Now the Philistines fought against Israel. The Israelites fled before the Philistines and many of them fell dead on Mount Gilboa.

So the Lord sent a plague through Israel, and 70,000 Israelite men died.

He was buried in the City of David with the kings, because he had accomplished good in Israel and for God and his temple.

For the music director; to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a psalm of Asaph, a song. God has revealed himself in Judah; in Israel his reputation is great.

He established a rule in Jacob; he set up a law in Israel. He commanded our ancestors to make his deeds known to their descendants,

When the Lord heard this, he was furious. A fire broke out against Jacob, and his anger flared up against Israel,

“‘This will be their inheritance: I am their inheritance, and you must give them no property in Israel; I am their property.

They may eat the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering, and every devoted thing in Israel will be theirs.

All the people of the land will contribute to this offering for the prince of Israel.

When Ephraim spoke, there was terror; he was exalted in Israel, but he became guilty by worshiping Baal and died.

You and Aaron are to number all in Israel who can serve in the army, those who are twenty years old or older, by their divisions.

All the Israelites who were twenty years old or older, who could serve in Israel’s army, were numbered according to their families.

See, I have given the Levites all the tithes in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they perform – the service of the tent of meeting.

When the Canaanite king of Arad who lived in the Negev heard that Israel was approaching along the road to Atharim, he fought against Israel and took some of them prisoner.

He has not looked on iniquity in Jacob, nor has he seen trouble in Israel. The Lord their God is with them; his acclamation as king is among them.

For there is no spell against Jacob, nor is there any divination against Israel. At this time it must be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘Look at what God has done!’

“Take a census of the whole community of Israelites, from twenty years old and upward, by their clans, everyone who can serve in the army of Israel.”

So the Lord’s anger was kindled against the Israelites, and he made them wander in the wilderness for forty years, until all that generation that had done wickedly before the Lord was finished.

When it is reported to you and you hear about it, you must investigate carefully. If it is indeed true that such a disgraceful thing is being done in Israel,

Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, launched an attack against Israel. He summoned Balaam son of Beor to call down judgment on you.