1 Chronicles 4; 1 Chronicles 5; 1 Chronicles 6; John 6:1-21

1 Chronicles 4

1 These are some of the descendants of Judah: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal.

2 Shobal was the father of Reaiah, who was the father of Jahath, the father of Ahumai and Lahad, the ancestors of the people who lived in Zorah.

3 Hur was the oldest son of his father Caleb's wife Ephrath, and his descendants founded the city of Bethlehem. Hur had three sons: Etam, Penuel, and Ezer. Etam had three sons: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash, and one daughter, Hazzelelponi. Penuel founded the city of Gedor, and Ezer founded Hushah.

5 Ashhur, who founded the town of Tekoa, had two wives, Helah and Naarah.

6 He and Naarah had four sons: Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari.

7 Ashhur and Helah had three sons: Zereth, Izhar, and Ethnan.

8 Koz was the father of Anub and Zobebah, and the ancestor of the clans descended from Aharhel son of Harum.

9 There was a man named Jabez, who was the most respected member of his family. His mother had given him the name Jabez, because his birth had been very painful.

10 But Jabez prayed to the God of Israel, "Bless me, God, and give me much land. Be with me and keep me from anything evil that might cause me pain." And God gave him what he prayed for.

11 Caleb, the brother of Shuhah, had a son, Mehir. Mehir was the father of Eshton,

12 who had three sons: Bethrapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah. Tehinnah was the founder of the city of Nahash. The descendants of these men lived in Recah.

13 Kenaz had two sons, Othniel and Seraiah. Othniel also had two sons, Hathath and Meonothai.

14 Meonothai was the father of Ophrah. Seraiah was the father of Joab, the founder of Handcraft Valley, where all the people were skilled workers.

15 Caleb son of Jephunneh had three sons: Iru, Elah, and Naam. And Elah was the father of Kenaz.

16 Jehallelel had four sons: Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel.

17 Ezrah had four sons: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. Mered married Bithiah, a daughter of the king of Egypt, and they had a daughter, Miriam, and two sons, Shammai and Ishbah. Ishbah founded the town of Eshtemoa. Mered also married a woman from the tribe of Judah, and they had three sons: Jered, who founded the town of Gedor; Heber, founder of the town of Soco; and Jekuthiel, founder of the town of Zanoah.

19 Hodiah married the sister of Naham. Their descendants founded the clan of Garm, which lived in the town of Keilah, and the clan of Maacath, which lived in the town of Eshtemoa.

20 Shimon had four sons: Amnon, Rinnah, Benhanan, and Tilon. Ishi had two sons: Zoheth and Benzoheth.

21 Shelah was one of Judah's sons. His descendants included Er, who founded the town of Lecah; Laadah, founder of the town of Mareshah; the clan of linen weavers, who lived in the town of Beth Ashbea;

22 Jokim and the people who lived in the town of Cozeba; and Joash and Saraph, who married Moabite women and then settled in Bethlehem. (These traditions are very old.)

23 They were potters in the service of the king and lived in the towns of Netaim and Gederah.

24 Simeon had five sons: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul.

25 Shaul's son was Shallum, his grandson was Mibsam, and his great-grandson was Mishma.

26 Then from Mishma the line descended through Hammuel, Zaccur, and Shimei.

27 Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his relatives had fewer children, and the tribe of Simeon did not grow as much as the tribe of Judah did.

28 Down to the time of King David the descendants of Simeon lived in the following towns: Beersheba, Moladah, Hazarshual,

29 Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad,

30 Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag,

31 Beth Marcaboth, Hazarsusim, Bethbiri, and Shaaraim.

32 They also lived in five other places: Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan,

33 and the surrounding villages, as far southwest as the town of Baalath. These are the records which they kept of their families and of the places where they lived.

34 The following men were the heads of their clans: Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah, Joel, Jehu (the son of Joshibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel), Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, Ziza (the son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, a descendant of Jedaiah, Shimri, and Shemaiah). Because their families continued to grow,

39 they spread out westward almost to Gerar and pastured their sheep on the eastern side of the valley in which that city is located.

40 They found plenty of fertile pasture lands there in a stretch of open country that was quiet and peaceful. The people who had lived there before were Hamites.

41 In the time of King Hezekiah of Judah, the men named above went to Gerar and destroyed the tents and huts of the people who lived there. They drove the people out and settled there permanently because there was plenty of pasture for their sheep.

42 Five hundred other members of the tribe of Simeon went east to Edom. They were led by the sons of Ishi: Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel.

43 There they killed the surviving Amalekites, and they have lived there ever since.

1 Chronicles 5

1 These are the descendants of Reuben, the oldest of Jacob's sons. (Because he had sex with one of his father's concubines, he lost the rights belonging to the first-born son, and those rights were given to Joseph.

2 It was the tribe of Judah, however, that became the strongest and provided a ruler for all the tribes.)

3 Reuben, the oldest of Jacob's sons, had four sons: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

4 These are the descendants of Joel from generation to generation: Shemaiah, Gog, Shimei, Micah, Reaiah, Baal, and Beerah. The Assyrian emperor, Tiglath Pileser, captured Beerah, a leader of the tribe, and deported him.

7 The family records list the following clan leaders in the tribe of Reuben: Jeiel, Zechariah,

8 and Bela, the son of Azaz and grandson of Shema, of the clan of Joel. This clan lived in Aroer and in the territory from there north to Nebo and Baal Meon.

9 They had large herds in the land of Gilead, and so they occupied the land as far east as the desert that stretches all the way to the Euphrates River.

10 In the time of King Saul the tribe of Reuben attacked the Hagrites, killed them in battle, and occupied their land in the eastern part of Gilead.

11 The tribe of Gad lived to the north of Reuben in the land of Bashan as far east as Salecah.

12 Joel was the founder of the leading clan, and Shapham of the second most important clan. Janai and Shaphat were founders of other clans in Bashan.

13 The other members of the tribe belonged to the following seven clans: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber.

14 They were descendants of Abihail son of Huri, whose ancestors were traced back as follows: Abihail, Huri, Jaroah, Gilead, Michael, Jeshishai, Jahdo, Buz.

15 Ahi, the son of Abdiel and grandson of Guni, was head of these clans.

16 They lived in the territory of Bashan and Gilead, in the towns there and all over the pasture lands of Sharon

17 (These records were compiled in the days of King Jotham of Judah and King Jeroboam II of Israel.)

18 In the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh there were 44,760 soldiers, well-trained in the use of shields, swords, and bows.

19 They went to war against the Hagrite tribes of Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab.

20 They put their trust in God and prayed to him for help, and God answered their prayers and made them victorious over the Hagrites and their allies.

21 They captured from the enemy 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep, and 2,000 donkeys, and took 100,000 prisoners of war.

22 They killed many of the enemy, because the war was God's will. And they went on living in that territory until the exile.

23 The people of East Manasseh settled in the territory of Bashan as far north as Baal Hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon, and their population increased greatly.

24 The following were the heads of their clans: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. They were all outstanding soldiers, well-known leaders of their clans.

25 But the people were unfaithful to the God of their ancestors and deserted him to worship the gods of the nations whom God had driven out of the land.

26 So God caused Emperor Pul of Assyria (also known as Tiglath Pileser) to invade their country. He deported the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh and settled them permanently in Halah, Habor, and Hara, and by the Gozan River.

1 Chronicles 6

1 Levi had three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

2 Kohath had four sons: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

3 Amram had two sons, Aaron and Moses, and one daughter, Miriam. Aaron had four sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

4 The descendants of Eleazar from generation to generation are as follows: Phinehas, Abishua,

5 Bukki, Uzzi,

6 Zerahiah, Meraioth,

7 Amariah, Ahitub,

8 Zadok, Ahimaaz,

9 Azariah, Johanan,

10 Azariah (the one who served in the Temple which King Solomon built in Jerusalem),

11 Amariah, Ahitub,

12 Zadok, Shallum,

13 Hilkiah, Azariah,

14 Seraiah, Jehozadak.

15 King Nebuchadnezzar deported Jehozadak along with the other people of Judah and Jerusalem whom the Lord sent into exile.

16 Levi had three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

17 Each of them also had sons. Gershon was the father of Libni and Shimei;

18 Kohath was the father of Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel;

19 and Merari was the father of Mahli and Mushi.

20 These are the descendants of Gershon from generation to generation: Libni, Jahath, Zimmah,

21 Joah, Iddo, Zerah, Jeatherai.

22 These are the descendants of Kohath from generation to generation: Amminadab, Korah, Assir,

23 Elkanah, Ebiasaph, Assir,

24 Tahath, Uriel, Uzziah, Shaul.

25 Elkanah had two sons, Amasai and Ahimoth.

26 These are Ahimoth's descendants from generation to generation: Elkanah, Zophai, Nahath,

27 Eliab, Jeroham, Elkanah.

28 Samuel had two sons: Joel, the older, and Abijah, the younger.

29 These are the descendants of Merari from generation to generation: Mahli, Libni, Shimei, Uzzah,

30 Shimea, Haggiah, Asaiah.

31 These are the men whom King David put in charge of the music at the place of worship in Jerusalem after the Covenant Box was moved there.

32 They took regular turns of duty at the Tent of the Lord's presence during the time before King Solomon built the Temple.

33 The family lines of those who held this office are as follows: The clan of Kohath: Heman, the leader of the first choir, was the son of Joel. His family line went back to Jacob as follows: Heman, Joel, Samuel,

34 Elkanah, Jeroham, Eliel, Toah,

35 Zuph, Elkanah, Mahath, Amasai,

36 Elkanah, Joel, Azariah, Zephaniah,

37 Tahath, Assir, Ebiasaph, Korah,

38 Izhar, Kohath, Levi, Jacob.

39 Asaph was leader of the second choir. His family line went back to Levi as follows: Asaph, Berechiah, Shimea,

40 Michael, Baaseiah, Malchijah,

41 Ethni, Zerah, Adaiah,

42 Ethan, Zimmah, Shimei,

43 Jahath, Gershon, Levi.

44 Ethan of the clan of Merari was the leader of the third choir. His family line went back to Levi as follows: Ethan, Kishi, Abdi, Malluch,

45 Hashabiah, Amaziah, Hilkiah,

46 Amzi, Bani, Shemer,

47 Mahli, Mushi, Merari, Levi.

48 The other Levites were assigned all the other duties at the place of worship.

49 Aaron and his descendants presented the offerings of incense and offered the sacrifices that were burnt on the altar. They were responsible for all the worship in the Most Holy Place and for the sacrifices by which God forgives Israel's sins. They did all this in accordance with the instructions given by Moses, God's servant.

50 This is the line of Aaron's descendants: Eleazar, Phinehas, Abishua,

51 Bukki, Uzzi, Zerahiah,

52 Meraioth, Amariah, Ahitub,

53 Zadok, Ahimaaz.

54 This is the territory assigned to the descendants of Aaron of the clan of Kohath. They received the first share of the land assigned to the Levites.

55 This included Hebron in the territory of Judah and the pasture lands around it.

56 The fields and villages, however, that belonged to the city were assigned to Caleb son of Jephunneh.

57 The following towns were assigned to Aaron's descendants: Hebron, a city of refuge, Jattir, and the towns of Libnah, Eshtemoa, Hilen, Debir, Ashan, and Beth Shemesh, with their pasture lands.

60 In the territory of Benjamin they were assigned the following towns with their pasture lands: Geba, Alemeth, and Anathoth. This made a total of thirteen towns for all their families to live in.

61 Ten towns in the territory of West Manasseh were assigned by lot to the rest of the clan of Kohath, family by family.

62 To the clan of Gershon, family by family, were assigned thirteen towns in the territories of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and East Manasseh in Bashan.

63 In the same way, twelve towns in the territories of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun were assigned to the clan of Merari, family by family.

64 In this way the people of Israel assigned towns for the Levites to live in, together with the pasture lands around the towns

65 (The towns in the territories of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, mentioned above, were also assigned by drawing lots.)

66 Some of the families of the clan of Kohath were assigned towns and pasture lands in the territory of Ephraim:

67 Shechem, the city of refuge in the hills of Ephraim, Gezer,

68 Jokmeam, Beth Horon,

69 Aijalon, and Gath Rimmon.

70 In the territory of West Manasseh they were assigned the towns of Aner and Bileam with the surrounding pasture lands.

71 The families of the clan of Gershon were assigned the following towns, with the surrounding pasture lands: In the territory of East Manasseh: Golan in Bashan, and Ashtaroth.

72 In the territory of Issachar: Kedesh, Daberath,

73 Ramoth, and Anem.

74 In the territory of Asher: Mashal, Abdon,

75 Hukok, and Rehob.

76 In the territory of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon, and Kiriathaim.

77 The remaining families of the clan of Merari were assigned the following towns with the surrounding pasture lands: In the territory of Zebulun: Rimmono and Tabor.

78 In the territory of Reuben, east of the Jordan River beyond Jericho: Bezer on the plateau, Jahzah,

79 Kedemoth, and Mephaath.

80 In the territory of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim,

81 Heshbon, and Jazer.

John 6:1-21

1 After this, Jesus went across Lake Galilee (or, Lake Tiberias, as it is also called).

2 A large crowd followed him, because they had seen his miracles of healing the sick.

3 Jesus went up a hill and sat down with his disciples.

4 The time for the Passover Festival was near.

5 Jesus looked around and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, so he asked Philip, "Where can we buy enough food to feed all these people?

6 (He said this to test Philip; actually he already knew what he would do.)

7 Philip answered, "For everyone to have even a little, it would take more than two hundred silver coins to buy enough bread."

8 Another one of his disciples, Andrew, who was Simon Peter's brother, said,

9 "There is a boy here who has five loaves of barley bread and two fish. But they will certainly not be enough for all these people."

10 "Make the people sit down," Jesus told them. (There was a lot of grass there.) So all the people sat down; there were about five thousand men.

11 Jesus took the bread, gave thanks to God, and distributed it to the people who were sitting there. He did the same with the fish, and they all had as much as they wanted.

12 When they were all full, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces left over; let us not waste a bit."

13 So they gathered them all and filled twelve baskets with the pieces left over from the five barley loaves which the people had eaten.

14 Seeing this miracle that Jesus had performed, the people there said, "Surely this is the Prophet who was to come into the world!"

15 Jesus knew that they were about to come and seize him in order to make him king by force; so he went off again to the hills by himself.

16 When evening came, Jesus' disciples went down to the lake,

17 got into a boat, and went back across the lake toward Capernaum. Night came on, and Jesus still had not come to them.

18 By then a strong wind was blowing and stirring up the water.

19 The disciples had rowed about three or four miles when they saw Jesus walking on the water, coming near the boat, and they were terrified.

20 "Don't be afraid," Jesus told them, "it is I!"

21 Then they willingly took him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached land at the place they were heading for.