34. B’midbar

Parasha 34: B’midbar

Numbers 1:1–4:20 (LEB)

God Commands Moses to Take a Census

1 Yahweh spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai, in the tent of assembly, on the first of the month, in the second year _⌊after they came out_⌋ of the land of Egypt, saying, ² “_⌊Take a census of_⌋ the entire community of the _⌊Israelites_⌋ according to their clans and _⌊their families_⌋, according to the number of names, every male individually ³ from _⌊twenty years old_⌋ and above, everyone in Israel who is able to go to war. You and Aaron must muster them for their wars. ⁴ A man from each tribe will be with you, each man the head of _⌊his family_⌋. ⁵ And these are the names of the men who will _⌊assist you_⌋: from Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur; ⁶ from Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai; ⁷ from Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab; ⁸ from Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar; ⁹ from Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon. ¹⁰ From the descendants of Joseph: from Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud; from Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. ¹¹ From Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni; ¹² from Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai; ¹³ from Asher, Pagiel son of Ocran; ¹⁴ from Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel; ¹⁵ and from Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan.” ¹⁶ These are the ones summoned from the community, the leaders of their ancestors’ tribes; they are the heads of Israel’s clans.

¹⁷ So Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name, ¹⁸ and they summoned the entire community on the first day of the second month. And they registered themselves among their clans according to _⌊their families_⌋, according to the number of names from _⌊those twenty years old_⌋ and above individually, ¹⁹ just as Yahweh commanded Moses. And he counted them in the desert of Sinai.

²⁰ The descendants of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, their genealogies according to their clans, according to _⌊their families_⌋, according to the number of names, every male individually from _⌊twenty years old_⌋ and above, everyone who is able to go to war: ²¹ those who were counted from the tribe of Reuben were forty-six thousand five hundred.

²² From the descendants of Simeon, their genealogies according to their clans, according to _⌊their families_⌋, those who were counted according to the number of their names, every individual male from _⌊twenty years old_⌋ and above, everyone who is able to go to war: ²³ those who were counted from the tribe of Simeon were fifty-nine thousand three hundred.

²⁴ From the descendants of Gad, their genealogies according to their clans, according to _⌊their families_⌋, according to the number of names, from _⌊those twenty years old_⌋ and above, everyone who is able to go to war: ²⁵ those who were counted from the tribe of Gad were forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.

²⁶ From the descendants of Judah, their genealogies according to their clans, according to _⌊their families_⌋, according to the number of names, from _⌊those twenty years old_⌋ and above, everyone who is able to go to war: ²⁷ those who were counted from the tribe of Judah were seventy-four thousand six hundred.

²⁸ From the descendants of Issachar, their genealogies according to their clans, according to _⌊their families_⌋, according to the number of names, from _⌊those twenty years old_⌋ and above, everyone who is able to go to war: ²⁹ those who were counted from the tribe of Issachar were fifty-four thousand four hundred.

³⁰ From the descendants of Zebulun, their genealogies according to their clans, according to _⌊their families_⌋, according to the number of names, from _⌊those twenty years old_⌋ and above, everyone who is able to go to war: ³¹ those who were counted from the tribe of Zebulun were fifty-seven thousand four hundred.

³² From the descendants of Joseph: from the descendants of Ephraim, their genealogies according to their clans, according to _⌊their families_⌋, according to the number of names, from _⌊those twenty years old_⌋ and above, everyone who is able to go to war: ³³ those who were counted from the tribe of Ephraim were forty thousand five hundred.

³⁴ From the descendants of Manasseh, their genealogies according to their clans, according to _⌊their families_⌋, according to the number of names, from _⌊those twenty years old_⌋ and above, everyone who is able to go to war: ³⁵ those who were counted from the tribe of Manasseh were thirty-two thousand two hundred.

³⁶ From the descendants of Benjamin, their genealogies according to their clans, according to _⌊their families_⌋, according to the number of names, from _⌊those twenty years old_⌋ and above, everyone who is able to go to war: ³⁷ those who were counted from the tribe of Benjamin were thirty-five thousand four hundred.

³⁸ From the descendants of Dan, their genealogies according to their clans, according to _⌊their families_⌋, according to the number of names, from _⌊those twenty years old_⌋ and above, everyone who is able to go to war: ³⁹ those who were counted from the tribe of Dan were sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

⁴⁰ From the descendants of Asher, their genealogies according to their clans, according to _⌊their families_⌋, according to the number of names, from _⌊those twenty years old_⌋ and above, everyone who is able to go to war: ⁴¹ those who were counted from the tribe of Asher were forty-one thousand five hundred.

⁴² From the descendants of Naphtali, their genealogies according to their clans, according to _⌊their families_⌋, according to the number of names, from _⌊those twenty years old_⌋ and above, everyone who is able to go to war: ⁴³ those who were counted from the tribe of Naphtali were fifty-three thousand four hundred.

⁴⁴ These are the ones counted whom Moses and Aaron mustered, with the twelve leaders of Israel, each one from _⌊his family_⌋. ⁴⁵ So all those who were counted from the _⌊Israelites_⌋ according to _⌊their families_⌋, from _⌊those twenty years old_⌋ and above, everyone in Israel who is able to go to war. ⁴⁶ All of the ones counted were six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty. ⁴⁷ The Levites from their ancestors’ tribe were not mustered in their midst.

⁴⁸ And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, ⁴⁹ “You will not muster the tribe of Levi, and you will not _⌊take a census of_⌋ them in the midst of the _⌊Israelites_⌋. ⁵⁰ You will _⌊appoint_⌋ them over the tabernacle of the testimony, over all its vessels, and over all that belongs to it. They will carry the tabernacle and all its vessels, and they will care for it; and they will camp around the tabernacle. ⁵¹ And when the tabernacle is set out, the Levites will _⌊take it down_⌋, and when encamping the tabernacle the Levites will set it up; the stranger that approaches it will be put to death. ⁵² The _⌊Israelites_⌋ will encamp, each in their own camp, and each by their own banner according to their divisions. ⁵³ But the Levites will encamp around the tabernacle of the testimony, and there will not be wrath on the community of the _⌊Israelites_⌋; and the Levites will keep the requirements of the tabernacle of the testimony.” ⁵⁴ And the _⌊Israelites_⌋ did thus; they did everything that Yahweh commanded Moses.

The Arrangement of the Camps

2 Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, ² “The _⌊Israelites_⌋ will encamp each with his standard, with a banner according to _⌊their families_⌋; they will encamp around the tent of assembly. ³ The ones who encamp on the eastern side, toward the sunrise, will be of the standard of the camp of Judah according to their divisions; and the leader of the descendants of Judah will be Nahshon son of Amminadab, ⁴ and his division and _⌊the ones counted_⌋ are seventy-four thousand six hundred. ⁵ And the ones who encamp next to him will be the tribe of Issachar. And the leader of the descendants of Issachar will be Nethanel son of Zuar, ⁶ and his division are fifty-four thousand four hundred. ⁷ For the tribe of Zebulun: the leader of the descendants of Zebulun will be Eliab son of Helon, ⁸ and his division and the _⌊ones counted_⌋ are fifty-seven thousand four hundred. ⁹ All those counted from the camp of Judah are one hundred and eighty-six thousand four hundred. They will set out first according to their divisions.

¹⁰ “The standard of the camp of Reuben will be to the south according to their divisions. The leader of the descendants will be Elizur son of Shedeur. ¹¹ And his division and the _⌊ones counted_⌋ are forty-six thousand five hundred. ¹² Those encamped next to him will be the tribe of Simeon. The leader of the descendants of Simeon will be Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. ¹³ And his division and the _⌊ones counted_⌋ are fifty-nine thousand three hundred. ¹⁴ For the tribe of Gad: the leader of the descendants of Gad will be Eliasaph son of Reuel. ¹⁵ And his division and the _⌊ones counted_⌋ are forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty. ¹⁶ All _⌊those counted_⌋ from the camp of Reuben are one hundred and fifty-one thousand four hundred and fifty. They will set out second according to their divisions.

¹⁷ “The tent of assembly the camp of the Levites will set out in the midst of the camps; they will set out just as they encamped, _⌊each according to their standards_⌋.

¹⁸ “The standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their divisions will be to the west. The leader of the descendants of Ephraim will be Elishama son of Ammihud. ¹⁹ And his division and the _⌊ones counted_⌋ are forty thousand five hundred. ²⁰ The tribe of Manasseh will be next to him. The leader of the descendants of the tribe of Manasseh will be Camaliel son of Pedahzur. ²¹ And his division and the _⌊ones counted_⌋ are thirty-two thousand two hundred. ²² For the tribe of Benjamin: the leader of the descendants of Benjamin will be Abidan son of Gideoni. ²³ And his division and the _⌊ones counted_⌋ are thirty-five thousand four hundred. ²⁴ All _⌊those counted_⌋ from the camp of Ephraim are one hundred and eight thousand one hundred. They will set out third according to their divisions.

²⁵ “The standard of the camp of Dan according to their divisions will be to the north. The leader of the descendants of Dan will be Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. ²⁶ And his division and the _⌊ones counted_⌋ are sixty-two thousand seven hundred. ²⁷ Those encamped next to him will be the tribe of Asher. The leader of the descendants of Asher will be Pagiel son of Ocran. ²⁸ And his division and the _⌊ones counted_⌋ are forty-one thousand five hundred. ²⁹ For the tribe of Naphtali: the leader of the descendants of Naphtali will be Ahira son of Enan. ³⁰ And his division and the _⌊ones counted_⌋ are fifty-three thousand four hundred. ³¹ All the _⌊ones counted_⌋ from the camp of Dan are one hundred and fifty-seven thousand six hundred. They will set out _⌊last_⌋ according to their divisions.”

³² These were the ones counted of the _⌊Israelites_⌋ according to _⌊their families_⌋; all those counted from the camps according to their divisions were six hundred and three thousand five hundred. ³³ The Levites were not counted in the midst of the _⌊Israelites_⌋, just as Yahweh commanded Moses.

³⁴ And the _⌊Israelites_⌋ did everything that Yahweh commanded Moses. They encamped according to their standards, and they set out each one according to their clans among _⌊their families_⌋.

Aaron’s Sons

3 These are the genealogies of Aaron and Moses _⌊at the time_⌋ when Yahweh spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai. ² These are the names of the descendants of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. ³ These are the names of the descendants of Aaron, the priests, the anointed ones whom _⌊he consecrated as priests_⌋. ⁴ Nadab and Abihu died _⌊before Yahweh_⌋ when they presented a strange fire _⌊before Yahweh_⌋ in the desert of Sinai, and _⌊they had no children_⌋. Eleazar and Ithamar served as priest during the presence of Aaron their father.

⁵ Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, ⁶ “Bring near the tribe of Levi, and _⌊set the tribe_{⌋ ⌊}before Aaron_⌋ the priest, and they will minister to him. ⁷ They shall observe his duties and the duties of the entire community before the tent of assembly, to do the work of the tabernacle. ⁸ And they will keep all the vessels of the tent of assembly and the responsibilities of the _⌊Israelites_⌋, to do the work of the tabernacle. ⁹ You will give the Levites to Aaron and to his descendants; they are surely assigned to him from among the _⌊Israelites_⌋. ¹⁰ But you will count Aaron and his descendants; they will keep their priesthood, and the stranger who approaches will be put to death.”

¹¹ Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, ¹² “I myself receive the Levites from the midst of the _⌊Israelites_⌋ in the place of all the firstborn of the offspring of the womb from the _⌊Israelites_⌋. The Levites will be mine ¹³ because all the firstborn are mine; on the day of my killing all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for myself all the firstborn in Israel, _⌊both humankind and animal_⌋; they will be mine. I am Yahweh.”

¹⁴ Yahweh spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai, saying, ¹⁵ “Muster the descendants of Levi according to _⌊their families_⌋, according to their clans. You will count every male from _⌊one month_⌋ and above.” ¹⁶ So Moses mustered them according to the _⌊command of Yahweh_⌋, just as he commanded. ¹⁷ These were the sons of Levi according to their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. ¹⁸ And these are the names of the sons of Gershon according to their clans: Libni and Shimei. ¹⁹ And the sons of Kohath according to their clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. ²⁰ The sons of Merari according to their tribes: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites according to _⌊their families_⌋.

²¹ _⌊To Gershon belonged_⌋ the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites; these are the clans of the Gershonites. ²² The _⌊ones counted_⌋ according to the number of every male from _⌊one month_⌋ and above were seven thousand five hundred. ²³ The clans of the Gershonites will camp behind the tabernacle to the west, ²⁴ and the leader of _⌊the family_⌋ of the Gershonites is Eliasaph son of Lael. ²⁵ And the responsibility of the descendants of Gershon in the tent of assembly is the tabernacle, and the tent covering it and the curtain of the doorway of the tent of the assembly, ²⁶ and the hangings of the courtyard and the curtain of the doorway of the courtyard that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and its tent cords, all of its use.

²⁷ _⌊To Kohath belonged_⌋ the clan of Amramites, the clan of the Izharites, the clan of the Hebronites, and the clan of the Uzzielites; these were the clans of the Kohathites. ²⁸ According to the number of every male from _⌊one month_⌋ and above there were eight thousand six hundred keeping the responsibility of the sanctuary. ²⁹ The clan of the descendants of Kohath will encamp on the side of the tabernacle to the south. ³⁰ The leader of _⌊his family_⌋ according to the clans of the Kohathites is Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. ³¹ Their responsibility was the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary, with which they ministered, and the curtain, and all of its use. ³² The _⌊chief of the leaders_⌋ of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest who had oversight of those keeping the responsibility of the sanctuary.

³³ _⌊To Merari belonged_⌋ the clan of Mahlites and the clan of the Mushites: these are the clans of Merari. ³⁴ The _⌊ones counted_⌋ according to the number of every male from _⌊one month_⌋ and above were six thousand two hundred. ³⁵ The leader of _⌊the family_⌋ according to the clans of Merari is Zuriel son of Abihail; they will encamp of the side of the tabernacle to the north. ³⁶ The responsibility of the sons of Merari was the supervision of the frames of the tabernacle, its bars, pillars, bases, and all its vessels and all its service, ³⁷ and the pillars around the courtyard, and their bases, pegs, and cords.

³⁸ Those encamped before the tabernacle to the east—before the tent of assembly to the east—were Moses and Aaron and his sons; they will keep the responsibility of the sanctuary _⌊for the Israelites_⌋; and the stranger who approaches will be put to death. ³⁹ All those counted from the Levites whom Moses and Aaron mustered according to _⌊the word of Yahweh_⌋, according to their clans, every male from _⌊one month_⌋ and above were twenty-two thousand.

⁴⁰ And Yahweh said to Moses, “Muster every firstborn male from the _⌊Israelites_⌋ from _⌊one month_⌋ and above and _⌊count_⌋ their names. ⁴¹ And you will receive the Levites for me—I am Yahweh—in the place of all the firstborn among the _⌊Israelites_⌋, and the animals of the Levites in the place of all the firstborn among the animals among the _⌊Israelites_⌋.” ⁴² So Moses mustered all the firstborn among the _⌊Israelites_⌋ just as Yahweh commanded him. ⁴³ And all the firstborn males among the number of names from _⌊one month_⌋ and above, the _⌊ones counted_⌋, were twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.

⁴⁴ Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, ⁴⁵ “Receive the Levites in the place of all the firstborn among the _⌊Israelites_⌋, and the animals of the Levites in the place of their animals; the Levites will be mine. I am Yahweh. ⁴⁶ And the ransom of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the _⌊Israelites_⌋ who are excessive over the Levites, ⁴⁷ you will receive five shekels a person, in the sanctuary shekel; you will collect twenty gerahs per shekel. ⁴⁸ You will give the money to Aaron, and to his sons the ransom of the ones who are excessive among them.” ⁴⁹ And Moses received the money of the redemption from the ones who were excessive from those redeemed of the Levites. ⁵⁰ From the firstborn of the _⌊Israelites_⌋ he took the money, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, in the sanctuary shekel. ⁵¹ And Moses gave the money of the ransom to Aaron and to his sons according to the _⌊word_⌋ of Yahweh just as Yahweh commanded Moses.

The Census of the Kohathites

4 Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, ² “_⌊Take a census_⌋ of the descendants of Kohath from the midst of the descendants of Levi, according to their clans and _⌊their families_⌋, ³ from _⌊thirty years old_⌋ and above, up to _⌊fifty years old_⌋, everyone who comes to the service to do the work in the tent of assembly. ⁴ This is the work of the descendants of Kohath in the tent of assembly, concerning the holiness of the sanctuary: ⁵ When setting out the camp, Aaron and his sons will go and lower the curtain of the covering and cover with it the ark of the testimony. ⁶ They will put on it a covering of _⌊fine leather_⌋, and they will spread a cloth of perfect blue over it, and they will place its poles. ⁷ And over the table of the presence they will spread out a blue cloth and put on it the plates, dishes, and libation bowls, and the pitchers of the libation; and the bread of continuity will be on it. ⁸ They will spread over it a scarlet cloth, and they will cover it with a covering of _⌊fine leather_⌋, and they will place its poles. ⁹ They will take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand for the light source, its lamps, a pair of its tongs, its small pans, and all the vessels of its oil with which they attend to it. ¹⁰ They will put it and all its vessels inside a covering of _⌊fine leather_⌋ and put it on the carrying frame. ¹¹ Over the altar of gold they will spread a blue cloth, and they will cover it with a covering of _⌊fine leather_⌋ and place its poles. ¹² They will take all the vessels of the cultic service with which they serve in the sanctuary and put them on a blue cloth, and they will cover them with a covering of _⌊fine leather_⌋; and they will put them on the carrying frame. ¹³ They will remove the fat-soaked ashes from the altar and spread a purple cloth over it; ¹⁴ they will put on it all the vessels with which they serve, the fire pans, forks, shovels, and bowls—all the vessels of the altar. They will spread on it a covering of _⌊fine leather_⌋; and they will place its poles. ¹⁵ And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the vessels of the sanctuary when the camp sets out, the descendants of Kohath will come after to carry these, but they must not touch the sanctuary, or they will die. These are the load of the descendants of Kohath in the tent of assembly.

¹⁶ “Eleazar son of Aaron the priest is to supervise the oil of the light source, the incense, _⌊the regular grain offering_⌋, the oil of anointment, the supervision of all the tabernacle and all that is in it, in the sanctuary and in its vessels.”

¹⁷ Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, ¹⁸ “You must not cut off the tribe of the clan of the Kohathites from the midst of the Levites. ¹⁹ Do this to them and they will live and not die when they come near the most holy things. Aaron and his sons will go and appoint them, each one to his task and burden. ²⁰ But they must not go and look _⌊for a moment_⌋ at the holy objects.”

PROPHETS

Hosea 2:1–22 (LEB)

The Unfaithful Wife

2 Say to your brother, “Ammi,”

and to your sister, “Ruhamah.”

² Plead with your mother, plead—

because she is not my wife,

and I am not her husband.

Let her put away her whoring _⌊from before her_⌋,

and her adultery from between her breasts.

³ Lest I strip her naked

and expose her like the day when she was born;

I will make her like the desert

and turn her into parched land;

I will kill her with thirst.

⁴ And I will not have pity on her children,

because they are children of whoredom.

⁵ Because their mother was unfaithful;

she who conceived them has acted shamefully,

for she said:

“I will go after my lovers,

the ones who give me my bread, my water,

my wool, and my flax,

my oil, and my drink.”

⁶ Therefore, Look!

I am going to hedge her path _⌊with thorns_⌋,

and I will build a stone wall, a stone wall against her,

and she will not find her paths.

⁷ Then she will pursue _⌊her lovers_⌋,

but she will not overtake them;

she will seek them and not find them;

and she will say, “I will go

and return to my first husband

because it was better for me then than now.”

⁸ But she did not know

that it was I who gave her

grain, new wine, and oil,

and who gave her silver in abundance,

and gold which they made into a Baal.

⁹ Therefore I will take again

my grain in its time,

and my wine in its season;

and I will take away my wool and my flax,

which were to cover her nakedness.

¹⁰ And now I will uncover her nakedness

before the eyes of her lovers,

and no one will rescue her from my hand.

¹¹ And I will put an end to all her mirth,

her festivals, her new moons, and her Sabbaths,

and all her appointed festivals;

¹² and I will lay waste to her vines and her fig trees,

of which she said,

“They are my payment for prostitution,

which my lovers gave to me.”

I will make them a forest,

and the wild animals of the field will devour them.

¹³ _⌊I will punish her_⌋ for the days of the Baals,

to whom she burns incense,

and she decked herself with her ornamental ring and jewelry,

and she went after her lovers, and forgot me

—a declaration of Yahweh.

¹⁴ Therefore, Look! I am going to allure her

and bring her into the desert,

and _⌊I will speak tenderly to her_⌋.

¹⁵ From there I will give her

her vineyards,

and the Valley of Achor as a doorway of hope.

And there she will respond,

as in the days of her youth,

just as in the day of her coming out of

the land of Egypt.

¹⁶ _⌊And on that day_⌋—

a declaration of Yahweh—

you will call me, “My husband;”

you will no longer call me, “My Baal.”

¹⁷ I will remove the names

of the Baals from her mouth,

and they will no longer be mentioned by their name.

¹⁸ I will make a covenant for them on that day,

with the animals of the field,

with the birds of the heaven, and

with the creeping things of the ground;

the bow, the sword, and the war I will abolish from the land, and I will let them lie down in safety.

¹⁹ And I will take you as my wife forever;

I will take you as a wife for myself in righteousness and in justice,

in steadfast love and in mercy.

²⁰ _⌊I will take you as my wife_⌋ in faithfulness,

and you will know Yahweh.

²¹ On that day I will answer, _⌊declares Yahweh_⌋,

I will answer the heavens,

and they will answer the earth.

²² And the earth will answer

the grain, the wine, and the oil,

and they will answer Jezreel.

GOSPELS

Luke 2:1–7 (LEB)

The Birth of Jesus Christ

2 Now it happened that in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus to register all the empire. ² (This first registration took place when* Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ And everyone went to be registered, each one to his own town. ⁴ So Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, ⁵ to be registered together with Mary, who was legally promised in marriage to him and* was pregnant. ⁶ And it happened that while they were there, _⌊the time came_⌋ for her to give birth. ⁷ And she gave birth to her firstborn son, and wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Matthew 4:1–17 (LEB)

The Temptation of Jesus

4 Then Jesus was led up into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil, ² and after he* had fasted forty days and forty nights, then he was hungry. ³ And the tempter approached and* said to him, “If you are the Son of God, order that these stones become bread.” ⁴ But he answered and* said, “It is written, ‘Man will not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God.’ ”

⁵ Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the highest point of the temple ⁶ and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down! For it is written,

‘He will command his angels concerning you,’

and

‘On their hands they will lift you up,

lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ”

⁷ Jesus said to him, “On the other hand it is written, ‘You are not to put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”

⁸ Again the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, ⁹ and he said to him, “I will give to you all these things, if you will fall down and* worship me.” ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, Satan, for it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’ ” ¹¹ Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and began ministering to him.

Public Ministry in Galilee

¹² Now when he* heard that John _⌊had been arrested_⌋, he withdrew into Galilee. ¹³ And leaving Nazareth, he went and* lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, ¹⁴ in order that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah would be fulfilled, who said,

¹⁵ “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,

_⌊toward the sea_⌋, on the other side of the Jordan,

Galilee of the Gentiles—

¹⁶ the people who sit in darkness

have seen a great light,

and the ones who sit in the land and shadow of death,

a light has dawned on them.”

¹⁷ From that time on, Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven is near.”