20 verses
1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 2"Avenge the children of Israel on the Midianites. Afterward you'll be gathered to your people."
3Moses spoke to the people, saying, "Arm men from among you for war, that they may go against Midian, to execute Yahweh's vengeance on Midian. 4You are to send to the war one thousand from every tribe throughout all the tribes of Israel." 5So there were delivered, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand from every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. 6Moses sent them, one thousand of every tribe, to the war with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand. 7They fought against Midian, as Yahweh commanded Moses. They killed every male. 8They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slaughtered: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword. 9The children of Israel took the women of Midian captive with their little ones; and all their livestock, all their flocks, and all their goods, they took as plunder. 10All their cities in the places in which they lived, and all their encampments, they burned with fire. 11They took all the captives, and all the plunder, both of man and of animal. 12They brought the captives with the prey and the plunder, to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the children of Israel, to the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by the Jordan at Jericho. 13Moses and Eleazar the priest, with all the princes of the congregation, went out to meet them outside of the camp. 14Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, who came from the service of the war. 15Moses said to them, "Have you let all the women live? 16Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against Yahweh in the matter of Peor, and so the plague was among Yahweh's congregation. 17Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him. 18But all the girls, who have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.
19"Camp outside the camp for seven days. Whoever has killed any person, and whoever has touched any slaughtered [person], purify yourselves on the third day and on the seventh day, you and your captives. 20Purify every garment, and all that is made of skin, and all work of goats' [hair], and all things made of wood."
26 verses
59For thus says LordOfMine Yahweh: I will also deal with you as you have done, who have despised the oath in breaking the covenant. 60Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish to you an everlasting covenant. 61Then you shall remember your ways, and be ashamed, when you shall receive your sisters, your elder [sisters] and your younger; and I will give them to you for daughters, but not by your covenant. 62I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall know that I am Yahweh; 63that you may remember, and be confounded, and never open your mouth any more, because of your shame, when I have forgiven you all that you have done, says LordOfMine Yahweh.
1The word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 2Son of man, set out a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel; 3and say, Thus says LordOfMine Yahweh: A great eagle with great wings and long feathers, full of feathers, which had various colors, came to Lebanon, and took the top of the cedar: 4he cropped off the topmost of the young twigs of it, and carried it to a land of traffic; he set it in a city of merchants.
5He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful soil; he placed it beside many waters; he set it as a willow tree. 6It grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and its roots were under him: so it became a vine, and produced branches, and shot forth sprigs.
7There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers: and behold, this vine bent its roots toward him, and shot forth its branches toward him, from the beds of its plantation, that he might water it. 8It was planted in a good soil by many waters, that it might produce branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a fine vine.
9Say, Thus says LordOfMine Yahweh: Shall it prosper? shall he not pull up its roots, and cut off its fruit, that it may wither; that all its fresh springing leaves may wither? and not by a strong arm or many people can it be raised from its roots. 10Yes, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind touches it? it shall wither in the beds where it grew.
11Moreover the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 12Say now to the rebellious house, Don't you know what these things mean? tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and took its king, and its princes, and brought them to him to Babylon: 13and he took of the offspring royal, and made a covenant with him; he also brought him under an oath, and took away the mighty of the land; 14that the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping his covenant it might stand. 15But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and many people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape who does such things? shall he break the covenant, and yet escape?
16As I live, says LordOfMine Yahweh, surely in the place where the king dwells who made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he broke, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die. 17Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company won't help him in the war, when they throw up mounds and build forts, to cut off many persons. 18For he has despised the oath by breaking the covenant; and behold, he had given his hand, and yet has done all these things; he shall not escape.
19Therefore thus says LordOfMine Yahweh: As I live, surely my oath that he has despised, and my covenant that he has broken, I will even bring it on his own head. 20I will spread my net on him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will enter into judgment with him there for his trespass that he has trespassed against me. 21All his fugitives in all his bands shall fall by the sword, and those who remain shall be scattered toward every wind: and you shall know that I, Yahweh, have spoken it.
18 verses
1Masters, give to your servants what is just and equal, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
2Continue steadfastly in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving, 3praying together for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of AnointedOne, for which I am also in bonds, 4that I may reveal it as I ought to speak.
5Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
7All my affairs will be made known to you by Tychicus, the dear brother, faithful servant, and fellow bondservant in the Lord. 8I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts, 9together with Onesimus, the faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you everything that is going on here.
10Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you received commandments, "if he comes to you, receive him"), 11and Jesus called Justus. These are my only fellow workers for God's Kingdom who are of the circumcision, men who have been a comfort to me.
12Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of AnointedOne, salutes you, always striving for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. 13For I testify about him that he has great zeal for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis. 14Luke, the dear physician, and Demas greet you. 15Greet the brothers who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the assembly that is in his house. 16When this letter has been read among you, cause it to be read also in the assembly of the Laodiceans, and that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17Tell Archippus, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfill it."
18The salutation of me, Paul, with my own hand: remember my bonds. Grace be with you. [*Absolutely].
