Numbers 25

• 1. While the Israelites were camped at Acacia, some of the men defiled themselves by sleeping with the local Moabite women.
• 2. These women invited them to attend sacrifices to their gods, and soon the Israelites were feasting with them and worshiping the gods of Moab.
• 3. Before long Israel was joining in the worship of Baal of Peor, causing the LORD's anger to blaze against his people.
• 4. The LORD issued the following command to Moses: "Seize all the ringleaders and execute them before the LORD in broad daylight, so his fierce anger will turn away from the people of Israel."
• 5. So Moses ordered Israel's judges to execute everyone who had joined in worshiping Baal of Peor.
• 6. Just then one of the Israelite men brought a Midianite woman into the camp, right before the eyes of Moses and all the people, as they were weeping at the entrance of the Tabernacle.
• 7. When Phinehas son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron the priest saw this, he jumped up and left the assembly. Then he took a spear
• 8. and rushed after the man into his tent. Phinehas thrust the spear all the way through the man's body and into the woman's stomach. So the plague against the Israelites was stopped,
• 9. but not before 24,000 people had died.
• 10. Then the LORD said to Moses,
• 11. "Phinehas son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron the priest has turned my anger away from the Israelites by displaying passionate zeal among them on my behalf. So I have stopped destroying all Israel as I had intended to do in my anger.
• 12. So tell him that I am making my special covenant of peace with him.
• 13. In this covenant, he and his descendants will be priests for all time, because he was zealous for his God and made atonement for the people of Israel."
• 14. The Israelite man killed with the Midianite woman was named Zimri son of Salu, the leader of a family from the tribe of Simeon.
• 15. The woman's name was Cozbi; she was the daughter of Zur, the leader of a Midianite clan.
• 16. Then the LORD said to Moses,
• 17. "Attack the Midianites and destroy them,
• 18. because they assaulted you with deceit by tricking you into worshiping Baal of Peor, and because of Cozbi, the daughter of a Midianite leader, who was killed on the day of the plague at Peor."

Psalms 68

• 1. Arise, O God, and scatter your enemies. Let those who hate God run for their lives.
• 2. Drive them off like smoke blown by the wind. Melt them like wax in fire. Let the wicked perish in the presence of God.
• 3. But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God's presence. Let them be filled with joy.
• 4. Sing praises to God and to his name! Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds. His name is the LORD--rejoice in his presence!
• 5. Father to the fatherless, defender of widows--this is God, whose dwelling is holy.
• 6. God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. But for rebels, there is only famine and distress.
• 7. O God, when you led your people from Egypt, when you marched through the wilderness,
• 8. the earth trembled, and the heavens poured rain before you, the God of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.
• 9. You sent abundant rain, O God, to refresh the weary Promised Land.
• 10. There your people finally settled, and with a bountiful harvest, O God, you provided for your needy people.
• 11. The Lord announces victory, and throngs of women shout the happy news.
• 12. Enemy kings and their armies flee, while the women of Israel divide the plunder.
• 13. Though they lived among the sheepfolds, now they are covered with silver and gold, as a dove is covered by its wings.
• 14. The Almighty scattered the enemy kings like a blowing snowstorm on Mount Zalmon.
• 15. The majestic mountains of Bashan stretch high into the sky.
• 16. Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountains, at Mount Zion, where God has chosen to live, where the LORD himself will live forever?
• 17. Surrounded by unnumbered thousands of chariots, the Lord came from Mount Sinai into his sanctuary.
• 18. When you ascended to the heights, you led a crowd of captives. You received gifts from the people, even from those who rebelled against you. Now the LORD God will live among us here.
• 19. Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms.
• 20. Our God is a God who saves! The Sovereign LORD rescues us from death.
• 21. But God will smash the heads of his enemies, crushing the skulls of those who love their guilty ways.
• 22. The Lord says, "I will bring my enemies down from Bashan; I will bring them up from the depths of the sea.
• 23. You, my people, will wash your feet in their blood, and even your dogs will get their share!"
• 24. Your procession has come into view, O God--the procession of my God and King as he goes into the sanctuary.
• 25. Singers are in front, musicians are behind; with them are young women playing tambourines.
• 26. Praise God, all you people of Israel; praise the LORD, the source of Israel's life.
• 27. Look, the little tribe of Benjamin leads the way. Then comes a great throng of rulers from Judah and all the rulers of Zebulun and Naphtali.
• 28. Summon your might, O God. Display your power, O God, as you have in the past.
• 29. The kings of the earth are bringing tribute to your Temple in Jerusalem.
• 30. Rebuke these enemy nations--these wild animals lurking in the reeds, this herd of bulls among the weaker calves. Humble those who demand tribute from us. Scatter the nations that delight in war.
• 31. Let Egypt come with gifts of precious metals; let Ethiopia bow in submission to God.
• 32. Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth. Sing praises to the Lord.
• 33. Sing to the one who rides across the ancient heavens, his mighty voice thundering from the sky.
• 34. Tell everyone about God's power. His majesty shines down on Israel; his strength is mighty in the heavens.
• 35. God is awesome in his sanctuary. The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!

Isaiah 15

• 1. This message came to me concerning Moab: In one night your cities of Ar and Kir will be destroyed.
• 2. Your people in Dibon will mourn at their temples and shrines, weeping for the fate of Nebo and Medeba. They will shave their heads in sorrow and cut off their beards.
• 3. They will wear sackcloth as they wander the streets. From every home will come the sound of weeping.
• 4. The cries from the cities of Heshbon and Elealeh will be heard far away, even in Jahaz! The bravest warriors of Moab will cry out in utter terror.
• 5. My heart weeps for Moab. Its people flee to Zoar and Eglath-shelishiyah. Weeping, they climb the road to Luhith. Their crying can be heard all along the road to Horonaim.
• 6. Even the waters of Nimrim are dried up! The grassy banks are scorched, and the tender plants are gone.
• 7. The desperate refugees take only the possessions they can carry and flee across the Ravine of Willows.
• 8. The whole land of Moab is a land of weeping from one end to the other--from Eglaim to Beer-elim.
• 9. The stream near Dibon runs red with blood, but I am still not finished with Dibon! Lions will hunt down the survivors, both those who try to run and those who remain behind.

New Living Translation: 136 of 365 days.