Through the Bible – Day 142

₁Levi was the father of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

₂Kohath was the father of Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. ₃Amram was the father of Aaron, Moses, and Miriam.

Aaron had four sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

_4-14Eleazar's descendants included Phinehas, Abishua, Bukki, Uzzi, Zerahiah, Meraioth, Amariah, Ahitub, Zadok, Ahimaaz, Azariah, Johanan, Azariah the priest who served in the temple built by King Solomon, Amariah, Ahitub, Zadok, Shallum, Hilkiah, Azariah, Seraiah, and Jehozadak. ₁₅King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia took Jehozadak to Babylon as prisoner when the LORD let the people of Judah and Jerusalem be dragged from their land.

₁₆Levi's three sons had sons of their own. ₁₇Gershon was the father of Libni and Shimei. ₁₈Kohath was the father of Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. ₁₉Merari was the father of Mahli and Mushi. These descendants of Levi each became leaders of their own clans.

_20-21Gershon's descendants included Libni, Jahath, Zimmah, Joah, Iddo, Zerah, and Jeatherai.

_22-24Kohath's descendants included Amminadab, Korah, Assir, Elkanah, Ebiasaph, Assir, Tahath, Uriel, Uzziah, and Shaul.

₂₅Elkanah was the father of Amasai and Ahimoth. _26-27Ahimoth's descendants included Elkanah, Zophai, Nahath, Eliab, Jeroham, and Elkanah.

₂₈Samuel was the father of Joel and Abijah, born in that order.

_29-30Merari's descendants included Mahli, Libni, Shimei, Uzzah, Shimea, Haggiah, and Asaiah.

₃₁After King David had the sacred chest moved to Jerusalem, he appointed musicians from the Levi tribe to be in charge of the music at the place of worship. ₃₂These musicians served at the sacred tent and later at the LORD's temple that King Solomon built.

_33-38Here is a list of these musicians and their family lines:

Heman from the Kohathite clan was the director. His ancestors went all the way back to Jacob and included Joel, Samuel, Elkanah, Jeroham, Eliel, Toah, Zuph, Elkanah, Mahath, Amasai, Elkanah, Joel, Azariah, Zephaniah, Tahath, Assir, Ebiasaph, Korah, Izhar, Kohath, Levi.

_39-43Asaph was Heman's relative and served as his assistant. Asaph's ancestors included Berechiah, Shimea, Michael, Baaseiah, Malchijah, Ethni, Zerah, Adaiah, Ethan, Zimmah, Shimei, Jahath, Gershon, and Levi.

_44-47Ethan was also Heman's relative and served as his assistant. Ethan belonged to the Merari clan, and his ancestors included Kishi, Abdi, Malluch, Hashabiah, Amaziah, Hilkiah, Amzi, Bani, Shemer, Mahli, Mushi, Merari, and Levi.

₄₈The rest of the Levites were appointed to work at the sacred tent.

₄₉Only Aaron and his descendants were allowed to offer sacrifices and incense on the two altars at the sacred tent. They were in charge of the most holy place and the ceremonies to forgive sins, just as God's servant Moses had commanded.

_50-53Aaron's descendants included his son Eleazar, Phinehas, Abishua, Bukki, Uzzi, Zerahiah, Meraioth, Amariah, Ahitub, Zadok, and Ahimaaz.

₅₄Aaron's descendants belonged to the Levite clan of Kohath, and they were the first group chosen to receive towns to live in. ₅₅They received the town of Hebron in the territory of Judah and the pasture land around it. ₅₆But the farmland and villages around Hebron were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh. _57-59So Aaron's descendants received the following Safe Towns and the pasture land around them: Hebron, Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, Hilen, Debir, Ashan, and Beth-Shemesh. ₆₀From the Benjamin tribe they were given the towns of Geba, Alemeth, and Anathoth and the pasture land around them. Thirteen towns were given to Aaron's descendants.

₆₁The rest of the Levite clan of Kohath received ten towns from West Manasseh.

₆₂The Levite clan of Gershon received thirteen towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and East Manasseh in Bashan.

₆₃The Levite clan of Merari received twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.

₆₄So the people of Israel gave the Levites towns to live in and the pasture land around them. ₆₅All the towns were chosen with the LORD's help, including those towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.

₆₆Some of the families of the Kohath clan received their towns from the tribe of Ephraim. _67-69These families received the following Safe Towns and the pasture land around them: Shechem in the hill country, Gezer, Jokmeam, Beth-Horon, Aijalon, and Gath-Rimmon. ₇₀And from West Manasseh they received Aner and Bileam, together with their pasture land.

₇₁The Gershonite clan received two towns from the tribe of East Manasseh: Golan in Bashan and Ashtaroth, including the pasture land around them. _72-73The Gershonites also received four towns from the tribe of Issachar: Kedesh, Daberath, Ramoth, and Anem, including the pasture land around them. _74-75The Gershonites received four towns from the tribe of Asher: Mashal, Abdon, Hukok, and Rehob, including the pasture land around them. ₇₆Finally, the Gershonites received three towns from the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon, and Kiriathaim, including the pasture land around them.

₇₇The rest of the Merari clan received the towns of Rimmono and Tabor and their pasture land from the tribe of Zebulun. _78-79They also received four towns east of the River Jordan from the tribe of Reuben: Bezer in the flat lands, Jahzah, Kedemoth, and Mephaath, including the pastures around them. _80-81And from the tribe of Gad the Merarites received the towns of Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim, Heshbon, and Jazer, including the pasture land around them.

₁Issachar was the father of four sons: Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron.

₂Tola was the father of Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Shemuel, who were all brave soldiers and family leaders in their clan. There were 22,600 people in Tola's family by the time David became king.

₃Uzzi was the father of Izrahiah and the grandfather of Michael, Obadiah, Joel, and Isshiah, who were also family leaders. ₄Their families were so large that they had 36,000 soldiers in their clans. ₅In fact, according to family records, the tribe of Issachar had a total of 87,000 warriors.

₆Benjamin was the father of three sons: Bela, Becher, and Jediael.

₇Bela was the father of Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri. They were all brave soldiers and family leaders in their father's clan. The number of soldiers in their clan was 22,034.

₈Becher was the father of Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alemeth. ₉The official family records listed 20,200 soldiers in the families of this clan, as well as their family leaders.

₁₀Jediael was the father of Bilhan and the grandfather of Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Chenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish, and Ahishahar. ₁₁They were family leaders in their clan, which had 17,200 soldiers prepared to fight in battle. ₁₂Ir was the father of Shuppim and Huppim, who also belonged to this clan.

Dan was the father of Hushim.

₁₃Naphtali's mother was Bilhah, and he was the father of Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shallum.

₁₄Manasseh and his Syrian wife were the parents of Asriel and Machir the father of Gilead. ₁₅Machir found a wife for Huppim and one for Shuppim. Machir had a sister named Maacah.

Zelophehad was also a descendant of Manasseh, and he had five daughters.

₁₆Machir and his wife Maacah were the parents of Peresh and Sheresh. Peresh was the father of Ulam and Rekem. ₁₇Ulam was the father of Bedan. These were all descendants of Gilead, the son of Machir and the grandson of Manasseh.

₁₈Gilead's sister Hammolecheth was the mother of Ishhod, Abiezer, and Mahlah.

₁₉Shemida, another descendant of Manasseh, was the father of Ahian, Shechem, Likhi, and Aniam.

₂₀Ephraim was the father of Shuthelah and the ancestor of Bered, Tahath, Eleadah, Tahath, ₂₁Zabad, and Shuthelah.

Ephraim had two other sons, Ezer and Elead. But they were killed when they tried to steal livestock from the people who lived in the territory of Gath. ₂₂Ephraim mourned for his sons a long time, and his relatives came to comfort him. ₂₃Some time later his wife gave birth to another son, and Ephraim named him Beriah, because he was born during a time of misery.

₂₄Ephraim's daughter was Sheerah. She built the towns of Lower Beth-Horon, Upper Beth-Horon, and Uzzen-Sheerah.

₂₅Ephraim also had a son named Rephah, and his descendants included Resheph, Telah, Tahan, ₂₆Ladan, Ammihud, Elishama, ₂₇Nun, and Joshua.

₂₈The descendants of Ephraim took over the territory as far south as Bethel, as far east as Naaran, and as far west as Gezer. Their territory included all the villages around these towns, as well as Shechem, Ayyah, and the nearby villages.

₂₉The descendants of Manasseh settled in the territory that included Beth-Shan, Taanach, Megiddo, Dor, and the nearby villages.

The descendants of Joseph lived in these towns and villages.

₃₀Asher had four sons, Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah, and one daughter, Serah.

₃₁Beriah was the father of Heber and Malchiel the father of Birzaith. ₃₂Heber was the father of three sons, Japhlet, Shomer, and Hotham, and one daughter, Shua. ₃₃Japhlet was the father of Pasach, Bimhal, and Ashvath. ₃₄Shomer was the father of Ahi, Rohgah, Hubbah, and Aram. ₃₅And Japhlet's brother Hotham was the father of Zophah, Imna, Shelesh, and Amal. ₃₆Zophah was the father of Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah, ₃₇Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera. ₃₈Jether was the father of Jephunneh, Pispa, and Ara.

₃₉Ulla was the father of Arah, Hanniel, and Rizia.

₄₀These were the descendants of Asher, and they were all respected family leaders and brave soldiers. The tribe of Asher had a total of 26,000 soldiers.

₃₂When the Pharisees heard the crowd arguing about Jesus, they got together with the chief priests and sent some temple police to arrest him. ₃₃But Jesus told them, “I will be with you a little while longer, and then I will return to the one who sent me. ₃₄You will look for me, but you won't find me. You cannot go where I am going.”

₃₅The Jewish leaders asked each other, “Where can he go to keep us from finding him? Is he going to some foreign country where our people live? Is he going there to teach the Greeks? ₃₆What did he mean by saying that we will look for him, but won't find him? Why can't we go where he is going?”

₃₇On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and shouted, “If you are thirsty, come to me and drink! ₃₈Have faith in me, and you will have life-giving water flowing from deep inside you, just as the Scriptures say.” ₃₉Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit, who would be given to everyone that had faith in him. The Spirit had not yet been given to anyone, since Jesus had not yet been given his full glory.

₄₀When the crowd heard Jesus say this, some of them said, “He must be the Prophet!” ₄₁Others said, “He is the Messiah!” Others even said, “Can the Messiah come from Galilee? ₄₂The Scriptures say that the Messiah will come from the family of King David. Doesn't this mean that he will be born in David's home town of Bethlehem?” ₄₃The people started taking sides against each other because of Jesus. ₄₄Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him.

₄₅When the temple police returned to the chief priests and Pharisees, they were asked, “Why didn't you bring Jesus here?”

₄₆They answered, “No one has ever spoken like that man!”

₄₇The Pharisees said to them, “Have you also been fooled? ₄₈Not one of the chief priests or the Pharisees has faith in him. ₄₉And these people who don't know the Law are under God's curse anyway.”

₅₀Nicodemus was there at the time. He was a member of the council, and was the same one who had earlier come to see Jesus. He said, ₅₁“Our Law doesn't let us condemn people before we hear what they have to say. We cannot judge them before we know what they have done.”

₅₂Then they said, “Nicodemus, you must be from Galilee! Read the Scriptures, and you will find that no prophet is to come from Galilee.”