. They are dedicated to the LORD for service in the Tabernacle.
• 7. But you and your sons, the priests, must personally handle all the sacred service associated with the altar and everything within the inner curtain. I am giving you the priesthood as your special gift of service. Any other person who comes too near the sanctuary will be put to death."
• 8. The LORD gave these further instructions to Aaron: "I have put the priests in charge of all the holy gifts that are brought to me by the people of Israel. I have given these offerings to you and your sons as your regular share.
• 9. You are allotted the portion of the most holy offerings that is kept from the fire. From all the most holy offerings--including the grain offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings--that portion belongs to you and your sons.
• 10. You must eat it as a most holy offering. All the males may eat of it, and you must treat it as most holy.
• 11. "All the other offerings presented to me by the Israelites by lifting them up before the altar also belong to you as your regular share. Any member of your family who is ceremonially clean, male and female alike, may eat of these offerings.
• 12. "I also give you the harvest gifts brought by the people as offerings to the LORD--the best of the olive oil, wine, and grain.
• 13. All the firstfruits of the land that the people present to the LORD belong to you. Any member of your family who is ceremonially clean may eat this food.
• 14. "Whatever is specially set apart for the LORD also belongs to you.
• 15. "The firstborn of every mother, whether human or animal, that is offered to the LORD will be yours. But you must always redeem your firstborn sons and the firstborn males of ritually unclean animals.
• 16. Redeem them when they are one month old. The redemption price is five pieces of silver, each piece weighing the same as the standard sanctuary shekel.
• 17. "However, you may not redeem the firstborn of cattle, sheep, or goats. They are holy and have been set apart for the LORD. Sprinkle their blood on the altar, and burn their fat as an offering given by fire, very pleasing to the LORD.
• 18. The meat of these animals will be yours, just like the breast and right thigh that are presented by lifting them up before the altar.
• 19. Yes, I am giving you all these holy offerings that the people of Israel bring to the LORD. They are for you and your sons and daughters, to be eaten as your regular share. This is an unbreakable covenant between the LORD and you and your descendants."
• 20. And the LORD said to Aaron, "You priests will receive no inheritance of land or share of property among the people of Israel. I am your inheritance and your share.
• 21. As for the tribe of Levi, your relatives, I will pay them for their service in the Tabernacle with the tithes from the entire land of Israel.
• 22. "From now on, Israelites other than the priests and Levites are to stay away from the Tabernacle. If they come too near, they will be judged guilty and die.
• 23. The Levites must serve at the Tabernacle, and they will be held responsible for any offenses against it. This is a permanent law among you. But the Levites will receive no inheritance of land among the Israelites,
• 24. because I have given them the Israelites' tithes, which have been set apart as offerings to the LORD. This will be the Levites' share. That is why I said they would receive no inheritance of land among the Israelites."
• 25. The LORD also told Moses,
• 26. "Say this to the Levites: `When you receive the tithes from the Israelites, give a tenth of the tithes you receive--a tithe of the tithe--to the LORD as a gift.
• 27. The LORD will consider this to be your harvest offering, as though it were the first grain from your own threshing floor or wine from your own winepress.
• 28. You must present one-tenth of the tithe received from the Israelites as a gift to the LORD. From this you must present the LORD's portion to Aaron the priest.
• 29. Be sure to set aside the best portions of the gifts given to you as your gifts to the LORD.'
• 30. "Also say to the Levites: `When you present the best part, it will be considered as though it came from your own threshing floor or winepress.
• 31. You Levites and your families may eat this food anywhere you wish, for it is your compensation for serving in the Tabernacle.
• 32. You will not be considered guilty for accepting the LORD's tithes if you give the best portion to the priests. But be careful not to treat the holy gifts of the people of Israel as though they were common. If you do, you will die.'"

Psalms 55

• 1. Listen to my prayer, O God. Do not ignore my cry for help!
• 2. Please listen and answer me, for I am overwhelmed by my troubles.
• 3. My enemies shout at me, making loud and wicked threats. They bring trouble on me, hunting me down in their anger.
• 4. My heart is in anguish. The terror of death overpowers me.
• 5. Fear and trembling overwhelm me. I can't stop shaking.
• 6. Oh, how I wish I had wings like a dove; then I would fly away and rest!
• 7. I would fly far away to the quiet of the wilderness.
• 8. How quickly I would escape--far away from this wild storm of hatred.
• 9. Destroy them, Lord, and confuse their speech, for I see violence and strife in the city.
• 10. Its walls are patrolled day and night against invaders, but the real danger is wickedness within the city.
• 11. Murder and robbery are everywhere there; threats and cheating are rampant in the streets.
• 12. It is not an enemy who taunts me--I could bear that. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me--I could have hidden from them.
• 13. Instead, it is you--my equal, my companion and close friend.
• 14. What good fellowship we enjoyed as we walked together to the house of God.
• 15. Let death seize my enemies by surprise; let the grave swallow them alive, for evil makes its home within them.
• 16. But I will call on God, and the LORD will rescue me.
• 17. Morning, noon, and night I plead aloud in my distress, and the LORD hears my voice.
• 18. He rescues me and keeps me safe from the battle waged against me, even though many still oppose me.
• 19. God, who is king forever, will hear me and will humble them. For my enemies refuse to change their ways; they do not fear God.
• 20. As for this friend of mine, he betrayed me; he broke his promises.
• 21. His words are as smooth as cream, but in his heart is war. His words are as soothing as lotion, but underneath are daggers!
• 22. Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.
• 23. But you, O God, will send the wicked down to the pit of destruction. Murderers and liars will die young, but I am trusting you to save me.

Isaiah 7

• 1. During the reign of Ahaz son of Jotham and grandson of Uzziah, Jerusalem was attacked by King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah of Israel, the son of Remaliah. The city withstood the attack, however, and was not taken.
• 2. The news had come to the royal court: "Aram is allied with Israel against us!" So the hearts of the king and his people trembled with fear, just as trees shake in a storm.
• 3. Then the LORD said to Isaiah, "Go out to meet King Ahaz, you and your son Shear-jashub. You will find the king at the end of the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool, near the road leading to the field where cloth is bleached.
• 4. Tell him to stop worrying. Tell him he doesn't need to fear the fierce anger of those two burned-out embers, King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah.
• 5. "Yes, the kings of Aram and Israel are coming against you. They are saying,
• 6. `We will invade Judah and throw its people into panic. Then we will fight our way into Jerusalem and install the son of Tabeel as Judah's king.'
• 7. "But this is what the Sovereign LORD says: This invasion will never happen,
• 8. because Aram is no stronger than its capital, Damascus. And Damascus is no stronger than its king, Rezin. As for Israel, within sixty-five years it will be crushed and completely destroyed.
• 9. Israel is no stronger than its capital, Samaria. And Samaria is no stronger than its king, Pekah son of Remaliah. You do not believe me? If you want me to protect you, learn to believe what I say."
• 10. Not long after this, the LORD sent this message to King Ahaz:
• 11. "Ask me for a sign, Ahaz, to prove that I will crush your enemies as I have promised. Ask for anything you like, and make it as difficult as you want."
• 12. But the king refused. "No," he said, "I wouldn't test the LORD like that."
• 13. Then Isaiah said, "Listen well, you royal family of David! You aren't satisfied to exhaust my patience. You exhaust the patience of God as well!
• 14. All right then, the Lord himself will choose the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel--`God is with us.'
• 15. By the time this child is old enough to eat curds and honey, he will know enough to choose what is right and reject what is wrong.
• 16. But before he knows right from wrong, the two kings you fear so much--the kings of Israel and Aram--will both be dead.
• 17. "The LORD will bring a terrible curse on you, your nation, and your family. You will soon experience greater terror than has been known in all the years since Solomon's empire was divided into Israel and Judah. The mighty king of Assyria will come with his great army!"
• 18. In that day the LORD will whistle for the army of Upper Egypt and for the army of Assyria. They will swarm around you like flies. Like bees, they will sting and kill.
• 19. They will come in vast hordes, spreading across the whole land. They will settle in the fertile areas and also in the desolate valleys, caves, and thorny places.
• 20. In that day the Lord will take this "razor"--these Assyrians you have hired to protect you--and use it to shave off everything: your land, your crops, and your people.
• 21. When they finally stop plundering, a farmer will be fortunate to have a cow and two sheep left.
• 22. The few people still left in the land will live on curds and wild honey because that is all the land will produce.
• 23. In that day the lush vineyards, now worth as much as a thousand pieces of silver, will become patches of briers and thorns.
• 24. The entire land will be one vast brier patch, a hunting ground overrun by wildlife.
• 25. No one will go to the fertile hillsides where the gardens once grew, for briers and thorns will cover them. Cattle, sheep, and goats will graze there.

New Living Translation: 129 of 365 days.