1 Chronicles 7

ISSACHAR’S DESCENDANTS
Issachar’s sons: Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron ​— ​four.
2 Tola’s sons: Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Shemuel, the heads of their ancestral families. During David’s reign, 22,600 descendants of Tola were recorded as valiant warriors in their family records.
3 Uzzi’s son: Izrahiah.
Izrahiah’s sons: Michael, Obadiah, Joel, Isshiah. All five of them were chiefs. 4 Along with them, they had 36,000 troops for battle according to the family records of their ancestral families, for they had many wives and children. 5Their tribesmen who were valiant warriors belonging to all the families of Issachar totaled 87,000 in their genealogies.
BENJAMIN’S DESCENDANTS
6 Three of Benjamin’s sons: Bela, Becher, and Jediael.
7 Bela’s sons: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri ​— ​five. They were valiant warriors and heads of their ancestral families; 22,034 were listed in their genealogies.
8 Becher’s sons: Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alemeth; all these were Becher’s sons. 9 Their family records were recorded according to the heads of their ancestral families ​— ​20,200 valiant warriors.
10 Jediael’s son: Bilhan.
Bilhan’s sons: Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Chenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish, and Ahishahar. 11 All these sons of Jediael listed by family heads were valiant warriors; there were 17,200 who could serve in the army. Shuppim and Huppim were sons of Ir, and the Hushim were the sons of Aher.
NAPHTALI’S DESCENDANTS
13 Naphtali’s sons: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shallum ​— ​Bilhah’s sons.
MANASSEH’S DESCENDANTS
14 Manasseh’s sons through his Aramean concubine: Asriel and Machir the father of Gilead. 15 Machir took wives from Huppim and Shuppim. The name of his sister was Maacah. Another descendant was named Zelophehad, but he had only daughters.
16 Machir’s wife Maacah gave birth to a son, and she named him Peresh. His brother was named Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rekem.
17 Ulam’s son: Bedan. These were the sons of Gilead son of Machir, son of Manasseh. 18 His sister Hammolecheth gave birth to Ishhod, Abiezer, and Mahlah.
19 Shemida’s sons: Ahian, Shechem, Likhi, and Aniam.
EPHRAIM’S DESCENDANTS
20 Ephraim’s sons: Shuthelah, and his son Bered,
his son Tahath, his son Eleadah,
his son Tahath, 21 his son Zabad,
his son Shuthelah, also Ezer, and Elead.
The men of Gath, born in the land, killed them because they went down to raid their cattle. 22 Their father Ephraim mourned a long time, and his relatives came to comfort him. 23 He slept with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. So he named him Beriah, because there had been misfortune in his home. 24 His daughter was Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth-horon and Uzzen-sheerah,
25 his son Rephah, his son Resheph,
his son Telah, his son Tahan,
26 his son Ladan, his son Ammihud,
his son Elishama, 27 his son Nun,
and his son Joshua.
28 Their holdings and settlements were Bethel and its surrounding villages; Naaran to the east, Gezer and its villages to the west, and Shechem and its villages as far as Ayyah and its villages, 29 and along the borders of the descendants of Manasseh, Beth-shean, Taanach, Megiddo, and Dor with their surrounding villages. The sons of Joseph son of Israel lived in these towns.

ASHER’S DESCENDANTS
30 Asher’s sons: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah, with their sister Serah.
31 Beriah’s sons: Heber, and Malchiel, who fathered Birzaith.
32 Heber fathered Japhlet, Shomer, and Hotham, with their sister Shua.
33 Japhlet’s sons: Pasach, Bimhal, and Ashvath. These were Japhlet’s sons.
34 Shemer’s sons: Ahi, Rohgah, Hubbah, and Aram.
35 His brother Helem’s sons: Zophah, Imna, Shelesh, and Amal.
36 Zophah’s sons: Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah, 37 Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera.
38 Jether’s sons: Jephunneh, Pispa, and Ara.
39 Ulla’s sons: Arah, Hanniel, and Rizia.
40 All these were Asher’s descendants. They were the heads of their ancestral families, chosen men, valiant warriors, and chiefs among the leaders. The number of men listed in their genealogies for military service was 26,000.

1 Chronicles 8

BENJAMIN’S DESCENDANTS
Benjamin fathered Bela, his firstborn; Ashbel was born second, Aharah third,
2 Nohah fourth, and Rapha fifth.
3 Bela’s sons: Addar, Gera, Abihud, 4 Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, 5 Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram.
6 These were Ehud’s sons, who were the heads of the families living in Geba and who were deported to Manahath: 7 Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera. Gera deported them and was the father of Uzza and Ahihud.
8 Shaharaim had sons in the territory of Moab after he had divorced his wives Hushim and Baara. 9 His sons by his wife Hodesh: Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, 10 Jeuz, Sachia, and Mirmah. These were his sons, family heads. 11 He also had sons by Hushim: Abitub and Elpaal.
12 Elpaal’s sons: Eber, Misham, and Shemed who built Ono and Lod and its surrounding villages, 13 Beriah and Shema, who were the family heads of Aijalon’s residents and who drove out the residents of Gath, 14 Ahio, Shashak, and Jeremoth.
15 Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, 16 Michael, Ishpah, and Joha were Beriah’s sons.
17 Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber, 18 Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab were Elpaal’s sons.
19 Jakim, Zichri, Zabdi, 20 Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, 21 Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath were Shimei’s sons.
22 Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, 23 Abdon, Zichri, Hanan, 24 Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, 25 Iphdeiah, and Penuel were Shashak’s sons.
26 Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah, 27 Jaareshiah, Elijah, and Zichri were Jeroham’s sons.
28 These were family heads, chiefs according to their family records; they lived in Jerusalem.
29 Jeiel fathered Gibeon and lived in Gibeon. His wife’s name was Maacah. 30 Abdon was his firstborn son, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Nadab, 31 Gedor, Ahio, Zecher, 32 and Mikloth who fathered Shimeah. These also lived opposite their relatives in Jerusalem, with their other relatives.
33 Ner fathered Kish, Kish fathered Saul, and Saul fathered Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal.
34 Jonathan’s son was Merib-baal, and Merib-baal fathered Micah.
35 Micah’s sons: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz.
36 Ahaz fathered Jehoaddah, Jehoaddah fathered Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri, and Zimri fathered Moza.
37 Moza fathered Binea. His son was Raphah, his son Elasah, and his son Azel.
38 Azel had six sons, and these were their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were Azel’s sons.
39 His brother Eshek’s sons: Ulam was his firstborn, Jeush second, and Eliphelet third.
40 Ulam’s sons were valiant warriors and archers. They had many sons and grandsons ​— ​150 of them.
All these were among Benjamin’s sons.

Hebrews 11

LIVING BY FAITH
Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.
2 For by this our ancestors were approved.

3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through his faith.

5 By faith Enoch was taken away, and so he did not experience death. He was not to be found because God took him away. For before he was taken away, he was approved as one who pleased God. 6 Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

7 By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and set out for a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents as did Isaac and Jacob, coheirs of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

11 By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she considered that the one who had promised was faithful. 12 Therefore, from one man ​— ​in fact, from one as good as dead ​— ​came offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and as innumerable as the grains of sand along the seashore.

13 These all died in faith, although they had not received the things that were promised. But they saw them from a distance, greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth. 14 Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they were thinking about where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to return. 16 But they now desire a better place ​— ​a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He received the promises and yet he was offering his one and only son, 18 the one to whom it had been said, Your offspring will be traced through Isaac. 19 He considered God to be able even to raise someone from the dead; therefore, he received him back, figuratively speaking.

20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and he worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, as he was nearing the end of his life, mentioned the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions concerning his bones.

23 By faith Moses, after he was born, was hidden by his parents for three months, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they didn’t fear the king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter 25 and chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasure of sin. 26 For he considered reproach for the sake of Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, since he was looking ahead to the reward.

27 By faith he left Egypt behind, not being afraid of the king’s anger, for Moses persevered as one who sees him who is invisible. 28 By faith he instituted the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch the Israelites. 29 By faith they crossed the Red Sea as though they were on dry land. When the Egyptians attempted to do this, they were drowned.

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after being marched around by the Israelites for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute welcomed the spies in peace and didn’t perish with those who disobeyed.

32 And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, 33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength in weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received their dead, raised to life again. Other people were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 Others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. 38 The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.

39 All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.

Amos 5

LAMENTATION FOR ISRAEL
Listen to this message that I am singing for you, a lament, house of Israel:

2 She has fallen;
Virgin Israel will never rise again.
She lies abandoned on her land
with no one to raise her up.
3 For the Lord God says:

The city that marches out a thousand strong
will have only a hundred left,
and the one that marches out a hundred strong
will have only ten left in the house of Israel.
SEEK GOD AND LIVE
4 For the Lord says to the house of Israel:

Seek me and live!
5 Do not seek Bethel
or go to Gilgal
or journey to Beer-sheba,
for Gilgal will certainly go into exile,
and Bethel will come to nothing.
6 Seek the Lord and live,
or he will spread like fire
throughout the house of Joseph;
it will consume everything
with no one at Bethel to extinguish it.
7 Those who turn justice into wormwood
also throw righteousness to the ground.
8 The one who made the Pleiades and Orion,
who turns darkness into dawn
and darkens day into night,
who summons the water of the sea
and pours it out over the surface of the earth —
the Lord is his name.
9 He brings destruction on the strong,
and it falls on the fortress.
10 They hate the one who convicts the guilty
at the city gate,
and they despise the one who speaks with integrity.
11 Therefore, because you trample on the poor
and exact a grain tax from him,
you will never live in the houses of cut stone
you have built;
you will never drink the wine
from the lush vineyards
you have planted.
12 For I know your crimes are many
and your sins innumerable.
They oppress the righteous, take a bribe,
and deprive the poor of justice at the city gates.
13 Therefore, those who have insight will keep silent
at such a time,
for the days are evil.
14 Pursue good and not evil
so that you may live,
and the Lord, the God of Armies,
will be with you
as you have claimed.
15 Hate evil and love good;
establish justice at the city gate.
Perhaps the Lord, the God of Armies, will be gracious
to the remnant of Joseph.
16 Therefore the Lord, the God of Armies, the Lord, says:

There will be wailing in all the public squares;
they will cry out in anguish in all the streets.
The farmer will be called on to mourn,
and professional mourners to wail.
17 There will be wailing in all the vineyards,
for I will pass among you.
The Lord has spoken.
THE DAY OF THE LORD
18 Woe to you who long for the day of the Lord!
What will the day of the Lord be for you?
It will be darkness and not light.
19 It will be like a man who flees from a lion
only to have a bear confront him.
He goes home and rests his hand against the wall
only to have a snake bite him.
20 Won’t the day of the Lord
be darkness rather than light,
even gloom without any brightness in it?
21 I hate, I despise, your feasts!
I can’t stand the stench
of your solemn assemblies.
22 Even if you offer me
your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
I will have no regard
for your fellowship offerings of fattened cattle.
23 Take away from me the noise of your songs!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.
24 But let justice flow like water,
and righteousness, like an unfailing stream.
25 “House of Israel, was it sacrifices and grain offerings that you presented to me during the forty years in the wilderness? 26 But you have taken up Sakkuth your king and Kaiwan your star god, images you have made for yourselves. 27 So I will send you into exile beyond Damascus.” The Lord, the God of Armies, is his name. He has spoken.

Psalm 86

LAMENT AND PETITION
A prayer of David.

Listen, Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
2 Protect my life, for I am faithful.
You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you.
3 Be gracious to me, Lord,
for I call to you all day long.
4 Bring joy to your servant’s life,
because I appeal to you, Lord.
5 For you, Lord, are kind and ready to forgive,
abounding in faithful love to all who call on you.
6 Lord, hear my prayer;
listen to my cries for mercy.
7 I call on you in the day of my distress,
for you will answer me.
8 Lord, there is no one like you among the gods,
and there are no works like yours.
9 All the nations you have made
will come and bow down before you, Lord,
and will honor your name.
10 For you are great and perform wonders;
you alone are God.
11 Teach me your way, Lord,
and I will live by your truth.
Give me an undivided mind to fear your name.
12 I will praise you with all my heart, Lord my God,
and will honor your name forever.
13 For your faithful love for me is great,
and you rescue my life from the depths of Sheol.
14 God, arrogant people have attacked me;
a gang of ruthless men intends to kill me.
They do not let you guide them.
15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me.
Give your strength to your servant;
save the son of your female servant.
17 Show me a sign of your goodness;
my enemies will see and be put to shame
because you, Lord, have helped and comforted me.

— 1 Chronicles 7-8, Hebrews 11, Amos 5, Psalm 86 (CSB)