321 And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had much cattle, a very great multitude; and they saw the land of Jaazer, and the land of Gilead, and behold, the place was a place for cattle. 2 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the princes of the assembly, saying, 3 Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jaazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elaleh, and Sebam, and Nebo, and Beon, 4 the country that Jehovah smote before the assembly of Israel, is a land for cattle, and thy servants have cattle; 5 and they said, If we have found favour in thine eyes, let this land be given to thy servants for a possession: bring us not over the Jordan. 6 And Moses said to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye abide here? 7 And why do ye discourage the children of Israel from going over into the land that Jehovah has given them? 8 Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land: 9 they went up to the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, and discouraged the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land that Jehovah had given them. 10 And Jehovah's anger was kindled the same time, and he swore, saying, 11 If the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land that I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob! for they have not wholly followed me; 12 save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua the son of Nun; for they have wholly followed Jehovah. 13 And Jehovah's anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the whole generation was consumed that had done evil in the eyes of Jehovah. 14 And behold, ye are risen up in your fathers' stead, a progeny of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of Jehovah toward Israel. 15 If ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people.
16 And they drew near to him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones; 17 but we ourselves will go with diligence armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them to their place; and our little ones shall dwell in the strong cities because of the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return to our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited each one his inheritance. 19 For we will not inherit with them on yonder side the Jordan, and further, because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side the Jordan eastward. 20 And Moses said to them, If ye do this thing, if ye arm yourselves before Jehovah for war, 21 and all of you that are armed go over the Jordan before Jehovah, until he have dispossessed his enemies from before him, 22 and the land is subdued before Jehovah, and afterwards ye return, ye shall be guiltless toward Jehovah and toward Israel, and this land shall be your possession before Jehovah. 23 But if ye do not do so, behold, ye have sinned against Jehovah, and be sure your sin will find you out. 24 Build yourselves cities for your little ones, and folds for your flocks, and do that which has gone out of your mouth. 25 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying, Thy servants will do as my lord commands. 26 Our little ones, our wives, our cattle, and all our beasts shall be there in the cities of Gilead; 27 but thy servants will pass over, every one armed for war, before Jehovah to battle, as my lord says.
28 So concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel. 29 And Moses said unto them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben pass with you over the Jordan, every one armed for battle, before Jehovah, and the land be subdued before you, then ye shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession; 30 but if they do not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan. 31 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As Jehovah has said to thy servants, so will we do. 32 We will pass over armed before Jehovah into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance on this side the Jordan shall be ours. 33 And Moses gave to them, to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and to half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og the king of Bashan, the land, according to its cities and territories, the cities of the land round about. 34 And the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer, 35 and Atroth-Shophan, and Jaazer, and Jogbebah, 36 and Beth-Nimrah, and Beth-haran, strong cities, and sheepfolds. 37 —And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elaleh, and Kirjathaim, 38 and Nebo, and Baal-meon (of which the names were changed), and Sibmah; and they gave other names to the cities that they built. 39 —And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and they dispossessed the Amorites that were therein. 40 And Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh; and he dwelt therein. 41 And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took their hamlets, and called them Havoth-Jair. 42 And Nobah went and took Kenath, and its dependent villages, and called it Nobah, after his name.
331 These are the journeys of the children of Israel, who went forth out of the land of Egypt according to their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron. 2 And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of Jehovah; and these are their journeys according to their goings out. 3 They journeyed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month. On the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians. 4 And the Egyptians buried those whom Jehovah had smitten among them, all the firstborn; and upon their gods Jehovah executed judgments. 5 And the children of Israel removed from Rameses, and encamped in Succoth. 6 And they removed from Succoth and encamped in Etham, which is at the end of the wilderness. 7 And they removed from Etham, and turned back to Pi-hahiroth, which is opposite Baal-Zephon, and encamped before Migdol. 8 And they removed from before Hahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, and went three days' journey in the wilderness of Etham, and encamped in Marah. 9 And they removed from Marah, and came to Elim; and in Elim were twelve springs of water, and seventy palm-trees, and they encamped there. 10 And they removed from Elim, and encamped by the Red sea. 11 And they removed from the Red sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin. 12 And they removed from the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah. 13 And they removed from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush. 14 And they removed from Alush, and encamped at Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink. 15 And they removed from Rephidim, and encamped in the wilderness of Sinai. 16 And they removed from the wilderness of Sinai, and encamped at Kibroth-hattaavah. 17 And they removed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and encamped at Hazeroth. 18 And they removed from Hazeroth, and encamped in Rithmah. 19 And they removed from Rithmah, and encamped at Rimmon-perez. 20 And they removed from Rimmon-perez, and encamped in Libnah. 21 And they removed from Libnah, and encamped at Rissah. 22 And they removed from Rissah, and encamped in Kehelathah. 23 And they removed from Kehelathah, and encamped in mount Shapher. 24 And they removed from mount Shapher, and encamped in Haradah. 25 And they removed from Haradah, and encamped in Makheloth. 26 And they removed from Makheloth, and encamped at Tahath. 27 And they removed from Tahath, and encamped at Terah. 28 And they removed from Terah, and encamped in Mithcah. 29 And they removed from Mithcah, and encamped in Hashmonah. 30 And they removed from Hashmonah, and encamped in Moseroth. 31 And they removed from Moseroth, and encamped in Bene-Jaakan. 32 And they removed from Bene-Jaakan, and encamped at Hor-hagidgad. 33 And they removed from Hor-hagidgad, and encamped in Jotbathah. 34 And they removed from Jotbathah, and encamped at Abronah. 35 And they removed from Abronah, and encamped at Ezion-geber. 36 And they removed from Ezion-geber, and encamped in the wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh. 37 And they removed from Kadesh, and encamped in mount Hor, in the border of the land of Edom. 38 And Aaron the priest went up mount Hor by the commandment of Jehovah, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fifth month, on the first of the month. 39 And Aaron was a hundred and twenty-three years old when he died on mount Hor. 40 And the Canaanite, the king of Arad who dwelt in the south in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel. 41 And they removed from mount Hor, and encamped in Zalmonah. 42 And they removed from Zalmonah, and encamped in Punon. 43 And they removed from Punon, and encamped in Oboth. 44 And they removed from Oboth, and encamped in Ijim-Abarim, in the border of Moab. 45 And they removed from Ijim, and encamped in Dibon-Gad. 46 And they removed from Dibon-Gad, and encamped in Almon-Diblathaim. 47 And they removed from Almon-Diblathaim, and encamped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo. 48 And they removed from the mountains of Abarim, and encamped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan of Jericho. 49 And they encamped by the Jordan, from Beth-jeshimoth unto Abel-Shittim, in the plains of Moab.
50 And Jehovah spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan of Jericho, saying, 51 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye pass over Jordan into the land of Canaan, 52 then ye shall dispossess all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and ye shall destroy all their figured images, and all their molten images shall ye destroy, and all their high places shall ye lay waste; 53 and ye shall take possession of the land, and dwell therein, for to you have I given the land to possess it. 54 And ye shall take for yourselves the land as an inheritance by lot according to your families: to the many ye shall increase their inheritance, and to the few thou shalt diminish their inheritance: where the lot falleth to him, there shall be each man's [inheritance]; according to the tribes of your fathers shall ye take for yourselves the inheritance. 55 But if ye will not dispossess the inhabitants of the land from before you, those that ye let remain of them shall be thorns in your eyes, and pricks in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land wherein ye dwell. 56 And it shall come to pass that I will do unto you as I thought to do unto them.
341 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, 2 Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan, this shall be the land that shall fall to you for an inheritance, the land of Canaan according to the borders thereof. 3 Then your south side shall be from the wilderness of Zin alongside of Edom, and your southern border shall be from the end of the salt sea eastward; 4 and your border shall turn from the south of the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin, and shall end southward at Kadesh-barnea, and shall go on to Hazar-Addar, and pass on to Azmon. 5 And the border shall turn from Azmon unto the torrent of Egypt, and shall end at the sea. 6 And as west border ye shall have the great sea, and [its] coast. This shall be your west border. 7 And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall mark out for you mount Hor; 8 from mount Hor ye shall mark out the entrance to Hamath, and the end of the border shall be toward Zedad; 9 and the border shall go to Ziphron, and shall end at Hazar-enan. This shall be your north border. 10 And ye shall mark out for you as eastern border from Hazar-enan to Shepham: 11 and the border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall descend, and shall strike upon the extremity of the sea of Chinnereth eastward; 12 and the border shall go down to the Jordan, and shall end at the salt sea. This shall be your land according to the borders thereof round about. 13 And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, This is the land which ye shall take for yourselves as inheritance by lot, which Jehovah commanded to give to the nine tribes, and to the half tribe. 14 For the tribe of the children of the Reubenites according to their fathers' houses, and the tribe of the children of the Gadites according to their fathers' houses, have received, and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance; 15 the two tribes and the half tribe have received their inheritance on this side the Jordan of Jericho eastward, toward the sun-rising.
16 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, 17 These are the names of the men who shall divide the land unto you: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun. 18 And ye shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land. 19 And these are the names of the men: for the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh; 20 and for the tribe of the children of Simeon, Samuel the son of Ammihud; 21 for the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon; 22 and for the tribe of the children of Dan, a prince, Bukki the son of Jogli; 23 for the children of Joseph: for the tribe of the children of Manasseh, a prince, Hanniel the son of Ephod, 24 and for the tribe of the children of Ephraim, a prince, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan; 25 and for the tribe of the children of Zebulun, a prince, Elizaphan the son of Pharnach; 26 and for the tribe of the children of Issachar, a prince, Phaltiel the son of Azzan; 27 and for the tribe of the children of Asher, a prince, Ahihud the son of Shelomi; 28 and for the tribe of the children of Naphtali, a prince, Phedahel the son of Ammihud. 29 These are they whom Jehovah commanded to distribute to the children of Israel their inheritance in the land of Canaan.
30 And going forth from thence they went through Galilee; and he would not that any one knew it; 31 for he taught his disciples and said to them, The Son of man is delivered into men's hands, and they shall kill him; and having been killed, after three days he shall rise again. 32 But they understood not the saying, and feared to ask him.
33 And he came to Capernaum, and being in the house, he asked them, Of what were ye reasoning by the way? 34 And they remained silent, for by the way they had been reasoning with one another who [was] greatest. 35 And sitting down he called the twelve; and he says to them, If any one would be first, he shall be last of all, and minister of all. 36 And taking a little child he set it in their midst, and having taken it in his arms he said to them, 37 Whosoever shall receive one of such little children in my name, receives me; and whosoever shall receive me, does not receive me, but him who sent me.
38 And John answered him saying, Teacher, we saw some one casting out demons in thy name, who does not follow us, and we forbad him, because he does not follow us. 39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not; for there is no one who shall do a miracle in my name, and be able soon [after] to speak ill of me; 40 for he who is not against us is for us.
41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in [my] name, because ye are Christ's, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
42 And whosoever shall be a snare to one of the little ones who believe [in me], it were better for him if a millstone were hung about his neck, and he cast into the sea. 43 And if thy hand serve as a snare to thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having thy two hands to go away into hell, into the fire unquenchable; 44 [where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched]. 45 And if thy foot serve as a snare to thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life lame, than having thy two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire unquenchable; 46 [where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched]. 47 And if thine eye serve as a snare to thee, cast it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the hell of fire, 48 where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched. 49 For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. 50 Salt [is] good, but if the salt is become saltless, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.
(Read Mark 9:30-40)
The time of Christ's suffering drew nigh. Had he been delivered into the hands of devils, and they had done this, it had not been so strange; but that men should thus shamefully treat the Son of man, who came to redeem and save them, is wonderful. Still observe that when Christ spake of his death, he always spake of his resurrection, which took the reproach of it from himself, and should have taken the grief of it from his disciples. Many remain ignorant because they are ashamed to inquire. Alas! that while the Saviour teaches so plainly the things which belong to his love and grace, men are so blinded that they understand not his sayings. We shall be called to account about our discourses, and to account for our disputes, especially about being greater than others. Those who are most humble and self-denying, most resemble Christ, and shall be most tenderly owned by him. This Jesus taught them by a sign; whoever shall receive one like this child, receives me. Many have been like the disciples, ready to silence men who have success in preaching to sinners repentance in Christ's name, because they follow not with them. Our Lord blamed the apostles, reminding them that he who wrought miracles in his name would not be likely to hurt his cause. If sinners are brought to repent, to believe in the Saviour, and to live sober, righteous, and godly lives, we then see that the Lord works by the preacher.
(Read Mark 9:41-50)
It is repeatedly said of the wicked, Their worm dieth not, as well as, The fire is never quenched. Doubtless, remorse of conscience and keen self-reflection are this never-dying worm. Surely it is beyond compare better to undergo all possible pain, hardship, and self-denial here, and to be happy for ever hereafter, than to enjoy all kinds of worldly pleasure for a season, and to be miserable for ever. Like the sacrifices, we must be salted with salt; our corrupt affections must be subdued and mortified by the Holy Spirit. Those that have the salt of grace, must show they have a living principle of grace in their hearts, which works out corrupt dispositions in the soul that would offend God, or our own consciences.
