Numbers 9, Psalm 45, Song of Solomon 7, Hebrews 7

Numbers 9,

1 The LORD spoke to Moses in the Desert of Sinai in the first month of the second year after they came out of Egypt. He said,
 
2 "Have the Israelites celebrate the Passover at the appointed time.
 
3 Celebrate it at the appointed time, at twilight on the fourteenth day of this month, in accordance with all its rules and regulations."
 
4 So Moses told the Israelites to celebrate the Passover,
 
5 and they did so in the Desert of Sinai at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. The Israelites did everything just as the LORD commanded Moses.
 
6 But some of them could not celebrate the Passover on that day because they were ceremonially unclean on account of a dead body. So they came to Moses and Aaron that same day
 
7 and said to Moses, "We have become unclean because of a dead body, but why should we be kept from presenting the LORD's offering with the other Israelites at the appointed time?"
 
8 Moses answered them, "Wait until I find out what the LORD commands concerning you."
 
9 Then the LORD said to Moses,
 
10 "Tell the Israelites: 'When any of you or your descendants are unclean because of a dead body or are away on a journey, they may still celebrate the LORD's Passover.
 
11 They are to celebrate it on the fourteenth day of the second month at twilight. They are to eat the lamb, together with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
 
12 They must not leave any of it till morning or break any of its bones. When they celebrate the Passover, they must follow all the regulations.
 
13 But if a man who is ceremonially clean and not on a journey fails to celebrate the Passover, that person must be cut off from his people because he did not present the LORD's offering at the appointed time. That man will bear the consequences of his sin.
 
14 " 'An alien living among you who wants to celebrate the LORD's Passover must do so in accordance with its rules and regulations. You must have the same regulations for the alien and the native-born.' "
 
15 On the day the tabernacle, the Tent of the Testimony, was set up, the cloud covered it. From evening till morning the cloud above the tabernacle looked like fire.
 
16 That is how it continued to be; the cloud covered it, and at night it looked like fire.
 
17 Whenever the cloud lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped.
 
18 At the LORD's command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp.
 
19 When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the LORD's order and did not set out.
 
20 Sometimes the cloud was over the tabernacle only a few days; at the LORD's command they would encamp, and then at his command they would set out.
 
21 Sometimes the cloud stayed only from evening till morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out.
 
22 Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out.
 
23 At the LORD's command they encamped, and at the LORD's command they set out. They obeyed the LORD's order, in accordance with his command through Moses.

Psalm 45,

1 My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.
 
2 You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever.
 
3 Gird your sword upon your side, O mighty one; clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.
 
4 In your majesty ride forth victoriously in behalf of truth, humility and righteousness; let your right hand display awesome deeds.
 
5 Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king's enemies; let the nations fall beneath your feet.
 
6 Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
 
7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.
 
8 All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; from palaces adorned with ivory the music of the strings makes you glad.
 
9 Daughters of kings are among your honored women; at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir.
 
10 Listen, O daughter, consider and give ear: Forget your people and your father's house.
 
11 The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord.
 
12 The Daughter of Tyre will come with a gift, men of wealth will seek your favor.
 
13 All glorious is the princess within her chamber; her gown is interwoven with gold.
 
14 In embroidered garments she is led to the king; her virgin companions follow her and are brought to you.
 
15 They are led in with joy and gladness; they enter the palace of the king.
 
16 Your sons will take the place of your fathers; you will make them princes throughout the land.
 
17 I will perpetuate your memory through all generations; therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.

Song of Solomon 7,

1 How beautiful your sandaled feet, O prince's daughter! Your graceful legs are like jewels, the work of a craftsman's hands.
 
2 Your navel is a rounded goblet that never lacks blended wine. Your waist is a mound of wheat encircled by lilies.
 
3 Your breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle.
 
4 Your neck is like an ivory tower. Your eyes are the pools of Heshbon by the gate of Bath Rabbim. Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon looking toward Damascus.
 
5 Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel. Your hair is like royal tapestry; the king is held captive by its tresses.
 
6 How beautiful you are and how pleasing, O love, with your delights!
 
7 Your stature is like that of the palm, and your breasts like clusters of fruit.
 
8 I said, "I will climb the palm tree; I will take hold of its fruit." May your breasts be like the clusters of the vine, the fragrance of your breath like apples,
 
9 and your mouth like the best wine. May the wine go straight to my lover, flowing gently over lips and teeth.
 
10 I belong to my lover, and his desire is for me.
 
11 Come, my lover, let us go to the countryside, let us spend the night in the villages.
 
12 Let us go early to the vineyards to see if the vines have budded, if their blossoms have opened, and if the pomegranates are in bloom-there I will give you my love.
 
13 The mandrakes send out their fragrance, and at our door is every delicacy, both new and old, that I have stored up for you, my lover.

Hebrews 7

1 This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him,
 
2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means "king of righteousness"; then also, "king of Salem" means "king of peace."
 
3 Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever.
 
4 Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!
 
5 Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people-that is, their brothers-even though their brothers are descended from Abraham.
 
6 This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.
 
7 And without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater.
 
8 In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living.
 
9 One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham,
 
10 because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.
 
11 If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come-one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?
 
12 For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law.
 
13 He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar.
 
14 For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.
 
15 And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears,
 
16 one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life.
 
17 For it is declared: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."
 
18 The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless
 
19 (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.
 
20 And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath,
 
21 but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: 'You are a priest forever.' "
 
22 Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.
 
23 Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office;
 
24 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.
 
25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
 
26 Such a high priest meets our need-one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.
 
27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.
 
28 For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.