Now the man, Moses, was very meek, more than all the men who were on the face of the earth. Numbers 12:3
Numbers 12-13
Numbers 12
The Murmuring of Miriam and Aaron
1Â Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married, for he had married an Ethiopian woman. 2Â They said, âHas the Lord indeed spoken only with Moses? Hasnât he spoken also with us?â And the Lord heard it.
3Â Now the man, Moses, was very meek, more than all the men who were on the face of the earth. 4Â The Lord spoke suddenly to Moses, to Aaron, and to Miriam, âYou three come out to the Tent of Meeting!â
The three of them came out. 5Â The Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the door of the Tent and called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward.
6Â He said, âNow hear my words:
If there is a prophet among you,
I, the Lord, will make myself known to him in a vision.
I will speak with him in a dream.
7Â This is not so with my servant Moses.
He is faithful in all my house.
8Â With him, I speak plainly, face to face
and not in riddles,
and he shall see the Lordâs form.
Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?â 9Â The Lordâs anger burned against them, and he departed.
10Â The cloud departed from over the Tent, and Miriam was leprous, as white as snow. Aaron looked at Miriam and saw that she was leprous.
11Â Aaron said to Moses, âOh, my lord, please do not count this sin against us, which we have done foolishly and have transgressed. 12Â Let her not, I pray, be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his motherâs womb.â
13Â Moses cried to the Lord, saying, âHeal her, O Lord, I beg you!â
14Â The Lord said to Moses, âIf her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? Let her be shut up outside of the camp for seven days, and after that she shall be brought in again.â
15Â Miriam was shut up outside of the camp for seven days, and the people did not travel until Miriam was brought in again. 16Â Afterward the people traveled from Hazeroth and encamped in the wilderness of Paran.
Numbers 13
Explorers Sent to Canaan
1Â The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2Â âSend men, that they may explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. Of every tribe of their fathers, you shall send a man, every one a leader among them.â
3Â Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran according to the commandment of the Lord. All of them were men who were heads of the Israelites. 4Â These were their names:
Of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur.
5Â Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori.
6Â Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
7Â Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph.
8Â Of the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Nun.
9Â Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu.
10Â Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi.
11Â Of the tribe of Joseph, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi.
12Â Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli.
13Â Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael.
14Â Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi.
15Â Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.
16Â These are the names of the men who Moses sent to explore the land. Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun Joshua.
Instructions to the Explorers
17Â Moses sent them to explore the land of Canaan and said to them, âGo up this way by the South, and go up into the hill country. 18Â See the land, what it is and the people who dwell in it, whether they are strong or weak, whether they are few or many. 19Â What is the land like that they dwell in? Is it is good or bad? Are the cities in which they dwell camps or fortresses? 20Â What is the land like? Is it is fertile or poor? Is there wood in it, or not? Be courageous and bring back some of the fruit of the land.â Now it was the time of the first-ripe grapes.
The Israelites Explore Canaan
21Â So they went up and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, to the entrance of Hamath. 22Â They went up by the South and came to Hebron, and Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23Â They came to the valley of Eshcol and cut down from there a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a staff between the two of them, and they also brought back pomegranates and figs. 24Â That place was called the valley of Eshcol because of the cluster which the Israelites cut down from there.
The Reports of the Explorers
25Â They returned from exploring the land after 40 days. 26Â They came back to Moses, to Aaron, and to the whole community of the Israelites, to the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh and brought back word to them and to the whole community. They showed them the fruit of the land. 27Â They told him, âWe came to the land where you sent us. Surely it flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28Â However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. Moreover, we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29Â Amalek dwells in the land of the South. The Hittite, the Jebusite, and the Amorite dwell in the hill country. The Canaanite dwells by the sea, and along the side of the Jordan.â
30Â Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, âLetâs go up at once and possess it, for we are well able to overcome it!â
31Â But the men who went up with him said, âWe arenât able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.â 32Â They brought up a bad report to the Israelites, of the land which they had explored, saying, âThe land, through which we have gone to explore is a land that eats up its inhabitants, and all the people who we saw in it are men of great stature. 33Â There we saw the Nephilim, the descendants of Anak, who come from the Nephilim. We looked like grasshoppers in our own sight, and also in their sight.â
Mark 14:22-53
The Lord’s Supper Instituted
22Â As they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had blessed it, he broke it and gave it to them and said, âTake it. This is my body.â
23Â He took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 24Â He said to them, âThis is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many. 25Â Most certainly I tell you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it anew in the Kingdom of God.â 26Â When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
27Â Jesus said to them, âAll of you will be made to stumble because of me tonight, for it is written, âI will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.â 28Â However, after I am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee.â
29Â But Peter said to him, âAlthough all fall away, yet I will not.â
30Â Jesus said to him, âMost certainly I tell you, that you today, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.â
31Â But more emphatically Peter said, âEven if I must die with you, I will not deny you.â They all said likewise.
Jesus Prays at Gethsemane
32Â They came to a place which was named Gethsemane. Jesus said to his disciples, âSit here, while I pray.â 33Â He took with him Peter, James, and John, and began to be greatly troubled and deeply distressed. 34Â He said to them, âMy soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.â
35Â He went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36Â He said, âAbba, Father, all things are possible for you. Please remove this cup from me. Nonetheless, not what I will, but what you will.â
37Â He came and found them sleeping and said to Peter, âSimon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? 38Â Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak.â
39Â Again he went away and prayed and spoke the same words. 40Â And when he returned, he found them asleep again (for their eyes were heavy), and they did not know what to answer him. 41Â He came the third time and said to them, âSleep on now and take your rest. It is enough. The hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42Â Get up! Letâs get going. He who betrays me is at hand.â
Jesus’ Betrayal and Arrest
43Â Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, cameâand with him a multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. 44Â Now he who betrayed him had given them a sign, saying, âWhomever I kiss, that is he. Seize him and lead him away securely.â 45Â When he had come, he went straight up to him and said, âRabbi! Rabbi!â and kissed him. 46Â They laid their hands on him and seized him. 47Â But a certain one of those who stood by drew his sword, and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
48Â Jesus answered them, âHave you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to seize me? 49Â I was with you every day in the temple, teaching, and you didnât arrest me. But this is so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled.â
50Â They all left him and fled. 51Â A certain young man followed him, having a linen cloth thrown around himself over his naked body. The young men grabbed him, 52Â but he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked. 53Â They led Jesus away to the high priest. All the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes came together with him.
Psalm 52
Why Do You Boast of Mischief?
To the chief Musician, Maschil, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said to him, David has come to the house of Ahimelech.
1Â Why do you boast of your mischief, mighty man?
God’s loving kindness endures continually.
2Â Your tongue plots destruction,
like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
3Â You love evil more than good,
lying rather than speaking the truth.
Selah.
4Â You love all devouring words,
you deceitful tongue.
5Â God will likewise destroy you forever.
He will take you up, and pluck you out of your tent,
and root you out of the land of the living.
Selah.
6Â The righteous also will see it,
and fear, and laugh at him, saying,
7Â “Look! This is the man who
did not make God his strength,
but trusted in the abundance of his riches,
and strengthened himself in his wickedness.”
8Â But as for me, I am like a green olive tree
flourishing in the house of God.
I trust in God’s loving kindness forever and ever.
9Â I will give you thanks forever,
because you have done it.
I will hope in your name,
for it is good,
in the presence of your saints.
Proverbs 11:1-3
1Â A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
but accurate weights are his delight.
2Â When pride comes, then comes shame,
but with the lowly comes wisdom.
3Â The integrity of the upright shall guide them,
but the perverseness of the treacherous shall destroy them.