79 passages · Humanity
Abram proposes peaceful separation and offers Lot first choice. Lot picks the well-watered Jordan plain and settles near Sodom, whose people are wicked.
Before he finishes praying, Rebekah arrives and generously waters all ten camels. The servant gives her gifts, learns she is Abraham's relative, and worships God for guiding him.
God asks the Israelites to give freewill offerings of metals, yarn, skins, wood, oil, spices and gems. These materials will build a sanctuary so that God may dwell among them, following a pattern he will show.
Moses tells the people what the LORD commands: bring willing offerings of materials and let skilled craftsmen come make everything on the list, from the tabernacle to the priestly garments.
The people go and bring gold jewelry, yarn, linen, skins, wood, metals, gems, spices and oil. Skilled women spin yarn, and all whose hearts are willing, men and women, give.
Bezalel, Oholiab and skilled workers receive the offerings from Moses. The people keep bringing gifts every morning until the workers report there is too much, and Moses has the people stopped from giving more.
Farmers are not to harvest to the edges of their fields or strip their vineyards bare. They are to leave gleanings for the poor and the foreigner.
Seven weeks, fifty days, after the firstfruits sheaf, Israel is to offer two loaves of leavened bread with animal offerings as a sacred assembly. The passage ends by telling farmers to leave the edges of their fields for the poor and foreigners.
An Israelite who becomes destitute is to be supported like a resident foreigner and not charged interest or profit. God grounds this in having brought Israel out of Egypt.
A tenth of the land's produce and of every tenth animal belongs to the LORD. Someone who wants to buy back part of the tithe must add a fifth, and the book ends by noting these commands were given at Sinai.
When the tabernacle is finished and consecrated, the twelve leaders bring six carts and twelve oxen. Moses gives them to the Gershonites and Merarites, but none to the Kohathites, who carry sacred objects on their shoulders.
The leaders bring offerings for the altar one day at a time. Nahshon of Judah goes first, with silver and gold vessels, burnt, sin and peace offerings.
Issachar, Zebulun, Reuben and Simeon's leaders each bring the same offering on their day, one after the other.
Gad, Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin's leaders present exactly the same gifts on their days.
The leaders of Dan, Asher and Naphtali complete the twelve days with the same offering.
The total of silver, gold and animals from the twelve leaders is added up as the dedication offering for the altar.
Israel is to set aside a tenth of its produce each year and eat it at God's chosen place, or exchange it for money if too far. Every third year the tithe is stored in the towns for the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows.
Moses commands Israel not to harden their hearts against the poor as the release year nears, but to lend freely and give generously. There will always be poor in the land, so they are to open their hands.
A Hebrew servant must be set free in the seventh year and sent away with generous supplies, remembering Israel's own slavery in Egypt. A servant who wishes to stay may become a servant for life.
Farmers must leave forgotten sheaves, leftover olives, and leftover grapes for foreigners, orphans, and widows. Israel is again reminded that it was once enslaved in Egypt.
Every third year the tithe is given to the Levite, foreigner, orphan, and widow. The giver then declares before God that he has done this faithfully and asks for God's blessing on the people and land.
At mealtime Boaz shares food with Ruth and quietly orders his men to leave extra stalks for her. She gleans until evening and gathers about an ephah of barley.
Abigail quickly loads donkeys with bread, wine, meat, grain, raisins and figs and sends them ahead without telling Nabal. Meanwhile David, riding toward her, has just vowed to kill every male of Nabal's household by morning.
Some men refuse to share spoil with those who stayed behind, but David says the LORD gave the victory. He rules that those who guard the supplies share equally with those who fight.
Back in Ziklag, David sends portions of the plunder to the elders of Judah and to many named towns where he and his men had roamed.
A man brings twenty barley loaves, and Elisha orders them served to a hundred men in spite of his servant's doubt. According to the LORD's word there is food left over.
Joash directs the sacred money toward temple repairs, but by his twenty-third year little has been done. Jehoiada sets up a chest by the altar, and the money is counted and paid to honest workmen.
Levites led by Shebuel and Shelomith are in charge of the treasuries. They care for gifts dedicated by David, army leaders and earlier figures like Samuel and Saul, some taken as plunder.
David tells the assembly that the temple task is great and Solomon is young. He gives his personal treasure and asks who will join him, and the leaders give generously and the people rejoice.
David blesses the LORD as owner of everything, saying that all they have given came from God's own hand. He asks God to keep his people's hearts devoted and to give Solomon a whole heart to keep his commands.