Numbers 20

• 1. In early spring the people of Israel arrived in the wilderness of Zin and camped at Kadesh. While they were there, Miriam died and was buried.
• 2. There was no water for the people to drink at that place, so they rebelled against Moses and Aaron.
• 3. The people blamed Moses and said, "We wish we had died in the LORD's presence with our brothers!
• 4. Did you bring the LORD's people into this wilderness to die, along with all our livestock?
• 5. Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us here to this terrible place? This land has no grain, figs, grapes, or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!"
• 6. Moses and Aaron turned away from the people and went to the entrance of the Tabernacle, where they fell face down on the ground. Then the glorious presence of the LORD appeared to them,
• 7. and the LORD said to Moses,
• 8. "You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, command the rock over there to pour out its water. You will get enough water from the rock to satisfy all the people and their livestock."
• 9. So Moses did as he was told. He took the staff from the place where it was kept before the LORD.
• 10. Then he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock. "Listen, you rebels!" he shouted. "Must we bring you water from this rock?"
• 11. Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So all the people and their livestock drank their fill.
• 12. But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!"
• 13. This place was known as the waters of Meribah, because it was where the people of Israel argued with the LORD, and where he demonstrated his holiness among them.
• 14. While Moses was at Kadesh, he sent ambassadors to the king of Edom with this message: "This message is from your relatives, the people of Israel: You know all the hardships we have been through,
• 15. and that our ancestors went down to Egypt. We lived there a long time and suffered as slaves to the Egyptians.
• 16. But when we cried out to the LORD, he heard us and sent an angel who brought us out of Egypt. Now we are camped at Kadesh, a town on the border of your land.
• 17. Please let us pass through your country. We will be careful not to go through your fields and vineyards. We won't even drink water from your wells. We will stay on the king's road and never leave it until we have crossed the opposite border."
• 18. But the king of Edom said, "Stay out of my land or I will meet you with an army!"
• 19. The Israelites answered, "We will stay on the main road. If any of our livestock drinks your water, we will pay for it. We only want to pass through your country and nothing else."
• 20. But the king of Edom replied, "Stay out! You may not pass through our land." With that he mobilized his army and marched out to meet them with an imposing force.
• 21. Because Edom refused to allow Israel to pass through their country, Israel was forced to turn around.
• 22. The whole community of Israel left Kadesh as a group and arrived at Mount Hor.
• 23. Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor on the border of the land of Edom,
• 24. "The time has come for Aaron to join his ancestors in death. He will not enter the land I am giving the people of Israel, because the two of you rebelled against my instructions concerning the waters of Meribah.
• 25. Now take Aaron and his son Eleazar up Mount Hor.
• 26. There you will remove Aaron's priestly garments and put them on Eleazar, his son. Aaron will die there and join his ancestors."
• 27. So Moses did as the LORD commanded. The three of them went up Mount Hor together as the whole community watched.
• 28. At the summit, Moses removed the priestly garments from Aaron and put them on Eleazar, Aaron's son. Then Aaron died there on top of the mountain, and Moses and Eleazar went back down.
• 29. When the people realized that Aaron had died, all Israel mourned for him thirty days.

Psalms 58

• 1. Justice--do you rulers know the meaning of the word? Do you judge the people fairly?
• 2. No, all your dealings are crooked; you hand out violence instead of justice.
• 3. These wicked people are born sinners; even from birth they have lied and gone their own way.
• 4. They spit poison like deadly snakes; they are like cobras that refuse to listen,
• 5. ignoring the tunes of the snake charmers, no matter how skillfully they play.
• 6. Break off their fangs, O God! Smash the jaws of these lions, O LORD!
• 7. May they disappear like water into thirsty ground. Make their weapons useless in their hands.
• 8. May they be like snails that dissolve into slime, like a stillborn child who will never see the sun.
• 9. God will sweep them away, both young and old, faster than a pot heats on an open flame.
• 10. The godly will rejoice when they see injustice avenged. They will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.
• 11. Then at last everyone will say, "There truly is a reward for those who live for God; surely there is a God who judges justly here on earth."

Psalms 59

• 1. Rescue me from my enemies, O God. Protect me from those who have come to destroy me.
• 2. Rescue me from these criminals; save me from these murderers.
• 3. They have set an ambush for me. Fierce enemies are out there waiting, though I have done them no wrong, O LORD.
• 4. Despite my innocence, they prepare to kill me. Rise up and help me! Look on my plight!
• 5. O LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel, rise up to punish hostile nations. Show no mercy to wicked traitors.
• 6. They come at night, snarling like vicious dogs as they prowl the streets.
• 7. Listen to the filth that comes from their mouths, the piercing swords that fly from their lips. "Who can hurt us?" they sneer.
• 8. But LORD, you laugh at them. You scoff at all the hostile nations.
• 9. You are my strength; I wait for you to rescue me, for you, O God, are my place of safety.
• 10. In his unfailing love, my God will come and help me. He will let me look down in triumph on all my enemies.
• 11. Don't kill them, for my people soon forget such lessons; stagger them with your power, and bring them to their knees, O Lord our shield.
• 12. Because of the sinful things they say, because of the evil that is on their lips, let them be captured by their pride, their curses, and their lies.
• 13. Destroy them in your anger! Wipe them out completely! Then the whole world will know that God reigns in Israel.
• 14. My enemies come out at night, snarling like vicious dogs as they prowl the streets.
• 15. They scavenge for food but go to sleep unsatisfied.
• 16. But as for me, I will sing about your power. I will shout with joy each morning because of your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety in the day of distress.
• 17. O my Strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love.

Isaiah 9

• 1. Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will soon be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory.
• 2. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light--a light that will shine on all who live in the land where death casts its shadow.
• 3. Israel will again be great, and its people will rejoice as people rejoice at harvesttime. They will shout with joy like warriors dividing the plunder.
• 4. For God will break the chains that bind his people and the whip that scourges them, just as he did when he destroyed the army of Midian with Gideon's little band.
• 5. In that day of peace, battle gear will no longer be issued. Never again will uniforms be bloodstained by war. All such equipment will be burned.
• 6. For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
• 7. His ever expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule forever with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David. The passionate commitment of the LORD Almighty will guarantee this!
• 8. The Lord has spoken out against that braggart Israel,
• 9. and the people of Israel and Samaria will soon discover it. In their pride and arrogance they say,
• 10. "Our land lies in ruins now, but we will rebuild it better than before. We will replace the broken bricks with cut stone, the fallen sycamore trees with cedars."
• 11. The LORD will reply to their bragging by bringing Rezin's enemies, the Assyrians, against them--
• 12. along with Arameans from the east and Philistines from the west. With bared fangs, they will devour Israel. But even then the LORD's anger will not be satisfied. His fist is still poised to strike.
• 13. For after all this punishment, the people will still not repent and turn to the LORD Almighty.
• 14. Therefore, in a single day, the LORD will destroy both the head and the tail, the palm branch and the reed.
• 15. The leaders of Israel are the head, and the lying prophets are the tail.
• 16. For the leaders of the people have led them down the path of destruction.
• 17. That is why the Lord has no joy in the young men and no mercy on even the widows and orphans. For they are all hypocrites, speaking wickedness with lies. But even then the LORD's anger will not be satisfied. His fist is still poised to strike.
• 18. This wickedness is like a brushfire. It burns not only briers and thorns but the forests, too. Its burning sends up vast clouds of smoke.
• 19. The land is blackened by the fury of the LORD Almighty. The people are fuel for the fire, and no one spares anyone else.
• 20. They fight against their own neighbors to steal food, but they will still be hungry. In the end they will even eat their own children.
• 21. Manasseh will feed on Ephraim, Ephraim will feed on Manasseh, and both will devour Judah. But even then the LORD's anger will not be satisfied. His fist is still poised to strike.

New Living Translation: 131 of 365 days.