Answer me when I call to you, O God who declares me innocent. Free me from my troubles. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
How long will you people ruin my reputation? How long will you make groundless accusations? How long will you continue your lies? Interlude You can be sure of this: The Lord set apart the godly for himself. The Lord will answer when I call to him.
Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent. Interlude Offer sacrifices in the right spirit, and trust the Lord.
Many people say, “Who will show us better times?” Let your face smile on us, Lord. You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine. In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.
The half-tribe of Manasseh was very large and spread through the land from Bashan to Baal-hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon. These were the leaders of their clans: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel. These men had a great reputation as mighty warriors and leaders of their clans.
But these tribes were unfaithful to the God of their ancestors. They worshiped the gods of the nations that God had destroyed. So the God of Israel caused King Pul of Assyria (also known as Tiglath-pileser) to invade the land and take away the people of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh as captives. The Assyrians exiled them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the Gozan River, where they remain to this day.
The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
The descendants of Kohath included Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
The children of Amram were Aaron, Moses, and Miriam.
The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
Eleazar was the father of Phinehas. Phinehas was the father of Abishua. Abishua was the father of Bukki. Bukki was the father of Uzzi. Uzzi was the father of Zerahiah. Zerahiah was the father of Meraioth. Meraioth was the father of Amariah. Amariah was the father of Ahitub. Ahitub was the father of Zadok. Zadok was the father of Ahimaaz. Ahimaaz was the father of Azariah. Azariah was the father of Johanan. Johanan was the father of Azariah, the high priest at the Temple built by Solomon in Jerusalem. Azariah was the father of Amariah. Amariah was the father of Ahitub. Ahitub was the father of Zadok. Zadok was the father of Shallum. Shallum was the father of Hilkiah. Hilkiah was the father of Azariah. Azariah was the father of Seraiah. Seraiah was the father of Jehozadak, who went into exile when the Lord sent the people of Judah and Jerusalem into captivity under Nebuchadnezzar.
The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
The descendants of Gershon included Libni and Shimei.
The descendants of Kohath included Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
The descendants of Merari included Mahli and Mushi.
The following were the Levite clans, listed according to their ancestral descent:
The descendants of Gershon included Libni, Jahath, Zimmah, Joah, Iddo, Zerah, and Jeatherai.
The descendants of Kohath included Amminadab, Korah, Assir, Elkanah, Abiasaph, Assir, Tahath, Uriel, Uzziah, and Shaul.
The descendants of Elkanah included Amasai, Ahimoth, Elkanah, Zophai, Nahath, Eliab, Jeroham, Elkanah, and Samuel.
The sons of Samuel were Joel (the older) and Abijah (the second).
The descendants of Merari included Mahli, Libni, Shimei, Uzzah, Shimea, Haggiah, and Asaiah.
The next day as Cornelius’s messengers were nearing the town, Peter went up on the flat roof to pray. It was about noon, and he was hungry. But while a meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners. In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.”
“No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean. ”
But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” The same vision was repeated three times. Then the sheet was suddenly pulled up to heaven.
Peter was very perplexed. What could the vision mean? Just then the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house. Standing outside the gate, they asked if a man named Simon Peter was staying there.
Meanwhile, as Peter was puzzling over the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, “Three men have come looking for you. Get up, go downstairs, and go with them without hesitation. Don’t worry, for I have sent them.”
So Peter went down and said, “I’m the man you are looking for. Why have you come?”
They said, “We were sent by Cornelius, a Roman officer. He is a devout and God-fearing man, well respected by all the Jews. A holy angel instructed him to summon you to his house so that he can hear your message.” So Peter invited the men to stay for the night. The next day he went with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Joppa.