March 17
1After the plague had ended, the Lord said to Moses and to Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, 2“From the whole community of Israel, record the names of all the warriors by their families. List all the men twenty years old or older who are able to go to war.”3So there on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River, across from Jericho, Moses and Eleazar the priest issued these instructions to the leaders of Israel:
4“List all the men of Israel twenty years old and older, just as the Lord commanded Moses.” This is the record of all the descendants of Israel who came out of Egypt. 5These were the clans descended from the sons of Reuben, Jacob’s oldest son: The Hanochite clan, named after their ancestor Hanoch. The Palluite clan, named after their ancestor Pallu. 6The Hezronite clan, named after their ancestor Hezron. The Carmite clan, named after their ancestor Carmi.
7These were the clans of Reuben. Their registered troops numbered 43,730. 8Pallu was the ancestor of Eliab, 9and Eliab was the father of Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. This Dathan and Abiram are the same community leaders who conspired with Korah against Moses and Aaron, rebelling against the Lord. 10But the earth opened up its mouth and swallowed them with Korah, and fire devoured 250 of their followers. This served as a warning to the entire nation of Israel. 11However, the sons of Korah did not die that day.
12These were the clans descended from the sons of Simeon: The Jemuelite clan, named after their ancestor Jemuel. The Jaminite clan, named after their ancestor Jamin. The Jakinite clan, named after their ancestor Jakin. 13The Zoharite clan, named after their ancestor Zohar. The Shaulite clan, named after their ancestor Shaul. 14These were the clans of Simeon. Their registered troops numbered 22,200.
15These were the clans descended from the sons of Gad: The Zephonite clan, named after their ancestor Zephon.The Haggite clan, named after their ancestor Haggi. The Shunite clan, named after their ancestor Shuni. 16 The Oznite clan, named after their ancestor Ozni. The Erite clan, named after their ancestor Eri. 17The Arodite clan, named after their ancestor Arodi. The Arelite clan, named after their ancestor Areli.
18These were the clans of Gad. Their registered troops numbered 40,500. 19Judah had two sons, Er and Onan, who had died in the land of Canaan. 20These were the clans descended from Judah’s surviving sons: The Shelanite clan, named after their ancestor Shelah. The Perezite clan, named after their ancestor Perez. The Zerahite clan, named after their ancestor Zerah.
21 These were the subclans descended from the Perezites: The Hezronites, named after their ancestor Hezron. The Hamulites, named after their ancestor Hamul. 22These were the clans of Judah. Their registered troops numbered 76,500. 23These were the clans descended from the sons of Issachar: The Tolaite clan, named after their ancestor Tola. The Puite clan, named after their ancestor Puah.
24The Jashubite clan, named after their ancestor Jashub. The Shimronite clan, named after their ancestor Shimron. 25These were the clans of Issachar. Their registered troops numbered 64,300. 26These were the clans descended from the sons of Zebulun: The Seredite clan, named after their ancestor Sered. The Elonite clan, named after their ancestor Elon. The Jahleelite clan, named after their ancestor Jahleel.
27These were the clans of Zebulun. Their registered troops numbered 60,500. 28Two clans were descended from Joseph through Manasseh and Ephraim. 29 These were the clans descended from Manasseh: The Makirite clan, named after their ancestor Makir. The Gileadite clan, named after their ancestor Gilead, Makir’s son.
30These were the subclans descended from the Gileadites: The Iezerites, named after their ancestor Iezer. The Helekites, named after their ancestor Helek. 31The Asrielites, named after their ancestor Asriel. The Shechemites, named after their ancestor Shechem. 32The Shemidaites, named after their ancestor Shemida. The Hepherites, named after their ancestor Hepher.
33(One of Hepher’s descendants, Zelophehad, had no sons, but his daughters’ names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.) 34These were the clans of Manasseh. Their registered troops numbered 52,700. 35These were the clans descended from the sons of Ephraim: The Shuthelahite clan, named after their ancestor Shuthelah. The Bekerite clan, named after their ancestor Beker. The Tahanite clan, named after their ancestor Tahan.
36This was the subclan descended from the Shuthelahites: The Eranites, named after their ancestor Eran. 37These were the clans of Ephraim. Their registered troops numbered 32,500. These clans of Manasseh and Ephraim were all descendants of Joseph. 38These were the clans descended from the sons of Benjamin: The Belaite clan, named after their ancestor Bela. The Ashbelite clan, named after their ancestor Ashbel. The Ahiramite clan, named after their ancestor Ahiram.
39The Shuphamite clan, named after their ancestor Shupham. The Huphamite clan, named after their ancestor Hupham. 40These were the subclans descended from the Belaites:
The Ardites, named after their ancestor Ard. The Naamites, named after their ancestor Naaman. 41These were the clans of Benjamin. Their registered troops numbered 45,600. 42These were the clans descended from the sons of Dan: The Shuhamite clan, named after their ancestor Shuham.
43These were the Shuhamite clans of Dan. Their registered troops numbered 64,400. 44These were the clans descended from the sons of Asher: The Imnite clan, named after their ancestor Imnah. The Ishvite clan, named after their ancestor Ishvi. The Beriite clan, named after their ancestor Beriah. 45These were the subclans descended from the Beriites: The Heberites, named after their ancestor Heber. The Malkielites, named after their ancestor Malkiel.
46Asher also had a daughter named Serah. 47These were the clans of Asher. Their registered troops numbered 53,400. 48These were the clans descended from the sons of Naphtali:
The Jahzeelite clan, named after their ancestor Jahzeel. The Gunite clan, named after their ancestor Guni. 49The Jezerite clan, named after their ancestor Jezer. The Shillemite clan, named after their ancestor Shillem. 50These were the clans of Naphtali. Their registered troops numbered 45,400. 51In summary, the registered troops of all Israel numbered 601,730.
Luke 2:36-52
36Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. 37Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. 38She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.
39When Jesus’ parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. 40There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him. 41Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. 42When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. 43After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first,
44because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. 46Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. 47All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
48His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.” 49“But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”* 50But they didn’t understand what he meant. 51Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart. 52Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.
Psalm 60:1-12
For the choir director: A psalm of David useful for teaching, regarding the time David fought Aram-naharaim and Aram-zobah, and Joab returned and killed 12,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. To be sung to the tune “Lily of the Testimony.”
1 You have rejected us, O God, and broken our defenses.
You have been angry with us; now restore us to your favor.
2 You have shaken our land and split it open.
Seal the cracks, for the land trembles.
3 You have been very hard on us,
making us drink wine that sent us reeling.
4 But you have raised a banner for those who fear you—
a rallying point in the face of attack.
Interlude
5 Now rescue your beloved people.
Answer and save us by your power.
6 God has promised this by his holiness:
“I will divide up Shechem with joy.
I will measure out the valley of Succoth.
7 Gilead is mine, and Manasseh, too.
Ephraim, my helmet, will produce my warriors,
and Judah, my scepter, will produce my kings.
8 But Moab, my washbasin, will become my servant,
and I will wipe my feet on Edom
and shout in triumph over Philistia.”
9 Who will bring me into the fortified city?
Who will bring me victory over Edom?
10 Have you rejected us, O God?
Will you no longer march with our armies?
11 Oh, please help us against our enemies,
for all human help is useless.
12 With God’s help we will do mighty things,
for he will trample down our foes.
Proverbs 11:15
15 There’s danger in putting up security for a stranger’s debt;
it’s safer not to guarantee another person’s debt.