God is within her. She shall not be moved.
God will help her at dawn. Psalm 46:5

Leviticus 27, Numbers 1

Leviticus 27

Rules and Valuations

¹ The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ² “Speak to the Israelites and say to them, ‘When a man consecrates a person to the Lord in a vow, according to your valuation, ³ your valuation of a male from 20 years old to 60 years old shall be 50 shekels, measured according to the monetary system of the sanctuary. ⁴ If she is a female, then your valuation shall be 30 shekels.

⁵ If the person is from five years old to twenty years old, then your valuation shall be twenty shekels for a male and ten shekels for a female.

⁶ If the person is from one month old to five years old, then your valuation shall be five shekels for a male, and your valuation shall be three shekels for a female.

⁷ If the person is from 60 years old and up, your valuation shall be fifteen shekels if he is a male and ten shekels for a female. ⁸ But if he is poorer than your valuation, then he shall be set before the priest, and the priest shall assign a value to him. The priest shall assign a value according to his ability to pay.

⁹ If it is an animal of which men present an offering to the Lord, everything that anyone gives of such to the Lord becomes holy. ¹⁰ He shall not alter it, nor exchange it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good. If he shall at all exchange animal for animal, then both it and that for which it is exchanged shall be holy. ¹¹ If it is any unclean animal, of which they do not present as an offering to the Lord, then he shall set the animal before the priest; ¹² and the priest shall evaluate it, whether it is good or bad. As the priest evaluates it, so it shall be. ¹³ But if he will indeed redeem it, then he shall add twenty percent of it to its valuation.

¹⁴ When a man dedicates his house to be holy to the Lord, then the priest shall evaluate it, whether it is good or bad. As the priest evaluates it, so it shall stand. ¹⁵ If he who dedicates it will redeem his house, then he shall add twenty percent of the money of your valuation to it, and it shall be his.

¹⁶ If a man dedicates to the Lord part of the field of his possession, then your valuation shall be according to the seed for it. The sowing of a homer of barley shall be valued at 50 shekels. ¹⁷ If he dedicates his field from the Year of Jubilee, according to your valuation it shall stand, ¹⁸ but if he dedicates his field after the Jubilee, then the priest shall calculate the money according to the years that remain to the Year of Jubilee; and an abatement shall be made from your valuation.

¹⁹ If he who dedicated the field will indeed redeem it, then he shall add twenty percent of the money of your valuation to it, and it shall remain his. ²⁰ If he will not redeem the field, or if he has sold the field to another man, it shall not be redeemed any more; ²¹ but the field, when it goes out in the Jubilee, shall be holy to the Lord, as a devoted field. It shall be owned by the priests.

²² If he dedicates a field to the Lord which he has bought, which is not of the field of his possession, ²³ then the priest shall calculate the worth of your valuation up to the Year of Jubilee, and he shall give your valuation on that day, as a holy thing to the Lord. ²⁴ In the Year of Jubilee the field shall return to him from whom it was bought, to him to whom the possession of the land belongs. ²⁵ All your valuations shall be according to the monetary system of the sanctuary: twenty gerahs to the shekel.

²⁶ However the firstborn among animals, which belongs to the Lord as a firstborn, no man may dedicate, whether an ox or a sheep. It is the Lord’s. ²⁷ If it is an unclean animal, then he shall buy it back according to your valuation and shall add twenty percent to it, or if it is not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to your valuation.

²⁸ Notwithstanding, no devoted thing that a man devotes to the Lord of all that he has, whether of man or animal, or of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed. Everything that is permanently devoted is most holy to the Lord.

²⁹ No one devoted to destruction, who shall be devoted from among men, shall be ransomed. He shall surely be put to death.

Instruction on Tithes

³⁰ All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord’s. It is holy to the Lord.

³¹ If a man redeems anything of his tithe, he shall add twenty percent to it. ³² All the tithe of the herds or the flocks, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth shall be holy to the Lord. ³³ He shall not examine whether it is good or bad, nor shall he exchange it. If he exchanges it at all, then both it and that for which it is exchanged shall be holy. It shall not be redeemed.’ ”

³⁴ These are the commandments which the Lord commanded Moses for the Israelites on Mount Sinai.

Numbers 1

The Census of Israel’s Warriors

¹ The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, ² “Take a census of all the congregation of the Israelites, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, every male, one by one, ³ from twenty years old and up, all who are able to go out to war in Israel. You and Aaron shall count them by their divisions.

⁴ With you there shall be a man of every tribe, each one head of his fathers’ house.

The Leaders of the Tribes

⁵ These are the names of the men who shall stand with you:
Of Reuben: Elizur the son of Shedeur.

⁶ Of Simeon: Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
⁷ Of Judah: Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
⁸ Of Issachar: Nethanel the son of Zuar.
⁹ Of Zebulun: Eliab the son of Helon.
¹⁰ Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim: Elishama the son of Ammihud; of Manasseh: Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
¹¹ Of Benjamin: Abidan the son of Gideoni.
¹² Of Dan: Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
¹³ Of Asher: Pagiel the son of Ochran.
¹⁴ Of Gad: Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
¹⁵ Of Naphtali: Ahira the son of Enan.”

¹⁶ These are the ones who were chosen from the congregation, the leaders of the tribes of their fathers. They were the heads of the thousands of Israel.

The Number of Every Tribe

¹⁷ Moses and Aaron took these men who are mentioned by name. ¹⁸ They assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month, and they declared their ancestry by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and up, one by one. ¹⁹ As the Lord commanded Moses, so he counted them in the wilderness of Sinai.

²⁰ The children of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, one by one, every male from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war: ²¹ those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Reuben, were 40,500.

²² Of the children of Simeon, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, those who were counted of it, according to the number of the names, one by one, every male from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war: ²³ those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Simeon, were 59,300.

²⁴ Of the children of Gad, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war: ²⁵ those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Gad, were 45,600.

²⁶ Of the children of Judah, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war: ²⁷ those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Judah, were 74,600.

²⁸ Of the children of Issachar, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war: ²⁹ those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Issachar, were 54,400.

³⁰ Of the children of Zebulun, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war: ³¹ those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Zebulun, were 57,400.

³² Of the children of Joseph: of the children of Ephraim, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war: ³³ those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Ephraim, were 40,500.

³⁴ Of the children of Manasseh, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war: ³⁵ those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Manasseh, were 32,200.

³⁶ Of the children of Benjamin, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war: ³⁷ those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Benjamin, were 35,400.

³⁸ Of the children of Dan, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war: ³⁹ those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Dan, were 62,700.

⁴⁰ Of the children of Asher, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war: ⁴¹ those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Asher, were 41,500.

⁴² Of the children of Naphtali, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war: ⁴³ those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Naphtali, were 53,400.

⁴⁴ These are those who were counted, whom Moses and Aaron counted, and the twelve men who were the leaders of Israel, each one for his fathers’ house. ⁴⁵ So all those who were counted of the Israelites by their fathers’ houses, from twenty years old and up, all who were able to go out to war in Israel— ⁴⁶ all those who were counted were 603,550.

Levites Exempted

⁴⁷ But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not counted among them. ⁴⁸ For the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ⁴⁹ “Only the tribe of Levi you shall not count, nor shall you take a census of them among the Israelites, ⁵⁰ but appoint the Levites over the Tabernacle of the Testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall take care of it and shall encamp around it. ⁵¹ When the tabernacle is to move, the Levites shall take it down, and when the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall set it up. The foreigner who comes near shall be put to death.

⁵² The Israelites shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, according to their divisions.

⁵³ But the Levites shall encamp around the Tabernacle of the Testimony, that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the Israelites. The Levites shall be responsible for the Tabernacle of the Testimony.”

⁵⁴ Thus the Israelites did. According to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so they did.

Mark 11

The Triumphal Entry

¹ When they came near to Jerusalem, to Bethsphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples ² and said to them, “Go your way into the village that is opposite you. Immediately as you enter into it, you will find a young donkey tied, on which no one has sat. Untie him and bring him. ³ If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs him,’ and immediately he will send him back here.”

⁴ They went away and found a young donkey tied at the door outside in the open street, and they untied him. ⁵ Some of those who stood there asked them, “What are you doing, untying the young donkey?” ⁶ They said to them just as Jesus had said, and they let them go.

⁷ They brought the young donkey to Jesus and threw their garments on it, and Jesus sat on it. ⁸ Many spread their garments on the way, and others were cutting down branches from the trees and spreading them on the road.

⁹ Those who went in front and those who followed cried out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! ¹⁰ Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

¹¹ Jesus entered into the temple in Jerusalem. When he had looked around at everything, it being now evening, he went out to Bethany with the twelve disciples.

Jesus Curses the Fig Tree

¹² The next day, when they had come out from Bethany, he was hungry. ¹³ Seeing a fig tree from afar, having leaves, he came to see if perhaps he might find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. ¹⁴ Jesus told it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” and his disciples heard it.

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

¹⁵ They came to Jerusalem, and Jesus entered into the temple and began to throw out those who sold and those who bought in the temple and overthrew the money changers’ tables and the seats of those who sold the doves. ¹⁶ He would not allow anyone to carry a container through the temple. ¹⁷ He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations?’ But you have made it a den of robbers!”

¹⁸ The chief priests and the scribes heard it and sought how they might destroy him. For they feared him, because the whole crowd of people was amazed at his teaching.

¹⁹ When evening came, he went out of the city.

The Withered Fig Tree

²⁰ As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away from the roots. ²¹ Peter, remembering, said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered away.”

²² Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. ²³ For most certainly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening, he shall have whatever he says.

²⁴ Therefore I tell you, all things, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them. ²⁵ Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven may also forgive you of your transgressions. ²⁶ But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions.”

Jesus’ Authority Challenged

²⁷ They came again to Jerusalem, and as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes and the elders came to him, ²⁸ and they began saying to him, “By what authority do you do these things? Or who gave you this authority to do these things?”

²⁹ Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. ³⁰ The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men? Answer me.”

³¹ They reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we should say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ ³² If we should say, ‘From men’ ”—they feared the people, for everyone held John to  be a true prophet. ³³ They answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Jesus said to them, “Nor do I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Psalm 46

God is Our Refuge and Strength

For the Chief Musician. By the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth.

¹ The Lord is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not be afraid, though the earth changes,
though the mountains are shaken into the heart of the seas;
³ though its waters roar and are troubled,
though the mountains tremble with their swelling.

Selah.

⁴ There is a river, the streams of which make the city of God glad,
the holy place of the tents of the Most High.
⁵ God is within her. She shall not be moved.
God will help her at dawn.
⁶ The nations raged. The kingdoms were moved.
He lifted his voice and the earth melted.
⁷ The Lord of Armies is with us.
The God of Jacob is our refuge.

⁸ Come, see the Lord’s works,
what desolation he has made in the earth.
⁹ He causes wars to cease to the end of the earth.
He breaks the bow, and shatters the spear.
He burns the chariots in the fire.
¹⁰ “Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations.
I will be exalted in the earth.”
¹¹ God of Armies is with us.
The God of Jacob is our refuge.

Proverbs 10:23

²³ As wicked behavior is like sport to a fool,
so wisdom is to the man of understanding.

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