251 Next David and the worship leaders selected some from the family of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun for special service in preaching and music. Here is the roster of names and assignments: 2 From the family of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah; they were supervised by Asaph, who spoke for God backed up by the king's authority. 3 From the family of Jeduthun there were six sons: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah; they were supervised by their father Jeduthun, who preached and accompanied himself with the zither - he was responsible for leading the thanks and praise to God. 4 From the family of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shubael, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. 5 These were the sons of Heman the king's seer; they supported and assisted him in his divinely appointed work. God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. 6 Under their father's supervision they were in charge of leading the singing and providing musical accompaniment in the work of worship in the sanctuary of God (Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman took their orders directly from the king). 7 They were well-trained in the sacred music, all of them masters. There were 288 of them.
8 They drew names at random to see who would do what. Nobody, whether young or old, teacher or student, was given preference or advantage over another. 9 The first name from Asaph's family was Joseph and his twelve sons and brothers; second, Gedaliah and his twelve sons and brothers; 10 third, Zaccur and his twelve sons and brothers; 11 fourth, Izri and his twelve sons and brothers; 12 fifth, Nethaniah and his twelve sons and brothers; 13 sixth, Bukkiah and his twelve sons and brothers; 14 seventh, Jesarelah and his twelve sons and brothers; 15 eighth, Jeshaiah and his twelve sons and brothers; 16 ninth, Mattaniah and his twelve sons and brothers; 17 tenth, Shimei and his twelve sons and brothers; 18 eleventh, Azarel and his twelve sons and brothers; 19 twelfth, Hashabiah and his twelve sons and brothers; 20 thirteenth, Shubael and his twelve sons and brothers; 21 fourteenth, Mattithiah and his twelve sons and brothers; 22 fifteenth, Jerimoth and his twelve sons and brothers; 23 sixteenth, Hananiah and his twelve sons and brothers; 24 seventeenth, Joshbekashah and his twelve sons and brothers; 25 eighteenth, Hanani and his twelve sons and brothers; 26 nineteenth, Mallothi and his twelve sons and brothers; 27 twentieth, Eliathah and his twelve sons and brothers; 28 twenty-first, Hothir and his twelve sons and brothers; 29 twenty-second, Giddalti and his twelve sons and brothers; 30 twenty-third, Mahazioth and his twelve sons and brothers; 31 twenty-fourth, Romamti-Ezer and his twelve sons and brothers.
261 The teams of security guards were from the family of Korah: Meshelemiah son of Kore (one of the sons of Asaph). 2 Meshelemiah's sons were Zechariah, the firstborn, followed by Jediael, Zebadiah, Jathniel, 3 Elam, Jehohanan, and Eliehoenai - seven sons. 4 Obed-Edom's sons were Shemaiah, the firstborn, followed by Jehozabad, Joah, Sacar, Nethanel, 5 Ammiel, Issachar, and Peullethai - God blessed him with eight sons. 6 His son Shemaiah had sons who provided outstanding leadership in the family: 7 Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad; his relatives Elihu and Semakiah were also exceptional. 8 These all came from the line of Obed-Edom - all of them outstanding and strong. There were sixty-two of them. 9 Meshelemiah had eighteen sons and relatives who were outstanding. 10 The sons of Hosah the Merarite were Shimri (he was not the firstborn but his father made him first), 11 then Hilkiah, followed by Tabaliah and Zechariah. Hosah accounted for thirteen. 12 These teams of security guards, supervised by their leaders, kept order in The Temple of God, keeping up the traditions of their ancestors. 13 They were all assigned to their posts by the same method regardless of the prominence of their families - each picked his gate assignment from a hat. 14 Shelemiah was assigned to the East Gate; his son Zechariah, a shrewd counselor, got the North Gate. 15 Obed-Edom got the South Gate; and his sons pulled duty at the storehouse. 16 Shuppim and Hosah were posted to the West Gate and the Shalleketh Gate on the high road. 17 six Levites per day on the east, four per day on the north and on the south, and two at a time at the storehouse. 18 At the open court to the west, four guards were posted on the road and two at the court. 19 These are the teams of security guards from the sons of Korah and Merari. Financial Affairs: Accountants and Bookkeepers
20 Other Levites were put in charge of the financial affairs of The Temple of God. 21 From the family of Ladan (all Gershonites) came Jehieli, 22 and the sons of Jehieli, Zetham and his brother Joel. They supervised the finances of the sanctuary of God. 23 From the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites: 24 Shubael, descended from Gershom the son of Moses, was the chief financial officer. 25 His relatives through Eliezer: his son Rehabiah, his son Jeshaiah, his son Joram, his son Zicri, and his son Shelomith. 26 Shelomith and his relatives were in charge of valuables consecrated by David the king, family heads, and various generals and commanders from the army. 27 They dedicated the plunder that they had gotten in war to the work of the worship of God. 28 In addition, everything that had been dedicated by Samuel the seer, Saul son of Kish, Abner son of Ner, and Joab son of Zeruiah - anything that had been dedicated, ever, was the responsibility of Shelomith and his family.
29 From the family of the Izharites, Kenaniah and sons were appointed as officials and judges responsible for affairs outside the work of worship and sanctuary. 30 From the family of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his relatives - 1,700 well-qualified men - were responsible for administration of matters related to the worship of God and the king's work in the territory west of the Jordan. 31 According to the family tree of the Hebronites, Jeriah held pride of place. In the fortieth year of David's reign (his last), the Hebron family tree was researched and outstanding men were found at Jazer in Gilead, 32 namely, Jeriah and 2,700 men of his extended family: David the king made them responsible for administration of matters related to the worship of God and the work of the king in the territory east of the Jordan - the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
271 Here is the listing of the sons of Israel by family heads, commanders and captains, and other officers who served the king in everything military. Army divisions were on duty a month at a time for the twelve months of the year. Each division comprised 24,000 men. 2 First division, first month: Jashobeam son of Zabdiel was in charge with 24,000 men. 3 He came from the line of Perez. He was over all the army officers during the first month. 4 The division for the second month: Dodai the Ahohite was in charge: 24,000 men; Mikloth was the leader of his division. 5 Commander for the third month: Benaiah son of Jehoiada the priest with 24,000 men. 6 This was the same Benaiah who was a Mighty Man among the Thirty and their chief. His son Ammizabad was in charge of the division. 7 Fourth division for the fourth month: Asahel brother of Joab; his son Zebadiah succeeded him: 24,000 men. 8 Fifth division, fifth month: commander Shamhuth the Izrahite: 24,000 men. 9 Sixth division, sixth month: Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite: 24,000 men. 10 Seventh division, seventh month: Helez the Pelonite, an Ephraimite: 24,000 men. 11 Eighth division, eighth month: Sibbecai the Hushathite, a Zerahite: 24,000 men. 12 Ninth division, ninth month: Abiezer the Anathothite, a Benjaminite: 24,000 men. 13 Tenth division, tenth month: Maharai the Netophathite, a Zerahite: 24,000 men. 14 Eleventh division, eleventh month: Benaiah the Pirathomite, an Ephraimite: 24,000 men. 15 Twelfth division, twelfth month: Heldai the Netophathite from the family of Othniel: 24,000 men.
16 Administrators of the affairs of the tribes: for Reuben: Eliezer son of Zicri; 17 for Simeon: Shephatiah son of Maacah; for Levi: Hashabiah son of Kemuel; for Aaron: Zadok; 18 for Judah: Elihu, David's brother; for Issachar: Omri son of Michael; 19 for Zebulun: Ishmaiah son of Obadiah; for Naphtali: Jerimoth son of Azriel; 20 for Ephraim: Hoshea son of Azaziah; for one half-tribe of Manasseh: Joel son of Pedaiah; 21 for the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead: Iddo son of Zechariah; for Benjamin: Jaasiel son of Abner; 22 for Dan: Azarel son of Jeroham. These are the administrative officers assigned to the tribes of Israel. 23 David didn't keep a count of men under the age of twenty, because God had promised to give Israel a population as numerous as the stars in the sky. 24 Joab son of Zeruiah started out counting the men, but he never finished. God's anger broke out on Israel because of the counting. As it turned out, the numbers were never entered into the court records of King David. 25 The king's storage facilities were supervised by Azmaveth son of Adiel. Jonathan son of Uzziah was responsible for the warehouses in the outlying areas. 26 Ezri son of Kelub was in charge of the field workers on the farms. 27 Shimei the Ramathite was in charge of the vineyards and Zabdi the Shiphmite was in charge of grapes for the wine vats. 28 Baal-Hanan the Gederite was in charge of the olive and sycamore-fig trees in the western hills, and Joash was in charge of the olive oil. 29 Shitrai the Sharonite was in charge of herds grazing in Sharon and Shaphat son of Adlai was in charge of herds in the valley. 30 Obil the Ismaelite was in charge of the camels, Jehdeiah the Meronothite was in charge of the donkeys, 31 and Jaziz the Hagrite was in charge of the flocks. These were the ones responsible for taking care of King David's property. 32 Jonathan, David's uncle, a wise and literate counselor, and Jehiel son of Hacmoni, were responsible for rearing the king's sons. 33 Ahithophel was the king's counselor; Hushai the Arkite was the king's friend. 34 Ahithophel was later replaced by Jehoiada son of Benaiah and by Abiathar. Joab was commander of the king's army.
91 Walking down the street, Jesus saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked, "Rabbi, who sinned: this man or his parents, causing him to be born blind?" 3 Jesus said, "You're asking the wrong question. You're looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do. 4 We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here, working while the sun shines. When night falls, the workday is over. 5 For as long as I am in the world, there is plenty of light. I am the world's Light." 6 He said this and then spit in the dust, made a clay paste with the saliva, rubbed the paste on the blind man's eyes, 7 and said, "Go, wash at the Pool of Siloam" (Siloam means "Sent"). The man went and washed - and saw.
8 Soon the town was buzzing. His relatives and those who year after year had seen him as a blind man begging were saying, "Why, isn't this the man we knew, who sat here and begged?" 9 Others said, "It's him all right!" But others objected, "It's not the same man at all. It just looks like him." He said, "It's me, the very one." 10 They said, "How did your eyes get opened?" 11 "A man named Jesus made a paste and rubbed it on my eyes and told me, 'Go to Siloam and wash.' I did what he said. When I washed, I saw." 12 "So where is he?" "I don't know."
13 They marched the man to the Pharisees. 14 This day when Jesus made the paste and healed his blindness was the Sabbath. 15 The Pharisees grilled him again on how he had come to see. He said, "He put a clay paste on my eyes, and I washed, and now I see." 16 Some of the Pharisees said, "Obviously, this man can't be from God. He doesn't keep the Sabbath." Others countered, "How can a bad man do miraculous, God-revealing things like this?" There was a split in their ranks. 17 They came back at the blind man, "You're the expert. He opened your eyes. What do you say about him?" He said, "He is a prophet." 18 The Jews didn't believe it, didn't believe the man was blind to begin with. So they called the parents of the man now bright-eyed with sight. 19 They asked them, "Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? So how is it that he now sees?" 20 His parents said, "We know he is our son, and we know he was born blind. 21 But we don't know how he came to see - haven't a clue about who opened his eyes. Why don't you ask him? He's a grown man and can speak for himself." 22 (His parents were talking like this because they were intimidated by the Jewish leaders, who had already decided that anyone who took a stand that this was the Messiah would be kicked out of the meeting place. 23 That's why his parents said, "Ask him. He's a grown man.")
(Read John 9:1-7)
Christ cured many who were blind by disease or accident; here he cured one born blind. Thus he showed his power to help in the most desperate cases, and the work of his grace upon the souls of sinners, which gives sight to those blind by nature. This poor man could not see Christ, but Christ saw him. And if we know or apprehend anything of Christ, it is because we were first known of him. Christ says of uncommon calamities, that they are not always to be looked on as special punishments of sin; sometimes they are for the glory of God, and to manifest his works. Our life is our day, in which it concerns us to do the work of the day. We must be busy, and not waste day-time; it will be time to rest when our day is done, for it is but a day. The approach of death should quicken us to improve all our opportunities of doing and getting good. What good we have an opportunity to do, we should do quickly. And he that will never do a good work till there is nothing to be objected against, will leave many a good work for ever undone, Ecclesiastes 11:4. Christ magnified his power, in making a blind man to see, doing that which one would think more likely to make a seeing man blind. Human reason cannot judge of the Lord's methods; he uses means and instruments that men despise. Those that would be healed by Christ must be ruled by him. He came back from the pool wondering and wondered at; he came seeing. This represents the benefits in attending on ordinances of Christ's appointment; souls go weak, and come away strengthened; go doubting, and come away satisfied; go mourning, and come away rejoicing; go blind, and come away seeing.
(Read John 9:8-12)
Those whose eyes are opened, and whose hearts are cleansed by grace, being known to be the same person, but widely different in character, live as monuments to the Redeemer's glory, and recommend his grace to all who desire the same precious salvation. It is good to observe the way and method of God's works, and they will appear the more wonderful. Apply this spiritually. In the work of grace wrought upon the soul we see the change, but we see not the hand that makes it: the way of the Spirit is like that of the wind, which thou hearest the sound of, but canst not tell whence it comes, nor whither it goes.
(Read John 9:13-17)
Christ not only worked miracles on the sabbath, but in such a manner as would give offence to the Jews, for he would not seem to yield to the scribes and Pharisees. Their zeal for mere rites consumed the substantial matters of religion; therefore Christ would not give place to them. Also, works of necessity and mercy are allowed, and the sabbath rest is to be kept, in order to the sabbath work. How many blind eyes have been opened by the preaching of the gospel on the Lord's day! how many impotent souls cured on that day! Much unrighteous and uncharitable judging comes from men's adding their own fancies to God's appointments. How perfect in wisdom and holiness was our Redeemer, when his enemies could find nothing against him, but the oft-refuted charge of breaking the sabbath! May we be enabled, by well-doing, to silence the ignorance of foolish men.
(Read John 9:18-23)
The Pharisees vainly hoped to disprove this notable miracle. They expected a Messiah, but could not bear to think that this Jesus should be he, because his precepts were all contrary to their traditions, and because they expected a Messiah in outward pomp and splendour. The fear of man brings a snare, Proverbs 29:25, and often makes people deny and disown Christ and his truths and ways, and act against their consciences. The unlearned and poor, who are simple-hearted, readily draw proper inferences from the evidences of the light of the gospel; but those whose desires are another way, though ever learning, never come to the knowledge of the truth.
