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18 The tribes of Reuben, Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh had a large army. They had 44,760 brave soldiers who knew how to fight well. Their weapons were shields, swords, and bows and arrows. 19 They attacked the Hagrites and the people in Jetur, Naphish and Nodab. 20 God helped their army to fight against their enemies. He put the Hagrites under their power, as well as the other people who fought with them. The soldiers of Manasseh, Reuben and Gad called out to God for help during the battle. God answered their prayers because they trusted him. 21 They took all their enemies' animals. They included 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep and 2,000 donkeys. They also caught 100,000 people as their prisoners. 22 They killed many of their enemy's soldiers because God was fighting for them. Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh's tribe took the land where the Hagrites had lived. They continued to live there until the exile of Judah's people.
The half tribe of Manasseh in the east[a]
23 Half of Manasseh's tribe lived in the region of Bashan, on the east side of the Jordan River. Their borders were Baal-Hermon, Senir and Hermon mountain. They became very many people.
24 These men were the leaders of their clans: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah and Jahdiel. They were brave soldiers and people respected them. They were leaders of their clans. 25 But they turned away from the God that their ancestors had worshipped. He had chased the other nations out of the land where his people now lived. But now they started to worship the gods of those nations. 26 So the God of Israel caused King Pul of Assyria to attack their land. That king is also called King Tiglath-Pileser.[b] He won the fight against the people of Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh. He took them away as his prisoners to Halah, to Habor, to Hara and to the Gozan river. They are still living there, even today.
The descendants of Levi
6 Levi's sons were: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
2 Kohath's sons were: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.
3 Amram's children were: Aaron, Moses and Miriam.
Aaron's sons were: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
4 Eleazar became the father of Phinehas. Phinehas became the father of Abishua. 5 Abishua became the father of Bukki. Bukki became the father of Uzzi. 6 Uzzi became the father of Zerahiah. Zerahiah became the father of Meraioth. 7 Meraioth became the father of Amariah. Amariah became the father of Ahitub. 8 Ahitub became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Ahimaaz. 9 Ahimaaz became the father of Azariah. Azariah became the father of Johanan. 10 Johanan became the father of Azariah. Azariah served God as a priest in the temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem.
11 Azariah became the father of Amariah. Amariah became the father of Ahitub. 12 Ahitub became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Shallum. 13 Shallum became the father of Hilkiah. Hilkiah became the father of Azariah. 14 Azariah became the father of Seraiah. Seraiah became the father of Jehozadak. 15 Jehozadak went into exile with the people from Jerusalem and the rest of Judah. The Lord used Nebuchadnezzar to take them away to Babylon.
The three clans of Levi
16 Levi's sons were: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
17 The names of Gershon's sons were Libni and Shimei.
18 Kohath's sons were: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.
19 Merari's sons were: Mahli and Mushi.
These are the ancestors of the clans of the Levites:
20 Gershon's descendants were his son Libni, Libni's son Jahath and Jahath's son Zimmah. 21 Zimmah's son was Joah. Joah's son was Iddo. Iddo's son was Zerah. Zerah's son was Jeatherai.
22 Kohath's descendants were his son Amminadab, Amminadab's son Korah and Korah's son Assir. 23 Assir's son was Elkanah. Elkanah's son was Ebiasaph. Ebiasaph's son was Assir. 24 Assir's son was Tahath. Tahath's son was Uriel. Uriel's son was Uzziah. Uzziah's son was Shaul.
25 Elkanah's other sons were Amasai and Ahimoth. 26 Ahimoth's son was Elkanah. Elkanah's son was Zophai. Zophai's son was Nahath. 27 Nahath's son was Eliab. Eliab's son was Jeroham. Jeroham's son was Elkanah.
28 Samuel's firstborn son was Joel and his second son was Abijah.[c]
29 Merari's descendants were his son Mahli, Mahli's son Libni, Libni's son Shimei and Shimei's son Uzzah. 30 Uzzah's son was Shimea. Shimea's son was Haggiah. Haggiah's son was Asaiah.
The musicians for the temple
31 After David put God's Covenant Box in the Lord's house, he chose some men to lead the music there. 32 They used music to serve the Lord in his special tent where he met with his people. After King Solomon built the Lord's temple in Jerusalem, they served the Lord there. They obeyed the rules that told them how to do their work.
33 These are the leaders of the music and their sons:
From Kohath's clan: Heman the singer. He was Joel's son. Joel was Samuel's son. 34 Samuel was Elkanah's son. Elkanah was Jeroham's son. Jeroham was Eliel's son. Eliel was Toah's son. 35 Toah was Zuph's son. Zuph was Elkanah's son. Elkanah was Mahath's son. Mahath was Amasai's son. 36 Amasai was Elkanah's son. Elkanah was Joel's son. Joel was Azariah's son. Azariah was Zephaniah's son. 37 Zephaniah was Tahath's son. Tahath was Assir's son. Assir was Ebiasaph's son. Ebiasaph was Korah's son. 38 Korah was Izhar's son. Izhar was Kohath's son. Kohath was Levi's son. Levi was Israel's son.
39 Heman worked with his relative, Asaph. Asaph was Heman's helper. He was Berekiah's son. Berekiah was Shimea's son. 40 Shimea was Michael's son. Michael was Baaseiah's son. Baaseiah was Malkijah's son. 41 Malkijah was Ethni's son. Ethni was Zerah's son. Zerah was Adaiah's son. 42 Adaiah was Ethan's son. Ethan was Zimmah's son. Zimmah was Shimei's son. 43 Shimei was Jahath's son. Jahath was Gershon's son. Gershon was Levi's son.
44 Other relatives of Heman and Asaph worked with them. They belonged to Merari's clan and they stood on the left side. Kishi's son Ethan led this group. Kishi was Abdi's son. Abdi was Malluch's son. 45 Malluch was Hashabiah's son. Hashabiah was Amaziah's son. Amaziah was Hilkiah's son. 46 Hilkiah was Amzi's son. Amzi was Bani's son. Bani was Shemer's son. 47 Shemer was Mahli's son. Mahli was Mushi's son. Mushi was Merari's son. Merari was Levi's son.
48 All the other Levites also had jobs to do in God's special tent.
Aaron's descendants
49 Only Aaron and his descendants served God as priests. They offered sacrifices to God on the altar for burnt offerings. They also burned sweet oils on the altar for incense. That was their work in the Most Holy Place. They made sacrifices so that God would forgive the sins of the Israelites. They did all this in the way that God's servant Moses had commanded.
50 These were Aaron's descendants:
Eleazar was Aaron's son. Phinehas was Eleazar's son. Abishua was Phinehas's son. 51 Bukki was Abishua's son. Uzzi was Bukki's son. Zerahiah was Uzzi's son. 52 Meraioth was Zerahiah's son. Amariah was Meraioth's son. Ahitub was Amariah's son. 53 Zadok was Ahitub's son. Ahimaaz was Zadok's son.
The cities of the Levites
54 Aaron's descendants belonged to the clan of Levi's son, Kohath. When the leaders used lots to divide the land, Kohath's clan received the first part of the land.[d] These places belonged to them:
55 They had Hebron city in Judah's land. They had the fields around the city. 56 But Jephunneh's son, Caleb, had the villages around the city, with their fields. 57 Aaron's descendants received these towns with the fields around them: Hebron (a safe city),[e] Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, 58 Hilen, Debir, 59 Ashan, Juttah and Beth-Shemesh.
60 They also received some towns in land that belonged to Benjamin's tribe. They received these towns with the fields around them: Gibeon, Geba, Alemeth and Anathoth.
So there were 13 towns for Aaron's descendants to live in.
61 The other people who were Kohath's descendants received ten towns in land that belonged to the half tribe of Manasseh. They used lots to choose the towns.
62 Gershon's descendants received 13 towns. The lots showed which towns they would receive. Their towns were in land that belonged to the tribes of Issachar, Asher and Naphtali, as well as in Manasseh's land in the region of Bashan, on the east side of the Jordan River.
63 Merari's descendants received 12 towns. The lots showed which towns they would receive. Their towns were in land that belonged to the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.
64 So the Israelites gave those towns and the fields around them to the Levites. 65 They used lots to choose these towns, including the towns in land that belonged to the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin.
66 Descendants of Kohath received towns in land that belonged to Ephraim's tribe. They received these towns with the fields around them: 67 Shechem (a safe city in the hill country of Ephraim), Gezer, 68 Jokmeam, Beth-Horon, 69 Aijalon and Gath-Rimmon. 70 The other descendants of Kohath received towns in land that belonged to the half tribe of Manasseh. They received Aner with its fields and Bileam with its fields.
71 The descendants of Gershon received these towns in land that belonged to the other half tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan with its fields and Ashtaroth with its fields. 72 They also received towns in land that belonged to Issachar's tribe. They received these towns and the fields around them: Kedesh, Daberath, 73 Ramoth and Anem. 74 They received these towns in land that belonged to Asher's tribe: Mashal with its fields, Abdon with its fields, 75 Hukok with its fields and Rehob with its fields. 76 They received these towns in land that belonged to Naphtali's tribe: Kedesh in Galilee with its fields, Hammon with its fields and Kiriathaim with its fields.
77 The rest of Levi's descendants, who belonged to Merari's clan, received these towns: In land that belonged to Zebulun's tribe they received Rimmono with its fields and Tabor with its fields. 78 They also received towns in land that belonged to Reuben's tribe on the east side of the Jordan River, beyond Jericho city. They received these towns and the fields around them: Bezer in the desert, Jahzah, 79 Kedemoth and Mephaath. 80 They received these towns in land that belonged to Gad's tribe: Ramoth in Gilead with its fields, Mahanaim with its fields, 81 Heshbon with its fields and Jazer with its fields.
Paul speaks to Agrippa
26 King Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You may now say what you think about this problem.’
Paul raised his hand so that people would listen to him. 2 He said, ‘King Agrippa, I am happy that you are here. I ask you to listen to me today. These Jews say that I have done some bad things. I will explain to you what is really true about all these things. 3 You yourself know all about the Jews. You know about how we live. You also know the things that we argue about with each other. So please be patient and listen to me.
4 The Jewish people have known me since I was born. They all know how I have lived among them. They knew me in the region where I was born. When I came to Jerusalem, they also know how I lived there. 5 So they have known me for a long time. They could tell you that I always obeyed our Jewish laws. They know that I was a Pharisee. I carefully obeyed God's Law, as a Pharisee does. But maybe they do not want to tell you all that. 6 So what is the reason that I stand here today for you to judge me? It is because I believe in God's promise to our ancestors. 7 He promised a great thing to our 12 Israelite families. We all expect to receive what God has promised to us. That is why we Jews always worship God, in the day and in the night. Like these Jews here, I believe in God's great promise. But that is the reason that they speak against me. 8 Is it impossible for God to cause dead people to become alive again? You should surely believe me when I say that.
9 I myself wanted to work against Jesus, the man from Nazareth, and against his message. 10 That is what I was doing in Jerusalem. The leaders of the priests gave me authority to put many of the believers in prison. I agreed with our leaders when they said, “These people must die.”
11 I went to our Jewish meeting places to take hold of believers. I told my men to punish them. I tried to make the believers say bad things against God. I was very angry with them. So I even travelled to cities in other countries to punish them.
12 For that reason, one day I was travelling to Damascus. The leaders of the priests in Jerusalem had sent me there. They had given me authority to take hold of the believers there. 13 Listen to this, King Agrippa! I was travelling along the road at midday. Suddenly I saw a very bright light in the sky. It was much brighter than the sun. It shone all round me and also round the men who were with me. 14 All of us fell down to the ground. I heard a voice that spoke to me in my own language, Hebrew.[a] He said “Saul, Saul, why do you fight against me? You are like an ox that kicks against its master's stick. So you are hurting yourself.”[b]
15 “Lord, who are you?” I asked.
He replied, “I am Jesus. And you are fighting against me. 16 Now you must get up. Stand on your feet. I have chosen you to be my servant. That is why I have appeared to you today. You must tell other people about what you have seen. After that, I will show you other things that you must tell people. 17 I will send you to speak about me to Jews and to Gentiles. Some of them will want to hurt you. But I will keep you safe. 18 You will help them to understand what is really true. They are like people who live in the dark. Teach them what is true about me. Then they will be like people who live in the light. Now Satan has power over them. Lead them from there into God's kingdom. Then God will forgive them for the wrong things that they have done. Because they believe in me, God will accept them as his own people.” ’
Paul tells Agrippa and Bernice about his work for God
19 ‘So you should know this, King Agrippa. I obeyed the things that I heard from heaven that day. 20 First, I taught God's message to the Jews in Damascus. Then I also taught God's message to the Jews in Jerusalem and in all of Judea region. Later I also spoke to the Gentiles. I said to all of them, “You must stop doing wrong things. You must turn to God. You must do good things. That will show that you have really changed how you live.” 21 That is the reason that the Jews took hold of me in the yard of the temple. That is also the reason why they wanted to kill me. 22 But God has helped me every day, even until today. So now I stand here and I can tell you what is true. I say the same thing to people who are very important and to people who are not important. I am telling you the same things that Moses and God's other prophets wrote about. They also said that these things would happen. 23 They said that God's special Messiah would have much pain and he would die. But God would raise him up to be alive again. He would be the first dead person to become alive and not die again. In that way, he would show God's message and bring light to people. He would save both Jewish people and Gentiles. That is what the prophets and Moses wrote. And I say the same thing.’
24 While Paul was still speaking to Agrippa, Festus shouted at him, ‘Paul, your mind is confused! You have learned many things. But all these things are making you crazy.’
25 Paul said, ‘Festus, sir, I am not crazy. Everything that I have said is true. It is not difficult to understand. 26 King Agrippa knows about these things. He understands what I am talking about. None of these things happened in secret places. So I am sure that he has heard news about all this. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe what God's prophets taught? I know that you do believe them.’
28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘Can you change what I believe in this short time? Should I become a Christian already? Is that what you think?’
29 Paul answered him, ‘It is not important if it takes a long time or a short time. I pray to God for you and for everyone who is listening to me today. I pray that you may all become like me. But I would not want you to become a prisoner like me!’
30 Then King Agrippa, the ruler Festus, and Bernice all got ready to leave. Everyone else there also stood up. 31 After they left the meeting room, they said to each other, ‘This man has not done anything bad. We should not kill him, or even hold him in prison.’
32 King Agrippa said to Festus, ‘We could have let this man go free from the prison. But he has asked that Caesar should judge him. So we cannot let him go free.’
This is a song that David wrote.
Tell the music leader, ‘Use harps when you sing this song.’
David prays for health[a]
6 Lord, when you are angry,
please do not punish me.
2 I do not feel strong, Lord,
so please be kind to me.
Lord, please make me well again.
Even my bones are shaking.
3 I am very frightened.
Lord, when will you do something to help me?[b]
4 Lord, turn back to me. Give me back my life.
Make me safe because of your faithful love.
5 If I die, I will no longer remember you.
Nobody can praise you in their grave!
6 I am crying so much that I have no more strength.
My bed becomes wet because I weep all night.
My tears run into my pillow.[c]
7 I am so sad that my eyes do not see well any more.
They are becoming weak because of all my enemies.[d]
8 Go away from me, you people who do wicked things!
Now the Lord has heard me when I weep.[e]
9 I asked the Lord to be kind and to help me.
Now he has answered me!
10 All my enemies will become ashamed!
They will go away from me in fear!
Shame will suddenly come to them!
20 If you speak words that help people,
they are like good food.
21 Words have the power to bring life or death.
So be careful if you talk a lot!
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