1 Chronicles 9

• 1. All Israel was listed in the genealogical record in The Book of the Kings of Israel. The Returning Exiles The people of Judah were exiled to Babylon because they were unfaithful to the LORD.
• 2. The first to return to their property in their former towns were common people. With them came some of the priests, Levites, and Temple assistants.
• 3. People from the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh came and settled in Jerusalem.
• 4. One family that returned was that of Uthai son of Ammihud, son of Omri, son of Imri, son of Bani, a descendant of Perez son of Judah.
• 5. Others returned from the Shilonite clan, including Asaiah (the oldest) and his sons.
• 6. From the Zerahite clan, Jeuel returned with his relatives. In all, 690 families from the tribe of Judah returned.
• 7. From the tribe of Benjamin came Sallu son of Meshullam, son of Hodaviah, son of Hassenuah;
• 8. Ibneiah son of Jeroham; Elah son of Uzzi, son of Micri; Meshullam son of Shephatiah, son of Reuel, son of Ibnijah.
• 9. These men were all leaders of clans, and they were listed in their tribal genealogy. In all, 956 families from the tribe of Benjamin returned.
• 10. Among the priests who returned were Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, Jakin,
• 11. Azariah son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub. Azariah was the chief officer of the house of God.
• 12. Other returning priests were Adaiah son of Jeroham, son of Pashhur, son of Malkijah, and Maasai son of Adiel, son of Jahzerah, son of Meshullam, son of Meshillemith, son of Immer.
• 13. In all, 1,760 priests returned. They were heads of clans and very able men. They were responsible for ministering at the house of God.
• 14. The Levites who returned were Shemaiah son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, a descendant of Merari;
• 15. Bakbakkar; Heresh; Galal; Mattaniah son of Mica, son of Zicri, son of Asaph;
• 16. Obadiah son of Shemaiah, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun; and Berekiah son of Asa, son of Elkanah, who lived in the area of Netophah.
• 17. The gatekeepers who returned were Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their relatives. Shallum was the chief gatekeeper.
• 18. Prior to this time, they were responsible for the King's Gate on the east side. These men served as gatekeepers for the camps of the Levites.
• 19. Shallum was the son of Kore, a descendant of Abiasaph, from the clan of Korah. He and his relatives, the Korahites, were responsible for guarding the entrance to the sanctuary, just as their ancestors had guarded the Tabernacle in the camp of the LORD.
• 20. Phinehas son of Eleazar had been in charge of the gatekeepers in earlier times, and the LORD had been with him.
• 21. And later Zechariah son of Meshelemiah had been responsible for guarding the entrance to the Tabernacle.
• 22. In all, there were 212 gatekeepers in those days, and they were listed by genealogies in their villages. David and Samuel the seer had appointed their ancestors because they were reliable men.
• 23. These gatekeepers and their descendants, by their divisions, were responsible for guarding the entrance to the house of the LORD, the house that was formerly a tent.
• 24. The gatekeepers were stationed on all four sides--east, west, north, and south.
• 25. From time to time, their relatives in the villages came to share their duties for seven-day periods.
• 26. The four chief gatekeepers, all Levites, were in an office of great trust, for they were responsible for the rooms and treasuries at the house of God.
• 27. They would spend the night around the house of God, since it was their duty to guard it. It was also their job to open the gates every morning.
• 28. Some of the gatekeepers were assigned to care for the various utensils used in worship. They checked them in and out to avoid any loss.
• 29. Others were responsible for the furnishings, the items in the sanctuary, and the supplies such as choice flour, wine, olive oil, incense, and spices.
• 30. But it was the priests who prepared the spices and incense.
• 31. Mattithiah, a Levite and the oldest son of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with baking the bread used in the offerings.
• 32. And some members of the clan of Kohath were in charge of preparing the bread to be set on the table each Sabbath day.
• 33. The musicians, all prominent Levites, lived at the Temple. They were exempt from other responsibilities there since they were on duty at all hours.
• 34. All these men lived in Jerusalem. They were the heads of Levite families and were listed as prominent leaders in their tribal genealogy.
• 35. Jeiel (the father of Gibeon) lived in Gibeon. His wife's name was Maacah,
• 36. and his oldest son was named Abdon. Jeiel's other sons were Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab,
• 37. Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth.
• 38. Mikloth was the father of Shimeam. All these families lived near each other in Jerusalem.
• 39. Ner was the father of Kish. Kish was the father of Saul. Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malkishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.
• 40. Jonathan was the father of Meribbaal. Meribbaal was the father of Micah.
• 41. The sons of Micah were Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and Ahaz.
• 42. Ahaz was the father of Jadah. Jadah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri was the father of Moza.
• 43. Moza was the father of Binea. Binea's son was Rephaiah. Rephaiah's son was Eleasah. Eleasah's son was Azel.
• 44. Azel had six sons, and their names were Azrikam, Bokeru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.

1 Chronicles 10

• 1. Now the Philistines attacked Israel, forcing the Israelites to flee. Many were slaughtered on the slopes of Mount Gilboa.
• 2. The Philistines closed in on Saul and his sons, and they killed three of his sons--Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malkishua.
• 3. The fighting grew very fierce around Saul, and the Philistine archers caught up with him and wounded him severely.
• 4. Saul groaned to his armor bearer, "Take your sword and run me through before these pagan Philistines come and humiliate me." But his armor bearer was afraid and would not do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.
• 5. When his armor bearer realized that Saul was dead, he fell on his own sword and died.
• 6. So Saul and his three sons died there together, bringing his dynasty to an end.
• 7. When the Israelites in the Jezreel Valley saw that their army had been routed and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their towns and fled. So the Philistines moved in and occupied their towns.
• 8. The next day when the Philistines went out to strip the dead, they found the bodies of Saul and his sons on Mount Gilboa.
• 9. So they stripped off Saul's armor and cut off his head. Then they proclaimed the news of Saul's death before their idols and to the people throughout the land of Philistia.
• 10. They placed his armor in the temple of their gods, and they fastened his head to the wall in the temple of Dagon.
• 11. But when the people of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,
• 12. their warriors went out and brought the bodies of Saul and his three sons back to Jabesh. Then they buried their remains beneath the oak tree at Jabesh, and they fasted for seven days.
• 13. So Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD. He failed to obey the LORD's command, and he even consulted a medium
• 14. instead of asking the LORD for guidance. So the LORD killed him and turned his kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

Hebrews 12

• 1. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.
• 2. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God's throne in heaven.
• 3. Think about all he endured when sinful people did such terrible things to him, so that you don't become weary and give up.
• 4. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.
• 5. And have you entirely forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you, his children? He said, "My child, don't ignore it when the Lord disciplines you, and don't be discouraged when he corrects you.
• 6. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes those he accepts as his children."
• 7. As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Whoever heard of a child who was never disciplined?
• 8. If God doesn't discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children after all.
• 9. Since we respect our earthly fathers who disciplined us, should we not all the more cheerfully submit to the discipline of our heavenly Father and live forever?
• 10. For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God's discipline is always right and good for us because it means we will share in his holiness.
• 11. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening--it is painful! But afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
• 12. So take a new grip with your tired hands and stand firm on your shaky legs.
• 13. Mark out a straight path for your feet. Then those who follow you, though they are weak and lame, will not stumble and fall but will become strong.
• 14. Try to live in peace with everyone, and seek to live a clean and holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.
• 15. Look after each other so that none of you will miss out on the special favor of God. Watch out that no bitter root of unbelief rises up among you, for whenever it springs up, many are corrupted by its poison.
• 16. Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau. He traded his birthright as the oldest son for a single meal.
• 17. And afterward, when he wanted his father's blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he wept bitter tears.
• 18. You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai when God gave them his laws.
• 19. For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice with a message so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking.
• 20. They staggered back under God's command: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death."
• 21. Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, "I am terrified and trembling."
• 22. No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to thousands of angels in joyful assembly.
• 23. You have come to the assembly of God's firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge of all people. And you have come to the spirits of the redeemed in heaven who have now been made perfect.
• 24. You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which graciously forgives instead of crying out for vengeance as the blood of Abel did.
• 25. See to it that you obey God, the one who is speaking to you. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, how terrible our danger if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!
• 26. When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: "Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also."
• 27. This means that the things on earth will be shaken, so that only eternal things will be left.
• 28. Since we are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be destroyed, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.
• 29. For our God is a consuming fire.

Amos 6

• 1. How terrible it will be for you who lounge in luxury and think you are secure in Jerusalem and Samaria! You are famous and popular in Israel, you to whom the people go for help.
• 2. Go over to Calneh and see what happened there. Then go to the great city of Hamath and on down to the Philistine city of Gath. You are no better than they were, and look at how they were destroyed.
• 3. You push away every thought of coming disaster, but your actions only bring the day of judgment closer.
• 4. How terrible it will be for you who sprawl on ivory beds surrounded with luxury, eating the meat of tender lambs and choice calves.
• 5. You sing idle songs to the sound of the harp, and you fancy yourselves to be great musicians, as King David was.
• 6. You drink wine by the bowlful, and you perfume yourselves with exotic fragrances, caring nothing at all that your nation is going to ruin.
• 7. Therefore, you will be the first to be led away as captives. Suddenly, all your revelry will end.
• 8. The Sovereign LORD has sworn by his own name, and this is what he, the LORD God Almighty, says: "I despise the pride and false glory of Israel, and I hate their beautiful homes. I will give this city and everything in it to their enemies."
• 9. If there are ten men left in one house, they will all die.
• 10. And when a close relative--one who is responsible for burning the dead--goes into the house to carry away a dead body, he will ask the last survivor, "Is there anyone else with you?" And the person will answer, "No!" Then he will say, "Hush! Don't even whisper the name of the LORD. He might hear you!"
• 11. When the LORD gives the command, homes both great and small will be smashed to pieces.
• 12. Can horses gallop over rocks? Can oxen be used to plow rocks? Stupid even to ask--but that's how stupid you are when you turn justice into poison and make bitter the sweet fruit of righteousness.
• 13. And just as stupid is this bragging about your conquest of Lo-debar. You boast, "Didn't we take Karnaim by our own strength and power?"
• 14. "O people of Israel, I am about to bring an enemy nation against you," says the LORD God Almighty. "It will oppress you bitterly throughout your land--from Lebo-hamath in the north to the Arabah Valley in the south."

New Living Translation: 321 of 365 days.