WELS

Through My Bible Yr 03 – August 11Psalm 13 – 14LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 11

Psalm 13 – 14 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0811db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 13How Long, O Lord?HeadingFor the choir director. A psalm by David.

Anguished Questions1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I experience worries in my soul,
sorrow in my heart every day?
How long will my enemy tower over me?

An Urgent Prayer3 Look at me. Answer me, O Lord my God.
Give light to my eyes
so I do not sleep in death,
4 so my enemy does not say, “I have overcome him,”
so my foes do not rejoice when I fall.

A Solid Answer5 But I trust in your mercy.
My heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord
because he has accomplished his purpose for me.

Psalm 14The Fool(Psalm 53)HeadingFor the choir director. By David.

A Description of the Fool1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt. They do disgusting things.
There is no one who does good.
2 The Lord looks down from heaven on all the children of Adam
to see if there is anyone who understands, anyone who seeks God.
3 Every one of them has turned away.
Altogether they have become rotten.
There is no one who does good.
There is not even one.

The Final Fate of the Fool4 Don’t any of these evildoers understand,
those who devour my people as if they were eating bread?
They do not call on the Lord.
5 There they are! They are terrified
because God is present in the circle of the righteous.
6 You try to put the plans of the poor to shame,
but the Lord is their refuge.

Closing Prayer7 Who will provide salvation for Israel from Zion? [1]
When the Lord restores his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Footnotes1. Psalm 14:7 Or Oh that salvation for Israel would come from Zion!

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – August 10Hosea 13 – 14LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 10

Hosea 13 – 14 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0810db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Repentance or Disaster?Hosea 131 When Ephraim spoke, people would tremble.
He was highly honored in Israel,
but he became guilty through worshipping Baal, so he died.
2 Now they sin more and more.
They make cast images for themselves,
idols skillfully made from their silver,
all of them the work of craftsmen.
It is said about them, “The ones who sacrifice are humans who kiss calves!” [1]
3 Therefore they will be like morning mist,
and like early dew that passes away,
like chaff that is blown away from the threshing floor,
and like smoke from a chimney.
4 But I have been the Lord your God since you left the land of Egypt.
You must not acknowledge any god except me.
There is no Savior except me.
5 I took care of you in the wilderness,
in a land burned by drought.
6 When they had pasture, they were satisfied.
When they were satisfied, their hearts became arrogant.
That is why they have forgotten me.
7 So I will be like a lion to them.
Like a leopard, I will lurk along the path.
8 I will come upon them like a bear robbed of her cubs.
I will tear the cover off their hearts.
Then I will devour them like a lioness.
The wild animals will rip them apart.
9 This is what has destroyed you, Israel:
the fact that you are against me, against your helper. [2]
10 So where is your king, so that he may save you in all your cities,
and your judges, whom you requested, saying, “Give me a king and officials”?
11 I gave you a king in my anger,
and I took him away in my wrath.
12 The guilt of Ephraim is wrapped up.
His sin is stored up.
13 Labor pains will come for him,
but he is not a wise son,
for when the time arrives,
he is not ready to be born.

14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave! [3]
I will redeem them from death!
Death, where are your plagues?
Grave, where is your destruction?

Compassion will be hidden from my eyes.
15 Although he flourishes as a son among brothers, [4]
an east wind will come.
The breath [5] of the Lord is coming up from the wilderness.
His spring will become dry.
His fountain will be dried up.
His treasury will be plundered of every precious article.
16 Samaria will be found guilty,
because she rebelled against her God.
The people will fall by the sword.
Their little children will be dashed to the ground,
and their pregnant women will be ripped open. [6]

Return to the Lord!Hosea 141 Israel, return to the Lord your God,
for you have stumbled because of your guilt.
2 Take words with you [7] and return to the Lord.
Say to him, “Forgive all our guilt,
and receive us graciously,
and let us present the fruit of our lips as bulls. [8]
3 Assyria cannot save us.
We will not ride on horses.
We will no longer call the work of our hands our gods!
For in you the fatherless child finds compassion.”

4 I will cure them of their unfaithfulness.
I will love them freely,
for my anger has turned away from them.
5 I will be refreshing like dew to Israel.
It will blossom like a lily.
It will take root like a cedar of Lebanon.
6 Its young shoots will sprout.
Its beauty will be like an olive tree.
Its fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.
7 Those who live in Israel’s shade will once again grow grain.
They will blossom like a grape vine.
Its fame will be like the wine of Lebanon.
8 Ephraim, how much more do I have to put up with from idols?
I am the one who has answered, and I look after him.
I am like a fresh fir tree.
Your fruit comes from me.

9 Who is wise? Let him understand these things.
Who is discerning? Let him know them.
For the ways of the Lord are right,
and the righteous walk in them,
but the rebellious stumble in them.

Footnotes1. Hosea 13:2 Or they offer human sacrifice and kiss calves. The line is difficult. 2. Hosea 13:9 Or it has destroyed you, Israel, because it is from me, from your helper 3. Hosea 13:14 Hebrew sheol 4. Hosea 13:15 Or among the reeds. The translation above is a literal rendering of the Hebrew. 5. Hosea 13:15 Or wind 6. Hosea 13:16 English verse 13:16 is verse 14:1 in Hebrew. In chapter 14 the subsequent Hebrew verse numbers are one higher than the English numbers. 7. Hosea 14:2 Or prepare a speech or take back your words 8. Hosea 14:2 The text and meaning of this line are uncertain.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – August 09Hosea 11 – 12LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 09

Hosea 11 – 12 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0809db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

God’s Love for IsraelHosea 111 When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and out of Egypt I called my son.

2 The more I called to them,
the more they went away from me. [1]
They kept sacrificing to the Baals
and burning incense to idols.
3 Yet I was the one who taught Ephraim to walk.
I took them in my arms, [2]
but they did not realize that it was I who healed them.
4 I drew them with cords suitable for a man, [3] with ropes of love.
For them I became like someone who lifts a yoke off their neck,
and I bent down to feed them.

5 They will not [4] return into the land of Egypt.
Instead, an Assyrian will be their king,
because they refused to repent.
6 The sword will slash against their cities.
It will destroy the bars of their gates,
and it will devour them because of their plans.

7 My people are determined to turn away from me.
Though they call him the Most High, he certainly will not exalt them.

8 How can I give you up, Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
How can I treat you like Zeboiim? [5]
My heart is changed inside me.
All my compassion is stirred up.
9 I will not carry out my burning anger.
I will not destroy Ephraim again,
because I am God, and not man, the Holy One among you.
I will not enter a city. [6]
10 They will follow the Lord.
He will roar like a lion.
Yes, he will roar, and his children will come trembling from the west.
11 They will come trembling like a bird from Egypt,
and like a dove from the land of Assyria.
I will settle them in their houses, declares the Lord.

Israel Must Repent12 Ephraim surrounds me with falsehood,
and the house of Israel with deceit.
Judah still strays from [7] God,
even from the Holy One, who is faithful. [8]

Hosea 121 Ephraim feeds on wind
and chases the east wind all day.
He multiplies lies and violence.
They make a treaty with Assyria,
and olive oil is carried to Egypt.
2 The Lord has a case against Judah.
He will deal with Jacob according to his ways.
According to his deeds he will repay him.
3 In the womb Jacob grasped his brother by the heel,
and when he was a grown man, he struggled with God.
4 He wrestled with the Angel and prevailed.
He wept and sought his favor.
He found him at Bethel, and there he spoke with him, [9]
5 namely, with the Lord, the God of Armies.
The Lord is the name by which he is to be remembered!
6 So return to your God.
Observe mercy and justice,
and wait for your God continually.

7 A merchant has fraudulent scales in his hand.
He loves to defraud others.
8 Ephraim said, “Surely I have become rich.
I have secured wealth for myself.
Among all my possessions no one will find anything that makes me guilty of sin.”

9 But I have been the Lord your God from the time you left the land of Egypt.
I will make you dwell in tents again,
as in the days of the appointed festival. [10]
10 I have spoken to the prophets.
I have given numerous visions.
I taught meaningful lessons through the prophets.
11 Since Gilead is wicked,
it is certain that they are worthless.
In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls.
Yes, their altars are like piles of stones in the furrows of a field.
12 Jacob fled to the territory of Aram.
Israel worked as a servant to get a wife,
and for a wife, he took care of sheep.
13 By a prophet, the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt,
and by a prophet he took care of Israel.
14 Ephraim has provoked bitter anger.
Therefore his Lord will leave him bloodied by his guilt
and bring his disgrace back on him.

Footnotes1. Hosea 11:2 A variant reading is the more they called them, the more they went away from them. 2. Hosea 11:3 The text of the pronouns in this verse is uncertain. The translation follows the Greek Old Testament. 3. Hosea 11:4 Literally cords of mankind. The words translated man and love have homonyms meaning leather, so there may be a play on words here. 4. Hosea 11:5 Not is missing from some manuscripts. 5. Hosea 11:8 Admah and Zeboiim were daughter cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. 6. Hosea 11:9 Or come in wrath. The Hebrew is difficult. 7. Hosea 11:12 Literally wanders with. Translations disagree whether the term is negative or positive. 8. Hosea 11:12 English verse 11:12 is verse 12:1 in Hebrew. In chapter 12 the subsequent Hebrew verse numbers are one higher than the English numbers. 9. Hosea 12:4 Variant us 10. Hosea 12:9 The Festival of Shelters in the autumn

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – August 08Hosea 9 – 10LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 08

Hosea 9 – 10 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0808db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Days of Retribution Are NearHosea 91 Do not rejoice, Israel, with excessive celebration like the nations,
because you act promiscuously against your God.
You love the wages you can earn as a prostitute at every threshing floor for grain.
2 The threshing floor and winepress will not feed them,
and the new wine will fail for them.
3 They will not remain in the Lord’s land.
Ephraim will return to Egypt,
and they will eat unclean food in Assyria.
4 They will not pour out drink offerings of wine to the Lord.
Their sacrifices will not be pleasing to him.
For them, their bread will become like the bread eaten by mourners.
Everyone who eats it will be unclean.
This bread will only serve their own appetite.
It will not enter the House of the Lord.
5 What will you do on the day of the appointed festivals
and on the feast days of the Lord?
6 Know this! Even if they flee from destruction,
Egypt will gather them up.
Memphis will bury them.
Thistles will overgrow their silver treasures.
Thorns will grow inside their tents.
7 The days of reckoning have come.
The days of retribution have come.
Israel should know this!

Israel Rejects the Prophets The prophet is treated like a fool,
and the man of the Spirit is called crazy,
because your guilt is enormous,
and because your hostility is so great.
8 A prophet is to be a watchman over Ephraim for my God,
but a fowler’s snare is laid for him on all of Ephraim’s paths,
and he encounters hostility in the house of his God. [1]
9 They have become extremely corrupt,
as they were in the days of Gibeah.
God will remember their guilt.
He will punish them for their sins.

Fertility Worship Brings No Fertility10 I regarded Israel like grapes found in the wilderness.
I regarded your forefathers like the first ripe fruit on a fig tree in its first season,
but they went to Baal Peor, and they devoted themselves to a shameful thing,
and they became as disgusting as the thing they loved.
11 Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird—
no birth, no pregnancy, no conception!
12 Even if they bring up their children,
I will deprive them of each one.
Yes, woe to them when I depart from them!
13 I have seen Ephraim planted in a pleasant place like Tyre,
but Ephraim will bring its children out to the executioner.
14 Give to them, Lord—but what will you give?
Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
15 Because of all their evil in Gilgal,
I hated them there.
Because of their evil deeds,
I will drive them out of my house!
I will love them no more.
All their officials are rebels.
16 Ephraim has been struck down.
Their root has dried up.
They will bear no fruit.
Even if they give birth,
I will put their precious offspring to death.

17 My God will reject them, because they have not obeyed him.
They will be wanderers among the nations.

Hosea 101 Israel was a spreading [2] vine.
He produced fruit for himself.
The more fruit he produced, the more altars he made.
The richer the land became, the richer he made his sacred memorial stones.

2 Their hearts are insincere, [3]
so now they will suffer for their guilt.
The Lord will break down their altars
and destroy their sacred memorial stones.

Kings Cannot Save You3 Certainly now they will say, “We have no king
because we did not fear the Lord,
but what could such a king do for us anyway?”
4 They speak empty words.
With empty oaths, they make agreements.
That is why disputes sprout like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field.
5 The inhabitants of Samaria will be terrified because of the calf [4] of Beth Aven.
Yes, its people will mourn over it,
and its idolatrous priests will cry out over it,
over its lost glory, because it has gone into exile.
6 It will be carried to Assyria as tribute to the Great King. [5]
Ephraim will be gripped with shame,
and Israel will be ashamed of its own idol. [6]
7 Samaria, like her king, will be carried off
like a twig on the surface of the water.
8 The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, will become unusable.
Thorns and thistles will grow on their altars.
They will say to the mountains, “Cover us!”
and to the hills, “Fall on us!”

Learn the Lesson of Gibeah9 Israel, you have sinned ever since the days of Gibeah,
where the evildoers took their stand.
The war against the evildoers caught up with them at Gibeah, did it not?
10 When I see fit, I will discipline them. [7]
Peoples will be gathered against them
to bind them for their double guilt. [8]

11 Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh.
I will put a yoke on her beautiful neck. [9]
I will harness Ephraim.
Judah will plow.
Jacob will break up the ground.
12 Sow righteousness for yourselves,
and reap mercy.
Break up your fallow ground.
It is time to seek the Lord,
until he comes and rains righteousness on you.
13 You have plowed wickedness.
You have reaped injustice.
You have eaten the fruit of your lies,
because you trusted in your own way,
in the large number of your strong warriors.
14 Therefore the roar of battle will rise against your people,
and all your fortresses will be destroyed,
as Shalman [10] devastated Beth Arbel on the day of battle.
Mothers were dashed to the ground with their children.
15 This is what will be done to you, Bethel,
because of your great wickedness.
At dawn the king of Israel will be completely destroyed.

Footnotes1. Hosea 9:8 This verse is difficult. 2. Hosea 10:1 The Hebrew word may have a negative connotation like invasive. 3. Hosea 10:2 Or divided 4. Hosea 10:5 Variant calves 5. Hosea 10:6 The text of the last word of the line is uncertain. 6. Hosea 10:6 Or plan. The meaning of the last word is uncertain. 7. Hosea 10:10 The text of the line is uncertain. 8. Hosea 10:10 Or two crimes. The text of the line is uncertain. 9. Hosea 10:11 The text of the line is uncertain. 10. Hosea 10:14 The king of Assyria

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – August 07Hosea 5:15 – 8:14LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 07

Hosea 5:15 – 8:14 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0807db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Hosea 515 I will go. I will return to my place
until they admit their guilt and seek my face.
In their distress they will earnestly seek me.

Israel’s Need to Return to the Lord15 Come, let us return to the Lord.
For he has torn us to pieces,
but he will heal us.
He has struck us,
but he will bandage our wounds.
2 After two days he will revive us.
On the third day he will raise us up,
so that we may live in his presence.
3 Let us acknowledge the Lord.
Let us pursue knowledge of the Lord.
As surely as the sun rises,
the Lord will appear.
He will come to us like a heavy rain,
like the spring rain that waters the earth.

God’s Grief Over Israel’s Impenitence4 What am I going to do with you, Ephraim?
What am I going to do with you, Judah?
For your faithfulness [1] is like a morning mist,
like early dew that disappears.
5 That is why I cut them to pieces by means of the prophets.
I killed them with the words of my mouth.
The judgments against you go forth like the light.
6 For I desire mercy, [2] and not sacrifice,
and the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings.
7 Like Adam, [3] they have broken the covenant.
They acted treacherously against me there.
8 Gilead is a city of evildoers,
stained with bloody footprints.
9 As gangs of robbers wait to ambush a man,
so do bands of priests.
They commit murder on the road to Shechem.
They have committed shameful crimes.
10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing.
Ephraim practices sexual immorality there.
Israel defiles itself.
11 Judah, also for you, a harvest has been appointed,
when I restore the fortunes of my people. [4]

Israel’s Corruption7 Whenever I want to heal Israel,
the guilt of Ephraim is uncovered,
and the evil deeds of Samaria are exposed,
because they deal dishonestly.
Thieves come inside,
and bandits raid outside.
2 In their hearts Ephraim does not realize that I remember all their wickedness.
Now their deeds are all around them.
They are in front of my face.
3 The people of Ephraim make the king glad with their wickedness.
They make their officials happy with their lies.
4 They are all adulterers,
burning like an oven.
The baker does not need to stoke the fire
from the time the dough is kneaded until it is leavened.
5 On the day [5] of our [6] king, the officials became sick from the intoxicating wine.
He reaches out his hand to the blasphemers.
6 Indeed, their hearts are like an oven.
They approach him, while plotting against him.
Their anger sleeps all night,
but in the morning it burns like a blazing fire.
7 They are all hot as an oven.
They devour their rulers.
All their kings have fallen.
Not one of them calls on me.
8 Ephraim mixes itself with the nations.
Ephraim is a flatbread not turned over.
9 Strangers have devoured his strength,
but he does not realize it.
There are gray hairs on his head,
but he does not realize it.
10 The arrogance of Israel testifies against him,
yet they have not returned to the Lord their God,
and they have not sought him, despite all this.

Israel’s Instability11 Ephraim is like a gullible dove, without sense.
They call to Egypt.
Then they appeal to Assyria.
12 When they go out, I will spread my net over them.
I will bring them down like birds from the sky.
I will discipline them, on the basis of the report about their assembly. [7]
13 Woe to them,
because they have strayed from me!
Destruction comes upon them,
because they have rebelled against me!
I want to redeem them,
but they speak lies against me.
14 They do not cry out to me with their hearts,
but they howl on their beds.
They gather together [8] for grain and new wine.
They turn away from me.
15 Though I trained and strengthened their arms,
they plot evil against me.
16 They return, but not upward. [9]
They are like an unreliable bow.
Their officials will fall by the sword because of their angry tongues.
Because of this, they will be ridiculed in the land of Egypt.

The Lord’s Anger Burns Against Israel8 Raise a ram’s horn to your lips!
A vulture is circling over [10] the Lord’s house,
because they have broken my covenant
and rebelled against my law.
2 Israel cries out to me,
“My God, we acknowledge [11] you!”
3 But, in fact, Israel has rejected what is good.
An enemy will pursue him.
4 They set up kings, but not with my approval.
They installed officials, but I did not choose [12] them.
From their silver and their gold they made idols for themselves,
so they will be cut off.
5 I reject [13] your calf idol, Samaria!
My anger burns against these people!
How long will they be incapable of innocence?
6 That thing sitting there is from Israel!
A craftsman made it, so it is not God.
Certainly that calf of Samaria will be smashed to pieces!
7 Because they sow the wind,
they will reap the whirlwind.
The standing grain forms no heads,
so it will yield no flour.
Even if it would yield flour, foreigners would swallow it up.
8 Israel is swallowed up.
Now among the nations they are like a pot no one wants.
9 For they have gone up to Assyria, like a wild donkey all by itself.
Ephraim has hired lovers.
10 Even though they hire lovers among the nations,
I will now gather them together.
They will begin to suffer in a little while,
because of oppression by a king with many officials.
11 Ephraim has multiplied his altars for sin offerings,
but for him they became altars for sinning.
12 Though I wrote many teachings from my law for them,
they regarded them as strange.
13 They offer sacrifices to me just to get the meat. [14]
They sacrifice flesh and eat it,
but the Lord is not pleased with them.
Now he will remember their guilt
and punish their sins.
They will return to Egypt.
14 Israel has forgotten its Maker and built palaces. [15]
Judah has multiplied its fortified cities,
but I will send fire on its cities,
which will devour its citadels.

Footnotes1. Hosea 6:4 Or mercy 2. Hosea 6:6 Or faithfulness 3. Hosea 6:7 Or at Adam. We are aware of no act of covenant breaking at the city of Adam. 4. Hosea 6:11 Or though I would rather restore my people from captivity. Some translations join this line with verse 7:1. 5. Hosea 7:5 The birthday or the coronation day 6. Hosea 7:5 The Targum reads their. 7. Hosea 7:12 Or I will discipline them when I hear them flocking together. The meaning of the line is uncertain. 8. Hosea 7:14 Or they cut themselves, a reference to heathen religious practices 9. Hosea 7:16 Or not for the better. The translation above is literal. Many translations suggest the emendations return to the Most High or turn to Baal. 10. Hosea 8:1 Or an eagle is about to swoop down on 11. Hosea 8:2 Or know 12. Hosea 8:4 Literally know 13. Hosea 8:5 The Hebrew text reads he rejects. Ancient versions read reject! Sudden shifts of person are not unusual in Hosea. 14. Hosea 8:13 The meaning of this line is uncertain. 15. Hosea 8:14 Or temples

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – August 06Hosea 4:1 – 5:14LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 06

Hosea 4:1 – 5:14 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0806db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

The Lord’s Charges Against Israel and Its PriestsHosea 41 Hear the word of the Lord, you people of Israel,

because the Lord has charges to make against the inhabitants of the land,
because there is no truth,
there is no mercy,
and there is no knowledge of God in the land.
2 There is cursing, lying, murder, theft, and adultery.
They break out in violence, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.
3 Therefore the land mourns, [1]
and everyone who dwells in it wastes away
along with the wild animals and the birds in the sky.
Even the fish of the sea have been removed.
4 Yet no one should bring charges.
No one should accuse,
because your people are like those who dispute with a priest. [2]
5 You will stumble by day,
and the prophet will also stumble with you by night.
I will also destroy your mother.
6 My people have been destroyed because of lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you
from serving as a priest for me.
Because you have forgotten the law of your God,
I also will forget your children.
7 The more they increased, the more they sinned against me.
I changed their glory into shame. [3]
8 They feed on the sin of my people.
They set their desire on things that make them guilty.
9 So it will be the same for people as for priests.
I will punish them for their ways.
I will repay them for their deeds.
10 They will eat, but not be satisfied.
They will engage in sexual immorality, but not increase.
This will take place because they have abandoned the Lord to devote themselves to 11 sexual sin. [4]
Wine and new wine take away their understanding. [5]
12 My people consult their wooden idol,
and their fortunetellers wand gives them information,
because a promiscuous spirit has led them astray,
and they behave like a whore instead of following their God.
13 They sacrifice on the mountaintops.
They burn incense on the hills, and under oaks, poplars, and terebinths,
because their shade is pleasant.
That is why your daughters commit fornication, [6]
and your brides commit adultery.
14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit fornication,
or your brides when they commit adultery,
because the men consort with prostitutes
and sacrifice with shrine prostitutes.
So the people without understanding will come to ruin.
15 Though you, Israel, practice sexual immorality,
Judah should not follow your guilty way.
Do not go to Gilgal.
Do not go up to Beth Aven.
Do not swear, “As surely as the Lord lives.”
16 For Israel has become as stubborn as a heifer.
How can the Lord feed them like a lamb in a meadow?
17 Ephraim is joined to idols.
Let him go his own way!
18 Their alcoholic drinks are used up,
but they keep practicing sexual immorality anyway.
Their rulers, who should be their shields, instead love shame.
19 The wings of the wind will sweep them away,
and they will be put to shame because of their sacrifices.

Judgment on Israel’s Priests and KingsHosea 51 Hear this, you priests!
Pay attention, house of Israel!
Listen, O house of the king!
For this judgment applies to you,
because you were a trap at Mizpah
and a net spread out on Mount Tabor.
2 The rebels sink deeper into slaughter,
but I will discipline all of them.
3 I know Ephraim,
and Israel is not hidden from me.
Now, Ephraim, you still practice sexual immorality.
Israel is defiled.
4 Their deeds do not allow them to return to their God.
For a spirit of prostitution lies within them,
and they do not know the Lord.
5 The arrogance of Israel testifies against them.
Israel and Ephraim will stumble over their guilt.
Judah also will stumble with them.
6 They will go with their flocks and herds to seek the Lord,
but they will not find him.
He has withdrawn from them.
7 They acted treacherously against the Lord.
They even gave birth to illegitimate children.
Now the new moon will devour them along with their allotted land.
8 Blow the ram’s horn in Gibeah
and the trumpet in Ramah!
Raise a battle cry at Beth Aven: “Lead the way, Benjamin!”
9 Ephraim will become desolate ruins on the day it is punished. [7]
What I have made known among the tribes of Israel will certainly happen.
10 The officials of Judah are like people who move a boundary stone.
I will pour out my wrath on them like water.
11 Ephraim is oppressed,
crushed in judgment,
because he was determined to pursue worthless idols. [8]
12 I am like a moth to Ephraim,
and like decay to the house of Judah.
13 When Ephraim saw his sickness,
and Judah saw his wound,
Ephraim went to Assyria
and sent to the Great King for help,
but he is not able to heal you,
and he will not cure your wound,
14 because I will be like a lion to Ephraim
and like a young lion to the house of Judah.
Yes, I will tear him to pieces and go away.
I will carry them off, and there will be no one who can rescue them.

Footnotes1. Hosea 4:3 Or dries up 2. Hosea 4:4 The verse is difficult. The translation follows the Hebrew and Greek texts. Translations that render the third line my contention is with you, O priest emend the text to obtain this rendering. The point of the verse seems to be that it is useless to bring charges against these people, because they would not accept the judgment even of a priest. 3. Hosea 4:7 A Hebrew variant is they changed my glory for something shameful. 4. Hosea 4:11 Or prostitution 5. Hosea 4:11 The proper dividing point between verses 10 and 11 is uncertain. Though the words sexual sin are in verse 11 in the Hebrew text, these words belong with verse 10. 6. Hosea 4:13 The same Hebrew word elsewhere translated sexual immorality or prostitution is used here in reference to unmarried girls, so it is translated fornication. 7. Hosea 5:9 Or rebuked 8. Hosea 5:11 The translation follows some ancient versions. The Hebrew reads human commands.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – August 05Hosea 3LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 05

Hosea 3 (EHV)
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The Prophet’s Reconciliation With His Wife:A Picture of the Lord’s Love1 The Lord said to me, “Go again. Show love to a woman who is loved by another man, a woman who keeps committing adultery. Show love just as the Lord loves the people of Israel, even though they keep turning to other gods and loving the raisin cakes.” [1]

2 So I bought her for myself for fifteen pieces of silver and nine bushels [2] of barley. 3 I said to her, “You will stay with me for many days. You must not be promiscuous. [3] You must not be with any other man, and I will also be for you.”

4 So the people of Israel will live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred memorial stones, and without the special vest [4] or family idols. [5] 5 Afterward the people of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the Lord and to his goodness in the latter days.

Footnotes1. Hosea 3:1 Raisin cakes were sometimes shaped into images of the goddess Asherah. 2. Hosea 3:2 A homer and a lethek, that is, six bushels plus three bushels 3. Hosea 3:3 Or engage in prostitution 4. Hosea 3:4 Hebrew ephod 5. Hosea 3:4 Hebrew teraphim

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – August 04Hosea 1 – 2Hosea’s Wife and ChildrenHosea 11 The word of the Lord that came to Hosea son of Be’eri, [1] in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, the kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, the king of Israel.

2 When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go. Take for yourself an immoral wife and children produced by sexual immorality, [2] because the land has been committing flagrant immorality, turning away from the Lord.”

3 So he went and took Gomer daughter of Diblaim. She conceived and gave birth to a son for him.

4 The Lord said to him, “Name him Jezre’el, [3] because in a little while I will inflict punishment on the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezre’el. I will destroy the ruling power of the house of Israel. 5 In that day I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezre’el.”

6 She conceived again and gave birth to a daughter.

The Lord said to him, “Name her Lo Ruhamah, [4] because I will no longer have compassion on the house of Israel. Indeed, I will certainly not forgive them. 7 But I will have compassion on the house of Judah. I will save them by the Lord their God. I will not save them by bow, sword, battle, horses, or horsemen.” [5]

8 Gomer weaned Lo Ruhamah. Then she conceived and gave birth to a son.

9 The Lord said, “Name him Lo Ammi, [6] because you are not my people, and I will not be the Lord for you.” [7]

A Promise of Future Blessing10 Nevertheless, the number of the people of Israel will be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or counted. Then, in the place where they were told, “You are not my people,” they will be told, “You are children of the living God.” 11 The people of Judah and the people of Israel will be gathered together. They will appoint one head for themselves, and they will go up from the land, for the day of Jezre’el will be great. [8]

Hosea 21 Say to your brothers, “My people,” [9]
and to your sisters, “She has been shown mercy.” [10]

Israel Rebuked, Punished, and Restored2 Plead with [11] your mother!
Plead with her, because she is not my wife,
and I am not her husband.
Let her put away her sexual immorality from her presence
and her acts of adultery from between her breasts.
3 Otherwise, I will strip her naked
and expose her as she was on the day she was born.
I will make her like a wilderness.
I will cause her to be like a dry land.
I will cause her to die of thirst.
4 I will have no compassion on her children,
because they are children of promiscuity,
5 because their mother has been promiscuous. [12]
She who conceived them has acted shamefully.
She said, “I will chase after my lovers,
the ones who give me my food and my water,
my wool and my flax, my olive oil and my drinks.”
6 Therefore, this is what I will do:
I will block your [13] way with thorns.
I will build a wall against her,
so that she cannot find her paths.
7 She will chase after her lovers,
but she will not reach them.
She will seek them,
but she will not find them.
She will say, “I will go back to my first husband,
because then it was better for me than it is now.”
8 But she would not acknowledge that I gave her the grain, the new wine, and the fresh oil.
I gave her large amounts of silver and gold—her people used it for Baal!
9 That is why I will take back my grain during harvest time,
and my new wine in its season.
I will also take away my wool and my flax that were given to cover her nakedness.
10 Then I will expose her shameful nakedness in the sight of her lovers.
No one will deliver her from my hand.
11 I will put an end to all her celebration:
her pilgrimage festivals, [14] her monthly new moons, and her weekly Sabbaths—
all her appointed festivals.
12 I will devastate her vines and her fig trees,
about which she said, “These are the payment [15] that my lovers gave me.”
I will make them into a scrub forest,
and the wild animals will eat the crops.
13 I will punish her for the days with the Baals, on which she repeatedly offered incense to them.
She adorned herself with her rings [16] and her jewelry,
and then she chased after her lovers,
and she forgot me, declares the Lord.
14 But watch! I am going to court her.
I will bring her into the wilderness.
I will speak tenderly to her.
15 There I will give her vineyards back to her.
The Valley of Achor [17] will be a door of hope.
She will respond there as in the days of her youth,
as in the day she came up from the land of Egypt.
16 In that day, declares the Lord, this is what will take place:
You will call me “my husband.”
You will no longer call me “my master.” [18]
17 For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth.
She will no longer call them by their names. [19]
18 In that day I will make a covenant for the Israelites with the wild animals, with the birds of the sky and the things that creep on the ground.
I will break the bow and the sword.
I will abolish war from the land.
I will allow the people to lie down safely. [20]
19 I will pledge you to myself in marriage forever.
I will pledge you to myself in marriage—
with righteousness, justice, mercy, and compassion.
20 In faithfulness I will pledge you to myself in marriage,
and you will know the Lord.
21 In that day this is what will happen:
I will respond, declares the Lord.
I will respond to the heavens,
and they will respond to the earth.
22 The earth will respond to the grain, the new wine, and the fresh oil.
They will respond to Jezre’el.
23 I will sow her for myself in the land.
I will have compassion for Lo Ruhamah, [21]
and I will tell Lo Ammi, [22] “You are my people,”
and he will say, “You are my God!”

Footnotes1. Hosea 1:1 The stop mark ′ indicates that Be’er – should be pronounced as two syllables. 2. Hosea 1:2 Or prostitution. The Hebrew term includes paid prostitution, but it also includes promiscuous sexual immorality which is not done for money. It also includes sexual misconduct by perpetrators who pay their lovers instead of the other way around. 3. Hosea 1:4 Jezre’el means God sows, and it is the name of both a valley and a city in Israel. Ahab and Jezebel murdered Naboth at the city of Jezre’e l, and Jehu destroyed the dynasty of Ahab there. 4. Hosea 1:6 The Hebrew name Lo Ruhamah means no compassion or no pity. 5. Hosea 1:7 Or charioteers 6. Hosea 1:9 The Hebrew name Lo Ammi means not my people. 7. Hosea 1:9 The Hebrew reads I am not I am for you, an allusion to the Lord’s gracious name, I am. 8. Hosea 1:11 English verses 1:10-11 are verses 2:1-2 in the Hebrew text. All the subsequent verse numbers in chapter 2 are two numbers lower in English than they are in Hebrew. 9. Hosea 2:1 Hebrew Ammi 10. Hosea 2:1 Hebrew Ruhamah 11. Hosea 2:2 Or bring charges against. Also in the next line. 12. Hosea 2:5 Or been a prostitute or acted like a prostitute 13. Hosea 2:6 Your is the reading of the Hebrew. The Greek and Syriac read her. 14. Hosea 2:11 That is, Passover, Pentecost, and Shelters 15. Hosea 2:12 Or gifts 16. Hosea 2:13 Either earrings or nose rings 17. Hosea 2:15 Valley of Achor means Valley of Trouble. It refers to the location of the incident caused by Achan in Joshua 7. 18. Hosea 2:16 Hebrew my baal 19. Hosea 2:17 Or call on their names 20. Hosea 2:18 Or securely 21. Hosea 2:23 The Hebrew name Lo Ruhamah means no compassion. 22. Hosea 2:23 The Hebrew name Lo Ammi means not my people. The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – August 03Amos 8:4 – 9:15Amos 8Fraud and Hypocrisy on Holy Days4 Listen to this, you who trample on the needy
to wipe out the oppressed from the land,
5 who say, “When will the New Moon be over so that we can sell grain?
When will the Sabbath end so that we can open the grain bins?
Then we will make the bushel [1] smaller and make the shekel weight heavier. [2]
We will cheat with dishonest scales.
6 We will buy the poor for silver
and the needy for a pair of sandals.
We will sell the chaff with the grain.”

A Famine of the Lord’s Word7 The Lord swears by the Pride of Jacob,
“I will never forget any of their deeds!”
8 Because of this, the land will shake,
and everyone living in it will mourn.
The whole land will rise up like the Nile.
It will surge and sink down again like the Nile of Egypt.
9 Here is what will happen on that day, declares the Lord God:
I will make the sun set at noon,
and I will bring darkness on the earth when it should be light.
10 I will turn your festivals into mourning
and all of your songs into a lamentation.
I will put sackcloth on all your waists
and baldness on every head.
I will make that day like the mourning for an only son,
and it will end like a bitter day.
11 Look, the days are coming, declares the Lord God,
when I will send a famine into the land—
not a famine of bread
nor a thirst for water,
but rather a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.
12 People will stumble from sea to sea
and from north to east.
They will roam back and forth seeking the word of the Lord,
but they will not find it.
13 On that day the beautiful virgins will faint,
and the young men will grow weak from thirst.
14 Those who swear by the shameful guilt [3] of Samaria,
those who say, “As your god lives, Dan,”
or, “The way of Beersheba lives”—
they will fall, and they will never rise again.

The Fifth Vision: The Lord Topples the TempleAmos 91 I saw the Lord standing by the altar, and he said:

Strike the capitals on top of the pillars so that the thresholds shake.
Cut them off so that they fall on the heads of all the people,
and those who survive I will kill with the sword.
No one who flees from there will get away,
and not a single fugitive from among them will escape.
2 Even if they dig down to hell, [4]
from there my hand will seize them.
And even if they ascend to heaven,
from there I will bring them down.
3 Even if they hide themselves on the top of Mount Carmel,
from there I will search for them, and I will seize them.
Even if they hide themselves from my sight at the bottom of the sea,
from there I will command the serpent, and it will bite them.
4 Even if they go into captivity in the presence of their enemies,
from there I will command the sword, and it will kill them.
And I will set my eye upon them for disaster and not for good.

The Lord Shakes the Earth5 The Lord God of Armies is the one who touches the earth, so that it melts.
All who dwell on it mourn.
All of it rises like the Nile,
and like the Nile of Egypt it sinks down again.
6 He is the one who builds his upper chambers in heaven.
He set the foundation for his vault upon the earth.
He is the one who summons the waters of the sea
and pours them out over the face of the earth—
the Lord is his name.

The Final Judgment7 Are you not like Cushites [5] to me, you children of Israel?
declares the Lord.
Did I not bring Israel up from the land of Egypt
and the Philistines from Caphtor [6]
and the Arameans from Kir? [7]
8 Look, the eyes of the Lord God are on the sinful kingdom,
and I will destroy it from the face of the earth.
But I will never completely destroy the house of Jacob,
declares the Lord.
9 Listen! I am giving a command,
and among all the nations I will shake the house of Israel
as the contents of a sieve are shaken,
and not even one pebble [8] will fall out to the ground. [9]
10 By a sword, all the sinners among my people will die,
those who are saying, “Disaster will not overtake us. It will not confront us.”

The Restoration of David’s Fallen Shelter11 In that day I will raise up the fallen shelter of David.

I will repair the broken parts of its walls,

and I will raise up its ruins.

I will rebuild it as in days of old,

12 so that they will possess what remains of Edom,

that is, all the nations who are called by my name,

declares the Lord, who is doing this.

13 Look, days are coming, declares the Lord,

when the plowman will catch up with the reaper,

and the one who tramples grapes will catch up with the one sowing the seed.

The mountains will drip sweet wine, [10]

and all the hills will wave with grain. [11]

14 I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel,

and they will rebuild the desolate cities and dwell in them.

They will plant vineyards and drink their wine,

and they will make gardens and eat their fruit.

15 I will plant them in their soil,

and they will never again be uprooted from the soil

that I have given to them,

says the Lord your God.

Footnotes1. Amos 8:5 Literally the ephah 2. Amos 8:5 Merchants cheated by measuring out the grain they were selling with an undersized bushel and weighing the silver they received with an overweight shekel. 3. Amos 8:14 Possibly a distortion of the name of the goddess Ashima/Asherah 4. Amos 9:2 Hebrew sheol 5. Amos 9:7 Cushites are black Africans from south of Egypt, from the territory that today is Sudan. 6. Amos 9:7 That is, Crete or some other location in the Mediterranean 7. Amos 9:7 The location of Kir is unknown. It is probably far to the north. 8. Amos 9:9 Or kernel of grain 9. Amos 9:9 The people of Israel are being sorted through a sieve. It is not clear whether those kept in the sieve are the pebbles that cannot escape judgment or the grains that are being separated from the chaff, which will be burned. The judgment is the same in either case. 10. Amos 9:13 Sweet wine refers to wine that is still sweet because it has not yet been soured by continued fermentation. 11. Amos 9:13 Or flow with wine The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – August 02Amos 7:1 – 8:3The First Vision: The LocustsAmos 71 This is what the Lord God showed me: I saw that he was forming a locust swarm at the time when the late crops [1] were beginning to sprout—the crops that were planted after the cuttings of hay for the king.

2 When the swarm had finished consuming the vegetation of the land, I said, “Lord God, please forgive! How can Jacob stand? Look, he is so small!”

3 The Lord changed his decree about this. “It will not happen,” said the Lord.

The Second Vision: The Fire4 This is what the Lord God showed me: I saw the Lord God calling for a trial by fire, which devoured the great deep and started to consume the land.

5 I said, “Lord God, please stop! How can Jacob stand? Look, he is so small!”

6 The Lord changed his decree about this. “This will not happen,” said the Lord God.

The Third Vision: The Plumb Line7 This is what he showed me: I saw the Lord standing by a wall that had been constructed with a plumb line. He had a plumb line in his hand.

8 The Lord said to me, “What do you see, Amos?”

I said, “A plumb line.”

Then the Lord said:

Look, I am about to set up a plumb line next to my people Israel.
I will no longer overlook their sin.
9 The high places of Isaac will be desolate,
and the sanctuaries of Israel will be ruined.
I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.

Amos and Amaziah10 Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel: [2]

Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to endure all of his words. 11 This is what Amos says: “Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will certainly go into exile away from its own soil.”

12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, “You seer, get out of here! Flee to the land of Judah. You may eat food and prophesy there. 13 But you must never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the sanctuary of the king and the national temple.”

14 Then Amos responded to Amaziah:

I was not a prophet, nor was I a son of a prophet. Rather, I was a sheep breeder and I took care of sycamore fig trees. 15 But the Lord took me from tending flocks, and the Lord said to me, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.”

16 But now, hear the word of the Lord, you who are saying, “Do not prophesy against Israel” and “Do not preach [3] against the house of Isaac.”

17 This is what the Lord says: “Your wife will be a prostitute in the city, and your sons and your daughters will fall by the sword. Your land will be parceled out with a measuring line, and as for you, you will die upon unclean soil. And Israel will certainly go into exile far away from its own soil.”

The Fourth Vision: The Basket of Summer FruitAmos 81 This is what the Lord God showed me: I saw a basket of ripe summer fruit. 2 Then he asked, “What do you see, Amos?”

I said, “A basket of ripe summer fruit.”

Then the Lord said to me, “The end is coming upon my people Israel. [4] I will no longer overlook their sin. 3 The singing women of the palace [5] will wail on that day, declares the Lord God. Many corpses—all over! Silence!”

Footnotes1. Amos 7:1 The late crops are the crops that grow at the time of the last spring rain, as the rainy season is coming to an end. Since the king has already collected all the taxes for the whole year from the first cuttings, if the spring rain fails, it is the people who will come up short. 2. Amos 7:10 Jeroboam II ruled from about 793 to 753 bc. This encounter was probably near the end of his reign. 3. Amos 7:16 Literally drip 4. Amos 8:2 The Hebrew words for summer fruit and end sound alike. Just as the summer fruit is ripe, Israel is ripe for judgment. 5. Amos 8:3 Or the songs of the temple The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – August 01Amos 6Judgment Against Complacency1 Woe to [1] you who are complacent in Zion,
you who feel secure on Mount Samaria,
you distinguished people of the leading nation,
to whom the house of Israel comes.
2 Travel to Kalneh and look.
Go from there to Hamath Rabbah,
and go down to Gath of the Philistines.
Are you better than those kingdoms?
Are their territories greater than your territory? [2]
3 You who are trying to put off the evil day,
you bring near the session for violence!
4 Those who lie on ivory beds,
sprawling upon their couches,
eating lambs from the flock
and calves straight from the stall,
5 improvising tunes on the lyre,
composing music for themselves on musical instruments like David,
6 drinking large bowls of wine—
they slather [3] themselves with the most expensive perfumed oils,
but they do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph.
7 That is why they will go into exile as the first of the exiles.
Those who sprawl out at their feasts for the dead will depart.

Certain Destruction for Proud Israel8 The Lord God swears by himself,
declares the Lord, the God of Armies:
I detest the pride of Jacob,
and I hate his citadels,
so I will hand over the city and everything in it.

9 If ten men happen to survive in one house, they will die. 10 When a relative who burns the bodies [4] comes to take away the bones from the house, he will say to whoever remains in the recesses of the house, “Is there anyone else still with you?” And they will say, “No one.” And he will say, “Silence! For you must not invoke the name of the Lord!” [5]

11 Look, the Lord is indeed giving a command, and he will smash the largest house into fragments and the smallest house into splinters.

12 Do horses run on a rocky cliff?
Does anyone plow the sea with an ox? [6]
Yet you turn justice into poison
and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood.
13 You are rejoicing over Lo Debar.
You are saying, “Was it not by our strength that we captured Karnaim for ourselves?”
14 Indeed, I am about to raise up a nation against you, O house of Israel,
declares the Lord, the God of Armies.
They will oppress you from Lebo Hamath to the Canyon of the Arabah. [7]

Footnotes1. Amos 6:1 Or how terrible it will be for 2. Amos 6:2 The line of thought is difficult to follow here. The context seems to require that the two lines of the verse be parallel statements, each of which requires the answer “no.” The context therefore seems to call for reversing the second comparison, but there is no manuscript evidence to support such a switch. 3. Amos 6:6 Literally anoint, but the reference is not to anointing to office. 4. Amos 6:10 Or who prepares bodies for burial 5. Amos 6:10 Verses 9 and 10 are difficult. Translations vary greatly. 6. Amos 6:12 The translation follows a re-division of a word of the Hebrew text. The main Hebrew text reads does one plow with oxen, a reading which calls for the answer “yes,” but which does not fit the context. Another solution is to repeat the object rocky cliff from the first half of the verse: does one plow a rocky cliff with oxen? 7. Amos 6:14 Lebo Hamath is far to the north in Syria. The Arabah is the rift between the mountains of Edom and the mountains of Sinai, south of Israel. The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – July 31Amos 5Mourning for Fallen Israel1 Listen to this word that I am raising against you as a lament, [1] O house of Israel:

2 Virgin Israel has fallen, and she will not rise again.
She is abandoned on her own soil.
There is no one to lift her up.
3 For this is what the Lord God says:
A city that marches out with a thousand will have a hundred left.
A city that marches out with a hundred will have ten left for the house of Israel.

Seek the Lord and Live!4 Listen, this is what the Lord says to the house of Israel:

Seek me and live!
5 But do not seek Bethel.
Do not go to Gilgal.
Do not travel to Beersheba,
because Gilgal surely will go into exile,
and Bethel will become nothing.

6 Seek the Lord and live,
or he will rush upon the house of Joseph like fire.
The fire will consume, and no one will extinguish it for Bethel.

7 There are some who turn justice into wormwood, [2]
who throw righteousness to the ground.

8 There is one who made the Pleiades and Orion,
who turns the shadow of death into morning,
who darkens day into night,
who summons the waters of the seas,
who pours them out upon the face of the earth—
the Lord is his name.
9 He causes destruction to flash against a stronghold,
and destruction comes upon a fortress.

10 There are those who hate an arbitrator [3] in the city gate. [4]
They despise anyone who speaks honestly.
11 That is why you trample on the poor,
and you collect taxes on their grain.
You have built houses of cut stones,
but you will not live in them.
You have planted choice vineyards,
but you will not drink their wine.
12 For I know that your rebellious deeds are many,
and your sins are numerous,
you who are enemies of a righteous man,
you who take bribes.
They thrust away needy people in the city gate.
13 That is why a prudent man will be silent in that time,
because it is an evil time.

14 Seek good and not evil, so that you may live,
and then it will be like this for you:
The Lord, the God of Armies, will be with you, as you claim.
15 Hate evil and love good.
Establish justice in the city gate.
Perhaps the Lord, the God of Armies,
will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
16 Therefore, this is what the Lord says,
the God of Armies, who is the Lord:
In the city squares there will be grief,
and in the streets they will say, “Woe, woe!”
They will summon the farmer to mourn
and the professional mourners to sing laments.
17 In all the vineyards there will be grief,
because I will pass through your midst, says the Lord.

The Day of the Lord Brings Darkness18 Woe to those who long for the Day of the Lord!
What good will the Day of the Lord be for you?
It will be darkness and not light.
19 It will be as if a man flees from a lion,
but a bear meets him,
or he enters a house and rests his hand on a wall,
but a snake bites him.
20 Will not the Day of the Lord be darkness and not light,
gloom without a trace of brightness?

The Lord Hates Faithless Worship21 I hate, I reject, your festivals!
I do not delight in the aroma of the sacrifices at your sacred convocations.
22 Even if you offer up to me your whole burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them.
I will not pay any attention to your fellowship offerings of fattened calves.
23 Get the noise of your songs away from me!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.
24 But let justice roll like the waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
25 Did you bring me sacrifices and grain offerings in the wilderness for forty years, O house of Israel?
26 You lifted up images of Sakkuth, your king,
and of Kiyyun, your star god, which you made for yourselves. [5]
27 So I will exile you beyond Damascus,
says the Lord, whose name is the God of Armies.

Footnotes1. Amos 5:1 Or sad song 2. Amos 5:7 Wormwood is a toxic, bitter-tasting substance (absinthe). 3. Amos 5:10 Or a mediator 4. Amos 5:10 The city gate served as the courthouse. 5. Amos 5:26 The form and meaning of several of the terms and names referring to gods in verse 26 are uncertain. The terms seem to refer to astral deities, most likely including Saturn. The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – July 30Amos 3 – 4Why Amos Must ProphesyAmos 31 People of Israel, listen to this word that the Lord has spoken concerning you, concerning the entire family of clans that I brought up from the land of Egypt:

2 You alone have I chosen [1] from all the clans of the earth.
Therefore I will inflict punishment on you for all your guilt.
3 Can two people walk together without agreeing to do so?
4 Does a lion roar in the forest if it does not have prey?
Does a young lion growl from its den if it has not caught anything?
5 Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground if there is no bait?
Does a trap spring up from the ground when nothing has tripped it?
6 If a ram’s horn is sounded in a city, the people become alarmed, don’t they?
If a disaster takes place in a city, is it not the Lord who has done it?
7 Certainly the Lord God does not do anything
without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.
8 A lion has roared! Who can avoid being terrified?
The Lord God has spoken! Who can hold back from prophesying?

Judgment Against Samaria9 Make this known to the citadels in Ashdod
and to the citadels in the land of Egypt.
Tell them, “Gather yourselves together on the mountains of Samaria.
See the great confusion [2] there
and the oppression in her midst.”
10 They do not know how to do what is right, declares the Lord.
They are storing up violence and destruction in their citadels.
11 Therefore, this is what the Lord God says:
An enemy is all over the land.
He will strip your strength from you,
and your citadels will be plundered.
12 This is what the Lord says:
Just as a shepherd rescues two legs or a tip of an ear
from the mouth of a lion,
so the Israelites who live in Samaria will be rescued
with only a corner of a bed or a piece of cloth [3] from a couch.

13 Listen and testify against the house of Jacob,
declares the Lord God, the God of Armies.
14 Indeed, on the day when I punish the rebellious deeds of Israel,
I will punish the altars of Bethel.
The horns of the altar will be cut off,
and they will fall to the ground.
15 I will strike the winter house
along with the summer house.
The houses decorated with ivory will be destroyed,
and the great houses will come to an end,
declares the Lord.

Amos 41 Listen to this, you cows of Bashan,
who are on the mountain of Samaria,
you women who are oppressing the poor,
who are crushing the needy,
who say to your husbands, “Bring us more drinks!”
2 The Lord God swears by his holiness:
The days are surely coming against you,
when they will drag you away with hooks,
every last one of you with fishhooks.
3 You will go out through the broken-down walls.
Each woman will go straight ahead,
and you will be thrown out [4] toward Harmon, [5]
declares the Lord.

4 Go to Bethel and rebel.
Rebel even more at Gilgal.
Bring your sacrifices every morning,
your tithes every third day.
5 Burn some leavened bread as a thank offering,
and proclaim voluntary offerings—announce them!
For you love to do this, you people of Israel,
says the Lord God.

Warnings Produce No Repentance6 I am the one who gave to you clean teeth [6] in all of your cities,
and lack of food in all your places,
but you did not return to me,
declares the Lord.

7 I am the one who withheld the rain from you
while there were still three months before the harvest.
I would send rain on one city,
but on another city I would not send rain.
One plot of ground would receive rain,
but another plot, on which it did not rain, would dry up.
8 Whenever people from two or three cities staggered to another city to get water to drink,
they would not have enough,
but you did not return to me,
declares the Lord.

9 I struck you with blight and mildew.
Your many gardens, your vineyards, your fig trees,
and your olive trees were devoured by locusts,
but you did not return to me,
declares the Lord.

10 I sent plagues against you like the plagues in Egypt.
I killed your best soldiers with the sword,
together with your captured horses.
I made the stench of your camp rise up into your nostrils,
but you did not return to me,
declares the Lord.

11 I overthrew some of you,
just as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,
and you became like a burning stick snatched from the fire,
but you did not return to me,
declares the Lord.

12 Therefore, this is what I will do to you, Israel.
Yes, this is what I will do to you:
Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!
13 Indeed, he who forms mountains and who creates wind,
who declares his thoughts to mankind,
who turns dawn into darkness,
and who treads down the high places of the earth,
the Lord, the God of Armies, is his name.

Footnotes1. Amos 3:2 Literally known 2. Amos 3:9 Or turmoil 3. Amos 3:12 The meaning of this word is uncertain. 4. Amos 4:3 In the Hebrew text the verb is active, you will throw. The translation follows the Greek text. 5. Amos 4:3 The meaning of the word Harmon is uncertain. It may be a place name or mean something like garbage dump. 6. Amos 4:6 A striking description of people who have no food to chew The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – July 29Amos 1 – 2Amos 11 The words of Amos, who was among the sheep breeders [1] from Tekoa. He saw a vision concerning Israel during the days of Uzziah king of Judah and during the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.

2 He said:
The Lord roars from Zion.
From Jerusalem he sends out his voice.
The pastures of the shepherds dry up, [2]
and the top of Mount Carmel withers.

Judgment Against Aram3 This is what the Lord says:
Because of three sins [3] of Damascus,
because of four, I will not hold back judgment,
because they cut up Gilead with iron threshing boards. [4]
4 So I will send fire against the house of Hazael,
and it will consume the fortresses of Ben Hadad.
5 I will break the bars of the gates of Damascus,
and I will cut off the one seated in the Valley of Aven,
and the one who holds a scepter in Beth Eden. [5]
So the people of Aram will go into exile toward Kir. [6]
The Lord has spoken.

Judgment Against Philistia6 This is what the Lord says:
Because of three sins of Gaza,
because of four, I will not hold back judgment,
because they sold an entire population into exile,
handing them over to Edom.
7 So I will send fire against the city wall of Gaza,
and it will consume her citadels.
8 I will cut off the one seated in Ashdod,
and the one who holds a scepter in Ashkelon.
I will also turn my hand against Ekron,
and what is left of the Philistines will perish.
The Lord God has spoken.

Judgment Against Canaan9 This is what the Lord says:
Because of three sins of Tyre,
because of four, I will not hold back judgment,
because they delivered over an entire population and exiled them to Edom,
and they did not remember a treaty of brotherhood.
10 So I will send fire against the city wall of Tyre,
and it will consume her citadels.

Judgment Against Edom11 This is what the Lord says:
Because of three sins of Edom,
because of four, I will not hold back judgment,
because he [7] pursued his brother with a sword,
and he had no compassion. [8]
His anger kept tearing Israel apart,
and his fury raged without stopping.
12 So I will send fire against Teman,
and it will consume the citadels of Bozrah.

Judgment Against Ammon13 This is what the Lord says:
Because of three sins of the Ammonites,
because of four, I will not hold back judgment,
because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to enlarge their own territory.
14 So I will ignite a fire against the city wall of Rabbah,
and it will consume her citadels
with a battle cry on the day of war,
with a strong wind on the day of the storm.
15 Then their king will go into exile,
he and his officials together.
The Lord has spoken.

Judgment Against MoabAmos 21 This is what the Lord says:
Because of three sins of Moab,
because of four, I will not hold back judgment,
because they burned the bones of the king of Edom to make lime.
2 So I will send fire against Moab,
and it will consume the citadels of Kerioth.
Moab will die in an uproar,
with a battle cry, with a blast of a ram’s horn.
3 I will cut off the judge [9] from her midst,
and I will kill all her officials with him.
The Lord has spoken.

Judgment Against Judah4 This is what the Lord says:
Because of three sins of Judah,
because of four, I will not hold back judgment,
because they rejected the law of the Lord,
and they did not keep his statutes.
Their lying idols led them astray,
the idols that their fathers followed.
5 So I will send fire against Judah,
and it will consume the citadels of Jerusalem.

Judgment Against Israel6 This is what the Lord says:
Because of three sins of Israel,
because of four, I will not hold back judgment,
because they sell the righteous for silver
and the needy for a pair of sandals.
7 They trample the heads of the poor into the dust of the earth,
and they turn aside the claims of the oppressed.
A man and his father go to the same young woman.
In this way they profane my holy name.
8 They stretch themselves out beside every altar
on pieces of clothing they seized as collateral.
In the temple of their gods they drink wine obtained through fines.

9 I was the one who destroyed the Amorites in front of them,
the Amorites, who were as tall as cedars,
who were as strong as oaks.
I destroyed their fruit above and their roots below.
10 I myself brought you up from the land of Egypt,
and I led you in the wilderness for forty years,
so that you would take possession of the land of the Amorites.
11 I raised up some of your sons to be prophets,
and some of your best young men to be Nazirites.
Is this not so, you people of Israel? declares the Lord.
12 But you made the Nazirites drink wine,
and you commanded the prophets, “You must not prophesy!”

13 Look, I am weighed down under you,
just as a cart is weighed down when it is loaded with sheaves of grain. [10]
14 There will be no escape for the swift runner.
The powerful man will not be able to exert his strength,
and the strong warrior will not be able to save his own life.
15 The archer will not stand his ground.
The swift runner will not save himself,
and the horseman will not save his own life.
16 The most courageous among the warriors will flee naked on that day,
declares the Lord.

Footnotes1. Amos 1:1 Or ranchers 2. Amos 1:2 Or mourn 3. Amos 1:3 Or crimes 4. Amos 1:3 A threshing board or threshing sledge is similar to a toboggan, but it has iron teeth protruding from the bottom. It is dragged over piles of grain to cut up the straw and release the kernels of grain. 5. Amos 1:5 Valley of Aven and Beth Eden mean Valley of Wickedness and House of Pleasure. They may be figurative names for the region around Damascus. 6. Amos 1:5 The location of Kir is unknown. It probably lies far to the north or east. 7. Amos 1:11 Edom is referred to by the singular he because it is also a name of Jacob’s brother Esau. 8. Amos 1:11 Or he destroyed pregnant women 9. Amos 2:3 Or ruler 10. Amos 2:13 The meaning of the verse is uncertain. It may mean I will weigh you down as a cart is weighed down. The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – July 28Acts 28:17-31Acts 2817 Three days later, Paul called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had assembled, he said to them, “Gentlemen, brothers, although I had done nothing against the people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was handed over as a prisoner from Jerusalem to the Romans. 18 After they interrogated me, they wanted to release me, because there were no grounds for the death penalty in my case. 19 But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar—not that I had any charge to bring against my own people. 20 That is why I asked to see you and speak to you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”

21 They said to him, “We have not received any letters about you from Judea, and none of the brothers who came here has reported or said anything evil about you. 22 But we would like to hear from you what you think, because we know that people everywhere are speaking against this sect.”

23 They set a day to meet with Paul, and even more of them came to the place where he was staying. From morning till evening he explained and testified about the kingdom of God. He also tried to convince them about Jesus, both from the Law of Moses and the Prophets. 24 Some were convinced by what he said, but others continued in their unbelief.

25 They were arguing with one another and began to leave after Paul made this one statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your [1] fathers through Isaiah the prophet:

26 Go to this people and say,
You will keep hearing and yet never understand;
you will keep seeing and yet never perceive.
27 For the heart of this people has grown dull,
their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their heart,
and turn, and I would heal them. [2]

28 “Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation from God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!” [3]

30 For two whole years Paul stayed in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to visit him. 31 He was preaching the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without anyone stopping him.

Footnotes1. Acts 28:25 Some of the witnesses to the text read our. 2. Acts 28:27 Isaiah 6:9-10 3. Acts 28:28 A few witnesses to the text add 29 After he spoke these words, the Jews departed, while having a long debate among themselves. The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – October 13Psalm 132LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – October 13

Psalm 132 (EHV)
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Psalm 132Remember David and His SonHeadingA song of the ascents.David’s Oath1 Remember for David’s sake, O Lord, all his afflictions.
2 Remember how he swore to the Lord.
He made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:
3 “I will not enter my own house. [1]
I will not get into my own bed. [2]
4 I will not allow my eyes to sleep
or my eyelids to slumber,
5 until I find a place for the Lord,
a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

Israel’s Response6 Yes, we heard about it in Ephrathah.
We found it in the fields of Ja’ar.
7 Let us go to his dwelling place.
Let us bow down at his footstool.
8 Arise, O Lord, come to your resting place,
you and the ark of your strength.
9 May your priests be clothed with righteousness.
May your favored ones shout for joy.
10 For the sake of David your servant,
do not reject the face of your Anointed One. [3]

The Lord’s Oath11 The Lord swore to David
a truth from which he will not turn back:
“From the fruit of your body
I will place kings on your throne.
12 If your sons keep my covenant
and my testimonies that I teach them,
then their sons will sit on your throne forever.”
13 For the Lord has chosen Zion.
He has desired it for his dwelling.
14 “This is my resting place forever.
Here I will live, for I have desired it.
15 I will bless her greatly with food.
I will satisfy Zion’s poor with bread.
16 I will clothe her priests with salvation,
and her favored ones will shout for joy.
17 There I will make a horn shoot up for David.
I will set up a lamp for my Anointed One.
18 I will clothe his enemies with shame,
but on him his crown will be beautiful.”

Footnotes1. Psalm 132:3 Literally the tent of my house 2. Psalm 132:3 Literally the couch of my bed 3. Psalm 132:10 That is, the line of kings culminating in Christ

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – October 12Psalm 130 – 131LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – October 12

Psalm 130 – 131 (EHV)
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Psalm 130Out of the DepthsHeadingA song of the ascents.Out of the Depths1 Out of the depths I have called to you, O Lord.
2 Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive to the sound of my cry for mercy.
3 If you, Lord, [1] kept a record of guilt,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is pardon,
so you are feared.
5 I wait for the Lord. My soul waits,
and in his word I have put my hope.
6 My soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.
7 Israel, wait confidently for the Lord,
because with the Lord there is mercy.
With him there is abundant redemption.
8 So he himself will redeem Israel from all its guilt.

Psalm 131My Heart Is Not ProudHeadingA song of the ascents. By David.Like a Satisfied Baby1 Lord, my heart is not haughty,
and my eyes are not proud.
So I do not intrude into great matters
or into things too wonderful for me.
2 Instead I have soothed and quieted my soul.
As a nursed child rests with its mother,
like a nursed [2] child my soul rests with me.
3 Wait confidently, O Israel, for the Lord
from now to eternity.

Footnotes1. Psalm 130:3 Yah, the short form of the divine name, is used here. 2. Psalm 131:2 Or weaned

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – October 11Psalm 127 – 129LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – October 11

Psalm 127 – 129 (EHV)
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Psalm 127The Lord Builds the HouseHeadingA song of the ascents. By Solomon.The Lord Builds the House1 If the Lord does not build the house,
it is useless for the builders to work hard over it.
If the Lord does not watch over the city,
it is useless for the watchman to stand guard.
2 It is useless for you to get up early and to work late,
worrying about bread to eat,
because God grants sleep to the one he loves. [1]
3 Indeed, children are a heritage from the Lord.
The fruit of the womb is a reward from him.
4 Sons born during one’s youth are like arrows
in the hand of a warrior.
5 How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they dispute with enemies at the city gate. [2]

Psalm 128A Blessed FamilyHeadingA song of the ascents.Promise1 How blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
everyone who is walking in his ways.
2 Yes, you will eat the food you worked for.
How blessed you are! It will go well for you!
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine in the inner rooms of your house.
Your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
4 Look! This is how blessed the man is who fears the Lord!

Prayer5 May the Lord bless you from Zion,
so that you see the prosperity of Jerusalem,
all the days of your life,
6 and you see your children’s children.
Peace be on Israel.

Psalm 129No BlessingHeadingA song of the ascents.They Have Greatly Afflicted Me1 Greatly they have afflicted me from my youth—
let Israel say—
2 greatly they have afflicted me from my youth,
yet they have not been able to defeat me.
3 On my back plowmen have plowed.
They made their furrows long.

They Will Be Suppressed by God4 The Lord is righteous.
He has cut the ropes of the wicked to pieces.
5 Let all who hate Zion be ashamed and turned back.
6 Let them be like grass on the roof,
which withers even before it is pulled up.
7 The reaper cannot fill his hand with it.
The one who binds sheaves cannot fill his arms.
8 May those who pass by never say,
“The blessing of the Lord be with you.
We bless you in the name of the Lord.”

Footnotes1. Psalm 127:2 Or he can provide for those he loves even when they sleep 2. Psalm 127:5 The city gatehouse was the equivalent of our present-day courthouse.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – October 10Psalm 124 – 126LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – October 10

Psalm 124 – 126 (EHV)
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Psalm 124The Lord Is on Our SideHeadingA song of the ascents. By David.The Lord Is on Our Side1 Unless it was the Lord who was for us—
let Israel say—
2 unless it was the Lord who was for us
when people [1] rose against us,
3 they would have swallowed us alive
when their anger burned against us.
4 Then the waters would have submerged us.
The torrent would have swept our lives away.
5 Then the wild waters would have swept us away.
6 Blessed be the Lord,
who has not let us be prey for their teeth.
7 We have escaped with our lives
like a bird out of the fowlers’ snare.
The snare has been broken, and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 125Mount Zion Cannot Be ShakenHeadingA song of the ascents.Those Who Trust in the Lord Cannot Be Shaken1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion.
It cannot be shaken. It will stand forever.
2 As Jerusalem is surrounded by mountains,
so the Lord surrounds his people from now to eternity.
3 No, the scepter of wickedness will not rest
on the land assigned to the righteous,
so that the righteous do not reach out their hands toward evil.
4 Do good, O Lord, for the good
and for those who are upright in their hearts.
5 But those who turn to their crooked ways—
the Lord will send them away with the evildoers.
Peace be on Israel.

Psalm 126The Return of the CaptivesHeadingA song of the ascents.The Captives Return1 When the Lord restored the captives to Zion, [2]
we were like dreamers.
2 Then our mouths were filled with laughter,
and our tongues with shouts of joy.
Then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us.
We are glad.
4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like the dry gulches of the Negev.
5 Those who sow with weeping will reap with joyful shouts.
6 The one who walks along weeping, carrying a bag of seed to sow,
will come back again with joyful shouts, carrying his sheaves.

Footnotes1. Psalm 124:2 The Hebrew has a collective singular, mankind. The context refers to the nations hostile to Israel, especially Assyria and Babylon. 2. Psalm 126:1 Or when the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – October 09Psalm 122 – 123LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – October 09

Psalm 122 – 123 (EHV)
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Psalm 122The Peace of JerusalemHeadingA song of the ascents. By David.The Peace of Jerusalem1 I rejoiced with those who said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
2 Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem is a well-built city that is firmly joined together, [1]
4 a city to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, [2]
as a testimony to Israel,
to give praise to the name of the Lord.
5 That is where the thrones for judgment sit,
the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May those who love you prosper.
7 May there be peace within your fortifications,
prosperity within your citadels.”
8 For the sake of my brothers and my friends,
now I will say, “Peace be within you.”
9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek good for you.

Psalm 123The Eyes of a ServantHeadingA song of the ascents.The Eyes of a Servant1 To you I lift up my eyes,
to you who are seated in heaven.
2 Indeed, as the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until he shows us his grace.
3 Show grace to us, O Lord.
Show grace to us,
for we have had our fill of contempt.
4 Our souls have had their fill of the scorn of the smug
and of the contempt of the arrogant.

Footnotes1. Psalm 122:3 The meaning is uncertain. Literally Jerusalem, the built one, like a city which is joined to her together 2. Psalm 122:4 The short version of the divine name, Yah, is used rather than the full form, Yahweh.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – October 08Psalm 120 – 121LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – October 08

Psalm 120 – 121 (EHV)
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Psalm 120A Man of PeaceHeadingA song of the ascents. [1]

A Man of Peace1 In my distress I called to the Lord,
and he answered me.
2 Lord, save my life from lying lips.
Save me from deceitful tongues.
3 What will he give to you?
What more will he add to you, you deceitful tongue?
4 A warrior’s sharpened arrows with hot coals of the broom tree.
5 Woe to me that I am an alien in Meshek,
that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
6 For too long my soul [2] has dwelt with those who hate peace.
7 I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war.

Psalm 121Help From the LordHeadingA song for the ascents.Help From the Lord, Israel’s Watchman1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains.
Where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot stumble.
He who watches over you will not slumber.
4 Yes, he who watches over Israel will not slumber.
He will not sleep.
5 The Lord watches over you.
The Lord is your shade at your right hand.
6 The sun will not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will watch to keep you from all harm. [3]
He will watch over your life. [4]
8 The Lord will watch over your going and your coming
from now to eternity.

Footnotes1. Psalm 120:1 This group of psalms (Psalms 120–134) is usually called the Songs of Ascent in English, but the Hebrew title is songs of the ascents. The ascents may include both going up to Jerusalem and going up to God. These psalms celebrate pilgrimage to Jerusalem, especially the return from captivity in Babylon. 2. Psalm 120:6 In Hebrew my soul is a more intense, emotional way of saying I or me. 3. Psalm 121:7 Or evil 4. Psalm 121:7 Or soul

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – October 07Psalm 119:153-176LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – October 07

Psalm 119:153-176 (EHV)
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See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 119Resh: I Have Not Forgotten153 See my affliction and deliver me,
because I have not forgotten your law.
154 Argue my case and redeem me.
Give me life according to your saying.
155 Salvation is far away from the wicked,
because they do not pursue your statutes.
156 Your compassions are many, O Lord.
Give me life according to your judgments.
157 Many are my persecutors and my foes,
but I have not turned from your testimonies.
158 I look at the hypocrites and I loathe them,
because they do not keep your saying.
159 See how I love your precepts.
Lord, according to your mercy, give me life.
160 The sum of your word is truth.
All your righteous judgment is eternal.

Sin/Shin: I Wait for Salvation161 Officials persecute me without cause,
but my heart trembles at your word.
162 I rejoice over your sayings,
like one who finds much plunder.
163 I hate and detest falsehood,
but I love your law.
164 Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous judgments.
165 Great peace belongs to those who love your law,
and nothing is a stumbling block for them.
166 I wait for your salvation, O Lord,
and I obey your commandments.
167 My soul keeps your testimonies.
I love them greatly.
168 I keep your precepts and your testimonies,
because all my ways are before you.

Tav: Seek Your Servant169 May my loud cry come before you, Lord.
Give me understanding through your word.
170 May my plea for mercy come before you.
Deliver me according to your saying.
171 May my lips overflow with praise,
because you teach me your statutes.
172 May my tongue sing of your saying,
because all your commandments are righteousness.
173 May your hand be ready to help me,
because I have chosen your precepts.
174 I long for your salvation, O Lord,
and your law is my delight.
175 Let my soul live and praise you,
and may your judgments help me.
176 I have strayed like a perishing sheep.
Seek your servant,
because I have not forgotten your commandments.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – October 06Psalm 119:129-152LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – October 06

Psalm 119:129-152 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1006db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 119Pe: Streams of Tears129 Your testimonies are wonders.
That is why my soul guards them.
130 The doorway to your words lets in light.
It gives understanding to the inexperienced.
131 I open wide my mouth and I gasp,
because I long for your commandments.
132 Turn to me and give me grace.
This is your judgment for those who love your name. [1]
133 Keep my footsteps steady by your sayings,
and do not let any evil rule over me.
134 Redeem me from oppressive people,
and I will keep your precepts.
135 Make your face shine on your servant,
and teach me your statutes.
136 Streams of water run down from my eyes,
because they do not keep your laws.

Tsadhe: My Zeal for the Word137 You are righteous, O Lord,
and your judgments are right.
138 You have commanded your testimonies.
They are righteous and very trustworthy.
139 My zeal wears me out,
because my foes forget your words.
140 Your saying has been thoroughly refined,
and your servant loves it.
141 I am insignificant and despised,
but I do not forget your precepts.
142 Your righteousness is righteous forever,
and your law is truth.
143 Distress and anguish have found me,
but your commandments are my delights.
144 Your testimonies are right forever.
Give me understanding, and I will live.

Qoph: I Will Obey145 I call with all my heart.
Answer me, O Lord.
I will guard your statutes.
146 I call to you. Save me,
and I will keep your testimonies.
147 I get up before dawn, and I cry for help.
I wait confidently for your word.
148 My eyes look forward to the night watches
when I can meditate on your sayings.
149 Hear my voice according to your mercy.
Lord, give me life based on your judgments.
150 Those who pursue evil plans are near,
but they are far from your law.
151 You are near, O Lord,
and all your commandments are truth.
152 Long ago I knew from your testimonies
that you established them to endure forever.

Footnotes1. Psalm 119:132 Some translations take the Hebrew word mishpat, translated as judgment above, to mean this is your usual way to deal with those who love your name, but if this is done, there is no name for God’s Word in this verse.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – October 05Psalm 119:105-128LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – October 05

Psalm 119:105-128 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1005db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 119Nun: A Lamp for My Feet105 Your words are a lamp for my feet
and a light for my path.
106 I have sworn and affirmed
that I will keep your righteous judgments.
107 I have suffered much.
Lord, give me life according to your words.
108 Lord, please accept the willing praise from my mouth,
and teach me your judgments.
109 I take my life in my hands constantly,
but I will not forget your law.
110 The wicked have set a snare for me,
but I have not wandered from your precepts.
111 I have inherited your testimonies forever.
Yes, they are the joy of my heart.
112 I turn my heart to do your statutes,
forever, right to the end.

Samekh: Get Away From Me, You Evildoers113 I hate the doubleminded, but I love your law.
114 You are my hiding place and my shield.
I wait confidently for your word.
115 Get away from me, you evildoers,
so that I may guard the commandments of my God!
116 Sustain me according to your sayings, and I will live.
Do not let me be ashamed of my hope.
117 Hold me up, and I will be saved.
Then I will always have regard for your statutes.
118 You reject all who stray from your statutes,
because their deceitfulness is built on a lie. [1]
119 You discard all the wicked of the earth like slag.
Therefore, I love your testimonies.
120 My flesh trembles because I am afraid of you,
because I fear your judgments.

Ayin: It Is Time to Act121 I have carried out what is just and right.
Do not leave me to my oppressors.
122 Guarantee good for your servant.
Do not let the arrogant oppress me.
123 My eyes wear out,
as I watch for your salvation and your righteousness.
124 Deal with your servant according to your mercy,
and teach me your statutes.
125 I am your servant. Give me discernment,
so that I may know your testimonies.
126 Lord, it is time to do something!
They have broken your laws.
127 Because I love your commandments more than gold,
more than pure gold,
128 because I value everything in all your precepts,
I hate every wrong road.

Footnotes1. Psalm 119:118 Or is useless

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – October 04Psalm 119:81-104LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – October 04

Psalm 119:81-104 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1004db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 119Kaph: A Wineskin in the Smoke81 My soul is worn out, as I wait for your salvation.
I wait confidently for your word.
82 My eyes are worn out, as I look for your sayings.
I say, “When will you comfort me?”
83 Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke,
I do not forget your statutes.
84 How many days does your servant have?
When will you inflict judgment on my persecutors?
85 The arrogant dig pits for me.
This is against your laws.
86 All your commandments are trustworthy.
The arrogant persecute me wrongfully. Help me.
87 They almost put an end to me here on earth,
but I have not forsaken your precepts.
88 Give me life according to your mercy,
and I will obey the testimony from your mouth.

Lamed: Your Commands Have No Limits89 To eternity, O Lord, your word is fixed firmly in the heavens.
90 For generation after generation, your faithfulness remains.
You established the earth, and it stands.
91 As for your judgments, they stand to this day,
because all things are your servants.
92 Unless your law had been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction.
93 To eternity I will not forget your precepts,
because by them you have given me life.
94 I am yours. Save me,
because I have sought your precepts.
95 The wicked are lying in wait for me to kill me,
but I will ponder your testimonies.
96 I see a limit to all perfection,
but your commandment has no limits.

Mem: Sweeter Than Honey97 How I love your laws!
I meditate on them all day long.
98 Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies,
because it is always with me.
99 I have more wisdom than all my teachers,
because your testimonies are my meditation.
100 I have more understanding than the elders,
because I guard your precepts.
101 I have kept my feet off every evil path
in order to keep your words.
102 I have not turned from your judgments,
because you yourself have instructed me.
103 How sweet are your sayings to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 From your precepts I gain understanding.
Therefore, I hate every false road.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – October 03Psalm 119:49-80LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – October 03

Psalm 119:49-80 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1003db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 119Zayin: Comfort in Suffering49 Remember your word to your servant,
because you have given me hope.
50 This is my comfort in my suffering:
that your saying gives me life.
51 The arrogant mock me constantly,
but I do not fall away from your law.
52 I remember your judgments from of old, Lord,
and I comfort myself with them.
53 Indignation grips me because of the wicked, who forsake your laws.
54 Your statutes are songs for me in the house where I am staying.
55 I remember your name during the night, O Lord,
and I will keep your laws.
56 This I have done: I guard your precepts.

Ḥet: I Will Not Forget57 You are my portion, O Lord.
I said I would keep your words.
58 I have sought your favor with all my heart.
Be gracious to me according to your sayings.
59 I have considered my ways, [1]
and I have turned my feet to your testimonies.
60 I will hurry. I will not delay.
I will keep your commandments.
61 The ropes of the wicked bind me,
but I do not forget your law.
62 At midnight I rise to give you thanks for your righteous judgments.
63 I am a companion to all who fear you,
that is, to all who keep your precepts.
64 Your mercy, Lord, fills the earth.
Teach me your statutes.

Tet: It Is Good to Be Afflicted65 You have done good for your servant, O Lord,
according to your words.
66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
for I believe in your commandments.
67 Before I was afflicted I strayed,
but now I keep your saying.
68 You are good, and you do good.
Teach me your statutes.
69 The arrogant have smeared me with lies.
I guard your precepts with all my heart.
70 Their calloused hearts [2] feel nothing,
but I delight in your law.
71 It was good for me that I was afflicted,
so that I might learn your statutes.
72 Better for me is the law from your mouth
than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.

Yod: Those Who Fear You73 Your hands made me and established me.
Give me understanding.
Then I will learn your commandments.
74 May those who fear you see me and rejoice,
because I wait confidently for your word.
75 I know, Lord, that your judgments are righteous.
In faithfulness you have afflicted me.
76 Please let your mercy be my comfort,
according to your saying to your servant.
77 Let your abundant compassion come to me that I may live,
because your law is my delight.
78 Let the arrogant be put to shame,
because they have wronged me with lies.
As for me, I will meditate on your precepts.
79 Let those who fear you turn to me,
and those who know your testimonies.
80 Let my heart be blameless regarding your statutes,
so that I may not be put to shame.

Footnotes1. Psalm 119:59 In these and other verses of the psalm it is sometimes uncertain whether the Hebrew verb forms refer to past actions, present attitudes, or future intentions. 2. Psalm 119:70 Literally their fat hearts

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – October 01Psalm 119:1-24LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – October 01

Psalm 119:1-24 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1001db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 119Psalm 119The Great Psalm on the Law of the Lord [1]Aleph: Blessed Are the Blameless1 How blessed are those who are blameless in their way,
who walk in the law [2] of the Lord.
2 How blessed are those who keep [3] his testimonies.
With all their heart they seek him.
3 Indeed, they do no wrong.
They walk in his ways.
4 You have commanded that your precepts [4] be kept completely.
5 If only my ways were unwavering in keeping your statutes! [5]
6 Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands.
7 I will thank you with an upright heart
as I learn your righteous judgments. [6]
8 I will keep your statutes.
Do not abandon me completely.

Bet: Hidden in My Heart9 How can a young man keep his path pure?
By guarding it with your words. [7]
10 With all my heart I seek you.
Do not let me stray from your commands.
11 I have hidden your sayings [8] in my heart,
so that I may not sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, O Lord!
Teach me your statutes.
13 With my lips I tell about all the judgments
that come from your mouth.
14 I rejoice in the way that is taught by your testimonies
as much as I delight in all riches.
15 I will meditate on your precepts,
and I will consider your paths.
16 In your statutes I delight.
I will not forget your words.

Gimel: Open My Eyes17 Reward your servant.
Then I will live, and I will keep your words.
18 Uncover my eyes, and I will behold wonders from your law.
19 I am an alien on earth.
Do not hide your commandments from me.
20 My soul is overwhelmed by desire for your judgments at all times.
21 You rebuke the arrogant, who are cursed,
those who stray from your commandments.
22 Remove scorn and contempt from me,
for I guard your testimonies.
23 Though officials sit together and speak against me,
your servant will meditate on your statutes.
24 Yes, your testimonies are my delights.
They are my advisors.

Footnotes1. Psalm 119:1 Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, is a lengthy meditation on the characteristics and blessings of God’s Word. God’s Word is praised 176 times (22 × 8). Eight different names for God’s Word appear repeatedly throughout the psalm (laws, testimonies, precepts, statutes, commands, judgments, words, sayings). Though many of these terms sound like legal terms, they are all names for God’s whole Word. Each of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet is represented by an eight-line stanza. All eight lines of each stanza begin with the appropriate Hebrew letter. The letter names are listed in the stanza headings. 2. Psalm 119:1 Law in the Old Testament is often used in a wide sense as a name for God’s whole Word. It may refer to teaching of various kinds. 3. Psalm 119:2 Or guard 4. Psalm 119:4 Or regulations or rules 5. Psalm 119:5 Or instructions 6. Psalm 119:7 Or rulings or ordinances 7. Psalm 119:9 Or word. In this psalm there are many textual variants between singular and plural forms of word. The translation does not note them all. 8. Psalm 119:11 Or message. Many translate this as promise, but it is the common Hebrew root for say. Sometimes, of course, God’s sayings are promises.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – September 30Psalms 117 – 118LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 30

Psalms 117 – 118 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-0930db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 117Praise the Lord1 Praise the Lord, all you nations.
Worship him, every race of people. [1]
2 For his mercy overwhelms us,
and the faithfulness [2] of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord.

Psalm 118The Stone the Builders RejectedIntroduction1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
2 Let Israel say now: Yes, his mercy endures forever.
3 Let the house of Aaron say now: Yes, his mercy endures forever.
4 Let those who fear the Lord say now: Yes, his mercy endures forever.

Trust During Distress5 Under pressure I cried to the Lord. [3]
The Lord answered me.
He set me in a wide-open space.
6 The Lord is with me.
I will not be afraid.
What can people do to me?
7 The Lord, who is with me, is my helper,
so I will look in triumph on my enemies.
8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in people.
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in human benefactors. [4]
10 All the nations surrounded me,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them off. [5]
11 They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them off.
12 They surrounded me like bees,
but they were extinguished as quickly as a fire of thorns.
In the name of the Lord I cut them off.
13 You pushed me hard to make me fall,
but the Lord helped me.

The Messiah’s Joy in Victory14 My strength and song is the Lord,
and he has become salvation for me.
15 Loud shouts of victory are heard in the tents of the righteous:
“The right hand of the Lord has done a mighty deed!
16 The right hand of the Lord is lifted high!
The right hand of the Lord has done a mighty deed!”
17 I will not die. No, I will live,
and I will proclaim the works of the Lord.
18 The Lord has chastened me severely,
but he has not handed me over to death.
19 Open for me the gates of righteousness.
I will enter them. I will give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the gate to the Lord.
The righteous enter it.
21 I will give you thanks,
because you answered me,
and you have become salvation for me.

The Joy in Victory of Messiah’s Followers22 The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. [6]
23 This is from the Lord.
It is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day the Lord has made.
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25 O Lord, please save us now. [7]
O Lord, grant us success.
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
We bless you from the house of the Lord.
27 The Lord is God,
and he makes light shine on us.
Bind the festival with branches as far as the horns of the altar. [8]
28 You are my God, and I will give you thanks.
You are my God, and I will exalt you.

Conclusion29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.

Footnotes1. Psalm 117:1 The Hebrew word here is not one of the usual words for nation, people, or tribe, so it has been translated race to distinguish it from the more common words. 2. Psalm 117:2 Or truth 3. Psalm 118:5 Yah, the short form of the divine name, is used here, also in the next line, and in verses 14, 17, 18, 19. 4. Psalm 118:9 The Hebrew word refers to rich people who have the willingness and the means to help the needy. 5. Psalm 118:10 Or perhaps a rare homonym push them away 6. Psalm 118:22 Literally the head of the corner. Other possible translations are the capstone or the keystone. 7. Psalm 118:25 The Hebrew for please save us now is hosanna. 8. Psalm 118:27 To avoid imposing a guess on the text, the translation retains a literal translation of this very difficult line. It seems to mean: It’s the festival! Decorate the route with boughs and march in a procession toward the horns of the altar. Many suggest it means: Decorate the festival sacrificial animal with boughs and tie it to the horns of the altar, but Israelite worshippers did not approach the altar. Only priests did that, and by then the sacrifice had been cut into pieces.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – September 29Psalms 116LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 29

Psalms 116 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-0929db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 116Deliverance From DeathOverview1 I love the Lord, because he hears my voice.
He hears my cry for mercy.
2 Because he turned his ear to me,
I will call to him all my days.
3 The ropes of death entangled me.
The walls of the grave hemmed me in. [1]
I found distress and sorrow.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“Ah, Lord, please save my life!”
5 The Lord is gracious and righteous,
and our God is compassionate.
6 The Lord protects the inexperienced. [2]
In my weakness he saves me too.

Past Deliverance7 Return, my soul, to your rest,
for the Lord has accomplished his purpose for you.
8 Indeed, you have delivered my soul from death,
my eye from weeping, my foot from stumbling,
9 so that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living.
10 I believed. Therefore, I have spoken:
“I am greatly afflicted.”
11 In my haste I said:
“All people are deceptive.”

Future Devotion12 How can I repay the Lord for all his benefits to me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation,
and I will call on [3] the name of the Lord.
14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord,
now in the presence of all his people.
15 Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his favored ones.
16 Ah, Lord, truly I am your servant.
I am your servant, the son of your maidservant.
You opened my chains.
17 To you I will sacrifice a thank offering,
and I will call on the name of the Lord.
18 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
here in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courtyards of the house of the Lord,
in the middle of Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord.

Footnotes1. Psalm 116:3 Or, more literally, caught up with me 2. Psalm 116:6 Or those with a childlike faith 3. Psalm 116:13 Or proclaim

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – September 28Psalms 115LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 28

Psalms 115 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-0928db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 115Not to UsTo God Alone Be Glory1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us,
but to your name give glory,
because of your mercy,
because of your truth.

No Glory in Idols2 Why should the nations say,
“So where is their God now?”
3 In fact, our God is in the heavens.
He does everything that pleases him.
4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.
5 They have a mouth, but they do not speak.
They have eyes, but they do not see.
6 They have ears, but they do not hear.
They have a nose, but they do not smell.
7 Their hands—they do not even feel.
Their feet—they do not even walk around.
They do not even make a sound with their throats.
8 Those who make them will be like them,
and so will all who trust in them.

Trust in the Lord9 Israel, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and their shield.
10 House of Aaron, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and their shield.
11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and their shield.
12 The Lord remembers us. He will bless.
He will bless the house of Israel.
He will bless the house of Aaron.
13 He will bless those who fear the Lord—
the small with the great.
14 May the Lord add blessings to you,
to you and to your children.
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

Serve the Lord16 The heavens are heavens for the Lord,
but the earth he gave to the children of Adam.
17 It is not the dead who praise the Lord, [1]
nor any of those who go down to silence,
18 but we are the ones who bless the Lord, [2]
from now to eternity.
Praise the Lord. [3]

Footnotes1. Psalm 115:17 The short form of the divine name, Yah, is used rather than the full form, Yahweh. 2. Psalm 115:18 The short form Yah is used. 3. Psalm 115:18 Hebrew hallelu Yah

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – November 132 Kings 10LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – November 13

2 Kings 10 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-1113db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Jehu Kills Ahab’s Family1 Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria, so Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, that is, to the officials of Samaria, [1] the elders, and to the guardians appointed by Ahab, saying, 2 “Now, when this letter comes to you, since you have your master’s sons with you and you have chariots, horses, a fortified city, and weapons, 3 choose the best and most upright of your master’s sons and seat him on his father’s throne and fight for your master’s house.”

4 They were terrified and said, “Look, two kings could not stand before him, so how can we?”

5 Then the palace administrator, the ruler of the city, the elders, and the guardians sent word to Jehu, saying, “We are your servants. We will do everything you tell us. We will not make any man king. Do whatever is good in your eyes.”

6 Then Jehu wrote a second letter to them, saying, “If you are on my side and will obey me, then take the heads of your master’s sons and come to me at this time tomorrow in Jezre’el.”

Now the king’s seventy sons were with the leaders of the city who were raising them. 7 When the letter came, they took the king’s sons and slaughtered all seventy of them. Then they put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu in Jezre’el. 8 When the messenger arrived, he said, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” Jehu said, “Put them in two piles at the entrance to the gate until morning.”

9 When morning came, he went out and stood and said to all the people, “You are innocent. Indeed I conspired against my master and killed him. But who killed all these? 10 Know, therefore, that nothing of the word of the Lord, which the Lord spoke against the house of Ahab, will fail. For the Lord did what he said through his servant Elijah.”

11 Then Jehu killed everyone who remained from the house of Ahab in Jezre’el and all his important people, his close friends, and his priests, so that no survivor was left to him.

12 Then he set out toward Samaria. While he was on the way, at Beth Eked of the Shepherds, 13 Jehu met some relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah. He said, “Who are you?” They said, “We are Ahaziah’s relatives. We have come down to greet the king’s sons and the queen mother’s sons.”

14 Then he said, “Take them alive!” So they took them. Then they slaughtered them at the cistern of Beth Eked—forty-two men, and he did not let one survive.

15 Then he set out from there and met Jehonadab son of Recab, who was coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him and said, “Is your heart as true to my heart as my heart is to yours?”

He said, “It is.”

Then Jehu said, “If it is, then give me your hand!” So Jehonadab gave him his hand, and Jehu helped him up into the chariot.

16 Then Jehu said, “Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord.” So he had him ride with him in his chariot. 17 When he came to Samaria, he struck down everyone who was left to Ahab there. He wiped out Ahab completely, according to the word which the Lord had spoken to Elijah.

Jehu Slaughters the Prophets of Baal18 Then Jehu assembled all the people and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little. Jehu will serve him a great deal. 19 But now, gather all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests! Let no one be missing because I am going to make a great sacrifice to Baal. No one who misses it will live.”

But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to exterminate the servants of Baal.

20 Then Jehu said, “Consecrate a festival for Baal,” and they proclaimed it.

21 Then Jehu sent word through all Israel, and all the servants of Baal came. Not a man was left who did not come. They came into the temple [2] of Baal so that the temple of Baal was filled from end to end. 22 Then he said to the person in charge of the wardrobe, “Bring out garments for all the servants of Baal.” So he brought out robes for them.

23 Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Recab went into the temple of Baal. Jehu said to the servants of Baal, “Make a careful search, and see to it that there are no servants of the Lord with you, but only servants of Baal.”

24 Then they went in to make sacrifices and whole burnt offerings. But Jehu had stationed eighty men outside and said, “If any man escapes from these men whom I am putting into your hands, it will be your life for his life.”

25 When he was finished offering the whole burnt offering, Jehu said to the guards and to the officers, “Go strike them down! Don’t let anyone out!” So they struck them down with their swords, and the guards and the officers threw the bodies out. They then went into the inner sanctuary of the temple of Baal. 26 They brought the sacred memorial stones out from the temple of Baal and burned them. 27 They tore down the memorial stone for Baal and tore down the temple of Baal. They have used it for a latrine to this day. 28 In this way Jehu exterminated Baal worship from Israel.

Jehu Falters in His Faithfulness29 But when it came to the sins which Jeroboam son of Nebat caused Israel to commit, Jehu did not turn aside from following the golden calves which were in Bethel and in Dan. 30 But the Lord said to Jehu, “Because you have done well by doing what is right in my eyes—you have done everything that was in my heart to the house of Ahab—four generations of your sons will sit on the throne of Israel.”

31 But Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn from the sins which Jeroboam caused Israel to commit.

32 In those days, the Lord began to break off pieces from Israel. Then Hazael attacked all the territory of Israel 33 east of the Jordan, all the land of Gilead, Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh, from Aroer, which is above the canyon of the Arnon, up to Gilead and Bashan.

34 As for the rest of Jehu’s acts and everything he did and all his mighty deeds, are they not written in the annals of the kings of Israel? 35 Jehu rested with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. Then his son Jehoahaz became king in his place. 36 The time that Jehu ruled as king over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

Footnotes1. 2 Kings 10:1 Samaria is the reading of the Greek Old Testament. The Latin and some Greek manuscripts read the city. The Hebrew reads Jezre’el. 2. 2 Kings 10:21 Literally the house

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – November 122 Kings 8 – 9LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – November 12

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The Widow’s Land Restored2 Kings 81 Now Elisha said to the woman whose son he had brought back to life, “You and your household, make preparations and leave, and stay in whatever other country you can, for the Lord has decreed a famine that will be in the land for seven years.” 2 So the woman got up and did just as the man of God said. She and her household went and lived in the land of the Philistines for seven years. 3 At the end of seven years, the woman returned from the land of the Philistines. Then she went to appeal to the king to get back her house and her fields.

4 The king had told Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, “Tell me all the great things which Elisha has done.”

5 While he was telling the king how Elisha had brought the dead boy back to life, the very woman whose son he had brought back to life was coming to appeal to the king about her house and her fields. Then Gehazi said, “My lord the king, this is the woman, and this is her son whom Elisha brought back to life.”

6 Then the king asked the woman about it, and she told him. So the king appointed a high official to her case, saying, “Return everything which is hers and all the produce of her fields, from the day she left the land until now.”

Hazael Assassinates Ben Hadad7 Elisha went to Damascus while Ben Hadad the king of Aram was sick. The king was told, “The man of God has come here.”

8 So the king said to Hazael, “Take a gift and go to meet the man of God. You will inquire of the Lord through him, asking whether I will survive this sickness.”

9 Hazael went to meet him. He took a gift of forty camel loads of all the goods of Damascus, and he came and stood before Elisha and said, “Your son, Ben Hadad, king of Aram, sent me to you to say, ‘Will I survive this sickness?’”

10 Then Elisha said to him, “Go and say to him, ‘You will certainly survive,’ but the Lord has shown me that he will really die.” 11 Then Elisha stared straight at him until Hazael was embarrassed. Then the man of God wept.

12 Hazael said, “Why is my lord weeping?”

Then he said, “Because I know the evil you will do to the people of Israel. You will set fire to their fortified cities. You will kill their young men with the sword. You will dash their children to pieces, and you will rip open their pregnant women.”

13 Then Hazael said, “But what is your servant, a mere dog, that he could do such a great thing?”

Then Elisha said, “The Lord has shown me that you will be king over Aram.”

14 Hazael then left Elisha and went to his master, and the king said to him, “What did Elisha say to you?”

He said, “He told me that you will certainly survive.”

15 But the next day, he took a thick cloth, dipped it in water, and spread it on the king’s face so that he died. Then Hazael became king in his place.

Jehoram (Joram) Son of Jehoshaphat, King of Judah16 In the fifth year of Joram son of Ahab, the king of Israel, while Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, [1] Jehoram [2] son of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, became king. 17 He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he was king for eight years in Jerusalem. 18 He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab did, because the daughter of Ahab was his wife. So he did evil in the eyes of the Lord. 19 But for the sake of his servant David, the Lord was not willing to destroy Judah, because he had said that he would give a lamp to David and to his sons forever.

20 During his days, Edom broke away from the control of Judah and set a king over themselves. 21 So Joram crossed over to Zair with all his chariots. At night he rose up and attacked the Edomites who had surrounded him and his chariot commanders, but his army fled to their tents. [3] 22 So Edom has been in revolt against Judah to this day. Libnah also rebelled at the same time.

23 As for the rest of Joram’s acts and everything he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals the Kings of Judah? 24 Joram rested with his fathers, and he was buried with his fathers in the City of David. Then his son Ahaziah became king in his place.

Ahaziah Son of Jehoram, King of Judah25 In the twelfth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah became king. 26 Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he ruled as king in Jerusalem for one year. His mother’s name was Athaliah, granddaughter of Omri, king of Israel. 27 He walked in the way of the house of Ahab and did evil in the eyes of the Lord, just as the house of Ahab had done, because he was a son-in-law of the house of Ahab.

28 He went with Joram son of Ahab to wage war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth Gilead. The Arameans wounded Joram. 29 So King Joram returned to Jezre’el to recover from the wounds which the Arameans inflicted on him at Ramoth Gilead when he fought against Hazael king of Aram. So Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram son of Ahab in Jezre’el because he had been wounded.

Jehu Anointed King of Israel2 Kings 91 Then Elisha called one of the sons of the prophets and told him, “Hike up your garments for travel, [4] and take this flask of oil in your hand and go to Ramoth Gilead. 2 When you get there, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go in and have him excuse himself from his associates [5] and bring him into an inner room. 3 Take the flask of oil, pour it out on his head, and say, ‘This is what the Lord says. I anoint you king over Israel.’ Then open the door and flee. Do not delay!”

4 So the young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth Gilead. 5 When he got there, he found the commanders of the army sitting together.

He said, “I have a message for you, commander.”

Then Jehu said, “For which of us?”

He answered, “For you, commander.”

6 So Jehu got up and went into the house. Then the servant poured the oil on his head and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says. I anoint you king over the Lord’s people Israel. 7 You will strike down the house of your master Ahab, and I will avenge the blood of my servants the prophets and the blood of all the servants of the Lord that was shed by Jezebel. 8 The whole house of Ahab will perish. In Israel I will cut off from Ahab those who urinate against the wall, [6] both bound and free. [7] 9 I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Ba’asha son of Ahijah. 10 The dogs will eat Jezebel on the plot of ground in Jezre’el, and no one will bury her.” Then he opened the door and fled.

11 Then Jehu went out to the rest of the king’s officers. They said to him, “Is everything all right? Why did that madman come to you?”

He said to them, “You know the man and how he talks.”

12 But they said, “That’s not true! Tell us!”

So he said, “He told me this and that, and then he said, ‘This is what the Lord says. I anoint you king over Israel.’”

13 Each man quickly took his cloak. Then they placed them under him on the bare steps. Then they blew the ram’s horn and said, “Jehu is king!”

Jehu Seizes the Throne14 Then Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram. Now Joram and all Israel had been guarding Ramoth Gilead against Hazael king of Aram. 15 But King Joram [8] returned to Jezre’el to recover from the wounds which the Arameans had inflicted on him when he fought against Hazael king of Aram.

Then Jehu said, “If you really want me to be king, don’t let any survivors get out of the city to go and report in Jezre’el.”

16 Then Jehu got in his chariot and went to Jezre’el, because Joram was resting there and Ahaziah king of Judah had gone down to see Joram. 17 Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezre’el, and he saw Jehu’s troops coming, so the watchman said, “I see a large group coming!”

Then Joram said, “Get a rider and send him to meet them and say, ‘Do you come in peace?’”

18 So a horseman [9] went to meet him. He said, “This is what the king says. Do you come in peace?”

Then Jehu said, “What do you have to do with peace? Fall in behind me.”

Then the watchmen said, “The messenger reached him but did not return.”

19 So he sent a second horseman. He came to them and said, “This is what the king says. Do you come in peace?”

Jehu answered, “What do you have to do with peace? Fall in behind me.”

20 Then the watchman said, “He reached them, but he did not return. But the driving is like Jehu son of Nimshi’s driving. He drives like a madman.”

21 Then Joram said, “Hitch up a chariot!” Then they hitched up his chariot, and Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his own chariot, to meet Jehu. They reached him at the plot of ground that had belonged to Naboth from Jezre’el.

22 When Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Do you come in peace, Jehu?”

Jehu answered, “What peace can there be as long as so much of your mother Jezebel’s prostitution and witchcraft exists?”

23 Then Joram turned his chariot around and fled. He said to Ahaziah, “Treachery, Ahaziah!”

24 Then Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram between his shoulders. The arrow pierced his heart, and he slumped down in his chariot. 25 Then Jehu said to Bidkar, his chariot officer, “Pick him up and throw him onto the plot of land that belonged to Naboth from Jezre’el. Remember that when you and I were riding side by side in chariots behind his father Ahab, the Lord made this pronouncement against him: 26 ‘As surely as I saw the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons yesterday, the Lord declares, I will repay you on this plot of land, the Lord declares.’ So now, pick him up and throw him onto that plot of land according to the word of the Lord.”

27 Ahaziah king of Judah saw this and fled on the road toward Beth Hagan. But Jehu pursued him and said, “Shoot him too!” They shot him [10] in his chariot on the way up to Gur, that is Ibleam. Then he fled to Megiddo and died there. 28 His servants brought him in his chariot to Jerusalem and buried him in his own tomb with his fathers in the City of David. 29 (It was in the eleventh year of Joram son of King Ahab that Ahaziah had become king over Judah.)

Jehu Kills Jezebel30 Jehu went to Jezre’el. When Jezebel heard it, she put on eye make-up and arranged her hair. Then she looked down through a window. 31 When Jehu came into the gate, she said, “Do you come in peace, Zimri, the killer of your master?”

32 He looked up to the window and said, “Who is with me? Who?” Two or three eunuchs looked down to him. 33 Then he said, “Throw her down!” So they threw her down, and her blood splattered on the wall and on the horses, and they trampled her. 34 Then he went inside and ate and drank. Then Jehu said, “See to that cursed woman and bury her, because she was a king’s daughter.”

35 But when they went to bury her, they did not find her, except for her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands. 36 So they came back and told him. Then Jehu said, “This is the word of the Lord which he spoke through his servant Elijah from Tishbe: On the plot of ground at Jezre’el, the dogs will eat the flesh of Jezebel. 37 Jezebel’s corpse will be like manure spread on the surface of the field at the plot of ground at Jezre’el, so they won’t be able to say, ‘This is Jezebel.’”

Footnotes1. 2 Kings 8:16 Some Greek and Syriac manuscripts do not include the words while Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, but these words signal that Jehoram became king while his father was still alive. Such co-regencies were not unusual among the kings of Judah, beginning with David and Solomon. 2. 2 Kings 8:16 Jehoram is a variant spelling of Joram. In the rest of this account this king of Judah is called Joram. It appears that the compilers of Kings and Chronicles retained whatever spelling was used in their sources, even when their account was a composite of sources. In 2 Chronicles 21 this king is called Jehoram. 3. 2 Kings 8:21 The Hebrew reads the people fled to their tents, which here seems to refer to their homes. Athough the king of Judah broke the siege, the Judean army ran for home. 4. 2 Kings 9:1 This refers to gathering up one’s flowing robes around the waist to make it easier to move quickly. We might say, “Tighten your belt.” 5. 2 Kings 9:2 Literally brothers 6. 2 Kings 9:8 This seems to be a crude term used only when making threats of a violent death. 7. 2 Kings 9:8 The specific groups to which this phrase refers are uncertain. 8. 2 Kings 9:15 Hebrew Jehoram, a variant of Joram. Also in verses 17 and 21-24. In this account the Hebrew text uses both names, Joram and Jehoram. 9. 2 Kings 9:18 The word in verse 17 may refer either to riding in a chariot or on horseback. It appears that this may be one of the first references in the Old Testament to riding on horseback. 10. 2 Kings 9:27 The translation follows the ancient versions. The Hebrew text does not include the words they shot him.

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2 Kings 6Elisha Guarded by Angels8 Now when the king of Aram was waging war against Israel, he would make plans with his officials, saying, “My camp will be at such and such a place.”

9 But the man of God would send a message to the king of Israel, saying, “Be careful when you pass this place because the Arameans are going down there.” 10 So the king of Israel would send scouts to the place that the man of God had pointed out. So the man of God warned him, and he was kept safe—and not just once or twice.

11 The king of Aram was enraged because of this. He summoned his officials and said to them, “Won’t you tell me who of us is for the king of Israel?”

12 One of his officials said, “No, my lord the king. It is Elisha, the prophet in Israel, who tells the king of Israel the words which you speak in your bedroom.”

13 Then he said, “Go and see where he is. Then I’ll send men and capture him.”

He was told, “Dothan is where he is.”

14 So he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They came at night and surrounded the city. 15 When the man of God’s servant got up early and went out, there were soldiers, horses, and chariots surrounding the city. So his attendant said to Elisha, “Oh no, my lord! What will we do?”

16 He answered, “Don’t be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, open his eyes so that he can see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw that the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire, all around Elisha.

18 When the Arameans came down, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike these people with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, just as Elisha had asked.

19 Then Elisha said to them, “This is not the road, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will take you to the man you are looking for.” So he brought them to Samaria. 20 When they came into Samaria, Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open their eyes so that they can see.” Then the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw that they were right in the middle of Samaria.

21 When the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “Shall I strike them down, my father? Shall I strike them down?”

22 He said, “Do not strike them down. Would you strike down a man you captured with your own sword and bow? [1] Set food and water before them so that they can eat and drink and then go back to their master.” 23 So he gave a great feast for them. They ate and drank. Then he sent them on their way, and they went to their master. The Aramean raiding parties did not come into the land of Israel anymore.

Ben Hadad Lays Siege to Samaria24 After these things, Ben Hadad king of Aram mobilized his whole army and went up and laid siege to Samaria. 25 There was a severe famine in Samaria, because the siege lasted until a donkey head sold for eighty shekels [2] of silver and a cup of dove’s droppings [3] for five shekels of silver.

26 When the king of Israel was walking on the wall, a woman cried out to him, “Help me, my lord the king!”

27 But he said, “If the Lord does not help you, where can I get help for you? From the threshing floor or from the winepress?” 28 Then the king asked her, “What is the problem?”

She said, “This woman said to me, ‘Come on, give up your son, and we will eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’ 29 So we cooked my son and ate him. Then I said to her the next day, ‘Give up your son so that we may eat him,’ but she hid her son.”

30 When the king heard the woman’s words, he tore his clothes. As he was walking on the wall, the people were surprised to see that he was wearing sackcloth on his body, underneath his clothing.

31 Then he said, “May God punish me severely and even double it, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today!”

32 Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. The king sent a man ahead of him. But before the messenger came to him, Elisha said to the elders, “Do you see that this murderer has sent this man to cut off my head? When the messenger comes, shut the door and push against it. Isn’t the sound of the feet of his master behind him?”

33 While he was still speaking with them, the messenger came down to him. Then the king said, “Indeed this evil is from the Lord. Why should I wait hopefully for the Lord anymore?”

The End of the Siege2 Kings 71 Then Elisha said, “All of you, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Lord says. At this time tomorrow at the gate of Samaria, twelve pounds [4] of fine flour will sell for a shekel and twenty-four pounds of barley for a shekel.”

2 Then the officer at the king’s right hand, on whose arm the king was leaning, answered the man of God, “Really? Even if the Lord opened the windows of heaven, could this happen?”

Elisha said, “Listen to me. You yourself will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it.”

3 Now four lepers were at the entrance to the gate. They said to each other, “Why should we sit here until we die? 4 If we say, ‘Let’s go into the city,’ there is famine in the city and we will die there. But if we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans. If they let us live, we will live. If they kill us, we will die.”

5 So they got up at twilight to go to the camp of the Arameans. When they reached the edge of the camp of the Arameans, they saw that there was no one there! 6 For the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of horses and chariots and the sound of a great army. They said to each other, “Listen! The king of Israel has hired the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Egypt to come against us!” 7 Then they arose and fled at twilight. They left their tents, their horses, and their donkeys in the camp just as they were, and they fled for their lives.

8 So when these lepers came to the edge of the camp, they went into a tent, and they ate and drank. They picked up silver, gold, and clothing and went and hid it. Then they returned and went to another tent. They took some of what was there and went and hid it.

9 Then they said to each other, “We should not be doing this. Today is a day of good news, and we are keeping silent. If we wait until daylight, our sin will find us. So come on, let’s go and tell about this at the king’s palace.”

10 So they went and called out to the city gatekeepers and told them, “We went into the camp of the Arameans, and we looked, but there was no one there! Not even the sound of a man! But the horses and the donkeys are tied there, and the tents are just as they were!”

11 Then the gatekeepers proclaimed the news, and it was reported in the king’s palace. 12 So the king got up at night and said to his officials, “I’ll tell you what the Arameans are doing to us: They know that we are hungry so they left the camp to hide in the fields, saying, ‘They will certainly come out of the city, and we will capture them alive. Then we’ll get into the city!’”

13 But one of his officials answered, “Please let some men take five of the horses that are left in the city—look, they won’t be any worse off than all the rest of the Israelites who are left here—all the other Israelites who are about to die. Let’s send them out, and let’s see.”

14 So they took two chariots with their horses, and the king sent them after the army of Aram, saying, “Go and take a look.” 15 So they followed them to the Jordan. The whole road was full of clothing and equipment that the Arameans threw away while they fled in panic. Then the messengers returned and reported to the king.

16 Then the people went out and looted the Aramean camp. So twelve pounds of fine flour sold for a shekel and twenty-four pounds of barley for a shekel, just as the Lord had said. 17 The king appointed the officer on whose arm he leaned to be in charge of the gate. But the people trampled him in the gate, and he died, just as the man of God had said when the king went down to speak to him.

18 It happened just as the man of God had said to the king: “Twenty-four pounds of barley will be sold for a shekel and twelve pounds of fine flour for a shekel by this time tomorrow in the gate of Samaria.”

19 The officer had said to the man of God, “Really? Even if the Lord opened the windows of heaven, could something like this happen?”

The man of God had said, “Listen to me. You yourself will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it.”

20 So all this happened to him just like that: The people trampled him in the gate and he died.

Footnotes1. 2 Kings 6:22 Or Isn’t it only those you take captive with your sword and bow that you strike down? Prisoners were, in fact, often executed. 2. 2 Kings 6:25 About two pounds 3. 2 Kings 6:25 Or perhaps seed pods 4. 2 Kings 7:1 One seah

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Elisha Cures Na’aman’s Leprosy2 Kings 51 Na’aman, [1] the commander of the king of Aram’s army, was a great man in the opinion of his master. He was highly honored because the Lord had provided victory for Aram through him. Although he was a powerful warrior, he had leprosy. [2]

2 Raiding parties had once gone out from Aram and brought back a young girl. She served Na’aman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “I wish my master stood before the prophet who is in Samaria, because he would cure him of his leprosy.”

4 So Na’aman went and told his master what the servant girl from the land of Israel had said.

5 Then the king of Aram said, “Go there. I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Na’aman went, and he took ten talents [3] of silver and six thousand shekels [4] of gold and ten sets of clothing. 6 Then he took the letter to the king of Israel. The letter said, “Now, when you receive this letter, you will know that I am sending my officer Na’aman to you so that you can cure him of his leprosy.”

7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothing and said, “Am I God that I can kill and make alive? Why is he sending a man to me for me to heal him from his leprosy? See how he is looking for a pretext to fight against me.”

8 But when Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king: “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.”

9 So Na’aman went with his horses and chariots and stopped in front of the door of Elisha’s house. 10 But Elisha sent a messenger out to him to say, “Go and wash seven times in the Jordan. Then your flesh will be restored and you will be clean.”

11 But Na’aman was angry and he left, saying, “Look, I said to myself, ‘He will certainly come out and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God and wave his hand over the place, and I will be cured of the leprosy!’ 12 Aren’t the Abana and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went away in a burning rage.

13 But his servants approached and spoke to him. They said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not do it? How much more when he says to you, ‘Wash and be clean’?”

14 So he went down and dipped in the Jordan seven times, just as the man of God had said. Then his flesh was restored like the flesh of a small child, and he was clean. 15 Then he and his whole escort went back to the man of God. He stood in front of Elisha and said, “To be sure, now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. Now accept a gift from your servant.”

16 But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives, in whose presence I stand, I will not take anything.” Even though Na’aman urged him to accept something, he refused.

17 Then Na’aman said, “If you do not want anything, please give me, your servant, as much dirt as two donkeys can carry, for your servant will never again burn incense or sacrifice to other gods, but only to the Lord. 18 But may the Lord forgive your servant this one thing: When my master goes into the house of Rimmon to bow down there and he supports himself on my arm, then I too have to bow down in the house of Rimmon. When I bow down in the house of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant this one thing.”

19 Then Elisha said to him, “Go in peace.”

Gehazi’s SinWhen Na’aman had gone some distance from him, 20 Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “My master was too easy on this Aramean, Na’aman, when he did not accept anything that he brought. As surely as the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him.”

21 So Gehazi chased after Na’aman. When Na’aman saw him running after him, he got down from his chariot to meet him. He said, “Is everything all right?”

22 Then Gehazi said, “Yes, everything is all right. My master sent me to say, ‘Look, just now two young men from the hill country of Ephraim, from the sons of the prophets, have come to me. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.”

23 Na’aman said, “Certainly! Take two talents!” He urged Gehazi and tied up the two talents [5] of silver in two bags with the two sets of clothing. Then Na’aman gave them to his two servants, and they carried them ahead of Gehazi. 24 When he came to the hill, he took the gifts from them. Then he hid them in the house and sent the men back, so they left. 25 Then he went in and attended his master.

Elisha said to him, “Where were you, Gehazi?”

Gehazi said, “Your servant didn’t go anywhere.”

26 Then Elisha said to him, “Didn’t my heart go along when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take silver, or to accept clothing or olive groves or vineyards or sheep or cattle or male and female servants? 27 Na’aman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” Then Gehazi went out from his presence, leprous like snow.

An Ax Floats2 Kings 61 The sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Look, the place where we are living with you is too cramped for us. 2 Let’s go to the Jordan, and every one of us will get a wooden beam from there so we can build a place there for us to live.”

He said, “Go ahead.”

3 Then one of them said, “Won’t you also please come along with your servants?”

He said, “I will come.” 4 So he went with them. When they came to the Jordan, they began to cut down trees. 5 But while one of them was cutting down a tree for a beam, the ax fell into the water.

He cried out, “Oh no, my lord! It was borrowed!”

6 But the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” Then he showed him the place. He cut off a piece of wood and threw it into the water, and the ax floated.

7 Then he said, “Pick it up.” So he reached out his hand and took it.

Footnotes1. 2 Kings 5:1 The stop mark ′ is inserted into some names as a pronunciation guide. The double vowel should not be read as one syllable, Nayman, but as two syllables, Nay-a-man. 2. 2 Kings 5:1 The Hebrew word covers a wider range of skin diseases than the disease presently known as leprosy. 3. 2 Kings 5:5 Ten talents is about seven hundred fifty pounds. 4. 2 Kings 5:5 The text provides no unit of measure for the gold, but if it is shekels, the amount would be about one hundred fifty pounds. 5. 2 Kings 5:23 About one hundred fifty pounds

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – November 092 Kings 4:8-44LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – November 09

2 Kings 4:8-44 (EHV)
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2 Kings 4Elisha and the Woman of Shunem8 One day Elisha went to Shunem. A wealthy woman lived there, and she urged him to eat a meal with her. So whenever he passed by, he would stop there for a meal.

9 Then she said to her husband, “Listen. I know that the man who passes by here all the time is a holy man of God. 10 Let’s make a small upper room on the roof, and let’s put a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp there for him. Then whenever he comes to us, he can stay there.”

11 One day when Elisha came there, he went into the room and lay down. 12 Then he said to Gehazi his servant, “Call the woman of Shunem.” He called her, and she stood in front of him.

13 Then Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tell her, ‘You have been very concerned about us. What can we do for you? Is there something we can request for you from the king or from the commander of the army?’”

She said, “I am living among my own people.”

14 Then he said, “What can be done for her?”

Then Gehazi said, “Well, she has no son, and her husband is old.”

15 He said, “Call her.” So he called her, and she stood at the doorway.

16 Then he said to her, “At this time next year, you will be holding a son.”

But she said, “No, my lord, you man of God. Do not deceive your servant.”

17 But the woman conceived, and she gave birth to a son at that same time of year, just as Elisha said to her.

Elisha Raises the Boy From the Dead18 The boy grew up, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the reapers. 19 Then he said to his father, “My head! My head!”

His father said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 So he picked him up and carried him to his mother, and the boy sat on her lap until noon. Then he died.

21 Then she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God. She shut the door behind her and went out. 22 Then she called to her husband and said, “Send one of the servants to me with one of the donkeys, so that I can run to the man of God and come back.”

23 He said, “Why are you going to him today? It’s not the new moon, and it’s not the Sabbath.”

But she said, “It’s all right.”

24 Then she saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Lead the way. Don’t slow down for me unless I tell you.”

25 So she went to the man of God at Mount Carmel.

When the man of God saw her from a distance, he said to his servant Gehazi, “Look! That’s the woman from Shunem! 26 Now run to meet her and say, ‘Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your son all right?’”

She answered, “We’re all right.”

27 Then she came to the man of God at the mountain, and she grasped his feet. Gehazi stepped forward to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone, for her soul is in distress, but the Lord has hidden it from me. He has not told me.”

28 Then she said, “Did I ask my lord for a son? Didn’t I say, ‘Don’t give me false hope’?”

29 Then Elisha said to Gehazi, “Hike up your garments for travel, [1] and take my staff in your hand and go! If you meet someone, do not greet him, and if someone greets you, do not answer. Put my staff on the boy’s face.”

30 But the boy’s mother said, “As surely as the Lord lives and your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her. 31 Gehazi went ahead of them and put the staff on the boy’s face. But there was no sound, and there was no response. So he went back to Elisha and told him, “The boy did not wake up.”

32 When Elisha came to the house, there the boy was—dead, lying on his bed. 33 So he went in and he shut the door behind the two of them. Then he prayed to the Lord. 34 He got up and lay down on top of the boy. He put his mouth to the boy’s mouth, his eyes to the boy’s eyes, his palms to the boy’s palms. Then he bent down over him, and the boy’s flesh became warm. 35 He went back into the house and paced back and forth. Then he went up and bent down over him, and the boy sneezed seven times. Then the boy opened his eyes.

36 Then Elisha called Gehazi and said, “Call the woman of Shunem!” So he called her, and she came in. He said, “Pick up your son.” 37 So she came in and fell at Elisha’s feet and bowed down to the ground. Then she picked up her son and went out.

Elisha Makes a Poison Meal Safe38 Then Elisha returned to Gilgal. There was a famine in the land. The sons of the prophets were sitting with him, and he said to his servant, “Put the large cooking pot on the fire, and cook some stew for the sons of the prophets.”

39 One of the men went out to the field to gather plants. He found a wild vine and picked some gourds from it. He filled his garment with them. Then he came in and cut them into pieces for the pot of stew. They did not know what they were, 40 but they served it to the men to eat. While they were eating the stew, they cried out, “Man of God, there is death in the pot!” So they could not eat it.

41 But he said, “Take some flour and throw it into the pot.” Then he said, “Serve it to the people.” They ate, and there was nothing harmful in the pot.

A Miraculous Meal42 A man came from Baal Shalishah and brought the man of God some bread from the first ripe grain, twenty loaves of barley bread, and some new grain in his sack. Elisha said, “Set it before the people so that they can eat.”

43 His attendant said, “How can I set this before one hundred men?” But he said, “Set it before the people so that they may eat, for this is what the Lord says: They will eat and have some left over.” So he set it before them. They ate, and they had some left over, just as the Lord had said.

Footnotes1. 2 Kings 4:29 This refers to gathering up one’s flowing robes around the waist to make it easier to move quickly. We might say, “Tighten your belt.”

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – November 082 Kings 3:1 – 4:7LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – November 08

2 Kings 3:1 – 4:7 (EHV)
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Jehoram’s War With Moab2 Kings 31 Now Jehoram [1] son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he ruled as king for twelve years. 2 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord but not as his father and mother had done. He removed the sacred memorial stones for Baal which his father had made, 3 but he clung to the sins which Jeroboam son of Nebat caused Israel to commit. He did not turn from them.

4 Mesha king of Moab raised sheep. He brought tribute to the king of Israel consisting of one hundred thousand lambs and the wool of one hundred thousand rams.

5 When Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6 So King Jehoram went out from Samaria at that time, and he mobilized all Israel. 7 He sent a message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to wage war against Moab?”

Jehoshaphat replied, “I will go with you. I am like you. My people are like your people. My horses are like your horses.” 8 Then Jehoshaphat asked, “By what road should we go up?”

Jehoram answered, “By the road through the wilderness of Edom.”

9 Then the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom marched for seven days by a roundabout way. There was no water for the army or for the animals which were along with them.

10 Then the king of Israel said, “This is terrible! The Lord has summoned these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab!”

11 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here, so that we may inquire of the Lord through him?”

One of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat, who used to pour water on the hands of Elijah, is here.”

12 Then Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the Lord is in him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to meet him.

13 Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What do we have in common? Go to your father’s prophets and your mother’s prophets!”

Then the king of Israel said to him, “No, for the Lord has summoned these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.”

14 Then Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord of Armies lives, before whom I stand, if I did not respect the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you or notice you. 15 But now bring me a musician.”

While the musician was playing, the hand of the Lord came upon Elisha. 16 He said, “This is what the Lord says. Make this valley full of ditches. 17 Yes, this is what the Lord says: You will not see wind. You will not see rain. But this valley will be full of water and you will drink—you and your livestock and your animals. 18 This is nothing in the eyes of the Lord. He will also give Moab into your hands. 19 You will destroy all their fortified cities and all their main towns. You will cut down every good tree. You will stop up every spring of water. You will ruin every good plot of land with stones.”

20 In the morning, at the time for the regular offering, suddenly there was water coming from the direction of Edom. So the land was full of water.

21 All Moab heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. They summoned all those who were old enough to strap on a sword and took their stand at the border. 22 They got up early in the morning as the rising sun was shining on the water. When the Moabites saw the water from a distance, it was red like blood. 23 They said, “Look! Blood! The kings fought and killed each other. Now, get to the plunder, Moab!” 24 So they went to Israel’s camp, but Israel rose up and struck Moab, and the Moabites fled from them. Israel advanced against them to strike down Moab. [2]

25 Israel tore down the cities. Each man threw a stone on every good plot of land and covered all of them. They stopped up every spring, and they cut down every good tree. Only in Kir Hareseth were the stones left standing. Then the troops armed with slings surrounded it and attacked it. 26 When the king of Moab saw that he was losing the battle, he took seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they were not able to do it. 27 So he took his firstborn son, who would have become king in his place, and he offered him as a burnt offering on the wall. There was great anger against Israel, so they withdrew from him and returned to their own country.

Elisha Multiplies the Widow’s Oil2 Kings 41 The wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead. You know that your servant feared the Lord. But now the moneylender is coming to take my two sons as slaves.”

2 Then Elisha said to her, “What can I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?”

She said, “Your servant has nothing at all in the house except a jar of olive oil.”

3 He told her, “Go and ask all your neighbors for jars—empty jars. Don’t ask for only a few. 4 Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Then pour oil into all the jars. When each one is full, set it aside.”

5 So she went and shut the door to her house behind her and her sons. They brought the jars, and she poured. 6 When a jar was filled, she said to her son, “Bring me another jar.”

Finally he said, “There aren’t any more.” Then the oil stopped.

7 So she went and told the man of God. He said, “Go and sell the oil and pay your debt. Then you and your sons can live off what’s left.”

Footnotes1. 2 Kings 3:1 Also called Joram 2. 2 Kings 3:24 Or struck Moab down completely

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – November 072 Kings 1 – 2LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – November 07

2 Kings 1 – 2 (EHV)
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God’s Judgment on Ahaziah2 Kings 11 Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. 2 Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upstairs room in Samaria, and he was injured. So he sent messengers and told them, “Go, inquire of Baal Zebub, [1] the god of Ekron, whether I will survive this injury.”

3 But an angel of the Lord said to Elijah from Tishbe, “Get up. Go meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and say to them, ‘Is there no God in Israel, so that you are going to seek out Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron? 4 Therefore, this is what the Lord says. You will not get up from the bed you have gotten into. You will certainly die.’” So Elijah went.

5 The messengers returned to the king, so he said to them, “Why have you come back?”

6 They told him, “A man came up to meet us and told us, ‘Go back to the king who sent you and tell him: This is what the Lord says. Is there no God in Israel, so that you are sending men to inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore, you will not get up from the bed you have gotten into. You will surely die.’”

7 He said to them, “How would you describe the man who came up to meet you and said these words to you?”

8 They told him, “He was dressed in clothing made of hair, [2] with a leather belt tied around his waist.”

Then Ahaziah said, “That was Elijah from Tishbe!”

9 So he sent a captain of fifty men to Elijah. He went up to him, and there Elijah was, sitting on top of a hill. Then the captain said to him, “Man of God, the king says, ‘Come down!’”

10 Then Elijah answered the captain, “If I am a man of God, let fire fall from the sky [3] and consume you and your fifty men!” Then fire fell from the sky and consumed him and his fifty men.

11 Then the king sent another captain of fifty men to him, and the captain said, “Man of God, this is what the king says: ‘Come down at once!’”

12 Elijah answered, “If I am a man of God, then let fire fall from the sky and consume you and your fifty men!” Then the fire of God fell from the sky and consumed him and his fifty men.

13 So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. The third captain went and got down on his knees before Elijah and begged for mercy. He said to Elijah, “Man of God, let my life and the lives of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your eyes. 14 Look, fire from the sky fell and consumed the first two captains and their companies of fifty men. But now, let the lives of your servants be precious.”

15 Then the angel of the Lord said to Elijah, “Go down with him. Do not fear him.” So Elijah stood up and went down with him to the king. 16 Then Elijah told the king, “This is what the Lord says. Because you sent messengers to inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron—Is there no God in Israel to inquire of?—therefore, you will not get up from the bed you have gotten into. You will certainly die.”

17 Then he died according to the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken. Because Ahaziah did not have a son, Jehoram [4] became king in his place in the second year of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah. 18 As for the rest of Ahaziah’s acts which he did, are they not written in the annals of the kings of Israel?

Elijah Ascends to Heaven2 Kings 21 When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah was traveling with Elisha from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Bethel.”

But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

3 The sons of the prophets [5] who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord is taking your master away from you?”

Then he said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”

4 Then Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here because the Lord has sent me to Jericho.”

But he said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.

5 Then the sons of the prophets who were in Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord is taking your master away from you?”

He said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”

6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here because the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.”

But he said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.

7 Then fifty men from the sons of the prophets came and stood and watched them from a distance, while the two of them were standing at the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his cloak, folded it together, and struck the water. The water divided to the right and to the left. Then the two of them crossed on dry land.

9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask me for whatever I can do for you before I am taken from you.”

Then Elisha said, “Let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.”

10 He said, “You have asked for a difficult thing. If you see me being taken from you, it will surely be yours. But if not, then it will not.”

11 While they were walking and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire came and separated them. So Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha was watching and crying out, “My father! My father! Israel’s chariot and its charioteers!” Then he did not see him anymore. He grabbed his clothing, and he ripped it into two pieces.

13 Then he picked up Elijah’s cloak, which had fallen from him. He returned and stood at the edge of the Jordan. 14 He took Elijah’s cloak, which had fallen from him, and he struck the water and said, “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah? Yes, where is he?” As soon as he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left so that Elisha could cross.

15 When the sons of the prophets, who were watching him from Jericho, saw this, they said, “Elijah’s spirit is resting on Elisha.” They went to meet him and bowed down to the ground in front of him.

16 They said to him, “Look, here are your servants, fifty strong men. Please, let them go and search for your master in case the Spirit of the Lord lifted him up and then set him down on one of the mountains or in one of the valleys.”

But he said, “Don’t send them.”

17 But they urged him to the point of embarrassment, so he said, “Send them.” So they sent the fifty men. They searched for three days, but they did not find him.

18 When they returned to Elisha, he was staying in Jericho. He said to them, “Didn’t I say to you, ‘Don’t go’?”

Elisha Demonstrates God’s Power19 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Look, the site of the city is good, as my lord can see, but the water is bad, and the land deprives people of children.”

20 So he said, “Bring me a new dish and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him.

21 Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt in. He said, “This is what the Lord says. I have healed this water. No longer will death or loss of children come from it.” 22 So the water has remained healed to this day, according to the word which Elisha spoke.

23 He went up from there to Bethel. While he was going up on the road, young boys came out from the city and mocked him. They said, “Go up, baldy! Go up, baldy!”

24 So he turned around and looked at them and cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two female bears came out of the woods, and they tore forty-two boys to pieces. 25 From there Elisha went to Mount Carmel, and then he returned to Samaria.

Footnotes1. 2 Kings 1:2 Or the Lord of the Flies. This is probably an insulting distortion of the god’s real name, Baal Zebul, lord of majesty. 2. 2 Kings 1:8 Literally a man a master of hair, a term which may refer to a hairy man or a man with flowing hair. A parallel with John the Baptist supports another interpretation, wearing a garment made of hair (Matthew 3:4). 3. 2 Kings 1:10 Or from heaven 4. 2 Kings 1:17 The Hebrew reads Jehoram, a variant of Joram. Both Judah and Israel had kings who were known by the dual names Joram and Jehoram. Both names are used for both kings, and the two kings ruled at about the same time. 5. 2 Kings 2:3 The sons of the prophets were assistants to the prophets and were possibly being trained by them, in the same way as Elisha served under Elijah for a time.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – November 06John 12:37-50LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – November 06

John 12:37-50 (EHV)
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John 1237 Even though Jesus had done so many miraculous signs in their presence, they still did not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet, who said:

Lord, who has believed our message?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? [1]

39 For this reason they could not believe, because Isaiah also said:

40 He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their heart,
so that they would not see with their eyes,
or understand with their heart,
or turn—and I would heal them. [2]

41 Isaiah said these things when [3] he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.

42 Nevertheless, even many of the rulers believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing him, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue. 43 For they loved praise from people more than praise from God.

44 Then Jesus called out, “The one who believes in me does not believe in me only, but in him who sent me. 45 And the one who sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as a light, so that everyone who believes in me would not remain in darkness. 47 If anyone hears my words but does not hold on to them, I do not judge him, for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words does have a judge. The word which I spoke is what will judge him on the Last Day, 49 because I have not spoken on my own, but the Father himself who sent me has given me a command regarding what I am to say and what I am to speak. 50 And I know that his command is eternal life. So the things I speak are exactly what the Father told me to speak.”

Footnotes1. John 12:38 Isaiah 53:1 2. John 12:40 Isaiah 6:10 3. John 12:41 Some witnesses to the text read because.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – November 05John 12:20-36LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – November 05

John 12:20-36 (EHV)
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John 12Death and Glory20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell Andrew. Andrew came with Philip and told Jesus.

23 Jesus answered them, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Amen, Amen, I tell you: Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it continues to be one kernel. But if it dies, it produces much grain. 25 Anyone who loves his life destroys it. And the one who hates his life in this world will hold on to it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, let him follow me. And where I am, there my servant will be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

27 “Now my soul is troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, this is the reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!”

A voice came from heaven: “I have glorified my name, and I will glorify it again.”

29 The crowd standing there heard it and said it thundered. Others said an angel talked to him. 30 Jesus answered, “This voice was not for my sake but for yours.

31 “Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be thrown out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to indicate what kind of death he was going to die.

34 The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Scriptures that the Christ will remain forever. So how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

35 Then Jesus told them, “The light will be with you just a little while longer. Keep on walking while you have the light, so that darkness does not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become sons of light.”

Jesus spoke these words, and then went away and was hidden from them.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – November 04John 11:45 – 12:19LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – November 04

John 11:45 – 12:19 (EHV)
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John 11The Plot45 Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary and saw what Jesus did believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. They asked, “What are we going to do, because this man is doing many miraculous signs? 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him. Then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 You do not even consider that it is better for us [1] that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” 51 He did not say this on his own, but, as high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, 52 and not only for that nation, but also in order to gather into one the scattered children of God.

53 So from that day on they plotted to kill him. 54 Therefore Jesus no longer walked about openly among the Jews. Instead he withdrew into a region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim. And he stayed there with his disciples.

55 The Jewish Passover was near, and many went up to Jerusalem from the country to purify themselves before the Passover. 56 They kept looking for Jesus and asking one another as they stood in the temple area, “What do you think? He certainly won’t come to the Festival, will he?” 57 The chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where Jesus was, he should report it so that they could arrest Jesus.

Mary Anoints JesusJohn 121 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, the hometown of Lazarus, who had died, the one Jesus raised from the dead. 2 They gave a dinner for him there. Martha was serving, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with him.

3 Then Mary took about twelve ounces [2] of very expensive perfume (pure nard) and anointed Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was going to betray him, said, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii [3] and given to the poor?” 6 He did not say this because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief. He held the money box and used to steal what was put into it.

7 Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. She intended to keep this for the day of my burial. 8 Indeed, the poor you always have with you, but you are not always going to have me.”

9 A large crowd of the Jews learned that he was there. They came not only because of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus, whom he raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus too, 11 because it was on account of him that many of the Jews were leaving them and believing in Jesus.

The King Comes to Jerusalem12 The next day, the large crowd that had come for the Festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 Taking palm branches, they went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord—the King of Israel!” [4]

14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written:

15 Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion.
Look! Your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt. [5]

16 At first, his disciples did not understand these things. But when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and that they did these things for him.

17 The crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead kept telling what they had seen. 18 This is another reason a crowd met him: They heard he had done this miraculous sign.

19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see? You are accomplishing nothing. Look! The world has gone after him.”

Footnotes1. John 11:50 Some witnesses to the text read you. 2. John 12:3 Greek litra is the Roman pound (327.45 grams or 11.55 ounces, by weight). 3. John 12:5 Or three hundred days’ wages. A denarius was worth about one day’s wage. 4. John 12:13 Psalm 118:25-26 5. John 12:15 Zechariah 9:9

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – November 03John 11:28-44LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – November 03

John 11:28-44 (EHV)
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John 1128 After she said this, Martha went back to call her sister Mary. She whispered, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.”

29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet gone into the village, but was still where Martha met him. 31 The Jews who were with Mary in the house consoling her saw that she got up quickly and left. So they followed her, supposing [1] she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and troubled.

34 He asked, “Where have you laid him?”

They told him, “Lord, come and see.”

35 Jesus wept.

36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

38 Jesus was deeply moved again as he came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said.

Martha, the dead man’s sister, told him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, because it has been four days.”

40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone.

Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 After he said this, he shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”

44 The man who had died came out with his feet and his hands bound with strips of linen and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus told them, “Loose him and let him go.”

Footnotes1. John 11:31 Some of the witnesses to the text read saying that.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – November 02John 11:1-27LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – November 02

John 11:1-27 (EHV)
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John 11Jesus Raises Lazarus1 Now a certain man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 This Mary, whose brother Lazarus was sick, was the same Mary who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair.

3 So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, saying, “Lord, the one you love is sick!”

4 When Jesus heard it, he said, “This sickness is not going to result in death, but it is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

5 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed in the place where he was two more days.

7 Then afterwards he said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.”

8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, recently the Jews were trying to stone you. And you are going back there again?”

9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? If anyone walks around during the day, he does not stumble because he sees this world’s light. 10 But if anyone walks around at night, he stumbles because there is no light on him.”

11 He said this and then told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him up.”

12 Then the disciples said, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will get well.”

13 Jesus had been speaking about his death, but they thought he was merely talking about ordinary sleep. 14 So Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad for your sake that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

16 Then Thomas (called the Twin [1]) said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go too, so that we may die with him.”

17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.

18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. 19 Many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother.

20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, while Mary was sitting in the house.

21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”

23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

24 Martha replied, “I know that he will rise in the resurrection on the Last Day.”

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even if he dies. 26 And whoever lives and believes in me will never perish. [2] Do you believe this?”

27 “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I believe [3] that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”

Footnotes1. John 11:16 Greek Didymus is the equivalent of Thomas in Hebrew/Aramaic, both meaning Twin. 2. John 11:26 Literally not die into eternity 3. John 11:27 Or have believed

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – November 01John 10:22-42LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – November 01

John 10:22-42 (EHV)
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John 10“I and the Father Are One”22 Then the Festival of Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple area in Solomon’s Colonnade.

24 So the Jews gathered around Jesus, asking, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

25 Jesus answered them, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I am doing in my Father’s name testify about me. 26 But you do not believe, because you are not my sheep, as I said to you. [1] 27 My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

31 Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?”

33 “We are not going to stone you for a good work,” the Jews answered, “but for blasphemy, because although you are a man, you make yourself out to be God.”

34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said you are gods’? [2] 35 If he called those people ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came, and the Scripture cannot be broken, 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart and sent into the world? Do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, do not believe me. 38 But if I am doing them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works so that you will know and understand [3] that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father.”

39 So they tried to arrest him again, but he eluded their grasp. 40 He went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing earlier, and he stayed there.

41 Many came to him and were saying, “John never did a miraculous sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” 42 And many believed in him there.

Footnotes1. John 10:26 Some witnesses to the text omit as I said to you. 2. John 10:34 Psalm 82:6 3. John 10:38 Some witnesses to the text read believe.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – October 31John 10:1-21LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – October 31

John 10:1-21 (EHV)
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John 10The Good Shepherd1 “Amen, Amen, I tell you: Anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the door, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The doorkeeper opens the door for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own sheep, he walks ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 They will never follow a stranger, but will run away from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus used this illustration in speaking to the people, but they did not understand what he was telling them.

7 So Jesus said again, “Amen, Amen, I tell you: I am the door for the sheep. 8 All who came before me [1] were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. Whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.

10 “A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

11 “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired man, who is not a shepherd, does not own the sheep. He sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the sheep and scatters them. 13 Because he works for money, he does not care about the sheep.

14 “I am the Good Shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me 15 (just as the Father knows me and I know the Father). And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I also have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd. 17 This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life so that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it up again. This is the commission I received from my Father.”

19 There was a division among the Jews again because of these words. 20 Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is out of his mind! Why listen to him?” 21 Others said, “These are not the sayings of someone demon-possessed. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

Footnotes1. John 10:8 Some witnesses to the text omit before me.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – October 30John 9LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – October 30

John 9 (EHV)
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A Blind Man Sees1 As Jesus was passing by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that God’s works might be revealed in connection with him. 4 I [1] must do the works of him who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the Light of the World.”

6 After saying this, Jesus spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and spread the mud on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” Jesus told him, “wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

8 His neighbors and those who had seen him before this as a beggar asked, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?”

9 Some said, “He is the one.” Others said, “No, but he looks like him.” He kept saying, “I am the one!”

10 So they asked him, “How were your eyes opened?”

11 He answered, “The man who is called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and then I could see.”

12 “Where is he?” they asked.

“I don’t know,” he said.

13 They brought this man who had been blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 So the Pharisees also asked him how he received his sight.

“He put mud on my eyes,” the man told them. “I washed, and now I see.”

16 Then some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God because he does not keep the Sabbath.” Others were saying, “How can a sinful man work such miraculous signs?”

There was division among them, 17 so they said to the blind man again, “What do you say about him, because he opened your eyes?”

The man replied, “He is a prophet.”

18 The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and received his sight, until they summoned the parents of the man who had received his sight. 19 They asked them, “Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? How is it, then, that he can see now?”

20 “We know that this is our son,” his parents answered, “and that he was born blind. 21 But we do not know how he can see now, or who opened his eyes. Ask him. He is old enough. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jews. For the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That is why his parents said, “He is old enough. Ask him.”

24 So for a second time they summoned the man who had been blind. They told him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.”

25 He answered, “I do not know if he is a sinner. One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I see.”

26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”

27 He answered, “I already told you, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? You don’t want to become his disciples too, do you?”

28 They ridiculed him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses. But this man—we do not know where he comes from.”

30 “That’s amazing!” the man answered. “You do not know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. But he does listen to anyone who worships God and does his will. 32 From the beginning of time, no one has ever heard of anyone opening the eyes of someone born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

34 They answered him, “You were entirely born in sinfulness! Yet you presume to teach us?” And they threw him out.

35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out. When he found him, he asked, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” [2]

36 “Who is he, sir,” the man replied, “that I may believe in him?”

37 Jesus answered, “You have seen him, and he is the very one who is speaking with you.”

38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” and he knelt down and worshipped him.

39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, in order that those who do not see will see, and those who do see will become blind.”

40 Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this and asked, “We are not blind too, are we?”

41 Jesus told them, “If you were blind, you would not hold on to sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.”

Footnotes1. John 9:4 Some witnesses to the text read We. 2. John 9:35 Some witnesses to the text read Son of Man.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – October 031 Kings 12:1-32LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – October 03

1 Kings 12:1-32 (EHV)
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1 Kings 12Israel Rebels Against Rehoboam1 Rehoboam went to Shechem, because all Israel had gone there to make him king.

2 When Jeroboam son of Nebat was still in Egypt where he had fled from King Solomon, he heard about this, and he returned from Egypt. [1] 3 So the people sent for him.

Then Jeroboam and the entire assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam, 4 “Your father made our yoke heavy. Now lighten your father’s harsh service and the heavy yoke he laid on us, and we will serve you.”

5 Rehoboam said to them, “Leave me for three days and then return to me.” So the people left.

6 Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon while he was alive. He asked, “What answer do you advise me to give to these people?”

7 They said to him, “If today you become a servant to this people—if you serve them and answer them with kind words—then they will be your servants for all time.” [2]

8 But he rejected the advice which the old men offered him. Instead, he consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. 9 He said to them, “What answer do you advise that we should give to these people who said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke that your father laid on us’?”

10 The young men who had grown up with him said, “This is what you should say to this people who said to you, ‘Your father laid a heavy yoke on us. Now lighten our yoke.’ Tell them this: ‘My little finger [3] is thicker than my father’s waist. [4] 11 My father imposed a heavy yoke on you. I will make your yoke heavier. My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with scorpions.’” [5]

12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, because the king had said, “Come back to me on the third day.”

13 The king answered the people harshly, because he had rejected the advice which the old men had offered. 14 He spoke to them as the young men advised him: “My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke. My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with scorpions.”

15 The king did not listen to the people, because this turn of events was from the Lord, in order to fulfill his word, which the Lord had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah from Shiloh.

16 All Israel saw that the king had not listened to them. So the people answered the king:

What share do we have in David?

No portion in the son of Jesse!

To your tents, Israel!

Now look after your own house, David!

So Israel went to their tents. [6]

17 Rehoboam continued to rule over the people of Israel who were living in the cities of Judah.

18 King Rehoboam sent out Adoram, [7] who was in charge of forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam, however, was able to get in his chariot to flee to Jerusalem.

19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David until this day.

Jeroboam Becomes King of Israel20 When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they summoned him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. No tribe was left which followed the house of David, except the tribe of Judah alone.

(2 Chronicles 11:1-4)21 When Rehoboam returned to Jerusalem, he assembled the whole house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand specially chosen soldiers, to fight against the house of Israel and to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam, the son of Solomon.

22 But the word of God came to Shemaiah, the man of God: 23 “Say the following to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin and to the rest of the people. 24 This is what the Lord says. Do not attack and do not fight against your brothers, the people of Israel. Go home, every one of you, for this turn of events is from me.”

So they listened to the word of the Lord, and they returned home, just as the Lord said. 25 But Jeroboam fortified Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and he lived there. From there he also went out and fortified Penuel. [8]

The Sin of Jeroboam Son of Nebat26 But Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingship will go back to the house of David. 27 If this people goes up to offer sacrifices at the House of the Lord in Jerusalem, then the hearts of the people will return to their master, Rehoboam king of Judah. Then they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.”

28 After the king sought advice, he made two golden calves and said to the people, “Going up to Jerusalem is too much trouble for you. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!” 29 He set up one in Bethel and the other one in Dan.

30 This sin took hold, and the people traveled as far as Dan to worship. 31 Jeroboam also made shrines [9] on the high places, [10] and he appointed priests from all kinds of people, even though they were not Levites. 32 Jeroboam instituted a festival in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the festival [11] that is held in Judah. He offered sacrifices on the altar. He did this in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves he had made. He appointed priests in Bethel for the high places he had made.

Footnotes1. 1 Kings 12:2 Some Greek manuscripts read he returned from Egypt, and add the words and he came straight to his own city in the land of Zererah in the hill country of Ephraim. Some Greek manuscripts do not have verse 2. The parallel in 2 Chronicles 10:2 supports the reading he returned from Egypt. The Hebrew text in 1 Kings 12:2 reads he remained in Egypt. 2. 1 Kings 12:7 Literally all the days 3. 1 Kings 12:10 Literally my little one 4. 1 Kings 12:10 Or thighs 5. 1 Kings 12:11 Possibly a name for a particularly painful kind of scourge, both here and in verse 14 6. 1 Kings 12:16 Go to their tents is a common idiom for go home. It does not imply that they all lived in tents. 7. 1 Kings 12:18 Also called Adoniram or Hadoram 8. 1 Kings 12:25 Also called Peniel 9. 1 Kings 12:31 Literally houses 10. 1 Kings 12:31 A high place is a shrine smaller than a temple. High places were often open-air shrines, located near the city gate or on a nearby hill. 11. 1 Kings 12:32 That is, the Festival of Shelters (traditionally Tabernacles)

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – October 021 Kings 10:14 – 11:43LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – October 02

1 Kings 10:14 – 11:43 (EHV)
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1 Kings 10Solomon’s Wealth and Glory14 The weight of gold which came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents, [1] 15 not counting what he collected from merchants and traders and from all the Arabian kings and the governors of the land.

16 King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold. He put seven and a half pounds [2] of gold into each large shield. 17 He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold. He put almost four pounds [3] of gold into each small shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.

18 The king made a large ivory throne and overlaid it with fine gold. [4] 19 There were six steps to the throne. The throne had a rounded back and armrests on either side of the seat. Two lions were standing beside the armrests. 20 Twelve lions were standing on the steps, one on each end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any kingdom.

21 All of Solomon’s drinking vessels were gold, and all of the utensils in the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. [5] No silver was used, because it was considered of little value in Solomon’s days, 22 because Solomon’s merchant fleet [6] was at sea with Hiram’s fleet, and once every three years the fleet returned, carrying gold and silver, ivory, monkeys, and peacocks. [7]

23 King Solomon was greater than all the kings of the earth in wealth and wisdom. 24 The whole world sought an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom which God put in his heart. 25 They each brought gifts: articles of gold and silver, clothing, scents, [8] spices, horses and mules, year after year.

26 Solomon accumulated chariots and charioteers until he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand charioteers. He stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 27 The king made silver as plentiful as stone in Jerusalem and cedar wood as abundant as sycamore trees in the Shephelah. [9] 28 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue. [10] The king’s dealers bought them from Kue for the market price. 29 A chariot could be imported from Egypt for six hundred silver shekels and a horse for one hundred fifty. In this same way they were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.

Solomon’s Sin and God’s Judgment1 Kings 111 King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter, including Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites. 2 They came from the nations about which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, “You must not enter into marriage with them, and they must not enter into marriage with you, or they will turn your hearts after other gods.” Solomon clung to them in love. 3 He had seven hundred wives who held the rank of princess and three hundred concubines. So they turned his heart away.

4 When Solomon became old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, so that his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord as the heart of his father David had been. 5 Then Solomon followed Ashtarte, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Milcom, the detestable god of the Ammonites. 6 So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord. He did not devote himself to the Lord as his father David had done. 7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh, the detestable god of Moab, on the hill east of Jerusalem and for Molek, [11] the detestable god of the Ammonites. 8 He did the same for all his foreign wives, who were burning incense and making sacrifices to their gods.

9 So the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. 10 The Lord had given him the command not to follow other gods, but Solomon did not keep the Lord’s command.

11 So the Lord said to Solomon, “Because this is your attitude, and because you did not keep my covenant and my statutes which I commanded you, I will surely rip the kingdom out of your hands and give it to your servant. 12 However, I will not do it during your lifetime because of your father David. I will rip it from your son’s hand. 13 But I will not rip away the whole kingdom. One tribe I will give to your son for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”

God Raises Foreign Enemies to Oppose Solomon14 Then the Lord raised up Hadad the Edomite, from the royal line of Edom, as an adversary for Solomon. 15 Earlier, while David was at war with Edom, when Joab the commander of the army went up to bury the dead, he struck down every male in Edom. 16 For six months Joab and all Israel stayed there until he exterminated every male in Edom. 17 But while Hadad was a young boy, he had fled with some Edomites from among his father’s servants to go to Egypt. 18 So they set out from Midian and went to Paran. They took some men with them from Paran and went to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt. He gave Hadad a house and decreed an allowance of food for him and gave him land.

19 Hadad found great favor in the eyes of Pharaoh, so Pharaoh gave him the sister of his own wife, the sister of Queen Tahpenes, as his wife. 20 The sister of Tahpenes bore him a son named Genubath. Tahpenes weaned him in the house of Pharaoh, so Genubath was in the house of Pharaoh with Pharaoh’s own sons.

21 Later Hadad heard that David rested with his fathers and that Joab the commander of the army was dead. So Hadad said to Pharaoh, “Send me back to my own country.”

22 Pharaoh said to him, “What are you lacking here with me, so that you want to go back to your own country?”

He said, “Nothing, but please let me go.”

23 God also raised up another adversary for Solomon, Rezon son of Eliada, who had fled from his master, Hadadezer king of Zobah. 24 After David had destroyed Zobah’s army, Rezon gathered men around himself and was the commander of a band of raiders. They went to Damascus and lived there and ruled Damascus. 25 He was Israel’s adversary during all the days of Solomon, in addition to all the difficulties which Hadad caused. He was hostile to Israel, and he ruled over Aram.

God Chooses Jeroboam to Be King of Israel26 Jeroboam son of Nebat was an Ephraimite from Zeredah. His mother’s name was Zeruah. She was a widow. Jeroboam was Solomon’s official, but he rebelled against the king. 27 This is the account of how he rebelled against the king.

When Solomon was rebuilding the Millo and repairing the gap in the wall in the city of his father David, 28 Jeroboam showed that he was a very capable man. When Solomon saw that the young man was a capable worker, he appointed him over all the forced labor of the house of Joseph. [12] 29 At that time, when Jeroboam left Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh met him on the road. [13] Ahijah was wearing a new cloak. The two of them were alone in the field. 30 Ahijah took the new cloak he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces.

31 He told Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces for yourself, because this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says.”

The Lord’s Message to JeroboamLook, I am tearing the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand, and I will give you ten tribes. 32 But one tribe will remain with him for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel. 33 This is because they have abandoned me and worshipped Ashtarte the goddess of the Sidonians, and Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites. They have not walked in my ways by doing what is upright in my eyes and keeping my commands and judgments as his father David did. 34 I will not take the whole kingdom from his hand because I appointed him leader for all the days of his life for the sake of my servant David, whom I chose and who kept my commands and statutes. 35 However, I will take the kingdom from his son’s hand, and I will give ten tribes to you. 36 To his son I will give one tribe in order that there may be a lamp for my servant David before me in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to put my Name.

37 But I will take you, and you will be king over all that your soul desires. You will be king over Israel. 38 If you listen to all that I command you, and if you walk in my ways and do what is right in my eyes, keeping my decrees and my statutes, just as my servant David did, then I will be with you, and I will build an enduring house for you, just as I built for David. I will give Israel to you. 39 Now I will humble the seed of David because of this, but not forever.

40 As a result Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam fled to Shishak king of Egypt. He stayed in Egypt until Solomon died.

The Death of King Solomon41 As for the rest of Solomon’s acts, everything he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the Book of the Acts of Solomon? 42 Solomon was king over all Israel in Jerusalem for forty years.

43 Solomon rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David, his father. His son Rehoboam ruled as king in his place.

Footnotes1. 1 Kings 10:14 Almost fifty thousand pounds 2. 1 Kings 10:16 The Hebrew text gives only a number (six hundred), without a unit of measure. If the unit is bekas, then the amount in the text is a good approximation. If the measure is shekels, the weight would be about fifteen pounds. 3. 1 Kings 10:17 Literally three minas 4. 1 Kings 10:18 Or gold from Uphaz. The precise significance of this phrase is uncertain. 5. 1 Kings 10:21 Literally closed gold. This may mean pure gold or solid gold, or gold plate. 6. 1 Kings 10:22 Literally fleet of Tarshish 7. 1 Kings 10:22 Or apes or baboons 8. 1 Kings 10:25 Or tools and weapons 9. 1 Kings 10:27 That is, the western foothills 10. 1 Kings 10:28 Probably Cilicia, on the southeast coast of Turkey 11. 1 Kings 11:7 The Hebrew text switches from Milcom in verse 5 to Molek in verse 7. 12. 1 Kings 11:28 That is, the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh 13. 1 Kings 11:29 The Greek Old Testament has the additional words marked by the half-brackets: Ahijah from Shiloh met him on the road ⎣and caused him to turn aside out of the road⎦. The additional words are found between two occcurrences of the road.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – October 011 Kings 9:1 – 10:13LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – October 01

1 Kings 9:1 – 10:13 (EHV)
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God Renews His Promises to Solomon1 Kings 91 When Solomon had finished building the house for the Lord and the house for the king, and he had done all that he desired, 2 the Lord appeared to Solomon a second time, just as he had appeared to him in Gibeon. 3 The Lord said to him:

I have heard your prayer and the plea for mercy that you offered before me. I have consecrated this house, which you built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time.

4 As for you, if you walk before me in purity of heart and with integrity as your father David did, so that you carry out everything that I command you, and you keep all my statutes and my ordinances, 5 then I will maintain your royal throne over Israel forever, just as I said to your father David, “You will not fail to have a man upon the throne of Israel.”

6 But if any of you [1] or your sons turn away from me and do not keep my commands and statutes, which I set before you, but you serve other gods and bow down to them, 7 then I will cut off Israel from the face of the ground which I gave them. I will take my presence away from the house which I consecrated for my Name. Israel will become proverbial as an object of ridicule for all peoples.

8 Though this house is now exalted, [2] all who pass by it will be appalled and will hiss [3] and say, “Why did the Lord do this to this land and to this house?”

9 They will reply, “Because they abandoned the Lord their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and they embraced other gods and worshipped and served them. That is why the Lord brought all this evil on them.”

Solomon Completes His Projects10 At the end of twenty years, when Solomon had completed these two buildings, the house of the Lord and the house of the king, 11 King Solomon gave Hiram twenty towns in the land of Galilee, because Hiram king of Tyre had been supplying Solomon with cedar and fir wood and with as much gold as he desired. 12 So Hiram left Tyre to see the towns which Solomon had given him, but he was not pleased.

13 He said, “What kind of towns are these towns which you have given me, my brother?” He called them the Land of Kabul, [4] a name they have to this day. 14 Hiram had sent the king one hundred twenty talents [5] of gold.

15 This is the account of the forced labor, which King Solomon raised to build the house for the Lord, his own house, the Millo, [6] and the walls of Jerusalem, as well as Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer. 16 (Pharaoh king of Egypt had come up and captured Gezer. He burned it and killed the Canaanites who were living in the city. Then he gave it as a wedding present to his daughter, Solomon’s wife.) 17 So Solomon built Gezer, lower Beth Horon, 18 Baalath, Tadmor [7] in the wilderness, 19 all of Solomon’s towns for storehouses, the towns for his chariots, the towns for charioteers, [8] and everything Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land he ruled.

20 All the people who remained from the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not part of the people of Israel— 21 their descendants who remained in the land, whom the Israelites were not able to destroy completely—were drafted for forced labor by Solomon. They are serving right up to this day. 22 But Solomon did not press the people of Israel into service. Rather, they were his warriors, his government officials, his staff, his military officers, the commanders of his chariots, and his charioteers. 23 These were the officials who were overseeing Solomon’s work. Five hundred fifty officials were overseeing the people doing the work.

24 Pharaoh’s daughter moved up from the City of David to the house Solomon built for her. Then he built the Millo.

25 Three times a year Solomon offered whole burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar which he had built before the Lord, and he burned incense before the Lord. In this way he completed the temple.

26 King Solomon built a fleet at Ezion Geber, which is near Elat on the shore of the Red Sea in the land of Edom. 27 Then, along with that fleet, Hiram sent his servants, men who worked on ships and who knew the sea, to serve with the servants of Solomon. 28 They went to Ophir, and they obtained four hundred twenty talents [9] of gold there and brought it to King Solomon.

The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon1 Kings 101 The Queen of Sheba heard about Solomon’s fame, which was connected with the fame of the Lord, so she came to test him with hard questions. 2 She came to Jerusalem with a very great entourage [10]—with camels carrying spices and a large quantity of gold and precious stones. She came to Solomon and told him everything that was on her heart.

3 Solomon answered all her questions. There was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her.

4 The Queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, the house which he built, 5 and the food on his table. When she saw the council meeting of his officials, the careful attention of his ministers, [11] as well as their attire, his cupbearers, and the whole burnt offerings which he offered at the House of the Lord, [12] it took her breath away.

6 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your accomplishments [13] and your wisdom is true. 7 I did not believe the report until I came and saw it with my own eyes. The truth is, not even half of it was told to me! Your wisdom and wealth surpass the report which I heard. 8 Blessed are your men, blessed are your servants, who stand before you continually hearing your wisdom! 9 May the Lord your God be blessed, who was pleased to put you on the throne of Israel. Because the Lord loves Israel forever, he made you king to administer justice and righteousness.”

10 Then she gave the king one hundred twenty talents [14] of gold and a great quantity of spices and many precious stones. There was never again anything comparable to the huge amount of spices and incense which the Queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

11 In addition, Hiram’s fleet brought gold from Ophir and a great quantity of almug [15] wood and also precious stones. 12 The king made the almug wood into steps [16] for the Lord’s house and for the house of the king, as well as lyres and harps for his singers. So much fine almug wood has never been brought or seen to this present day.

13 King Solomon gave to the Queen of Sheba all she desired, whatever she asked for, besides what he had given to her from his royal resources. Then she and her servants returned to her country.

Footnotes1. 1 Kings 9:6 You and your in this verse are plural. 2. 1 Kings 9:8 The ancient versions read this house will become ruins. 3. 1 Kings 9:8 Literally whistle, a derisive gesture 4. 1 Kings 9:13 Kabul means worthless or good-for-nothing. 5. 1 Kings 9:14 About nine thousand pounds 6. 1 Kings 9:15 The word Millo appears to be derived from the Hebrew word for fill. Millo probably refers to the stone rampart that supported the palace area. 7. 1 Kings 9:18 Some Hebrew manuscripts, the ancient versions, and 2 Chronicles 8:4 support the reading Tadmor. The main Hebrew text reads Tamar. 8. 1 Kings 9:19 The word is sometimes translated horsemen, but it does not seem that cavalry was being used at this time. 9. 1 Kings 9:28 More than thirty thousand pounds. The parallel text in 2 Chronicles 8:18 reads four hundred fifty talents. 10. 1 Kings 10:2 Or a very impressive display of wealth 11. 1 Kings 10:5 Literally the sitting of his servants and the standing of his ministers 12. 1 Kings 10:5 Or the passageway by which he went up to the House of the Lord. Passageway is the main reading in the parallel text in 2 Chronicles 9:4. Whole burnt offerings is the reading of 1 Kings 10:5. The context seems to favor reference to something impressive about the palace. 13. 1 Kings 10:6 Or words 14. 1 Kings 10:10 About nine thousand pounds 15. 1 Kings 10:11 Perhaps a type of sandalwood. The parallels in 2 Chronicles 2:8 and 9:10-11 reverse the consonants and read algum wood. 16. 1 Kings 10:12 Or supports

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – September 301 Kings 8:12-66LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 30

1 Kings 8:12-66 (EHV)
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1 Kings 8King Solomon’s Prayer12 Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he dwells in thick darkness. 13 I have truly built a majestic house for you, a place for you to dwell forever.”

14 Then the king turned and blessed the whole congregation of Israel, while the whole congregation of Israel was standing there. 15 Then Solomon said:

Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel. What he said with his mouth to my father David, he has fulfilled with his hand.

The Lord said, 16 “From the day I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I did not choose a city from all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house for my Name to be there, ⎣nor did I choose any man to be a leader over my people Israel; but now I have chosen Jerusalem for my Name to be there,⎦ [1] and I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.”

17 It was on my father David’s heart to build a house for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel.

18 However, the Lord said to my father David, “It was on your heart to build a house for my Name. That was a good thing to desire. 19 But you will not build the house. Your son, who will come from your own body, will build the house for my Name.”

20 So the Lord kept his word which he had spoken, and I arose in the place of my father David. I am seated on the throne of Israel, just as the Lord said. I have built this house for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 21 I have established a place there for the Ark, which contains the covenant of the Lord, which he made with our fathers when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.

22 Then Solomon stood in front of the altar in the presence of the whole congregation of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven. [2] 23 He said:

O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in the heavens above or on the earth below. You keep the covenant of mercy and faithfulness with your servants who walk before you with all their heart. 24 You have kept the word which you spoke to your servant, my father David. What you have said with your mouth you have fulfilled with your hand, as it is today.

25 Now, Lord God of Israel, guard for your servant, my father David, the promise you made to him when you said, “You will never fail to have a man sitting on the throne of Israel in my presence, if your sons guard their ways by walking in my law just as you have walked before me.”

26 Now, O God of Israel, let the words which you spoke to your servant, my father David, be confirmed.

27 But will God really dwell on the earth? In truth, the heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this house, which I have built! 28 But turn your face toward the prayer of your servant and toward his plea for mercy. O Lord my God, listen to the cry and the prayer which your servant offers before you today.

29 Let your eyes be open toward this house night and day, toward this place where you said, “My Name will be there,” to hear the prayer which your servant offers toward this place.

30 When you hear the plea for mercy of your servant and of your people Israel, which they pray toward this place, then hear in your dwelling place in heaven—hear and forgive.

The Petitions31 When a man sins against his neighbor, and his neighbor places him under an oath, and the oath is presented before your altar in this house, 32 then hear from heaven and take action. Provide justice for your servants by declaring the wicked person guilty and bringing his ways down on his own head, and by declaring the righteous person innocent and dealing with him according to his righteousness.

33 When your people Israel are defeated by their enemies because they sinned against you, and when they return to you and praise your Name and pray and seek your favor in this house, 34 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land which you gave to their fathers.

35 When the heavens are shut up, and there is no rain because they sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place, and they praise your Name and turn from their sin because you have humbled them, 36 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Yes, teach them the good way in which they are to walk, and provide rain for the land which you gave to your people as an inheritance.

37 When there is famine in the land, when there is plague, when there is blight or mildew or locusts or grasshoppers, when their enemies are in the land besieging their gates, in every disease, in every sickness, 38 hear every prayer and every plea for mercy which any individual presents or which your whole people Israel presents. When each one knows the affliction of his own heart, when he spreads out his hands toward this house, 39 hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and forgive. Then act and give to each person according to all his ways, because you know his heart (yes, you alone know the heart of every human being), 40 so that they may fear you all the days they live on the soil which you gave to our fathers.

41 Also for the foreigner, who is not one of your people Israel, but who comes from a distant land because of your Name 42 (for they will hear about your great Name, your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm, and they will come and pray toward this house), 43 for that foreigner, hear in heaven, which is your dwelling place, and do everything for which that foreigner cries out to you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your Name and fear you, just as your people Israel do, and because they know that your Name is proclaimed in this house which I have built.

44 When your people go out for battle against their enemy on whatever way you send them, and when they pray to the Lord facing toward the city which you have chosen and toward the house which I have built for your Name, 45 then from heaven hear their prayer and their plea for mercy, and provide justice for them.

46 When they sin against you (for there is no one who does not sin) and you become angry with them, and you give them up to their enemies, and their captors exile them to an enemy land, whether distant or near, 47 when they are in the land where they were exiled and they turn their hearts back, and they repent and pray to you in the land of their exile and say, “We have sinned and become guilty and done evil,” 48 when they return to you with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies where they were exiled, and they pray in the direction of their land, which you gave to their fathers, toward the city which you chose and toward the house which I have built for your Name, 49 then hear their prayers and their plea for mercy from heaven, your dwelling place, and provide justice for them. 50 Pardon your people who have sinned against you and all their rebellious deeds that they have committed against you. Have compassion by causing their enemies to show them compassion. 51 For they are your people and your possession, which you brought out of Egypt, from the midst of the iron-smelting furnace.

52 Let your eyes be open to the plea for mercy from your servant and to the plea for mercy from your people Israel. Hear them whenever they cry out to you. 53 For you singled them out for yourself as your possession from all the peoples of the earth, just as you said through Moses your servant when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.

The Dedication of the Temple54 When Solomon finished offering all these prayers and pleas for mercy to the Lord, he got up from the altar of the Lord, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven. 55 Then he stood and blessed the whole congregation of Israel with a loud voice:

56 Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to his people Israel, just as he said he would. Not one word has failed [3] from all his good words which he spoke through Moses his servant. 57 May the Lord our God be with us, just as he was with our fathers. May he never leave us or abandon us. 58 May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to listen to his commands, regulations, and ordinances, which he commanded to our fathers. 59 May these words which I have prayed before the Lord be near the Lord our God day and night so that he provides justice for his servant and for his people Israel forever, 60 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God. There is no other. 61 May your hearts be fully committed to the Lord our God, in order to walk in his regulations and to keep his commands, just as is the case today.

62 Then the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifices before the Lord. 63 Solomon sacrificed fellowship offerings to the Lord: twenty-two thousand cattle and one hundred twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people of Israel dedicated the House of the Lord.

64 On that day the king consecrated the center of the courtyard which was in front of the House of the Lord, so that he could offer whole burnt offerings and grain offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings there, because the bronze altar which was before the Lord was too small to hold the whole burnt offerings and grain offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings.

65 At that time Solomon kept the festival, and all Israel kept the festival with him. They were a great congregation that had come from throughout the land, from Lebo Hamath to the Stream of Egypt before the Lord our God. ⎣⎦ [4] The festival lasted seven days, and then seven days more, fourteen days in all. 66 On the eighth day he sent them home, and they blessed the king. Then they went home, and their hearts were glad because of all the good which the Lord had done for his servant David and for his people Israel.

Footnotes1. 1 Kings 8:16 The words in half-brackets do not appear in the Hebrew text, but they are present in the Greek Old Testament and in 2 Chronicles 6:5-6. The additional words fall between two occurrences of for my Name to be there. 2. 1 Kings 8:22 At this point the parallel account in 2 Chronicles 6:12-13 has the additional words marked by half-brackets: and spread out his hands. ⎣13 Solomon had made a bronze platform and had placed it in the middle of the courtyard. It was seven and a half feet by seven and a half feet square, and four and a half feet tall. He stood on it. Then he knelt in the presence of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands⎦ toward heaven. These words fall between two occurrences of spread out his hands. 3. 1 Kings 8:56 Literally fallen 4. 1 Kings 8:65 The Greek Old Testament has the additional words between the half-brackets: before the Lord our God ⎣in the house which he built, eating and drinking and rejoicing before the Lord our God.⎦ These words fall between occurrences of before the Lord our God.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – September 291 Kings 7:13 – 8:11LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 29

1 Kings 7:13 – 8:11 (EHV)
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1 Kings 7The Chief Craftsman13 King Solomon sent for Hiram [1] from Tyre. 14 He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, but his father was a craftsman in bronze from Tyre. Hiram too was filled with wisdom, understanding, and skill for all kinds of work in bronze. He came to King Solomon and performed the work for him.

The Large Bronze Pillars15 He cast two bronze pillars, each twenty-seven feet tall. Their circumference was eighteen feet.

16 He made two capitals of cast bronze to set on top of the pillars. The height of one capital was seven and a half feet, and the height of the other capital was seven and a half feet. 17 The capitals that sat on top of the pillars were decorated with a latticework of interwoven chains. There were seven rows of decoration on one capital and seven rows on the other capital. 18 This is how he made the pillars: He made two rows of pomegranates to go above the latticework on the capitals that were on top of the pillars. [2] He did this for each pillar. 19 The capitals that were on top of the pillars for the porch were shaped like lilies, six feet tall. 20 On top of each pillar, above the bulge, beside the latticework, there were two hundred pomegranates arranged in rows all the way around. [3]

21 He set up the pillars on the porch of the temple building. He set up one pillar on the south and named it Jakin, [4] and he set up the other pillar on the north and named it Boaz. [5] 22 The tops of the pillars were shaped like lilies. In this way the work for the pillars was finished.

The Sea23 He made the sea of cast metal. It was round, fifteen feet from rim to rim. It was seven and a half feet high. Its circumference was forty-five feet. 24 Under its rim all the way around there were round, gourd-shaped ornaments, one every two inches, all the way around the sea. [6] The ornaments were in two rows, cast as one piece with the sea. 25 The sea stood on twelve cattle, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The sea was set on them. All their hindquarters faced toward the center of the sea. 26 The sea was three inches [7] thick. Its rim was shaped like the rim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It held twelve thousand gallons. [8]

The Carts27 He made ten bronze carts. Each cart was six feet long and six feet wide and four and a half feet tall. 28 This is how the carts were constructed: They had side panels between supporting frames. 29 The panels between the frames were decorated with lions, cattle, and cherubim. On the frames, both above and below the lions and cattle, there were wreaths hanging down. [9] 30 Each cart had four bronze wheels with bronze axles, and at each of the four corners of the cart there were supports for the basin, with wreaths beside each of them. 31 The opening on top of the cart within a crowning structure was a foot and a half deep. The opening was round. It had a supporting pedestal a little more than two feet tall. [10] Around the opening there were engravings, and the panel that surrounded the opening was square, not round.

32 The four wheels were underneath the side panels, and the axles for the wheels were inserted through the cart. The height of each wheel was twenty-seven inches. 33 The wheels were made like a chariot wheel. Their axles, rims, spokes, and hubs were all of cast metal. 34 There were supports at each of the four corners of each cart. The supports were part of the cart itself. 35 In the top of the cart there was a round opening nine inches deep. [11] On top of the cart the supports and its panels were one piece with it. 36 On the panels between the supports he engraved cherubim, lions, and palm trees wherever there was room, with wreaths all around. 37 That is how he made the carts. All of them were cast with the same mold, so they had the same size and shape.

The Basins38 He made ten bronze basins. Each basin contained two hundred forty gallons. [12] Each basin was six feet in diameter, and there was one basin for every one of the ten carts. 39 He placed five carts on the south side of the temple and five on the north side of the temple. He set the sea on the south side of the temple near the southeast corner.

40 Hiram made the basins, the shovels, and the sprinkling bowls.

SummarySo Hiram completed all the work that he had been assigned by King Solomon for the House of the Lord: 41 the two pillars, the two globe-shaped capitals on top of the pillars, the two latticeworks that covered the two globe-shaped capitals that were on top of the pillars, 42 the four hundred pomegranates for the two latticeworks (two rows of pomegranates for each latticework to cover the globe-shaped capitals that were on top of the pillars), 43 the ten carts, the ten basins on the carts, 44 the one sea, the twelve cattle under the sea, 45 the pots, the shovels, and the sprinkling bowls. All these items, which Hiram made for King Solomon for the house of the Lord, were burnished bronze. 46 The king had them cast in clay molds in the ground, in the plain of the Jordan, between Succoth and Zarethan. 47 Solomon did not weigh all the vessels, because there were so many of them. The weight of the bronze was never determined.

The Furnishings for the House48 Solomon made all the furnishings that were in the House of the Lord: the gold altar and the table for the Bread of the Presence, which was also gold. 49 The lampstands were placed in front of the inner room of the sanctuary, five on the south side, and five on the north. They also were made of pure gold, [13] as were the flowers, the lamps, and the gold tongs, 50 the basins, the snuffers, the sprinkling bowls, the small dishes, and the fire pans of pure gold, and the gold hinges, [14] both those for the doors of the inner sanctuary, that is, the Most Holy Place, and also those for the doors of the front room. 51 In this way all the work that King Solomon did for the House of the Lord was finished. Solomon brought the things which David his father had dedicated, the silver, the gold, and the vessels, and put them in the treasuries of the House of the Lord.

Solomon Brings the Ark Into the Temple1 Kings 81 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, all the heads of tribes, and the leading fathers of the people of Israel to appear before him in Jerusalem, in order to bring up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from the City of David, that is, from Zion. 2 All the men of Israel assembled before King Solomon in the month of Ethanim, [15] during the festival. [16] It was the seventh month. 3 Then all the elders of Israel came, and the priests lifted up the ark. 4 They brought up the Ark of the Lord, the Tent of Meeting, and all the holy vessels which were in the tent. The priests and the Levites brought them up.

5 King Solomon, along with the whole congregation of Israel who had gathered with him in front of the ark, was sacrificing sheep and cattle, too many to be counted.

6 The priests brought the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord to its place in the inner sanctuary of the house, to the Most Holy Place, under the wings of the cherubim, 7 for the cherubim were spreading their wings over the place for the ark, so that the cherubim covered the ark and its poles with their wings. 8 The poles were so long that the ends of the poles could be seen from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen from outside. They are there to this day.

9 There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets, which Moses had placed there at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the people of Israel when they came out of the land of Egypt.

10 When the priests came out from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the House of the Lord. 11 The priests were not able to take their positions to minister in the presence of the cloud, because the Glory of the Lord had filled the House of the Lord.

Footnotes1. 1 Kings 7:13 Called Huram in Chronicles. He is not to be confused with Hiram king of Tyre. 2. 1 Kings 7:18 Pillars is the reading of the Syriac and many Hebrew manuscripts. Most Hebrew manuscripts read pomegranates. 3. 1 Kings 7:20 The meaning of this sentence is uncertain. 4. 1 Kings 7:21 Jakin means he establishes. 5. 1 Kings 7:21 Boaz means in him is strength. 6. 1 Kings 7:24 The meaning of this sentence is uncertain. The parallel in 2 Chronicles 4:3 says the ornaments were cattle. 7. 1 Kings 7:26 A handbreadth 8. 1 Kings 7:26 Literally two thousand baths. The reading in 2 Chronicles 4:5 is three thousand baths. They may have been using different standards for the size of a bath or rounding off. 9. 1 Kings 7:29 A very different interpretation of this phrase is: On top of the framed sides there was a platform/pedestal/mounting stand. The mounting stand would be the structure that supported the basin that was inserted into the stand. The translation of the description of the carts is uncertain. 10. 1 Kings 7:31 The meaning of this sentence is uncertain, and the interpretations in different translations vary. 11. 1 Kings 7:35 The meaning of this sentence is uncertain. 12. 1 Kings 7:38 Hebrew forty baths 13. 1 Kings 7:49 Literally closed gold. Most translators think this means pure gold or solid gold, but it may mean gold plate. 14. 1 Kings 7:50 The precise identification of some of these items is uncertain. 15. 1 Kings 8:2 September/October 16. 1 Kings 8:2 That is, the Festival of Shelters (traditionally Tabernacles)

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – September 281 Kings 6:1 – 7:12LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 28

1 Kings 6:1 – 7:12 (EHV)
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The Construction of the Temple1 Kings 61 In the four hundred eightieth year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, during the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month named Ziv, [1] which is the second month, Solomon began to build the house for the Lord.

2 The house which King Solomon built for the Lord was ninety feet long, thirty feet wide, and forty-five feet high. [2] 3 The porch [3] in front of the temple building [4] was thirty feet wide, the same as the width of the building. It extended out fifteen feet from the front of the building.

4 He made latticed windows [5] high on the walls of the building.

5 He added a structure along the outer walls of the building, all the way around the three sides of the building. It was built against the walls of both the front room [6] and the inner room [7] of the sanctuary. In this structure he constructed three levels of storage rooms, all the way around the building. 6 The width of the rooms on the lowest story was seven and a half feet. The rooms of the middle story were nine feet wide, and the rooms of the third story were ten and a half feet wide, because he had built three receding ledges into the outside wall of the temple building all the way around, so that the floor beams of each story would not have to be inserted into the walls of the main building.

7 While the building was under construction, only stones that had been finished at the quarry were used in the building. No hammer or chisel or any other iron tool was heard in the building while it was under construction. 8 The entrance into the lowest story [8] of the side rooms was on the south side [9] of the building. Winding stairs [10] went up to the middle floor, and also from the middle floor to the third floor. 9 So Solomon finished building the house, and he covered [11] the house with beams and planks of cedar. 10 He built the floors for the storerooms that were all around the house. Each story was seven and a half feet high. Each story was supported by cedar timbers which rested on the receding ledges constructed along the walls of the building. [12]

11 The word of the Lord came to Solomon. He said, 12 “In regard to this house which you are building, if you walk according to my statutes and carry out my ordinances and keep all my commands by walking according to them, you will be the one through whom I will fulfill my promise which I spoke to your father David. 13 I will dwell among the descendants of Israel, and I will not forsake my people Israel.”

14 So Solomon finished building the house. 15 He paneled the inside walls of the building with cedar boards, from the floor of the building to the rafters [13] of the ceiling. He covered the inside walls with wood. He also covered the floor of the building with boards of fir wood.

16 Thirty feet from the back wall of the building he built a wall of cedar boards from the floor to the ceiling. He built this wall inside the building to create an inner sanctuary, the Most Holy Place.

17 The front part of the building became a main room sixty feet long. 18 Gourds [14] and open flowers were carved into the cedar on the inside of the building. Everything was covered with cedar. No stone was visible.

19 He prepared the inner room of the sanctuary inside the building as a place to set the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. 20 The inner sanctuary was thirty feet long, thirty feet wide, and thirty feet high, and he overlaid it with pure gold.

He also overlaid the cedar altar with gold. 21 So Solomon covered the inside of the building with pure gold. He stretched gold chains across the front of the inner sanctuary, and he overlaid the sanctuary with gold. 22 He overlaid the whole building with gold, until the whole building had been covered. He also overlaid the whole altar, which was in front of the inner sanctuary, with gold.

The Cherubim23 For the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim [15] of olive wood. Each one was fifteen feet tall. 24 Seven and a half feet was the length of one wing of a cherub, and seven and a half feet was the length of the other wing of a cherub. The distance from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other was fifteen feet. [16] 25 The other cherub also was fifteen feet wide. Both of the cherubim were the same size and looked the same. 26 One cherub was fifteen feet tall, and so was the other cherub. 27 He set the cherubim inside the inner sanctuary of the house. The wings of the cherubim were stretched out, so that the outer wing of the first one touched the wall, and the outer wing of the other cherub touched the opposite wall, and their wings touched one another in the middle of the room. 28 He overlaid the cherubim with gold.

29 He decorated the walls on all sides of both rooms of the building with carved figures of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. 30 He overlaid the floor of the building with gold in both the inner and outer rooms.

The Doors31 For the entrance to the inner sanctuary, he made olive wood doors with five-sided frames. [17] 32 He carved cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers on them and overlaid them with gold. He shaped sheets of hammered gold to cover the cherubim and the palm trees.

33 He did the same for the entrance to the front room. It had door posts of olive wood that were four-sided 34 and two doors of fir wood. The door on one side was made with two folding leaves, and the door on the other side was made with two folding leaves. 35 He carved cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers on them, and he overlaid them with gold leaf, shaped to the carvings.

The Courtyard36 He built the inner courtyard with three courses of cut stone and one course of cedar beams.

37 The foundation of the Lord’s house was laid in the fourth year, in the month named Ziv. [18] 38 In the eleventh year, in the month named Bul, [19] which is the eighth month, all the parts of the house were finished according to all its specifications. Solomon had spent seven years building it.

The Five Buildings of Solomon’s Palace Complex1 Kings 71 It took Solomon thirteen years to finish building his whole palace complex.

The House of the Forest of Lebanon2 He built the House of the Forest of Lebanon. It was one hundred fifty feet long. It was seventy-five feet wide and forty-five feet high. It had four rows [20] of cedar pillars, with cedar beams on top of the pillars. 3 It was roofed with cedar above the forty-five beams that rested on the pillars, fifteen beams in each row. [21]

4 There were three rows [22] of windows with recessed frames on each side of the building. 5 All the doors and posts were made with square beams. [23] They were arranged in groups of three.

The Hall of Pillars6 He built a pillared entry hall. [24] It was seventy-five feet wide and forty-five feet deep. There was another porch in front of the pillars, and more pillars and a canopy in front of them.

The Hall of Justice7 He made another hall, named the Hall of Justice. The throne from which he judged cases was located there. The hall was covered with cedar from floor to ceiling. [25]

Palaces for Solomon and Pharaoh’s Daughter8 His house in which he lived was made the same way. It was on the other side of a courtyard behind the Hall of Pillars. [26] Solomon also made another house like this hall for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had married.

9 All of these were made of high-quality stone, precisely cut to the exact measure, trimmed with saws on both sides. Such stones were used from the foundation to the edge of the roof, from the outside of the complex to the great courtyard on the inside. 10 The foundation was made of high-quality stones, huge stones, twelve or fifteen feet long. 11 Above this were high-quality stones, precisely cut, with layers of cedar wood in between. 12 The great courtyard all the way around had three courses of cut stone and then a course of cedar beams, like the inner courtyard of the House of the Lord and the porch of that building.

Footnotes1. 1 Kings 6:1 Ziv corresponds to April/May. 2. 1 Kings 6:2 Sixty cubits, twenty cubits, and thirty cubits respectively, using a cubit of eighteen inches. Since the numbers of the temple measurements do not seem to have symbolic values, the translation converts them into modern measurements. 3. 1 Kings 6:3 Or portico, entry hall, or vestibule. It is uncertain whether this was an unroofed porch or a roofed, enclosed vestibule or foyer. 4. 1 Kings 6:3 Literally in front of the temple of the house. In this section of Kings, the Hebrew word bayit, which has the base meaning house, sometimes refers to the whole temple building, including both rooms. The word hekal, which often means temple or palace, sometimes refers only to the first room inside the temple building, that is, the front room or main hall, which is also called the Holy Place. 5. 1 Kings 6:4 Or framed windows narrower on the outside than on the inside. The purpose of these windows, located high on the walls of the temple building, was to let in light. It is uncertain whether they were latticed or had angled side walls which made them narrower on the outer side. In either case the purpose was the same—to restrict the entry of birds. Compare Ezekiel 41:16. Another interpretation is windows with recessed frames within frames. See the footnote on 6:31. 6. 1 Kings 6:5 Or main room or nave. The Hebrew word hekal, usually translated temple, here refers only to the first room in the temple building. This room is also called the Holy Place. 7. 1 Kings 6:5 Hebrew debir. This room is also called the Holy of Holies or the Most Holy Place. 8. 1 Kings 6:8 The lowest story is the reading of the Greek Old Testament and the Targum. The Hebrew text reads the middle story, but the rest of the verse makes it clear that the entry was on the ground floor. Ezekiel 41:7 also states that the stairs went up from the lowest story to the top story through the middle story. 9. 1 Kings 6:8 In this description, in Hebrew the south side is called the right side, and the north side is called the left side. 10. 1 Kings 6:8 Or ladders. The precise meaning is uncertain. 11. 1 Kings 6:9 Or roofed 12. 1 Kings 6:10 Literally they grasped the house with cedar timbers 13. 1 Kings 6:15 The reading rafters (qoroth) is the reading of the Greek Old Testament. The Hebrew text reads walls (qiroth). 14. 1 Kings 6:18 Or knobs or buds 15. 1 Kings 6:23 Cherubim are the angels who are the Lord’s honor guard. They are described in Ezekiel 1. 16. 1 Kings 6:24 The EHV retains the repetitious style of the text, which may be for rhetorical emphasis. 17. 1 Kings 6:31 Or with five recessed frames, that is, the doorframe had five recessed sills, like doorways within a doorway. If the doorposts were five-sided, each doorpost may have been a pentagon, or each doorway may have had a peaked upper side. 18. 1 Kings 6:37 April/May 19. 1 Kings 6:38 October/November 20. 1 Kings 7:2 Verses 2-6 are very difficult, and the translation is uncertain. In verse 2, the Hebrew text reads four rows of pillars. Some Greek texts read three rows of pillars. 21. 1 Kings 7:3 Another interpretation of the Hebrew includes chambers on an upper level of the building: It was covered with cedar above the chambers that were on the forty-five pillars, fifteen in each row. 22. 1 Kings 7:4 Or groups 23. 1 Kings 7:5 Or with rectangular frames or with four recessed frames. See the footnote at 6:31. 24. 1 Kings 7:6 Or colonnade 25. 1 Kings 7:7 Ceiling is the reading of the Latin and Syriac. The Hebrew reads from floor to floor. 26. 1 Kings 7:8 The meaning of this sentence is uncertain.

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1 Kings 5 (EHV)
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Solomon Prepares to Build the Temple1 Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon because he heard that Solomon had been anointed king in his father’s place, and because Hiram had been a dear friend of David all his days. [1]

2 Solomon sent the following message to Hiram.

3 You know that my father David was not able to build a house for the Name of the Lord his God, because of the wars that swirled around him until the Lord put his enemies under the soles of his feet. 4 But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side. I have no adversary and face no dangerous situations. 5 Listen to this! I intend to build a house for the Name of the Lord my God, just as the Lord told my father, “Your son, whom I will put on your throne in your place, will build the house for my Name.” 6 Now give the order to cut cedar logs for me from Lebanon. My servants will work with your servants, and I will reimburse you whatever you specify as the pay for your servants, for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut lumber like the Sidonians.

7 When Hiram heard Solomon’s words, he was very happy and he said:

Blessed be the Lord this day because he has given David a wise son to rule over this great people.

8 So Hiram sent word to Solomon:

I have heard the message you sent me. I will provide all the cedar and fir logs that you desire. 9 My servants will bring the logs down from Lebanon to the sea, and I will put them into the sea as rafts and float them to the place that you tell me. Then we will dismantle them there, and you can transport them up from there. In exchange, you will provide all the food I desire for my palace.

10 So Hiram gave Solomon all the cedar and fir that he desired. 11 In return, Solomon gave Hiram one hundred twenty thousand bushels [2] of wheat as provisions for his palace and one hundred twenty thousand gallons [3] of beaten [4] olive oil. Solomon gave this amount to Hiram every year. 12 The Lord gave wisdom to Solomon just as he had promised him, so there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they made a treaty.

13 King Solomon drafted a labor force from all over Israel. It numbered thirty thousand men. 14 He sent ten thousand men per month to Lebanon in shifts. They would spend one month in Lebanon. Then for two months they would be at home. Adoniram was in charge of this forced labor. 15 Solomon had seventy thousand men to transport materials and eighty thousand men to quarry stones in the mountains, 16 not counting the officials who were overseeing the work for Solomon. There were thirty-three hundred men supervising the people who were doing the work. 17 The king gave a command, and they quarried large, high-quality stones to serve as a foundation for the temple building, which was made of trimmed stones. 18 Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders and the men from Gebal [5] cut and prepared the wood and stones to construct the temple building. [6]

Footnotes1. 1 Kings 5:1 The chapter division is different in the Hebrew text. English 4:21-34 equals Hebrew 5:1-14. English 5:1-18 equals Hebrew 5:15-32. 2. 1 Kings 5:11 Literally twenty thousand cors. The values of the ancient measures of volume are uncertain. 3. 1 Kings 5:11 Literally twenty thousand baths 4. 1 Kings 5:11 It is assumed that oil from beaten olives is the highest grade olive oil from the first crushing of the olives, which was done by hand, not by a mechanical press. 5. 1 Kings 5:18 A Phoenician city, also called Byblos 6. 1 Kings 5:18 Literally the house or the building. The temple building is often called the house in Kings and Chronicles. The temple building, that is, the sanctuary proper, must be distinguished from the temple complex with its courtyards and side buildings. Both terms, the house of the Lord and the temple, may refer to the sanctuary itself or to the entire complex, depending on the context.

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The Beginning of Solomon’s Reign1 Kings 31 Solomon had made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt. He married Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her into the City of David until he had finished building his own house, the Lord’s house, and the wall around Jerusalem.

2 The people were still offering sacrifices at the high places [1] because a house for the Name of the Lord had not yet been built in those days. 3 Solomon loved the Lord, so he followed the instructions of his father David, though he was still offering sacrifices and burning incense at the high places.

Solomon Asks for Wisdom4 So the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, because it was the most important high place. Solomon offered one thousand whole burnt offerings on that altar. 5 The Lord appeared to Solomon in Gibeon in a dream at night.

God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

6 Solomon said, “You have shown great mercy and faithfulness [2] to your servant, my father David, just as he walked before you in truth, righteousness, and uprightness of heart toward you. You have shown this great mercy and faithfulness to him and have given him a son who is seated on his throne to this very day. 7 O Lord my God, now you have made your servant king in the place of my father David, but I am a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And I, your servant, am among your people whom you have chosen, a great people, who cannot be counted or numbered because they are so many. 9 Now give to your servant a perceptive heart to judge your people, to distinguish between good and evil, for who is able to judge this great people of yours?”

10 In the eyes of the Lord, Solomon’s request was good. 11 So God said to him, “Because you have asked for this, and you have not asked for a long life, nor have you asked for riches, nor have you asked for the lives of your enemies, but you have asked for discernment to reach just verdicts, 12 therefore I will act according to your words. Yes, I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you before you, nor will anyone like you rise up after you. 13 In addition, I will give you what you have not asked for: such riches and honor that there will not be anyone like you among the other kings throughout all your days. 14 If you walk in my ways by keeping my statutes and commands just as your father David did, then I will give you a long life.”

15 Then Solomon woke up and realized it was a dream. So Solomon went to Jerusalem and stood before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. [3] He offered whole burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and he made a feast for all his officials.

Solomon Demonstrates God’s Wisdom16 Later, two prostitutes came and stood before the king.

17 One woman said, “Hear me, my lord! This woman and I live in the same house. While she was living in the house, I gave birth. 18 Three days after I gave birth, this woman also gave birth. We were together. There was no one else in the house with us. Only the two of us were there. 19 One night this woman’s son died because she lay on top of him. 20 Then she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from beside me while I, your servant, was sleeping. She laid him next to her, and her dead son she laid next to me. 21 When I got up in the morning to nurse my son, there he was—dead! But when I examined him closely in the morning, I saw it was not my son, to whom I had given birth!”

22 But the other woman said, “No! The living child is really my son, and your son is the dead one!”

But the first one kept saying, “No! Your son is really the dead one, and my son is the living one!” They kept arguing like this before the king.

23 The king said, “This woman says, ‘My son is the living one, and your son is the dead one.’ But this other woman says, ‘No, your son is really the dead one, and my son is the living one.’” 24 So the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword to the king.

25 Then the king said, “Cut the living child in two, and give half to this woman and half to that woman.”

26 But the woman to whom the living child belonged spoke up, because her feelings for her son were very strong. She said, “Listen to me, my lord. Give her the living child. Please don’t kill him.”

But the other woman said, “He will be neither mine nor yours. Cut him in two!”

27 The king answered, “Give the living child to the first woman, and do not kill him. She is his mother.”

28 All Israel heard about the judgment which the king had rendered. They were filled with awe [4] in his presence, because they saw that God’s wisdom was in him to administer justice.

King Solomon’s Administration1 Kings 41 So King Solomon ruled over all Israel. 2 These were his officials:

Azariah son [5] of Zadok was the priest.
3 Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, were the secretaries.
Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the record keeper. [6]
4 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the army.
Zadok and Abiathar were priests.
5 Azariah son of Nathan was supervisor over the governors.
Zabud son of Nathan, a priest, was the king’s personal advisor. [7]
6 Ahishar was the palace administrator,
and Adoniram son of Abda was in charge of forced labor.

7 Solomon had twelve governors, who were over all Israel. They supplied provisions for the king and for his palace. Each of them was assigned one month of the year during which he was responsible for supplying provisions. 8 These were their names:

Ben Hur [8] in the hill country of Ephraim,
9 Ben Deker in Makaz and in Sha’albim, Beth Shemesh, and
Elon Beth Hanan,
10 Ben Hesed in Arubboth (Sokoh and all the land of Hepher were his),
11 Ben Abinadad in all the heights of Dor [9] (Taphath daughter of
Solomon was his wife),
12 Ba’ana son of Ahilud in Ta’anach and Megiddo, and in all Beth
Shan, which is beside Zarethan, below Jezre’el, from Beth Shan to
Abel Meholah, up to the other side of Jokmeam,
13 Ben Geber in Ramoth Gilead (the villages of Jair son of Manasseh
in Gilead belonged to him, and the region of Argob in Bashan
belonged to him, sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars),
14 Ahinadab son of Iddo in Mahanaim,
15 Ahima’az in Naphtali (he was married to Solomon’s
daughter Basemath),
16 Ba’ana son of Hushai in Asher and in Be’aloth,
17 Jehoshaphat son of Paruah in Issachar,
18 Shimei son of Ela in Benjamin,
19 Geber son of Uri in the land of Gilead (this included the land of both
Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan, but there was
only one governor for that land).

The Glory of Solomon’s Rule20 Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand by the sea. They were eating, drinking, and rejoicing. 21 Solomon was ruling all the kingdoms from the River [10] to the land of the Philistines, up to the border of Egypt. They sent tribute and workers to Solomon all the days of his life. [11] 22 Solomon’s provisions for one day were one hundred eighty bushels [12] of fine flour and three hundred sixty bushels [13] of plain flour, 23 ten stall-fed cattle, twenty pasture-fed cattle, and one hundred sheep, not to mention deer, gazelle, roebucks, and fattened poultry.

24 Since Solomon was ruling over everything west of the River, from Tiphsah to Gaza, over all the kingdoms west of the River, he had peace on all sides. 25 Judah and Israel lived in safety, with every man sitting under his own vine and fig tree, from Dan to Beersheba, throughout Solomon’s days. 26 Solomon had four thousand [14] teams [15] of horses for his chariots and twelve thousand charioteers.

27 His governors supplied provisions for King Solomon and for all those who gathered at King Solomon’s table. Each governor was responsible for one month, so the court lacked nothing. 28 They brought the barley and straw for the horses and steeds [16] to the location assigned to each one of them.

29 God gave Solomon wisdom and very great understanding and breadth of knowledge [17] like the sand on the seashore. 30 Solomon’s wisdom was greater than all the wisdom of the men of the East and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. 31 He was wiser than any man, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, wiser than Heman, Kalkol, or Darda, the sons of Mahol. His name was known in all the surrounding nations. 32 He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs numbered one thousand and five. 33 He spoke about trees, from the cedars of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall. He also spoke about animals, birds, reptiles and other crawling things, and fish. 34 From all the peoples and from all the kings of the earth who heard about Solomon’s wisdom, people came to listen to his wisdom.

Footnotes1. 1 Kings 3:2 A high place is a shrine smaller than a temple. High places were often open-air shrines, located near the city gate or on a nearby hill. 2. 1 Kings 3:6 The Hebrew word chesed has connotations of both mercy and faithfulness, so the translation here includes both concepts. Chesed (mercy) is used in the Old Testament in much the same way that charis (grace) is used in the New Testament, as the most common word for God’s saving love. 3. 1 Kings 3:15 Variant Lord 4. 1 Kings 3:28 Or were amazed 5. 1 Kings 4:2 Or grandson. See 1 Chronicles 6:8-9. 6. 1 Kings 4:3 The record keeper served as a spokesman and chief of protocol. Like the secretary, he was a cabinet-level official. 7. 1 Kings 4:5 Literally the friend of the king 8. 1 Kings 4:8 Names beginning with ben (son of) are usually not personal names, but patronymics (family names like the English Johnson). The presence of so many names beginning with ben in this list is unusual and has led some commentators to conclude that some personal names are missing. 9. 1 Kings 4:11 Or Naphoth Dor 10. 1 Kings 4:21 That is, the Euphrates 11. 1 Kings 4:21 The chapter division is different in the Hebrew text. English 4:21-34 equals Hebrew 5:1-14. English 5:1-18 equals Hebrew 5:15-32. 12. 1 Kings 4:22 Literally thirty cors. The sizes of the cor and other ancient measures of volume are uncertain. Thirty cors may be about five tons. 13. 1 Kings 4:22 Literally sixty cors 14. 1 Kings 4:26 Four thousand is the reading of some manuscripts of the Greek Old Testament and the parallel passage in 2 Chronicles 9:25. The Hebrew text reads forty thousand. Four thousand chariots correlates well with twelve thousand charioteers, at three riders per chariot. 15. 1 Kings 4:26 Or stalls 16. 1 Kings 4:28 The text has the common word for horses followed by a second name for another type of horse. The precise meaning of the second term is uncertain. 17. 1 Kings 4:29 Literally breadth of heart

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David’s Charge to Solomon1 The day of David’s death was approaching, so he gave the following commands to his son Solomon:

2 I am about to go the way of all the earth. Now, be strong and act like a man! 3 Fulfill your duties to the Lord your God. Walk in his ways. Keep his statutes, his commands, his ordinances, and his decrees as they are written in the Law of Moses, so that you may have success in everything you do and everywhere you turn, 4 in order that the Lord may keep this word that he spoke to me: “If your sons are careful to walk before me faithfully with their whole heart and soul, then you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.”

5 Furthermore, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to two commanders of the army of Israel, to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them, spilling blood in peacetime as if it were happening in war. He spattered that blood on the belt around his waist and on the sandals on his feet, as if it were war. 6 Deal with him according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray hair go down to the grave in peace.

7 Keep faith with [1] the sons of Barzillai from Gilead, and let them eat at your table, because they did the same for me when I fled from your brother Absalom.

8 Watch out for Shimei son of Gera from Bahurim of the tribe of Benjamin, since he is still with you. He cursed me bitterly on the day I went to Mahanaim. But when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord, “I will not kill you with the sword.” 9 But now, do not leave him unpunished, for you are a wise man. You will know what you should do to him. Bring his gray hair down to the grave in blood.

David’s Death10 David rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. 11 David was king over Israel for forty years. He was king in Hebron for seven years, and he was king in Jerusalem for thirty-three years.

Adonijah Schemes Against Solomon12 Solomon was seated on the throne of his father David, and his kingship was firmly established.

13 Adonijah son of Haggith came to Solomon’s mother Bathsheba. She said to him, “Do you come in peace?”

“Yes, in peace,” he answered. 14 Then he said, “May I have a word with you?”

She said, “Yes. Speak up.”

15 He said, “You know that the kingship was mine, and all Israel looked for me to be king. But things changed, and the kingship went to my brother instead, because the Lord gave it to him. 16 But now, I am asking you for one request. Do not turn me away.”

She said, “Tell me what it is.”

17 He said, “Ask King Solomon (for he will not turn you down) to give me Abishag from Shunem as my wife.”

18 Bathsheba said, “Very well, I will speak to the king for you.”

19 So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. The king met her and bowed down to her. Then he sat on his throne and also set up a throne for the king’s mother, and she sat at his right hand.

20 She said, “I am asking you for one small request. Do not turn me down.”

The king answered her, “Ask, mother, for I will not turn you down.”

21 She said, “Please give Abishag from Shunem to your brother Adonijah as his wife.”

22 King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you ask for Abishag from Shunem to be given to Adonijah? You might as well ask for the kingship for him. After all, he is my brother, my older brother! Yes, request it for him and for Abiathar the priest and for Joab son of Zeruiah!”

23 Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, “May God punish me severely and double it, [2] if Adonijah does not pay with his life for this request that he has made! 24 Now, as surely as the Lord lives, who has appointed me and seated me on the throne of my father David and has established my house just as he said he would, Adonijah will die today!” 25 Then King Solomon gave an order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he struck down Adonijah and killed him.

Solomon Makes His Kingship Secure26 To Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to your estate in Anathoth because you deserve to die. But I will not kill you today because you carried the Ark of the Lord God before my father David and because you shared in all my father’s sufferings.” 27 So Solomon drove Abiathar out from serving as priest for the Lord to fulfill the word of the Lord which had been spoken against the house of Eli in Shiloh.

28 When the news reached Joab, he fled to the Tent of the Lord and held on to the horns of the altar, for he had supported Adonijah, although he had not supported Absalom. 29 When King Solomon was told that Joab had fled to the Tent of the Lord and that he was there by the side of the altar, Solomon sent word to ⎣Joab, saying, “What happened to you that caused you to flee to the altar?” Joab said, “Because I was afraid of you, I fled to the Lord.” So Solomon sent word to⎦ Benaiah son of Jehoiada, “Go! Strike him down!” [3]

30 Benaiah went to the Tent of the Lord and called to Joab, “The king says, ‘Come out!’”

Joab answered, “No. I will die here.”

So Benaiah reported back to the king, “This is what Joab said, and this is how I responded.”

31 The king said to him, “Do just as he said. Strike him dead and bury him. Remove from me and from my father’s house the blood that Joab shed without cause. 32 The Lord has brought the blood he shed back on his own head, because he struck down two men who were more righteous and better than he was. He killed them with the sword, but my father David did not know about it. The blood of Abner son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah, 33 has come back on Joab’s head and on the heads of his descendants forever. But for David and his descendants and his house and his throne, there will be peace forever from the Lord.”

34 So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and struck him down and killed him. He buried him at his house in the wilderness. 35 Then the king put Benaiah son of Jehoiada in Joab’s place over the army. He placed Zadok the priest into Abiathar’s position.

36 The king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and live there. Do not go out of the city—ever! 37 On the day you go out and cross the Kidron Valley, you can be sure that you will die. Your blood will be on your own head.”

38 Shimei said to the king, “Your decision is good. Your servant will do just as my lord the king has said.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for some time. 39 At the end of three years, two of Shimei’s slaves fled to Achish son of Ma’akah, the king of Gath. Shimei was told, “Listen! Your slaves are in Gath.”

40 So Shimei saddled his donkey and went to Achish of Gath to look for his slaves. Then he brought them back from Gath.

41 Solomon was told that Shimei had left Jerusalem and had gone to Gath and returned. 42 The king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not swear to you by the Lord and warn you that you could be sure that on the day you dared to go out of Jerusalem you would die? And didn’t you answer me, ‘Your decision is good. I have heard what you said’? 43 Why then did you not keep your oath to the Lord and obey the command I gave you?” 44 The king also said to Shimei, “In your heart you know all the evil that you did to my father David. Now the Lord has brought your evil back on your own head. 45 Now may King Solomon be blessed, and may David’s throne be firmly established before the Lord forever.”

46 Then the king gave a command to Benaiah son of Jehoiada. He went out and struck down Shimei and killed him. In this way the kingship was firmly established in the hands of Solomon.

Footnotes1. 1 Kings 2:7 Literally do mercy or faithfulness with. The Hebrew expression denotes a covenant relationship. 2. 1 Kings 2:23 Literally may God do all this to me and even more 3. 1 Kings 2:29 In this verse, the words in half-brackets are not present in the Hebrew text but do appear in the Greek text. These words lie between two occurrences of the words Solomon sent word to, so the Hebrew copyist’s eye may have skipped from the first occurrence of these words to the second.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – September 241 Kings 1LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 24

1 Kings 1 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0924db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Adonijah’s Conspiracy1 When King David was old and advanced in years, his servants covered him with blankets, but he could not get warm. 2 So they said to him, “Let your servants search for a young woman, a virgin, for my lord the king. She will attend to the king and be his nurse. She will lie close to him and keep my lord the king warm.”

3 So they searched the whole territory of Israel for a beautiful young woman. They found Abishag from Shunem and brought her to the king. 4 The young woman was very beautiful, and she served as the king’s nurse, but the king was not intimate with her.

5 Adonijah son of Haggith [1] was pushing himself forward, saying, “I will become king.” He obtained a chariot and charioteers and fifty men to run ahead of him. 6 His father had never rebuked him by saying, “Why are you acting like this?”

Adonijah also was very handsome and had been born next in line after Absalom. 7 Joab son of Zeruiah and Abiathar the priest conspired with Adonijah and gave him their support. 8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, along with Shimei, Rei, and David’s elite warriors, did not join with Adonijah.

9 Adonijah sacrificed sheep, cattle, and specially fattened calves at the Stone of Zoheleth, which was near En Rogel Spring. He invited all of his brothers, the king’s sons, and all of the king’s officials from Judah. 10 But he did not invite the prophet Nathan, Benaiah, the elite warriors, or his brother Solomon.

Nathan and Bathsheba Support Solomon11 Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, “Haven’t you heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king, and our lord David does not know about it? 12 Now let me give you some advice on how to save your life and the life of your son Solomon: 13 Go to King David and say to him, ‘My lord the king, didn’t you swear to me your servant and promise me, “Your son Solomon will be king after me, and he will sit on my throne”? Then why has Adonijah become king?’ 14 Then, while you are still there speaking with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words.”

15 So Bathsheba went to the king in his chamber. The king was very old, and Abishag from Shunem was taking care of him. 16 Bathsheba knelt and bowed down before the king. The king said, “Why have you come?”

17 She said, “My lord, you swore to your servant by the Lord your God and promised, ‘Your son Solomon will be king after me, and he will sit on my throne.’ 18 But now, look, Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, did not know about it. 19 He has sacrificed cattle, specially fattened calves, and sheep in abundance. He has invited all the king’s sons, as well as Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army. But he has not invited your servant Solomon. 20 Now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you, waiting for you to tell them who will sit on my lord the king’s throne after him. 21 If you do not, when my lord the king rests with [2] his fathers, then I and my son Solomon will be treated like traitors.”

22 Just then, while she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. 23 The king was told, “The prophet Nathan is here.” Nathan went in and bowed down to the ground before the king.

24 Nathan said, “Did you, my lord the king, say, ‘Adonijah will be king after me, and he will sit on my throne’? 25 Today he has gone out and sacrificed a great many cattle, specially fattened calves, and sheep. He has invited all the king’s sons, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. They are even eating and drinking with him and saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 26 But he has not invited me your servant, Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, or your servant Solomon. 27 Has this command about who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him really come from my lord the king, even though you have not made this known to your servants?”

28 Then King David responded, “Call Bathsheba for me.” She came in and stood before the king. 29 The king swore, “As surely as the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from every tight spot, 30 just as I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel, that Solomon your son will be king after me and he will sit on my throne in my place, I will indeed make it happen this very day.”

31 Bathsheba knelt down on the ground and bowed before the king and said, “May my lord King David live forever!”

David Makes Solomon King32 King David said, “Call in Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” So they came in before the king.

33 The king said to them, “Take your lord’s servants with you. Have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon Spring. 34 There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him as king over Israel. Then you are to blow the ram’s horn and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 35 Then you are to follow him, as he goes in and sits on my throne, and he will be king in my place. I decree that he will be leader over Israel and Judah.”

36 Then Benaiah son of Jehoiada responded to the king, “Amen! May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, confirm this! 37 Just as the Lord was with my lord the king, so may he also be with Solomon. May he make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David!”

38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites went out. They had Solomon ride on the mule that belonged to King David and brought him down to Gihon Spring. 39 Then Zadok the priest took the horn of olive oil from the Tent and anointed Solomon. After that they blew the ram’s horn, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!”

40 All the people followed Solomon. The people were playing flutes and rejoicing so greatly that the ground shook from the sound. 41 When Adonijah and all his guests heard it, they stopped eating. Joab heard the sound of the ram’s horn and asked, “Why is the noise from the city so loud?”

42 Just then, while he was still speaking, Jonathan, son of Abiathar the priest, came in. Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are a worthy man, and you must be bringing good news.”

43 Jonathan responded to Adonijah:

Not at all! Our lord King David has made Solomon king! 44 The king sent Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites with Solomon, and they placed him on the king’s mule. 45 Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed him as king at Gihon, and they went up from there rejoicing. The city is in an uproar. That is the noise you have been hearing. 46 Also, Solomon has taken his seat on the throne of the kingdom. 47 The king’s servants have come to bless our lord King David, saying, “May your God treat the name of Solomon even more favorably than your name, and may his throne be greater than your throne.”

The king bowed in worship on his bed, 48 and the king spoke the following words: “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who today has provided someone to sit upon my throne and has permitted my eyes to see it.”

49 Then all of Adonijah’s guests quickly got up, and each one went his own way.

50 Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he went and held on to the horns of the altar. [3] 51 Solomon was told, “Adonijah is so afraid of King Solomon that he has grabbed the horns of the altar, and he is saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me this day that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’”

52 Solomon said, “If he is a worthy man, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, but if he is caught planning evil, he will die.” 53 Then King Solomon had Adonijah brought down from the altar. He came in and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon told him, “Go to your house.”

Footnotes1. 1 Kings 1:5 Haggith was one of David’s wives. 2. 1 Kings 1:21 As a euphemism for death, this term has traditionally been translated sleep with, but it is translated rest with to avoid misunderstanding due to the English connotation of sleep with. 3. 1 Kings 1:50 A custom for seeking protection for one’s life, possibly based on Exodus 21:12-14

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – September 23Psalm 72LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 23

Psalm 72 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0923db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 72The Rule of the Righteous KingHeadingBy Solomon.

The King’s Justice1 God, give your authority to judge to the King.
Give your righteousness to the Son of the King.
2 He will judge your people with righteousness.
He will judge your afflicted ones with justice.
3 The mountains will deliver peace to the people.
The hills will produce righteousness.
4 He will obtain justice for the afflicted among the people.
He will save the children of the poor,
but he will crush the oppressor.

The King’s Eternal Reign5 They will fear you [1] as long as the sun remains,
and as long as the moon endures, through all generations.
6 He will come down like rain on a mown field,
like showers, like a downpour on the earth.
7 In his days the righteous will flourish,
and peace will be plentiful till the moon is no more.

The King’s Universal Reign8 He will rule [2] from sea to sea
and from the River [3] to the ends of the earth.
9 Those who dwell in the desert will bow before him,
and his enemies will lick the dust.
10 The kings of Tarshish and of the sea coasts will bring tribute.
The kings of Sheba and Seba will offer him gifts.
11 All kings will bow down to him.
All nations will serve him.

The Blessings of His Rule12 He will certainly deliver the poor person who cries out,
as well as the afflicted, and the one who has no helper.
13 He will take pity on the weak and the poor.
He will save the lives of the poor.
14 From oppression and violence he will redeem their lives,
because their blood is precious in his sight.

A Prayer for His Blessings15 May the King live! [4]
May gold from Sheba be offered to him.
May people always pray for him.
May they bless him all day long.
16 Let there be an abundance of grain in the land.
Let it wave on the top of the mountains.
Let its fruit trees be like the cedars of Lebanon. [5]
Let people from the city flourish like the grass of the land.
17 May his name endure forever.
May his name flourish as long as the sun.
They will be blessed through him.
All nations will call him blessed.

Closing Doxology18 Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,
who alone does marvelous deeds.
19 Blessed be his glorious name forever.
May the whole earth be filled with his glory.

Amen and Amen.

20 This ends the prayers of David son of Jesse.

Footnotes1. Psalm 72:5 The translation follows the Hebrew. The Greek Old Testament reads he will endure. 2. Psalm 72:8 Or may he rule. Hebrew verb forms in this section that are translated as prophecy could also be translated as prayer, for example, may he rule. 3. Psalm 72:8 That is, the Euphrates River 4. Psalm 72:15 The Hebrew has singular pronouns throughout. For clarity the implied nouns have been supplied in the translation. 5. Psalm 72:16 Hebrew let its fruit be like Lebanon

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – September 22Psalm 70 – 71LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 22

Psalm 70 – 71 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0922db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 70Hurry to Save Me(Psalm 40:13-17)HeadingFor the choir director. By David. To bring to remembrance.Hurry to Help Me1 Hurry, God! Rescue me!
Lord, hurry to help me!
2 May those who seek my life be put to shame and disgrace.
May all who desire to harm me be turned back and disgraced.
3 May those who say, “Aha! We got you!” be dismayed,
because they have been put to shame.
4 But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you.
May those who love your salvation always say, “Let God be exalted!”
5 Yet I am oppressed and poor.
God, hurry to me. You are my help and my deliverer.
O Lord, do not delay.

Psalm 71Do Not Throw Me Away When I Am OldOpening Prayer1 In you, Lord, I have taken refuge.
May I not be put to shame forever.
2 In your righteousness rescue me and deliver me.
Turn your ear to me and save me.
3 Be my rock and my refuge to which I can always go.
You give the command to save me,
because you are my high ridge and my stronghold.
4 My God, deliver me from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of the unjust and the ruthless.

Remembrance of Past Help5 For you have been my hope, Lord God,
my confidence since my youth.
6 I have depended on [1] you since I was in the womb.
You separated me from my mother’s body.
My praise to you is continuous.

Statement of Present Need7 I am like an evil omen to many,
but you are my strong refuge.
8 My mouth is filled with praise for you
and with your splendor all day long.

Plea for Help in Present Trouble9 Do not throw me away in old age.
As my strength fails, do not forsake me.
10 For my enemies speak against me,
and those who seek my life conspire together.
11 They say, “God has forsaken him.
Pursue him and seize him,
because there is no one to rescue him.”
12 God, do not be far from me.
My God, hurry to help me.
13 Let them be ashamed.
Let my murderous accusers be consumed.
Let those who seek to harm me be covered
with shame and disgrace.

Present and Future Praise14 But as for me, I will always keep hoping.
I will keep adding to my praise for you.
15 My mouth will tell about your righteousness,
about your salvation all day long,
although I do not know how to tell all about it.
16 I will come and tell about your mighty deeds, Lord God.
I will commemorate [2] your righteousness, yours alone.
17 God, you have taught me since my youth,
and even now I still declare your marvelous deeds.
18 Even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me,
till I declare the strength of your arm to the next generation,
your power to all who are to come.

Closing Confidence19 Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heights.
You have done great things.
God, who is like you,
20 you who have made us see many troubles and disasters?
You will give us life again.
From the depths of the earth you will bring me up again.
21 You will increase my greatness and comfort me once again.

Closing Praise22 Yes, I will praise you, my God, for your faithfulness.
I will praise you with an instrument, with the harp.
I will make music to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips will shout with joy when I make music to you.
Even my soul, which you have redeemed, will shout.
24 Indeed, my tongue will tell of your righteousness all day long.
How ashamed, how disgraced they are—
those who are trying to harm me.

Footnotes1. Psalm 71:6 Or been dependent on 2. Psalm 71:16 The Hebrew term often refers to an act of public proclamation, which causes others to remember God’s goodness.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – September 21Psalm 69LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 21

Psalm 69 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0921db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 69Prayer of an Innocent Sufferer: Save Me, O GodHeadingFor the choir director. According to “Lilies.” [1] By David.

Prayer of an Innocent Sufferer1 Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.
2 I sink into the deep mud, where there is no place to stand.
I have entered deep waters, and the rapids rush over me.
3 I am worn out from my crying. My throat is sore.
My eyes are blurry, as I wait for my God.

The Unfairness of His Enemies4 Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs on my head.
Those who want to destroy me, my lying enemies, are strong.
I must repay things I did not steal.

His Guilt and Shame5 God, you know my folly,
and my guilt is not hidden from you.
6 May those who place their confidence in you [2]
not be put to shame because of me,
O Lord, the Lord of Armies.
May those who seek you not be disgraced because of me,
O God of Israel.
7 It is for your sake that I bear scorn.
Shame covers my face.
8 I have become a stranger to my brothers,
a foreigner to my mother’s sons.
9 Yes, zeal for your house consumes me.
The scorn of those who scorn you falls on me.
10 I wept as I fasted,
but this only brought insults to me.
11 When I wore sackcloth as my clothing,
I was a joke to them.
12 Those who sit in the gatehouse gossip about me,
and the songs of the drunks are about me.

An Interlude of Prayer13 But I direct my prayer to you, O Lord, for a time of favor.
God, in the greatness of your mercy,
answer me with the certainty of salvation from you.
14 Rescue me from the mud, so I do not sink.
Let me escape from those who hate me and from the deep waters.
15 Do not let the rapids rush over me.
Do not let the deep swallow me up.
Do not let the pit close its mouth over me.
16 Answer me, Lord, for your mercy is good.
According to your great compassion, turn to me.
17 Do not hide your face from your servant.
Because I am in distress, hurry, answer me.
18 Come near. Redeem my soul.
Ransom me because of my enemies.

His Shame19 You know my disgrace, my shame, and my confusion.
All my foes are in front of you.
20 Disgrace has broken my heart, and I am helpless.
I waited for sympathy, but there was none.
I waited for comforters, but I did not find any.
21 Instead they put bitter poison in my food.
For my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.

His Curse22 May the table set before them become a snare.
May it be a trap to them and their allies. [3]
23 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see.
Make their legs always tremble.
24 Pour out your wrath on them.
Let the heat of your anger catch up with them.
25 May their camp be desolate.
May there be no one dwelling in their tents.
26 For they pursue those you have disciplined, O God,
and they talk about the pain of those you wound.
27 Add guilt to their guilt.
Do not let them enter into your righteousness.
28 May they be erased from the book of life.
May they not be listed among the righteous.

His Closing Prayer29 But I am afflicted and in pain.
O God, may salvation from you set me on high.
30 I will praise God’s name in song.
I will proclaim his greatness with thanksgiving.
31 For the Lord this is better than an ox,
than a bull that has horns and hoofs.
32 The poor will see and be glad.
You who seek God, may your hearts live!
33 For the Lord listens to the needy,
and he does not despise the captives who belong to him.
34 Let heaven and earth praise him,
the seas and all that move in them,
35 for God will save Zion,
and he will build the cities of Judah.
Then people will settle there and possess it.
36 Then the descendants of his servants will inherit it,
and those who love his name will dwell in it.

Footnotes1. Psalm 69:1 This may be the name of the tune. 2. Psalm 69:6 Or wait for you to help 3. Psalm 69:22 The translation is based on the Hebrew. The Greek reads may it be a retribution and a trap to them. The Targum reads may their fellowship offerings be a trap to them.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – September 20Psalm 68:19-35LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 20

Psalm 68:19-35 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0920db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 68God’s Daily Care19 Blessed be the Lord.
Day by day he bears our burdens.
He is the God who saves us. Interlude

God’s Future Victories20 Our God is a God who saves.
From God the Lord comes escape from death.
21 Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies,
the scalps of those who walk around in their guilt.
22 The Lord says, “I will bring them from Bashan.
I will bring them from the depths of the sea,
23 so that you may stomp your foot in blood.
The tongues of your dogs get their share of the enemies’ blood.”

God’s Procession Into the Temple24 They see your processions, O God,
the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.
25 The singers lead the way.
After them come the musicians.
In the middle are virgins playing hand drums.
26 In the assemblies bless God, the Lord,
who is the Fountain of Israel. [1]
27 There is little Benjamin, leading them.
The officers of Judah are their noisy crowd.
There are the officers of Zebulun and the officers of Naphtali.

Prayer for Future Victory28 Your God commands your strength.
Show strength, O God, as you have done for us before.

God Rules the Nations29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem kings will bring tribute to you.
30 Threaten the beast among the reeds,
the herd of strong bulls among the calves (that is, the peoples),
until they submit with bars of silver. [2]
He scatters the peoples who delight in battles.
31 Envoys [3] will come from Egypt.
Cush [4] will run to stretch out its hands to God.
32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth. Interlude
Make music to the Lord,
33 to him who rides in the highest heavens,
in the ancient heavens.
Yes, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
34 Proclaim God’s strength.
His majesty is over Israel,
and his power is in the skies.

Closing Praise35 You are awesome, O God, from your sanctuary.
The God of Israel, he is the one
who gives power and strength to the people.
Blessed be God!

Footnotes1. Psalm 68:26 The grammar and syntax of the sentence are difficult. 2. Psalm 68:30 Verse 30 is cryptic. It seems to describe a threatening nation as a beast, a frequent picture in Scripture. The translation attempts to be literal. 3. Psalm 68:31 The meaning of this word is uncertain. It may refer to colored cloth or to metal vessels. 4. Psalm 68:31 The territory south of Egypt

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – September 19Psalm 68:1-18LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 19

Psalm 68:1-18 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0919db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 68Psalm 68The Procession of GodHeadingFor the choir director. By David. A psalm. A song.Judgment on God’s Enemies1 May God arise. May his enemies scatter.
May those who hate him flee from his presence.
2 As smoke is blown away, may you blow them away.
As wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God.

Blessing on God’s People3 But the righteous rejoice and celebrate in the presence of God.
They will be happy and joyful.
4 Sing to God. Make music to his name.
Lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts. [1]
His name is the Lord. [2] Celebrate before him.

5 In his holy dwelling, God is a father for the fatherless
and a judge who defends widows.
6 God causes the lonely to dwell together as a household.
He leads out the prisoners with music,
but the rebellious dwell in a scorched land.

God Brings His People Into His Land7 God, when you went out in front of your people,
when you marched through the wasteland, Interlude
8 the earth shook.
Yes, the heavens poured down rain,
before God, this one from Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.
9 You dispersed plentiful showers, O God.
You strengthened your inheritance when it was weary. [3]
10 Your people settled in it.
In your goodness you provided for the oppressed, O God.

The Lord Defeats the Kings of the Land11 The Lord provided the message.
The women who proclaimed it were a great army: [4]
12 “Kings with armies flee—they flee!”
The woman who stays home shares in the plunder.
13 Even while you lie among the campfires,
the wings of a dove are sheathed with silver,
and its feathers with yellow gold. [5]
14 When the Almighty scattered the kings there,
it snowed on Zalmon.

The Lord Makes His Dwelling in Zion15 The mountain of Bashan is a mountain of God.
The mountain of Bashan is a mountain with many peaks. [6]
16 O mountains with many peaks, why do you look jealously
at the mountain God desires for his home?
Indeed, the Lord will dwell there forever.
17 The chariots of God are twice ten thousand,
thousands upon thousands.
Among them the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary. [7]
18 You ascended on high. You led captivity captive.
You received gifts among men,
so that even among the rebellious the Lord [8] God might dwell.

Footnotes1. Psalm 68:4 A variant in the Targum is rides on the clouds. 2. Psalm 68:4 The Hebrew uses the short form Yah rather than the full form of the divine name, Yahweh, which is translated Lord. 3. Psalm 68:9 Or when they were weary. The land may be described as weary because of lack of rain, or it may be the people of the land who are weary. 4. Psalm 68:11 This seems to refer to the custom of women singing to greet victors returning from battle, as they did at the Red Sea (Exodus 15:20) or when David returned from victory over Goliath (1 Samuel 18:6). 5. Psalm 68:13 The meaning is cryptic. The verses seem to refer to the division of plunder. The translation is relatively literal. 6. Psalm 68:15 The meaning of several words in these verses is uncertain. 7. Psalm 68:17 The Hebrew reads the Lord [is] among them, Sinai, in holiness. The translation follows the parallel in Deuteronomy 33:2 and the sense of the psalm. 8. Psalm 68:18 The Hebrew uses the short form Yah rather than Yahweh, the full form of the divine name.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – September 18Psalm 66 – 67LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 18

Psalm 66 – 67 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0918db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 66How Awesome Are Your Deeds!HeadingFor the choir director. A song. A psalm.Introduction: The Praise of the World1 Shout praise to God, all the earth!
2 Make music to the glory of his name!
Make his praise glorious!
3 Say to God, “How awesome [1] are your deeds!”
Because of your great power your enemies must cower before you.
4 All the earth bows down to you.
They make music to you.
They make music to your name. Interlude

God’s Awesome Deeds Deliver His People5 Come and see the works of God.
How awesome his deeds for all people!
6 He turned the sea into dry land.
They crossed through the river on foot.
Let us rejoice in him there.
7 He rules by his power forever.
His eyes watch the nations. Interlude
Do not let the rebellious rise up against him.
8 Bless our God, you peoples.
Let the sound of his praise be heard.
9 He is the one who has preserved our lives.
He did not let our feet slip.
10 Indeed, you tested us, God.
You refined us as silver is refined.
11 You led us into a trap.
You laid a burden on our backs.
12 You let men ride over our heads.
We went through fire and through water,
but you brought us out to a well-watered place.

His People’s Praise13 I will come to your house with whole burnt offerings.
I will fulfill my vows to you,
14 which my lips uttered,
which my mouth spoke during my trouble.
15 I will offer fat animals to you as whole burnt offerings,
along with the smoke from rams. Interlude
I will offer cattle with goats.
16 Come, listen, all you who fear God,
and let me tell what he has done to save my life.
17 To him I cried out with my mouth.
High praise was on my tongue.
18 If I had contemplated evil in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened,
19 but God has surely listened.
He has paid attention to the sound of my prayer.
20 Blessed be God, who has not turned aside my prayer
or turned aside his mercy from me!

Psalm 67Your Kingdom ComeHeadingFor the choir director. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song.The Prayer1 May God be gracious to us and bless us. Interlude
May his face shine on us—
2 so that your way may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
3 May the peoples praise you, O God.
May the peoples praise you—all of them.
4 May the countries be glad and sing for joy,
because you rule the peoples with fairness, Interlude
and you guide the countries of the earth.
5 May the peoples praise you, O God.
May the peoples praise you—all of them.
6 The earth will yield its harvest.
God, our God, will bless us.
7 God will bless us,
and all the ends of the earth will fear him.

Footnotes1. Psalm 66:3 Or astonishing

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – September 17Psalm 64 – 65LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 17

Psalm 64 – 65 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0917db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 64Hide Me From the ConspiracyHeadingFor the choir director. A psalm by David.Opening Plea1 Hear my voice, O God, when I complain.
Protect my life from the terror caused by the enemy.
2 Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked,
from the noisy mob of evildoers.

The Enemies’ Wickedness3 They sharpen their tongues like a sword.
They shoot poison words like arrows.
4 They shoot at the innocent from hiding places.
Suddenly they shoot at him. They have no fear.
5 They strengthen each other in an evil plot.
They discuss where to hide snares.
They say, “Who will see them?”
6 They plot evil deeds and they say,
“We have come up with a perfect plot!”
The mind and heart of man are devious!

God’s Judgment7 But God will shoot them.
Suddenly they are wounded with an arrow.
8 Their own tongues cause their downfall. [1]
Everyone who sees them will shake his head.

The Joy of the Godly9 Then all people will be afraid.
They will proclaim the work of God.
They will consider what he has done.
10 Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord
and take refuge in him.
Let all the upright in heart be confident!

Psalm 65A Thanksgiving Psalm: You Crown the Year With GoodnessHeadingFor the choir director. A psalm by David. A song.Introduction1 Praise waits for you, [2] O God, in Zion.
To you vows will be fulfilled.
2 You who hear prayer, to you all mortals [3] will come.

Spiritual Blessings3 The record of my guilt overpowered me.
You atone for our rebellious acts.
4 How blessed is the one you choose and bring near!
He will dwell in your courtyards.
We will be satisfied by the goodness of your house,
by the holiness of your temple.

Blessings on the Nations5 In righteousness you answer us with awesome deeds,
O God who saves us.
He is trusted by all the farthest ends of the earth and the sea.
6 He establishes the mountains by his power.
He has wrapped himself with strength.
7 He stills the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
and the turmoil of the peoples.

8 Those living at the ends of the earth fear your signs.
From sunrise to sunset you let them shout for joy.

Blessings of the Harvest9 You visit the earth and water it.
You make it very rich.
God’s stream is filled with water.
You provide grain for them, just as you planned.
10 You drench the land’s furrows. You flatten its plowed ground.
You soften it with showers. You bless its crops.
11 You crown the year with your goodness.
The tracks made by your carts overflow with riches. [4]
12 The pastures of the wilderness drip.
The hills are wrapped with joy.
13 The meadows are clothed with flocks.
The valleys are dressed with grain.
They shout for joy. Yes! They sing.

Footnotes1. Psalm 64:8 Because of a mixture of singular and plural number, the translation is uncertain. Literally the Hebrew reads and they caused him/it to stumble, upon them, their tongue. 2. Psalm 65:1 Or praise is fitting for you or silence is before you 3. Psalm 65:2 Literally flesh 4. Psalm 65:11 Literally drip fatness

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – September 16Psalm 63LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 16

Psalm 63 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0916db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 63My Soul Thirsts for YouHeadingA psalm by David. When he was in the wilderness of Judah. [1]

Thirsting for God1 God, you are my God. Eagerly I seek you.
My soul thirsts for you. My flesh longs for you,
in a dry and dreary land without water.
2 Yes, in the sanctuary I have watched you
to see your power and your glory.

Joy Even in Adversity3 Because your mercy is better than life,
my lips will worship you.
4 Yes, I will bless you as long as I live.
In your name I will lift up my hands.
5 My soul will be satisfied with rich food. [2]
My mouth will praise you with lips filled with songs.
6 Whenever I remember you on my bed,
throughout the watches of the night I meditate on you.
7 Because you are a help for me,
I sing for joy under the shade of your wings.
8 My soul clings to you.
Your right hand upholds me.

Destruction for the Defiant9 But those who seek my life will go to destruction.
They will go into the depths of the earth.
10 They will be given over to the power of the sword.
They will become food for foxes. [3]
11 But the king will rejoice in God.
All who swear by him will praise him,
but the mouths of those speaking lies will be shut.

Footnotes1. Psalm 63:1 This location could apply to several periods during his long flight from Saul. 2. Psalm 63:5 Literally with fat 3. Psalm 63:10 Or jackals

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – September 15Psalm 61 – 62LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 15

Psalm 61 – 62 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0915db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 61A Soldier’s Prayer From the End of the EarthHeadingFor the choir director. On a stringed instrument. By David.

A Prayer From the End of the Earth1 Hear my cry, O God.
Pay attention to my prayer.
2 From the end of the earth I call to you
when my heart is overwhelmed.
Lead me up onto the rock that is higher than I.
3 For you have been a refuge for me,
a tower of strength in the face of the enemy.
4 I want to keep living in your tent forever. Interlude
I will take refuge under the cover of your wings.
5 For you, God, have heard my vows.
You have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.
6 Add days to the days of the king.
His years will last through all generations.
7 Let him be seated in God’s presence forever.
Appoint your mercy and truth to protect him.
8 Then will I make music to your name forever,
to fulfill my vows day after day.

Psalm 62My Soul Rests in God AloneHeadingFor the choir director. According to Jeduthun. [1] A psalm by David.

God Alone Is My Refuge1 My soul rests quietly in God alone.
My salvation is from him.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress.
I will not be disturbed.
3 How long will you threaten a man?
Do all of you want to murder him,
like a leaning wall, like a fence to be pushed down?
4 Yes, they plan to push him down from his lofty place.
They are delighted with deceit.
With their mouths they bless,
but inside they curse. Interlude

God Alone Is My Refuge5 My soul, rest quietly in God alone,
for my hope comes from him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress.
I will not be disturbed.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God, my strong rock.
My refuge is in God.
8 Trust in him at all times, you people.
Pour out your hearts before him. Interlude
God is a refuge for us.

Strength in God, Not in Man9 Yes, the sons of Adam are only a breath.
The sons of man are a delusion.
On a scale they weigh nothing.
They are nothing but air. [2]
10 Do not trust in extortion.
Do not put empty confidence in stolen goods.
If your wealth grows, do not set your heart on it.
11 One thing God has spoken,
two things that I have heard:
that God has strength
12 and that you, Lord, have mercy.
Surely you will repay each person
according to what he has done.

Footnotes1. Psalm 62:1 Jeduthun was one of David’s directors of music. According to Jeduthun may indicate a musical style or melody associated with Jeduthun. 2. Psalm 62:9 Or vapor. Here, however, the image is light as air.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – September 14Psalm 60LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 14

Psalm 60 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0914db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 60You Have Rejected Us(Psalm 60:5-12 parallels Psalm 108:6-13)HeadingFor the choir director. “The Lily of Testimony.” [1] A miktam by David.
For teaching. When he waged war against Aram Naharaim and against Aram Zobah, and Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand men of Edom in the Valley of Salt. [2]

David’s Prayer1 God, you have rejected us.
You have broken us down.
You have been angry. Return to us!
2 You have shaken the earth. You have torn it open.
Heal its fractures, for it is about to collapse.
3 You have made your people suffer hardship.
You gave us wine to drink that makes us stagger.
4 You have set up a signal flag for those who fear you, Interlude
to be raised up against the bow. [3]
5 Save us with your right hand and answer us,
so that those you love may be delivered.

God’s Reply6 God has spoken in his holiness: [4]
“I will triumph. I will distribute Shechem,
and I will measure off the Valley of Succoth.
7 Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine.
Ephraim is my helmet. Judah is my scepter.
8 Moab is my washbasin. On Edom I toss my sandal.
I shout aloud over Philistia.” [5] [6]

David’s Prayer9 Who will bring me into the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
10 God, is it not you, who have rejected us?
God, is it not you, who no longer go out with our armies?
11 Give us help against the foe,
for human help is worthless.
12 In God we will do mighty deeds.
He is the one who will trample our foes.

Footnotes1. Psalm 60:1 This may be the name of the tune. 2. Psalm 60:1 See 2 Samuel 8 and 10. 3. Psalm 60:4 The line is difficult and the meaning is uncertain. 4. Psalm 60:6 Or holy place 5. Psalm 60:8 The translation follows an alternate Hebrew reading. The main Hebrew text reads because of me, Philistia, shout aloud. 6. Psalm 60:8 These verses may be a confident assertion by David rather than a statement of the Lord.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – September 13Psalm 58 – 59LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 13

Psalm 58 – 59 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0913db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 58Do You Rulers Speak Justly?HeadingFor the choir director. “Do Not Destroy.” [1] By David. A miktam.

Unjust Rulers1 Do you “gods” really speak righteously? [2]
Do you sons of Adam judge rightly?
2 No, in your heart you commit injustices.
On the earth your hands distribute violence.
3 The wicked go off course already from the womb.
From the belly they go astray. They speak lies.
4 Their venom is like the venom of a snake,
like a deaf cobra that has stopped its ears,
5 that will not listen to the sound of the charmers,
however skillful the spellbinder may be.

The Curse on Unjust Rulers6 O God, break their teeth in their mouths.
Tear out the fangs of the young lions, Lord!
7 Let them vanish like water that flows away.
When he draws his bow, let his arrows be cut off. [3]
8 As a slug melts away as it crawls along, so let him disappear.
Like a stillborn child may they not see the sun.
9 Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns—
whether the thorns are green or dry—they will be swept away. [4]

The Joy of the Righteous10 The righteous one will be glad when he sees vengeance.
He will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 Then people will say, “Surely there is fruit for the righteous.
Surely there is a God judging on the earth.”

Psalm 59They Lie in WaitHeadingFor the choir director. “Do Not Destroy.” [5] By David. A miktam.When Saul had sent men, and they watched the house to kill David. [6]Opening Plea1 Deliver me from my enemies, my God.
You set me high above those who rise up against me.
2 Deliver me from evildoers.
Save me from bloodthirsty men.

The Viciousness of the Enemy3 Yes, look how they lie in ambush to take my life!
Strong men gather against me,
but it is not because I have rebelled,
not because I have sinned, O Lord.
4 I am not guilty,
yet they run to take up their positions against me.
Rise up to meet me and see!
5 You, O Lord, God of Armies, the God of Israel,
wake up and confront all the nations. Interlude
Do not show mercy to all the wicked traitors.
6 They return at evening. They growl like dogs.
They prowl around the city.
7 Look, they gush from their mouths.
Their lips are swords,
so they say, “Who hears?”

Conclusion and Refrain8 But you laugh at them, Lord.
You scoff at all those nations.
9 O my Strength, I watch for you,
because God is my high fortress.

Confidence10 My merciful God will go ahead of me.
God will make me look down on those who slander me.

The Judgment on the Enemies11 Do not kill them, or my people may forget.
In your might make them wander about.
Bring them down, O Lord, our shield.
12 The sin of their mouth is the words of their lips,
so let them be caught in their pride,
because of the curses and lies they proclaim.
13 Consume them in wrath.
Consume them till they are no more.
Then they will know to the ends of the earth Interlude
that God rules over Jacob.
14 They return at evening. They growl like dogs.
They prowl around the city.
15 They wander about for food.
If not satisfied, they howl.

Conclusion and Refrain16 But I will sing about your strength.
In the morning I will shout about your mercy,
because you are a high fortress for me,
a refuge in the day of my distress.
17 O my Strength, to you I make music,
because God is my high fortress, my merciful God.

Footnotes1. Psalm 58:1 This may be the name of the tune. 2. Psalm 58:1 This translation follows a correction of the text followed by most modern versions. The Hebrew and Greek read: Do you really speak justice in silence? 3. Psalm 58:7 The text and its meaning are uncertain. Literally it seems to read: he treads his arrows like they are cut off/dry up. 4. Psalm 58:9 The meaning is uncertain. Literally it seems to read: like living, like burning anger he will sweep it away. 5. Psalm 59:1 This may be the name of the tune. 6. Psalm 59:1 See 1 Samuel 19.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – September 042 Samuel 19:9-39LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 04

2 Samuel 19:9-39 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0904db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

2 Samuel 199 All the people in all the tribes of Israel were quarreling and saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies. He saved us from the hand of the Philistines. Now he has fled out of the land from Absalom. 10 But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. Now why are you silent about bringing back the king?”

11 King David sent a message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests. He said, “Speak to the elders of Judah. Ask them, ‘Why will you be the last to bring the king back to his palace?’ The plan that all Israel has been discussing has been reported to the king at his house. 12 You are my brothers. You are my flesh and blood. [1] Why will you be the last to bring back the king?”

13 He also said, “Say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my flesh and blood? May God punish me severely and double it, [2] if you are not the permanent commander of my army in place of Joab.’”

14 David turned the hearts of all the men of Judah as if they were one man. They sent to the king and said, “Return, you and all your servants.”

15 So the king returned and came to the Jordan. The men of Judah came out to Gilgal to meet the king and to bring the king across the Jordan.

16 Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17 One thousand men from Benjamin were with him. Also, Ziba, the manager of the house of Saul, came, along with his fifteen sons and his twenty servants. They rushed down to the Jordan ahead of the king. 18 They crossed over the ford to escort the household of the king across and to make a good impression on the king.

Shimei son of Gera bowed down before the king when he was crossing over the Jordan. 19 He spoke to the king: “My lord, do not consider me guilty. Do not remember the wrong your servant did on the day that my lord the king went out from Jerusalem, and do not take it to heart, 20 for I, your servant, know that I have sinned. Look! I have come today, the first one from the whole house of Joseph to come down to welcome my lord the king.”

21 Abishai son of Zeruiah answered, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death because he cursed the anointed of the Lord?”

22 But David said, “What do we have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? For today you are my adversaries. Should any man in Israel be put to death today? Do I not know that today I am king over Israel?” 23 The king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” The king took an oath concerning him.

24 Mephibosheth, grandson of Saul, also came down to welcome the king. He had not taken care of his feet or his beard and had not washed his clothing from the day the king departed until the day he came back in safety. 25 When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?”

26 Mephibosheth answered, “Your servant said, ‘Because I am crippled, I need to have the donkey saddled so that I can ride on it and go with the king.’ But, my lord the king, my servant deceived me. 27 He has slandered your servant to my lord the king. However, my lord the king is like an angel of God. Do what is right in your eyes. 28 All the house of my father deserved death from my lord the king, but you included your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right do I have to cry out again to the king?”

29 The king said to him, “Why say more about your situation? I say that you and Ziba are to divide the land.”

30 Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him take everything, now that my lord the king has come safely to his house.”

31 Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim. He crossed over the Jordan, escorting the king back over the Jordan. 32 Barzillai was very old, eighty years old. He had provided food for the king during his stay at Mahanaim because he was a very wealthy man. 33 The king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me. I will provide for you as my guest in Jerusalem.”

34 But Barzillai said to the king, “How many years am I going to be alive? Why should I go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35 Today I am eighty years old. Can I tell the difference between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat and what I drink? Can I still hear the voice of the male and female singers? Why should your servant become a further burden to my lord the king? 36 Let your servant cross over the Jordan with the king for a short distance. Why will the king pay me back with such a reward? 37 Please, let your servant return and die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. But look! Here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever seems good to you.”

38 So the king said, “Kimham shall go over with me, and I will do for him whatever seems good to you. All that you want from me, I will do for you.”

39 So all the people crossed over the Jordan, and the king also crossed over. Then he kissed Barzillai and blessed him. Barzillai then returned to his own home.

Footnotes1. 2 Samuel 19:12 Literally my bone and flesh 2. 2 Samuel 19:13 Literally may God do this to me and even more

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – September 032 Samuel 18:1 – 19:8LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 03

2 Samuel 18:1 – 19:8 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0903db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

The Battle2 Samuel 181 David organized the troops who were with him. He appointed leaders over units of a thousand and units of a hundred. 2 Then David sent the troops out: one third under the command of Joab; one third under the command of Abishai, who was the son of Zeruiah and the brother of Joab; and one third under the command of Ittai from Gath.

The king said to the troops, “I myself will definitely also go with you.”

3 But the troops said, “You will not go, because if we flee, they will not target us. Even if half of us die, they will not target us, for there are ten thousand others like us. No. It is better now that you support us from the city.”

4 So the king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you, I will do.”

The king stood beside the city gate. All the troops marched out by units of a hundred and a thousand. 5 The king gave orders to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai: “For my sake, act gently with the young man Absalom.” All the troops heard the king giving orders to the leaders concerning Absalom.

6 The troops went out into the countryside to confront Israel. The battle took place in the Forest of Ephraim. 7 The men of Israel were defeated there by the followers of David. There was a great slaughter there on that day—twenty thousand. 8 The battle was spread over the entire area. The forest devoured more people than the sword did on that day.

9 Absalom encountered the forces of David. As Absalom was riding on his mule, the mule went under the thick branches of a large terebinth tree, and Absalom’s head caught in the terebinth. He was caught between heaven and earth, and the mule he was riding kept going.

10 A man noticed Absalom and told Joab, “Listen! I saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth tree!” 11 Joab said to the man who had told him, “What! You saw him! Why didn’t you strike him to the ground right there? Then I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a belt.”

12 But the man said to Joab, “Even if I had one thousand shekels of silver weighed out into my hands, I would not reach my hand out against the king’s son. We heard the king command you, Abishai, and Ittai, ‘Watch out for the young man Absalom for me.’ 13 If I had acted irresponsibly with my life [1]—and nothing is hidden from the king—you would not have stood by me.”

14 Joab said, “I will not waste time with you like this.” He took three small spears in his hand, and he hurled them into Absalom’s heart while he was still alive in the middle of the terebinth tree. 15 Ten young men, the ones carrying Joab’s armor and weapons, surrounded Absalom and struck and killed him.

16 Then Joab blew the ram’s horn, and the people turned back from pursuing Israel, because Joab restrained them. 17 They took Absalom and threw him into a large pit in the forest. They raised a huge pile of stones over him.

All Israel fled, everyone to his own tent. [2]

18 During his lifetime Absalom had set up a monument for himself in the Valley of the King, because he said, “I do not have a son to keep my name alive in people’s memory.” He named the monument after himself, and it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day.

19 Ahima’az son of Zadok said, “Let me run and carry the good news to the king that the Lord has delivered him from the power of his enemies.”

20 But Joab said to him, “You are not the man to carry the news today. You may carry the news some other day, but today you should not carry the news, because the king’s son is dead.”

21 Joab then told a Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you saw.”

The Cushite bowed down to Joab and then set out running.

22 But Ahima’az son of Zadok said to Joab again, “No matter what, I really want to run behind the Cushite.”

Joab said, “Why do you want to do this? My son, there is no good news that will bring you any gain for running.” 23 But Ahima’az said, “No matter what, let me run.” So Joab said to him “All right, run then.” Ahima’az ran on the road that followed the plain, and he passed the Cushite.

24 David was sitting between the inner and outer gates of the city. The watchman went up onto the roof of the gatehouse next to the wall. While he was standing watch, he saw a man running all by himself. 25 The watchman called out and told the king. The king said, “If he is alone, he is bringing good news.” The man kept coming and got closer.

26 Then the watchman saw another man running. The watchman called down to the gatekeeper, “Look! There is another man running all by himself!”

The king said, “This one also is bringing good news.” 27 The watchman said, “The way the first man is running looks like the way Ahima’az son of Zadok runs.” The king said, “He is a good man. He is coming with good news.”

28 Ahima’az called out to the king, “Peace.” Then he bowed down to the king with his face to the ground and said, “Blessed is the Lord your God, who delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king.”

29 The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom safe?”

Ahima’az said, “I saw a great uproar at the time when Joab sent the other servant of the king and me, your servant. I do not know what it was about.”

30 The king said, “Step aside. Stay here.” So he stepped aside and just stood there.

31 The Cushite arrived and said, “There is good news for my lord the king, because the Lord has delivered you this day from the power of all who rose up against you.”

32 The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom safe?”

The Cushite said, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you with evil intentions be like that young man.”

33 The king was shocked. He went up to the room over the gatehouse. As he was going, he wept and said, “My son Absalom, my son, my son! O Absalom, I wish I had died instead of you. O Absalom, my son, my son.”

The Aftermath of the Battle2 Samuel 191 Joab was told, “The king is weeping and mourning over Absalom.” [3] 2 The victory that day became an occasion for mourning for all the people, because that day the people heard that the king was mourning for his son. 3 That day the people were sneaking into the city quietly, the way people who are ashamed of fleeing from the battle would sneak in quietly. 4 The king covered his face and cried with a loud voice, “My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son.”

5 Joab came to the king at the house and said, “Today you have put to shame all your followers, who today have saved your life, the lives of your sons and daughters, and the lives of your wives and concubines. 6 You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have demonstrated clearly today that your officers and followers are nothing to you. Today I have no doubt that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead, you would be pleased. 7 Now get up. Go out. Speak to the hearts of your followers. For by the Lord, I swear that if you do not go out, not a man will remain with you tonight, and this disaster will be greater for you than all the disasters that have come upon you from your youth until now.”

8 So the king got up and took his seat by the gate. All the people were told, “Look! The king is sitting in the gate.” So all the people came into the presence of the king.

Israel had fled, every man to his own home.

Footnotes1. 2 Samuel 18:13 Alternate Hebrew reading his life 2. 2 Samuel 18:17 This is an idiom for to his own home. It is used regardless of the form of the dwelling. 3. 2 Samuel 19:1 In the Hebrew text, chapter 19 starts at English 18:33. In chapter 19, the Hebrew verse numbers are all one number higher than the English verse numbers.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – September 022 Samuel 16:15 – 17:29LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 02

2 Samuel 16:15 – 17:29 (EHV)
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2 Samuel 16Absalom’s Plans15 Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, arrived at Jerusalem. Ahithophel was with him.

16 When Hushai the Arkite, David’s confidant, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

17 Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty for your friend? Why didn’t you go with your friend?”

18 Hushai said to Absalom, “No. The person who has been chosen by the Lord, by this people, and by all the men of Israel—this is the one with whom I will be and with whom I will remain. 19 Besides, whom should I serve if not the king’s son? As I have served your father, so I will serve you.”

20 Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your advice. What should we do?”

21 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go to your father’s concubines, whom he has left to watch over the palace. Let all Israel hear that you have become disgusting to your father, so that the hands of all who are with you may be strengthened.”

22 So they pitched a tent on the roof for Absalom, and Absalom went to [1] his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

23 In those days the advice that Ahithophel gave was viewed as if it had come from God. All the advice of Ahithophel was viewed that way, both by David and also by Absalom.

2 Samuel 171 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men. I will set out to pursue David tonight. 2 I will come upon him when he is tired and weak and cause him to panic. All the people with him will flee. Then I will strike down only the king. 3 I will bring back the rest of the people to you. The life of the man whom you are seeking will gain the return of all of them. [2] All the rest of the people will be safe.” 4 Ahithophel’s plan seemed good to all the elders of Israel.

5 But Absalom said, “Call Hushai the Arkite. We should also hear what he has to say.” 6 So Hushai came to Absalom, and Absalom said to him, “This is what Ahithophel has said. Shall we do it? If you disagree, speak up.”

7 Hushai said to Absalom, “This time the advice Ahithophel has given is not good.” 8 Hushai continued, “You know your father and his men. They are fierce warriors, like an enraged bear in the open country who has lost her cubs. Your father is a fighter. He will not spend the night with the people. 9 Certainly, by now he has hidden himself in one of the caves or in some other place. What if he attacks and some of our men fall first? Whoever hears about it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the followers of Absalom.’ 10 Even the very brave, whose hearts are like the heart of a lion, will melt with fear, because all Israel knows that your father is a fierce warrior, and that those who are with him are brave men. 11 So, I advise you to gather all Israel to you from Dan to Beersheba, as many as the sand beside the sea, and that you personally lead them into battle. 12 We should attack the king in whatever place he is found. We will come down on him like the dew that falls upon the ground. There will not even be one survivor from him and from all the men with him. 13 If he withdraws into a city, all Israel should bring ropes to that city. We will drag it into the valley until there will not be even one pebble found there.”

14 Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than the advice of Ahithophel.”

The Lord had arranged to defeat the good advice of Ahithophel, so that the Lord could bring disaster upon Absalom.

15 Then Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, “This is what Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel. But this is what I have advised. 16 Now send a message quickly and tell David, ‘Do not stay tonight at the fords in the wilderness. Also, be sure to cross over the river, or the king and all the people who are with him will be swallowed up.’”

17 Jonathan and Ahima’az were to wait at En Rogel because they could not risk being seen going into the city. A female servant was to go out and inform them. Then they could go and tell King David. 18 However, a young man saw them and told Absalom. So the two of them quickly went to the house of a man at Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it. 19 His wife took a cover, spread it over the mouth of the well, and scattered grain on it. Nobody knew that she did it.

20 Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house and said, “Where are Ahima’az and Jonathan?”

The woman said to them, “They have passed by toward the river.” [3] Absalom’s servants pursued them but did not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem.

21 When they left, Ahima’az and Jonathan climbed out of the well. They went and reported to King David, and they said to him, “Get up and cross over the river quickly because this is what Ahithophel advised against you.” 22 So David and all the people who were with him set out and crossed the Jordan, beginning at the first light of day and continuing until everyone had crossed over the Jordan.

23 When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey, set out, went to his house in his hometown, and set his household in order. Then he hanged himself. He died, and he was buried in the tomb of his father.

24 David went to Mahanaim, and Absalom crossed over the Jordan with all the men of Israel. 25 Absalom had put Amasa in command of the army instead of Joab. (Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra, an Ishmaelite [4] who had gone to Abigal, [5] the daughter of Nahash, the sister of Zeruiah, the mother of Joab.)

26 Israel and Absalom set up camp in the land of Gilead.

27 When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, Makir son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim 28 brought beds, basins, pottery, wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, [6] 29 honey, cheese curds, sheep, and cheese from cow’s milk for David and for the people with him to eat, because they said, “The people are hungry, tired, and thirsty in the wilderness.”

Footnotes1. 2 Samuel 16:22 To go to is a euphemism for having sexual relations. 2. 2 Samuel 17:3 Literally like the return of all, the man whom you are seeking 3. 2 Samuel 17:20 Literally they have crossed the mical of the water. The meaning of mical is unknown, but the following verses suggest that flight toward the Jordan is what is being described. 4. 2 Samuel 17:25 The translation follows the parallel reading from 1 Chronicles 2:17, where this man is called Jether the Ishmaelite. The Hebrew text in 2 Samuel 17:25 reads Ithra the Israelite. 5. 2 Samuel 17:25 Also called Abigail 6. 2 Samuel 17:28 The Hebrew text here repeats roasted grain.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – September 012 Samuel 15:1 – 16:14LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 01

2 Samuel 15:1 – 16:14 (EHV)
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Absalom’s Rebellion2 Samuel 151 After this, Absalom acquired for himself a chariot, horses, and fifty men to run in front of him. 2 Absalom would get up early and stand beside the road by the gatehouse. Absalom would call out to every man who had a legal issue to bring before the king for judgment, and he would say, “What city are you from?” The person would say, “Your servant is from such-and-such of the tribes of Israel.” 3 Absalom would say to him, “Your claims are good and valid, but there is no one from the king to listen to you.” 4 Then Absalom would say, “I wish someone would make me a judge in the land. Then everyone who has a legal issue or needs a judgment could come to me, and I would give him justice.”

5 Whenever someone approached to bow down to him, he would reach out, take hold of him, and kiss him. 6 Absalom acted this way to everyone of Israel who came to the king for judgment. In this way Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

7 After four [1] years Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go to Hebron and fulfill my vow, which I have made to the Lord, 8 because when I was at Geshur in Aram, your servant vowed, ‘If the Lord will really return me to Jerusalem, I will serve the Lord.’”

9 The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he set out and went to Hebron.

10 But Absalom sent agents throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “When you hear the sound of the ram’s horn, you are to say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron.’” 11 Two hundred men from Jerusalem who had been invited went along with Absalom. They went innocently, since they did not know what was going on.

12 While he was offering sacrifices, Absalom summoned David’s advisor, Ahithophel of Giloh, to come from Giloh, his hometown. The conspiracy gained strength as more and more people were going over to Absalom.

13 A messenger came to David and said, “The hearts of the men of Israel are following Absalom.”

14 So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Get ready. We must flee, or we will not escape from Absalom. Hurry up and go, so that he does not come quickly, overtake us, bring down disaster on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”

15 The officials of the king said to him, “Here we are. We, your servants, will do everything our lord the king decides.” 16 So the king set out with his entire household, but he left ten concubines [2] to watch over the house. 17 The king and all his people set out. They stopped at a house some distance away.

David’s Flight18 All his troops were passing by in front of David. All the Kerethites, Pelethites, and Gittites—six hundred men from Gath who had come under his command—were passing by in front of the king. 19 The king said to Ittai from Gath, “Why are you going with us? Go back and stay with King Absalom, because you are a foreigner and an exile from your home. 20 You arrived just yesterday. Today should I cause you to wander with us, when I myself do not have a plan as to where I am going? Go back and take your fellow soldiers with you. May the Lord’s mercy and faithfulness be with you.” [3]

21 Ittai answered the king, “As the Lord lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king will be, whether it leads to death or life, there your servant will be.”

22 David said to Ittai, “Go ahead then. March on.” So Ittai from Gath and all his men and all the dependents who were with them marched by.

23 All the people of the land wept loudly as all the troops were marching by. The king crossed over the stream bed of the Kidron. All the people kept marching by in the direction of the wilderness.

24 Next came Zadok and all the Levites with him, who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant of God. They set down the Ark of God, and Abiathar offered up sacrifices until all the people finished passing by, as they left the city. 25 The king said to Zadok, “Return the Ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back and let me see it in its proper dwelling place. 26 But if he says, ‘I have no pleasure in you,’ look, here I am. Let him do to me whatever is good in his eyes.”

27 The king said to Zadok the priest, “Aren’t you a seer? [4] Go back to the city in peace. You two priests, take your sons with you—your son Ahima’az and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. 28 Listen, I will be waiting at the fords in the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” 29 So Zadok and Abiathar carried the Ark of God back to Jerusalem, and they remained there.

30 David went up along the ascent to the top of the Mount of Olives. As he walked along with his head covered, he was weeping, and he was walking barefoot. All the people who were with him also covered their heads. As they went up, they were weeping as they walked along.

31 David had been told, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David said, “Please, Lord, make the advice of Ahithophel foolish.”

32 David arrived at the summit, where he worshipped God. [5]

Hushai the Arkite was there to meet him. His robe was torn, and he had dirt on his head. 33 David said to him, “If you cross over with me, you will become a burden to me. 34 But if you return to the city and you say to Absalom, ‘Let me be your servant, O King. In the past I was a servant of your father. Now I will be your servant,’ then you can defeat the advice of Ahithophel for me. 35 Are not Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, with you there? Tell every word that you hear in the house of the king to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests. 36 Their two sons, Zadok’s son Ahima’az and Abiathar’s son Jonathan, are there with them. Through those two, the three of you will be able to send me every word that you hear.” 37 Hushai, the friend and advisor of David, went to the city, just as Absalom also was entering into Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 161 David moved a little beyond the summit. There Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, met him with a string of saddled donkeys. On them there were two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred cakes of raisins, one hundred cakes of summer fruit, and a container [6] of wine.

2 The king said to Ziba, “Why do you have these?”

Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the household of the king to ride on. The bread and fruit are for the young men to eat. The wine is to provide something to drink for those who become exhausted in the wilderness.”

3 The king said, “So where is the grandson of your master?”

Ziba said to the king, “Well, he is staying in Jerusalem because he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will return the kingdom of my grandfather to me.’”

4 The king said to Ziba, “All right then. Everything that was Mephibosheth’s belongs to you.”

Ziba said, “I bow down before you. May I find favor in your sight, my lord the king.”

5 King David came to Bahurim. There he was confronted by a man from the family of the house of Saul. His name was Shimei son of Gera. He was rushing out and calling down curses. 6 He threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David, as well as at all the people and all the warriors on David’s right and on his left. 7 This is what Shimei said as he cursed: “Get out! Get out, you bloody, worthless man! 8 The Lord has avenged upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, whom you replaced as king. The Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. Just look at you now, sunk in disaster, because you are a bloody man.”

9 Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and take off his head.”

10 The king said, “What do you and I have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord has told him, ‘Curse David,’ then who can say, ‘Why have you done this?’” 11 Then David said to Abishai and to all his followers, “Listen to me! My son, who came from my own body, is seeking my life. How much more now, this Benjaminite! Leave him alone. Let him curse. Perhaps the Lord has told him to do so. 12 Perhaps the Lord will look on my misery and will return something good to me in exchange for his cursing this day.”

13 So David and his men kept traveling down the road, and Shimei kept following along, on the side of the hill opposite him, walking along, cursing, throwing stones, and flinging dirt at him.

14 The king and all the people who were with him traveled until they became exhausted, and then they stopped in order to recover.

Footnotes1. 2 Samuel 15:7 The translation four years follows the ancient versions. The Hebrew text reads forty years, but it is not possible to fit that time span into the chronology of David’s reign. 2. 2 Samuel 15:16 Or wives of secondary status 3. 2 Samuel 15:20 The last part of the verse is difficult. 4. 2 Samuel 15:27 Or you are a seer. The exact implications of the statement are uncertain, and interpretations vary. Most likely it means that David needs men of war with him, not non-soldiers. 5. 2 Samuel 15:32 The translation is literal. Many translations take it as a more general statement: where God is worshipped. 6. 2 Samuel 16:1 Or wineskin

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 312 Samuel 13:38 – 14:33LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 31

2 Samuel 13:38 – 14:33 (EHV)
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2 Samuel 1338 Absalom fled and went to Geshur. He stayed there for three years. 39 King David longed to reach out to Absalom, because he was no longer mourning for his deceased son Amnon.

2 Samuel 141 Joab son of Zeruiah knew that the heart of the king was attached to Absalom. 2 So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought a wise woman from there. He said to her, “Please act like a mourner and wear mourning clothes. Do not anoint yourself with lotion. Make it look as if you are a woman who has been mourning for the dead for a long time. 3 Go to the king and tell him whatever I tell you to say.” Then Joab put the words in her mouth.

4 The woman from Tekoa spoke to the king. She fell down with her face to the ground. She bowed down and said, “Help me, O King.”

5 The king said to her, “What is wrong?”

She said, “It’s terrible. I am a widow. My husband is dead. 6 Your servant had two sons. The two of them had a fight out in the field, and there was no one there to separate them. The one struck the other and killed him. 7 Now the entire family has risen up against your servant. They are saying, ‘Turn over the one who struck down his brother, so we can put him to death because of the life of his brother whom he killed. In this way we will destroy the heir also.’ They will put out the fire of the one burning coal that is left for me. My husband will not have a name or anything left on the face of the earth.”

8 The king said to the woman, “Go to your house. I will issue orders on your behalf.”

9 The woman from Tekoa said to the king, “On me, my lord the king—let the guilt be on me and on the house of my father. The king and his throne will be guiltless.”

10 The king said, “Bring to me anyone who speaks against you about this, and he will not contact you again.”

11 She said, “Please, the king should remember the Lord your God and stop the avenger of blood from multiplying the killing, so that they do not destroy my son.”

David said, “As the Lord lives, not one hair of your son will fall to the ground.”

12 The woman said, “Please allow your servant to speak a word to my lord the king.”

He said, “Speak up.”

13 The woman said, “Why have you planned something like this against the people of God? By his own words the king convicts himself for not returning his own banished one. 14 We will certainly die. We are like water spilled onto the ground that cannot be gathered up again. But God does not take life. He devises means to restore to himself the one who has been banished. 15 Now I have come to say this to my lord the king, because the people have made me afraid. Your servant said, ‘I will speak to the king. Perhaps the king will fulfill the request of his servant, 16 for the king will listen and deliver his servant from the hand of the man who is trying to destroy both me and my son, to remove us from our inheritance from God.’ 17 Your servant said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king give me rest, because he is like the angel of God—that is what my lord the king is like. He is able to distinguish good and evil.’ The Lord your God will be with you.”

18 The king answered the woman, “Please, do not withhold the answer to what I am about to ask you.”

The woman said, “My lord the king, please speak.”

19 The king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?”

The woman answered, “As your soul lives, my lord the king, nothing veers off to the right or to the left from everything my lord the king has said, for your servant Joab is the one who gave me orders. He also put all these words into the mouth of your servant. 20 Your servant Joab did this in order to change the way things were going. My lord has wisdom, like the wisdom of the Angel of God. He knows everything that goes on in the land.”

21 The king said to Joab, “All right! I will do this. Go and bring back the young man Absalom.”

22 Joab fell down with his face to the ground. He bowed down and blessed the king and said, “Today your servant has become aware that I have found favor in your sight, my lord the king, because the king has carried out the request of his servant.”

23 So Joab got up and went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem.

24 But the king said, “He must go to his own house. He is not to see me face-to-face.” So Absalom went to his own house, and he did not see the face of the king.

25 There was not a man in all Israel as handsome as Absalom and so greatly praised. From the sole of his foot to the top of his head there was not a blemish on him. 26 When he shaved the hair on his head (periodically he cut it off because it became too heavy for him), the hair weighed five pounds. [1]

27 Three sons and one daughter were born to Absalom. The daughter’s name was Tamar. She was an attractive woman.

28 Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years, but he did not see the king face-to-face. 29 Absalom sent to Joab in order to ask him to go to the king on his behalf, but Joab was not willing to come to him. Absalom sent again, a second time, but Joab was still not willing to come. 30 So Absalom said to his servants, “See that field of Joab next to mine, where he has barley. Go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire. ⎣Joab’s servants came to him with their clothing torn and said to him, “The servants of Absalom have set your field on fire.”⎦ [2]

31 Joab got up and went to Absalom’s house. He said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?”

32 Absalom said to Joab, “I sent this message to you: Come here. I want to send you to speak to the king and to say for me, ‘Why did I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to still be there.’ Now I want to see the king face-to-face. If I am guilty of anything, let him put me to death.” 33 So Joab went to the king and gave him the message.

Then the king summoned Absalom, and he came to the king. He bowed down to the king with his face to the ground, and the king kissed Absalom.

Footnotes1. 2 Samuel 14:26 Hebrew two hundred shekels by the royal standard 2. 2 Samuel 14:30 The sentence in half-brackets in verse 30 is not included in the Hebrew text but is in the Greek. An omission from the Hebrew text may have occurred as the eye of the Hebrew copyist skipped from the first occurrence of on fire to the second one.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 302 Samuel 12:1 – 13:37LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 30

2 Samuel 12:1 – 13:37 (EHV)
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David and Nathan2 Samuel 121 So the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came and told him this:

There were two men in a city. One was rich and one poor. 2 The rich man had a large number of flocks and herds. 3 The poor man did not own anything except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. He raised it so that it grew up together with him and his children. It ate from his food and drank from his cup. It slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him. 4 When a traveler came to the rich man, the rich man was unwilling to take an animal from his flock or from his herd to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. So he took the lamb from the poor man and prepared it for the man who had come to him.

5 David’s anger flared up against that man. He said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this is as good as dead. 6 In place of that lamb, he will restore four lambs, because he did this and had no pity.”

7 Nathan told David, “You are the man. This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says.”

The Message of Judgment Against DavidI anointed you king over Israel. I rescued you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave the house of your master to you, and I gave the wives of your master into your embrace. I gave you the house of Israel and the house of Judah. If this was too little, I would have added even more. 9 Why have you despised the word of the Lord by doing evil in his eyes? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword. You have taken his wife as your own wife. You have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 So now the sword will not depart from your house forever, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.

11 This is what the Lord says. Look! I am raising up disaster against you from your own house. Right in front of your eyes I will take your wives and give them to your neighbor, and he will lie down with your wives in the sight of the sun. 12 Because you acted in secret, I will do this in front of all Israel in broad daylight.

13 David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”

Nathan said to David, “The Lord himself has put away your sin. You will not die. 14 Nevertheless, because by this deed you have treated the Lord with utter contempt, [1] the child that is born to you shall surely die.” 15 Then Nathan went to his house.

The Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne for David, and the child became sick. 16 David sought the Lord’s mercy for the child. David fasted and spent the night lying on the ground. 17 The elders of his household stood beside him to pick him up off the ground, but he was not willing, and he would not eat food with them.

18 On the seventh day the child died. The servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, because they said, “Look! When the child was living, we spoke to David, but he did not listen to what we said. How will we speak to him now when the child is dead? He might do something harmful.”

19 When David saw that his servants were whispering together, he understood that the child was dead. So David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “Yes, he is dead.”

20 Then David got up from the ground, washed, put on lotion, and changed his clothes. He went to the House of the Lord and worshipped. He then went back to his house and asked for food. So they prepared a meal for him, and he ate.

21 His servants said to him, “What are you doing? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept. But when the child died, you got up and ate food.”

22 He said, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept because I said, ‘Who knows? Will the Lord be gracious to me and let my child live?’ 23 Now he has died. Why should I fast? Am I able to return him to life again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”

24 David comforted Bathsheba, his wife. He went to her and lay down with her. She gave birth to a son. David called him Solomon. The Lord loved him, 25 and the Lord sent a message by the hand of Nathan the prophet that he should be called Jedidiah [2] because of the Lord.

The Defeat of the Ammonites26 Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal city.

27 He sent messengers to David and said, “I have fought against Rabbah. I have also captured the city’s water supply. 28 Now gather the rest of the troops, set up camp against the city, and take it. If you do not, I might take the city, and it will be named after me.” 29 So David gathered all the troops and went to Rabbah. He fought against it and took it.

30 He removed the gold crown of their king [3] from his head. It weighed seventy-five pounds, [4] and it had a precious stone. It was placed on [5] the head of David.

He brought out large quantities of plunder from the city. 31 He also brought the people out from it and made them work with saws, with iron picks and axes, and at brickmaking. He did the same to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the troops returned to Jerusalem.

Amnon and Tamar2 Samuel 131 David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. Some time after this, David’s son Amnon fell in love with her. 2 Amnon was so worked up that he made himself sick because of his sister Tamar. She was a virgin, and it seemed impossible for Amnon to do anything with her.

3 Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, who was a son of David’s brother Shimeah. [6] Jonadab was a very clever man. 4 Jonadab said to Amnon, “Why do you, the king’s son, look so tired every morning? Won’t you tell me?”

Amnon said to him, “I am in love with Tamar, the sister of my brother Absalom.”

5 Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick. Your father will come to see you. Then you are to say to him, ‘Please! Have my sister Tamar come and give me some food to eat. Have her prepare the food in my presence so that I can watch and eat it from her hand.’”

6 So Amnon went to bed and pretended to be sick, and the king came to see him. Amnon said to the king, “Please! Have my sister Tamar come and make special flatbread while I am watching. She should make two of them and let me eat them from her hand.”

7 So David sent a message to Tamar’s house: “Please, go to the house of your brother Amnon and make food for him.” 8 Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon, where he was lying down. She took dough, kneaded it, made the flatbread as he was watching, and baked the loaves. 9 She took the pan and placed it before him, but he refused to eat.

Amnon said, “Send everyone away from me.” So everyone left.

10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom and let me eat from your hand.”

Tamar took the flatbread that she had made and brought it into the room to Amnon her brother. 11 She brought it to him so he could eat.

He grabbed her and said to her, “Come, lie down with me, my sister.”

12 She said to him, “No, my brother. Do not force me, for such a thing is not done in Israel. Do not do such a foolish thing. 13 And I—how will I get rid of my shame? And you will be like one of the fools in Israel. Now, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.”

14 But he would not listen to her. He was stronger than she was, and he forced her to lie down with him.

15 Then Amnon’s hatred for her was even more intense than the love he had felt for her. Amnon said to her, “Get up. Get out.”

16 She said to him, “There is no excuse for that. To send me away is a greater wrong than what you already did to me.”

But he was not willing to listen to her. 17 He called the young man who was his servant and said, “Send this woman outside, away from me, and bolt the door behind her.”

18 She was wearing a special long robe that covered her arms and legs. [7] The virgin daughters of the king wore such robes. His servant put her outside and bolted the door after her. 19 Tamar put ashes on her head and ripped the robe that she was wearing. She placed her hand on her head, and she went away, weeping loudly as she walked.

20 Her brother Absalom said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? Now my sister, do not say anything. He is your brother. Do not take this matter to heart.”

So Tamar, a devastated woman, stayed in the house of her brother Absalom. 21 King David heard about all these things, and he was very angry. [8]

22 Absalom did not speak with Amnon at all, neither anything bad nor anything good. Absalom hated Amnon because he had raped Tamar, his sister.

David and Absalom23 Two years passed. Absalom’s sheepshearers were at Baal Hazor, which is near Ephraim. Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 24 Absalom also came to the king and said, “Look! The sheepshearers are now at work for your servant. Will the king and his servants join your servant, please?”

25 The king said to Absalom, “No, my son. Not all of us will go. We do not want to be a burden to you.”

Absalom pressured him, but David was not willing to go, though he did give Absalom a blessing. 26 So Absalom said, “If not, can Amnon my brother join us, please?” The king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But Absalom kept pressuring him, so David sent Amnon and all the sons of the king with him. [9]

28 Absalom commanded his servants, “Pay attention to me, and when Amnon is feeling good because of the wine, I will say to you, ‘Strike Amnon.’ Then you are to kill him. Do not be afraid. I am the one who has given you the order. Be strong. Be brave.”

29 Absalom’s servants did to Amnon exactly what Absalom had commanded. Then all the sons of the king got up. Each of them got on his mule and fled.

30 While they were on the way, news reached David: “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons. There is not one of them left.” 31 The king got up, ripped his clothing, and lay down on the ground. All his servants who were standing nearby also ripped their clothing.

32 Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, responded, “My lord should not say they have killed all the young men who are sons of the king, for only Amnon is dead. This is what Absalom has been planning from the day Amnon raped Tamar, his sister. 33 Now my lord the king should pay no attention to the report that says, ‘All the king’s sons are dead,’ because only Amnon is dead.”

34 Absalom fled.

The young man who was serving as the watchman looked up and saw many people coming down the road west of him, [10] along the side of the mountain. ⎣The watchman came and reported to the king, “I see men on the Horonaim road, along the side of the mountain.”⎦ [11]

35 Jonadab said to the king, “Look. The king’s sons have come. It is just as your servant said.”

36 When he was finished speaking, the king’s sons arrived. They raised their voices and wept loudly. The king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.

37 Absalom fled. He went to Talmai son of Ammihud, [12] the king of Geshur. King David mourned every day because of his son.

Footnotes1. 2 Samuel 12:14 The translation follows an alternate Hebrew reading. The main Hebrew text reads You caused the enemies of the Lord to speak scornfully about the Lord. This reading lessens the offense by David. 2. 2 Samuel 12:25 Jedidiah means loved by the Lord. 3. 2 Samuel 12:30 Or perhaps their idol Milcom. The weight of the crown seems too heavy for a person to wear, at least for any length of time 4. 2 Samuel 12:30 A talent 5. 2 Samuel 12:30 Or over 6. 2 Samuel 13:3 There are at least four different Hebrew forms of the name of this brother of David, also known as Shimea, Shimei, and Shammah. Such irregularity in the spelling of personal names is very common. 7. 2 Samuel 13:18 The exact meaning of the Hebrew term pas is uncertain. It may refer to the length of the garment, but it may also refer to elaborate decoration. This is the same type of garment as Joseph’s “coat of many colors” in Genesis 37. 8. 2 Samuel 13:21 A Dead Sea Scroll and the Greek text include some words that are not present in the main Hebrew manuscripts: But he would not rebuke his son Amnon, because he loved him, since he was his firstborn. 9. 2 Samuel 13:27 The Greek text adds the words: and Absalom prepared a feast like a royal feast. 10. 2 Samuel 13:34 Or behind him 11. 2 Samuel 13:34 The sentence in half-brackets is present in the Greek text, but not in the Hebrew text. An omission from the Hebrew text may have occurred when the Hebrew copyist’s eye jumped from the first occurrence of along the side of the mountain to the second occurrence. 12. 2 Samuel 13:37 Ammihud is the reading of many Hebrew manuscripts. The main Hebrew text has Ammihur. The Hebrew equivalents of d and r look alike.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 292 Samuel 10 – 11LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 29

2 Samuel 10 – 11 (EHV)
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The War With Ammon2 Samuel 101 After this, the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun became king in his place.

2 David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent his officials to express condolences to Hanun concerning his father. David’s officials arrived in the land of the Ammonites.

3 But the officials of the Ammonites said to Hanun their master, “Do you really think David was honoring your father when he sent messengers to express his sympathy to you? No, David sent his officials to you in order to gather information about the city and to spy on it, in order to overthrow it.”

4 So Hanun seized the officials of David, shaved off half of each one’s beard, cut off their clothing up to their buttocks, and sent them away.

5 David was told about this, and he sent messengers to meet them because the men were deeply humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown. Then return.”

6 The Ammonites saw that they had become a digusting stench to David, so they sent and hired twenty thousand foot soldiers from Aram Beth Rehob and Aram Zobah, one thousand men from the king of Ma’akah, and twelve thousand men from Tob. [1]

7 When David heard about it, he deployed Joab and the entire army, the strong warriors.

8 The Ammonites went out and lined up in battle formation in front of the entrance to the city gate. Aram Zobah and Aram Rehob, as well as the men of Tob and Ma’akah, were lined up by themselves in the open country.

9 Joab saw that the battle lines were drawn up against him both in front of him and behind him, so he chose some of the best troops of Israel and lined them up to confront the Arameans. 10 The rest of the men he placed under the command of his brother Abishai and lined them up to face the Ammonites. 11 He said, “If Aram is too strong for me, then you are to rescue me. If the Ammonites are too strong for you, I will come to rescue you. 12 Be strong. We must show ourselves to be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his eyes.”

13 Joab and all the people with him advanced to join battle against the Arameans, and the Arameans fled from him. 14 When the Ammonites saw that Aram had fled, they also fled from Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came back to Jerusalem.

15 When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they regrouped. 16 Hadadezer sent for Arameans from beyond the Euphrates. They came to Helam with Shobak, who was the commander of the army of Hadadezer, at their head.

17 When David was informed, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, and came to Helam. The Arameans lined up to confront David and fought against him. 18 The Arameans fled from Israel. David killed seven hundred Aramean charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers. [2] Shobak, the commander of their army, was wounded, and he died there. 19 All the kings who were the subjects of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, so they made peace with Israel and became subject to them. Then the Arameans were afraid to try to rescue the Ammonites anymore.

David and Bathsheba2 Samuel 111 Springtime arrived, the time when kings go out to war. David sent Joab out with his officers and with all Israel. They ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed in Jerusalem.

2 One evening David had gotten up from his couch and was walking around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very good looking. 3 David sent to inquire about the woman, and he was told, “Isn’t this Bathsheba daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”

4 David sent messengers to bring her. She came to him, and he lay down with her. (She had been purifying herself from her ceremonial uncleanness.) [3] She then returned to her house.

5 The woman became pregnant, so she sent a message and told David, “I am pregnant.”

6 David sent a message to Joab, “Send Uriah the Hittite to me.” So Joab sent Uriah to David, 7 and Uriah came to him.

David asked how Joab and the troops were doing, and how the war effort was going. 8 Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.”

When Uriah went out from the palace, the king sent a gift to him. 9 But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all the servants of his master. He did not go down to his own house.

10 David was informed, “Uriah has not gone down to his house.” So David said to Uriah, “Haven’t you come a long distance? Why didn’t you go down to your house?”

11 Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are living in shelters, and my master Joab and the servants of my master are camped on the bare ground in the open countryside. Should I go to my house to eat and to drink and to lie down with my wife? By your life, as surely as you live, I will not do such a thing.”

12 Then David said to Uriah, “Stay here today also. Tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13 David summoned him, and Uriah ate as his guest, and David got him drunk. But in the evening he went and slept on his mat where the servants of his master were. He did not go to his own house.

14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab, and he sent it in the hands of Uriah. 15 In the letter he wrote, “Station Uriah opposite the fiercest fighting. Then withdraw from behind him so that he will be struck down and die.”

16 So when Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew that the enemy’s strongest warriors were. 17 The men of the city came out and fought against Joab, and some of the troops of David fell. Uriah the Hittite also died.

18 Joab sent a message to inform David about all the events of the war. 19 He instructed the messenger, “As you are finishing reporting all the events of the war to the king, 20 if the king becomes angry and says to you, ‘Why did you go so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you know that they would be shooting from on top of the wall? 21 Who killed Abimelek son of Jerubbesheth? [4] Didn’t a woman throw an upper millstone from the wall on him, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so close to the wall?’ Then you are to say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite also died.’”

22 The messenger set out. He came and told David everything that Joab had sent him to say. 23 The messenger said to David, “Their men gained an advantage over us and drove us back into the open country. But then we gained the upper hand and drove them back all the way to the entrance of the city gate. 24 The archers shot at your troops from the wall. Some of the servants of the king died. And your servant Uriah the Hittite also died.”

25 David told the messenger, “Say this to Joab: ‘Do not take this too hard, because the sword devours people at random. Strengthen your attack against the city, and overthrow it.’ Encourage Joab.”

26 The wife of Uriah the Hittite heard that her husband was dead, so she mourned for her husband. 27 When her mourning was completed, David sent for her and brought her to his house, and she became his wife. She gave birth to a son for him. But what David had done was evil in the eyes of the Lord.

Footnotes1. 2 Samuel 10:6 Or from Ish Tob 2. 2 Samuel 10:18 The Hebrew text reads seven hundred chariots and forty thousand charioteers or horsemen. However, 1 Chronicles 19:18 states that David killed seven thousand charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers. The reading foot soldiers, which is also supported by some Greek manuscripts, is followed above. 3. 2 Samuel 11:4 That Bathsheba was purifying herself after her period shows that the child was David’s and that David and Bathsheba were more careful about keeping pure from the ceremonial contamination caused by contact with blood than they were about keeping pure from the moral pollution caused by adultery. 4. 2 Samuel 11:21 The Greek and the Latin Old Testament read Jerubbaal, which is another name for Gideon. The Hebrew text of Samuel regularly replaces the word –baal with a form of the Hebrew word for shame (bosheth) when -baal occurs as part of a personal name.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 282 Samuel 8 – 9LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 28

2 Samuel 8 – 9 (EHV)
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David’s Wars2 Samuel 81 After this, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them. David took Metheg Ha’ammah [1] from the control of the Philistines.

2 He defeated Moab and measured the men with a length of rope after making them lie down on the ground. He measured two lengths to be put to death and one full length to live. The Moabites became subject to David and brought tribute.

3 David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when he went to restore his control [2] at the river Euphrates. 4 David captured seventeen hundred charioteers and twenty thousand foot soldiers [3] from him. David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but he left enough horses for a hundred chariots. 5 Arameans from Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, but David killed twenty-two thousand men in Aram. 6 Then David put garrisons in Damascus in the land of Aram, [4] and the Arameans became subject to David and brought tribute.

The Lord gave victory to David everywhere he went.

7 David took the gold shields that belonged to the officials of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 From Betah and Berothai, [5] cities of Hadadezer, King David took large amounts of bronze.

9 Toi [6] king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer. 10 So Toi sent his son Joram [7] to King David to petition him for peace and to bless him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, because Toi had been at war with Hadadezer. In his hand he brought items made of silver and items of gold and items of bronze.

11 King David dedicated these things to the Lord along with the silver and gold that he had dedicated from all the nations he had subdued: 12 from Aram, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, from Amalek, and from the spoils of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

13 David made a name for himself when he returned from striking eighteen thousand Edomites [8] in the Valley of Salt. 14 He put garrisons in Edom, in all of it, and all the Edomites became subject to David.

The Lord gave victory to David wherever he went. 15 David was king over all Israel, and he treated all his people with justice and fairness.

David’s Officials16 Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the record keeper. [9] 17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelek son of Abiathar were priests. Seraiah was the secretary. 18 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in charge of the Kerethites and the Pelethites. The sons of David were government ministers. [10]

David and Mephibosheth2 Samuel 91 David said, “Is there anyone still left from the house of Saul, to whom I may show kindness for the sake of Jonathan?”

2 There was a servant of Saul’s house named Ziba, so they summoned him to come to David.

The king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” He said, “I am.”

3 The king said, “Isn’t there still a man left who belongs to the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?”

Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan. He has crippled feet.”

4 The king said to him, “Where is he?”

Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.”

5 So King David sent and brought him from the house of Makir son of Ammiel from Lo Debar.

6 When Mephibosheth, the son of Saul’s son Jonathan, came to David, he bowed facedown to the ground.

David said, “Mephibosheth?” He said, “I am.”

7 David said to him, “Do not be afraid. I will certainly show kindness to you because of Jonathan, your father. I will return to you all the land of your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat bread at my table.”

8 He bowed down and said, “What is your servant that you have paid attention to a dead dog like me?”

9 The king called Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “Everything that belonged to Saul and to his entire house I am giving to your master’s son. 10 You are to work the soil for him, you and your sons and your servants. You are to bring in the crops, so your master’s son will have food to eat. Mephibosheth, your master’s son, will always eat bread at my table.”

(Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

11 Ziba said to the king, “Everything that my lord the king commands his servant, your servant will do.”

So Mephibosheth began eating at the king’s table [11] like one of the king’s sons.

12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. Everyone living in Ziba’s house became servants of Mephibosheth. 13 So Mephibosheth took up residence in Jerusalem because he was always to eat at the table of the king. He was crippled in both his feet.

Footnotes1. 2 Samuel 8:1 This name, which may mean bridle of the mother city, seems to be a name for Gath. See 1 Chronicles 18:1. 2. 2 Samuel 8:3 Literally his hand. The Hebrew word for hand can also mean monument. 3. 2 Samuel 8:4 In 1 Chronicles 18:4 different statistics are reported. 4. 2 Samuel 8:6 The land of Aram and the Aramean kingdoms occupied the territory of present-day Syria. 5. 2 Samuel 8:8 The parallel in 1 Chronicles 18:8 has different names for these cities. 6. 2 Samuel 8:9 Also called Tou in 1 Chronicles 18 7. 2 Samuel 8:10 Also called Hadoram in 1 Chronicles 18:10 8. 2 Samuel 8:13 The translation Edomites follows the reading of a few Hebrew manuscripts and some ancient versions. Most Hebrew manuscripts have the reading Arameans. In Hebrew script Edom and Aram look almost alike. The parallel text in 1 Chronicles 18:12 also identifies these enemies as Edomites. 9. 2 Samuel 8:16 This official also served as a spokesman and chief of protocol. Like the secretary, he was the equivalent of a cabinet-level official. 10. 2 Samuel 8:18 The Hebrew word cohen usually means priest, that is, a spiritual minister. David’s sons could not legitimately serve as priests since they were not Levites, so the term ministers here must be used in the European sense, to refer to ministers of state. In 1 Chronicles 18:17 these officials are called chief advisors at the side of the king. 11. 2 Samuel 9:11 The ancient versions read the king’s table. This reading makes this a narrative sentence outside the quotation marks. The Hebrew text reads my table, but Mephibosheth would not be eating at Ziba’s table. If the reading my table is adopted, verse 11b must be spoken by David. David said, “Mephibosheth will eat at my table as one of the king’s sons.”

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 272 Samuel 7LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 27

2 Samuel 7 (EHV)
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The Lord’s Messianic Covenant With David1 It happened that when the king was living in his palace, and when the Lord had given him rest from his enemies all around, 2 the king said to Nathan the prophet, “Look, I live in a house of cedar, but the Ark of God sits under tent curtains.”

3 Nathan said to the king, “Go and do everything that is in your heart, because the Lord is with you.”

4 But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan. He said, 5 “Go and tell my servant David all these things.”

The CovenantThis is what the Lord says. Are you the one to build a house for me to live in? 6 I have not lived in a house from the day I brought the people of Israel up from Egypt until today. I have been moving around in the Tent and the Dwelling. 7 I have traveled everywhere with all the people of Israel. Did I ever speak a word to any of the judges [1] of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people, or ask them, “Why have you not built a house of cedar for me?”

8 You are also to say the following to my servant David.

This is what the Lord of Armies says. I took you from the pasture, from following sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel. 9 I have been with you wherever you went. I have cut off all your enemies from before you. I will make your reputation great, like that of the great ones on the earth. 10 I will set up a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them there. They will dwell there, and they will not be disturbed again. Violent men will not afflict them again as they did at the beginning 11 and ever since the day I appointed judges over my people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies.

The Lord also declares to you that the Lord himself will make a house for you. 12 When your days are complete and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up after you your seed, [2] who will come from your own body. I will establish his kingdom. 13 He will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he sins, I will discipline him with a rod used by men and with blows of the sons of men. 15 My faithful mercy will not depart from him as I removed it from Saul, whom I removed to make room for you. 16 Your house will stand firm, and your kingdom will endure forever before you. [3] Your throne will be established forever.

17 Nathan told David all the words that had been revealed in this vision.

David’s Response to the Covenant18 Then King David went and sat before the Lord and said:

Who am I, Lord God? And what is my house that you have brought me to this point? 19 Yet this was a small thing in your eyes, Lord God. You have also spoken about the house of your servant for a long time into the future. Is this the law for the man, Lord God? [4]

20 What more can David say to you? You know your servant, Lord God. 21 Because of your word and according to the plan of your heart, you have carried out this great thing in order to make your servant aware of it. 22 Therefore, you are great, Lord God, because there is none like you. There is no God except you, in keeping with everything we have heard with our ears.

23 Who is like your people Israel, the one people on earth whom God went out to redeem for himself, to make them his people and to make a name for himself? You yourself did great and awe-inspiring things for your land in the presence of your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, in the presence of the nations and their gods. [5] 24 You established your people Israel for yourself to be your people forever. You, Lord, became their God.

25 Now, Lord God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken. 26 Your name will be great forever. People will say, “The Lord of Armies is God over Israel.” The house of your servant David will be established before you.

27 You, Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, have whispered into the ear [6] of your servant, saying, “I will build a house for you.” Therefore, your servant has found the heart to pray to you this prayer. 28 Now, Lord God, you are God. Your words are truth. You have promised this good thing to your servant. 29 Now, therefore, please bless the house of your servant, so that it will endure forever in your presence. For you, Lord God, have spoken. With your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.

Footnotes1. 2 Samuel 7:7 The translation follows the parallel reading in 1 Chronicles 17:6. Here the Hebrew reads tribes. In Hebrew script the words for tribes and judges look almost identical. 2. 2 Samuel 7:12 Or your offspring or your descendent. The literal term seed is retained to point out the continuity of the messianic promises from Eve, through Abraham, David, and the kings of Judah, until they reach their fulfillment in Christ, the Seed of the Woman. To agree with the singular noun seed, the pronouns are singular throughout (he not they). 3. 2 Samuel 7:16 The reading before you is the reading of the main Hebrew text. A few Hebrew manuscripts and the Greek Old Testament read before me. 4. 2 Samuel 7:19 Literally this law of the man, Adonai Yahweh. This statement is cryptic, and the meaning is much debated. Most translations take it to mean something like Is this your usual way of dealing with mankind, Lord God? Martin Luther understood it to be a direct reference to Christ: This is the way of the Man (adam), who is the Lord God. Compare 1 Chronicles 17:17. 5. 2 Samuel 7:23 The word order and agreement of the nouns in this verse is unusual and requires some rearranging in English. 6. 2 Samuel 7:27 Or revealed into the ear. Literally you have uncovered the ear.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 262 Samuel 5:17 – 6:23LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 26

2 Samuel 5:17 – 6:23 (EHV)
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2 Samuel 5David Defeats the Philistines17 The Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel. So all the Philistines went up to search for David. David, however, heard about it and went down to the stronghold. 18 The Philistines came and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. 19 David asked the Lord, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?”

The Lord said to David, “Go up, because I will certainly deliver the Philistines into your hand.”

20 So David went to Baal Perazim and defeated them there. He said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like a wall of water.” That is why he named that place Baal Perazim. [1] 21 The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.

22 The Philistines came up again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. 23 David inquired of the Lord, who said, “Do not go directly at them. Go around to their rear. Come upon them opposite the balsam trees. [2] 24 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then get ready, because then the Lord has gone out in front of you to strike the army of the Philistines.” 25 So David did as the Lord commanded him. He struck the Philistines from Gibeon [3] all the way to Gezer.

David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem2 Samuel 61 David once again gathered all of the thirty thousand specially chosen men of Israel. 2 Then David and all the people who were with him set out and went to Baale Judah [4] to bring up the Ark of God, who is called by the name “The Lord of Armies, who sits above the cherubim.”

3 They transported the Ark of God on a new cart. They brought it out from Abinadab’s house, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart 4 ⎣⎦ [5] with the Ark of God on it. Ahio was walking in front of the ark.

5 David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord with all kinds of instruments, castanets, [6] lyres, harps, hand drums, rattles, [7] and cymbals.

6 But when they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out for the Ark of God and grabbed it because the oxen stumbled. 7 The anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his irreverence. So he died there beside the Ark of God.

8 David was angry because the Lord had burst out so violently against Uzzah, and he called that place Perez Uzzah, [8] as it is called to this day. 9 David was afraid of the Lord on that day. He said, “How can the Ark of the Lord come to me?” 10 David was not willing to move the Ark of the Lord to himself in the City of David.

So David diverted the ark to the house of Obed Edom the Gittite. 11 The Ark of the Lord remained at the house of Obed Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed Edom and his whole household. 12 David was told, “Because of the Ark of God, the Lord has blessed the house of Obed Edom and all that belongs to him.” [9]

With rejoicing, David went and brought up the Ark of God from the house of Obed Edom to the City of David. 13 When those carrying the Ark of the Lord had gone six paces, David sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf. 14 David danced with all his might before the Lord. He was wearing a linen vest. [10] 15 David and the entire house of Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of a ram’s horn.

16 When the Ark of the Lord arrived at the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked out the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart.

17 They brought the Ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord. 18 When David finished presenting the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Armies. 19 He distributed one loaf of bread, one cake of dates, [11] and one cake of raisins to all the people, to the whole crowd from Israel, to men and women, to each and every person. Then all the people left. All of them went to their own houses, 20 and David returned to bless his house.

Michal, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet David. She said, “How the king of Israel has brought honor to himself today by exposing himself in the sight of his female servants, just as a vulgar person exposes himself!”

21 David said to Michal, “I did this before the Lord, who chose me above your father and all his house, when he appointed me leader over the people of the Lord, over Israel. I will rejoice before the Lord, 22 and I will make myself even more lowly than this. I will be humble in my own eyes, but among the servant girls you have spoken about, among them I will be honored.”

23 Michal, the daughter of Saul, had no child to the day of her death.

Footnotes1. 2 Samuel 5:20 Baal Perazim means lord of breakthroughs. 2. 2 Samuel 5:23 The identification of the trees is uncertain. Other suggestions are mulberry trees, aspens, or mastic trees. 3. 2 Samuel 5:25 The reading Gibeon is supported by the Greek Old Testament, by the parallel text in 1 Chronicles 14:16, and by the geography of the campaign. The reading of the Hebrew text is Geba. 4. 2 Samuel 6:2 Also called Baalah Judah. It is another name for Kiriath Jearim. 5. 2 Samuel 6:4 At the point marked by half-brackets, the main Hebrew text has additional words: 4 They brought it with the Ark of God out of Abinadab’s house, which was on the hill. These words seem to be an accidental duplication from verse 3. Some Hebrew and Greek manuscripts do not include these words. 6. 2 Samuel 6:5 Literally woods of fir trees. Such instruments are not mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament. 7. 2 Samuel 6:5 Or sistrums. A sistrum is a loop with metal rattlers on it. It is played like a tambourine. 8. 2 Samuel 6:8 Perez Uzzah means outburst against Uzzah. 9. 2 Samuel 6:12 Some manuscripts of the ancient versions add a sentence here: And David said, “I will bring back the blessing to my house.” 10. 2 Samuel 6:14 Hebrew ephod. The ephod was usually a vest-like garment for priests. 11. 2 Samuel 6:19 The meaning of the term is uncertain.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 252 Samuel 4:1 – 5:16LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 25

2 Samuel 4:1 – 5:16 (EHV)
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The Death of Ishbosheth2 Samuel 41 When Saul’s son heard that Abner had died at Hebron, he lost his courage, and all Israel panicked.

2 Saul’s son had two men who were commanders of raiding bands. One was named Ba’anah; [1] the second was Rekab. They were Benjaminites, sons of Rimmon from Be’eroth. (Be’eroth is considered part of Benjamin. 3 The Be’erothites fled to Gittaim. They have lived there as aliens until the present time.)

4 Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son with crippled feet. This son had been five years old when the report had come from Jezre’el about Saul and Jonathan. His caregiver picked him up and fled. While she was hurrying to escape, he fell and became crippled. His name was Mephibosheth. [2]

5 Ba’anah and Rekab, the sons of Rimmon from Be’eroth, went out during the heat of the day and came to the house of Ishbosheth while he was lying down for his midday rest. 6 ⎣The doorkeeper of the house had been cleaning wheat, but she had grown drowsy and fallen asleep. So Rekab and his brother Ba’anah slipped in.⎦ [3] They came into the inner part of the house as if they were coming to get wheat. They stabbed Ishbosheth in the stomach. Then Rekab and his brother Ba’anah escaped. 7 They had gone into the house while Ishbosheth was lying on his bed in the room where he rested. They struck him, killed him, and cut off his head. Taking his head with them, they traveled on the Arabah Road all night.

8 They brought the head of Ishbosheth to David at Hebron, and they said to the king, “Look! Here is the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy who sought your life. This day the Lord has given my lord the king vengeance on Saul and his offspring.”

9 David answered Rekab and his brother Ba’anah, the sons of Rimmon from Be’eroth, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from every evil, 10 the man who told me, ‘Look! Saul is dead,’ thought that he was bringing good news, but I seized him and killed him at Ziklag. That is what I gave him for his ‘good news.’ 11 So now that wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his own bed, will I not require his blood from your hand! I will wipe you off the face of the earth.” 12 Then David gave the orders to his young men, and they killed them, cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them beside the pool at Hebron. They took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner in Hebron.

David Becomes King of All Israel2 Samuel 51 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron. They said, “Look, we are your flesh and blood. [4] 2 Day after day, even when Saul was king, you were the one leading Israel out to battle and back again. And you are the one to whom the Lord said, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel. You will become leader over Israel.’”

3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron in the presence of the Lord. They anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he became king, and he ruled as king for forty years. 5 He was king over Judah at Hebron for seven years and six months. For thirty-three years he was king over all Israel and Judah at Jerusalem.

The Capture of Jerusalem6 The king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, who were living in the land. The Jebusites said to David, “You will not get in here, because you could be kept out even by the blind and lame, who say, ‘David will not come in here.’” 7 Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Zion, which became the City of David.

8 David said on that day, “Anyone who attacks the Jebusites must go up through the water shaft [5] to get at those lame and blind enemies of David.” Therefore the saying came about, “The blind and the lame will not come into the house.”

9 David lived in the stronghold and called it the City of David. David built up all sides of the stronghold from the Millo [6] inward. 10 David kept getting greater and greater, because the Lord, the God of Armies, was with him.

Events of David’s Reign11 Hiram king of Tyre sent representatives to David with cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. 12 David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had lifted up his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

13 David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem after he had come from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David. 14 These are the names of those born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

Footnotes1. 2 Samuel 4:2 The stop mark ′ is inserted into some Hebrew names as a pronunciation guide. The double vowel should not be read as one syllable, Bay-nah, but as two syllables, Bay-a-nah. 2. 2 Samuel 4:4 His name was originally Meribbaal or Memphibaal, but the books of Samuel substitute –bosheth, which means shame, for –baal in personal names. See 1 Chronicles 8:33-34. 3. 2 Samuel 4:6 The sentence in half-brackets is not included in the Hebrew text but appears in the Greek Old Testament. 4. 2 Samuel 5:1 Literally your bone and flesh 5. 2 Samuel 5:8 The meaning of this term is uncertain. 6. 2 Samuel 5:9 Millo appears to be derived from the Hebrew word for fill. It probably refers to the stone rampart that supported the palace area.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 242 Samuel 2 – 3LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 24

2 Samuel 2 – 3 (EHV)
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David Reigns in Hebron2 Samuel 21 After this, David asked the Lord, “Should I go up into one of the cities of Judah?”

The Lord said to him, “Go up.”

David said, “Where shall I go up?”

The Lord said, “To Hebron.”

2 So David went there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezre’el and Abigail of Carmel, who was Nabal’s widow. 3 David also brought along the men who were with him, each man together with his household, and they settled in the towns around Hebron.

4 The men of Judah came there and anointed David to be king over the house of Judah.

David was told, “The men of Jabesh Gilead are the ones who buried Saul.” 5 So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead and said to them, “You are blessed by the Lord because you performed this act of mercy and faithfulness for your master Saul by burying him. 6 Now may the Lord deal with you with mercy and faithfulness. I also will treat you well because you have done this. 7 Now let your hands be strong and courageous, for your master Saul is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me to be king over them.”

8 However, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ishbosheth, [1] the son of Saul, to Mahanaim 9 and made him king over Gilead, Ashuri, [2] and Jezre’el, and over Ephraim, Benjamin, and all Israel. 10 Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned for two years.

But the house of Judah followed David. 11 David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah for seven years and six months.

12 Abner son of Ner and the followers of Ishbosheth son of Saul went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13 Joab son of Zeruiah and the followers of David went out and confronted them at the pool [3] of Gibeon. They took up positions on the opposite sides of the pool.

14 Abner said to Joab, “The young men should get up and compete in front of us.”

Joab said, “Yes, let them do so.”

15 So twelve representatives for Benjamin and Ishbosheth son of Saul got up and crossed over to confront twelve representatives for David. 16 Each one grabbed his opponent’s head and thrust his sword into his side. Together, they all fell. So that place, which is near Gibeon, was called Helkath Hatsurim. [4] 17 A fierce battle took place that day. Abner and the men of Israel were beaten by the followers of David.

18 Three sons of Zeruiah were there, namely, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was a fast runner, like one of the gazelles out in the fields. 19 Asahel pursued Abner and did not turn aside to the right or to the left from his pursuit.

20 Abner looked behind him and said, “Is that you, Asahel?”

He said, “Yes, it is.”

21 Abner said to him, “Turn to your right hand or to your left and capture one of the young men for yourself and strip off his equipment for yourself.” But Asahel would not turn aside.

22 So Abner warned him again, “Turn aside. Stop following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How could I face Joab your brother?” 23 But Asahel refused to turn aside, so Abner struck him in the stomach with the pointed butt of his spear. The spear came out his back, and he fell down and died right there. Everyone stopped and just stood there when they came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.

24 But Joab and Abishai keep pursuing Abner. The sun was going down when they came to the hill of Ammah in front of Giah, on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon. 25 The Benjaminites rallied together behind Abner, joined in one formation, and took their stand on the top of one hill.

26 Abner called to Joab, “Will the sword continue to devour? Do you not know that it will be bitter when all this is over? How long will you delay telling the people to stop pursuing their brothers?”

27 Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely it would have been morning before the people would have given up pursuing their brothers.” 28 So Joab blew the ram’s horn, and all the people stopped pursuing Israel. They did not continue to fight.

29 Abner and his men traveled through the Arabah all that night. They crossed the Jordan, marched through the entire region of Bithron, [5] and came to Mahanaim.

30 Joab returned from pursuing Abner and gathered together all his troops. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David’s men were missing. 31 The followers of David had struck dead three hundred sixty of Abner’s men from the tribe of Benjamin. 32 The men of Judah picked up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father at Bethlehem.

Joab and his men marched all night and arrived at Hebron as it was becoming light.

2 Samuel 31 The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David kept getting stronger, and the house of Saul kept getting weaker.

David’s Sons2 Sons were born to David at Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, who was born to Ahinoam from Jezre’el. 3 His second was Kileab, who was born to Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel. The third was Absalom, who was the son of Ma’akah, the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur. 4 The fourth was Adonijah, the son of Haggith. The fifth was Shephatiah, the son of Abital. 5 The sixth, Ithream, was born to David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.

Abner and Ishbosheth6 While the war was going on between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner kept gaining power within the house of Saul.

7 Saul had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone to the concubine of my father?”

8 Abner became very angry because of the words of Ishbosheth and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah? To this day I have acted with loyalty toward the house of your father Saul, to his relatives, and to his friends. In addition, I have not handed you over to David, but today you make accusations against me concerning this woman! 9 May God punish me severely and double it, [6] if I do not do for David what the Lord has sworn about him 10 by transferring the kingdom from the house of Saul and establishing the throne of David over both Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.” 11 Ishbosheth was not able to say anything to Abner anymore because he was afraid of him.

Abner and David12 Abner sent messengers on his behalf to David. They said, “Whose land is it? Make a covenant with me. Look, my hand is with you to turn the allegiance of all Israel to you.”

13 David said, “Good. I will make a covenant with you, but I require one thing from you. You will not see my face unless you bring to me Michal, the daughter of Saul, when you come.”

14 David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son. They delivered this demand: “Give me my wife Michal, whom I obtained as my wife with a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”

15 Ishbosheth sent and took her away from her husband, Paltiel son of Laish. 16 Her husband accompanied her to Bahurim, weeping all the way, but Abner told him, “Go back,” so he went home.

17 Abner also delivered the following message to the elders of Israel: “Day after day you have been seeking to have David as king over you. 18 Now do it, because the Lord said to David, ‘By the hand of my servant David I will rescue [7] my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.’”

19 Abner also spoke to the tribe of Benjamin. Then he spoke to David in Hebron about everything that Israel and all the house of Benjamin had approved.

20 Abner and twenty men along with him came to David at Hebron, and David held a feast for Abner and his men. 21 Abner said to David, “I will go and gather all Israel to my lord the king. They will make a covenant with you. You will rule over all that your heart desires.” David sent Abner away in peace.

Abner and Joab22 Just then the soldiers of David and Joab came back from a raid. They brought a large amount of plunder with them. Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, because David had sent him away in peace. 23 When Joab and all the army with him arrived, Joab was informed that Abner son of Ner had come to the king and that David had sent him away in peace.

24 So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Abner came to you. Why have you sent him away? You let him get away! 25 You know that Abner son of Ner came to deceive you and to learn about your comings and goings and everything that you are doing.”

26 Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner. They brought him back from the cistern at Sirah without David’s knowledge. 27 So Abner returned to Hebron, and Joab took him aside into the gatehouse to speak with him. There he stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner was killed because of the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.

28 Afterward David heard about it and said, “I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord forever concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner. 29 May his blood splash down on the head of Joab and on the entire house of his father. May the house of Joab never lack a man who has an oozing sore, who is a leper, who holds a spindle, [8] who falls by the sword, or who has no bread.”

30 Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because he had caused the death of their brother Asahel during the battle at Gibeon.

31 David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothing. Put on sackcloth and mourn for Abner.” King David walked behind the stretcher [9] that was carrying his body. 32 They buried Abner at Hebron, and the king wept loudly at the grave of Abner. All the people also wept. 33 The king lamented over Abner, “Should Abner have died as a fool dies? 34 Your hands were not tied up, and your feet were not bound with iron shackles. You have fallen as one falls before the wicked.” All the people continued to weep over him.

35 All the people came to try to persuade David to eat on that day, but David swore, “May God punish me severely and double it, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun goes down.”

36 All the people took notice and approved of this, as they approved of everything that the king did. 37 All the people, all Israel, knew on that day that it was not the king’s idea to kill Abner son of Ner. 38 The king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a great commander has fallen this day in Israel? 39 Today I am weak, even though I am the anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too hard for me. I pray that the Lord will pay back the evildoer in proportion to his wickedness.”

Footnotes1. 2 Samuel 2:8 Ishbosheth means man of shame. There is evidence (1 Chronicles 8:33-34) that his name originally was Ishbaal, man of Baal or man of the lord. In 2 Samuel bosheth, which means shame, is sometimes substituted for baal in personal names. 2. 2 Samuel 2:9 Ashuri is the reading of the Hebrew. Ashuri is not the name of a known place. Perhaps this is a reference to the tribe of Asher. The Syriac and Latin read Geshur, a reading that makes geographic sense. 3. 2 Samuel 2:13 Or reservoir 4. 2 Samuel 2:16 The meaning of this name is uncertain. It may mean Place of Sides or Place of Opponents or Field of Blades. 5. 2 Samuel 2:29 The meaning of the Hebrew word bithron is uncertain. It may refer to a geographic region, or it may mean all morning long. 6. 2 Samuel 3:9 Literally may God do this to Abner and even more 7. 2 Samuel 3:18 The translation follows the ancient versions. The Hebrew reads he will rescue. 8. 2 Samuel 3:29 That is, one who does spinning, which was typically women’s work 9. 2 Samuel 3:31 Or bier

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 232 Samuel 1LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 23

2 Samuel 1 (EHV)
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1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, he stayed at Ziklag for two days. 2 Then, on the third day, a man arrived from Saul’s camp. His clothing was torn, and there was dirt on his head. When he approached David, he fell to the ground and bowed down to him.

3 David said to him, “Where are you coming from?”

He answered, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.”

4 David said to him, “What was the outcome? Tell me!”

The man said, “The people fled from the battle. Many of the people were struck down and died. Even Saul and his son Jonathan have died.”

5 David said to the young man who was talking to him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

6 The young man who was talking to him said, “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa. There I saw Saul, leaning on his spear. The chariots and charioteers [1] were closing in on him. 7 When Saul looked behind him, he saw me and called to me and I answered, ‘I am here.’

8 “He said to me, ‘Who are you?’

“I said to him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’

9 “Saul said to me, ‘Please stand beside me and put me to death. I am losing consciousness, but I am still alive.’ [2] 10 So I stood beside him and ended his life, because I knew that he could not live after being so severely wounded. I took the crown on his head and the armlet on his arm, and I brought them here to my lord.”

11 David and all the men with him grabbed their clothing and tore it. 12 Until evening they mourned, wept, and fasted for Saul, for his son Jonathan, for the people of the Lord, and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

13 David asked the young man who had told him about Saul, “Where are you from?”

He said, “I am an Amalekite, who lives here as an alien.”

14 David asked him, “Why were you not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?”

15 David called to one of the young men, “Come here. Kill him!” He struck him down, and he died.

16 David said to him, “Your blood will be on your own head, because your own mouth testified against you when you said, ‘I have killed the Lord’s anointed.’”

David’s Lament17 David mourned with this funeral song about Saul and his son Jonathan. 18 He gave orders to teach the men of Judah this song, which was named “The Bow,” so it was recorded in the Book of Jashar. [3]

19 The splendor of Israel has been slain upon your high places.
How the mighty warriors have fallen!
20 You must not tell about it in Gath.
You must not publish it in the streets of Ashkelon.
If you do, the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice.
The daughters of the uncircumcised will celebrate.

21 You mountains of Gilboa, may no dew or rain fall on you.
May your fields produce no special offerings. [4]
For there the shield of the mighty was desecrated.
The shield of Saul was not anointed with oil.

22 From the blood of the slain,
from the fat [5] of the mighty warriors,
the bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
and the sword of Saul never returned empty.

23 Saul and Jonathan were the most loved and admired during their lives,
and in their deaths they were not separated.
They were swifter than eagles.
They were stronger than lions.
24 Daughters of Israel, weep over Saul.
He clothed you in scarlet and luxury.
He provided gold ornaments for your clothing.

25 How the mighty warriors have fallen in the midst of battle!
Jonathan lies slain on your high places!
26 I grieve over you, my brother Jonathan!
You were very dear to me.
Your love was more wonderful to me than the love of women.
27 How the mighty warriors have fallen!
The weapons of war have perished!

Footnotes1. 2 Samuel 1:6 Many translate this word horsemen, but since there is no evidence that cavalry was used in battle at this time, the term likely refers to the occupants of the chariots. 2. 2 Samuel 1:9 The meaning of the word translated losing consciousness is uncertain. 3. 2 Samuel 1:18 Or the Book of the Upright 4. 2 Samuel 1:21 The whole line reads fields of special offerings. 5. 2 Samuel 1:22 Fat is sometimes a term for strength in Hebrew. The combination of blood and fat may picture the fallen warriors as sacrifices.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 22Psalms 51LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 22

Psalms 51 (EHV)
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Psalm 51Cleanse Me From My SinHeadingFor the choir director. A psalm by David.When Nathan the prophet came to him after he had gone to Bathsheba. [1]David’s Plea for Forgiveness1 Be gracious to me, God,
according to your mercy.
Erase my acts of rebellion
according to the greatness of your compassion.
2 Scrub me clean from my guilt.
Purify me from my sin.

David’s Confession3 For I admit my rebellious acts.
My sin is always in front of me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned,
and I have done this evil in your eyes.
So you are justified when you sentence me.
You are blameless when you judge.
5 Certainly, I was guilty when I was born.
I was sinful when my mother conceived me.

David’s Need for Renewal6 Since you desire truth on the inside,
in my hidden heart you teach me wisdom.

7 Remove my sin with hyssop, and I will be clean.
Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness.
Let the bones you have crushed celebrate.
9 Hide your face from my sins.
Erase all my guilty deeds.
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God.
Renew an unwavering spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence.
Do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation.
Sustain me with a willing spirit.

David’s Pledge of Renewed Service13 I will teach rebels your ways,
and sinners will turn to you.
14 Deliver me from bloodshed, O God,
the God who saves me.
My tongue will shout for joy about your righteousness.
15 Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 For you do not delight in sacrifice,
or I would give it.
You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 The sacrifices God wants are a broken spirit.
A broken and crushed heart, O God, you will not despise.

David’s Prayer for the People18 As it pleases you, do good for Zion.
Build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will be pleased with righteous sacrifices,
burnt offerings and whole offerings.
Then bulls will be offered up on your altar.

Footnotes1. Psalm 51:1 See 2 Samuel 11 and 12.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 21Psalms 50LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 21

Psalms 50 (EHV)
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Psalm 50The Folly of Formalistic WorshipHeadingA psalm by Asaph. [1]

The Summons1 God, God the Lord, has spoken.
He calls to the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 From Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shined.
3 Our God comes and he will not be silent.
Fire devours in front of him.
Around him a storm rages.
4 He calls to the heavens above and to the earth
to judge his people.
5 “Gather to me my favored ones,
who make a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
6 So the heavens proclaim his righteousness,
because God himself is judge. Interlude

The Lord’s Charges Against Them7 Listen, my people, and let me speak, O Israel.
Then I will testify against you:
I am God, your God.

Hypocritical Sacrifices Are Useless8 It is not because of your sacrifices that I rebuke you
or because of your burnt offerings that are always in front of me.
9 I do not need to take a bull from your barn
or goats from your pens,
10 because every animal in the forest is mine,
the cattle on a thousand mountains.
11 I know every bird in the mountains,
and everything that moves in the field is with me.
12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
because the world is mine, and all that fills it.
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls,
or do I drink the blood of goats?

Sincere Sacrifices Bring Blessing14 Sacrifice a thank offering to God,
and fulfill your vows to the Most High.
15 Call on me in the day of distress.
I will deliver you, and you will honor me.

Treacherous Deeds Bring Destruction16 But to the wicked, God says:
What right do you have to recite my statutes
or to take up my covenant with your mouth?
17 As for you—you hate discipline,
and you throw my words behind your back.
18 If you see a thief, you approve of him,
and you cast your lot with adulterers.
19 You devote your mouth to evil,
and your tongue weaves deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother.
You slander your own mother’s son.

The Verdict21 These things you have done, and I kept silent.
You thought I was just like you.
I will indict you and accuse you to your face.
22 Now consider this, you who forget God,
or I will tear you to pieces,
and there will be no one to rescue you.

The Way to Escape23 The one who sacrifices a thank offering honors me,
and he sets up the way by which I will show him the salvation of God.

Footnotes1. Psalm 50:1 Asaph, a leading musician, was a contemporary of David.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 20Psalms 49LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 20

Psalms 49 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0820db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 49The Fool Trusts in RichesHeadingFor the choir director. By the Sons of Korah. A psalm.Introduction1 Hear this, all you peoples.
Pay attention, all you inhabitants of this world,
2 all you children of Adam, all mankind,
rich and poor alike.
3 My mouth will speak wisdom.
The meditation of my heart will give understanding.
4 I will listen carefully to wise teaching.
With a lyre I will explain deep truths.

The Limitations of Riches5 Why should I fear days of trouble,
days when the wickedness of my pursuers surrounds me? [1]
6 They trust in their wealth.
They place their confidence in the abundance of their riches.
7 But no one can by any means redeem himself. [2]
He cannot give God a ransom for himself—
8 (Yes, the ransom for their souls is costly.
Any payment would fall short.) [3]
9 —so that he could live on forever and not see the pit.
10 Yes, we can see that wise men die.
The fool and the senseless alike perish,
and they leave their wealth to others.
11 They think their houses will remain forever,
their dwellings for generation after generation [4]
because they named lands after themselves.
12 But man, though he has riches, does not even spend a night here.
He is like the animals that perish.
13 This way of theirs is foolishness,
but their followers approve of what they say. Interlude
14 They are like a flock destined for the grave.
Death will be their shepherd.
The upright will rule over them in the morning.
Their bodies will be consumed by the grave,
far from their mansions. [5]

The Limitless Power of God15 But surely God will redeem my life from the power of the grave.
Yes, he will take me to himself. Interlude

Review and Conclusion16 Do not be afraid when a man grows rich,
when the glory of his house increases,
17 because when he dies, he cannot take anything along.
His glory will not go down with him.
18 Throughout his life he congratulates himself:
“People praise you because you have done so well for yourself.”
19 He will go to the gathering place of his fathers.
They will never see the light!
20 A man who has riches but does not understand
is like the animals that perish.

Footnotes1. Psalm 49:5 The line is unclear. The Hebrew reads the wickedness of my heels surrounds me. 2. Psalm 49:7 The translation follows a few Hebrew manuscripts. Many Hebrew manuscripts read he cannot redeem a brother. 3. Psalm 49:8 The line is cryptic: it/he ceases forever. This may mean that no payment is ever enough or that at death the man’s earthly life ends forever. 4. Psalm 49:11 The translation follows the Hebrew. Ancient versions read their tombs will remain their houses forever. 5. Psalm 49:14 The Hebrew of this line reads their form for consuming of Sheol, from a lofty residence to him. The meaning is unclear.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 14Job 40:6 – 42:6LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 14

Job 40:6 – 42:6 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0814db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Job 406 Then the Lord answered Job from the violent storm. He said:

7 Get ready for action like a man!
Then I will ask you questions,
and you will inform me.

8 Will you really deny that I am just?
Will you convict me, so that you can be acquitted?
9 Do you have an arm like God’s arm?
Does your voice thunder like his?
10 Go ahead, please. Adorn yourself with dignity and honor.
Clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.
11 Pour out your overflowing anger.
Look at every proud man and bring him low.
12 Look at every proud man and humble him.
Trample the wicked where they stand.
13 Bury them all together in the dust.
Cover their faces in the hidden place.
14 Then I will praise you
and admit that your right hand can save you.

Behemoth15 Take a look at Behemoth, [1]
which I made just as I made you.
He eats grass like cattle.
16 Would you look at the power of his hips
and the strength of the muscles of his belly!
17 He stiffens his tail [2] like a cedar.
The tendons of his thighs [3] are tight.
18 His bones are tubes of bronze.
His skeleton is like bars of iron.
19 He stands at the head of God’s creatures,
but his Maker draws near with his sword. [4]
20 Yes, the mountains carry their floodwaters [5] to him.
All the wild animals play there.
21 He lies under the lotus plants,
hidden among the reeds in the marsh.
22 The lotus plants cover him with their shadows.
Poplars by the stream surround him.
23 The river rages, but he is not frightened.
He remains calm even if the Jordan bursts into his mouth.
24 Can people capture him by his eyes?
Can they pierce his nose with a hook?

LeviathanJob 411 Can you pull out Leviathan [6] with a fishhook? [7]
Can you tie down his tongue with a rope?

2 Can you put a reed in his nose
or pierce his jaw with a hook?
3 Will he keep asking for your favor
or speak tender words to you?
4 Will he sign a contract with you
so that you keep him as your servant forever?
5 Can you play with him like a bird?
Can you put him on a leash for your girls?
6 Do the merchants barter for Leviathan’s meat?
Do they divide it up with the other tradesmen?
7 Can you fill his hide with harpoons
and his head with fishing spears?
8 If you lay your hand on him,
you will never forget the battle and won’t do it again.
9 Listen! Any hope you have of overcoming him is unfounded.
Wouldn’t you be knocked down by the mere sight of him?
10 No one is fierce enough to risk stirring him up. [8]

Who then can stand before me?
11 Who can confront me and demand that I repay him?
Everything under the whole sky belongs to me.

12 I will tell about the parts of his body.
I will describe his power and his beautiful design.
13 Who can strip off his outer covering?
Who can touch his double layer of armor?
14 Who dares to open the doors to his mouth,
which is surrounded with terrifying teeth?
15 His back [9] is like rows of shields,
which are tightly joined together.
16 They are so close together not even a breath of air
can pass between them.
17 They are fastened to each other,
so they stick together and cannot be separated.
18 His snorts are flashes of light.
His eyes are like the eyelids of dawn.
19 Blazing torches come out of his mouth.
Sparks of fire shoot out.
20 Smoke pours out from his nostrils
like a pot boiling over a reed fire.
21 His breath sets coals on fire,
and flames come out of his mouth.
22 Strength dwells in his neck.
Despair dances ahead of him.
23 The folds of his flesh are compact,
solid and immovable.
24 His heart is as hard as rock,
as hard as a lower millstone.
25 When he rises up, the mighty are afraid.
When he thrashes around, they retreat.
26 If someone strikes him with a sword, it has no effect.
Neither do spears, arrows, or javelins.
27 To him iron is like straw;
bronze is like rotten wood.
28 Arrows do not make him flee.
To him sling stones are like chaff;
29 clubs are like stubble.
He laughs at the shaking of a javelin.
30 His underbelly is like sharp pieces of broken pottery.
It leaves marks in the mud like a threshing sledge.
31 He makes the depths boil like a cooking pot.
He makes the sea like a cauldron of ointment.
32 He leaves a shiny wake behind him.
The deep looks like a white-haired man.
33 There is nothing at all like him on earth,
a creature without fear.
34 He looks down on everything that is lofty.
He is king over every proud creature!

Job’s ConfessionJob 421 Job responded to the Lord. He said:

2 I know that you can do all things.
No purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 You asked, “Who is this who spreads darkness over my plans
with his ignorant words?”
I have made statements about things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.
4 You said, “Listen now and I will speak.
I will ask you questions, and you will inform me.”
5 My ear heard about you.
Now my eyes see you.
6 So I despise myself.
I repent in dust and ashes.

Footnotes1. Job 40:15 Or the Beast. This is a poetic description, which does not exactly match any known animal, though the hippopotamus has been suggested as the closest match. Other suggestions are the elephant or some form of dinosaur. 2. Job 40:17 Or penis. The Hebrew word zanav, which most often means tail, can be used as a euphemism for penis. 3. Job 40:17 Or testicles. The Targum, the Vulgate, Luther, and the King James Version all support the interpretation testicles. 4. Job 40:19 Or his Maker provided him with his sword 5. Job 40:20 Or food. The word occurs only here. The translation accepts the view that it is derived from a verb that means flow violently. Many translations accept a derivation from a verb that means produce. 6. Job 41:1 Or the Dragon. This is a poetic description that does not exactly match any animal, though the crocodile is the closest match. Another suggestion that has been made is some form of dinosaur. Dragon (Greek: drakon) is the translation of the Greek Old Testament. The term has satanic overtones. See Revelation 12. 7. Job 41:1 English 41:1-8 is equivalent to Hebrew 40:25-32. English 41:9 is Hebrew 41:1. 8. Job 41:10 Or He is fierce. No one stirs him up. 9. Job 41:15 The translation follows the ancient versions. The Hebrew reading is his pride.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 13Job 38:1 – 40:5LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 13

Job 38:1 – 40:5 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0813db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

The Lord’s Challenge to JobJob 381 Then the Lord responded to Job out of a violent storm. He said:

2 Who is this who spreads darkness over my plans
with his ignorant words?
3 Get ready for action [1] like a man!
Then I will ask you questions,
and you will inform me.

4 Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you understand anything about it.
5 Who determined its dimensions?
I am sure you know.
Who stretched out the surveying line over it?
6 What supports its foundation?
Who set its cornerstone in place,
7 when the morning stars sang loud songs together,
and all the sons of God shouted for joy? [2]
8 Who locked up the sea behind doors
when it burst out of the womb?
9 When I clothed the sea with clouds,
when I wrapped it with thick darkness as its swaddling cloths,
10 when I broke its power with my decree,
when I locked it up behind barred, double doors,
11 I said, “You may come this far, but no farther.
Here is the barrier for your proud waves.”

12 Have you ever in all your days given a command to the morning?
Have you ever set a time for the sun to rise,
13 so it may grab the earth by its edges
and shake the wicked out of it?
14 The earth’s shapes become visible like designs impressed on clay,
and its decorations can be seen like those on a garment.
15 Their light is withheld from the wicked,
and an uplifted arm is broken.

16 Have you ever traveled to the sources of the sea
or walked around in the dark depths of the ocean?

17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you?
Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death? [3]

18 Do you comprehend the vast expanses of the earth?
Tell me, if you know all this.

19 How can someone get to the dwelling of light?
Where is the place for darkness?
20 Could you lead it to its property?
Do you know the way to its house?
21 You must know that, since you were born before it,
and you have lived for so many days!

22 Have you visited the warehouses where the snow is kept?
Have you seen the warehouses [4] where the hail is stored?
23 I have reserved them for troubled times,
for days of battle and war.

24 What is the way to the place where the lightning divides, [5]
where the east wind is scattered over the earth?
25 Who has excavated a channel for the floodwaters
and a road for the rolling thunder?
26 They bring rain to lands where no one lives,
to a wilderness without a person in it.
27 The rain satisfies the wilderness and wasteland
and causes the dry ground to produce green plants.
28 Does the rain have a father?
Who is the father of the drops of dew?
29 Whose womb produces the ice?
Who gives birth to the heavy frost from the sky?
30 The water is disguised as stone,
and the surface of the deep is trapped under ice.

31 Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades,
or loosen the belt of Orion?
32 Can you lead out the constellations at the right season
and guide the Bear with her cubs? [6]
33 Do you know the laws that govern the skies?
Can you establish God’s rule on earth?
34 Can you raise your voice to the clouds,
so that a flood of water submerges you?
35 Can you unleash the lightning bolts,
so that they come and say to you, “Here we are”?

36 Who has placed wisdom in the human heart
and given understanding to the mind? [7]

37 Who has the wisdom to count the clouds
and to empty the water jars of the sky,
38 when the loose dust has been poured into molds to harden,
and the clods of dirt are cemented together?

39 Can you hunt prey for a lioness?
Can you satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
40 when they crouch in their dens,
or they lie in wait in the thicket?

41 Who prepares its provisions for the raven,
when its young are screaming to God,
while they thrash around in the nest waiting for food?

Job 391 Do you know the time when the antelope on the cliffs gives birth?
Do you keep watch over the doe as she is in labor?
2 Do you count how many months they carry their young?
Do you know when it is time for them to give birth?
3 They crouch down.
They give birth to their fawns.
Their labor pains are over.
4 Their young are lively and live in the open countryside.
They go out, and they do not return to them.
5 Who set the wild donkey free?
Who untied the restraints on the onager? [8]
6 I have given it the wasteland [9] as its home,
the salt flats as its dwelling place.
7 It brays at the commotion in a town.
It does not listen to the shouting of the driver.
8 It explores the mountains as its pasture,
while it searches for anything green.

9 Is a wild ox willing to serve you?
Will it spend the night at your manger?
10 Can you lead the wild ox down a furrow with a rope?
Will it work the fields in the valleys behind you?
11 Will you depend on it because it is so strong?
Will you rely on it to labor for you?
12 Will you trust it to return your seed grain
and to bring it to your threshing floor?

13 The wings of a screeching ostrich flap wildly,
but they do not have feathers and plumage like a stork’s.
14 She leaves her eggs on the ground.
She keeps them warm in the dust.
15 She forgets that a foot may crush them,
or a wild animal may trample them.
16 She is hard-hearted toward her children.
It is as if they were not hers.
It does not bother her if her labor is for nothing,
17 because God made her forget wisdom,
and he has not given her any understanding.
18 But as soon as she jumps up to run,
she laughs at the horse and the rider.

19 Did you give strength to the horse?
Did you clothe its neck with a flowing mane?
20 Did you give it the ability to jump like a locust?
Its snorting and neighing are frightening.
21 It paws at the ground in the valley. [10]
It rejoices in its strength.
It goes out to meet the weapons of war.
22 It laughs at danger and is not afraid.
It does not turn away from the sword.
23 A quiver rattles against it.
A spear and a javelin [11] flash.
24 Shaking with excitement, it swallows up ground.
It doesn’t just stand there when the ram’s horn sounds.
25 As often as the horn sounds, it neighs and snorts!
From a distance it smells the battle,
the thunder of the commanders and the war cries.

26 Did you teach the hawk how to soar,
as it spreads out its wings to the south?
27 Is it at your command that the eagle flies high
and makes its nest in a lofty place?
28 On a rocky cliff it settles down to spend the night,
on a pinnacle of rock in a mountain stronghold.
29 From there it spies its food.
Its eyes spot it far away.
30 Its young ones drink up the blood.
Wherever the carcasses are—there it is.

The Lord Confronts JobJob 401 The Lord responded to Job and said:

2 Will the one who makes charges against the Almighty
dare to correct him?
The one who accuses God should make his case!

3 Job answered the Lord and said:

4 No, I am insignificant. [12]
How could I reply to you?
I will put my hand over my mouth.
5 I spoke once, but I cannot defend it.
Twice, but I will not go any further.

Footnotes1. Job 38:3 Or hitch up your robes with a belt 2. Job 38:7 It is not certain whether the terms morning stars and sons of God refer to stars, angels, or both. 3. Job 38:17 The scribes of the Hebrew text consistently spell this word as shadow of death. Many recent translations alter the spelling to a very similar word that means deep darkness. The EHV in many cases retains the traditional reading. 4. Job 38:22 Or armories 5. Job 38:24 Or light is distributed 6. Job 38:32 The identification of these constellations is uncertain. 7. Job 38:36 The meanings of the words translated heart and mind are unknown. Some interpret them as names of birds, the ibis and rooster. Others interpret them as names of celestial phenomena, meteors or clouds. 8. Job 39:5 Onager is the name for several species of wild donkeys found in Asia. 9. Job 39:6 Hebrew arabah 10. Job 39:21 Or with great force 11. Job 39:23 Or scimitar 12. Job 40:4 Or not worthy

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 12Job 36 – 37LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 12

Job 36 – 37 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0812db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Job 361 Elihu kept talking and said:

2 Be patient with me a little longer.
I intend to inform you further,
since I have more to say on God’s behalf.
3 I will provide you with comprehensive knowledge,
and I will justify my Maker.
4 You can be sure that none of my words are false.
A man with complete knowledge is here with you.
5 Yes, God is mighty, but he does not despise people.
He is mighty and has great understanding. [1]
6 He does not keep a wicked man alive,
but he does give justice to the oppressed.
7 He does not turn his eyes away from the righteous.
He seats them on thrones with kings
and exalts them forever.
8 But if people are bound in chains,
and they are held captive by cords of affliction,
9 he declares to them what they have done—
how arrogantly they have committed rebellious deeds.
10 He opens their ears to accept discipline, [2]
and he tells them to turn back from wickedness.
11 If they listen and serve him,
they will complete their days in prosperity,
and their years will end in pleasure.
12 But if they do not listen,
they will be overwhelmed by a stream. [3]
They will breathe their last without knowledge.
13 Godless hearts nourish anger.
They do not cry out for help even when he imprisons them.
14 Their souls die while they are still young,
and they end their lives among the male prostitutes at their shrines.

15 God delivers the afflicted by means of their affliction,
and he gets their attention through their suffering.
16 Certainly he is drawing you out of the jaws of distress
to a wide-open place, where you will not be hemmed in.
You will be comfortable at your table covered with rich food.
17 But now you are caught up with the judgment of the wicked,
and judgment and justice have taken hold of you.
18 Watch out, so that no one lures you with luxury.
Do not let a large payment turn you aside.
19 Can your affluence arrange for your security,
so that you do not suffer want?
Can even your strongest efforts accomplish that?
20 Do not long for night time, when nations vanish from their place. [4]
21 Watch out. Do not turn to evil,
because that is why you have been tested by affliction. [5]
22 Listen to me. God is exalted in his power.
Who is a teacher like him?
23 Who has dictated his way for him?
Who has said, “You have done wrong”?
24 Remember that you should praise his work,
which people have celebrated in song.
25 All mankind has observed it.
People can look at it from a distance.
26 Yes, God is exalted far beyond our comprehension.
The number of his years is beyond investigation.
27 He draws up drops of water from the sea,
and he distills the raindrops to form mist,
28 which flow down from the clouds
and pour down abundantly on mankind.
29 Indeed, who understands how the clouds spread out?
Who understands how the thunder rumbles out from his shelter?
30 Look how he spreads his light [6] all around him,
and he covers the bottom [7] of the sea.
31 He uses this to bring judgment on peoples
and to provide abundant food.
32 With his hands he grasps the lightning,
and he gives it orders as it advances.
33 Through the thunder he sounds his war cry.
The herds sense the coming of the rising storm. [8]

Job 371 When I hear this, my heart races
and leaps from its place.
2 Listen! Listen to the booming thunder of his voice,
to the rumble that goes out from his mouth.
3 He turns it loose across the whole sky,
and his light reaches the ends of the earth.
4 After the lightning, a voice roars.
He thunders with his majestic voice.
He does not restrain the lightning.
Then his voice is heard!
5 God thunders with his voice in wonderful ways.
He does great things that we do not understand.
6 To the snow he says, “Fall on the earth.”
To the pouring rain, the torrential downpours of rain,
he says, “Be strong.” [9]
7 He brings an end to all the work of men’s hands,
so that they recognize his work.
8 The wild animals take shelter in their lairs.
They remain in their dens.
9 A winter wind comes out from its room,
and driving winds bring icy cold.
10 The breath of God produces ice.
The wide surface of the water turns solid.
11 Yes, he loads dark clouds with moisture,
and he fills the clouds with his light.
12 The clouds swirl around at his direction.
They do whatever he commands them
over the face of the whole inhabited world.
13 Whether their purpose is to bring punishment or mercy to the world,
he makes them achieve their goal.

14 Listen to this, Job! Stand still and recognize the wonders of God!
15 Do you know how God arranges them?
Do you know how he makes his light shine out from his clouds?
16 Do you know how the clouds float in the sky,
those marvels produced by perfect knowledge?
17 You, whose clothing is too hot for you
when the land rests quietly because of the hot south wind,
18 can you help him spread out the clouds
when the sky is as hard as a metal mirror?
19 Teach us what we should say to him!
We are not able to prepare our case because of the darkness.
20 Should he be notified that I want to speak?
Or would a man who said that be swallowed up?

21 But no one can look at the sun.
It is too bright when the wind has cleared the sky of the clouds.
22 God’s golden splendor comes from the north.
God is surrounded by awesome majesty.
23 As for the Almighty, we cannot comprehend him.
He is exalted in power,
but he does not violate justice and great righteousness.
24 Therefore men should revere him,
because he has regard for all those who are wise in heart. [10]

Footnotes1. Job 36:5 Or resolve 2. Job 36:10 Or correction 3. Job 36:12 Or weapon 4. Job 36:20 The meaning of this verse is uncertain. 5. Job 36:21 Or though you seem to prefer it to affliction. The meaning of this verse is uncertain. 6. Job 36:30 Or lightning. In Job the same word is used for both light and lightning. 7. Job 36:30 Literally the roots 8. Job 36:33 The meaning of this line is uncertain. 9. Job 37:6 This line is difficult. 10. Job 37:24 Or, reading with the Greek, those who are wise in heart fear him

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 11Job 34 – 35LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 11

Job 34 – 35 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0811db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Job 341 Elihu resumed [1] his speech and said:

2 Hear my words, you wise men.
You learned men, pay attention to me.
3 It is true that the ear tests words as the mouth tastes food.
4 So now we should choose for ourselves what is just.
We should determine among ourselves what is good.

5 This is what Job said:
“I am in the right,
but God has deprived me of justice.
6 Would I lie about what is just for me? [2]
His arrow has inflicted an incurable wound on me,
though I did not rebel.”

7 Who is like Job?
He drinks down derision against God like water.
8 He travels the road with evildoers,
and he walks with wicked men,
9 because he said,
“It is no benefit to a man when he takes pleasure in God.”
10 So then, you men with understanding, listen to me.
I swear that God never does anything wicked.
The Almighty is far from wrongdoing.
11 He repays a man for what he does.
He causes the consequences of his ways to catch up with him.
12 God would absolutely not do anything evil.
The Almighty does not pervert justice.
13 Did anyone put him in charge of the earth?
Did anyone place the whole world under his control?
14 If God resolved in his heart to recall his spirit and breath to himself,
15 all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust.

16 But if you have understanding, listen to this.
Hear the sound of my words:
17 Is it possible that one who hates justice could govern?
Will you condemn the Righteous One, who is mighty?
18 He says to kings, “You are worthless,”
and tells nobles, “You are evil.”
19 He shows no favoritism to high officials,
and he shows no more regard for the rich than for the poor,
because they are all the work of his hands.
20 In a moment they die, in the middle of the night.
People are shaken, and they pass away.
Even the mighty are taken away effortlessly, without a human hand,
21 because God’s eyes are on the ways of a man,
and he sees all his steps.
22 There is no darkness,
and there is no dark shadow where evildoers can hide,
23 for God does not need to investigate further
or to set a time of judgment for a person.
24 He breaks mighty rulers without further inquiry,
and he sets up others in their place.
25 Because he knows their deeds,
he overthrows them at night,
and they lie crushed.
26 Because of their wickedness,
he strikes them in plain sight of everyone.
27 He does this because they turned aside from following him,
and they were not wise enough to follow all his ways.
28 They caused the poor to cry out to God,
so he heard the cry of the afflicted.

29 But if God remains quiet, who can condemn him?
If he hides his face, who can observe him?
But even if he does, he still rules over both nations and individuals,
30 to prevent a godless man from ruling,
so that the godless man does not lay snares for the people.
31 What if someone says to God,
“I have accepted my punishment.
I will not keep sinning.
32 Teach me about what I do not see.
If I have done evil, I will not do it again.”
33 Would God then be obligated to repay you on your terms,
when you refuse to repent? [3]

But, Job, it is your decision, not mine.
So tell me what you know.

34 Men who have understanding say this to me,
and any wise person who listens tells me the same thing:
35 “Job speaks without knowledge,
and his words reveal a lack of understanding.”
36 I wish that Job would be tested to the limit,
because he responds like a wicked man.
37 Yes, he even adds rebellion to his sin.
Among us he shows his contempt by clapping his hands,
and he multiplies his words against God.

Job 351 Then Elihu continued:

2 Do you really think it is right when you say,
“My righteousness is greater than God’s”? [4]
3 You even say, “What use will this be to me?
How will it profit me more than if I sinned?”

4 But I will respond to your words—and to your friends with you!
5 Look at the heavens and you will see.
Take a good look at the clouds.
They are high above you!
6 If you have sinned, how does that affect God?
If your rebellious deeds are many, what harm can you do to him?
7 If you are righteous, what are you giving to him?
What does he receive from your hand?
8 Your wickedness only affects a man like you,
and your righteousness only impacts other people.
9 They cry out because of severe oppression.
They scream for relief from the arm of the powerful.
10 But no one asks, “Where is God my Maker,
who provides songs in the night,
11 who teaches us more than the wild animals on the earth,
who makes us wiser than the birds in the sky?”

12 Then the wicked cry out, but he does not answer,
because of their arrogant pride. [5]
13 Certainly God will not listen to an insincere [6] cry,
and the Almighty will not pay attention to it.
14 How much less when you say
that you do not see him,
that your case has been presented to him,
and that you are waiting for him!
15 Besides that, you say that his anger has not demanded an accounting,
and that he does not fully understand sin. [7]
16 Job opens his mouth pointlessly,
and he heaps up words without knowledge.

Footnotes1. Job 34:1 After pausing to give Job a chance to respond, Elihu resumes his monologue. 2. Job 34:6 Or I am unjustly treated like a liar 3. Job 34:33 Or just because you reject the charges 4. Job 35:2 Or my righteousness will come from God. The line is cryptic. 5. Job 35:12 Or then they cry out because of the arrogant pride of the wicked, but he does not answer. The word order is difficult. 6. Job 35:13 Or empty 7. Job 35:15 The meaning of this word is uncertain.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 10Job 32 – 33LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 10

Job 32 – 33 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0810db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Elihu’s MonologuesJob 321 These three men gave up trying to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.

2 So Elihu son of Barakel, the Buzite from the clan of Ram, burned with anger. His anger burned against Job because Job had justified himself rather than God. 3 His anger also burned against his three companions, because they had no answer for Job, but they nevertheless had condemned him.

4 Up to this point, Elihu had held back, and he had not spoken to Job, because the others were older and more experienced than he was.

5 When Elihu saw that the three men had no ready answer, his anger burned. 6 So Elihu son of Barakel, the Buzite, responded. He said:

I am young and inexperienced, and you are aged.
That is why I held back,
and I was afraid to tell you what I know.
7 I thought that experience should speak.
Many years should give a man wisdom.
8 However, it is the spirit [1] in a man
and the breath of the Almighty that give a man understanding.
9 It is not just the important men who are wise.
The elderly are not the only ones who know how to judge cases.
10 That is why I now say, “Listen to me.”
I will declare what I know—yes, I will.
11 Notice that I waited for you to finish your words.
I have listened carefully to your conclusions.
The whole time you were searching for the right words,
12 I paid attention to you.
But look, not one of you showed Job that he was wrong
or came up with an answer for Job.
13 So do not say, “We have found wisdom,
but it is God, not a man, who will have to refute him.”
14 Job has not drawn up his speeches against me,
so I will not respond to him with arguments like yours.

15 Those three are shattered. They no longer respond.
They have run out of words.
16 I have waited patiently,
but since they no longer speak,
and they just stand there and do not answer anymore,
17 I will now respond with my contribution.
I will now declare what I know,
18 for I am full of words.
A wind [2] in my belly is building up pressure.
19 My belly is like unvented wine.
I am like a new wineskin ready to burst.
20 I intend to speak, so that I can find relief for myself.
Let me open my lips and answer.
21 I will certainly not show favoritism to any man.
I will not address any man with flattering titles,
22 because I do not know how to pass out flattering titles.
If I did so, my Maker would quickly carry me away.

Job 331 But now, Job, listen to my speech.
Pay close attention to all my words.
2 Listen, because I have opened my mouth.
See how my tongue shapes words in my mouth.
3 My speech will reveal my upright heart.
My lips express my knowledge plainly. [3]
4 The spirit [4] of God made me.
The breath of the Almighty gave me life.

5 Refute me if you are able.
Lay out your case before me! Take your stand!
6 Look, my mouth belongs to God, just as your mouth does.
Like you I was snipped off from a lump of clay.
7 Look, you should not be terrified by how awesome I am.
Pressure from me should not intimidate you.

8 However, you said this in my hearing,
and I did hear the sound of these words:
9 “I am pure, without any sinful rebellion.
I am clean. I have no guilt.
10 But look how God finds pretexts to oppose me.
He treats me like his enemy.
11 He has put my feet in stocks.
He patrols all my paths.”

12 Job, listen to this!
You are not right.
I must refute you!
Certainly, God is greater than a man.
13 Why do you bring charges against him,
just because he does not answer all of a man’s questions?
14 God does speak, sometimes one way, sometimes another,
but people do not pay attention to it.
15 In a dream, in a vision in the night,
when people are falling into a deep sleep,
while they slumber on their beds,
16 he whispers a revelation into people’s ears,
and he confirms his warnings to them,
17 in order to turn a man from his course of action
and to suppress a person’s pride.
18 He spares his life from the pit.
He spares his life from crossing the stream of death. [5]
19 Or a person may be disciplined on his bed by pain
and by continual agony in his bones,
20 so that his life makes food disgusting to him,
and he has no appetite for delicious food.
21 His flesh wastes away and disappears,
and his bones, which were hidden, now stick out.
22 Then his soul draws near to destruction,
and his life to those who bring death.
23 If there is a messenger at his side to mediate,
one out of a thousand, to tell a man what is right for him,
24 if he is gracious to him,
if he says, “Spare him from going down to the pit.
I have found a ransom for him,”
25 then his flesh would become more vigorous than it was in his youth.
He would return to days of youthful vitality.
26 Then he would pray to God,
and God would be pleased with him.
With a joyful cry he would see God’s face,
and God would restore his righteousness to the man.
27 Then the man would turn to people and say, [6]
“I have sinned, and I have perverted what is right,
yet I was not punished as much as I deserved.
28 God has redeemed my soul from passing into the pit,
and my life will see the light.”

29 Look, God does all these things with a man—
two times, or even three times—
30 to bring back his soul from the pit,
so that light shines on him among the living.
31 Pay attention, Job. Listen to me.
Be silent, so that I may speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me.
Speak up, for I would be delighted to declare you innocent.
33 If you have nothing to say, listen to me
Be silent, so I may teach you wisdom.

Footnotes1. Job 32:8 Or Spirit 2. Job 32:18 Or spirit. There is unintended irony in Elihu’s words. 3. Job 33:3 Or sincerely 4. Job 33:4 Or Spirit 5. Job 33:18 Or spares him from being killed by a weapon 6. Job 33:27 This line is difficult.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 09Job 30 – 31LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 09

Job 30 – 31 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0809db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

The Shame of the PresentJob 301 But those far younger than I am now laugh at me—
men whose fathers I would not have allowed
to serve with my sheepdogs.
2 The strength of their hands was useless to me. [1]
Their vigor had failed.
3 Emaciated from famine and hunger,
they gnawed desert plants in the desolate wasteland.
4 They picked marsh plants among the brush,
and their food was the roots of broom bushes.
5 They were driven out of the community.
People shouted at them like thieves.
6 They lived in dry streambeds,
in holes among the dust and the rocks.
7 They brayed between shrubs,
and they huddled under thorn bushes.
8 Sons of fools and nameless nobodies,
they were driven out of the land with whips.

9 But now I am the target of their mocking songs,
and my name has become proverbial as a term of scorn.
10 They despise me and keep their distance.
They do not hesitate to spit in my face.

11 God has unhooked my bowstring, [2]
and he has afflicted me,
so they throw off all restraint in my presence.
12 At my right hand this rabble rises up like a mob.
They trip my feet.
They besiege me with their plans to destroy me.
13 They cut off my path to escape.
They try to benefit from my destruction.
They need no one to help them.
14 They pour through the breach in my wall.
They roll in through the ruins.
15 Terrors are unleashed against me.
My prestige is blown away by the wind.
My security has passed by like a cloud.
16 Now my soul is being poured out within me.
Days of suffering have seized me.
17 Night pierces my bones with pain.
The pain gnawing at me never stops.
18 God tugs violently at my clothing.
He chokes me like the collar of my robe.
19 He has thrown me into the mud,
and I have become like dust and ashes.
20 I cry to you for help, but you do not answer me.
Whenever I stand up, you pay no attention to me. [3]
21 You have become cruel to me.
With a strong hand you assault me.
22 You lift me up with the wind, and it carries me away.
You scatter me in the raging storm.
23 Yes, I know that you are bringing me down to death,
to the home where all the living meet.

24 Will he really stretch out his hand against a pile of ruins,
when the ruined man screams for help? [4]
25 Didn’t I weep for those who live through hard days?
Didn’t my soul grieve for the needy?
26 But when I waited for good, evil came.
When I hoped for light, darkness came.
27 My emotions [5] are boiling over.
They are never quiet.
Days of suffering confront me.
28 I walk around darkened, but not by the sun.
I stand in the assembly and cry for help.
29 I have become a brother to jackals,
a companion for screeching ostriches.
30 My skin turns black and falls off,
and my bones burn with fever.
31 My lyre plays only sad songs.
My flute accompanies only the sound of weeping.

Job’s MoralityJob 311 I have made a covenant with my eyes.
How then could I stare at a virgin with desire?
2 If I did, what reward would I receive from God above?
What inheritance from the Almighty on high?
3 Is not ruin the reward for the wicked,
and misfortune the reward for evildoers?
4 But doesn’t God see my ways?
Doesn’t he count my every step?
5 Have I walked with deceit and lies?
Has my foot hurried to pursue fraud?
6 If God weighs me on an honest scale,
he will know my integrity.

7 If my footsteps have slipped off the path,
if my heart has pursued things desired by my eyes,
if anything corrupt has stuck to my palms,
8 then let someone else eat what I have sown.
Let my crops be uprooted.

9 If my heart has been enticed by a woman,
if I have lurked at my neighbor’s doorway,
10 let my wife grind for another,
and let other men crouch down over her.
11 For that would have been shameful behavior,
a guilty deed worthy of judgment.
12 There is a fire that consumes all the way to hell, [6]
that would completely burn up all my harvest.

13 If I have denied justice to my male servants
or to my female servants in their disputes with me,
14 then what would I do when God arises,
when he comes to call me to account?
How could I respond to him?
15 Didn’t he who made me in the womb also make my servant?
Didn’t the same God fashion us both in the womb?

16 If I have withheld from the poor what they desired,
if I have darkened the eyes of the widow,
17 if I have eaten my food all by myself
and have not shared it with the fatherless—
18 no, from the time of my youth, the fatherless child grew up with me,
and I was like a father to him.
From the womb of my mother I guided the widow.
19 If I saw anyone perishing from lack of clothing,
if the needy had nothing to wear,
20 his very body blessed me,
as he was warmed by the wool from my sheep.

21 If I raised my hand against the fatherless child,
because I had influence in the court at the city gate,
22 then let my shoulder be knocked out of its socket,
and let my upper arm be broken.
23 Now doom from God terrifies me,
and I cannot endure his majesty.

24 If I placed my confidence in gold,
and if I said to pure gold, “You are my security,”
25 if I rejoiced because I was so rich
and because my hand had obtained so much,
26 if I saw the shining sun and the moon moving in its splendor,
27 if my heart was gullible enough to worship them in secret,
and I kissed my hand to honor them,
28 that would have made me guilty and deserving of judgment,
for I would have denied God above.

29 If I rejoiced at the misfortune of someone who hates me,
or I was thrilled because trouble caught up with him—
30 but no, I have not savored sin by asking for a curse on his life.
31 Did the men in my tent ever have to say
that there was someone who had not been filled with meat from Job? [7]
32 No stranger ever had to spend the night outside.
I have opened my door to the traveler.

33 If I had covered up my sin like Adam, [8]
and I had hidden my guilt in my heart,
34 because I was frightened of the crowd,
and the contempt of the clans filled me with terror,
so that I was silent and I did not go out of a door—

35 Oh how I wish I had someone to listen to me!
Look, here is my seal on my testimony.
Let the Almighty answer me!
Let me see the written indictment from my accuser.
36 I would lift it up on my shoulder.
I would place it on my head as a crown.
37 I would account to him for every single step.
I would approach him like the chief of a tribe.
38 If my soil cries out against me,
and its furrows weep because of me,
39 if I have consumed its wealth without paying for it,
if I have caused the death of its owners,
40 then let a thorn bush grow up instead of wheat,
and stinkweeds instead of barley.

The words of Job are concluded.

Footnotes1. Job 30:2 The pronouns their and they in verses 2 to 7 may refer either to the men in verse 1, to their fathers, or to both. The tenses, therefore, could be either past or present. 2. Job 30:11 Or tent cord 3. Job 30:20 The translation follows some Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions, as well as the parallelism. Other manuscripts read you direct your attention against me. 4. Job 30:24 This verse is difficult. 5. Job 30:27 Literally my intestines 6. Job 31:12 Or destruction. The Hebrew reads abaddon. 7. Job 31:31 The meaning of this verse is uncertain. 8. Job 31:33 Or as people do

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 08Job 28 – 29LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 08

Job 28 – 29 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0808db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

A Poem About Wisdom [1]Job 281 Yes, there is a mine for silver
and a place where gold is refined.
2 Iron is taken from the ground,
and copper is smelted out of stone.

3 A miner puts an end to darkness by exploring its farthest limits.
He looks for ore in the gloom and in the deep darkness. [2]
4 He breaks open a mineshaft far from where settlers live,
in places no one has walked before.
Far away from other people, he dangles and sways.
5 The earth’s surface produces food,
but its depths are overturned as if by fire,
6 in places where the stones are sapphires [3]
and the dust is gold.
7 No scavenging bird knows the way there,
and the eyes of vultures [4] have not seen it.
8 The king of beasts has not set foot on it.
The lion has not prowled there.
9 The miner’s hand attacks the hard rock.
He overturns the roots of the mountain.
10 He cuts tunnels into the rocks,
and his eyes see every treasure.
11 He dams up even the trickling water from the rivers,
and he brings light to the earth’s hidden places.

12 But wisdom—where can it be found?
Where is the place for understanding?
13 Mankind does not know where it is kept.
It is not found in the land of the living.
14 The deep ocean says, “It is not in me!”
The sea says, “It is not with me!”
15 It cannot be purchased with the best gold, [5]
and silver cannot be weighed out as its price.
16 It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir [6]
or with precious onyx or sapphires.
17 Gold and crystal cannot be compared to it.
The finest gold jewelry cannot be substituted for it.
18 Coral and quartz are not worth mentioning,
and the value of wisdom is greater than a bag of rubies.
19 The chrysolite of Cush cannot be compared with it.
It cannot be purchased even with pure gold.

20 But what about wisdom—where does it come from?
And where is the place to find understanding?
21 It is hidden from the eyes of all the living.
It is concealed from the birds of the sky.
22 Destruction and Death [7] say,
“With our ears we have heard only a rumor about it.”

23 God understands the way to it,
and he alone knows its place,
24 because he watches the ends of the earth,
and he sees everything under the heavens.
25 He determines the weight of the wind,
and he measures out the waters by volume.
26 He made a decree for the rain
and established a path for the roaring thunderstorm.
27 He saw wisdom and appraised its value.
He established it and also explored it.
28 Then he said to mankind:
Listen carefully. The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,
and to turn away from evil is understanding.

Job’s Soliloquy [8]The Happiness of the Good Old DaysJob 291 Job resumed his discourse. He said:

2 Oh how I wish I could be as I used to be
in the months gone by,
in the days when God used to watch over me,
3 when his lamp was shining over my head,
and I walked through darkness toward [9] his light,
4 when I was in my prime,
and the friendly guidance of God was over my tent,
5 when the Almighty was still with me,
and my children still surrounded me,
6 when my footsteps were washed in cream,
and a rock poured out streams of oil for me,
7 when I went out to the gatehouse [10] of the city,
and I took my customary seat in the public square.
8 The young men saw me and stepped aside.
The elders rose and remained standing in my presence.
9 The officials held back their words.
They placed their hands over their mouths.
10 The voices of the nobles fell silent.
Their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.

11 Every ear that heard what I said called me blessed.
Every eye that saw what I did testified on my behalf.
12 Because I saved the poor when they cried for help
and the fatherless when they had no helper,
13 the blessing of the dying rested upon me,
and I made the heart of the widow happy.
14 I dressed myself with righteousness,
and it clothed me.
My justice clothed me like a robe and a turban.
15 I was eyes for the blind and feet for the lame.
16 I was a father for the needy.
I investigated their cases for people I did not know.
17 I shattered the fangs of the wicked,
and I snatched their prey from their teeth.
18 So I thought: “I will pass away in my own nest,
after multiplying my days like grains of sand.
19 My roots will be soaked with water,
and dew will settle on my branches at night.
20 My honor will always be fresh for me,
and my bow in my hand will never wear out.”
21 People listened to me eagerly.
They kept silent, waiting for my advice.
22 After I spoke, they did not keep speaking. [11]
My words fell on them gently.
23 They waited for me the way people wait for rain.
They opened their mouths the way people wait for spring showers.
24 When I laughed with them, they did not believe it.
In the light from my face, they were never downcast.
25 I chose the way for them,
and I was seated as their head,
like a king among the troops,
like one who comforts mourners.

Footnotes1. Job 28:1 It is uncertain whether the speaker of this poem is Job or the author of the book. It seems likely that it is an intermission inserted by the author to mark the end of the three rounds of speeches. 2. Job 28:3 The Hebrew scribes regularly spell this word so that it means shadow of death. Here, however, it may be a similar word, deep darkness. 3. Job 28:6 Or lapis lazuli 4. Job 28:7 The identification of these birds is uncertain. They may be birds of prey like the falcon. 5. Job 28:15 Literally closed [gold]. The precise identification of the various types of gold and gemstones in this section is uncertain. 6. Job 28:16 Ophir is a source of gold in Arabia or Africa. 7. Job 28:22 Hebrew abaddon and maveth 8. Job 29:1 Chapter 29 begins a new section of the book, in which Job’s three friends no longer respond to him. 9. Job 29:3 Or by 10. Job 29:7 The gatehouse was the center for legal proceedings in a city. 11. Job 29:22 Or the debate was over

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 07Job 25 – 27LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 07

Job 25 – 27 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0807db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Round Three: Bildad’s SpeechJob 251 Bildad the Shuhite responded:

2 The power to rule and to inspire fear belongs to him.
He makes peace on high.
3 Can anyone count his troops?
Is there anyone on whom his light does not rise?
4 How then can a man be righteous with God?
How can one born of a woman be pure?
5 If even the moon does not shine brightly for him,
and if the stars are not pure in his eyes,
6 how much less a man, who is a maggot,
and a son of man, who is a worm?

Round Three: Job’s Second SpeechJob 261 Then Job responded:

2 How marvelously you have helped the helpless!
How wonderfully you have saved the arm that has no strength!
3 What great advice you have given to the one who lacks wisdom!
What great insight you have revealed!
4 Who helped you proclaim these words?
Whose breath [1] came out of your mouth?
5 The spirits of the dead writhe in pain underneath the waters,
along with all those who dwell there.
6 Hell [2] is naked before God,
and there is nowhere to hide in the place of destruction. [3]

7 He stretches out the northern sky across the emptiness.
He suspends the earth on nothing.
8 He encloses water in his clouds,
but the clouds are not broken apart by its weight.
9 He dims the face of the full moon by veiling it with his clouds.
10 He drew a circle around the surface of the waters.
It marks the boundary of light and darkness.
11 The pillars of the heavens shake.
They are stunned by his rebuke.
12 By his power he calmed [4] the sea.
By his understanding he smashed Rahab. [5]
13 By his breath the skies became beautiful.
His hand pierced the fleeing serpent. [6]

14 But all these are just the fringe of his ways!
How faint a whisper we hear of him!
Who understands his power, which is displayed in the thunder?

Round Three: Job’s Third SpeechJob 271 After a pause, [7] Job began to present this discourse:

2 As God lives, he has deprived me of justice.
The Almighty has made my life [8] bitter.
3 Yes, as long as the breath of life is still in me,
as long as the breath from God is still in my nostrils,
4 my lips will not speak wickedness,
and my tongue will not murmur deception.
5 May I be cursed if I ever admit you are right.
Until I die, I will never deny my integrity.
6 I have held tight to my righteousness,
and I will not let it go.
My conscience [9] will not accuse me as long as I live.

7 May my enemy be like the wicked.
May the one who rises up against me be like the unjust.
8 For what hope is there for a godless person when God cuts him off,
when God takes away his life?
9 Will God hear his cry when distress comes upon him?
10 Will he take delight in the Almighty?
Will he call upon God at all times?

11 I will teach you about the hand of God.
I will not hide what the Almighty is doing.
12 Listen, all of you have observed this.
So why do you continue to spew forth such worthless vapor?

13 This is the allotment a wicked man receives from God,
the inheritance that tyrants receive from the Almighty:
14 Although his children are many, they are sent to the sword.
His offspring will not be satisfied with bread.
15 Those who survive will be buried by a plague.
They will be buried, and their widows will not weep.
16 Though the wicked man piles up silver like dust,
and he accumulates clothing like mounds of clay,
17 the righteous will wear what he accumulated,
and the innocent will divide his silver.
18 He has built a house, but it will be like a moth’s cocoon,
like a shack that a watchman has put up.
19 He goes to bed as a rich man,
but his wealth does not remain.
He opens his eyes, and it is all gone.
20 Terrors sweep over him like floodwaters.
At night, a strong wind carries him away.
21 The east wind lifts him up, and off he goes.
It blows him away from his place.
22 It hurls itself at him, and it does not spare him.
He flees from its power as fast as he can.
23 It mockingly claps its hands at him
and drives him from his place with hissing.

Footnotes1. Job 26:4 Or spirit 2. Job 26:6 Or the grave or death. The Hebrew reads sheol. 3. Job 26:6 Hebrew abaddon 4. Job 26:12 Or stirred up 5. Job 26:12 Rahab is a monster that symbolizes the power of the sea. 6. Job 26:13 Perhaps this name for Leviathan here refers to a constellation like Draco, the dragon. 7. Job 27:1 The words after a pause are not in the Hebrew text, but this is the location for Zophar’s third turn to speak. Zophar, however, sits in silence, and the debate comes to an end. The next speaker to respond to Job will be Elihu son of Barakel, beginning at 32:5. 8. Job 27:2 Or soul 9. Job 27:6 Literally heart

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 06Job 22 – 24LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 06

Job 22 – 24 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0806db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Round Three: Eliphaz’s SpeechJob 221 Eliphaz the Temanite responded:

2 Can a man benefit God?
Can even a wise man be of any use to him?
3 Should the Almighty be delighted if you are righteous?
Does he gain any advantage if your ways are blameless?
4 Is it because of your reverence that he rebukes you
and comes against you in judgment?
5 Isn’t your wickedness great?
Isn’t your guilt endless?
6 You have seized collateral from your brothers without cause,
and you have stripped off clothing from the naked.
7 You have not given water to the weary,
and you have withheld bread from the hungry.

8 The earth belongs to a forceful man,
and a well-respected man dwells in it. [1]

9 You send widows away empty-handed.
You crush the arms of the fatherless.
10 That is why snares are all around you,
and sudden fear overwhelms you.
11 That is why you cannot see in the darkness,
and floodwaters cover you.

12 Is not God in the heights of heaven?
Look at [2] the highest stars, so high above!
13 But you say, “What does God know?
Can he judge through the thick darkness?
14 Dark clouds are a veil around him,
so he does not see us
as he walks back and forth in heaven’s dome.”

15 Are you the guardian of the ancient way,
the one traveled by wicked men?
16 They were snatched away before their time. [3]
Their foundation was washed away by a river.
17 They said to God, “Keep away from us,”
and “What can the Almighty do to us?” [4]
18 even though he had filled their houses with good.
That is why the way of life of the wicked is far from me.
19 The righteous see this and are glad.
The innocent mock them, saying,
20 “Surely our adversaries have been erased!
Fire has eaten up their abundance.”

21 Be reconciled with God.
Be at peace with him.
Then good will come to you.
22 Accept teaching from his mouth,
and set his words in your heart.
23 If you turn to the Almighty, you will be built up.
If you want to put injustice far from your tent,
24 throw your purest gold [5] into the dust
and your gold from Ophir upon the rocks in the ravines.
25 Then the Almighty will be your purest gold
and your most precious silver.
26 Then you will find pleasure in the Almighty,
and you will lift up your face to God.
27 You will pray to God, and he will hear you,
and you will fulfill your vows.
28 You will decide on a matter, and it will be done for you,
and light will shine on your ways.
29 When people are brought low,
and you say, “Lift them up,”
God will save the downcast.
30 He will deliver even the person who is not innocent,
who will escape by the purity of your hands.

Round Three: Job’s First SpeechJob 231 Then Job responded:

2 Even today my complaint is bitter. [6]
His [7] hand weighs heavily on me despite my groaning. [8]
3 I wish I knew where I could find him,
so that I could come to his place for judgment.
4 Then I would lay out my case before him,
and I would fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would know what words he would use to respond to me,
and I would consider what he would say to me.
6 Would he use his great power to press charges against me?
No, he will certainly give me a hearing.
7 There, an upright man could argue with him,
and I would be delivered from my judge forever.
8 But if I walk to the east, he is not there.
If I go back to the west, I find no sign of him.
9 When he is at work in the north, I do not detect him.
When he turns to the south, I do not see him.
10 But I am sure he knows the way I take.
When he has tested me, I will come out like gold.
11 My feet have followed his footsteps closely.
I have kept to his way, and I have not turned aside.
12 I have not departed from the command from his lips.
I have treasured the sayings from his mouth in my heart. [9]

13 He stands alone.
Who can make him change?
Whatever his soul desires, he will do.
14 He carries out his decrees against me,
and he has so many of them!
15 That is why I am in a panic in his presence.
When I think about this, I dread him.
16 God has made me lose heart.
The Almighty has terrified me.
17 Nevertheless, I am not silenced by the darkness,
by the dark cloud that covers my face.

Job 241 Why are appointments never scheduled by the Almighty?
Why do those who know him never see such days?
2 People move boundary stones.
They steal a flock and take it to pasture.
3 They drive away donkeys that belong to the fatherless.
They seize the widow’s ox as collateral.
4 They shove the poor out of the way.
The oppressed people of the land hide together.
5 They go out to their labor, like wild donkeys in the wilderness,
looking for food.
The wasteland is their only source of food for themselves
and their children.
6 They gather their straw in the open countryside.
They glean leftovers in the vineyard of the wicked.
7 They spend the night naked, without clothing.
They have no covering from the cold.
8 They are soaked by heavy rain from the mountains.
They cling to a cliff for shelter.

9 The wicked tear away a fatherless child from its mother’s breast.
They take a poor mother’s nursing baby as collateral.

10 The poor walk around naked, without clothing.
They pick up sheaves but are still hungry.
11 They press olive oil among the terraces of olive trees.
They tread winepresses, but they remain thirsty.
12 The dying people [10] of the city groan,
and wounded souls cry out for help,
but God does not bring charges against anyone.

13 There are people who rebel against the light.
They do not acknowledge its ways or dwell in its paths.
14 At the end of the daylight [11] a murderer arises,
and he kills the poor and needy.
At night he acts as a thief.
15 The eye of an adulterer keeps watch for twilight.
He says, “No eye can get a good look at me.”
He wears a mask over his face.
16 In the dark of night he digs into houses.
By day such people hide inside.
They keep away from the light.
17 For all of them, morning is their darkness. [12]
They are familiar with the sudden terror of darkness.
18 They float by like foam on the surface of the water.
Their portion of the land is cursed,
so no one turns onto the road to their vineyards.
19 As drought and heat snatch away the water from the snow,
the grave snatches away a sinner.
20 The womb forgets him.
A worm finds him sweet.
He will no longer be remembered.
Wickedness is broken like a tree.

21 He feeds on [13] the childless woman,
and he does nothing good for the widow.

22 But God drags away the mighty by his strength.
He rises up, so the wicked have no confidence in their lives.
23 God lets them be secure, and they prop themselves up,
but God’s eyes are on their ways.
24 They are high and mighty for a little while,
but then they are gone.
They are brought low like all the rest.
They are gathered together, like ears of grain that have been cut off.

25 So then, who can make me out to be a liar?
Who can reduce my words to nothing?

Footnotes1. Job 22:8 The connection of this verse to the context is unclear. It may be an excuse that greedy rich people use for not helping the poor or an indirect accusation of Job. 2. Job 22:12 Or he sees 3. Job 22:16 Or with no time to get away 4. Job 22:17 The reading us follows the ancient versions. The Hebrew reads them. 5. Job 22:24 Or gold nuggets 6. Job 23:2 The translation bitter follows the ancient versions. The Hebrew reads rebellious. 7. Job 23:2 The translation his follows the ancient versions. The Hebrew reads my. 8. Job 23:2 Or my hand is weighed down by my groaning 9. Job 23:12 Or I have treasured the sayings from his mouth more than my allotted inheritance 10. Job 24:12 Variant the people 11. Job 24:14 The Hebrew reads at the light. The parallelisms in the following verses suggest that this refers to dusk rather than to dawn. 12. Job 24:17 This is the same Hebrew word often translated shadow of death. Here it seems to be the similar word that means darkness. 13. Job 24:21 Or preys on

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 05Job 20 – 21LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 05

Job 20 – 21 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0805db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Round Two: Zophar’s SpeechJob 201 Then Zophar the Na’amathite responded:

2 This is why my troubled thoughts make me respond again,
and why my thoughts are racing through my mind:
3 I heard a rebuke that insults me,
so my spirit prompts me to respond with understanding.

4 Don’t you know this?
From ancient times,
from the time when Adam [1] was placed on the earth,
5 the triumphant cry of the wicked has been short-lived,
and the joy of the godless lasts only a moment.
6 Although his arrogance reaches up to the skies,
and his head touches the clouds,
7 he will perish forever like his own filth.
Those who saw him will say, “Where is he?”
8 Like a dream, he flies away, and he cannot be found.
Like a vision during the night, he flutters away.
9 An eye catches sight of him, but it does not see him again.
His place will no longer look at him.
10 His children must make restitution to [2] the poor.
His hands must give back his wealth.
11 His bones were once filled with youthful vigor,
but that vigor will lie down with him in the dust.
12 If evil tastes sweet in his mouth,
and he tucks it under his tongue,
13 if he hoards it for himself,
and he does not let it go,
but savors it on his palate,
14 his food will turn into cobra venom in his stomach.
15 He swallowed wealth, but he vomits it up.
God makes him expel it from his belly.
16 He sucks the poison of cobras.
The fangs of a viper kill him.
17 He will not see the streams,
the rivers that flow with honey and cream.
18 Without digesting it, he gives up the produce for which he labored.
He does not enjoy the wealth for which he traded,
19 because he has crushed and abandoned the poor,
and he has stolen a house he did not build.
20 His stomach is never filled.
He cannot satisfy his desires,
21 because now there is nothing left for him to eat,
so his prosperity will not endure.
22 Even when he has plenty,
distress catches up with him,
and misery grabs hold of him.
23 While he is filling his belly,
God will send burning anger upon him,
and it will rain down on his body. [3]
24 He flees from iron weapons,
but he is pierced by a bronze arrow.
25 He pulls the arrow out of his back,
and the shiny point comes out of his liver.
Terrors come over him.
26 Complete darkness is lying in wait for his hidden treasures.
A fire that needs no fanning will consume him.
It will destroy anything that survives in his tent.
27 The heavens will uncover his guilt,
and the earth will rise up against him.
28 A flood will carry away his house,
sweeping away his possessions on the day of God’s wrath.
29 This is God’s sentence on the evil man.
This is his heritage decreed by God.

Round Two: Job’s Third SpeechJob 211 Then Job responded:

2 Listen carefully to my words—
that is the kind of encouragement you should give me.
3 Put up with me while I speak.
Then, after I have spoken, you may resume your mocking.

4 Is my complaint against a man?
Why shouldn’t I be impatient?
5 Look at me and be shocked, [4]
and then put your hand over your mouth.
6 When I remember all this, I am terrified, [5]
and horror makes my flesh tremble.
7 Why do the wicked keep living,
reach old age,
and even become stronger?
8 Their descendants are firmly established in their presence,
and they live long enough to see their offspring.
9 Their houses are safe from fear,
and God’s rod does not strike them.
10 The wicked man’s bulls breed without failing.
His cows deliver calves without miscarrying.
11 Their toddlers frolic like flocks,
and their children dance around.
12 They sing to the accompaniment of hand drums and lyres.
They celebrate to the sound of a flute.
13 They finish out [6] their days in prosperity.
Then they go down to the grave in a moment.
14 They say to God, “Keep away from us.
We know your ways, but we find no pleasure in them.”
15 “Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him,
and what benefit do we gain from pleading with him?”
16 But I know that their prosperity is not in their own hands,
so I have distanced myself from the way of life [7] of the wicked.

17 How often is the lamp of the wicked extinguished?
How often does the disaster they deserve come upon them?
How often does God in his anger dole out their fair share of pain?
18 How often are they like straw blown by the wind,
like chaff that a windstorm whisks away?

19 People say, “God stores up a man’s punishment for his children,”
but he should repay the man himself so that he experiences it!
20 Let his own eyes see his condemnation. [8]
Let him drink from the rage of the Almighty,
21 for what does he care about his household after his death,
when his allotment of months has run out?

22 Can anyone teach God knowledge,
since he judges even the most exalted ones?

23 One person dies with vigor in his bones,
completely secure and at ease.
24 His body is filled out with fat, [9]
and his bones are rich with marrow.
25 Another person dies with his soul filled with bitterness,
without ever tasting anything good.
26 Both of them lie down together in the dust,
and worms cover them both.

27 Oh, I know your thoughts
and your schemes to harm me.
28 For you say, “Where is the nobleman’s house,
and where is the tent, which was the dwelling of the wicked?”

29 Why don’t you question those who travel the roads?
Why don’t you acknowledge the lessons they learned? [10]
30 They say that the wicked man is spared from the day of disaster,
and that he escapes the day of raging fury.
31 Who denounces him to his face for the way he has lived?
Who repays him for what he has done?
32 When he is carried to the tombs,
when a vigil is kept at his burial mound,
33 the clods of dirt from the streambed are sweet to him.
Everyone follows his funeral procession.
A crowd of people marches ahead of it. [11]

34 So how can you comfort me with your useless words?
There is nothing left from your answers but fraud!

Footnotes1. Job 20:4 Or mankind 2. Job 20:10 Or seek the favor of 3. Job 20:23 The meaning of this word is uncertain. 4. Job 21:5 Or appalled 5. Job 21:6 Or it makes me panic 6. Job 21:13 Or enjoy 7. Job 21:16 Or mind-set 8. Job 21:20 Or destruction 9. Job 21:24 Or his buckets are full of milk. The meaning of the line is uncertain. In this context, fatness has a positive connotation as evidence of prosperity. 10. Job 21:29 Literally their signs 11. Job 21:33 This can also be understood as a statement that every person either precedes or follows this man in death.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 04Job 18 – 19LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 04

Job 18 – 19 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0804db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Round Two: Bildad’s SpeechJob 181 Bildad the Shuhite responded:

2 How much longer are all of you going to keep hunting for words? [1]
Come to your senses! Then we can talk.
3 Why are we considered to be like cattle?
Why are we regarded as unreasoning animals in your eyes?

4 You, who tear yourself to pieces with your anger,
do you expect the earth to be made desolate for your sake?
Should rocks be moved from their place for you?

5 The light of the wicked has been extinguished,
and not a spark of his flame still shines.
6 In his tent, light becomes darkness
when the lamp beside him goes out.
7 His powerful strides are tangled up,
and his own plans bring him down.
8 Yes, his feet are caught in a net,
and he stumbles into its webbing.
9 A trap snaps at his heel,
and a snare catches him firmly.
10 A noose lies hidden on the ground for him.
A trap is set on his path.
11 Terrors frighten him on every side.
They harass him at every step.
12 His strength is eaten away by hunger, [2]
and disaster is waiting for him to stumble.
13 It eats away pieces of his skin.
Death’s firstborn child eats away pieces of him.
14 He is torn away from the safety of his tent.
He is marched off to the king of terrors.
15 Nothing that belonged to him remains in his tent. [3]
Sulfur is scattered over his dwelling.
16 His roots dry up below,
and his branches wither above.
17 All memory of him perishes from the earth.
No one on the street remembers his name.
18 He is pushed away from the light into the darkness.
He is chased out of the world.
19 He has no posterity or descendants among his people.
He leaves no survivor in his place, where he lived as an alien.
20 People in the west shudder at his fate.
People in the east are overcome with horror.
21 Certainly this is the dwelling place for an evil man.
This is the place for one who does not acknowledge God.

Round Two: Job’s Second SpeechJob 191 Then Job responded:

2 How long will you torment my soul?
How long will you crush me with words?
3 Ten times now you have insulted me,
but you are not ashamed that you are treating me so badly.
4 But even if I actually were in the wrong,
my error would remain my own concern.
5 To be sure, when you lord it over me,
and you hurl my disgrace against me,
6 you should know that God has denied me justice,
and he has trapped me in his net.
7 Listen to me!
I cry out, “Injustice,” but I get no answer.
I call for help, but there is no justice.
8 He has blocked my way, so I cannot get by.
He has brought darkness on my paths.
9 He has stripped me of my honor,
and he has taken the crown off my head.
10 He tears me down on every side, until I am gone.
He uproots my hope like a tree.
11 His anger burns against me,
and he regards me as his enemy.
12 Together his troops advance against me.
They build a siege ramp against me.
They camp all around my tent.
13 He has distanced my brothers far from me,
and those who know me treat me like a stranger.
14 My relatives stay away.
Even my close friends have forgotten me.
15 Even my houseguests and my female servants treat me like a stranger.
They look upon me as a foreigner.
16 I summon my servant, but he does not answer,
even though I beg him to be gracious to me.
17 My breath keeps my wife away from me,
and I am repulsive to my mother’s children.
18 Even young boys reject me.
When I get up, they speak against me.
19 My closest confidants shun me,
and those I love have turned against me.
20 I am nothing but skin and bones.
I have escaped with the skin of my teeth.
21 Have mercy on me.
Have mercy on me, you friends of mine,
because the hand of God has struck me.
22 Why do you pursue me the way God does?
Will you never get enough of my flesh?
23 Oh how I wish that my words were written down.
Oh how I wish that they were inscribed in bronze, [4]
24 that they would be engraved in rock forever
with an iron tool and letters filled with lead.
25 As for me, I know that my Redeemer [5] lives,
and that at the end of time [6] he will stand over the dust.
26 Then, even after my skin has been destroyed,
nevertheless, in my own flesh I will see God. [7]
27 I myself will see him.
My own eyes will see him, and not as a stranger.
My emotions are in turmoil [8] within me.

28 If you say, “What can we do to pursue him?”
and “He is the root of his own problems,”
29 then you should fear the edge of the sword for yourselves!
For wrath brings the punishment of the sword,
so that you will know that there is judgment.

Footnotes1. Job 18:2 This line is difficult. 2. Job 18:12 Or destruction is hungry for him 3. Job 18:15 Or fire dwells in his tent 4. Job 19:23 Or on a scroll 5. Job 19:25 Or Protector 6. Job 19:25 Or as the last one 7. Job 19:26 The Hebrew of the verse is difficult, but the basic meaning is clear. 8. Job 19:27 Literally my kidneys wear out

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 03Job 15 – 17LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 03

Job 15 – 17 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0803db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Round Two: Eliphaz’s SpeechJob 151 Eliphaz the Temanite responded:

2 Does a wise man answer with windy bluster?
Does he fill his belly with the hot east wind?
3 Does he support his arguments with useless talk,
with words that provide no benefit?

4 But you even tear down reverence.
You hinder thoughtful reflection in the presence of God.
5 Your guilt instructs your mouth.
You choose deceptive language.
6 Your own mouth condemns you, not mine.
Your own lips testify against you.
7 Were you the first man to be born?
Were you brought forth before the hills?
8 Do you listen in on the council meetings of God?
Do you lay claim to all wisdom for yourself?
9 What do you know that we do not know as well?
What do you understand that we do not?
10 The gray-haired and the aged are on our side,
men older than your father.
11 Are the consolations of God too small for you?
Do you think nothing of the gentle words spoken to you?
12 Why does your heart carry you away?
Why do your eyes flash with such anger?
13 Why do you turn your spirit against God?
Why do you allow such words to pour out of your mouth?

14 What is man, that he could be pure,
or one born of woman, that he could be declared righteous?
15 If God does not trust in his holy ones,
and even the heavens are not pure in his eyes,
16 how much less man who is repulsive and corrupt,
who drinks down injustice like water!
17 Let me instruct you! Listen to me!
This is what I have seen. Let me tell you about it.
18 This is what wise men have declared,
wise men who hid nothing of what they had received from their fathers,
19 to whom alone the land was given,
at a time when no foreigners were present in their midst.
20 Through all his days, a wicked man writhes in pain,
throughout the whole number of years stored up for a tyrant.
21 Terrifying sounds echo in his ears.
In peacetime the plunderer arrives.
22 The wicked man does not believe that he will return from darkness.
He is sentenced to the sword.
23 He wanders around looking for food and asks, “Where is it?” [1]
He knows that a day of darkness is at hand.
24 Pressure and distress terrify him.
They overpower him, like a king ready to attack,
25 because he has stretched out his hand against God,
and he has been arrogant toward the Almighty.
26 He charges at him defiantly [2] with a thick shield.
27 Though now his face is covered with its fat,
and his hips bulge with lard,
28 he will live in ruined cities,
in abandoned houses, reduced to rubble.
29 He will no longer be rich.
His wealth will not last.
His possessions will no longer cover the ground.
30 He will not escape from darkness.
Flames will dry up his shoots.
With a breath from God’s mouth, he will depart.
31 He should not trust in useless things.
He should not fool himself.
His only reward will be useless things.
32 Before his time, he will be paid in full.
His palm branches will not be green.
33 His grapes will be shaken from the vine before they are ripe.
He will be like an olive tree that loses its blossoms.
34 In the end, the community of the godless produces nothing,
and fire consumes the tents of those who take bribes.
35 They conceive trouble and give birth to disaster.
Their womb produces treachery.

Round Two: Job’s First SpeechJob 161 Job responded:

2 I have heard many things just like these.
You are miserable comforters, all of you!
3 Is there any end to your windy words?
What provokes you to respond like this?

4 I also could speak just like you,
if your lives were in the same condition that my life is.
I could weave fancy words against you
and shake my head at you.
5 But instead, I would build you up with the words from my mouth,
and comforting words from my lips would ease your pain.
6 Now if I speak up, it does not lessen my pain,
and if I hold back, how much of my pain goes away?

7 Surely, he [3] has worn me out!
You have devastated everyone close to me.
8 You have made me shrivel up, [4]
and this testifies against me.
My emaciated body stands up
and is a witness against me.
9 His anger has torn me.
He has been hostile to me.
He has gnashed his teeth at me.
My opponent glares at me with piercing eyes.
10 People have opened their mouths wide against me.
They have slapped my face with contempt.
They have ganged up on me.
11 God hands me over to evil people. [5]
He throws me into the hands of the wicked.
12 When I was at ease, he shattered me. [6]
He seized me by the neck and has ripped me to pieces.
He has set me up as his target.
13 His archers surround me.
He pierces my kidneys and has no pity.
He pours out my bile on the earth.
14 He breaks down my walls in many places.
He runs against me like a warrior.
15 I have stitched sackcloth to my skin.
My horn [7] is stuck in the dust.
16 My face is red from my weeping.
There are dark circles under my eyes,
17 even though there is no violence in my hands,
and my prayer is pure.
18 O earth, do not cover my blood.
Let my cry never find a place to rest.
19 Even now, my witness is in heaven.
My advocate is on high.
20 My intercessor is my friend.
My eyes never stop weeping to God.
21 My intercessor pleads with God for a man,
as another human pleads for his friend.
22 A few more years will come.
Then I will go the way of no return.

Job 171 My spirit is broken.
My days are snuffed out.
The tomb is waiting for me.
2 Surely mockery closes in on me.
My eyes must live with my enemies’ bitter contempt.

3 Please pay for me the deposit that you require from me.
Indeed, who else could guarantee this payment for me?

4 You have hidden understanding from their hearts.
Therefore, you will not let them win.
5 If someone denounces friends for a payoff,
his children’s eyes will fail.

6 He has made me a laughingstock among the people.
They spit in my face.
7 My vision is blurry from grief.
I am just a shadow of myself.
8 The upright are appalled at this,
and the innocent are aroused against the godless.
9 In spite of it all, the righteous hold tight to their ways,
and everyone with clean hands grows stronger.

10 All right then—all of you, please come and try again,
but I will not find a wise man among you.
11 My days have passed.
All the things I planned to do are ripped apart,
including the deepest desires of my heart.

12 They turn night into day.
In the face of darkness, they claim light is near.

13 If I wait hopefully for the grave to become my house,
if I spread out my bed in the darkness,
14 if I cry out to the pit, “You are my father,”
and to the worm, “My mother” or “My sister,”
15 where then is my hope?
Who can find any hope for me?
16 Will it go down with me to the barred gates of the grave?
Will we rest in the dust together?

Footnotes1. Job 15:23 The translation follows the Hebrew text. The Greek reads he wanders around as food for vultures or like a vulture looking for food. 2. Job 15:26 Literally with a neck 3. Job 16:7 The reading he follows the Hebrew text. It refers to God. Hebrew poetry sometimes alternates between third and second person pronouns, as is the case here. 4. Job 16:8 The meaning of this verb is uncertain. 5. Job 16:11 The reading evil people follows the ancient versions. The Hebrew reads a boy. 6. Job 16:12 Or tossed me about 7. Job 16:15 A horn is a symbol of strength.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 02Job 13 – 14LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 02

Job 13 – 14 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0802db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Job 131 My eyes have certainly seen all this.
My ears have heard it and understood it.
2 Whatever you know, I know every bit as well.
I do not fall short of you in any way.

3 But I want to speak to the Almighty.
I am eager to argue my case with God.
4 All you do is plaster over problems [1] with lies.
Such useless healers, all of you!
5 I wish you would shut up completely.
For you, that would be wisdom!

6 But now, listen to my rebuttal.
Pay attention to the arguments from my lips.
7 Will you misrepresent God? [2]
Will you speak deceitfully about him?
8 Will you show favoritism on behalf of God
and argue his case for him?
9 Will it turn out well when he cross-examines you?
Can you fool God as you can fool a man?
10 He will certainly rule against you if you hide your favoritism.
11 Won’t God’s majesty frighten you?
Won’t the dread he inspires overwhelm you?
12 Your axioms are proverbs made of ashes.
Your strong points are made of clay.

13 Silence! Let me speak.
I intend to speak up, no matter what happens.
14 Why do I bite my flesh with my teeth?
Why do I take my life in my hands?
15 Even if he slays me, I will wait for him with hope. [3]
No matter what, I will defend my ways to his face.
16 Even this may turn out for my salvation,
for no godless person would dare to face him.
17 Listen carefully to my words!
Give my testimony a hearing.
18 Please, listen. I have laid out my case.
I know that I am innocent.
19 Who can make a case against me?
If anyone can, I will be quiet and die.

20 Just do two things for me, God.
If you do, I will not hide from your face.
21 Take your hands off me,
and do not terrify me with your grandeur. [4]
22 Summon me, and I will answer.
Or, I will speak, and you can respond to me.
23 How much guilt and how many sins do I have?
Reveal my rebellion and my sin to me.
24 Why do you hide your face?
Why do you treat me like your enemy?
25 Will you toss me around [5] like a wind-blown leaf?
Will you chase me away like dry chaff?
26 You write bitter accusations against me,
and you hold me accountable for the guilt of my youth.
27 You lock my feet in stocks
and station guards along all my paths.
You put your brand on the soles of my feet.

28 So a man rots away like a garment eaten by moths.

Job 141 Man born of woman has a few short days,
and they are full of anxiety.
2 He blossoms like a flower, but soon withers.
He recedes like a shadow and does not remain.
3 You keep your eye on such a man.
You bring me [6] into judgment in your presence.
4 Who can produce something pure from something that is impure?
No one.
5 Certainly his days are determined.
The number of his months has been set by you.
A limit is set, which he cannot exceed.
6 Turn your gaze away from him, and let him be,
until he finishes his day’s work as a hired man.

7 There is still hope for a tree if it is cut down.
It may grow up again and produce new shoots.
8 Though its roots lie dormant in the earth,
and its stump is dying in the dust,
9 with just a whiff of water, it shoots up again.
As a growing plant, it again sends out branches.
10 But if a man dies, he shrivels away.
When a person breathes his last, where is he?
11 Waters evaporate from the sea.
A river dries up and becomes dust.
12 In the same way, a man lies down and does not rise again.
Until the heavens pass away, he does not awaken,
and he is not aroused from his sleep.

13 Oh how I wish you would hide me in the grave,
that you would conceal me until your wrath has passed by,
that you would set an appointed time for me,
and then you would remember me.
14 If a man dies, will he live again?
Through all the days of my warfare, [7]
I will wait, until change comes about for me.
15 You will call, and I myself will answer.
Then you will long for the work of your hands.

16 Now you count my steps,
but then you will no longer keep track of my sin.
17 My rebellious deeds will be sealed up in a bag,
and you will plaster over my guilt.

18 But as a mountain crumbles and falls,
and as a rock is moved from its place,
19 as water wears away stones,
and floodwaters wash away soil from the land,
so you destroy a man’s hope.
20 You overpower him once and for all, and he passes away.
You change his appearance and send him away.
21 His sons are honored, but he is not aware of it.
They are brought low, but he does not realize it.
22 He feels the pain only of his own flesh,
and in his soul grieves only for himself.

Footnotes1. Job 13:4 Or plaster me 2. Job 13:7 Or will you charge injustice to God 3. Job 13:15 Hebrew variant if he slays me, I will be without hope 4. Job 13:21 Or transcendence or horrors 5. Job 13:25 Literally torment me 6. Job 14:3 The translation follows the Hebrew. The ancient versions read him. 7. Job 14:14 Or hard service or tour of duty

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 01Job 11 – 12LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 01

Job 11 – 12 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0801db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Round One: Zophar’s SpeechJob 111 Then Zophar the Na’amathite spoke up and responded:

2 Doesn’t this gush of words call for an answer?
Can this man’s bold talk be justified?
3 Should your empty words reduce men to silence?
Can you be allowed to scoff without anyone putting you in your place?
4 You say, “What I teach is untainted,
and I am pure in your eyes.”
5 Oh how I wish that God would speak up,
open his lips against you,
6 and show you the secret of wisdom,
because sound judgment must look at both sides.
Then you would know that God has even forgotten some of your guilt!

7 Can you explore the essence of God?
Can you find a limit to the perfections of the Almighty?
8 They are as high as the heavens. What can you do?
They are deeper than hell. [1] What can you know?
9 His dimensions are greater than the earth
and wider than the sea.
10 If God comes and arrests someone and puts him on trial,
who can overrule him?
11 Certainly he recognizes deceitful men for what they are.
He sees evil, and he recognizes it for what it is.

12 Before an empty-headed man gets understanding,
a wild donkey colt will be born as a man.

13 But you, if you make your heart steadfast,
and you spread out your hands to him,
14 if you put away the sin you are holding in your hand,
and you do not allow injustice to dwell in your tents,
15 then you will lift up your face and be blameless.
You will be solid and fearless.
16 You will certainly forget your trouble.
Your memory of it will be like water that has flowed away.
17 The rest of your life will be brighter than noon.
Darkness will become like morning.
18 You will be confident that there is hope.
When you look around, you will go to bed confidently.
19 You will lie down, and no one will make you tremble.
Many will seek your favor.
20 The eyes of the wicked will fail,
and their place of refuge will disappear.
Their hope will vanish with their dying breath. [2]

Transition to Round TwoJob’s SummationJob 121 Then Job responded:

2 Yes, indeed. You are the people,
and wisdom will die with you!
3 But I understand things as well as you. [3]
I do not fall short of you.
Who doesn’t know all these things?

4 But I am a laughingstock to my neighbor—
I, who call on God, and he answers me—
I, a righteous and complete man, am a laughingstock!
5 Those who are carefree do not worry about disaster.
They think it is reserved for those whose feet are slipping.
6 The tents of raiders are undisturbed,
and those who provoke God are secure—
those who carry their god in their hand. [4]

7 Please ask the animals, and they will teach you.
Ask the birds of the sky, and they will inform you.
8 Complain to the earth, and it will teach you,
and the fish of the sea will tell you about it.
9 Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord [5] did this?
10 The life of every living thing is in his hand,
as well as the breath [6] in all human flesh.

11 Isn’t it true that the ear tests words
and the palate tastes food?
12 Isn’t it true that wisdom is found among the aged
and understanding among those who have had a long life?
13 But wisdom and power are with God.
He gives guidance and understanding.
14 If he tears something down, it cannot be rebuilt.
If he shuts a door on a man, it cannot be opened.
15 Look! He holds back the waters, and the land dries up.
He turns them loose, and the earth is overwhelmed.
16 He has strength and sound judgment.
The deceiver and the deceived both belong to him.
17 He causes royal advisors to be led away naked.
He makes fools of judges.
18 He takes away the ruling power of kings,
and he wraps a loincloth around their waist. [7]
19 He causes priests to be led away naked,
and he brings the pillars of society down to ruin.
20 He closes the lips of trusted advisors,
and he takes away good judgment from elders.
21 He pours contempt on nobles.
He loosens the belt of the strong.
22 He uncovers deep mysteries that were hidden in darkness.
He brings the shadow of death into the light.
23 He raises nations to power, and then he destroys them.
He enlarges nations, and then he leads them away captive.
24 He deprives the heads of the peoples of the earth of their reason.
He makes them wander in a wild land where there are no roads.
25 They grope around in darkness, where there is no light.
He causes them to wander aimlessly like drunks.

Footnotes1. Job 11:8 The Hebrew word sheol refers to the place where the dead are (the grave or hell) or to the condition of death. 2. Job 11:20 Literally their hope is a breathing out of soul or life 3. Job 12:3 Literally my heart is like yours 4. Job 12:6 Or those whom God brings in his hand 5. Job 12:9 This is the only occurrence of the name Lord in the poetic speeches of Job. The Hebrew variant God suggests that Lord may have been written here accidentally by force of habit. 6. Job 12:10 Or spirit 7. Job 12:18 The translation of this verse is uncertain. Some translate it as a positive verse in the midst of negatives.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 31Job 9:25 – 10:22LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 31

Job 9:25 – 10:22 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0731db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Job 925 My days are swifter than a runner.
They fly away without bringing any happiness.
26 They glide by like reed boats,
like an eagle that swoops down on its prey.
27 If I say, “I will forget my complaint.
I will put on a happy face and smile,”
28 even then I dread all my pain,
because I know that you will not acquit me.
29 I have already been declared guilty,
so why should I struggle for nothing.
30 If I wash myself with snow,
if I cleanse my hands with strong soap,
31 then you will plunge me into a cesspool,
and my clothes will detest me.
32 For he is not a man as I am,
so that I am able to answer him,
so that we may meet in court.
33 There is no one to mediate [1] between us,
no one who can lay his hand on both of us.
34 No one can make him take his rod away from me,
so that the dread of him would not fill me with terror!
35 If that happened, I would speak up and not be afraid.
But I have no such mediator. I am left on my own.

Job 101 With all my heart I am weary of my life,
so I will express my complaint freely.
I will speak from the bitterness of my heart.
2 I will say this to God: Do not condemn me.
Tell me why you are pressing charges against me.
3 Is it good that you are oppressing me,
that you are rejecting what your hands have made,
at the same time that you favor the plans of the wicked?
4 Do you have eyes made of flesh?
Do you see things the way a man does?
5 Are your days like a man’s days?
Are your years like the life span of a human?

6 You do, in fact, investigate guilt,
and you do search carefully for sin.
7 Although you know that I am not guilty,
there is no one who can rescue me from your hand.

8 Your hands shaped me and made me,
but now you swallow me up completely.
9 Please remember that it was you who shaped me like a clay pot.
Will you now return me to the dust?
10 Aren’t you the one who poured me out like milk,
who thickened me like a curd of cheese?
11 You clothed me with skin and flesh.
You wove me together with bones and tendons.
12 You provided me with life and mercy,
and your watchful care has guarded my spirit.

13 You hid these things in your heart,
but I know that this is what you had in mind:
14 If I sinned and you were watching me,
you would not acquit me of my guilt.
15 If I was wicked, I would be cursed!
But even if I was righteous, I could not lift up my head,
because I am filled with shame and aware of [2] my misery.
16 If I lift myself up, [3] you hunt me down like a lion.
You turn and display amazing power against me.
17 You produce new witnesses to oppose me,
and you become more irritated with me.
You attack me with reinforcements.
18 Why, then, did you bring me out from the womb?
I wish I had died. Then no eye would have seen me.
19 I wish I had been like someone who never lived.
Then I would have been carried from the womb to the tomb.
20 Don’t I have only a few days?
Stop! Leave me alone, so that I can be happy for a short time,
21 before I walk into the land of darkness
and into the shadow of death, never to return,
22 into the land of gloom, as dark as the shadow of death,
into the land of chaos, where even light is darkness.

Footnotes1. Job 9:33 Or arbitrate 2. Job 10:15 Or drenched with 3. Job 10:16 The translation follows the Targum and Greek text in reading a first person verb. The Hebrew has a third person verb.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 30Job 8:1 – 9:24LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 30

Job 8:1 – 9:24 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0730db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Round One: Bildad’s SpeechJob 81 Then Bildad the Shuhite responded:

2 How long will you say such things?
How long will the words of your mouth be like a blustery wind?
3 Does God pervert justice?
Does the Almighty pervert what is right?
4 When your children sinned against him,
he handed them over to the consequences of their rebellion.
5 But if you will eagerly seek God
and plead for compassion from the Almighty,
6 if you are pure and upright,
then even now he will rouse himself on your behalf,
and he will restore your rightful dwelling place.
7 Then, though your beginnings were small,
your final days will be very great!

8 Yes, ask the previous generations,
and consider the discoveries of their fathers,
9 because we were born only yesterday and know nothing.
Our days on earth are nothing but a shadow.
10 Aren’t our ancestors the ones who should teach you and inform you,
the ones who brought forth words from their hearts?

11 Does papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh?
Do reeds thrive where there is no water?
12 While they are still growing and uncut,
they can wither faster than any other plant.
13 This is the way it will be for all those who forget God.
The hope of the godless man perishes.
14 His source of confidence is fragile.
He trusts in something as fragile as a spider’s web.
15 He leans on his web, but it does not support him.
He grasps it, but it does not hold him up.
16 He is a thriving plant flourishing in the sunshine,
spreading its shoots over the garden.
17 It wraps its roots around a heap of rocks.
It finds a home among the stones.
18 But if it is uprooted from its place,
that place disowns it, saying, “I have never seen you!”
19 Yes, the only good thing that comes from this situation is that
from the dust another plant sprouts. [1]

20 Certainly God does not reject a blameless man
or strengthen the hand of evildoers.
21 He will again fill your mouth with laughter
and your lips with a joyful shout.
22 Your enemies will be clothed with shame,
and the tents of the wicked will be no more.

Round One: Job’s Third SpeechJob 91 Then Job responded:

2 Of course I know that this is true.
But how can a man be justified before God?
3 If someone wants to argue with God,
he could not refute one charge out of a thousand. [2]
4 God has a wise heart and great power,
so who can resist God and come out of it unharmed?

5 God removes mountains from their position,
and they don’t even realize it.
He overturns mountains in his anger.
6 He shakes the earth off its foundation.
He causes its pillars to quake.
7 He speaks to the sun, and it does not rise,
and he seals up the stars.
8 He alone stretches out the heavens.
He treads on the crests of the sea.
9 He made the Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, [3]
and the constellations in the southern sky.
10 He does great things that are beyond investigation.
He does miracles that are too many to be counted.
11 Though he passes by me, I do not see him.
He moves past me, but I do not detect him.
12 If he snatches something away, who can make him bring it back?
Who can say to him, “What are you doing?”
13 God does not hold back his anger.
Even Rahab’s [4] helpers bow down beneath him.
14 How much less, then, will I be able to answer him?

I want to match words with him,
15 but even if I am in the right, I cannot answer him.
I can only plead to my judge for grace.
16 If I called and he responded to me,
I do not believe that he would listen to my voice.
17 With a violent storm he would crush me,
and he would inflict many wounds on me for no reason.
18 He would not allow me to catch my breath.
Instead, he would fill me with bitter experiences.
19 If it is a question of strength, he definitely is the strong one.
If it is a question of jurisdiction, who can summon him? [5]
20 Even if I am righteous, my mouth would still condemn me.
If I am blameless, it would pronounce me crooked.
21 Although I am blameless, I cannot evaluate [6] myself.
I reject my own life.

22 Here is why I say, “It makes no difference.”
Blameless or wicked, he brings them all to the same end.
23 If a whip suddenly kills people,
he makes fun of [7] the despair of the innocent.
24 When a land is handed over to a wicked man,
God blinds the eyes of its judges.
If he is not the one, then who does it?

Footnotes1. Job 8:19 The line is difficult. 2. Job 9:3 Or God would not answer him one time out of a thousand 3. Job 9:9 The identification of these constellations is uncertain. 4. Job 9:13 Rahab is a sea monster that symbolizes the sea’s power. 5. Job 9:19 The translation him is based on the Greek text. The Hebrew text reads me. 6. Job 9:21 Literally know 7. Job 9:23 Or makes light of

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 29Job 6 – 7LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 29

Job 6 – 7 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0729db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Round One: Job’s Second SpeechJob 61 Then Job responded:

2 If only my grief could be weighed,
and my devastation placed on the scales with it!
3 They would certainly weigh more than the sand of the sea!
No wonder my words have been rash. [1]
4 The arrows of the Almighty stick in me.
My spirit drinks in their poison.
The terrors of God are lined up against me.

5 Does the wild donkey bray when it has green grass?
Does the ox bellow when it is near its fodder?
6 Is tasteless food eaten without salt?
Is there flavor in the white of an egg? [2]
7 I absolutely refuse to touch it.
It is no better than sickening food.

8 If only my request would be granted.
If only God would grant me what I hope for:
9 that God would decide to crush me,
that he would unleash his hand and cut me off.
10 For then I would still have this comfort:
Even as I writhe in relentless pain, [3]
I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

11 What strength do I have to wait hopefully?
What end awaits me that would make me want to prolong my life?
12 Is my strength like stone,
or is my flesh bronze?
13 Certainly I have no power to help myself,
since the hope that I can recover has been driven far away from me.

14 A despairing person should receive loyalty [4] from his friends,
even if he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
15 But my brothers are as undependable as gullies that dry up,
undependable as seasonal streams which overflow
16 when they are darkened by ice and swollen with melting snow,
17 but as quickly as they flood, they dry up in the scorching winds. [5]
When it gets hot, they vanish from their channels.
18 Caravans turn aside from their routes.
They go off into the empty wasteland and perish.
19 The caravans of Tema search for these streams.
The travelers of Sheba hope to find them,
20 but despite being confident, they are disappointed.
They arrive there only to be frustrated.

21 Now that is what you are like!
You have seen something dreadful and you panic.
22 Have I said, “Give me something,
or offer a payment on my behalf from your wealth”?
23 Have I said, “Save me from the hand of my enemy,
or redeem me from the hand of the ruthless”?
24 Teach me and I will be silent.
Help me understand what I have done wrong.
25 How painful honest words are!
But what does your rebuke prove?
26 Do you intend to attack me for mere words
by treating things said by a despairing man like wind? [6]
27 No doubt you would even cast lots for a fatherless child
and barter away your friend!

28 But now, please look at me.
I would not lie to your face!
29 Turn to me, [7] and get rid of injustice.
Turn to me. My righteousness is still intact. [8]
30 Is there any injustice on my tongue?
Wouldn’t my mouth detect it if I were speaking destructive words? [9]

Job 71 Isn’t man’s time on earth like being compelled to serve in the army? Aren’t his days like those of a hired man?
2 Like a slave, he longs for shade,
or like a day laborer, he waits for his pay.
3 In the same way, I have been allotted months of futility,
and nights of agony have been assigned to me.
4 When I lie down, I think, “How long before I get up?”
But the night drags on,
and I am filled with restlessness until dawn.
5 My flesh is clothed with maggots and caked with dirt.
My skin scabs over and then oozes again.
6 My days pass by more swiftly than the shuttle of a weaver’s loom.
They come to an end without hope.

Job Addresses God7 Remember that my life is just a breath. [10]
My eyes will never again see good fortune.
8 The eyes that see me now will no longer watch me.
Your eyes will look for me, but I will not be there.
9 As a cloud vanishes and is gone,
so does the one who goes down to the grave. [11]
He does not come back up again.
10 He never again returns to his home,
and his place will no longer know him.
11 That is why I will not restrain my mouth.
I will speak out in the anguish of my spirit.
I will lament in the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I the sea or a great creature of the deep
that you need to put me under guard?
13 When I say that my bed will comfort me,
and my couch will help me with my lament,
14 then you frighten me with dreams
and terrify me with visions,
15 so I would prefer to be strangled,
and I prefer death more than my current existence. [12]
16 I reject my life. I do not want to live forever.
Leave me alone, for my days are just a vanishing vapor.
17 What is man that you make so much of him,
that you pay so much attention to him,
18 that you inspect [13] him every morning
and test him every minute?
19 Why do you never stop watching me?
Why don’t you leave me alone long enough for me to swallow my spit?
20 If I have sinned, what harm has it done to you,
you who keep watch on mankind?
Why have you set me up as your target?
How have I become a burden to you? [14]
21 Why do you not forgive my rebellion?
Why do you not take away my guilt?

Soon I will lie down in the dust.
You will search for me, but I will not be there.

Footnotes1. Job 6:3 Or reckless 2. Job 6:6 Another suggestion is that this term refers to the sap of some plant. In either case, the meaning remains the same: a tasteless, unappetizing substance. 3. Job 6:10 An alternative translation is I would be joyful even in relentless pain. 4. Job 6:14 Or mercy 5. Job 6:17 6-17 These lines are difficult. 6. Job 6:26 This verse is difficult. 7. Job 6:29 Or try again 8. Job 6:29 Or my righteousness is at stake 9. Job 6:30 This line is difficult. 10. Job 7:7 This verse begins a new section of Job’s speech. For the rest of the chapter, Job is no longer speaking to Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, but directly to God. This happens often in Job’s speeches. 11. Job 7:9 Hebrew sheol 12. Job 7:15 Literally than my bones 13. Job 7:18 Or scrutinize 14. Job 7:20 To you is an alternate reading of the Hebrew text. The main Hebrew text reads to me.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 28Job 4 – 5LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 28

Job 4 – 5 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0728db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Round One: Eliphaz’s SpeechJob 41 Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded:

2 If someone ventures to have a word with you, will you grow impatient?
But who can refrain from speaking up?
3 You yourself have instructed many,
and you have strengthened weak hands.
4 Your words have raised up people who were stumbling,
and you have given support to buckling knees.
5 But now that this has happened to you, you grow impatient.
This strikes you and you are disturbed.
6 Shouldn’t your piety give you confidence?
Don’t your blameless ways give you reason to hope?
7 Now remember this:
Who has ever perished if he was innocent?
Where were the upright ever erased?
8 This is what I have observed:
Those who plow evil and sow trouble will reap the same.
9 By the breath of God they perish.
By the blast from his nostrils they come to an end.

10 The lion roars, and the fierce lion growls,
but the teeth of the young lion are broken. [1]
11 The strong lion perishes from a lack of prey,
and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.

12 A word was delivered to me secretly.
My ears caught a whisper of it.
13 In the middle of anxious thoughts arising from visions in the night,
at the time when deep sleep falls upon people,
14 terror and trembling came over me
and made all my bones tremble.
15 A spirit [2] passed in front of my face.
The hair on my body stood on end.
16 A figure stood in front of me,
but I could not tell what it was.
A form stood before my eyes,
and I heard a quiet voice say,
17 “Can a person be righteous before God?
Can a man be pure before his Maker?” [3]
18 If God does not trust his own servants,
if he charges his messengers with error,
19 how much more those who dwell in clay houses,
whose foundations are in the dust,
who are crushed more quickly than a moth!
20 From dawn to dusk they are smashed to pieces.
They perish forever, and no one even notices.
21 Won’t the ropes that hold up their tents be pulled up, [4]
so that they die without gaining wisdom?

Job 51 Call out! Is there anyone there to answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn?

2 It’s true, the fool is killed by resentment,
and the gullible are put to death by jealousy.
3 I myself have seen a fool putting down roots,
but immediately I pronounced a curse on his home. [5]
4 His children are far from safety.
They are crushed at the city gate without a defender.
5 His harvest is eaten by the hungry,
who snatch it away, even from among the thorns,
and the thirsty [6] swallow his children’s wealth.

6 Disaster does not just spring up from the dust,
nor does trouble sprout from the soil.
7 No, mankind is born for [7] trouble as surely as flames fly upward.

8 But I want to appeal to God.
I want to present my case to him. [8]
9 He does great things that are beyond investigation,
and miracles that are too many to be counted.
10 He provides rain for the earth.
He waters the fields in the countryside.
11 He raises the lowly to the heights,
and he lifts those who mourn to safety.
12 He foils the plots of clever schemers,
so that their hands achieve no success.

13 He traps the wise in their schemes,
and the plans of the devious come to a swift end.
14 By day they encounter darkness,
and at noon they grope around as if it were night.

15 He saves the poor from mouths that cut like a sword
and from the hand of the strong.
16 He does this so that the helpless will have hope,
and injustice will shut its mouth.

17 Consider this:
How blessed is the man whom God corrects!
Do not reject the discipline of the Almighty!
18 For though he may inflict wounds, he also bandages them.
Though he may strike, his hands also heal.
19 From six calamities he will rescue you.
In seven no harm will touch you.
20 In famine he will redeem you from death,
and in battle he will redeem you from the power of the sword.
21 You will be hidden from the lash of the tongue,
and you will not be afraid of devastation when it comes.
22 You will laugh at devastation and hunger.
You will not be afraid of the wild animals of the countryside,
23 because there will be a covenant between you and the stones in the field,
and the wild animals will be at peace with you.
24 You will know that your tent is secure,
and when you inspect your property, you will find nothing missing.
25 You will know that your offspring will be many,
and your descendants will be like grass from the earth.
26 You will come to the grave at a ripe old age,
like a stack of sheaves that is gathered in season.
27 Consider this:
We have investigated this carefully, and it is true!
Pay close attention and apply it to yourself!

Footnotes1. Job 4:10 The differences in meaning of the various terms for lion are uncertain. 2. Job 4:15 Or wind 3. Job 4:17 Or can a person be more righteous than God? Can a man be purer than his Maker? 4. Job 4:21 Or won’t their remaining wealth be taken away 5. Job 5:3 Or his house was cursed 6. Job 5:5 The translation thirsty follows the ancient versions. The Hebrew reads snares. The line is difficult. 7. Job 5:7 Or gives birth to 8. Job 5:8 This verse may also be read as Eliphaz’s advice to Job. I would appeal to God.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 27Job 1 – 3LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 27

Job 1 – 3 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0727db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Job’s Happy LifeJob 11 There was a man in the land of Uz [1] whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright, a man who feared God and turned away from evil. 2 Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 3 His possessions included seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred female donkeys. He also had a very large retinue of servants. This man was the greatest of all the men of the East.

4 His sons would regularly arrange feasts, each one in his own house on his assigned day, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When the days of the feast were complete, Job would send for them and consecrate [2] them. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them. Job would say, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed [3] God in their hearts.” Job did this regularly.

Job’s First Test6 There came a day when the sons of God [4] came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan [5] also came into their midst. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”

Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming the earth and walking around on it.”

8 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and turns away from evil.”

9 Satan answered the Lord, “Is it without cause that Job fears God? 10 You have put a protective hedge around him and his household and everything that belongs to him, haven’t you? You have blessed the work of his hands. His livestock has spread throughout the land. 11 But just stretch out your hand and strike everything that is his, and he will certainly curse you to your face!”

12 So the Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then. Everything that he has is in your hand. But you may not stretch out your hand against the man himself.” So Satan left the presence of the Lord.

13 One day when Job’s sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their oldest brother, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the female donkeys were grazing nearby, 15 when the Sabeans [6] swooped down and took them away. They put the servants to death with the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

16 While he was still speaking, another servant came and said, “The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the flocks and the servants and consumed them, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

17 While he was still speaking, another servant came and said, “The Chaldeans [7] formed three raiding parties and plundered the camels and took them away. They put the servants to death with the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

18 While he was still speaking, another servant came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and were drinking wine in the house of their oldest brother. 19 Suddenly a powerful wind swept in from the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it collapsed on the young people, and they died, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

20 Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshipped. 21 Then he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. May the name of the Lord be blessed.”

22 In all this, Job did not sin or blame God. [8]

Job’s Second TestJob 21 Another day arrived when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came into their midst. 2 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”

Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming the earth and walking around on it.”

3 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and turns away from evil. And he still maintains his integrity, even though you incited me against him to destroy him for no reason.”

4 Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! A man will give all he has for his life. 5 But stretch out your hand and strike his bones and flesh, and he will certainly curse you to your face!”

6 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, he is in your hand, but preserve his life.”

7 Satan then went out from the presence of the Lord. He struck Job with very painful sores from the sole of his foot to the top of his head. 8 So Job took a piece of broken pottery to scrape himself as he was sitting among the ashes.

9 Then his wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!”

10 But he said to her, “You are talking like a woman who lacks moral judgment. [9] If we accept the good that comes from God, shouldn’t we also accept the bad?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

Job’s Friends Arrive to Comfort Him11 Three friends of Job heard about all this adversity that had come upon him, and each of them came from his own homeland: Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Na’amathite. [10] They met together and went to sympathize with Job and to comfort him. 12 When they caught sight of Job from a distance, they did not recognize him. They raised their voices and wept. Each man tore his robe and tossed dust into the air and onto his head. 13 They sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights, but no one spoke a word to him because they saw that his suffering was very great.

The Arguments Between Job and His FriendsRound One: Job’s First SpeechJob 31 Finally, Job opened his lips and cursed the day of his birth. 2 Job spoke up and said:

3 May the day of my birth perish,
and the night when it was said, “A child has been conceived!”
4 As for that day, let it be darkness!
May God above have no concern for it.
May light not shine on it.
5 May darkness and the shadow of death [11] reclaim it.
May a dark cloud settle over it.
May whatever blackens the day terrify it.
6 As for that night, may deep darkness take it away!
May it not be included [12] among the days of the year
or show up in the list of months.
7 Oh let that night be barren!
May no joyful shout be heard in it.
8 May those who curse days cast a spell on it,
those who are able to awaken Leviathan. [13]
9 May its twilight stars be darkened.
May it wait hopefully for light but receive none.
May it never see the eyelids of dawn,
10 because it did not shut the doors of my mother’s womb,
and it did not hide trouble from my eyes.

11 Why did I not die at birth
or pass away as I came from the womb?
12 Why did my mother’s knees receive me?
Why were her breasts there to nurse me?

13 For then I would be lying down peacefully.
I would be sleeping and resting quietly
14 with the kings and counselors of the earth,
with those who rebuilt ruined cities for themselves, [14]
15 with high officials who accumulated gold,
with those who filled their houses with silver.

16 Why was I not hidden like a stillborn child,
like the infants who never see the light of day?
17 There the wicked cease from turmoil.
There the weary are at rest.
18 There the prisoners are at ease together.
They no longer hear the voice of the slave driver.
19 There the small and great are alike,
and the slave is free from his master.

20 Why is light given to those weighed down with grief?
Why is life given to those whose spirit is bitter,
21 to those who yearn for death but it does not come,
though they dig for it more than for buried treasure,
22 to those who will be thrilled with happiness,
those who will celebrate when they reach the grave?
23 Why is light given to a man whose path is hidden,
to one whom God has hedged in?

24 Now my sighing takes the place of my daily bread.
My groans gush forth like water,
25 because what I feared has overwhelmed me,
and that which I dreaded has come upon me.
26 I have no ease, no quiet, no rest.
Instead, turmoil has come.

Footnotes1. Job 1:1 Most of the evidence points to the southern part of the territory east of the Jordan River as the location of Uz, but there is some evidence that points to a more northerly location. 2. Job 1:5 Or seek forgiveness for 3. Job 1:5 The Hebrew text reads blessed, a euphemism for cursed. See also Job 1:11; 2:5,9. 4. Job 1:6 The term sons of God often refers to believers. Here it refers to angels. 5. Job 1:6 The Hebrew word satan is a common noun that means adversary or accuser. In the book of Job this title still is written as a common noun with the article, the satan, that is, the Accuser. In later books, as it becomes established as a proper name for the leader of the evil angels, the article is dropped and it is simply Satan. 6. Job 1:15 People from Arabia, south of Uz 7. Job 1:17 People from Syria, north of Uz 8. Job 1:22 Or attribute any impropriety to God 9. Job 2:10 Or who is a fool. The foolishness here is moral and spiritual foolishness rather than intellectual foolishness. 10. Job 2:11 The stop mark ′ indicates that Na’am- should be pronounced as two syllables. 11. Job 3:5 The scribes of the Hebrew text consistently spell this word as a word that means the shadow of death. Many recent translations alter the spelling to a very similar word that means deep darkness. The EHV in many cases retains the traditional reading of the Hebrew scribes. 12. Job 3:6 The translation follows the ancient versions. The Hebrew reads may it not rejoice. 13. Job 3:8 Leviathan is a monster that represents chaos. See the note at 41:1 for more information. 14. Job 3:14 Or those who built things now lying in ruins

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 26Ephesians 6:10-24LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 26

Ephesians 6:10-24 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0726db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Ephesians 6The Armor of God10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can stand against the schemes of the Devil. 12 For our [1] struggle is not against flesh and blood, [2] but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 For this reason, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to take a stand on the evil day and, after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand, then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness fastened in place, 15 and with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace tied to your feet like sandals. 16 At all times hold up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the Evil One. 17 Also take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Prayer Requests18 At every opportunity, pray in the Spirit with every kind of prayer and petition. Stay alert for the same reason, always persevering in your intercession for all the saints. 19 Pray for me also, that when I open my mouth a message will be given to me that boldly reveals the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may speak about it boldly, as it is necessary for me to speak.

Final Comments21 Tychicus, our dear brother and a faithful minister in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22 I am sending him to you for this very reason, that you may know how we are, and that he may comfort your hearts. 23 Peace to the brothers, [3] and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who have an undying [4] love for our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. [5]

Footnotes1. Ephesians 6:12 Some witnesses to the text read your. 2. Ephesians 6:12 Literally blood and flesh 3. Ephesians 6:23 When context indicates it, the Greek word for brothers may refer to all fellow believers, male and female. 4. Ephesians 6:24 Or incorruptible 5. Ephesians 6:24 Some witnesses to the text omit Amen.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 25Ephesians 5:3 – 6:9LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 25

Ephesians 5:3 – 6:9 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0725db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Ephesians 53 But do not let sexual immorality, any kind of impurity, or greed even be mentioned among you, as is proper for saints. 4 Obscenity, foolish talk, and coarse joking are also out of place. Instead, give thanks. 5 Certainly you are aware of this: No immoral, impure, or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ, who is God. [1] 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words. It is because of these things that the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience. 7 So do not share in what they do.

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, 9 for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. 10 Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord, 11 and do not participate in fruitless deeds of darkness. Instead, expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention the things that are done by people in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes things visible. 14 Therefore it is said, “Awake, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

15 Consider carefully, then, how you walk, not as unwise people, but as wise people. 16 Make the most of your time, [2] because the days are evil. 17 For this reason, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk on wine, which causes you to lose control. Instead, be filled with the Spirit 19 by speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (singing and making music with your hearts to the Lord), 20 by always giving thanks for everything to God the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 and by submitting to one another in reverence for Christ.

Husbands and Wives22 Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he himself is the Savior. 24 Moreover, as the church submits to Christ, so also wives are to submit to their husbands in everything.

25 Husbands, love your wives, in the same way as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, by cleansing her with the washing of water in connection with the Word. 27 He did this so that he could present her to himself as a glorious church, having no stain or wrinkle or any such thing, but so that she would be holy and blameless. 28 In the same way, husbands have an obligation to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 To be sure, no one has ever hated his own body, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones. [3] 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will be one flesh.” [4] 32 This is a great mystery, but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 In any case, each one of you also is to love his wife as himself, and each wife is to respect her husband.

Parents and ChildrenEphesians 61 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother,” [5] which is the first commandment with a promise: 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live a long life on the earth.” [6] 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Slaves and Masters5 Slaves, obey your human masters [7] with respect and reverence, and with a sincere heart, just as you obey Christ. 6 Do this not just when they are watching, as if merely to please people, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. 7 Serve with eagerness, as for the Lord and not for people, 8 because you know that each person, whether slave or free, will receive back from the Lord whatever good he has done. 9 And masters, do the same for your slaves. Do not threaten them, because you know that the one who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and with him there is no favoritism.

Footnotes1. Ephesians 5:5 Or and of God 2. Ephesians 5:16 Or Redeem the time 3. Ephesians 5:30 A few witnesses to the text omit of his flesh and of his bones. 4. Ephesians 5:31 Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5 5. Ephesians 6:2 Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16; Matthew 15:4 6. Ephesians 6:3 Deuteronomy 5:16 7. Ephesians 6:5 Literally masters according to the flesh

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 24Ephesians 4:1 – 5:2LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 24

Ephesians 4:1 – 5:2 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0724db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Members of Christ’s BodyEphesians 41 As a prisoner in the Lord, therefore, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called. 2 Live with all humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another in love.

3 Make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in the one hope of your calling. 5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us [1] all.

7 But to each one of us grace was given, according to the measure of the gift from Christ. 8 That is why it says, “When he ascended on high, he took captivity captive and gave gifts to his people.” [2] 9 Now what does it mean when it says “he ascended,” other than that he also had descended [3] to the lower parts, namely, the earth? [4] 10 He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things. 11 He himself gave the apostles, as well as the prophets, as well as the evangelists, as well as the pastors and teachers, 12 for the purpose of training the saints for the work of serving, [5] in order to build up the body of Christ. 13 This is to continue until we all reach unity in the faith and knowledge of the Son of God, resulting in a mature man with a stature reaching to the measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 The goal is that we would no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, when people use tricks and invent clever ways to lead us astray. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we would in all things grow up into Christ, who is the head. 16 From him the whole body, being joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows in accordance with Christ’s activity when he measured out each individual part. He causes the growth of the body so that it builds itself up in love.

Living Changed Lives17 So I tell you this and testify to it in the Lord: Do not walk any longer as the Gentiles walk, in their futile way of thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, due to the hardness of their hearts. 19 Because they have no sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality, with an ever-increasing desire to practice every kind of impurity.

20 But you did not learn Christ in that way, 21 if indeed you have heard of him and were taught in him (since the truth is in Jesus). 22 As far as your former way of life is concerned, you were taught to take off the old self, which is corrupted by its deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed continually in the spirit of your mind, 24 and to put on the new self, which has been created to be like God in righteousness and true holiness.

25 Therefore, after you put away lying, let each of you speak truthfully with your neighbor, because we are all members of one body. 26 “Be angry, yet do not sin.” [6] Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry. 27 Do not give the Devil an opportunity. 28 Let the one who has been stealing steal no longer. Instead, let him work hard doing what is good with his own hands, so that he has something to share with a person who is in need. 29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come from your mouths. Say only what is beneficial when there is a need to build up others, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear. 30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of every kind of bitterness, rage, anger, quarreling, and slander, along with every kind of malice. 32 Instead, be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ has forgiven us. [7]

Ephesians 51 Therefore, be imitators of God as his dearly loved children. 2 And walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Footnotes1. Ephesians 4:6 Some witnesses to the text omit us. 2. Ephesians 4:8 Psalm 68:18 3. Ephesians 4:9 Some witnesses to the text add first. 4. Ephesians 4:9 Or to the lower parts of the earth 5. Ephesians 4:12 Or ministry 6. Ephesians 4:26 Psalm 4:4 7. Ephesians 4:32 Some witnesses to the text read you.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 23Ephesians 3LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 23

Ephesians 3 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0723db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed1 For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— [1]

2 Surely you have heard of the administration of God’s grace given to me for you, 3 namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation (as I have already written briefly). 4 When you read this, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ. 5 This mystery was not made known to people in past generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that in Christ Jesus the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and people who also share in the promise through the gospel.

7 I became a servant of this gospel, in keeping with the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of his power. 8 To me—even though I am the very least of all the saints—was given this grace: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ 9 and to enlighten everyone about the administration of this mystery. In past ages this mystery remained hidden in God, who created all things. 10 He did this so that, through the church, the multifaceted wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was done according to the eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him we can freely approach God with confidence through faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart because of what I am suffering for you, because it is your glory.

Paul’s Prayer and Praise14 For this reason I kneel before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, [2] 15 from whom the entire family in heaven and on earth receives its name. 16 I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he would strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner self, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Then, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 I pray that you would be able to comprehend, along with all the saints, how wide and long and high and deep his love is, 19 and that you would be able to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled to all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him, who is able, according to the power that is at work within us, to do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine, 21 to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.

Footnotes1. Ephesians 3:1 Paul breaks off his thought here and resumes it in verse 14. 2. Ephesians 3:14 A few witnesses to the text omit of our Lord Jesus Christ. (“Witnesses to the text” mentioned in footnotes may include Greek manuscripts, lectionaries, translations, and quotations in the church fathers.)

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 22Ephesians 2LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 22

Ephesians 2 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0722db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Made Alive in Christ by Grace1 You were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked when you followed the ways of this present world. You were following the ruler of the domain of the air, the spirit now at work in the people who disobey.

3 Formerly, we all lived among them in the passions of our sinful flesh, as we carried out the desires of the sinful flesh and its thoughts. Like all the others, we were by nature objects of God’s wrath.

4 But God, because he is rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved! 6 He also raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. 7 He did this so that, in the coming ages, he might demonstrate the surpassing riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 Indeed, it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared in advance so that we would walk in them.

United in Christ11 Therefore, remember that at one time, you Gentiles in the flesh—the ones who are called “uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised” (which is performed physically by human hands)— 12 remember that at that time you were separated from Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of the promise. You were without hope and without God in the world.

13 But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace. He made the two groups one by destroying the wall of hostility that divided them 15 when he abolished the law of commandments and regulations in his flesh. He did this to create in himself one new person out of the two, in this way making peace. 16 And he did this to reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by putting the hostility to death on it. [1] 17 He also came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. [2]

19 So then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household. 20 You have been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the Cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you too are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Footnotes1. Ephesians 2:16 Or putting the hostility to death in him 2. Ephesians 2:18 Or in one spirit to the Father

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 21Ephesians 1:15-23LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 21

Ephesians 1:15-23 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0721db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Ephesians 1A Prayer for Knowledge and Strength15 This is why, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 I never stop giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep praying that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, will give you the Spirit [1] of wisdom and revelation in knowing Christ fully. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope to which he has called you, just how rich his glorious inheritance among the saints is, 19 and just how surpassingly great his power is for us who believe. 20 It is as great as the working of his mighty strength, which God worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule, authority, power, and dominion, and above every name that is given, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 God also placed all things under his feet and made him head over everything for the church. 23 The church is his body, the fullness of him [2] who fills everything in every way.

Footnotes1. Ephesians 1:17 Or spirit 2. Ephesians 1:23 Or which makes him full

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 20Ephesians 1:1-14LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 20

Ephesians 1:1-14 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0720db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Ephesians 1Greeting1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To the saints who are in Ephesus, who are believers in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Blessings in Christ3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

4 He did this when he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ. He did this in accordance with the good purpose of his will, 6 and for the praise of his glorious grace, which he has graciously given us in the one he loves.

7 In him we also have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in keeping with the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished on us in all wisdom and insight. 9 He made known to us the mystery of his will in keeping with his good purpose, which he planned in Christ. 10 This was to be carried out when the time had fully come, in order to bring all things together in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth.

11 In him we have also obtained an inheritance, because we were predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in keeping with the purpose of his will. 12 He did this so that his glory would be praised as a result of us, who were the first to hope in Christ.

13 In him, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and in him, when you also believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. 14 He is the down payment of our inheritance until the redemption of God’s own possession, so that his glory would be praised.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 191 Samuel 31LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 19

1 Samuel 31 (EHV)
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The Death of Saul and Jonathan1 In the meantime, the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from the Philistines and fell mortally wounded at Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines were closing in on Saul and his sons. They struck down Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malkishua, the sons of Saul. 3 The attack directed at Saul was fierce. The archers targeted him and hit him, and he was seriously wounded.

4 Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, so that these uncircumcised fellows cannot come and run me through and abuse me!”

But his armor bearer would not do it, because he was too afraid. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it. 5 When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him. 6 So Saul died together with his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men, all on that same day.

7 When the men of Israel from the other side of the valley and those from beyond the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. Then the Philistines came and lived in those cities.

8 On the next day, when the Philistines came to strip those who had been killed in the battle, they found Saul and his three sons fallen at Mount Gilboa. 9 They cut off his head, stripped off his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to carry the good news to the temple of their idols and to the people. 10 They put his armor and weapons in the temple of the Ashtartes, [1] and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan.

11 When the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all the strong, courageous men set out, traveled all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons down from the wall of Beth Shan. They returned to Jabesh and burned them there. 13 They took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh and fasted seven days.

Footnotes1. 1 Samuel 31:10 Asherah was the principal female idol during the time of the Old Testament. The name is sometimes plural because Asherah was worshipped in many different forms. Ashtarte is sometimes substituted for Asherah. Although Asherah and Ashtarte may originally have been different goddesses, they seem to have been blended together with the passage of time.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 181 Samuel 29 – 30LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 18

1 Samuel 29 – 30 (EHV)
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David Is Dismissed by the Philistines1 Samuel 291 The Philistines gathered all their armies together at Aphek, and the Israelites camped beside the spring at Jezre’el. 2 As the serens [1] of the Philistines were marching past with their units of a hundred and units of a thousand, David and his men were marching in the rear of the column with Achish.

3 The officers of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?”

Achish said to the officers of the Philistines, “Isn’t this David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me for some time now? [2] I have found no fault in him from the day he defected, right up to today.”

4 But the officers of the Philistines were angry with him, and the officers of the Philistines said, “Make this man return to the place that you have assigned to him. He must not go down to battle with us, or else he might become an adversary against us during the battle. What better way for this man to reconcile himself to his master than with the heads of these men of ours? 5 Isn’t this David, about whom they sang to one another as they danced, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?’”

6 Then Achish called David and said to him, “As the Lord lives, you have been straightforward with me. As far as I am concerned, [3] it would be good to have you accompany me [4] on this campaign, because I have not found anything wrong with you from the day you came to me right up to this day. Nevertheless, in the opinion of the serens you are a liability. 7 So now return. Go in peace, so that you do not displease the serens of the Philistines.”

8 David said to Achish, “But what have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day I came into your presence until this day that would disqualify me from going and fighting against the enemies of my lord the king?”

9 Achish answered David, “I know that, as far as I am concerned, you are as good as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the officers of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go up to the battle with us.’ 10 So get up early in the morning, along with the servants of your master who have come with you. Get up early in the morning, and leave as soon as it is light.” [5]

11 So David got up early, and he and his men left early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines, but the Philistines went up to Jezre’el.

David and the Amalekites1 Samuel 301 David and his men arrived at Ziklag on the third day.

In the meantime the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it down. 2 They had taken the women captive, along with everyone who was there, from the least to the greatest. [6] They did not kill anyone, but they carried them off and went on their way.

3 So when David and his men came to the city, they saw that it had been burned and that their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive. 4 Then David and the troops who were with him wept loudly, until they had no more strength to weep. 5 David’s two wives had been taken captive, namely, Ahinoam from Jezre’el and Abigail, who had been the wife of Nabal from Carmel. 6 David was under a great deal of pressure because his men were talking about stoning him. The spirit of every one of them was very bitter because of their sons and daughters, but David found strength in the Lord his God.

7 David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelek, “Bring the special vest [7] of the priest here to me.” So Abiathar brought the special vest to David. 8 David inquired of the Lord, “Should I pursue this band of raiders? Will I overtake them?”

The Lord answered him, “Pursue! You will certainly overtake them and recover everything.”

9 So David set out with the six hundred men who were with him. When they came to the stream [8] called the Besor, the men who were unable to keep up stayed there. 10 David pursued with four hundred men, because two hundred stayed behind, so exhausted that they could not get across the ravine of the Besor.

11 They found an Egyptian in the open country and brought him to David. They gave him bread to eat and water to drink. 12 They also gave him a piece from a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. When he had eaten, he was revived. (He had eaten no bread and had drunk no water for three days and three nights.) 13 David asked him, “Whose servant are you? Where are you from?”

The young man said, “I am from Egypt, a slave to an Amalekite. My master left me behind when I became sick three days ago. 14 We made a raid on the Negev of the Kerethites, and on the territory of Judah, and on the Negev of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag.”

15 David said to him, “Will you bring me down to this raiding party?”

He said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or hand me over to my master, and I will bring you down to this raiding party.”

16 When he had brought David to them, there the Amalekites were, scattered all over the place! They were eating, drinking, and celebrating because of the great amount of plunder that they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. 17 David attacked them from twilight until the evening of the next day. Not a man of them escaped from there, except four hundred young men who rode off on camels and escaped. 18 David recovered everything that the Amalekites had taken. David also rescued his two wives. 19 There was nothing missing, from the least to the greatest, neither sons nor daughters, nor any plunder, nor anything else that they had taken with them. David brought it all back. 20 David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drove ahead of the other livestock, and the men were saying, “This is David’s plunder.”

21 When David approached the two hundred men whom they had left at the Besor because they were too exhausted to follow him, they went out to meet David and the men who were with him. David came up to the men who had been left behind and wished them well, 22 but all the wicked men and worthless troublemakers among those who had accompanied David responded, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them anything from the plunder that we have recovered, except we will give every man his wife and his children, so that he can take them and leave.”

23 Then David said, “Do not act that way, my brothers, with what the Lord has given to us. He is the one who has preserved us and delivered into our hand the raiders who came against us. 24 Who can listen to this proposal of yours? No, the same share that is given to the one who goes down to the battle will be given to the one who stays with the supplies. They shall have an equal share.” 25 So from that day forward, David made this a rule and precedent for Israel that lasts to this day.

26 When David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were sympathetic to him, [9] and said, “Look, here is a blessing for you from the plunder taken from the Lord’s enemies.” 27 He sent it to the elders who were in Bethel, Ramoth Negev, Jattir, 28 Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa, 29 and Rakal; to those who were in the towns of the Jerahme’elites and the towns of the Kenites; 30 to those who were in Hormah, Borashan, and Athak; 31 to those who were in Hebron and all the other places where David himself and his men had wandered.

Footnotes1. 1 Samuel 29:2 The word seren is used only of the rulers of the five Philistine city states. It may be related to the Greek word tyrant, an autocratic ruler of a city state. Seren is a title like pharaoh or czar, which is applied to one specific class of rulers. Since this is a unique title, the translation uses the transliteration seren rather than the traditional rendering lord. 2. 1 Samuel 29:3 Literally these days or these years 3. 1 Samuel 29:6 Hebrew in my eyes 4. 1 Samuel 29:6 Hebrew your going out and your coming in with me 5. 1 Samuel 29:10 The Greek Old Testament includes words that are not present in the Hebrew text. They are marked with half-brackets in the following. 10 So get up early in the morning along with the servants of your master who have come with you ⎣and go to the place I assigned to you. Don’t take this bad situation to heart, because in my opinion you are good.⎦ Get up early in the morning, and leave as soon as it is light. 6. 1 Samuel 30:2 Or the youngest to the oldest 7. 1 Samuel 30:7 Hebrew ephod. The pouch on this special vest contained the Urim and Thummin, which were used to get answers from God. 8. 1 Samuel 30:9 The Hebrew term nahal refers to a stream bed or a ravine (or even a canyon) that has water in it only part of the year. 9. 1 Samuel 30:26 The Hebrew word covers the whole range of friends, lovers, neighbors, associates, and fellow citizens. At this point these people were probably sympathizers and potential supporters.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 171 Samuel 27 – 28LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 17

1 Samuel 27 – 28 (EHV)
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David Returns to the Philistines1 Samuel 271 David said to himself, “Any day now I will be swept away by the hand of Saul. The best plan for me is to escape immediately to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me within the borders of Israel, and I will escape out of his hand.”

2 So David set out with the six hundred men who were with him and crossed over to Achish son of Maok, king of Gath. 3 David stayed with Achish at Gath—he and his men, each man with his family, including David with his two wives, Ahinoam from Jezre’el and Abigail from Carmel, who had been Nabal’s wife. 4 Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, so he did not continue searching for him anymore.

5 David said to Achish, “If I have now found favor in your eyes, assign me a place to live in one of the towns in the countryside. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?”

6 So that day Achish gave him Ziklag. That is why Ziklag belongs to the kings of Judah to this day. 7 The length of time that David spent in the territory of the Philistines was a year and four months.

8 David and his men would go out and raid the Geshurites, the Girzites, [1] and the Amalekites—peoples who had been living in the land for a very long time. Their territory extended from the beginning of Shur all the way to the land of Egypt. 9 Whenever David attacked a land, he did not leave even one man or woman alive. He would carry off the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then he would return and come back to Achish.

10 Achish would ask, “Where have you carried out a raid today?”

David would answer, “Against the Negev [2] of Judah,” or “Against the Negev of the Jerahme’elites,” or “Against the Negev of the Kenites.” 11 David would not keep even one man or woman alive to bring them to Gath. He said, “If I do, they would inform on us. They would say, ‘This is what David did, and this is what he has been doing the entire time he has been living in the territory of the Philistines.’”

12 Achish trusted David, and he said, “He has made himself a real stench to his people Israel, so he will remain my servant forever.”

The Philistines Go to Fight Saul1 Samuel 281 In those days, the Philistines brought together their armies to prepare for war against Israel. Achish said to David, “You certainly understand that you must go along with me in the army, you and your men.”

2 David said to Achish, “When I do, you will know what your servant can do.”

Achish said to David, “When you do, I will make you my bodyguard permanently.”

Saul and the Witch of Endor3 At this time, Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, which was his hometown.

Saul had banished the mediums and spiritists [3] from the land.

4 The Philistines joined forces and set up camp at Shunem. Saul brought all Israel together, and they set up camp at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was terrified and trembled with fear. 6 Saul inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him through dreams, or through Urim, or through prophets. 7 Then Saul said to his attendants, “Find a woman who consults the spirits of the dead for me, so that I can go to her and inquire of her.”

His servants said to him, “As a matter of fact, there is a woman at Endor who consults the spirits of the dead.”

8 So Saul disguised himself and put on different clothing. Then he went with two men, and they visited the woman at night. He said, “Please consult a spirit for me. Bring up for me the person I name to you.”

9 The woman said to him, “Look, you must know what Saul has done. He has cut off mediums and spiritists from the land. Why then are you setting a death trap for me, to make me die?”

10 Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As the Lord lives, you will not be punished for this.”

11 Then the woman said, “Who is it that you want me to bring up for you?”

He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.”

12 When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed and said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!”

13 The king said to her, “Do not be afraid! What do you see?”

The woman said to Saul, “I see a powerful spirit [4] coming up out of the earth.”

14 He said to her, “What does he look like?”

She said, “An old man is coming up. He is covered with a robe.” Saul recognized that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground to show respect.

15 Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?”

Saul answered, “I am in dire straits because the Philistines are waging war against me, and God has departed from me. He no longer answers me through prophets or through dreams. That is why I have called you, so that you can let me know what I should do.”

16 Samuel said, “Why do you ask me, since the Lord has departed from you and has become your adversary? 17 The Lord has done exactly what he told you through me. The Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor David. 18 Because you did not obey the Lord’s voice and did not execute his fierce wrath on Amalek, the Lord has done this to you today. 19 What’s more, the Lord will deliver Israel into the hands of the Philistines, along with you. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.”

20 Saul immediately fell full-length on the ground. Not only was he terrified because of Samuel’s words, but he also had no strength left because he had eaten no food all that day and all that night.

21 The woman came to Saul and saw that he was terrified. So she said to him, “Look, your servant has obeyed you, and I have taken my life in my hands. I have listened to the words you spoke to me. 22 Now please listen to your servant, and allow me to set some food in front of you. Eat, so that you will have strength when you go on your way.”

23 Saul refused and said, “I will not eat.” But his attendants, together with the woman, strongly urged him, and he listened to them. So he got up off the ground and sat on the bed. 24 The woman had a fattened calf at the house. She quickly butchered it. She took flour, kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread with it. 25 She set it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they got up and left during the night.

Footnotes1. 1 Samuel 27:8 Variant Gizrites 2. 1 Samuel 27:10 The Negev is the arid region south of Judah. 3. 1 Samuel 28:3 Mediums or spiritists claim to be intermediaries who are able to communicate with the spirits of the dead. 4. 1 Samuel 28:13 Or a divine being or a god (Hebrew elohim)

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 161 Samuel 25 – 26LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 16

1 Samuel 25 – 26 (EHV)
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The Death of Samuel1 Samuel 251 Samuel died. All Israel gathered together and mourned for him. They buried him at his house in Ramah.

David, Nabal, and AbigailThen David set out and went down to the Wilderness of Paran.

2 There was a man in Maon who made his livelihood in Carmel. This man was very wealthy. He had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats, and he was shearing his sheep at Carmel. 3 The man’s name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. This woman had good judgment and was beautiful, but her husband was a harsh, unbending man, who behaved badly. He was from the family line of Caleb.

4 In the wilderness David heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep. 5 So David sent ten young men and told them, “Go up to Carmel. Approach Nabal and wish him peace in my name. 6 Tell him this: ‘Long life to you! Peace be with you! Peace be with your household! Peace be with all that you have! 7 Now I hear that you are shearing sheep. Your shepherds have recently been with us, and we did not harm them. Nothing was missing from them the whole time they were in Carmel. 8 Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor with you, for we have come on a good day. Please give whatever you can to your servants and to your son David.’”

9 So David’s men came and said all those things to Nabal in the name of David. When they had finished, 10 Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are so many servants breaking away from their masters these days. 11 Should I take my bread, my water, and my meat that I have butchered for my shearers and give it to men when I do not know where they come from?”

12 So David’s men left and went on their way. They came back and told David all these things.

13 David said to his men, “Each of you, strap on your sword!”

So every man strapped on his sword. David also strapped on his sword. About four hundred men followed David, and two hundred stayed with the supplies.

14 One of Nabal’s young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “Listen to me. You need to know what happened. David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master, but he screamed insults at them. 15 Those men have been very good to us, and we have not been harmed, nor have we had anything missing the entire time we were in the countryside with them. 16 They were a wall around us night and day, the whole time we were among them while we were taking care of the sheep. 17 So carefully consider what you should do, for they are determined to bring disaster on our master and on his entire household, since he is such a worthless good-for-nothing that no one can talk to him.”

18 Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread, two containers [1] of wine, five sheep that were already prepared, a bushel [2] of roasted grain, one hundred clumps of raisins, and two hundred cakes of dried figs. She loaded these supplies on donkeys. 19 She said to her young men, “Go on ahead of me. I will follow right after you.” But she did not tell her husband, Nabal. 20 As she rode on her donkey and came down to the secluded trail [3] on the mountain, she saw that David and his men were coming down toward her, and she met them.

21 Now David had said, “It was all for nothing that I have protected everything that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missing from everything that belonged to him. But he has repaid me evil for good. 22 May God punish the enemies of David [4] severely and double it, if by the morning light I leave alive so much as one person who urinates against a wall.” [5]

23 When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got off her donkey. She bowed and fell facedown on the ground in David’s presence. 24 She fell at his feet and said, “To me, my lord—charge the guilt to me! Please let your servant speak to you. Listen to the words of your servant. 25 Please, my lord, do not pay attention to this worthless good-for-nothing Nabal, for he is exactly what his name suggests. Nabal [6] is his name, and foolishness is never far from him. But I, your servant, did not see my lord’s young men, whom you sent. 26 Now therefore, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, since the Lord has held you back from the guilt of bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now let your enemies and those who seek to do evil against my lord be like Nabal. 27 Please distribute this gift that I, your servant, [7] have brought to my lord for the young men who follow my lord. 28 Please forgive your servant’s offense. For the Lord will certainly make an enduring house [8] for my lord, because my lord is fighting the Lord’s battles. May no evil be found in you all your days. 29 Though men may rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, may the life of my lord be safely wrapped up in the bundle of the living, with the Lord your God. But the lives of your enemies he will hurl away like a stone from the pocket of a sling. 30 Then, when the Lord has done for my lord all the good things that he has spoken concerning you, and he has appointed you leader over Israel, 31 you will not be burdened by grief or a guilty conscience because you, my lord, have shed blood without cause or have avenged yourself. Then, when the Lord has dealt well with you, my lord, remember your servant.”

32 David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you to meet me today! 33 Your good judgment is blessed, and you are blessed, because today you have kept me from the guilt of shedding blood and from avenging myself with my own hand. 34 For truly, as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, unless you had come quickly to meet me, certainly by the morning light there would not have been left for Nabal so much as one person who urinates against a wall.” [9]

35 So David received from her hand what she had brought for him. Then he said to her, “Go up to your house in peace. You see, I have listened to your voice and have shown you favor.”

36 Abigail came to Nabal and saw that he was holding a feast [10] in his house, a feast fit for a king. Nabal was in good spirits, because he had drunk a lot. So she told him nothing at all until the morning light.

37 In the morning, when the wine had worn off for Nabal, his wife told him about these things, and his heart died within him, and he became like a stone. [11] 38 About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal, and he died.

39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the Lord, who has passed judgment on Nabal’s insults against me and has kept his servant from doing evil. The Lord has returned the evil done by Nabal back on his own head.”

Then David sent messengers to make arrangements with Abigail for him to take her as his wife. 40 When David’s servants came to Abigail at Carmel, they spoke to her and said, “David has sent us to you to bring you to him as his wife.”

41 She got up and bowed down with her face to the ground. She said, “Behold. I, your humblest servant, [12] am here ready to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.” 42 Abigail hurried and set out, riding on a donkey, with five young women who were her attendants following her. She went with the messengers of David and became his wife.

43 David also married Ahinoam of Jezre’el, so they both became his wives. 44 But Saul gave his daughter Michal, who was David’s wife, to Palti son of Laish, who was from Gallim.

At Ziph Once Again1 Samuel 261 The Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Do you know that David is hiding at the Hill of Hakilah, which is near the badlands?” [13]

2 So Saul set out and went down to the Wilderness of Ziph with three thousand men, who were specially chosen from Israel, to search for David in the Wilderness of Ziph. 3 Saul set up camp near the road at the Hill of Hakilah, which is near the badlands. David, however, stayed in the wilderness. When David heard that Saul had come into the wilderness to search for him, 4 he sent out scouts, who confirmed that Saul had come.

5 So David moved out and came to the place where Saul had set up camp. David saw where Saul was sleeping near Abner son of Ner, the commander of his army. Saul was sleeping inside the defensive perimeter of the camp, and the rest of the men were camped around him.

6 David responded to the situation by saying to Ahimelek the Hittite and to Joab’s brother, Abishai son of Zeruiah, “Who will go down with me into the camp, to Saul?”

Abishai said, “I will go down with you.”

7 So during the night David and Abishai passed through the people in the camp, and they saw that Saul was sleeping inside the defensive perimeter of the camp, with his spear stuck into the ground beside his head. Abner and the rest of the men were lying all around him.

8 Then Abishai said to David, “God has delivered your enemy into your hand today. Please let me strike him and pin him to the ground with my spear. One blow! That’s all I’ll need! I won’t need to strike him a second time.”

9 But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?” 10 David continued, “As the Lord lives, the Lord will strike him, or his day will come and he will die, or he will go down into battle and be swept away. 11 May I be cursed if I stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. Now go and take the spear that is beside his head and the jar of water, and we will go.”

12 So David took the spear and the jar of water that were next to Saul’s head, and they left. No one saw them. No one knew anything. No one woke up. They were all sound asleep, because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen on them.

13 Then David moved over to a position across from the camp and stood on the top of the mountain some distance away. There was a lot of space between them. 14 David then shouted to the people and to Abner son of Ner, “Abner, are you going to answer?”

Abner responded, “Who are you to be shouting at the king?”

15 David said to Abner, “Aren’t you a man? Who is like you in Israel? So why haven’t you kept watch over your lord, the king? For someone came into the camp to destroy your lord the king. 16 This thing that you have done is not good. As the Lord lives, you deserve to die, because all of you have not kept watch over your master, the Lord’s anointed. Now look around! Where are the king’s spear and the jar of water that was next to his head?”

17 Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is this your voice, David, my son?”

David said, “It is my voice, my lord the king.” 18 He added, “Why does my lord pursue his servant? What have I done? What evil is there in my hand? 19 So please, let my lord the king listen to the words of his servant. If it is the Lord who has stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering. But if it is other people, may they be cursed before the Lord, for they have driven me out today so that I cannot remain in my share of the Lord’s inheritance. They keep saying, ‘Go, serve other gods!’ 20 Now therefore, do not let my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the Lord, for the king of Israel has come out searching for a flea, or like someone who hunts for a partridge in the mountains.”

21 Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son, for I will not harm you anymore, because my life was precious in your eyes today. I have acted like a fool and have made a terrible mistake.”

22 David responded, “Look, here is your spear, O King! Let one of the young men come over and get it. 23 May the Lord deal with every man according to his righteousness and his faithfulness, because the Lord handed you over to me today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. 24 Just as your life was precious in my eyes today, so let my life be precious in the Lord’s eyes, and let him deliver me from all persecution.”

25 Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, David my son. You will certainly accomplish great things, and you will certainly remain successful.”

So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his own place.

Footnotes1. 1 Samuel 25:18 The term may refer to either a wineskin or a jar. 2. 1 Samuel 25:18 Hebrew five seahs, 50 or 60 pounds 3. 1 Samuel 25:20 The precise meaning of the term translated secluded trail is uncertain. 4. 1 Samuel 25:22 The main Hebrew text reads enemies of David. The Greek Old Testament reads David. The Hebrew reading may be a euphemism to prevent David from cursing himself. 5. 1 Samuel 25:22 It appears that David uses a crude term. He does not use a standard term for man or male. The term may also have the connotation that his enemies are dogs. 6. 1 Samuel 25:25 Nabal means fool. 7. 1 Samuel 25:27 Throughout this section Abigail uses two different words for female servants. Here she uses the term that is said to refer to a lower status. It is not clear whether there is any real difference between the terms. 8. 1 Samuel 25:28 That is, dynasty 9. 1 Samuel 25:34 This seems to be a crude term used only when making threats of a violent death. 10. 1 Samuel 25:36 The Hebrew word emphasizes drinking rather than eating. 11. 1 Samuel 25:37 This may refer to a heart attack, a stroke, a coma, or paralysis. 12. 1 Samuel 25:41 Here, as in verse 27, the lower status word for female servant is used. 13. 1 Samuel 26:1 Or Jeshimon. The Hebrew word jeshimon is sometimes translated badlands or as a proper name Jeshimon.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 151 Samuel 23 – 24LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 15

1 Samuel 23 – 24 (EHV)
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David and the People of Keilah1 Samuel 231 David was told, “Here’s news! The Philistines are fighting against Keilah and plundering the threshing floors.”

2 So David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and strike these Philistines?”

The Lord said to David, “Go strike the Philistines and save Keilah.”

3 But David’s men said to him, “Look how afraid we are here in Judah! How much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines!”

4 Then David inquired of the Lord again, and the Lord answered him, “Set out and go down to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”

5 So David and his men went to Keilah and fought against the Philistines. He took away their livestock and struck a heavy blow against the Philistines. David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

6 (When Abiathar son of Ahimelek fled with David to Keilah, he had brought the special vest, which was in his possession.)

7 When Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, he said, “God has delivered him into my hand, since David has trapped himself by entering a city that has barred gates.” 8 Then Saul summoned all the fighting men to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.

9 David knew that Saul was planning to harm him, so he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the special vest here.” 10 Then David said, “O Lord, the God of Israel, your servant has heard a specific report that Saul plans to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me. 11 Will the citzens of Keilah hand me over to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O Lord, God of Israel, please tell your servant.”

The Lord said, “He will come down.”

12 Then David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah hand me and my men over to Saul?”

The Lord said, “They will hand you over.”

13 Then David and his men, who numbered about six hundred, immediately departed from Keilah and went wherever they could. [1] When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up his plan to go there.

David in the Wilderness of Ziph14 David stayed in the strongholds in the wilderness. He remained in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul searched for him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand. 15 David knew that Saul had come to seek his life.

David was at Horesh in the Wilderness of Ziph. 16 Saul’s son Jonathan set out and came to David at Horesh. There he strengthened his hand in God. 17 He said to him, “Do not be afraid, because the hand of my father Saul will not find you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows that.” 18 They both made a covenant before the Lord. Then David stayed at Horesh, and Jonathan returned home.

19 Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Do you know that David is hiding near us in the strongholds at Horesh near the Hill of Hakilah, in the southern part of the badlands? [2] 20 So now, O King, come down! Come down whenever you wish to come, and our role will be to deliver him up into the king’s hand.”

21 Saul said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, for you have sympathized with me. 22 Go and make sure that you know exactly where he is and who has seen him there, for I have been told that he is very wily. 23 Make sure that you know all the places where he hides. Then come back to me with solid information. Then I will come with you. If he is in the land, you can be sure that I will hunt him down among all the thousands of Judah.” 24 So Saul’s men set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul.

Meanwhile David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah, [3] south of the badlands.

David in the Wilderness of Maon25 Saul and his men went to look for David. When David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard that, he pursued David in the Wilderness of Maon. 26 Saul was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side. David hurried to get away from Saul and his men, who were trying to surround David and his men in order to capture them. 27 But a messenger came to Saul and said, “Hurry! Come back, because the Philistines have made a raid on the land!” 28 So Saul turned back from pursuing David and went to confront the Philistines. That is why that place is named Sela Hamahlekoth. [4]

David and Saul at En Gedi29 Then David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of En Gedi. [5]

1 Samuel 241 When Saul had returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “Here’s some news. David is in the Wilderness of En Gedi.” [6] 2 Then Saul took three thousand specially chosen men [7] from all Israel and went to hunt for David and his men along the rocky slopes of the wild goats. [8]

3 Saul came to some sheep pens that were along that route. Saul went into a cave that was there to relieve himself. [9] At that time David and his men were far back in the interior of the cave.

4 David’s men said to him, “Look, this is the day the Lord told you about when he said, ‘I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you will do to him whatever seems good to you.’” So David got up and cut off the edge of Saul’s robe without being noticed.

5 Afterward, David had a guilty conscience, because he had cut off the edge of Saul’s robe. 6 He said to his men, “May I be cursed if I do something like this to my master, who is the Lord’s anointed—that I would stretch out my hand against him, since he is the Lord’s anointed.” 7 With these words David restrained his men and did not allow them to attack Saul.

Saul got up, left the cave, and went on his way. 8 David got up and followed him out of the cave and shouted to him, “My lord the king!”

When Saul looked back at him, David bowed facedown to the ground to show respect. 9 David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of people who say, ‘Watch out! David is seeking to harm you’? 10 This very day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hand in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you, because I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my master, because he is the Lord’s anointed.’ 11 Take a look at this! My father, take a good look at the piece of your robe that is here in my hand. Because I cut off the edge of your robe but did not kill you, you can be sure that I do not have any evil intent and I am not rebelling. I have not sinned against you, even though you keep hunting for me to take my life. 12 May the Lord judge between you and me, and may the Lord avenge me on you, but my hand will not be against you. 13 As the ancient proverb says, ‘Out of the wicked come wicked deeds,’ but my hand will not be against you. 14 Against whom has the king of Israel come out? What are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea? 15 May the Lord, therefore, be the judge who renders a verdict between you and me. May he examine my case, plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand.”

16 When David had finished speaking these words, Saul responded, “Is that your voice, David, my son?” Saul broke down and wept. 17 He said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have treated me well, but I have treated you badly. 18 You have made it clear today how you have been good to me, because when the Lord delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me. 19 If a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? May the Lord reward you with good for what you have done for me today. 20 Now I know without a doubt that you will become king, and that the kingship over Israel will be established in your hand. 21 So swear to me now by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants after me and that you will not destroy my name from my father’s house.”

22 David promised this to Saul with an oath.

Saul went back home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

Footnotes1. 1 Samuel 23:13 Literally they went around where they went around 2. 1 Samuel 23:19 Hebrew jeshimon, which means wasteland or badlands. A jeshimon is worse than a midbar (wilderness). The Hebrew word jeshimon is sometimes translated as a proper name Jeshimon. 3. 1 Samuel 23:24 On the basis of Joshua 15:48-55, most maps show Maon in the highlands west of the Dead Sea, but this verse seems to refer to a location in the Great Rift that contains the Dead Sea, which is called the Arabah. Perhaps Arabah here simply means wilderness. 4. 1 Samuel 23:28 Sela Hamahlekoth means cliff of parting. 5. 1 Samuel 23:29 En Gedi means the spring of the goat kid. 6. 1 Samuel 24:1 In the Hebrew text, chapter 24 starts at English 23:29. In chapter 24, the Hebrew verse numbers are all one number higher than the English verse numbers. 7. 1 Samuel 24:2 Or top-notch men 8. 1 Samuel 24:2 More specifically ibexes 9. 1 Samuel 24:3 Literally to cover his feet

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 141 Samuel 21:10 – 22:23LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 14

1 Samuel 21:10 – 22:23 (EHV)
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1 Samuel 21David Among the Philistines10 David quickly fled from Saul that day and went to Achish king of Gath. 11 The officials of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Didn’t they dance and sing songs about him, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?”

12 David took those words to heart, so he was very afraid of Achish king of Gath. 13 He changed his behavior in their presence and pretended to be insane while he was in their hands. He scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spit run down his beard. 14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, can’t you see that the man is insane? Why have you brought him to me? 15 Don’t I have enough madmen? Did you have to bring this madman into my presence? Should I keep this man in my house?”

Further Stops on David’s Flight1 Samuel 221 So David departed from there and escaped to the cave at Adullam. When his brothers and his father’s entire household heard about it, they went down to join him there. 2 Everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered around him, and he became their commander. There were about four hundred men with him.

3 David went from there to Mizpah in Moab, and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother come and stay with you, until I find out what God will do for me.” 4 So he brought them to the king of Moab, and they stayed with him the whole time that David was in the stronghold.

5 The prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold. Leave and go to the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the Forest of Hereth.

The Massacre of the Priests6 Saul heard that David and the men with him had been located.

Saul was sitting under the tamarisk tree on an elevated location in Gibeah. He had his spear in his hand, and all his attendants were standing around him. 7 Saul said to his attendants who were standing around him, “Listen, you Benjaminites! Will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards? Will he make you all officers over thousands and officers over hundreds? 8 So why have all of you conspired against me? Why is there no one who informs me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse? Why is there not one of you who sympathizes with me or informs me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, so that he is waiting to ambush me, as he is today?”

9 Then Doeg the Edomite, who was standing beside Saul’s attendants, replied, “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelek son of Ahitub at Nob. 10 The priest inquired of the Lord for him and gave him supplies and the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

11 Then the king summoned the priest, Ahimelek son of Ahitub, along with all of his father’s house, that is, all the priests who were in Nob, and all of them came to the king. 12 Saul said, “Listen, you son of Ahitub.”

He answered, “I am listening, my lord.”

13 Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, by giving him bread and a sword and inquiring of God for him, so that he can rise up against me and lie in ambush, as he is doing today?”

14 Then Ahimelek answered the king, “Who among all your servants is as faithful as David? He is the king’s son-in-law, the head of your elite troops, [1] and is honored in your house. 15 Have I just begun to inquire of God for him today? Certainly not! The king should not charge anything against his servant or against all the house of my father, for your servant knows nothing at all about this matter, in whole or in part.”

16 The king said, “You shall certainly die, Ahimelek, you and all your father’s house.” 17 Then the king said to the bodyguards [2] who were standing around him, “Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because their hand too is with David. They knew that he was fleeing, but they did not inform me.”

But the attendants of the king would not raise a hand against the priests of the Lord.

18 The king said to Doeg, “You turn and attack the priests!”

Doeg the Edomite turned and attacked the priests. On that day he killed eighty-five men who wore the special linen garment. [3] 19 He struck Nob, the city of the priests, with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing babies, as well as cattle, donkeys, and sheep—all of them with the edge of the sword. 20 But one of the sons of Ahimelek son of Ahitub, whose name was Abiathar, escaped and fled to David.

21 Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the Lord’s priests.

22 David said to Abiathar, “On that day when Doeg the Edomite was present, I knew without a doubt that he would tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of all the members of your father’s house. 23 Stay with me. Do not be afraid, for the one who seeks my life also seeks your life. You will be safe with me.”

Footnotes1. 1 Samuel 22:14 Literally those who listen to you 2. 1 Samuel 22:17 Literally runners 3. 1 Samuel 22:18 The Hebrew term ephod usually refers to the special vest worn by the high priest. Here it seems to refer to a type of garment worn by regular priests.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 131 Samuel 20:1 – 21:9LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 13

1 Samuel 20:1 – 21:9 (EHV)
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1 Samuel 201 David fled from Naioth in Ramah. He came to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? Am I guilty of something? What is my sin against your father that makes him seek my life?”

2 Jonathan said to him, “A curse on me if that happens. [1] You will not die. Look, my father does nothing whether important or unimportant without telling me about it. Why would my father hide this from me? It is not so.”

3 But David took an oath and said, “Your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your eyes, so he might say, ‘Do not let Jonathan know about this, or he will be very upset.’ But as surely as the Lord lives, and as surely as your soul lives, there is only a step between me and death.”

4 Then Jonathan said to David, “Ask me for whatever you really want, and I will do it for you.”

5 David said to Jonathan, “Listen, tomorrow is the new moon, and I am expected to dine with the king, but let me go so that I can hide in the countryside until the evening of the third day. 6 If your father misses me at all, say, ‘David urged me to excuse him so that he could run to Bethlehem, his hometown, because it is the annual sacrifice there for his entire family.’ 7 If he says, ‘That is fine,’ your servant will be at peace. But if it really displeases him, then you will know that he is planning evil. 8 You must show kindness to your servant, because you have made a covenant in the name of the Lord with me, your servant. But if I am guilty of anything, kill me yourself. Why should you bring me to your father?”

9 Jonathan said, “A curse on me if that occurs, because if I knew that my father was planning to harm you, wouldn’t I tell you?”

10 Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father gives you a harsh response?”

11 Jonathan said to David, “Come, let’s go out into the field.” So the two of them went out into the field. 12 Jonathan said to David, “I swear by the Lord, the God of Israel! About this time tomorrow or the day after, when I have tested my father to see if he is favorably inclined toward David, I will send word to you so that you hear about it. 13 May the Lord punish Jonathan severely and double it, [2] if my father is planning to harm you and I do not disclose it to you and send you on your way, so that you may go in peace. May the Lord be with you, as he has been with my father. 14 You must show the mercy of the Lord to me, not only while I am still alive, so that I do not die, 15 but you also must not cut off your mercy from my house forever—no, not even when the Lord has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” 16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord demand an accounting from David’s enemies.” 17 Then Jonathan had David repeat the oath, because of the love that he had for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

18 Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty. 19 On the third day, [3] go down quickly to the place where you hid on the previous occasion and stay by the stone named Ezel. 20 I will shoot three arrows off to the side of it, as if I were shooting at a target. 21 I will send the boy out and say, ‘Go and find the arrows!’ If I yell to the boy, ‘Hey! The arrows are closer this way. Come and pick them up,’ then you can come to me, because you are safe and, as the Lord lives, there is no danger. 22 But if I yell to the boy, ‘Hey! The arrows are farther out,’ then go on your way, for the Lord has sent you away. 23 Concerning this matter that you and I have spoken about, the Lord stands as a witness between you and me [4] forever.”

24 So David hid in the countryside. When the new moon came, the king sat down to eat his meal. 25 The king sat at his usual seat next to the wall. Jonathan was across from him, [5] and Abner sat next to Saul, but David’s place was empty. 26 Nevertheless, Saul did not say anything that day, since he thought, “Something has happened to him to make him ceremonially unclean. That’s what it is—he must be unclean.”

27 On the day after the new moon, the second day of the month, David’s place was still empty. So Saul asked his son Jonathan, “Why didn’t the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?”

28 Jonathan answered Saul, “David begged me for permission to go to Bethlehem. 29 He said, ‘Please let me go, because our family has a sacrifice in the city. My brother has ordered me to be there. Now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please excuse me so I can go and see my brothers.’ That is why he has not come to the king’s table.”

30 Then Saul’s anger burned against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverted, unfaithful woman! Don’t I know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness? [6] 31 For as long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, you will not be established, nor will your kingship. So send for him and bring him to me, because he must surely die!”

32 Jonathan answered his father Saul, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”

33 Saul threw his spear at him to hit him. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death. 34 Jonathan got up from the table in fierce anger, and he ate no food on the second day of the month, for he grieved for David, because his father had treated David so shamefully.

35 In the morning Jonathan went out into the field at the time he had set with David. He took a young servant boy with him. 36 He said to his boy, “Run out and find the arrows that I shoot.” As the boy ran, Jonathan shot an arrow beyond him. 37 When the boy reached the area where Jonathan’s arrow had landed, Jonathan yelled to the boy, “Isn’t the arrow farther out from you?” 38 Jonathan shouted to the boy, “Go faster! Hurry up! Don’t be slow!” Jonathan’s boy picked up the arrows and came back to his master. 39 The boy did not know anything about what was going on. Only Jonathan and David knew. 40 Jonathan gave his equipment to his boy and told him, “Go on ahead. Carry these things into the city.”

41 As soon as the boy was gone, David got up from the south side of the mound. [7] He fell down with his face to the ground and bowed three times. They kissed one another and wept together, but David wept more. 42 Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, because we have both sworn in the Lord’s name. May the Lord stand between you and me and between my offspring and your offspring forever.” David got up and left, and Jonathan went back into the city.

David and the Priests1 Samuel 211 David came to Ahimelek the priest at Nob. When he came to meet David, Ahimelek was trembling with fear, and he said to David, “Why are you alone? Why isn’t there anyone with you?” [8]

2 David said to Ahimelek the priest, “The king sent me on a mission and told me, ‘Don’t let anyone know anything about where I am sending you or about your orders.’ I have instructed the young men to wait for me at a certain place. 3 So what do you have on hand? Please give me five loaves of bread, or whatever is available.”

4 The priest answered David, “I do not have any ordinary bread, but there is holy [9] bread—I can give it to you [10] only if your young men have kept themselves away from women.” [11]

5 David answered the priest, “Yes indeed, women have been kept away from us just as they have been on previous occasions. Whenever I go out on a mission, the bodies [12] of the young men are kept holy even if it is only an ordinary journey. How much more then shall their bodies be holy today?”

6 So the priest gave him holy bread, because there was no bread there except for the Bread of the Presence which had been removed from the presence of the Lord and replaced with hot bread.

7 Now one of Saul’s servants was present that day, detained before the Lord. His name was Doeg the Edomite. He was in charge of Saul’s shepherds.

8 David said to Ahimelek, “Don’t you have a spear or sword on hand here? I didn’t bring my sword or my gear with me, because the king’s mission was so urgent.”

9 The priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here. It is wrapped in a cloth behind the place where the special vest is kept. If you would like to take that, take it, because there is nothing else here.”

David said, “There is no other like that one. Give it to me.”

Footnotes1. 1 Samuel 20:2 The Hebrew has the tone of a curse. The phrase could, however, be translated more mildly: There is no way that is going to happen. See another example in verse 9. 2. 1 Samuel 20:13 Literally may the Lord do this to Jonathan and even more. This is an oath with the specific curse left unstated. 3. 1 Samuel 20:19 On the third day often means on the day after tomorrow, but here it is three days. 4. 1 Samuel 20:23 In Hebrew the order of persons is normally me and you, as it is here. In English the order you and me is considered more polite. The EHV usually follows the normal English order, unless it seems that there is some significance to the Hebrew order. 5. 1 Samuel 20:25 The Hebrew reads Jonathan stood up. The Greek indicates that Jonathan was across from Saul. 6. 1 Samuel 20:30 In a shocking outburst, Saul calls Jonathan, who was his legitimate son and heir, the illegitimate son of an immoral woman. Many translations soften the harsh language of Saul’s outburst. 7. 1 Samuel 20:41 The Hebrew says from the south side but gives no location. The Greek reads from the mound but supplies no direction. 8. 1 Samuel 21:1 In the Hebrew text, chapter 21 starts at English 20:42. In chapter 21, the rest of the Hebrew verse numbers are one number higher than the English verse numbers. 9. 1 Samuel 21:4 In this context holy means ceremonially pure or set aside for a sacred purpose. 10. 1 Samuel 21:4 The words I can give it to you are added to make the sentence clear in English. 11. 1 Samuel 21:4 Sexual relations made a man ceremonially unclean, as did touching a woman during her period. 12. 1 Samuel 21:5 Literally vessels. Some translations understand this as a reference to the men’s weapons, but it is clear from the priest’s question that he is concerned about the effect of sexual relations on the purity of their bodies.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 121 Samuel 17:55 – 19:24LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 12

1 Samuel 17:55 – 19:24 (EHV)
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1 Samuel 17David and Saul’s Family55 When Saul saw David go out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this young man?”

Abner said, “As your soul lives, my King, I do not know.”

56 The king said, “Inquire whose son the young man is!”

57 As David returned from striking down the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with the head of the Philistine in his hand. 58 Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?”

David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.”

1 Samuel 181 When David had finished speaking to Saul, the soul [1] of Jonathan became bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved David as he loved his own soul. [2] 2 Saul took David into his service that day and would not let him go back to his father’s house anymore. 3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because Jonathan loved David as his own soul. 4 Jonathan took off the robe that he was wearing and gave it to David, as well as his other gear, including his sword, his bow, and his belt.

5 David went out wherever Saul sent him, and he was successful. So Saul put him in charge of a group of soldiers. All the people approved, as did Saul’s officials.

6 As the army was coming back from battle, when David was returning from striking down the Philistine, women came out from all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful music, with hand drums, and with noisemakers. [3] 7 The women sang to each other as they played:

Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his ten thousands.

8 Saul became furious, because he resented this statement. He said, “They have credited David with tens of thousands, but to me they have credited only thousands. What more can be given to him but the kingship?” 9 So Saul eyed David suspiciously from that day on.

10 On the next day, an evil spirit from God overcame Saul, and in a frenzy he prophesied inside the house. David had a lyre in his hand. He was playing as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand. 11 He hurled the spear, because he thought, “I will pin David to the wall!” But David escaped from his presence twice.

12 Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David but had departed from Saul. 13 So Saul sent David away from his court and made him a commander over a unit of a thousand. So David led the army out to battle and back again. 14 David was successful in everything he did, and the Lord was with him. 15 When Saul saw that David was so successful, he was even more afraid of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them out to battle and back again.

17 Saul said to David, “Look, here is my oldest daughter Merab. I will give her to you as your wife. Just be a strong warrior for me, and fight the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “It won’t be my hand against him, but it will be the hand of the Philistines against him.”

18 David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is the status of my father’s clan in Israel, that I would be able to become the son-in-law of the king?”

19 When the time came that Saul’s daughter Merab was supposed to have been given to David, she was given to Adriel of Meholah as his wife.

20 Michal, Saul’s other daughter, loved David. When they told Saul about it, this situation pleased him. 21 Saul said, “I will give her to him, so that she will be a snare for him, and the hand of the Philistines will be against him.”

So Saul said to David, “Today you have another opportunity to become my son-in-law.”

22 Saul commanded his officials to speak with David privately and to say, “Look, the king is delighted with you, and all his officials love you, so you should become the king’s son-in-law.” 23 Saul’s officials spoke those words to David’s ears.

But David said, “Does it seem to you to be a trivial thing for me to be the king’s son-in-law, since I am a poor man and not highly regarded?”

24 Then Saul’s officials told him what David had said.

25 So Saul said, “Tell David that the king desires no price for the bride except one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, for revenge against the king’s enemies.” Saul intended to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

26 When Saul’s officials told David these words, David was very pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the deadline, 27 David got up and went out with his men and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. Then David brought their foreskins and counted them out for the king, so that he could become the king’s son-in-law.

Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to David as his wife. 28 Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that Michal, his daughter, loved David. 29 So Saul was even more afraid of David, and he was hostile to David all the time.

30 The commanders of the Philistines were regularly going out for battle, and as often as they went out, David was more successful than all the other officers of Saul. So his name was highly regarded.

1 Samuel 191 Saul told his son Jonathan and all his officials that they should kill David. But Saul’s son Jonathan had great admiration and respect for David. 2 So Jonathan told David, “My father Saul wants to kill you. So be careful tomorrow morning. Settle down in a hiding place and conceal yourself. 3 I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will talk with my father about you. I will see what the situation is, and I will tell you.”

4 Jonathan spoke favorably about David to his father Saul. He said to him, “The king should not sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and his actions have served you very well. 5 He took his life into his hands when he struck the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great victory for all Israel. You saw it, and you celebrated. Why then would you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?”

6 Saul listened to the advice of Jonathan, and Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be put to death.”

7 So Jonathan called David and told him about all those things. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he served in his presence as he had before.

8 Later, war broke out again. David went out and fought against the Philistines and inflicted a severe defeat on them, and they fled from him.

9 An evil spirit from the Lord came upon Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. David was playing the lyre. 10 Saul tried to pin David to the wall with the spear, but David evaded Saul’s attempt, and Saul’s spear stuck in the wall. That night David fled and successfully escaped.

11 Saul sent messengers to watch David’s house and to kill him in the morning, but David’s wife Michal told him, “If you do not do something to save your life tonight, by tomorrow you will be put to death.” 12 So Michal let David down through the window. He took off, got away, and escaped. 13 Michal took a household idol and laid it in the bed. She put something made of goat hair on its head and covered the statue with clothing. 14 When Saul sent messengers to capture David, she said, “He is sick.”

15 So Saul sent the messengers to see David for themselves. He said, “Bring him to me on the bed, so I can kill him.” 16 When the messengers came in, they saw that the idol was in the bed with the goat hair on its head.

17 Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me like this and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?”

Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I have to kill you?’”

18 So David ran away and successfully escaped.

David’s Flight From SaulDavid came to Samuel at Ramah and told him about everything that Saul had done to him. So he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth. 19 Saul was told, “Look, David is at Naioth in Ramah.”

20 Saul sent messengers to seize David, but when they saw an assembly [4] of the prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came on Saul’s messengers, and they also prophesied. 21 When Saul was told about it, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. So Saul sent messengers a third time, and they also prophesied.

22 Then Saul himself went to Ramah and came to the large cistern at Seku. He asked, “Where are Samuel and David?”

Someone told him, “They are at Naioth in Ramah.”

23 So Saul headed for Naioth in Ramah. Then the Spirit of God came on him also, and he walked along prophesying, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 He also stripped off his clothing and prophesied in the presence of Samuel. He fell down and lay there naked all that day and all that night. Therefore it is said, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

Footnotes1. 1 Samuel 18:1 Or heart. The base meaning of the Hebrew term is soul, but in this context English might prefer the connotation heart. 2. 1 Samuel 18:1 Or life 3. 1 Samuel 18:6 The Hebrew term shalish very likely refers to a type of noisemaker known as a sistrum, but some think it refers to a three-stringed instrument or a type of song. 4. 1 Samuel 19:20 The meaning of this term is uncertain.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 111 Samuel 17:1-54LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 11

1 Samuel 17:1-54 (EHV)
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1 Samuel 17David and Goliath1 Now the Philistines gathered their troops for battle. They gathered at Sokoh, [1] which belongs to Judah, and they camped between Sokoh and Azekah at Ephes Dammim. 2 Saul and the men of Israel also gathered together and camped in the Valley of Elah. They lined up in battle formation opposite the Philistines. 3 The Philistines took up a position in front of the mountain on one side of the valley, and the Israelites stationed themselves in front of the mountain on the other side of the valley.

4 A challenger who represented the Philistines came out from the camp of the Philistines. He was named Goliath of Gath. He was nine feet, six inches tall. [2] 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he wore scaled body armor, which was made of more than one hundred pounds [3] of bronze. 6 He had bronze greaves on his shins and a bronze spear slung between his shoulders. 7 The shaft [4] of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his spearhead was made of fifteen pounds [5] of iron. His shield bearer went out ahead of him.

8 He would stand up and shout to the armies of Israel, “Why have you come out to line up in battle formation? I am a Philistine, and you are servants of Saul, aren’t you? Choose a man to represent you, and let him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, we will be your servants. But if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our servants, and you will serve us.” 10 The Philistine would say, “I defy the ranks of Israel today! Give me a man, and we will fight each other!” 11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they lost their courage and were terrified.

[6] 12 Now David was the son of an Ephrathite from Bethlehem in Judah, whose name was Jesse. Jesse had eight sons. In the days of Saul, Jesse was a very old man. 13 The three oldest sons of Jesse had accompanied Saul to the battleground. The names of his three sons who went to the battle were his firstborn Eliab, next Abinadab, and third Shammah. 14 David was the youngest son. The three oldest accompanied Saul. 15 During this time David went back and forth from Saul to take care of his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.

16 The Philistine came out each morning and evening for forty days and presented his challenge.

17 Jesse said to his son David, “Take twenty-five pounds [7] of this roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers. Deliver them quickly to the camp for your brothers. 18 Also take these ten blocks of cheese to the commander of their unit. [8] See how your brothers are doing and bring back some assurance they are okay.”

19 Now Saul, David’s brothers, and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah to fight with the Philistines.

20 David got up early in the morning and left the sheep with someone who would watch them. He took the supplies and set out as Jesse had commanded him. He arrived at the outer defense line of the camp just as the army was marching out to line up in battle formation, shouting war cries as they went. 21 Israel and the Philistines were lining up for battle, one formation against the other. 22 After David had handed over his provisions to the supply officer, he ran to the battlefront, where he met and greeted his brothers.

23 As he was talking with them there, he saw the Philistine challenger named Goliath of Gath coming up out of the ranks of the Philistines. He repeated his usual words, and David heard them. 24 (Whenever they saw the man, all the men of Israel fled from him and were terrified.) 25 An Israelite had said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? He keeps coming up to taunt Israel. The king will give great riches to the man who kills him. He will give his daughter to him in marriage and make his father’s house exempt from taxes in Israel.”

26 David spoke to the men who stood near him. He asked, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine who dares to defy the troops of the living God?”

27 The people again told him what would be done for the man who killed Goliath.

28 When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard David speaking to the men, he burned with anger against David. He said, “Why have you come down? Who is taking care of those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the mischief in your heart. You have come down just to see the battle.”

29 David said, “What have I done now? Can’t I say anything?” [9] 30 So David turned away from him toward another person, and he asked the same thing again, and the soldiers again answered him the same way. 31 When they heard what David said, they reported it to Saul, and he sent for David. 32 David said to Saul, “Do not let anyone lose heart because of this Philistine! Your servant will go and fight him.”

33 But Saul said to David, “You cannot go against this Philistine to fight with him, because you are just a boy, and he has been a warrior since he was a youth.”

34 David said to Saul, “Your servant has been taking care of his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after it and struck it and rescued the lamb out of its mouth. When the lion reared up against me, I grabbed it by its mane, struck it, and killed it. 36 Your servant struck both the lion and the bear. This uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has defied the ranks of the living God.” 37 David added, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

Saul said to David, “Go then! May the Lord be with you.” 38 So Saul dressed David in his own gear. [10] He placed a bronze helmet on his head and dressed him in scaled body armor. 39 David strapped his sword over his gear. David tried to walk around in them, since he had never trained with this kind of equipment before.

David said to Saul, “I cannot go in these, because I have never trained with them.” So David took them off.

40 Then David took his staff in his hand and picked five smooth stones out of the stream bed and put them into the pouch of his shepherd’s bag. He took his sling in his hand and approached the Philistine.

41 The Philistine kept walking and got closer and closer to David. The man who was carrying his shield was walking ahead of him. 42 When the Philistine got a good look at David, he despised him, because David was just a boy, nothing but a good-looking, red-headed boy. [11]

43 The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come against me with sticks?” The Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will feed your flesh to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the countryside.”

45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of Armies, the God of the ranks of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 Today the Lord will hand you over to me. I will strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the earth. Then all the earth will know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and all those gathered here will know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear, for the battle belongs to the Lord, and he will deliver you into our hand.”

48 Then, when the Philistine started advancing to attack David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 David put his hand into his bag, took a stone from it, shot it from his sling, and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown to the ground.

50 So David defeated the Philistine with a sling and a stone. He struck the Philistine and killed him, even though David did not have a sword in his hand. 51 So David ran, stood over the Philistine, took hold of his sword, drew it out of its sheath, killed him, and cut off his head with it.

When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. 52 The men of Israel and Judah got up, cheering loudly, and pursued the Philistines toward the entrance of the valley, all the way to the gates of Ekron. Fatally-wounded Philistines lined the road from Sha’araim all the way to Gath and Ekron. 53 When the Israelites returned from pursuing the Philistines, they plundered their camp. 54 David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put the Philistine’s armor and weapons into his tent.

Footnotes1. 1 Samuel 17:1 Also spelled Socoh. In many Hebrew names that contain the Hebrew letter kaph, the English spelling is in the process of changing from a c to a k in order to align more closely with the Hebrew spelling. At present there is no consistent spelling system for biblical names. 2. 1 Samuel 17:4 Hebrew six cubits and a span. A Hebrew Dead Sea Scroll, some Greek manuscripts, and the historian Josephus have the variant four cubits and a span, that is, six feet, nine inches. 3. 1 Samuel 17:5 Hebrew five thousand shekels 4. 1 Samuel 17:7 The translation follows the Hebrew reading recorded in the margin of the text (qere). The main Hebrew text (kethiv) reads arrow. 5. 1 Samuel 17:7 Hebrew six hundred shekels 6. 1 Samuel 17:11 Some Greek manuscripts of the Old Testament omit these verses. They also omit other verses at the end of the chapter. These alterations seem to be abridgements accepted by some Greek versions rather than valid readings of the original text. 7. 1 Samuel 17:17 Hebrew an ephah 8. 1 Samuel 17:18 Literally their thousand 9. 1 Samuel 17:29 Literally is it not [just] a word 10. 1 Samuel 17:38 Or uniform 11. 1 Samuel 17:42 This is the same physical description of David as given in 16:12, but here the point seems to be to highlight his boyish appearance.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 101 Samuel 16LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 10

1 Samuel 16 (EHV)
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David Is Chosen as King1 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I see a king for myself among his sons.”

2 Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”

The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will let you know what you are to do. You are to anoint for me the person that I point out to you.”

4 So Samuel did what the Lord had told him to do and went to Bethlehem. Trembling with fear, the elders of the city came to meet him. They said, “Do you come in peace?”

5 He said, “Yes, in peace. I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” He consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

6 When they had come, he looked at Eliab and said, “Certainly this is the Lord’s anointed.”

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at how tall he is, because I have rejected him. For the Lord does not look at things the way man does. For man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.”

9 Then Jesse had Shammah pass by. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.”

10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” 11 Samuel said to Jesse, “Is that all of the young men?”

Jesse said, “There still is the youngest, but he is tending the sheep.”

Samuel said to Jesse, “Send for him, for we cannot sit down to eat until he comes.”

12 He sent for him and brought him in. David had red hair [1] and striking eyes, and was good-looking. The Lord said, “Get up! Anoint him, because this is the one.”

13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers. The Spirit of the Lord rushed on David with power from that day forward. After that Samuel set out and returned to Ramah.

David and Saul Meet14 The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil [2] spirit from the Lord tormented him.

15 So Saul’s servants said to him, “Please listen to us. An evil spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 Our lord, please command your servants who are here with you to seek out a man who is skilled at playing the lyre. Then when the evil spirit from God is on you, he will play the lyre, [3] and you will feel better.”

17 So Saul said to his servants, “Find a man who can play well and bring him to me.”

18 Then one of the young attendants replied, “As a matter of fact, I have seen a son of Jesse from Bethlehem who is a skillful player. He is a strong, brave man, fit for war. He shows good judgment in what he says and is a handsome man. And the Lord is with him.”

19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.”

20 Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a container of wine, and a young goat, and he sent them with his son David to Saul. 21 David came to Saul and stood before him. Saul loved him, and David became his armor bearer. 22 So Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Permit David to remain and serve me, for I am very pleased with him.” 23 Whenever the spirit from God came over Saul, David would take the lyre in his hand and play. So Saul would be soothed and feel better, and the evil spirit would depart from him.

Footnotes1. 1 Samuel 16:12 Or a reddish complexion. The Hebrew word simply means red-colored. 2. 1 Samuel 16:14 Or harmful. God permitted an evil spirit to afflict Saul as he permitted Satan to attack Job. 3. 1 Samuel 16:16 Literally play the lyre by hand. By hand may be a technical term for David’s style of playing, that is, he played without a pick or striker. Most translations omit the term by hand.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 091 Samuel 15LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 09

1 Samuel 15 (EHV)
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Saul Is Rejected1 Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you to be king over his people Israel. Therefore, listen to the voice of the Lord. 2 This is what the Lord of Armies says. I will repay Amalek for what they did to Israel when they blocked Israel’s way as it was coming up out of Egypt. 3 Go and strike Amalek. Devote everything they have to destruction. Do not spare them. Kill both men and women, infants and nursing babies, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.”

4 So Saul summoned the troops and organized them for battle at Telaim. There were two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men from Judah. 5 Then Saul came to the city of Amalek and set up an ambush in the ravine. 6 Saul said to the Kenites, “Go! Leave! Get away from the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you along with them, because you showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.

7 Saul struck the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, which borders Egypt. 8 He took Agag, the king of the Amalekites, alive, and he devoted all the people to destruction with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the cattle, the fattened calves, and the lambs, along with everything else that was good, because they were not willing to devote them to destruction. But everything that was undesirable and worthless, that they devoted to destruction.

10 Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel: 11 “I regret [1] that I have set up Saul to be king, for he has turned back from following me, and he has not carried out my words.” Samuel was angry, and he cried to the Lord all night.

12 Samuel got up to meet Saul early in the morning, but Samuel was told, “Saul went to Carmel, and he set up a monument for himself there. Then he turned and continued down to Gilgal.”

⎣So Samuel went to Saul, and there he saw Saul, offering a burnt offering to the Lord from the best of the spoils that he had brought from the Amalekites.⎦ [2]

13 When Samuel came to Saul, Saul said to him, “You are blessed by the Lord! I have carried out the word of the Lord.”

14 Samuel said, “Then what does this mean—this bleating of sheep in my ears and the lowing of cattle that I hear?”

15 Saul said, “They have been brought here from the Amalekites, because the people spared the best of the sheep and the cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God. But we have completely destroyed the rest.”

16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop right there! Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.”

He said to him, “Tell me.”

17 Samuel said, “Though you were insignificant in your own sight, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel. The Lord anointed you king over Israel. 18 Then the Lord sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go and devote the Amalekites, that sinful people, to destruction. Fight against them until they are exterminated.’ 19 Why didn’t you listen to the voice of the Lord? Why did you swoop down on the plunder and do what was evil in the Lord’s sight?”

20 Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed the voice of the Lord and have completed the mission that the Lord gave me. I have captured Agag king of Amalek, and I have completely destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But the people took some of the plunder: sheep, cattle, and the best of what was devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”

22 Samuel said, “Does the Lord take as much pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obedience to the voice of the Lord? Know this! To obey is better than sacrifice, and to pay attention is better than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is the same as the sin of witchcraft, and arrogance is like having useless idols or consulting household gods. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you as king.”

24 Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed against the command [3] of the Lord, as well as against your words, because I was afraid of the people, so I listened to their voice. 25 But now, please pardon my sin and come back with me again, so that I may worship the Lord.”

26 But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you, because you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.”

27 As Samuel turned to leave, Saul grabbed the edge of his robe, and it tore. 28 Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel away from you today, and he has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you. 29 The Splendor of Israel will not lie or change his mind, because he is not a man, who changes his mind.”

30 Then Saul said, “I have sinned, but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel. Come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord your God.” 31 So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshipped the Lord.

32 Then Samuel said, “Bring Agag the king of the Amalekites here to me!”

Agag came to him confidently. He said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.” [4]

33 Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women!” Then Samuel cut Agag to pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.

34 Samuel then went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house at Gibeah of Saul. 35 Until the day of his death, Samuel never again came to see Saul. Samuel did, however, mourn for Saul, but the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.

Footnotes1. 1 Samuel 15:11 Or it grieves me. In reference to God, the word regret or grief means he is going to change his course of action. 2. 1 Samuel 15:12 The line in the half-brackets is not in the Hebrew text but is present in the Greek Old Testament. An accidental omission from the Hebrew text may have been triggered by the repetition of the words Samuel went/came to Saul. 3. 1 Samuel 15:24 Literally the mouth 4. 1 Samuel 15:32 The meaning of this verse is uncertain. The translation follows the Hebrew text. According to this interpretation, Agag thought that this old prophet certainly would not kill him, so he expected a reprieve. The ancient versions read: Agag came to him fearfully. Agag said, “Surely death is bitter.” According to this interpretation, Agag realized that Samuel would not waver like Saul, so he was doomed. According to another reading, Agag came in chains.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 081 Samuel 14LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 08

1 Samuel 14 (EHV)
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1 One day [1] Saul’s son Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come on! Let’s go over to the Philistines’ garrison that is on the other side.” But he did not tell his father 2 Saul, who was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah, under the pomegranate tree that is in Migron. The people who were with Saul amounted to about six hundred men, 3 including Ahijah son of Ahitub. (Ahitub was the brother of Ichabod and the son of Phinehas, who was the son of Eli, the priest of the Lord in Shiloh.) Ahijah was wearing the special vest. [2]

The men did not know that Jonathan was gone.

4 On each side of the pass which Jonathan needed to cross in order to go over to the Philistine garrison, there was a cliff with a sharp outcropping of rock. The name of one was Bozez, and the name of the other was Seneh. 5 One cliff rose up on the north side in front of Mikmash, and the other was on the south side in front of Geba.

6 Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come on! Let’s go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised fellows. It may be that the Lord will exert his power for us, for the Lord is not limited. He can save by many or by few.”

7 His armor bearer said to him, “Do everything that is in your heart. Give it all you’ve got! I am with you heart and soul.”

8 Then Jonathan said, “Here’s the plan. We will cross over to them, and we will let them see us. 9 If they say to us, ‘Stay there until we come to you!’ then we will stay right where we are. We will not go up to them. 10 But if they say, ‘Come up to us!’ then we will go up, because the Lord has delivered them into our hand. This will be the sign for us.”

11 So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines, and the Philistines said, “What do you know! The Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have been hiding!” 12 When Jonathan and his armor bearer appeared, the men of the garrison responded, “Come up to us. We have something to show you!”

So Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Follow me, because the Lord has delivered them into Israel’s hands.”

13 Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, and his armor bearer followed him. The Philistines fell wounded before Jonathan, and his armor bearer followed him, killing them as he went. 14 That first blow struck by Jonathan and his armor bearer killed about twenty men within about half an acre of land. [3]

15 Panic spread throughout the entire Philistine army, both those in the camp and those in the open country. The garrison and the raiding parties also panicked. The earth quaked, and there was a panic sent by God. 16 Saul’s sentries at Geba [4] of Benjamin looked out and saw the noisy crowd melting away and scattering in every direction.

17 Then Saul said to the people who were with him, “Take roll call, and see who is missing from us.” When they took roll call, they realized that Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there.

18 Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the special vest [5] of God here.” (The special vest of God was with the Israelites at that time.) 19 While Saul was talking to the priest, the uproar in the camp of the Philistines continued and got even louder, so Saul said to the priest, “Stop drawing lots!” [6]

20 Saul and all the troops who were with him assembled and joined the battle. There they saw the panicked Philistines striking each other with their swords. 21 Then the Hebrews from all around, who had previously sided with the Philistines and had joined them in their camp, deserted them to join the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 Likewise, when all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they joined the battle and stuck to the Philistines in close pursuit. 23 So the Lord saved Israel that day, and the battle progressed as far as Beth Aven.

24 The men of Israel were pushed to their limits that day, because Saul had imposed an oath on the people: “Cursed is the man who eats any food until it is evening and I have been avenged on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted any food.

25 The entire army had come into a forest, and there was honey on the ground. 26 When the army came into the forest, they saw the honey dripping, but no one put his hand to his mouth, because the people were afraid as a result of the oath. 27 Jonathan, however, had not heard his father put the people under oath. So he stuck out the tip of the staff that was in his hand, dipped it into the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth, and he was revived. [7]

28 Then one of the soldiers responded and said, “Your father specifically placed the people under an oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’ That is why the people are so weak.”

29 Then Jonathan said, “My father has caused trouble for the land. See how I have been revived, because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better it would have been today if the people had eaten freely from the plunder taken from their enemies. The slaughter among the Philistines would have been even greater.”

31 The Israelites struck down the Philistines that day from Mikmash to Aijalon. The troops were very weak, 32 so they pounced on the plunder. They took sheep, cattle, and calves and slaughtered them on the spot, and they ate them with the blood still in them. 33 Saul was told, “Look, the people are sinning against the Lord. They are eating meat with the blood still in it.”

Saul said, “You have acted unfaithfully. Roll a large stone over here to me right now!” 34 Then he said, “Spread out among the people and tell them, ‘Have each man bring his ox or his sheep here to me. Kill them here, and eat them, but do not sin against the Lord by eating meat with the blood still in it.’” So that night each person brought his ox with him, and together they killed them there.

35 Saul built an altar to the Lord. This was the first altar which he built to the Lord. 36 Saul said, “We will pursue the Philistines by night and take plunder from them until the morning light. We will not allow a man of them to survive.”

The people responded, “Do whatever seems good to you.”

But the priest said, “We should consult God here.”

37 So Saul inquired of God, “Shall I pursue the Philistines? Will you deliver them into Israel’s hand?” But God did not answer him that day. 38 So Saul said, “Come over here, all you pillars [8] of the people, and let us find out what sin has been committed today. 39 For, as the Lord lives, who saves Israel, even if it is my son Jonathan, he must surely die.” But there was not a man among all the people who responded to him. 40 Then Saul said to all Israel, “You stand on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other side.”

The people said to Saul, “Do whatever seems good to you.”

41 So Saul said to the Lord, the God of Israel, ⎣“Why have you not answered your servant today? If the fault is in me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the fault is with the men of Israel,⎦ [9] respond with Thummim.”

Then Jonathan and Saul were chosen, and the people were not chosen.

42 Saul said, “Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. ⎣The person the Lord identifies by lot shall be put to death.”

But the people said to Saul, “Absolutely not.” But Saul overruled the people, so they cast lots between him and Jonathan his son,⎦ [10] and Jonathan was selected by lot.

43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done!”

Jonathan told him, “I just tasted a little honey with the tip of the staff that was in my hand, and now I must die?”

44 Saul said, “May God punish me severely and double it, [11] if you are not put to death, Jonathan.”

45 The people said to Saul, “Should Jonathan die? He has accomplished this great deliverance for Israel. Absolutely not! [12] As the Lord lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, because he has worked with God today!” So the people rescued Jonathan, so that he did not die. 46 Then Saul gave up pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went back to their own places.

Saul’s Many Victories47 When Saul had assumed the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side: against Moab, against the Ammonites, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment. [13] 48 He fought valiantly. [14] He struck the Amalekites and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who had plundered them.

Saul’s Family49 The sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malkishua. The names of his two daughters were Merab, the firstborn, and Michal, the younger. 50 The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam daughter of Ahima’az. The name of the commander of his army was Abner son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. [15] 51 Kish was Saul’s father, and Ner, Abner’s father, was the son of Abiel.

52 There was fierce warfare against the Philistines all the days of Saul. Whenever Saul noticed any heroic man or strong warrior, he would take him into his service.

Footnotes1. 1 Samuel 14:1 Or that same day 2. 1 Samuel 14:3 Hebrew ephod. The ephod was a vest-like garment worn by the high priest. The pouch attached to it contained the Urim and Thummin, which were used to obtain answers from God. See verse 19. 3. 1 Samuel 14:14 Or half the area that a yoke of oxen can plow. The expression is difficult. 4. 1 Samuel 14:16 Geba is the reading of the Greek text. The Hebrew reads Gibeah. The geography of the campaign makes Geba the more suitable location for this action. 5. 1 Samuel 14:18 Literally ephod. Ephod is the reading of the Greek Old Testament here and in the next sentence. The Hebrew text reads ark of God. An ephod was mentioned in verse 3 and ephod fits the context, which refers to obtaining answers from God. Also refer to the use of the ephod in 14:36 and later in the book. Ephod and ark do not look alike in Hebrew, so explaining this variant is difficult. 6. 1 Samuel 14:19 Literally withdraw your hand 7. 1 Samuel 14:27 Literally his eyes brightened 8. 1 Samuel 14:38 Literally cornerstones 9. 1 Samuel 14:41 The words in the half-brackets above (Why have you not answered your servant today? If the fault is in me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the fault is with the men of Israel,) are not in the Hebrew text but are present in the Greek Old Testament. They give a clearer statement of Saul’s request. The possible accidental omission from the Hebrew text may have been triggered by the repetition of the word Israel. 10. 1 Samuel 14:42 The words in the half-brackets above (The person the Lord identifies by lot shall be put to death.” But the people said to Saul, “Absolutely not.” But Saul overruled the people, so they cast lots between him and Jonathan his son,) are not in the Hebrew text but are present in the Greek Old Testament. The accidental omission from the Hebrew text may have been triggered by the repetition of the word son. 11. 1 Samuel 14:44 Literally may God do this to me and even more 12. 1 Samuel 14:45 The Hebrew term has the tone of a curse. 13. 1 Samuel 14:47 The translation follows the Hebrew, which literally reads he did evil. The Greek text reads he was victorious. 14. 1 Samuel 14:48 Or accomplished great things 15. 1 Samuel 14:50 It is uncertain whether the words Saul’s uncle are an apposition to Abner or Ner. If Ner was Saul’s uncle, Abner was his cousin. The additional information on Saul’s family elsewhere in the Old Testament does not resolve the issue.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 071 Samuel 13LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 07

1 Samuel 13 (EHV)
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Saul’s Reign Gets Off to a Bad Start1 Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-two years. [1]

2 Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul at Mikmash and in the hill country near Bethel, and one thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah [2] of Benjamin. He sent the rest of the people to their own tents.

3 Jonathan struck the Philistine garrison [3] that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land and said, “Let the Hebrews hear!” 4 All Israel heard that Saul had struck the garrison of the Philistines and that Israel had become a stench to the Philistines. The people were summoned to meet Saul at Gilgal.

5 The Philistines assembled their forces to fight against Israel with three thousand [4] chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They came up and camped at Mikmash, east of Beth Aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble because their army was under pressure, the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, [5] among the rocks, in dugouts, [6] and in cisterns. 7 Some of the Hebrews had gone across the Jordan River to the territory of Gad and Gilead, but Saul remained in Gilgal, and all the people who remained with him were shaking with fear. 8 He waited there seven days, the time specified by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were starting to scatter from Saul. 9 So Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offering.” He then presented the burnt offering.

10 No sooner had he finished presenting the burnt offering than Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet him and greet him with a blessing. 11 But Samuel said, “What have you done?”

Saul said, “I saw that the people were scattering from me, that you did not come within the set number of days, and that the Philistines had assembled their forces at Mikmash. 12 So I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself to offer the burnt offering.”

13 Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly. You have not kept the command which the Lord your God gave to you. The Lord would have established your kingship over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingship will not continue. The Lord has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and the Lord has appointed him to be ruler over his people, because you have not obeyed the command the Lord gave you.”

15 Then Samuel set out and went up from Gilgal. ⎣The rest of the people followed Saul to meet the army. They went up from Gilgal⎦ [7] to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul counted the people who were present with him. There were about six hundred men. 16 Saul, and his son Jonathan, and the people who were present with them stayed in Geba [8] of Benjamin, but the Philistines camped at Mikmash.

17 Raiding parties set out from the camp of the Philistines in three groups. One group headed down the road toward Ophrah, toward the land of Shual. 18 Another group headed down the road to Beth Horon, and the third group headed toward the position on the border that looks down on the Valley of Zeboim, toward the wilderness.

19 At that time no blacksmith could be found throughout the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines said, “If we allow this, the Hebrews will make swords or spears for themselves.” 20 So all the Israelites had to go down to the Philistines to get their plowshares, mattocks, [9] axes, and sickles [10] sharpened. 21 The price was two thirds of a shekel [11] to sharpen plowshares and mattocks and one third of a shekel for pitchforks and axes and to repair ox goads.

22 The result was that when the day of battle came, no swords or spears were found in the hands of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan. Only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.

Jonathan’s Heroics23 A garrison of the Philistines took up a position by the pass at Mikmash.

Footnotes1. 1 Samuel 13:1 The Hebrew text of verse 1 contains no number for Saul’s age and reads two years for the length of his reign. The numbers thirty and forty– are provided by a few manuscripts of the Greek Old Testament and by Acts 13:21. 2. 1 Samuel 13:2 Gibeah is the reading of the Hebrew text. The Greek Old Testament reads Geba. If the reading Gibeah is correct, Jonathan launched his attack from the more distant Gibeah rather than already being at a forward position near Geba as the Greek says. 3. 1 Samuel 13:3 Or post or outpost. The meaning of this Hebrew term is uncertain. 4. 1 Samuel 13:5 Three thousand is the reading of some of the ancient versions. The Hebrew text reads thirty thousand. Three thousand chariots is a suitable number for six thousand charioteers, with a driver and archer in each chariot. 5. 1 Samuel 13:6 The meaning of the term translated thickets is uncertain. 6. 1 Samuel 13:6 The meaning of the term translated dugouts is uncertain. 7. 1 Samuel 13:15 The words in half-brackets are the reading of the Greek Old Testament. They are not in the Hebrew text. These words clarify strategic movements that would not be clear without them. An accidental omission of these words from the Hebrew text may have been caused by the copyist’s eye jumping from the first occurrence of Gilgal to the second. 8. 1 Samuel 13:16 The majority of Hebrew texts read Geba. A few read Gibeah. Geba is the best position for blocking the Philistines at Mikmash. 9. 1 Samuel 13:20 Or hoes 10. 1 Samuel 13:20 The translation sickles follows the Greek Old Testament. The Hebrew repeats plowshares here. 11. 1 Samuel 13:21 Hebrew a pim. Ancient weights marked pim are equal to two thirds of a shekel.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 061 Samuel 12LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 06

1 Samuel 12 (EHV)
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Samuel’s Farewell1 Samuel said to all Israel, “You see that I have listened to your voice and to everything that you said to me. I have appointed a king over you. 2 Now, there he is. The king is walking before you. I am old and gray, but my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth till this very day.

3 “Here I am. Testify against me before the Lord and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Have I defrauded anyone? Have I oppressed anyone? From whose hand have I taken a bribe to turn a blind eye to anything? If so, I will restore it for you.”

4 They replied, “You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything from anyone’s hand.”

5 So he said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness today that you have not found anything in my hand.”

They said, “He is witness.”

6 So this is what Samuel said to the people:

It was the Lord who appointed Moses and Aaron and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 7 Now then, stand here, so that I may present the case against you before the Lord on the basis of all the righteous acts of the Lord, which he did for you and for your fathers.

8 When Jacob had gone down into Egypt, [1] your fathers cried out to the Lord, and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and settled them in this place.

9 But they forgot the Lord their God, so he sold them into the hand of Sisera, the commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them. 10 They cried to the Lord and said, “We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord. We have served the Baals and the Ashtartes, but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.” 11 So the Lord sent Jerubbaal, [2] Bedan, [3] Jephthah, and Samuel, and he delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and you lived in safety.

12 But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was coming against you, even though the Lord your God was your king, you said to me, “No, we want a king to reign over us.”

13 Now look, here is the king you have chosen, the king you asked for. You see, the Lord has set a king over you. 14 If you fear the Lord and serve him and listen to his voice and do not rebel against the mouth of the Lord, then both you and the king who reigns over you will be following the Lord your God. 15 But if you do not listen to the Lord’s voice but rebel against the mouth of the Lord, then the Lord’s hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers.

16 Now then, take your positions here, and see this great thing that the Lord is about to do right in front of your eyes. 17 Isn’t today the time of wheat harvest? I will call to the Lord, and he will send thunder and rain, [4] so that you may know and see that your wickedness is great, that wickedness which you have done in the Lord’s sight by asking for a king.

18 Then Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day. Then all the people were very afraid of the Lord and of Samuel.

19 So all the people said to Samuel, “Pray to the Lord your God for your servants so that we do not die, for we have added to all our sins also this evil, that we asked for a king for ourselves.”

20 Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil. Nevertheless, do not turn away from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. 21 Do not turn away to pursue empty things that cannot help you or save you, because they are empty. 22 For the sake of his great name, the Lord will not forsake his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own people for himself. 23 As for me, it is unthinkable [5] that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you. Instead I will instruct you in the way that is good and right. 24 Above all, fear the Lord, and serve him in truth, with all your heart, considering the great things he has done for you. 25 But if you keep doing evil, you will be swept away, both you and your king.”

Footnotes1. 1 Samuel 12:8 The Greek text includes words missing from the Hebrew. They are marked by half-brackets: When Jacob had gone down into Egypt, ⎣and Egypt humbled them,. . .⎦ In the Hebrew word order, the double occurrence of Egypt could have triggered a skip by a scribe. 2. 1 Samuel 12:11 That is, Gideon 3. 1 Samuel 12:11 Bedan is the reading of the Hebrew text, but the book of Judges does not list any judge by that name. Of the Hebrew names of judges, Abadon is the name that is closest to Bedan, but Abadon was a minor figure. Barak is the name found in some Greek and Syriac manuscripts. 4. 1 Samuel 12:17 By the time of the wheat harvest in late spring, the rainy season was over. 5. 1 Samuel 12:23 Or may I be cursed if. . . The word refers to something that is profane or cursed. It is an oath similar to the oath may I be punished severely if. . .

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 051 Samuel 10:17 – 11:15LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 05

1 Samuel 10:17 – 11:15 (EHV)
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1 Samuel 1017 Samuel called the people together to the Lord at Mizpah. 18 He said to the people of Israel, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says. I brought Israel up out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you. 19 But today you have rejected your God, the one who saves you out of all your disasters and your distress, and you have said to him, ‘You must set a king over us.’ Now line up in the presence of the Lord by your tribes and by your thousands.”

20 So Samuel brought forward all the tribes of Israel, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. [1] 21 Then he brought forward the tribe of Benjamin by its clans, and the clan of the Matrites was chosen. [2] Then Saul the son of Kish was chosen, but when they looked for him, he could not be found. 22 Therefore they asked the Lord again, “Has the man arrived here yet?”

The Lord answered, “He has. Look, he is is hiding among the baggage.”

23 So they ran and brought him from there. When he stood among the people, he was a head taller than any of the people. 24 Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.”

All the people shouted, “Long live the king!”

25 Samuel told the people the regulations concerning the kingship, and he wrote them on a scroll, which was placed before the Lord. Then Samuel sent all the people away, each man to his own house. 26 Saul went home to Gibeah, and the army went with him, those men whose hearts God had touched. 27 But certain worthless good-for-nothings said, “How can this man save us?” They despised him and brought him no gift, but Saul said nothing.

Saul Saves Jabesh Gilead1 Samuel 111 Nahash [3] the Ammonite went and set up camp against Jabesh Gilead. So all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.” 2 Nahash the Ammonite said to them, “On this condition I will make a treaty with you: I will gouge out the right eye of every one of you in order to dishonor all Israel.”

3 The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days, so that we can send messengers throughout all the borders of Israel. Then, if there is no one to rescue us, we will come out to you.” 4 When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and spoke these words in the hearing of the people, all the people cried out and wept loudly.

5 Just then Saul came in from the field, following the oxen. Saul asked, “What has upset the people? Why are they weeping?” So they told him about the words of the men of Jabesh.

6 When Saul heard those words, the Spirit of God rushed upon him with power, and his anger burned intensely. 7 He took a yoke of oxen and cut them to pieces and sent the pieces throughout all the borders of Israel in the hands of messengers who said, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not turn out to follow Saul and Samuel.” The dread of the Lord fell on the people, and they turned out as one man. 8 Saul counted them in Bezek. The men of Israel totaled three hundred thousand and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

9 They said to the messengers who had come, “Tell the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will be rescued.’”

The messengers came and told the men of Jabesh, and they were very happy. 10 So the men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you, and you can do with us whatever seems good to you.”

11 On the next day, Saul split the army into three divisions. They broke into the middle of the Ammonite camp during the last watch before morning and struck them down until the heat of the day. Those who survived were so scattered that no two of them were left together.

12 Then the people said to Samuel, “Who was it who said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Hand those men over to us, so we can put them to death!”

13 But Saul said, “No one shall be put to death today, because today the Lord has rescued Israel.”

14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come! Let’s go to Gilgal and confirm the kingship there.” 15 So all the people went to Gilgal, and they made Saul king in the presence of the Lord there at Gilgal. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings before the Lord, and Saul and all the men of Israel held a great celebration there.

Footnotes1. 1 Samuel 10:20 Probably they were identified by the Urim and Thummim. See 14:41. 2. 1 Samuel 10:21 The Greek text includes words not present in the Hebrew text. They are marked by half-brackets: He brought forward the tribe of Benjamin by its clans, and the clan of the Matrites was chosen. ⎣Finally he brought forward the clan of the Matrites man by man.⎦ Then Saul the son of Kish was chosen. 3. 1 Samuel 11:1 One of the Hebrew manuscripts of Samuel found among the Dead Sea Scrolls has a much longer reading here. This longer reading is also supported by the Jewish historian Josephus. This longer reading clarifies the context, but since the manuscript support for it is limited, the translation leaves it in a footnote. Nahash king of the Ammonites had been severely oppressing the Gadites and the Reubenites. He would gouge out the right eye of each of them and would not grant Israel a deliverer. No one was left of the Israelites across the Jordan whose right eye Nahash king of the Ammonites had not gouged out. But there were seven thousand men who had escaped from the Ammonites and had entered Jabesh Gilead. After about a month Nahash. . . Note that the possible omission occurs between two occurrences of Nahash.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 041 Samuel 9:1 – 10:16LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 04

1 Samuel 9:1 – 10:16 (EHV)
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Saul Is Anointed as King1 Samuel 91 From the tribe of Benjamin there was a man whose name was Kish. He was the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bekorath, the son of Aphiah, a descendant of Benjamin. Kish was a strong warrior and influential person. [1] 2 He had a son named Saul, who was an impressive young man. Among the men of Israel there was not a better man than Saul. He was a head taller than all the people.

3 The donkeys of Saul’s father Kish were lost, so Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of our young men with you, and go look for the donkeys.” 4 So Saul passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find the donkeys. Then they traveled through the land of Sha’alim [2] but found nothing. Then he traveled through the land of the Benjaminites, but they did not find the donkeys.

5 When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to the young man who was with him, “Come on. Let’s go back. If we don’t, my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and will start worrying about us.”

6 But the young man said to him, “Wait! In this city there is a man of God, who is highly regarded. Everything he says actually comes true. So let’s go there. Maybe he can tell us which way we should go.”

7 Then Saul said to his young man, “If we go, what should we bring for the man? Look, the bread in our bags is used up, and we do not have a gift to bring to the man of God. What do we have with us?”

8 The young man responded to Saul, “Look here. I have a quarter of a shekel [3] of silver in my hand. I will give that to the man of God to tell us which way we should go.”

9 (In earlier times in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he would say, “Come, let’s go to the seer,” because the man who is now called a prophet used to be called a seer.)

10 So Saul said to his servant, “Good advice. Come on! Let’s go!” So they went to the city where the man of God was. 11 As they went up the ascent to the city, they met some young women coming out to draw water, and they asked them, “Is the seer here?”

12 They answered them, “Yes, he is. He is there just ahead of you. Hurry! He has just come into the city today, because the people are presenting a sacrifice today at the high place. 13 As soon as you come into the city, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat, since the people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice. After that, those who have been invited will eat. So go up, right now, for this is the time for you to find him.”

14 So they went up to the city. Just as they were coming into the city, there was Samuel coming toward them on his way to the high place.

15 Now the Lord had revealed this to Samuel the day before Saul came. He had told him, 16 “About this time tomorrow I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you are to anoint him to be leader over my people Israel. He will save my people from the hand of the Philistines, for I am looking out for my people, because their cry for help has come to me.”

17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, “There, that is the man I was talking about! He will exercise authority over my people.”

18 Then Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.”

19 Samuel answered Saul, “I am the seer. Go up to the high place ahead of me, because you and your men are to eat with me today. In the morning I will let you go, and I will tell you everything that is on your heart. 20 As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not be concerned about them, because they have been found. For who is it that all Israel desires? Isn’t it you and your father’s entire house?”

21 Saul answered, “But I am just a Benjaminite from the smallest of the tribes of Israel. And my family is the least important of all the families in the tribe of Benjamin. So why do you speak to me like this?”

22 Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the dining hall. He seated them at the head of those who had been invited. There were about thirty men.

23 Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion I gave you, the one I told you to set aside.” 24 So the cook picked up the thigh and all the meat that was on it and placed it before Saul. Samuel said, “Look here, this has been reserved for you! Set it before you and eat, because ever since I said, ‘I have invited the people,’ it has been kept for you for the appointed time.” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

25 When they had come down from the high place and gone into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the flat roof of the house. 26 They got up early, about daybreak, and Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, “Get up, so that I may send you on your way.” Saul got up, and the two of them, Saul and Samuel, went outside together. 27 As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the young man to go on ahead of us.” So the young man went on ahead. Then Samuel said, “You stay here, so that I can tell you God’s message.”

Samuel’s Instructions to Saul1 Samuel 101 Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and told him this:

Hasn’t the Lord anointed you to be ruler over his inheritance? [4] 2 When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel’s tomb, at Zelzah on the border of Benjamin. They will tell you, “The donkeys that you have been looking for have been found. Now your father has stopped worrying about the donkeys and is worried about the two of you. He is asking, ‘What should I do about my son?’”

3 As you go on farther from there, you will come to the oak tree at Tabor. Three men going up to God’s house at Bethel will meet you there. One will be carrying three young goats, another will be carrying three loaves of bread, and the third will be carrying a container of wine. 4 They will greet you, ask how you are doing, and give you two loaves of bread, which you are to accept from their hand.

5 After that, you will come to Gibeah of God, where there is a Philistine garrison. When you come to the city, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place. Musicians with a harp, a hand drum, a flute, and a lyre will be going in front of them, and they will be prophesying. 6 Then the Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you with power, and you will prophesy with them, and you will become a changed man. 7 When you have received these signs, do whatever is appropriate for the occasion, [5] for God is with you.

8 Go down to Gilgal ahead of me. Watch for me. I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice fellowship offerings. Wait seven days, until I come to you. Then I will let you know what you are to do.

9 As Saul was turning away from Samuel to leave, God gave him a changed heart, and all those signs were fulfilled that day.

10 When they came to Gibeah, a band of prophets met Saul, and the Spirit of God came upon him with power, and he prophesied among them. 11 When everyone who had known him previously saw that Saul was prophesying along with the prophets, the people were surprised and said to each other, “What has happened to the son of Kish? Is even Saul among the prophets?”

12 Someone from that area responded, “Who is their father?” Therefore it became a saying: “Is even Saul among the prophets?”

13 When Saul had finished prophesying, he arrived at the high place.

14 Saul’s uncle asked Saul and his servant, “Where did you go?”

Saul said, “To look for the donkeys. But when we realized that we were not succeeding, we went to Samuel.”

15 Saul’s uncle said, “Please tell me what Samuel said to you.”

16 Saul said to his uncle, “He made it clear to us that the donkeys had been found.”

But Saul did not tell his uncle anything about the matter of the kingship, about which Samuel had also spoken.

Footnotes1. 1 Samuel 9:1 The same term, a mighty man of power, may refer to military prowess or to wealth and political power. 2. 1 Samuel 9:4 The stop mark ′ is inserted into some names as a pronunciation guide. The double vowel should not be read as one syllable, Shaal, but as two syllables, Sha-al. 3. 1 Samuel 9:8 A small amount, about one tenth of an ounce 4. 1 Samuel 10:1 The Greek text includes words not present in the Hebrew text. They are marked by half-brackets in the following: Hasn’t the Lord anointed you to be ruler over ⎣the Lord’s people, and you will save them from the hand of their enemies all around. And this is the sign to you that the Lord has anointed you ruler over.⎦ his inheritance. There may have been a skip of the Hebrew copyist’s eye from one occurrence of ruler over to the next occurrence. 5. 1 Samuel 10:7 Literally whatever your hand finds to do

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 031 Samuel 7:3 – 8:22LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 03

1 Samuel 7:3 – 8:22 (EHV)
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1 Samuel 7Samuel Leads Israel to Victory3 Samuel said to the whole house of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, put away the foreign gods and the Ashtartes [1] from among you. Direct your hearts to the Lord and serve him only. Then he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”

4 So the people of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtartes and served the Lord only. 5 Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.”

6 So Israel gathered together at Mizpah. They drew water and poured it out before the Lord. They fasted that day, and they said there, “We have sinned against the Lord.”

Samuel acted as judge for the people of Israel at Mizpah.

7 When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered together at Mizpah, the serens of the Philistines went up against Israel. When the people of Israel heard this, they were afraid of the Philistines, 8 and the people of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out for us to the Lord our God, so that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.” 9 So Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on behalf of Israel, and the Lord answered him.

10 As Samuel was offering the burnt offering, the Philistines approached to engage in battle with Israel, but on that day the Lord thundered against the Philistines with a loud roar and threw them into a panic, so they were struck down before Israel. 11 The men of Israel went out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and struck them down until they arrived at a point below Beth Kar.

12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named that place Ebenezer, [2] saying, “The Lord has helped us this far.” [3] 13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they no longer came into the territory of Israel. The Lord’s hand was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

14 The cities that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel. From Ekron all the way to Gath, Israel recovered the territory of those cities from the control of the Philistines. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites.

15 Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 16 Each year he would travel in a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all those places. 17 He then would return to Ramah, where his home was, and he would also judge Israel there. He also built an altar to the Lord there.

Israel’s Request for a King1 Samuel 81 When Samuel was old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second was Abijah. They served as judges in Beersheba. 3 His sons did not follow in his footsteps. Instead, they turned aside to seek dishonest gain. They took bribes and perverted justice.

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5 They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons are not walking in your ways. Now appoint a king for us so that he can judge [4] us like all the other nations.” 6 But in Samuel’s eyes, their request to receive a king to judge them looked evil, so Samuel prayed to the Lord.

7 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people regarding everything they have said to you, because it is not you whom they have rejected. I am the one they have rejected as king over them. 8 This is just like all the actions they have taken from the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, right up to this present day. They have forsaken me and served other gods, and now they are also acting the same way toward you. 9 So now listen to them. Nevertheless, warn them strongly and show them what the king who reigns over them will do.”

10 Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people, who had asked him for a king. 11 He said, “This is what the king who reigns over you will do. He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and with his teams of horses, [5] and they will have to run ahead of his chariots. 12 He will make them serve as commanders of a thousand soldiers and as commanders of fifty. He will assign some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest. He will assign some to make his weapons and the trappings [6] for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to serve as perfume makers, cooks, and bakers. 14 He will take your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, even the best of them, and give them to his officials. 15 He will take a tenth of your seed and of the produce of your vineyards, and he will give it to the members of his court and to his officials. 16 He will take your male servants, your female servants, your best young men, [7] and your donkeys, and he will use them to do his work. 17 He will take a tenth from your flocks, and you will become his servants. 18 In that day you will cry out because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you on that day.”

19 But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel. Instead they said, “No, we want to have a king over us, 20 so that we also can be like all the nations, and our king can judge us and lead us out to fight our battles.”

21 Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the hearing of the Lord. 22 The Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to them, and appoint a king for them.”

So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Each of you go home to your own city.”

Footnotes1. 1 Samuel 7:3 Although they may have originally been different goddesses, Asherah and Ashtarte seem to have been blended together with the passage of time. Ashtarte is sometimes substituted for Asherah. 2. 1 Samuel 7:12 Ebenezer means stone of help. 3. 1 Samuel 7:12 Or till now 4. 1 Samuel 8:5 In the book of Judges, the concept of judging includes other ruling activities besides judicial functions. 5. 1 Samuel 8:11 Or charioteers. There is no evidence for the use of cavalry in battle at this time. 6. 1 Samuel 8:12 Trappings is the technical term for equipment like the reins and harnesses but also includes decorative elements of metal and leather. Collections of chariot trappings have been preserved archaeologically. 7. 1 Samuel 8:16 The translation follows the Hebrew. The Greek Old Testament reads your cattle.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 021 Samuel 5:1 – 7:2LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 02

1 Samuel 5:1 – 7:2 (EHV)
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The Travels of the Ark1 Samuel 51 After the Philistines had captured God’s ark, they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 The Philistines took God’s ark and brought it into the house of Dagon [1] and set it beside Dagon. 3 When the people of Ashdod got up early the next day, there was Dagon—fallen facedown to the ground in front of the Ark of the Lord! So they took Dagon and set him in his place again. 4 When they got up early the following morning, it had happened again! There was Dagon, fallen facedown in front of the Ark of the Lord. The head of Dagon and both of his hands were broken off and were lying on the threshold. Only Dagon’s torso [2] was intact. 5 That is why the priests of Dagon and any people who enter Dagon’s temple in Ashdod do not step on the threshold of Dagon to this day.

6 Then the Lord’s hand was heavy against the people of Ashdod. He devastated them and struck them with tumors. [3] He struck Ashdod and its surrounding territory. 7 When the men of Ashdod saw what was taking place, they said, “The Ark of the God of Israel must not stay with us, because his hand is heavy on us and on our god Dagon.” 8 They called together a meeting of all the serens [4] of the Philistines and asked, “What shall we do with the Ark of the God of Israel?”

They answered, “Let the Ark of the God of Israel be carried over to Gath.” So they carried the Ark of the God of Israel there. 9 But after they had carried it there, the Lord’s hand was against that city, and there was great panic. He struck the men of the city, both young and old, [5] so that tumors broke out on them. 10 So they sent God’s ark to Ekron.

When God’s ark came to Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought the Ark of the God of Israel here to kill us and our people.” 11 They called a meeting of all the serens of the Philistines, and they said, “Send the Ark of the God of Israel away. Let it go back to its own place, so that it does not kill us and our people.” Indeed, the threat of death caused panic throughout the whole city. The hand of God was very heavy there. 12 The men who did not die were struck with tumors, and the outcry from the city went up to heaven.

1 Samuel 61 The Lord’s ark remained in the country of the Philistines seven months. 2 The Philistines called for the priests and the diviners [6] and asked, “What should we do with the Lord’s ark? Advise us how we should send it back to its place.”

3 They said, “If you send away the Ark of the God of Israel, do not send it away empty, but, by all means, send it to him with a restitution offering. Then you will be healed, and you will know why his hand has not been removed from you.” [7]

4 Then they said, “What restitution offering should we send to him?”

They said, “There are five serens of the Philistines, so five gold tumors and five gold mice should be sent, because the same plague was on all of you and on your serens. 5 Therefore you should make replicas of your tumors and figurines of the mice that are ruining your land, and you will give glory to the God of Israel. Perhaps he will lighten his hand on you, on your gods, and on your land. 6 Why harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? After the Lord had dealt ruthlessly with them, didn’t the Egyptians let the people go, and they departed?

7 “So make a new cart and take two cows that are nursing their calves, cows that have never had a yoke on them. Hitch the cows to the cart, and take their calves away from them and send them home. 8 Then take the Ark of the Lord and place it on the cart. Place the gold objects, which you are sending to him as a restitution offering, into a box beside the ark. Then send it on its way, and let it go on its own. 9 Watch it. If it goes up on the road toward the border of Israel, to Beth Shemesh, then it is their god who has inflicted this disaster on us. But if not, then we will know that it was not his hand that struck us. It was a coincidence that this happened to us.”

10 So that is what the men did. They took two cows that were nursing calves, hitched them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home. 11 Then they put the Ark of the Lord on the cart, along with the box containing the gold mice and the replicas of their tumors. 12 The cows headed straight up the road toward Beth Shemesh. They went straight along the highway without stopping, lowing as they went. They did not turn aside to the right or to the left. The serens of the Philistines followed them to the border of Beth Shemesh.

13 The people of Beth Shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley. They looked up and saw the Ark, and they rejoiced to see it. 14 The cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh and stopped there, near the large stone that was there. Then the people split the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord. 15 The Levites took the Lord’s ark and the box with it, which contained the gold objects, and they put them on the large stone. On that same day, the men of Beth Shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrifices to the Lord.

16 When the five serens of the Philistines had seen this, they returned to Ekron that same day.

17 This is the number of gold tumors that the Philistines sent back as a restitution offering to the Lord: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, and one for Ekron. 18 The gold mice also corresponded to the number of all the cities of the Philistines that belonged to the five serens, the fortified cities along with the rural villages. The objects were placed on the large stone [8] on which they had placed the Ark of the Lord. That stone remains in the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh to this day. 19 The Lord struck some of the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the Ark of the Lord. He struck seventy men. [9] Then the people mourned, because the Lord had struck the people with such a heavy blow. 20 The men of Beth Shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before this holy God, the Lord? To whom can we send it [10] to get it away from here?”

21 So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath Jearim. They said, “The Philistines have sent back the Ark of the Lord. Come down and take it up for yourselves.”

1 Samuel 71 So the men of Kiriath Jearim came, took the Ark of the Lord, and brought it into Abinadab’s house on the hill. Then they consecrated his son Eleazar to watch over the Ark of the Lord. 2 So from that day the ark stayed in Kiriath Jearim for a long time—twenty years. And the entire house of Israel deeply longed for the return of the Lord.

Footnotes1. 1 Samuel 5:2 Dagon was a grain god of the Philistines. 2. 1 Samuel 5:4 The word torso is not in the Hebrew text, but it is supported by the ancient versions. 3. 1 Samuel 5:6 Or swellings or hemorrhoids. The marginal notes to the Hebrew text suggest a euphemistic substitute. This supports the understanding that the affliction was something like anal tumors or hemorrhoids. 4. 1 Samuel 5:8 Seren is a special word used only of the rulers of the five Philistine city states. It seems to be a Philistine term. It may be related to the Greek word tyrant, an autocratic ruler of a city state. Seren is a title like pharaoh or czar, which is applied to one specific class of rulers. Since this is a unique title, the EHV uses the transliteration seren rather than the traditional rendering lord. 5. 1 Samuel 5:9 Or small and great or unimportant and important 6. 1 Samuel 6:2 Or practitioners of occult arts 7. 1 Samuel 6:3 A Hebrew Dead Sea Scroll and some Greek manuscripts have a longer reading: you will be healed, and an atonement shall be made for you. Shouldn’t his hand be removed from you? 8. 1 Samuel 6:18 The reading a large stone is supported by ancient versions and a few Hebrew manuscripts. The majority of Hebrew texts read in the large meadow or in Great Abel (a name which might mean great mourning). 9. 1 Samuel 6:19 A few Hebrew manuscripts and the historian Josephus read seventy men. The majority of Hebrew manuscripts and the ancient versions read seventy men, fifty thousand men. This construction is not the normal way of recording the number 50,070. This number also seems too large for a small town like Beth Shemesh, but this large number has very strong support in the manuscript evidence. Most recent translations follow the minority reading, seventy men. Others try to solve the problem by reading fifty men of a thousand or seventy men out of fifty thousand men or fifty chief men. 10. 1 Samuel 6:20 Or him

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – July 011 Samuel 4:1b-22LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – July 01

1 Samuel 4:1b-22 (EHV)
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1 Samuel 41 So the word of Samuel came to all Israel.

Israel and the PhilistinesIsrael went out to meet the Philistines in battle. The Israelites camped near Ebenezer, and the Philistines camped at Aphek. 2 The Philistines formed battle lines to confront the Israelites. As the battle developed, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand of the Israelites lined up on the battlefield.

3 When the people had come back into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord allowed us to be defeated today before the Philistines? Let us bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord here from Shiloh, so that it [2] may come into our midst and save us from the hand of our enemies.”

4 So the people sent word to Shiloh, and from there they brought the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of Armies, who sits above the cherubim. Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were there with the Ark of the Covenant of God. 5 When the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a shout so loud that the earth shook. [3]

6 When the Philistines heard the noise of all the shouting, they asked, “Why is there this loud shouting in the camp of the Hebrews?” They learned that the Ark of the Lord had come into the camp. 7 The Philistines were afraid, so they said, “A god has come into the camp.” They said, “We’re doomed! Nothing like this has happened before. 8 We are doomed! Who can deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods that struck the Egyptians with every kind of plague in the wilderness. 9 Be strong and act like men, you Philistines, so that you will not become slaves to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Act like men and fight!”

10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and each man fled to his tent. A very great slaughter took place, in which thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell. 11 God’s ark was taken, and Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, died.

12 A man from the tribe of Benjamin ran from the battlefield and came to Shiloh that same day. His clothing was torn, and his face was dirty. 13 When he arrived, Eli was there, sitting on his chair beside the road. He was watching, because his heart was trembling with fear for God’s ark. When the man came into the city and told them what had happened, the whole city was in an uproar. 14 When Eli heard the noise of the uproar, he said, “What does this noisy commotion mean?”

The man came quickly and told Eli what had happened. 15 Eli was ninety-eight years old. His eyes stared straight ahead [4] because he could not see. 16 The man said to Eli, “I am the one who came from the battlefield. Today I fled from the battlefield.”

Eli said, “What was the outcome, my son?”

17 The man who brought the news answered, “Israel has fled from the Philistines, and there has also been a great slaughter among the people. In addition, your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and God’s ark has been captured.”

18 When the man mentioned God’s ark, Eli fell backwards off his seat, which was by the city gate. He broke his neck, and he died, because he was an old man, and he was overweight. He had judged Israel [5] for forty years.

19 His daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was pregnant, ready to give birth. When she heard the news that God’s ark had been taken and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she crouched down and gave birth, because labor pains had come upon her. 20 As her death approached, the women who stood by her said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for you have given birth to a son.” But she did not respond or pay attention. 21 She named the boy Ichabod and said, “The glory has departed from Israel.” [6] Because God’s ark had been taken, and because of the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband, 22 she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, because God’s ark has been taken.”

Footnotes1. 1 Samuel 4:1 At the transition from chapter 3 to chapter 4, the Greek Old Testament has two blocks of additional material which are not in the Hebrew text. They are marked by half-brackets in the following: 21 The Lord continued to appear in Shiloh, because at Shiloh the Lord revealed himself to Samuel by the word of the Lord. ⎣So Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord for all Israel, from one end of the land to the other end.⎦ 41 So the word of Samuel came to all Israel. ⎣Eli was very old, and his sons kept getting worse in their wickedness in the presence of the Lord. In those days the Philistines gathered themselves together for war against Israel.⎦ Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle. The first omission occurs between two occurrences of identical letters in Hebrew. The second omission from the Hebrew text occurs between two occurrences of the word Israel. 2. 1 Samuel 4:3 Or he 3. 1 Samuel 4:5 Or the earth echoed it 4. 1 Samuel 4:15 Literally his eyes stood. This might mean that his eyes had cataracts. 5. 1 Samuel 4:18 Or served as leader of Israel 6. 1 Samuel 4:21 Ichabod means no glory.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 301 Samuel 3:1 – 4:1aLISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 30

1 Samuel 3:1 – 4:1a (EHV)
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Samuel Becomes a Prophet1 Samuel 31 The boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days. Prophetic vision was not common.

2 Now it happened that Eli’s eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see. Once when Eli was lying down in his place 3 and God’s lamp had not yet gone out, Samuel was lying down in the Lord’s temple, where God’s ark was. 4 The Lord called Samuel, and Samuel said, “I am here.” 5 He ran to Eli and said, “I am here, since you called me.”

Eli said, “I did not call. Lie down again.” So he went and lay down.

6 Then the Lord called once more, “Samuel!”

So Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “I am here, since you called me.”

He answered, “I did not call, my son. Lie down again.”

7 Now Samuel had not yet experienced the Lord’s presence, [1] that is, the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

8 The Lord called Samuel for the third time. So he got up and went to Eli and said, “I am here, since you called me.”

Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the young man. 9 So Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’”

So Samuel went and once again lay down in his place. 10 The Lord came and stood there and called as he had the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”

Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

11 The Lord said to Samuel, “Look, I am going to do something in Israel that will make both ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. 12 On that day I am going to carry out against Eli everything that I have spoken against his house, from beginning to end. 13 I have told him that I am going to judge his house forever because of their guilty behavior, which he knew about. This will happen because his sons brought a curse on themselves, and he did not restrain them. 14 I have sworn to the house of Eli that the guilt of Eli’s house shall never be atoned for with sacrifice or offering.”

15 So Samuel lay there until morning. [2] Then he opened the doors to the Lord’s house. Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about the vision. 16 But Eli called to Samuel, “Samuel, my son!”

He said, “I am here.”

17 Eli said, “What is the message that he has spoken to you? Please do not hide it from me. May God punish you severely and double it, [3] if you hide from me one word of all of the things that he spoke to you.”

18 So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him.

Eli said, “He is the Lord. Let him do whatever is good in his eyes.”

19 Samuel continued to grow, and the Lord was with him. The Lord let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 So all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord. 21 The Lord continued to appear in Shiloh, because at Shiloh the Lord revealed himself to Samuel by the word of the Lord. ⎣So Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord for all Israel, from one end of the land to the other end.⎦ [4]

1 Samuel 41 So the word of Samuel came to all Israel.

Footnotes1. 1 Samuel 3:7 Literally did not know the Lord 2. 1 Samuel 3:15 The Greek Old Testament includes a few words that are not present in the Hebrew text. These words are marked by half-brackets in the following: So Samuel lay there until morning⎣and he got up in the morning⎦ and then opened the doors of the house of the Lord. The Hebrew copyist’s eye may have jumped from the first occurrence of morning to the second. 3. 1 Samuel 3:17 Literally thus may God do to you and thus may he add 4. 1 Samuel 3:21 See the following note on verse 4:1.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 291 Samuel 2:12-36LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 29

1 Samuel 2:12-36 (EHV)
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1 Samuel 2Eli’s Wicked Sons Contrasted With Samuel12 Now the sons of Eli were wicked scoundrels. They did not know the Lord.

13 The practice of the priests with the people was that whenever anyone offered a sacrifice, while the meat was still boiling, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand. 14 He would thrust it into the basin, kettle, caldron, or cooking pot. The priest would then take for himself everything that the fork brought up. This is the way they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh. 15 Before the people had even burned the fat, the priest’s servant would come and tell the person who was making the sacrifice, “Give me meat for the priest to roast, because he will not accept boiled meat from you, but only raw meat.”

16 If the man said to him, “Let us burn the fat first. Then take as much as you want,” the servant would say, “No, you must give it to me right now. If you do not, I will take it by force.” 17 So the sin of the young men was very serious in the sight of the Lord, because the men were treating the Lord’s offerings with contempt.

18 But Samuel ministered before the Lord while he was still a young boy, dressed in a special vest [1] made of linen. 19 His mother would make a little robe for him and bring it to him whenever she came up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. 20 Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “May the Lord give you offspring [2] from this woman in place of the son she asked for, whom she loaned to the Lord.” Then they would go back to their home. 21 The Lord came to Hannah with his blessing, [3] and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. The child Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.

22 Now Eli was very old. He heard about everything that his sons were doing to all Israel and how they were sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 23 So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? I keep hearing from all these people about your evil actions. 24 No, my sons, it is not a good report that I hear! The people are spreading this report everywhere. [4] 25 If one man sins against another, God will mediate for him. But if a man sins against the Lord, who will mediate for him?” But they did not listen to the voice of their father, because the Lord desired to put them to death. [5]

26 The young man Samuel continued to grow, and he increased in favor with both the Lord and with men.

The Lord’s Warning to Eli27 A man of God came to Eli and told him this:

This is what the Lord says. Didn’t I clearly reveal myself to the house of your father [6] when they were in Egypt, subject to the house of Pharaoh? 28 Out of all the tribes of Israel, I chose him to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear the special vest before me. I also gave the house of your father all the food offerings [7] from the people of Israel. 29 Why do you all kick at my sacrifice and at my offering, which I have commanded for my dwelling place? [8] Why do you, Eli, honor your sons more than me? Why do you fatten yourselves with the best of all the offerings from my people Israel?

30 Therefore this is the declaration of the Lord, the God of Israel: I stated solemnly that your house [9] and the house of your father would walk before me forever. But now the Lord declares, “This will never be! Yes, I will honor those who honor me, but those who despise me will be cursed.” 31 Look, the days are coming when I will cut off your arm and the arm of your father’s house, so that there will never be an old man in your house. 32 You will see the distress of the dwelling place. Even when things are good for Israel, there shall never be an old man in your house. 33 Any man of yours whom I do not cut off from my altar will only wear out your eyes with tears and your heart with grief, and all the future generations of your house will die before they reach old age. [10]

34 This will be the sign for you that will come on your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas: In one day they will both die. 35 I will raise up a faithful priest for myself, one who will act according to what is in my heart and in my soul. I will build an enduring house for him, and he will walk before my anointed one forever. 36 Then anyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to the faithful priest to receive a piece of silver and a loaf of bread. The one who is left will say, “Please appoint me to one of the priests’ offices, so that I can eat a scrap of bread.”

Footnotes1. 1 Samuel 2:18 Hebrew ephod 2. 1 Samuel 2:20 Literally seed 3. 1 Samuel 2:21 Literally visited Hannah. In the Bible visit means to come with blessing or judgment. 4. 1 Samuel 2:24 Or you cause the Lord’s people to transgress 5. 1 Samuel 2:25 Or it was the Lord’s will to put them to death 6. 1 Samuel 2:27 That is, his ancestor Aaron 7. 1 Samuel 2:28 Or offerings made by fire 8. 1 Samuel 2:29 Not the common Hebrew name for the Dwelling, but a different word 9. 1 Samuel 2:30 House here refers to the family line of the priests. 10. 1 Samuel 2:33 The structure and wording of the verse are difficult, and the translation is uncertain.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 281 Samuel 2:1-11LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 28

1 Samuel 2:1-11 (EHV)
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1 Samuel 2Hannah’s Song1 Hannah prayed and said:

My heart rejoices in the Lord!
In the Lord, my horn [1] is raised high.
My mouth is opened wide against my enemies,
because I find joy in your salvation.
2 There is no one holy like the Lord.
Yes, there is no one but you,
and there is no rock like our God.

3 Do not talk so high and mighty.
Do not let proud words come out of your mouth,
because the Lord is a God who knows.
By him actions are weighed. [2]

4 The bows of powerful warriors are broken.
Those who were staggering are now armed with strength.
5 Those who once were full now hire themselves out for bread,
but those who were hungry are satisfied.
Yes, the childless woman has given birth to seven children,
but she who had many children is weak with sorrow.

6 The Lord puts to death, and he makes alive.
He brings down to the grave, and he raises up.
7 The Lord makes some people poor, and he makes others wealthy.
He brings some low. He raises others up.
8 He raises the poor out of the dust.
He lifts up the needy from the garbage pile.
He makes them sit with nobles.
He gives them a glorious throne as a possession.
The pillars of the earth belong to the Lord.
He has set the world upon them.
9 He will guard the feet of his favored ones,
but the wicked will be put to silence in darkness,
because a person does not prevail by his own strength.
10 Those who oppose the Lord will be broken to pieces.
He will thunder against them in the heavens.

The Lord will judge the ends of the earth.
He will give strength to his king.
He will raise up the horn of his anointed one. [3]

11 Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the young boy served the Lord as an attendant to Eli the priest.

Footnotes1. 1 Samuel 2:1 A horn is a symbol of power. 2. 1 Samuel 2:3 The translation follows the Hebrew reading in the margin (qere). The main Hebrew text (kethiv) reads actions are not weighed. 3. 1 Samuel 2:10 Or Messiah. The text points first to David and the coming kings of Judah but ultimately to Christ.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 271 Samuel 1LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 27

1 Samuel 1 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0627db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

The Birth of Samuel1 There was a man from Ramathaim of the Zuphites in the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah. He was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives. One was named Hannah, and the other was named Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

3 Every year this man went up from his city to worship and to offer sacrifices to the Lord of Armies [1] at Shiloh. Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were serving there as priests of the Lord.

4 On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he gave portions of food to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters, 5 but to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved Hannah, but the Lord had kept her from having children. [2]

6 Hannah’s rival kept taunting her to make her miserable, because the Lord had kept Hannah from having children. 7 Year after year, when Hannah went up to the Lord’s house, her rival taunted her, so Hannah would weep and would not eat. 8 Her husband Elkanah said to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why is your heart so sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”

9 Once, when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s temple. 10 Hannah’s spirit was very distressed, and as she prayed to the Lord, she sobbed and wept many tears. 11 She made a vow and said, “O Lord of Armies, if you will carefully consider the misery of your servant and remember me, and if you do not forget your servant but give your servant a male child, [3] then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever touch his head.”

12 As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli was looking at her mouth. 13 Hannah was speaking silently from her heart. Although her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, “How long are you going to be drunk? Get away from your wine!”

15 Hannah replied, “No, my lord, I am a woman with a very troubled spirit. I have not been drinking wine or beer, but I have poured out my soul to the Lord. 16 Do not regard your servant as a worthless, wicked woman. I have been speaking like this because of my great misery and because of how I have been grieved.” [4]

17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel give you what you have asked for.”

18 She said, “Let your servant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went on her way. She ate, and her face no longer looked sad.

19 They got up early in the morning and worshipped the Lord. They then returned to their home at Ramah.

Elkanah was intimate with Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. 20 So Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel [5] because she said, “I asked for him from the Lord.”

21 When this man Elkanah and his entire household went up to offer the annual sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow, 22 Hannah did not go up with them, because she said to her husband, “Not until the child is weaned. Then I will bring him, so that he can appear before the Lord and remain there permanently.”

23 Her husband Elkanah said to her, “Do whatever you think is best. Wait until you have weaned him. Yes, then the Lord will establish his word.”

So the woman stayed at home, and she nursed her son until she was ready to wean him. 24 When she had weaned him, she took him up with her. She also took a three-year-old bull, [6] twenty-five pounds [7] of flour, and a container of wine, and she brought him to the House of the Lord in Shiloh. The boy was ⎣with them. And they brought him before the Lord, and his father killed the sacrifice as he regularly did before the Lord, and he brought⎦ the boy. [8] 25 When they had killed the bull, they presented the child to Eli. 26 She said, “Excuse me, my lord. As your soul lives, [9] my lord, I am the woman who stood here next to you, praying to the Lord. 27 I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked for. 28 So now I have also dedicated him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is dedicated to the Lord.” So he worshipped the Lord there.

Footnotes1. 1 Samuel 1:3 Traditionally Lord of Hosts or Lord Sebaoth. God is the Lord of Armies because he rules the army of angels and the army of stars. If he rules over these great powers, he rules over everything. 2. 1 Samuel 1:5 Literally had closed her womb 3. 1 Samuel 1:11 Literally seed of men, an unusual expression 4. 1 Samuel 1:16 Or provoked 5. 1 Samuel 1:20 Samuel sounds like the Hebrew words heard by God. 6. 1 Samuel 1:24 The translation follows the reading found in a Hebrew Dead Sea Scroll and in the Greek Old Testament. The main Hebrew text reads three bulls, but the following verse refers to only one animal. 7. 1 Samuel 1:24 Hebrew an ephah 8. 1 Samuel 1:24 The words in half-brackets are included in a Hebrew Dead Sea Scroll. The main Hebrew text has the cryptic reading the boy [was] a boy. The longer reading may preserve evidence of an accidental skip during the copying of the standard Hebrew text from one occurrence of the word boy to the next. This Dead Sea Scroll also has additional words in verse 25, which specify that Elkanah presented the sacrifice and Hannah presented Samuel to Eli. 9. 1 Samuel 1:26 This is an oath that means I swear on your life.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 26Ruth 3 – 4LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 26

Ruth 3 – 4 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0626db.mp3
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Ruth Proposes Marriage at the Threshing FloorRuth 31 Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law, said to her, “My daughter, shouldn’t I seek security [1] for you so that you will be well taken care of? 2 Isn’t Boaz, whose young women you have been with, our relative? Look, he will be winnowing barley at the threshing floor tonight. 3 So bathe, put on perfume, and dress up. Then go down to the threshing floor. Do not present yourself to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 But when he lies down, take note of the place where he lies down. Then go up to him, uncover his legs, and lie down there. He himself will tell you what you should do.”

5 Ruth said to her, “All that you say to me, I will do!” 6 So she went down to the threshing floor, and she did everything that her mother-in-law had commanded her to do.

7 After Boaz ate and drank, and his heart was happy, he went to lie down at the edge of the grain pile. Then Ruth came up to him quietly, and she uncovered his legs and lay down there. 8 In the middle of the night, the man was startled [2] and turned over, and there was a woman lying on his legs! [3]

9 He said, “Who are you?”

She said, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread out the skirt of your robe [4] over your servant, for you are a family redeemer.”

10 Then he said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter! You have made your last act of kindness better than the first by not going to look for a young man, whether poor or rich. 11 So now, my daughter, do not be afraid. I will do everything that you are asking. Indeed, all the people at the city gate [5] know that you are an honorable woman. 12 Now it is indeed true—certainly I am a family redeemer—but nevertheless there is a redeemer who is closer than I am. 13 Spend the night here. If in the morning he acts as a redeemer for you, good. Let him redeem. But if he does not want to act as a redeemer for you, then I will act as a redeemer for you myself, as the Lord lives! Lie down here until morning.”

14 So she lay down at his feet until morning. She got up before it was light enough for anyone to recognize a person.

But Boaz thought, “No one should know that a woman came to the threshing floor.” 15 So he said, “Come here and hold out the shawl that you are wearing.” So she held it out. He measured out six scoops [6] of barley into it for her to carry home. Then he [7] returned to town.

16 When Ruth came back to her mother-in-law, Naomi said, “How did it turn out, my daughter?”

Then Ruth told her all that the man had done for her. 17 She said, “He gave me these six scoops of barley, and he said, ‘You must not return to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”

18 Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out. For the man will not rest until he has taken care of this matter today!”

Boaz and Ruth Marry and Have a SonRuth 41 Boaz went up to the city gate, and he sat down there. Just then, the redeemer about whom Boaz had spoken was passing by. Boaz said, “Come over here! Sit down, my dear friend!” [8] So he came over and sat down.

2 Then Boaz chose ten men from the elders of the town, and he said, “Sit down here!” They too sat down.

3 Then he said to the redeemer, “Naomi, who returned from the territory of Moab, is putting up for sale [9] the piece of land that belongs to our brother Elimelek. 4 On my part, I thought I should call it to your attention so that you may acquire it in the presence of these residents and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you wish to redeem it, redeem it. But if you do not wish to redeem it, declare that to me. I know that there is no one ahead of you in the right to redeem, but I am right after you.”

So the man said, “Yes, I will redeem it.”

5 Then Boaz said, “On the day that you acquire the field from the hand of Naomi, I will acquire [10] from Ruth the Moabite, the wife of the deceased, the means to perpetuate the name of the deceased on his inheritance.”

6 Then the redeemer said, “I am not able to redeem it for myself, or I would ruin my inheritance. You acquire for yourself my right of redemption, because I am not able to redeem it.”

7 (In Israel this used to be the custom regarding the transfer of the right of redemption: To confirm every transfer, one man took off his sandal and gave it to the other party. This was the way of ratifying a transfer in Israel.)

8 So the redeemer said to Boaz, “Acquire it for yourself!” Then he took off his sandal.

9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I have acquired from the hand of Naomi everything that belonged to Elimelek and everything that belonged to Kilion and Mahlon. 10 Furthermore, Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, I have acquired for myself as a wife, in order to perpetuate the name of the deceased on his inheritance, so that the name of the deceased shall not be cut off from his brothers and from the city gate of his place. You are witnesses today.”

11 Then all the people and the elders who were in the gatehouse said, “We are witnesses! May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your household like Rachel and like Leah, the two women who built the house of Israel, so that you prosper in Ephrathah and become famous in Bethlehem. 12 May your house become like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the seed [11] whom the Lord will give to you from this young woman.”

13 Then Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he went to her. The Lord enabled her to conceive, and she bore a son. 14 Then the women said to Naomi:

Blessed is the Lord, who has not left you without a redeemer today.

May his name be proclaimed in Israel!

15 He will restore your life [12]

and care for you in your old age,

because your daughter-in-law, who loves you, has given birth to him.

She is better for you than seven sons!

16 Then Naomi took the boy and put him on her lap, and she became his caregiver. 17 The neighboring women named him, saying, “A son is born to Naomi!” and they named him Obed. He became the father [13] of Jesse, the father of David.

The Genealogy From Judah to David18 Now this is the family history of Perez:
Perez became the father of Hezron.
19 Hezron became the father of Ram.
Ram became the father of Amminadab.
20 Amminadab became the father of Nahshon.
Nahshon became the father of Salmah.
21 Salmon [14] became the father of Boaz.
Boaz became the father of Obed.
22 Obed became the father of Jesse,
and Jesse became the father of David.

Footnotes1. Ruth 3:1 Or a place of rest 2. Ruth 3:8 Or shivered 3. Ruth 3:8 Or by his legs 4. Ruth 3:9 Or, with an alternate Hebrew reading, spread out your wings 5. Ruth 3:11 The gatehouse of the city was where people met for legal and social interaction. 6. Ruth 3:15 The Hebrew text simply reads six ___ of barley with no measure stated. The measure is probably the seah. Six seahs would be about 1.2 bushels. A bushel is eight gallons; perhaps as much as fifty pounds. 7. Ruth 3:15 Hebrew variant she 8. Ruth 4:1 The Hebrew has an unusual expression that seems to be a device to avoid mentioning the name of the man who refused to marry Ruth. He is a “John Doe.” 9. Ruth 4:3 It is uncertain what the exact nature of this sale is since land in Israel could not be sold in perpetuity but could only be leased until the next Year of Jubilee. Naomi may, in effect, be leasing the right to use the land to the person who redeemed it. 10. Ruth 4:5 The reading I will acquire is the reading from the main Hebrew text. Many translations follow the Hebrew reading from the margin (qere) you must acquire. This second reading also has good support in the ancient versions, but the redeemer of land had no legal obligation to serve as a levir, a brother-in-law who married his brother’s widow in order to provide an heir for him. The threat that Boaz holds over the man is not that if the man takes the land, he must also marry Ruth, but that if the man takes the land, Boaz will marry Ruth, and their first son will get the land. Boaz treats acquiring the land and marrying Ruth as two separate transactions. 11. Ruth 4:12 The literal term seed is retained here to emphasize the continuity of the promise of the Seed of the Woman from Eve through Ruth to Christ. 12. Ruth 4:15 Or soul. The masculine pronouns seem to refer to the child, not to the Lord. 13. Ruth 4:17 Obed was perhaps a forefather of Jesse since this genealogy covers more than three hundred years with only four names (Salmon, Boaz, Obed, and Jesse). Also Matthew 1:5 states that Boaz was the son of Rahab, who lived at the time of the conquest of Jericho, nearly four hundred years before David. There is probably a gap between Obed and Jesse, but this is not certain. 14. Ruth 4:21 The Hebrew Bible frequently spells the same name in a variety of ways. Here we see variant versions of the same name (Salmah and Salmon) side by side.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 25Ruth 1 – 2LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 25

Ruth 1 – 2 (EHV)
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Ruth and Naomi Come to BethlehemRuth 11 During the days of the judges, [1] a famine occurred in the land. So a man left Bethlehem in Judah to stay awhile [2] in the territory [3] of Moab—he, his wife, and his two sons. 2 The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were from the clan of Ephrath from Bethlehem in Judah. They entered the territory of Moab and remained there.

3 But Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, so she was left with her two sons. 4 They then married Moabite wives. The name of the first was Orpah, and the name of the second was Ruth. They lived there for about ten years. 5 But Naomi’s sons, Mahlon and Kilion, also died. So the woman was left without her two children and without her husband.

6 Then Naomi set out with her daughters-in-law to return from the territory of Moab, because while she was in the territory of Moab, she had heard that the Lord had graciously visited [4] his people by providing them with food. 7 So she left the place where she had been, and her two daughters-in-law left with her. They set out on the road to return to the land of Judah.

8 But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back. Both of you return to your mother’s house. May the Lord show you kindness [5] as you have shown kindness to the dead and to me. 9 May the Lord grant that each of you finds security [6] in the house of a husband.” Then she kissed them, and they wept loudly.

10 But they said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.”

11 Then Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Am I going to give birth to any more sons [7] who could become your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters. Go! For I am too old to be married to another husband. Suppose I say, ‘I have hope, and I will be married to another husband tonight, and I will even give birth to sons.’ 13 Would you wait for them until they grow up? On the basis of that hope would you give up the chance to marry another husband? No, my daughters. It is much more bitter for me than for you, because the hand of the Lord has reached out against me.”

14 They once again wept loudly. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth would not let her go.

15 Naomi said, “Look, your sister-in-law has returned to her people and to her gods. Go back! Follow your sister-in-law.”

16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to abandon you or to turn back from following you. Because wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you make your home, I will make my home. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely and double it [8] if anything but death [9] separates me from you.”

18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

19 Then the two of them traveled until they arrived at Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole town became excited over them. The women said, “Is this Naomi?”

20 But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi. Call me Mara, [10] because the Almighty has made me very bitter. 21 I went away full, but the Lord brought me back empty. Why should you call me Naomi? For the Lord has testified against me, [11] and the Almighty has treated me badly.”

22 So Naomi returned with Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, who came back with her from the territory of Moab. When they entered Bethlehem, it was the beginning of the barley harvest. [12]

Ruth Meets BoazRuth 21 Now Naomi had a relative [13] of her husband, a wealthy, generous [14] man from the clan of Elimelek. His name was Boaz.

2 Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “I am going to go out to the fields, so that I can glean [15] ears of grain wherever I may find favor in the eyes of the owner.” Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.”

3 So Ruth went out and gleaned in the grain fields after the reapers. It happened that she was in the field that belonged to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek. 4 At just that time, Boaz happened to come out from Bethlehem. He said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you!”

And they said to him, “The Lord bless you!”

5 Then Boaz asked his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?”

6 The servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, “She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the territory of Moab. 7 She said, ‘Please let me follow the reapers and glean and gather stalks into sheaves.’ So she came and has been working from early morning till now—except for a short rest in the shelter.” [16]

8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. [17] Do not go off to glean in some other field. In fact, do not leave this one at all! Just stick close to my young women here. [18] 9 Keep your eyes on the field where the men are reaping so that you can follow my women. I have commanded the young men not to touch you. When you are thirsty, you may go to the jars and drink from whatever the young men draw out.”

10 Then Ruth bowed down with her face to the ground. She said to Boaz, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, so that you acknowledge me even though I am a foreigner?”

11 Boaz replied to her, “I have been fully informed about all that you did for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband and how you left behind your father and mother and the homeland of your relatives, and you came to a people whom you did not know previously. 12 May the Lord reward your work, and may you be paid in full by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge!”

13 Then Ruth said, “I have found such favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and you have spoken to the heart of your servant girl—although I cannot be compared to one of your servant girls.”

14 At mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here and eat some of the food, and dip your piece of bread into the sour wine.” [19] So she sat down beside the reapers, and Boaz heaped up a serving of roasted grain for her. She ate until she was full and had some left over.

15 When she got up to glean, Boaz ordered his workers, “She may glean even among our sheaves. You are not to humiliate her in any way. 16 In fact, you can even pull out some stalks from the piles for her, and you can drop them on purpose so that she can glean them, and do not rebuke her at all.”

17 So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed what she had gleaned. It amounted to almost a bushel [20] of barley.

18 When she picked it up and went into town, her mother-in-law saw how much she had gleaned. Ruth also took what she had left over from her meal and gave it to Naomi.

19 Then her mother-in-law said to her, “Where did you glean today and where did you work? May the man who took notice of you be blessed!”

So she told her mother-in-law in whose field she had worked: “The name of the man in whose field I worked today is Boaz.”

20 Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by the Lord, whose faithfulness [21] has not forsaken [22] the living and the dead!”

Naomi also said to her, “This man is related to us. He is even one of our family’s redeemers.” [23]

21 Then Ruth the Moabite said, “He even said to me, ‘Stick close to my workers until they have finished all of the harvest on the land that belongs to me.’”

22 Then Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you can go out with his young women, so that you will not be molested by men in some other field.”

23 So Ruth stuck close to Boaz’s young women and gleaned until the completion of the barley harvest and the wheat harvest, and she lived with her mother-in-law.

Footnotes1. Ruth 1:1 The judges served not only as judicial officials but also as military deliverers. 2. Ruth 1:1 Or live as an alien 3. Ruth 1:1 Literally the field. In Ruth the word field is a key term, which is used in various senses throughout the book. 4. Ruth 1:6 When God visits people, he comes to bring blessing or correction. Here, obviously, it is blessing. 5. Ruth 1:8 Or faithfulness 6. Ruth 1:9 Or rest 7. Ruth 1:11 Literally do I still have sons in my womb 8. Ruth 1:17 Literally may the Lord do all this to me and even more. This is an oath with the specific curse left unstated. 9. Ruth 1:17 Or even death 10. Ruth 1:20 Naomi means pleasant; Mara means bitter. 11. Ruth 1:21 Or has afflicted me 12. Ruth 1:22 March or April 13. Ruth 2:1 Or acquaintance 14. Ruth 2:1 The same Hebrew expression includes the meanings wealthy and generous. 15. Ruth 2:2 Gleaning was a custom that allowed poor people to follow the harvesters and to pick up any grain that had been missed or had been dropped by the harvesters. See Deuteronomy 24:19. 16. Ruth 2:7 Literally house. The Hebrew of the verse is difficult, and translations vary in their understanding. 17. Ruth 2:8 Daughter is a cordial term, but it also indicates that the person addressed has a lower social status than the speaker does. It may also indicate a difference of age. 18. Ruth 2:8 Boaz’s men were cutting the grain, and his women were gathering it. By receiving permission to be right with Boaz’s women, Ruth was placed into an advantageous position for gleaning. 19. Ruth 2:14 In days before pasteurization and refrigeration, sweet wine quickly became sour. This sour wine was the daily beverage of workers and soldiers. When it was too sour to drink, it was vinegar. 20. Ruth 2:17 Literally about an ephah, which is about ⅔ of a bushel. This may be about thirty pounds, though estimates of the weight of an ephah vary greatly. 21. Ruth 2:20 Or mercy 22. Ruth 2:20 Or who has not withdrawn his kindness to 23. Ruth 2:20 The redeemer (Hebrew goel) was a kind of guardian who gave legal and financial support to less-well-off relatives. The goel also served as the avenger of blood.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 241 Peter 5LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 24

1 Peter 5 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0624db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Admonition to Elders1 Therefore, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and as one who also shares in the glory that is about to be revealed, I appeal to the elders among you: 2 Shepherd God’s flock that is among you, serving as overseers, not grudgingly but willingly, as God desires, [1] not because you are greedy for money but because you are eager to do it. 3 Do not lord it over those entrusted to your care, but be examples for the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive an unfading crown of glory.

Final Exhortations5 Likewise, young men, be submissive to those who are older. [2] And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility [3] toward one another. For “God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.” [4]

6 Therefore humble yourselves under God’s powerful hand so that he may lift you up at the appointed time. [5] 7 Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. 8 Have sound judgment. Be alert. Your adversary, [6] the Devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him by being firm in the faith. You know that the same kinds of sufferings are being laid on your brotherhood [7] all over the world.

10 After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who called you into his eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you. 11 To him be the glory and [8] the power forever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings12 I have written to you briefly (through Silas, [9] whom I consider a faithful brother), to encourage you and to testify that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it. 13 She who is in Babylon, who was chosen along with you, greets you. So does Mark, my son. 14 Greet one another with a kiss of love.

Peace to all of you who are in Christ Jesus. [10]

Footnotes1. 1 Peter 5:2 Some witnesses to the text omit as God desires. 2. 1 Peter 5:5 Or the elders 3. 1 Peter 5:5 A few witnesses to the text add while yielding. 4. 1 Peter 5:5 Proverbs 3:34 5. 1 Peter 5:6 A few witnesses to the text read at the time he visits us. 6. 1 Peter 5:8 Some witnesses to the text read Be alert because your enemy. 7. 1 Peter 5:9 Or family of believers 8. 1 Peter 5:11 A few witnesses to the text omit the glory and. 9. 1 Peter 5:12 Silvanus in Greek 10. 1 Peter 5:14 Some witnesses to the text omit Jesus.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 231 Peter 4:7-19LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 23

1 Peter 4:7-19 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0623db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

1 Peter 4Love for Others in the End Times7 The end of all things is near. So have sound judgment and be self-controlled for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, love each other constantly, because love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaining.

Gifts Meant for Service10 Serve one another, each according to the gift he has received, as good stewards of the many forms of God’s grace. 11 If anyone speaks, let him do it as one speaking the messages of God. If anyone serves, let him do it as one serving with the strength God supplies so that God may be glorified in every way through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

Sharing in the Sufferings of Christ12 Dear friends, do not be surprised by the fiery trial that is happening among you to test you, as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead rejoice whenever you are sharing in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

14 If you are insulted in connection with the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory [1] and of God rests on you. [2] 15 Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, a thief, a criminal, or as a meddler. 16 But if you suffer for being a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God in connection with this name. [3] 17 For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God. Now if it begins with us, what will be the end for those who disobey the gospel of God? 18 And if it is hard for the righteous to be saved, where will the ungodly sinner end up? 19 So let those who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to their faithful Creator while doing what is good.

Footnotes1. 1 Peter 4:14 Some witnesses to the text add and of power. 2. 1 Peter 4:14 Some witnesses to the text add They blaspheme him, but you glorify him. 3. 1 Peter 4:16 Some witnesses to the text read in this matter.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 221 Peter 3:13 – 4:6LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 22

1 Peter 3:13 – 4:6 (EHV)
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1 Peter 3Suffering for Doing Good13 Who will harm you if you are eager to do [1] what is good? 14 But even if you should happen to suffer because of righteousness, you are blessed. Do not be afraid of what they fear, [2] and do not be troubled. 15 But regard the Lord, the Christ, [3] as holy in your hearts. [4] Always be prepared to give an answer [5] to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that is in you. 16 But speak with gentleness and respect, while maintaining a clear conscience, so that those who attack your good way of life in Christ may be put to shame because they slandered you as evildoers. [6]

The Suffering and Exaltation of Christ17 Indeed, it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil, 18 because Christ also suffered once for sins in our place, [7] the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you [8] to God. He was put to death in flesh [9] but was made alive in spirit, [10] 19 in which he also went and made an announcement to the spirits in prison. 20 These spirits disobeyed long ago, when God’s patience was waiting in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In this ark a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. 21 And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the body but the guarantee [11] of a good conscience before God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 22 He went to heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.

Do Not Join in Immorality1 Peter 41 Therefore, because Christ suffered in flesh, [12] arm yourselves with the same mindset, because the one who has suffered in flesh is done with sin. 2 Do this so that you no longer live the rest of your time in the flesh for human desires but for God’s will. 3 Indeed, you have already spent enough time in the past doing what the Gentiles want to do: living in unbridled immorality, lusts, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and disgusting idolatry.

4 For this reason, they are surprised that you do not plunge into the same overflowing river of filth with them, and they slander you. 5 They will have to give an account to the one who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 In fact, it was for this reason that the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, so that they might be judged the way people are judged in flesh and that they might live the way God lives in spirit.

Footnotes1. 1 Peter 3:13 A few witnesses to the text read if you are followers of. 2. 1 Peter 3:14 Or Do not be afraid of them 3. 1 Peter 3:15 A few witnesses to the text read God instead of the Christ. 4. 1 Peter 3:15 See Isaiah 8:12-13. 5. 1 Peter 3:15 Or to give a defense 6. 1 Peter 3:16 A few witnesses to the text omit as evildoers. 7. 1 Peter 3:18 Some witnesses to the text omit in our place. 8. 1 Peter 3:18 Some witnesses to the text read us. 9. 1 Peter 3:18 Here flesh is a reference to Christ’s state of humiliation. See Romans 1:3; 1 Timothy 3:16. 10. 1 Peter 3:18 Here spirit is a reference to Christ’s state of exaltation. See Romans 1:4; 1 Timothy 3:16. 11. 1 Peter 3:21 Or legal claim, or assurance 12. 1 Peter 4:1 See the footnote on flesh at 1 Peter 3:18. Some witnesses to the text add for us.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 211 Peter 3:1-12LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 21

1 Peter 3:1-12 (EHV)
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1 Peter 3Wives and Husbands1 Wives, in the same way, be submissive to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they might be won over without a word by the behavior of their wives, 2 as they observe your respectful and holy behavior. 3 Do not let your beauty be something outward, such as braided hair or wearing gold jewelry or fine clothes. 4 Rather let your beauty be the hidden person of your heart—the lasting beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight. 5 In fact, this is also how the holy women of the past who put their hope in God made themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, 6 just as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord. [1] You are her daughters if you do what is good and do not fear anything that is intimidating.

7 Husbands, in the same way, continue to live with your wives with the knowledge that, as the wife, she is the weaker vessel. [2] Also continue to accord them honor as fellow heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

General Exhortations8 Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another. Show sympathy, brotherly love, compassion, and humility. [3] 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. Instead, speak a blessing, because you were called for the purpose of inheriting a blessing. 10 Indeed:

Let the one who wants to love life
and to see good days
keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from saying anything deceitful.
11 Let him turn from evil and do what is good.
Let him seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their requests.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. [4]

Footnotes1. 1 Peter 3:6 Genesis 18:12 2. 1 Peter 3:7 Weaker vessel is a literal translation. Some understand vessel as a reference to the body (1 Samuel 21:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:4) and to physical weakness. Others understand vessel as a reference to God-given roles (Acts 9:15; 2 Timothy 2:20-21) and to more limited authority. It may include both ideas. 3. 1 Peter 3:8 A few witnesses to the text read friendliness. 4. 1 Peter 3:12 Psalm 34:12-16

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 201 Peter 2:18-25LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 20

1 Peter 2:18-25 (EHV)
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1 Peter 2Slaves and Masters18 Slaves, submit to your masters with total respect, not only to those who are good and kind but also to those who are harsh. 19 For this is favorable: [1] if a person endures sorrows while suffering unjustly because he is conscious of God. 20 For what credit is it to you if you receive a beating for sinning and patiently endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and endure it, this is favorable with God.

21 Indeed, you were called to do this, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you [2] an example so that you would follow in his steps. 22 He did not commit a sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. 23 When he was insulted, he did not insult in return. When he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself carried our sins in his body on the tree so that we would be dead to sins and alive to righteousness. By his wounds you were healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but you are now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Footnotes1. 1 Peter 2:19 A few witnesses to the text add in God’s sight. 2. 1 Peter 2:21 A few witnesses to the text read for us, leaving us.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 191 Peter 2:4-17LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 19

1 Peter 2:4-17 (EHV)
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1 Peter 2Living Stones4 As you come to him, the Living Stone, rejected by men but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, like living stones, are being built as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, in order to bring spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it says in Scripture:

See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who believes in him will certainly not be put to shame. [1]

7 Therefore, for you who believe, this is an honor. But for those who do not believe:

The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone, [2]

8 and,

a stone over which they stumble
and a rock over which they fall. [3]

Because they continue to disobey the word, they stumble over it. And that is the consequence appointed for them.

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, the people who are God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 At one time you were not a people, but now you are the people of God. At one time you were not shown mercy, but now you have been shown mercy.

Live an Honorable Life11 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and temporary residents in the world, to abstain from the desires of the sinful flesh, which war against your soul. 12 Live an honorable life among the Gentiles so that even though they slander you as evildoers, when they observe your noble deeds, they may glorify God on the day he visits us.

Submit to Every Authority13 Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the king as the supreme authority 14 or to governors as those who have been sent by him to punish those who do what is wrong and to praise those who do what is right. 15 For this is God’s will: that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. 16 Do this as free people, and do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but use it as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. [4] Fear God. Honor the king.

Footnotes1. 1 Peter 2:6 Isaiah 28:16 2. 1 Peter 2:7 Psalm 118:22 3. 1 Peter 2:8 Isaiah 8:14 4. 1 Peter 2:17 Or family of believers

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 181 Peter 1:13 – 2:3LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 18

1 Peter 1:13 – 2:3 (EHV)
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1 Peter 1A Call to Holy Living13 Therefore, after preparing your minds for action by exercising self-control, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 Rather, just as the one who called you is holy, so also be holy in everything you do. 16 For it is written, “Be holy, because I am holy.” [1]

17 If you call on the Father who judges impartially, according to the work of each person, conduct yourselves during the time of your pilgrimage in reverence, 18 because you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, not with things that pass away, such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was chosen before the foundation of the world but revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

22 Since you have purified your souls by obeying the truth, [2] resulting in sincere brotherly love, love one another constantly from a pure heart. 23 For you have been born again, not from perishable seed but from imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For:

All flesh is like grass,
and all its glory is like a flower of the field.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord endures forever. [3]

And this is the word that was preached to you.

Crave Pure Spiritual Milk1 Peter 21 Therefore rid yourselves of all evil, all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all slander. 2 Like newborn babies, crave the pure milk of the word [4] so that by it you may grow up with the result being salvation. 3 Certainly [5] you have tasted that the Lord is good!

Footnotes1. 1 Peter 1:16 Leviticus 11:44; 19:2 2. 1 Peter 1:22 A few witnesses to the text add through the Spirit. (“Witnesses to the text” mentioned in footnotes may include Greek manuscripts, lectionaries, translations, and quotations in the church fathers.) 3. 1 Peter 1:25 Isaiah 40:6-8 4. 1 Peter 2:2 Or crave pure spiritual milk 5. 1 Peter 2:3 A few witnesses to the text read Since.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 171 Peter 1:1-12LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 17

1 Peter 1:1-12 (EHV)
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1 Peter 1Greeting1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To the elect, temporary residents in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient and to be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ:

Grace and peace be multiplied to you.

A Living Hope3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 into an inheritance that is undying, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 5 Through faith you are being protected by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed at the end of time.

6 Because of this you rejoice very much, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various kinds of trials 7 so that the proven character of your faith—which is more valuable than gold, which passes away even though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not see him now, yet by believing in him, you are filled with a joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

10 The prophets, who prophesied about the grace that has come to you, searched and studied carefully concerning this salvation, 11 trying to find out what person and what time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, when they wrote about these things. These are the things that have now been announced to you by those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even the angels long to look carefully into these things.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 16Judges 21LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 16

Judges 21 (EHV)
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Rebuilding the Tribe of Benjamin1 Previously the men of Israel had taken an oath at Mizpah: “Not a man from among us will give his daughter to a Benjaminite as his wife.”

2 The people came to Bethel and remained there before God until evening. They lifted up their voices and wept bitterly. 3 They said, “Why, Lord God of Israel, has this happened in Israel, that today one tribe has been removed from Israel?”

4 The next day, when the people rose early, they built an altar there and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.

5 Then the Israelites said, “From all the tribes of Israel, was there anyone who did not come up to the assembly of Israel before the Lord?” For they had taken this solemn oath against anyone who did not come up to the Lord at Mizpah: “He will certainly be put to death.”

6 Then the people of Israel felt compassion toward Benjamin, their brother, and they said, “One tribe of Israel is cut off today. 7 What can be done to provide wives for those who remain? We have sworn by the Lord not to give any of our daughters to them as wives.”

8 So then they asked, “Was there anyone from the tribes of Israel who did not go up to the Lord at Mizpah?” They found that no one from Jabesh Gilead had come to the assembly at the camp. 9 In fact, when the roll call had been taken, not a man was there from the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead.

10 So the assembly sent twelve thousand powerful warriors and commanded them, “Go and strike down the people who live at Jabesh Gilead with the edge of the sword, including the women and children. 11 This is what you are to do: Every male and every woman who has known the bed of a male, you shall devote to destruction.”

12 They found among the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead four hundred young women who were virgins, who had never known a man by lying down with a male. They brought the four hundred women to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan.

13 Then the entire assembly sent a message to the Benjaminites who were at the Rock of Rimmon. They extended an offer of peace to them. 14 The Benjaminites then returned, and the Israelites gave them the women that they had kept alive from Jabesh Gilead.

But they did not find enough wives for all of them. 15 Once more the people had compassion on Benjamin because the Lord had left an empty spot among the tribes of the Lord. 16 So the elders of the assembly asked, “What shall we do to get wives for those who were spared, since the women from Benjamin have been wiped out?” 17 They said, “There must be a way to provide an inheritance for the surviving remnant of Benjamin, so that a tribe will not be blotted out from Israel! 18 But we cannot give them wives from our daughters, because the people of Israel have sworn, ‘Cursed is anyone who gives a woman to Benjamin.’”

19 But then someone said, “Look! There is an annual festival of the Lord in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel, east of the highway that goes from Bethel toward Shechem, and south of Lebonah.”

20 So they commanded the Benjaminites, “Go and lie in wait in the vineyards 21 and watch. Then when the daughters of Shiloh come out to join in the dances, come out from the vineyards, and each man should seize a wife for himself from the daughters of Shiloh. Then return to the land of Benjamin. 22 If it happens that their fathers or brothers come to us to complain, we will say to them, ‘Be gracious to them, because we failed to capture a woman for each man during the battle, and you did not break your oath that you would not give your daughters, so you will not incur guilt.’”

23 So that is what the Benjaminites did. They grabbed and carried off as many women as they needed from among the dancers. Then they went and returned to their family property, rebuilt their cities, and lived in them.

24 At the same time the Israelites returned from there. Each man returned to the territory of his tribe and clan, each man to his own family property.

25 In those days there was no king in Israel, and every man did whatever was right in his own eyes.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 15Judges 20LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 15

Judges 20 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0615db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

1 Then all the people of Israel came out, and the whole community from Dan to Beersheba, including the Israelites in Gilead, assembled as one man before the Lord at Mizpah. 2 The pillars [1] of the people from all the tribes of Israel took their places in the assembly of the people of God—four hundred thousand foot soldiers, armed with swords. 3 (The people of Benjamin heard that the people of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) The people of Israel said, “Speak up! How did this evil happen?”

4 Then the Levite, the husband of the woman who had been murdered, answered, “I, along with my concubine, came to Gibeah in Benjamin to spend the night. 5 But the citizens of Gibeah rose up against me and surrounded the house during the night. They intended to kill me. They abused my concubine, and she died. 6 So I took hold of my concubine, cut her into pieces, and I sent her to every region of the inheritance of Israel, because the men of Gibeah did this outrageous, foolish deed in Israel. 7 Look! All of you are descendants of Israel! Consider the matter and give your judgment.”

8 All the people then rose up as one man. They said, “Not one of us will go to his tent, nor will any of us return to their homes. 9 Now this is what we will do to Gibeah: We will determine who goes against it by choosing lots. 10 We will choose ten men out of every hundred from all the tribes of Israel—and a hundred out of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand—to gather provisions for the troops. When the men of Israel arrive at Gibeah [2] in Benjamin, Israel can do to the men of Gibeah what they deserve for all the disgraceful things they did in Israel.” 11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city. The various groups were united as if they were one man.

12 The tribes of Israel sent men through the whole tribe [3] of Benjamin, saying, “What is this evil thing that has been done among you? 13 Now, hand over the men, these worthless, wicked men from Gibeah! We will put them to death and root out this evil from Israel.”

But the people of Benjamin were not willing to listen to the voice of their brothers, the people of Israel. 14 Instead, the people from all the cities of Benjamin gathered at Gibeah to go out for war against the people of Israel. 15 On that day the people of Benjamin mustered from their cities twenty-six thousand men armed with swords, not counting those who lived in Gibeah, from which they mustered an additional seven hundred elite men. 16 From all these troops, there were seven hundred elite soldiers who were left-handed, each of whom could sling a stone at a single hair and not miss.

17 Meanwhile, the men of Israel, apart from Benjamin, mustered four hundred thousand men armed with swords, each of them a trained soldier.

18 They arose and went up to Bethel, and the people of Israel inquired of God, “Who will go up to lead us into the battle against the Benjaminites?”

The Lord said, “Judah will take the lead in the battle.”

19 The Israelites got up in the morning and set up camp against Gibeah. 20 The men of Israel went out for war against Benjamin and lined up for battle at Gibeah. 21 But the Benjaminites came out from Gibeah, and that day they struck down to the ground twenty-two thousand men of Israel!

22 The men of Israel renewed their courage and again lined up for battle in the same spot where they had lined up on the first day. 23 The people of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until evening. They inquired of the Lord, “Shall we go out again to engage in battle with the people of Benjamin, our brothers?”

Again the Lord said, “Go up against them.”

24 The Israelites approached the Benjaminites on the second day. 25 Benjamin came out from Gibeah to confront them on the second day and took down an additional eighteen thousand men from among the Israelites—right down to the ground!—all of them men armed with swords.

26 After that, all the Israelites, the entire army, went up to Bethel. There they wept and sat before the Lord and fasted all that day until evening. They offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord. 27 The people of Israel inquired of the Lord. (The Ark of the Covenant of God was there in those days.) 28 Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, was ministering in front of the ark in those days. He asked, “Shall I again go out to battle against our brothers the Benjaminites, or shall I stop?”

The Lord said, “Go up, because tomorrow I will give them into your hand.”

29 Then Israel positioned men in ambushes all around Gibeah. 30 The men of Israel went up against the men of Benjamin on the third day, and they lined up against Gibeah as they had done before. 31 Again the Benjaminites went out to confront the people of Israel. The Benjaminites were drawn away from the city, and they began to strike down some of the people, killing them in the open country as they had done before, along the highway that goes up to Bethel and the one to Gibeah. [4] They killed about thirty men of Israel.

32 The Benjaminites thought, “They are being struck down before us, just as they were before.”

But the Israelites had said, “We will retreat and draw them out of the city to the highways.”

33 So all the men of Israel fell back from their positions and drew up a battle line at Baal Tamar. Then the Israelites who were hiding in ambush came bursting out from their positions west of Geba. [5] 34 Ten thousand specially chosen men from all Israel came out against Gibeah. The battle was fierce, and the Benjaminites did not realize that calamity was about to fall upon them. 35 The Lord struck down Benjamin before Israel, and the Israelites brought Benjamin to ruin on that day. Twenty-five thousand one hundred men, who were armed with swords, fell. 36 Then the Benjaminites saw that they were beaten.

The men of Israel had given ground to Benjamin because they were relying on the men in the ambushes that they had set up near Gibeah. 37 The hidden attackers struck quickly. They dashed into Gibeah, spread out, and struck the entire city with the edge of the sword. 38 This was the signal for the men of Israel and for those in the ambush: When they saw a great cloud of smoke coming up from the city, 39 the men of Israel were to turn back to join the battle.

Benjamin had begun to strike some of the men of Israel dead, about thirty men. So they said, “Look, they are being struck down before us, as they were in the first battle.” 40 But as a column of smoke began to rise above the city, the Benjaminites turned to look behind them, and suddenly they saw that the city was going up toward heaven like a burnt offering. 41 Then the Israelites turned back, and the Benjaminites were horrified because they realized that disaster was falling upon them. 42 They fled from the men of Israel to escape toward the wilderness, but the battle kept up with them, as Israelites from the cities all around them were striking them down. 43 The Israelites encircled Benjamin, pursued them, and overran their positions all the way to Nohah, a spot east of Gibeah. 44 From Benjamin, eighteen thousand fell, all of them strong warriors. 45 The surviving Benjaminites turned and fled toward the wilderness, to the Rock of Rimmon, but five thousand of these men were picked off along the highways. The Israelites caught up with them at Gidom and struck down two thousand more of their men.

46 So the total number of Benjaminites that fell that day was twenty-five thousand men armed with swords, all of them powerful warriors. 47 But the surviving six hundred men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the Rock of Rimmon, and they stayed at the Rock of Rimmon for four months.

48 The men of Israel had turned back against the Benjaminites and struck them with the edge of the sword. They struck the entire city, including the animals and whatever else could be found. They burned down all the rest of the cities.

Footnotes1. Judges 20:2 Literally cornerstones 2. Judges 20:10 The translation follows a minority Hebrew reading. Most Hebrew manuscripts read Geba. 3. Judges 20:12 The translation follows the ancient versions. The Hebrew text reads the plural tribes. 4. Judges 20:31 Gibeah is the starting point of the pursuit, so it seems that the other places named should be endpoints of the pursuit some distance from Gibeah. Geographically it makes sense that the pursuit is from Gibeah to Bethel and from Gibeah to Gibeon, but there is no manuscript evidence for this. This variant is, however, mentioned in the apparatus of the BHS Hebrew text. 5. Judges 20:33 If the ambush was west of Geba, as the Hebrew text reads, it was east of Gibeah. This is an ideal location to carry out the strategy described in the following verses. There is, therefore, no need to emend the text to Gibeah as some translations do.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 14Judges 19LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 14

Judges 19 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0614db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

1 In those days there was no king in Israel.

A Depraved Levite and a Depraved CityThere was a certain Levite living in a remote part of the hill country of Ephraim, who took a woman from Bethlehem of Judah as a concubine. 2 But his concubine committed adultery or prostitution against him [1] and left him in order to return to her father’s house in Bethlehem of Judah. She remained there four months.

3 Then her husband got up and went after her to appeal to her heart in order to win her back. He brought with him a young man, who was his servant, and a pair of donkeys.

His concubine let him into her father’s house, and when the woman’s father saw him, he was happy to see him. 4 The Levite’s father-in-law, the father of the young woman, prevailed upon the man to stay with him for three days, eating, drinking, and spending the night there.

5 On the fourth day they got up early in the morning, and the man got ready to leave, but the young woman’s father said to his son-in-law, “Build up your strength with a little food. After that you may go.” 6 So the two of them sat around eating and drinking together. Then the young woman’s father said to the man, “Please, I beg you, stay one more night and enjoy yourself.” 7 The Levite got up to go, but his father-in-law pressured him, so he stayed and spent another night there.

8 He got up early on the morning of the fifth day in order to go, but the woman’s father said, “Please build up your strength first.” They delayed until the sun began to go down [2] while the two of them were eating. 9 When the man got up to leave with his concubine and his servant, his father-in-law, the woman’s father, again said to him, “Please! The day is already turning into evening. Please stay the night. Look! The day is slipping away! Spend the night here, and enjoy yourself! You can get up early tomorrow to be on your way and return to your home.” 10 But the Levite did not want to stay another night. Instead, he got up and went on his way, and he came to Jebus (that is, Jerusalem). He had with him the pair of saddled donkeys, as well as his concubine.

11 When they were getting close to Jebus and the day was almost gone, the young man said to his master, “Let us turn aside to this city of the Jebusites and spend the night there.”

12 But his master said to him, “We will not turn aside into a foreign city that does not belong to the people of Israel. We will go on to Gibeah.” 13 He said to his young man, “Come on, we will continue on to one of these other places. We can spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah.”

14 So they continued on, and as the sun was going down on them, they came close to Gibeah, which belonged to Benjamin. 15 There they turned aside to spend the night in Gibeah. But when the man went and sat in the city square, there was no one who took them into his house to spend the night.

16 Just then, an old man was coming from his work in the field because it was evening. The man was from the hill country of Ephraim, but he was living in Gibeah, though the men of that place were Benjaminites. 17 The old man looked up and saw the traveler in the city square, and the old man said, “Where are you going, and where did you come from?”

18 The Levite said to him, “We are traveling from Bethlehem of Judah to a remote part of the hill country of Ephraim. I am from there. I traveled as far as Bethlehem of Judah, and now I am going to the House of the Lord, but there is no one who will take me into his house. 19 We even have straw and fodder for our donkeys, and we also have enough bread and wine for me, for your servant my wife, and for the young man. We, your servants, are lacking nothing.”

20 At this the old man said, “Peace be with you. Anything you lack will be my responsibility—only do not spend the night in the city square.” 21 So the old man brought the Levite to his house and fed the donkeys. He washed their feet, and they ate and drank together.

22 As they were making their hearts glad, all of a sudden the men of the city—worthless, good-for-nothing men—surrounded the house, pounding on the door. They said to the old man, the owner of the house, “Bring out the man who has come to your house. We want to get to know [3] him.”

23 But the owner of the household went out to them and said, “No, my brothers, do not do such an evil thing, I beg you. Since this man has come to my house, do not do this disgraceful, foolish thing. 24 Look! Here is my virgin daughter and his concubine. Now I will bring them out, and you may abuse them and do to them whatever you see fit. But do not do this disgraceful, foolish thing to this man.”

25 But the men were not willing to listen to him. So the Levite took hold of his concubine and forced her to go out to them. They were intimate with [4] her and mistreated her all night long until morning. Then they let her go at the break of dawn.

26 As morning was dawning, the woman came and collapsed at the entrance to the man’s house, where her husband had been staying until the light of day.

27 When her husband got up in the morning, he opened the doors of the house and went out in order to go on his way. There she was! His concubine had collapsed at the entrance of the house with her hands on the threshold. 28 He said to her, “Get up. Let’s go.” But there was no answer. So he put her on the donkey, got up, and returned to his place.

29 When he got home, he took a knife, grabbed his concubine, and cut her into pieces. Limb by limb he cut her into twelve pieces and sent her into all the territory of Israel. 30 Everyone who saw it said, “Nothing like this has ever been done or seen, from the day the people of Israel came up from the land of Egypt until this day.”

⎣The Levite commanded the men he sent to say the following to all the men of Israel: “Has anything like this happened since the day that the people of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt until this day?⎦ [5]Think this over, come up with a plan, and speak up!”

Footnotes1. Judges 19:2 Or, following the Greek Old Testament, which reads the word translated adultery or prostitution as a different Hebrew word, his concubine became angry with him 2. Judges 19:8 By their system of dividing the day, any time after about 2 or 3 pm 3. Judges 19:22 Though their vile sexual intent is clear, the men used a euphemistic term, know, as the Sodomites did in Genesis 19:5. 4. Judges 19:25 Though the vile nature of their actions is clear, the text uses a euphemism, know. 5. Judges 19:30 The sentence in half-brackets is not included in the Hebrew text but is present in the Greek Old Testament. An accidental omission from the Hebrew text may have occurred as the copyist’s eye jumped from one occurrence of the land of Egypt until this day to another.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 13Judges 17 – 18LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 13

Judges 17 – 18 (EHV)
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The Spirit of the Times: Bad Priests, Bad PeopleMicah’s IdolJudges 171 There was a man from the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Micah. 2 He said to his mother, “You know that eleven hundred shekels of silver [1] which were taken from you, about which you spoke a curse that I heard—Look! I have the silver. I took it.”

His mother said, “May my son be blessed by the Lord.”

3 Micah returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother.

Then his mother said, “The silver that I received from my son I solemnly dedicate to the Lord to make a cast and engraved idol [2] for my son’s benefit. [3] So now I will return it to you.” [4]

4 He returned the silver to his mother, and his mother gave two hundred shekels of silver to the silversmith, who made them into a cast and engraved idol, which was placed in the house of Micah.

5 This man Micah had a “house of God,” where he placed a special priestly vest and a household god and where he ordained [5] one of his sons as his own priest.

6 In those days there was no king in Israel, and every man did whatever was right in his own eyes.

A Renegade Priest7 Meanwhile, there was a young man from Bethlehem of Judah, a city which belonged to a clan of Judah. He was a Levite, but he resided in Bethlehem even though he was not a Judean. [6] 8 This man left the city—Bethlehem of Judah—to take up residence wherever he could find a place to stay. As he went on his way, he came to the house of Micah in the hill country of Ephraim.

9 Micah said to him, “Where did you come from?”

He answered, “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah. I am going to take up residence wherever I can find a place to stay.”

10 Micah said to him, “Stay with me! Be a father and a priest to me. I will give you ten shekels of silver a year, an allowance for your clothing, and your food.”

So the Levite went with him. 11 The Levite was willing to stay with the man, and he became like one of his sons. 12 Micah ordained the Levite, so the young man became his priest and lived in Micah’s house.

13 Micah said, “Now I know that the Lord will treat me well, because I have this Levite as my priest.”

Judges 181 In those days there was no king in Israel.

The Migration of Some DanitesAlso in those days, some members of the tribe of Dan were seeking a territory of their own in which to live, because up to that day they had not taken possession of their inheritance in the midst of the tribes of Israel. 2 So the descendants of Dan sent out from Zorah and Eshtaol five men who were strong warriors. They were to represent their clans and to scout the land and explore it. They said to the five men, “Go explore the land.” So they went to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and they spent the night there.

3 When they were near the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young Levite. They turned aside there and said to him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? What advantage is there for you here?”

4 He told them what Micah had done for him: “He hired me, and I became his priest.”

5 They said to him, “Please inquire from God, so that we will know whether the way we are going will lead to success.”

6 The priest said to them, “Go in peace. The way you are going is approved by the Lord.”

7 So the five men continued their journey until they arrived at Laish. They saw that the people there were living in the same way as the Sidonians, quiet and unsuspecting. There was no one to disturb them or oppress them. [7] They were far removed from the Sidonians and had no dealings with anyone else. [8]

8 Then the five spies returned to their fellow tribesmen [9] at Zorah and Eshtaol. Their brothers said to them, “What do you think?”

9 The five answered, “Get up! Let us go up against them, ⎣for we have entered the land and journeyed as far as Laish. We saw how the people lived in security in the same way as the Sidonians, but they were far from the Sidonians, and they had no dealings with Aram. Get up! Let us go up against them,⎦ [10] for we have seen the land. We assure you it is very good. Why are you still sitting here? Do not be slow. Get going to the land and take possession of it. 10 When you go, you will come to an unsuspecting people, whose land is spacious. Yes, God has given into your hands a place where there is no lack of anything on earth.”

11 So the clan of Danites set out from Zorah and Eshtaol. There were six hundred men, equipped for war. 12 They went up and camped near Kiriath Jearim in Judah. (That is why the place has been called Mahaneh Dan [11] to this present day. It is west of Kiriath Jearim.) 13 Then they traveled on from there to the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah.

14 The five men who had gone out to spy on the land of Laish said to their brothers, “Do you know that in one of these houses there is a priestly vest and a household god, an engraved and a cast idol? So now, you know what to do.”

15 They turned in and entered the house of the young Levite at the homestead of Micah, and they asked him how he was doing. 16 Meanwhile, the six hundred descendants of Dan, equipped for war, were standing at the entrance of the gate. 17 The five men who had gone to spy on the land came and took the engraved idol, the priestly vest, the household god, and the cast idol while the priest was standing at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men equipped for war.

18 When these five men came into the house of Micah and took the engraved idol, the priestly vest, the household god, and the cast idol, the priest asked them, “What are you doing?”

19 They told him, “Be quiet. Put your hand over your mouth. Come with us and be our father and priest! Is it better for you to be priest for the household of one man or to be priest for an entire tribe and clan in Israel?”

20 Then the priest’s heart was glad, and he took the vest, the household god, and the engraved idol, and he went along with the people. 21 So they set out on their way and sent their children and their cattle and possessions ahead of them.

22 After the Danites had gone some distance from the house of Micah, the men who lived in the houses around the house of Micah were called out to pursue them, and they caught up with the Danites. 23 They called to the Danites, who turned toward them and said to Micah, “What is wrong with you? Why are you shouting like this?”

24 Micah replied, “You have taken my gods that I made and my priest, and you have gone off. What is left to me? How can you ask me, ‘What is wrong with you?’”

25 The Danites said to him, “Do not let us hear your voice. If you do, those men with a bad attitude will attack you, and you will lose your life, not to mention the lives of your household.” 26 The Danites then continued on their way, and when Micah saw that they were stronger than he was, he turned around and went back to his house.

27 So the Danites took what Micah had made and also his priest, and they went up against Laish, against a quiet and unsuspecting people, and they struck them down by the edge [12] of the sword and burned down the city.

28 The people of Laish had no one to rescue them, because they were far away from Sidon, and they did not have any alliance with anyone else. The city was located in the valley near Beth Rehob.

The Danites rebuilt the city and lived there. 29 They named the city Dan, after their forefather Dan, who was born to Israel, but Laish had been the original name of the city.

30 So the Danites set up the engraved idol for themselves, and Jonathan son of Gershom, the son of Moses, [13] and his sons became priests for the tribe of Dan, up to the day of the captivity of the land. 31 They maintained for themselves the engraved idol that Micah had made, throughout all the days that the house of God was in Shiloh.

Footnotes1. Judges 17:2 The Hebrew text reads one thousand one hundred ___ of silver without specifying a unit of measure. It probably refers to a collection of scrap silver that weighed eleven hundred shekels. Coins were not yet in use at this time. 2. Judges 17:3 The Hebrew text has two distinct nouns meaning a cast idol and an engraved idol. The singular pronouns in the next verse seem to indicate that at this time only one idol, which was cast and engraved, was made from the silver. However, Judges 18:17-18 does refer to more than one idol. 3. Judges 17:3 Literally the silver for the Lord from my hand for my son. There are several difficulties of text and translation in this section. 4. Judges 17:3 Some translations move this sentence to verse 2, where it becomes a statement of Micah to his mother. Left here in verse 3, where the Hebrew text places it, it is a statement made by the mother about the gift of the idol(s) to Micah. 5. Judges 17:5 Literally filled the hand of. The same expression is used for Moses’ ordination of priests. The same term occurs in verse 12. 6. Judges 17:7 Literally resided as an alien. The term ger often refers to an alien from a different ethnic group. Here, however, it refers to an “alien” from a different tribe. 7. Judges 18:7 The meaning of this sentence is uncertain. 8. Judges 18:7 Or, following the Greek Old Testament, with Aram 9. Judges 18:8 Literally their brothers 10. Judges 18:9 The long passage marked by half-brackets is not present in the Hebrew text but is present in the Greek Old Testament. An accidental omission from the Hebrew text may have occurred as the copyist’s eye jumped from one occurrence of Let us go up against them to another. 11. Judges 18:12 That is, the Camp of Dan 12. Judges 18:27 Literally mouth 13. Judges 18:30 The reading Moses follows ancient versions and some Hebrew manuscripts. Other Hebrew manuscripts read Manasseh, but in some of these Hebrew manuscripts the n is marked to show that it does not belong in the text. It seems that some later copyists wrote Manasseh instead of Moses to avoid offense to the memory of Moses. Such textual variants are known by the name “corrections of the scribes.”

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 12Judges 16LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 12

Judges 16 (EHV)
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1 One time Samson went to Gaza. There he saw a prostitute and went to her. 2 The people of Gaza were told, “Samson has come here.” So they surrounded the town and lay in wait for him all night at the city gate, but they relaxed during the night, saying, “Let’s wait for the light of morning. Then we will kill him.”

3 But Samson slept only until midnight. He got up in the middle of the night, grabbed the doors of the city gate along with the two gateposts, pulled them up crossbar and all, set them on his shoulders, and took them up to the top of the hill opposite Hebron.

Samson and Delilah4 Sometime after that, Samson fell in love with a woman from the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. 5 The serens [1] of the Philistines approached her and said, “Persuade him to reveal where his great strength comes from and how we may overpower him, tie him up, and humiliate him. Each of us will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver.” [2]

6 So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me what the source of your great strength is, and how you can be tied up in order to humiliate you.”

7 Samson answered her, “If anyone ties me up with seven new bowstrings that have not yet been dried, [3] I will become weak and be like any other man.”

8 So the serens of the Philistines brought her seven new bowstrings that had not yet been dried, and she tied him up with them. 9 She had men hiding in the room waiting to ambush Samson, and she said to him, “Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he snapped the bowstrings as easily as a flax thread that was scorched when brought near fire. So the source of his strength was not revealed.

10 Then Delilah said to Samson, “Look! You made a fool of me and told me lies. Now please tell me how you can be tied up.”

11 Samson answered her, “Actually, if anyone ties me up with new ropes that have never been used for work, I will become weak and be like any other man.”

12 So Delilah took new ropes and tied him up with them. Then she said to him, “Philistines are upon you, Samson!” There were men hiding in the room waiting to ambush Samson, but he tore the ropes off his arms as if they were thread.

13 Delilah said to Samson, “So far you have made a fool of me and told me lies. Tell me how you may be tied up!”

So he said to her, “If you weave the seven locks of my hair into the fabric of a loom ⎣and fasten them with a pin, I will be as weak as any other man.”

After she had waited for him to fall asleep, Delilah took the seven locks of his hair and wove them in the fabric of a loom.⎦ [4] 14 She fastened them with the pin and said to him, “Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But Samson woke up from his sleep and pulled out the pin from the loom along with the fabric.

15 She said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? This makes three times you have made a fool of me, and you have not told me where your great strength comes from.” 16 This was how she tormented him with her words day after day and nagged him until he was sick to death of it.

17 Finally he told her everything in his heart. He said to her, “A razor has never touched my head, because I have been a Nazirite dedicated to God from the womb of my mother. If I am ever shaved, my strength will desert me, and I will become weak and be like any other man.”

18 When Delilah saw that he told her everything in his heart, she sent for the serens of the Philistines, saying, “Come back one more time, for he has poured out his heart to me.”

The serens of the Philistines came up to her and brought the silver in their hands. 19 Delilah let Samson fall asleep on her lap. Then she called for a man and shaved off the seven locks of his head. She began his humiliation, because his strength had left him. 20 She said, “Philistines are upon you, Samson!” He awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as I have time after time, and I will shake myself free.” But he did not realize that the Lord had left him.

21 The Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes, brought him down to Gaza, and restrained him with bronze shackles. He had to grind grain in the prison.

22 But the hair on his head began to grow after it had been shaved.

Samson’s Death23 Meanwhile, the serens of the Philistines gathered to make a great sacrifice to their god Dagon and to celebrate. They said, “Our god has given our enemy Samson into our hands.”

24 When the people saw him, they praised their god: “Our god has given our enemy into our hands, the devastator of our land, who has caused the death of many of us.”

25 When they were feeling good, they said, “Send for Samson, so that he can provide amusement for us.” They summoned Samson from the prison, and he served as their entertainment.

They made Samson stand between the pillars. 26 He said to the young man who led him by his hand, “Put me where I can touch the pillars that support the building, so I can lean upon them.” 27 The building was full of men and women, as well as all the serens of the Philistines. On the roof were about three thousand more men and women watching Samson as he was amusing them.

28 Samson called out to the Lord. He said, “Lord God, remember me, I pray. Give me strength, I pray, this one more time, O God. Let me get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes in one act of vengeance.” 29 Samson then grasped the two central pillars supporting the building. He leaned against them, one with his right hand and one with his left. 30 Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” He pushed with all his strength, and the building fell upon the serens and upon all the people who were inside.

The Philistines he put to death when he died were more numerous than those he had put to death during his lifetime.

31 Then his brothers and his father’s entire household went down, carried him back, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He had served as judge of Israel for twenty years.

Footnotes1. Judges 16:5 The word seren is used only of the rulers of the five Philistine city states. It may be related to the Greek word tyrant, an autocratic ruler of a city state. Seren is a title like pharaoh or czar, which is applied to one specific class of rulers. Since this is a unique title, the translation uses the transliteration seren rather than the traditional rendering lord. 2. Judges 16:5 The Hebrew text does not specify the unit of weight. It is assumed to be shekels. This is a huge amount. In Judges 17:10 the priest’s annual spending money was ten shekels. 3. Judges 16:7 The Hebrew word translated bowstrings means sinews or guts. Bowstrings were made from the guts of sheep or cows. 4. Judges 16:13 The words marked by half-brackets do not occur in the Hebrew text but are included in the Greek Old Testament. An accidental omission from the Hebrew text may have occurred as the copyist’s eye jumped from one occurrence of loom to another.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 11Judges 14 – 15LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 11

Judges 14 – 15 (EHV)
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Samson’s FeatsJudges 141 Samson went down to Timnah. There he saw a young woman who was a Philistine. 2 He went back and told his father and his mother, “I saw a Philistine woman in Timnah. Now, get her for me as a wife.”

3 But his father and mother said to him, “Is there no suitable woman among the young women of your relatives and among all our people that you must go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?”

Samson insisted to his father, “No, get her for me—because, in my eyes, she is the right one.”

4 His father and mother did not know that this was from the Lord, who was seeking an opportunity to confront the Philistines, who were ruling Israel at this time.

5 So Samson and his father and mother went down to Timnah, and as they approached the vineyards at Timnah, suddenly a young lion came roaring to meet him. 6 At that moment the Spirit of the Lord powerfully rushed upon Samson, and he tore the young lion in two as if he were tearing apart a young goat. He did this with his bare hands. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done. 7 He went down and spoke to the woman. In the eyes of Samson, she was the right one.

8 After some days, when he returned to take her as his wife, he turned aside to look at the carcass of the lion, and to his surprise there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcass of the lion! 9 So Samson scraped out some honey with his hands, and he ate it as he walked along. As he walked alongside his father and mother, he gave them some of the honey and they ate, but he did not tell them that he had scraped the honey out of the carcass of the lion.

10 His father met with the woman, and Samson held a wedding feast there, as young men were accustomed to do. 11 When the Philistines saw him, they selected thirty young men to serve as attendants.

12 Samson said to them, “Allow me to tell you a riddle. If you figure out the solution and tell me within the seven days of the feast, I will give to you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing. 13 But if you are not able to tell me, you will give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing.”

So they said to him, “Tell your riddle. Let us hear it!”

14 Samson said to them,

Out of the eater comes something to eat.

Out of the strong comes something sweet.

But they were not able to solve the riddle for three days.

15 Then, on the fourth day, [1] they said to Samson’s wife, “Persuade your husband so that you can tell us the solution to the riddle, or we will set you on fire with the house of your father. You invited us in order to take our property, didn’t you?”

16 Samson’s wife cried on his shoulder and said, “You certainly hate me and do not love me. You told a riddle to my people, but you have not explained it to me!”

Samson said to her, “Look! I have not told even my father and my mother, and I should tell you?” 17 But she cried to him for the rest of the seven-day feast. [2] Finally on the seventh day he told her, because she kept nagging him. Then she explained the riddle to the Philistine young men.

18 So the men of the town said to Samson on the seventh day, just before the sun went down:

What is sweeter than honey,

and what is stronger than a lion?

But he said to them, “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle.”

19 Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty men from there. Then he took the clothing that he stripped off them and gave the clothing to the men who had solved the riddle. He was burning with anger as he went back to his father’s house. 20 Meanwhile the Philistines gave Samson’s wife to one of the men who had attended him.

Judges 151 After a number of days, during the wheat harvest, Samson came to visit his wife and brought a kid goat with him. He said, “Let me go in to my wife’s room,” but her father did not let him go in.

2 Her father said, “I was so convinced that you hated her that I gave her to your companion. Isn’t her younger sister better than she is? Please take her for yourself instead of her older sister.”

3 Samson said to them, “I am not responsible for the harm I am about to do to the Philistines.” 4 Then Samson went and captured three hundred foxes, [3] took torches, tied the foxes tail to tail, and fastened a torch between each pair of tails. 5 He set fire to the torches and released the foxes into the standing grain of the Philistines. He burned up sheaves of grain, the standing grain, the vineyards, and the olive groves.

6 The Philistines asked, “Who did this?” They were told, “Samson, the son-in-law of the man from Timnah, did it, because the man took Samson’s wife and gave her to his companion.” So the Philistines went up and burned her and her father to death.

7 At that, Samson said to them, “Since you would do something like this, I will take revenge on you. Then I will stop.” 8 He ripped them to pieces [4] in a devastating attack. Then he went down and stayed in the cleft in the Rock of Etam.

9 Meanwhile the Philistines went up, set up camp in Judah, and occupied the territory around Lehi. 10 The men of Judah asked, “Why have you come up against us?”

They said, “We have come up to tie up Samson—to do to him as he did to us.”

11 So three thousand men from Judah went down to the cleft in the Rock of Etam. They said to Samson, “Don’t you know that the Philistines are now ruling over us? So what is this you have done to us?”

Samson answered them, “As they did to me, so I did to them.”

12 They said to him, “We have come down to tie you up and hand you over to the Philistines.”

Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you will not attack me yourselves.”

13 They said to him, “We will not. We will indeed tie you up and hand you over to them, but we will not kill you.” Then they tied him up with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock.

14 When Samson came to Lehi, the Philistines came to meet him, shouting a war cry. But then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon Samson, and the ropes around his shoulders were like flax charred by fire, and the ropes melted off his wrists. 15 Samson found the fresh jawbone of a donkey, reached out his hand, and took it. With it he struck down a thousand men.

16 Samson said:

With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps upon heaps! [5]

With the jawbone of a donkey I have struck down a thousand men.

17 When he finished speaking, he threw the jawbone out of his hand, and he named the place Ramath Lehi. [6]

18 Then he became very thirsty, and he called to the Lord, “You placed this great victory into the hand of your servant. Shall I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?” 19 Then God split the hollow that is in Lehi, and water came out of it. Samson drank, his vitality was restored, and he was revived. For this reason he called the place En Hakkore, [7] which remains in Lehi to this day.

20 Samson judged Israel for twenty years in the days of the Philistines.

Footnotes1. Judges 14:15 The translation follows a reading of the Greek and Syriac Old Testaments. The Hebrew reads on the seventh day. 2. Judges 14:17 The Hebrew word indicates that the feast was a drinking party. 3. Judges 15:4 Or jackals 4. Judges 15:8 Literally he struck them leg upon thigh 5. Judges 15:16 The Hebrew words for donkey and heaps sound alike. 6. Judges 15:17 That is, Jawbone Heights 7. Judges 15:19 That is, Spring of the One Who Called

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 10Judges 13LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 10

Judges 13 (EHV)
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The Twelfth Judge: Samson Versus the PhilistinesSamson’s Birth1 The people of Israel again committed evil in the eyes of the Lord, so the Lord gave them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years.

2 Now there was a certain man from Zorah, from the clan of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. His wife was barren. She had not given birth. 3 The Angel of the Lord [1] appeared to the woman and said to her, “Listen, you are barren and have not given birth, but you will become pregnant and give birth to a son. 4 Now, please be careful. Do not drink wine or beer, [2] and do not eat anything unclean. 5 Listen, you will become pregnant and give birth to a son. No razor is to touch his head, for the boy will be a Nazirite dedicated to God from his mother’s womb. He will begin to deliver Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”

6 The woman went and told her husband, “A man of God came to me, and he looked like an angel of God, very awesome. I did not ask where he was from, and he did not tell me his name. 7 But he did say to me, ‘Listen! You will be pregnant and give birth to a son. So now, do not drink wine or beer, and do not eat anything unclean, because the young man will be a Nazirite dedicated to God from his mother’s womb until the day of his death.’”

8 Then Manoah pleaded with the Lord, “Please, Lord, the man of God whom you sent—please let him come to us again, to teach us what we are to do for the young man who is to be born.”

9 God heard the voice of Manoah, and the Angel of God returned to the woman while she was sitting in the field. Once again her husband Manoah was not with her. 10 The woman ran quickly and told her husband. She said to him, “Come, see! The man who appeared to me came to me again today.”

11 Manoah then got up and followed his wife. He came to the man and said to him, “Are you the man who spoke to my wife?”

He answered, “I am.”

12 Manoah said, “Now, when your words come true, what will be the rule for the young man and his actions?”

13 The Angel of the Lord answered Manoah, “The woman must be careful concerning everything that I said to her. 14 She must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine. She must not drink wine or beer, and she must not eat any unclean thing. Everything that I commanded her she must observe.”

15 Manoah then said to the Angel of the Lord, “May we persuade you to stay, so that we may prepare a young goat for you?”

16 But the Angel of the Lord said to Manoah, “Even if you keep me here, I will not eat any of your food, but if you make a burnt offering, offer it up to the Lord.” (Manoah did not yet know that he was the Angel of the Lord.)

17 Then Manoah said to the Angel of the Lord, “What is your name, so that we can honor you when your words come true?”

18 The Angel of the Lord said to him, “Why do you ask about my name? It is wonderful.” [3]

19 Manoah took the young goat and the grain offering, and he offered them on the rock to the Lord, who did something wonderful as Manoah and his wife were watching. 20 As the flame rose from the altar toward the sky, the Angel of the Lord ascended upward from the altar in the flame. Manoah and his wife were watching, and they fell facedown to the ground. 21 The Angel of the Lord did not appear to Manoah and his wife again, but now Manoah knew that he was the Angel of the Lord.

22 Manoah said to his wife, “We will certainly die, because we have seen God.”

23 But his wife said to him, “If the Lord wanted to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering from our hands, and he would not have shown us all these things, nor would he have let us hear this message at this time.”

24 The woman gave birth to a son, and she named him Samson. The boy grew, and the Lord blessed him. 25 The Spirit of the Lord began to move him at Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Footnotes1. Judges 13:3 In the title Angel of the Lord the word Angel is capitalized when the context makes it clear that it is God himself who is speaking rather than a created angel. Angel means messenger or envoy. 2. Judges 13:4 Israel had two categories of alcoholic beverages: wine made from grapes, and beer made with a grain base. This beer sometimes included fruit to help with the fermentation. 3. Judges 13:18 Or incomprehensible or Wonderful or Miracle. It is uncertain whether the word is a description or a name. See Isaiah 9:6 where Wonderful is a Messianic name.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 09Judges 11:29 – 12:15LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 09

Judges 11:29 – 12:15 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0609db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Judges 11Jephthah’s Battle With Ammon and His Vow29 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah. He passed through Gilead and Manasseh. Then he passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he went out against the Ammonites.

30 Jephthah had made a vow to the Lord. He said, “If you indeed give the Ammonites into my hand, 31 then whoever or whatever [1] comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites will belong to the Lord, and I will offer it up as a whole burnt offering.”

32 So Jephthah crossed over to the Ammonites to wage war against them, and the Lord gave them into his hand. 33 Jephthah struck them down from Aroer all the way to the vicinity of Minnith, twenty cities, as far as Abel Keramim—a great slaughter. Thus the Ammonites were humbled before the people of Israel.

34 But when Jephthah came home to Mizpah, there was his daughter coming out to greet him with drums and dancing! She was his one and only child. Besides her, he had no son or daughter. 35 So, as soon as he saw her, he tore his clothing and cried out, “Oh no, my daughter! You have brought me to my knees! You have become a source of misery for me. I have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I cannot take it back!”

36 She said to him, “My father, since you have opened your mouth to the Lord, do to me exactly what came out of your mouth, since the Lord has carried out vengeance for you on your enemies, the Ammonites.” 37 She also said to her father, “Do this one thing for me: Give me two months reprieve, so that I may go out into the mountains and weep for my virginity—I and my friends.”

38 Her father said, “Go,” and he sent her away for two months. She and her friends went and wept over her virginity there on the mountains. 39 When the two months came to an end, she returned to her father, and he carried out the vow that he had made regarding her. She never was intimate with a man.

This became a custom in Israel: 40 From year to year the daughters of Israel go out to hold a memorial service for the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite, four days each year.

Jephthah’s Battle With EphraimJudges 121 At that time the men of Ephraim were called to arms. They crossed over to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to wage war against the Ammonites, but you did not invite us to go with you? We will burn your house down with you in it.”

2 Jephthah said to them, “I was a man involved in a bitter dispute—I and my people against the Ammonites. I called you out to arms, but you did not rescue me from their hand. 3 When I saw that you were not coming to rescue me, I took my life into my hands. I crossed over against the Ammonites, and the Lord gave them into my hand. So why have you come up against me this day to wage war against me?”

4 So Jephthah summoned all the men of Gilead and waged war against Ephraim. The men of Gilead struck down Ephraim, because the Ephraimites had said, “You Gileadites are nothing but renegades [2] from Ephraim and Manasseh.”

5 The men of Gilead captured the fords across the Jordan that led to Ephraim. Whenever an Ephraimite fleeing from the battle said, “Let me cross over,” the men of Gilead asked him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No,” 6 they said to him, “Please say, ‘Shibboleth.’” But if he instead said, “Sibboleth,” because he could not pronounce the word correctly, [3] they seized him and slaughtered him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time, forty-two thousand from Ephraim fell.

7 Jephthah judged Israel for six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried among the cities of Gilead.

The Ninth Judge: Ibzan8 After him Ibzan from Bethlehem judged Israel. 9 He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He sent the thirty daughters outside his clan for marriage, and for his sons he brought in thirty wives from outside his clan. He judged Israel for seven years. 10 Then Ibzan died, and he was buried at Bethlehem.

The Tenth Judge: Elon11 After him Elon from Zebulun judged Israel. He judged Israel for ten years. 12 Then Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried at Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.

The Eleventh Judge: Abdon13 After him Abdon son of Hillel from Pirathon judged Israel. 14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. He judged Israel for eight years. 15 Then Abdon son of Hillel from Pirathon died, and he was buried at Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.

Footnotes1. Judges 11:31 The Hebrew form could include persons or animals. In light of subsequent events it is clear that the wording of the vow did not exclude people. 2. Judges 12:4 The word renegades is a charge that the Gileadites were not real Israelites because they had remained east of the Jordan. 3. Judges 12:6 The dialect dilemma cannot be adequately reproduced by the Hebrew alphabet in use today. These two sounds in question originally may have been similar to th and sh sounds, yielding pronunciations approximating thibboleth and shibboleth. The unfortunate Ephraimites could not say thibboleth because their dialect did not have this th sound. Their difficulty was similar to the difficulty many non-English-speakers have in producing the th in this.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 08Judges 10:6 – 11:28LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 08

Judges 10:6 – 11:28 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0608db.mp3
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Judges 10Israel Starts Another Cycle of Evil6 Once again the people of Israel committed evil in the eyes of the Lord. They served the Baals and the Ashtartes, [1] the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the people of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines. In this way they forsook the Lord and did not serve him.

7 So the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the Ammonites, 8 who shattered and crushed the people of Israel that year.

For the next eighteen years, the Ammonites oppressed all the people of Israel who were in the territory east of the Jordan, in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. 9 When the Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to wage war against Judah and Benjamin and against the house of Ephraim, Israel suffered great distress.

10 Finally the people of Israel called out to the Lord, “We have sinned against you, for we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals.”

11 At this, the Lord said to the people of Israel, “Did I not deliver you from Egypt, from the Amorites, from the Ammonites, and from the Philistines? 12 When the Sidonians and Amalek and Maon [2] oppressed you, and you called out to me, I delivered you from their hands. 13 It is you who have forsaken me and served other gods. Therefore, I will no longer deliver you. 14 Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen! Let them deliver you in the time of your distress!”

15 But the people of Israel said to the Lord, “We have sinned. Do with us whatever seems good in your eyes, but please save us today.” 16 When they removed the foreign gods from their midst and served the Lord, he could no longer refrain from relieving [3] the misery of Israel.

17 Then the Ammonites were called to arms and set up camp in Gilead. The people of Israel also gathered and camped at Mizpah. 18 The army and the officers of Gilead said to each other, “Who is the man who will begin to wage war against the Ammonites? He will become head of all those who live in Gilead.”

The Eighth Judge: Jephthah Versus the AmmonitesJudges 111 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a powerful warrior, but he was the son of a prostitute. Gilead was the father of Jephthah. 2 Gilead’s wife also bore sons for him, and when the wife’s sons grew up, they drove Jephthah away. They said to him, “You will not share the inheritance with our father’s household, for you are the son of another woman.” 3 So Jephthah fled from the presence of his brothers. He lived in the Land of Tob, and a gang of worthless men gathered around him, and they went out on raids with him.

Jephthah and Gilead4 Sometime later, the people of Ammon waged war against Israel. 5 No sooner did the Ammonites wage war against the Israelites than the elders of Gilead went to bring Jephthah back from Tob. 6 They said to Jephthah, “Come and be our chief, and we will wage war against the Ammonites.”

7 But Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “Didn’t you hate me and drive me out of the house of my father? So why do you come to me now, when you are in trouble?”

8 The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “That is true, but now we have returned to you. Go with us and wage war against the Ammonites, and you will be the head over us and over everyone who lives in Gilead.”

9 Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you bring me back to wage war against the Ammonites, and if the Lord hands them over to me, will I really become your head?”

10 The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “May the Lord be a witness between us if we do not do just as you have said.” 11 So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people appointed him head and chief over them. Jephthah repeated all his words before the Lord at Mizpah.

Jephthah’s Negotiations With the Ammonites12 Then Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites. They said, “What is the problem between me and you? Why have you come against me to wage war against my land?”

13 The king of the Ammonites said to Jephthah’s messengers, “The problem is that Israel took my land when they came up from Egypt, my land between the Arnon and the Jabbok and extending to the Jordan. So now return the land peacefully.”

14 Jephthah again sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites. 15 This is what he said to the king:

This is what Jephthah says: Israel did not take the land of Moab or the land of Ammon. 16 Instead, when they came up from Egypt, Israel traveled through the wilderness to the Red Sea, and they came to Kadesh. 17 Israel then sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, “Please, let me cross over your land,” but the king of Edom would not listen. In the same way Israel sent messengers to the king of Moab, but the king of Moab also was not willing, so Israel returned to Kadesh.

18 Then Israel made their way through the wilderness on a route that circled around the outside of the land of Edom and the land of Moab. After they had traveled along the eastern side of the land of Moab, they camped on the north side of the Arnon. So they did not cross the border of Moab, for the Arnon forms the border of Moab.

19 Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, king of Heshbon. Israel said to him, “Please let us cross over your land to our destination.” 20 But Sihon did not trust Israel to cross his territory. Instead, Sihon gathered all his troops, and they camped at Jahaz and waged war against Israel.

21 Then the Lord God of Israel gave Sihon and his whole army into the hand of Israel, and Israel struck Sihon down. Israel took possession of the land of the Amorites who had been living in that land. 22 In this way Israel took possession of all the territory of the Amorites, from the Arnon to the Jabbok, and from the wilderness as far as the Jordan.

23 The Lord, the God of Israel, has taken possession of the land of the Amorites for the sake of his people Israel—and now you want to take possession of it! 24 Shouldn’t you possess whatever Chemosh your god gives to you, but we should possess everything that the Lord our God takes for us to possess? 25 Also now, are you any better than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he have a valid quarrel with Israel? Did he have a reason to wage war against them? [4] 26 When Israel was living in Heshbon and its villages, in Aroer and its villages, and in all the cities along the Arnon for three hundred years, why didn’t you take the land back at that time? 27 As for me, I have not sinned against you. You are doing me wrong by waging war against me. Let the Lord, the Judge, render a verdict today between the people of Israel and the people of Ammon.

28 But the king of the Ammonites did not listen to the message that Jephthah sent him.

Footnotes1. Judges 10:6 Baal was the most worshipped god and Asherah the most worshipped goddess among the Canaanites. Ashtarte may originally have been a different goddess, but at times she seems interchangeable with Asherah. The forms are plural because Baal and Asherah/Ashtarte had many local forms and local shrines. 2. Judges 10:12 The Greek Old Testament has the reading Midianites. 3. Judges 10:16 Literally his soul was cut short from 4. Judges 11:25 The words valid and a reason in the two questions are not in the Hebrew text but are implied by the construction. Balak was, in fact, hostile to Israel and hired Balaam against them. Jephthah means that Balak had no valid complaint and no reason for hostility against Israel, any more than Ammon did.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 07Judges 9:1 – 10:5LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 07

Judges 9:1 – 10:5 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0607db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

The Rise of AbimelekJudges 91 Abimelek son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to visit his mother’s brothers. He spoke to them and to the entire clan of his mother’s household, saying, 2 “Please announce this in the hearing of all the citizens [1] of Shechem: What is better for you? If seventy men—all of the sons of Jerubbaal—rule over you, or if one man rules over you? Also remember this—I am your own flesh and blood.”

3 His mother’s brothers spoke all these words concerning him in the hearing of all the citizens of Shechem. So their hearts were inclined toward Abimelek, because they said, “He is our brother.”

4 They gave him seventy pieces [2] of silver from the house of Baal of the Covenant. With the money, Abimelek hired worthless, reckless men, who traveled with him. 5 He came to his father’s household at Ophrah, and he murdered his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal—seventy men slaughtered on one stone. Only one remained alive, Jotham son of Jerubbaal, the youngest, for he had hidden himself. 6 Then all the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo gathered together, and they went and crowned Abimelek as king by the oak tree next to the memorial pillar that was in Shechem.

7 When Jotham was told, he went and stood at the top of Mount Gerizim and called out with a loud voice, “Listen to me, citizens of Shechem, and God will listen to you.”

Jotham’s Parable8 One day the trees went to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, “Be king over us.” 9 But the olive tree said to them, “Should I stop producing my rich oil, with which both God and men are honored, to go and sway over the other trees?”

10 Then the trees said to the fig tree, “Come, you be king over us.” 11 But the fig tree said to them, “Should I stop producing my sweetness and my good fruit to go and sway over the other trees?”

12 Then the trees said to the grape vine, “Come, you be king over us.” 13 But the vine said to them, “Should I stop producing my new wine, which gladdens both God and men, to go and sway over the other trees?”

14 Finally all the trees said to the bramble, “Come, you be king over us.”

15 So the bramble said to the trees, “If you are sincere about anointing me to be king over you, come, seek refuge in my shade. But if you are not, may fire come out from the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.”

16 Jotham said, “So now, if you acted in truth and integrity when you made Abimelek king, and if you have treated Jerubbaal and his household well, and if you have dealt with him as his hands dealt with you— 17 My father waged war for you and put his life at grave risk and delivered you from the hand of Midian. 18 Yet you have risen up against the house of my father today, and you have killed his sons, seventy men on one stone, and you have crowned Abimelek, son of his concubine, as king over the citizens of Shechem, because he is your relative. 19 If you have acted in good faith and integrity with Jerubbaal and with his household this day, rejoice in Abimelek, and let him also rejoice in you. 20 But if not, may fire come out from Abimelek and consume the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and may fire come out from the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo and consume Abimelek.”

21 With that, Jotham fled and escaped to Be’er, [3] where he remained because of Abimelek his brother.

The Fall of Abimelek22 After Abimelek ruled over Israel three years, 23 God sent an evil spirit between Abimelek and the citizens of Shechem, who acted treacherously against Abimelek, 24 so that the violence perpetrated against the seventy sons of Jerubbaal would come back on Abimelek, and their blood would be charged to their brother Abimelek, who killed them, and to the citizens of Shechem, who supported him when he killed his brothers.

25 In opposition to Abimelek, the citizens of Shechem set up ambushes on the mountains, and they robbed everyone who went by along the road. This was reported to Abimelek.

26 At this time Ga’al son of Ebed and his brothers had come to Shechem and settled there, and the citizens of Shechem put their trust in him.

27 The people of Shechem went out into the fields and gathered grapes from their vineyards. They trod the grapes into wine and held a thanksgiving festival. They went to the house of their god and ate and drank, and they cursed Abimelek.

28 Ga’al son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelek? Why should the city of Shechem serve him? Isn’t he the son of Jerubbaal? Isn’t Zebul his representative? Serve the descendants of Hamor, the founding father of Shechem, but why should we serve Abimelek? 29 If only someone would give this people into my hand! I would remove Abimelek!”

So he said to Abimelek, “Get a bigger army and come out!”

30 When Zebul, ruler of the city, heard the words of Ga’al son of Ebed, he was hot with anger. 31 He secretly sent messengers to Abimelek, saying, “Look, Ga’al son of Ebed and his brothers have been coming to Shechem, and now they are stirring up the city against you. 32 So now, get up tonight, you and the troops who are with you, and hide yourselves in the countryside. 33 When morning comes, at sunrise, get up early and make an attack on the city. Then when Ga’al and the people with him come out against you, do to him whatever you can.”

34 So Abimelek and all the troops who were with him set out in the middle of the night and set an ambush for Shechem, in four units.

35 Ga’al son of Ebed came out and stood at the entrance to the city gate. Then Abimelek and the troops with him rose up from their hiding places.

36 When Ga’al saw them, he said to Zebul, “Look! People are coming down from the mountains.”

But Zebul said to him, “You are seeing shadows on the mountains and mistaking them for men.”

37 But Ga’al spoke up again. He said, “No, look! There are people coming down from the navel of the land, [4] and one unit is coming from the direction of the Oak of the Fortune Tellers.”

38 Zebul said to him, “Where is your big mouth now? You said, ‘Who is Abimelek that we should serve him?’ Aren’t these the people you despised? Go out now, and fight against him!”

39 So Ga’al went out in front of the citizens of Shechem and fought against Abimelek. 40 Abimelek pursued him, and Ga’al fled from him. Many fell wounded all the way up to the entrance to the city’s gatehouse. 41 Abimelek remained in Arumah, but Zebul drove out Ga’al and his brothers, so that they could not stay in Shechem.

42 The next day, when the people went out into the countryside, this was reported to Abimelek. 43 He took his people and divided them into three units and set up an ambush in the countryside.

As he kept watch, he saw people coming out of the city. He rose up against them and struck them down. 44 Abimelek and the unit that was with him rushed forward and took a position in front of the entrance to the city’s gatehouse. The other two units attacked everyone who was still out in the open country and struck them down. 45 Abimelek fought against the city all that day and captured it. He killed the people who were in it, and he tore down the city and sowed it with salt.

46 When all the citizens defending the citadel of Shechem realized what was happening, they went into the vault [5] of the temple of El [6] of the Covenant. 47 When it was reported to Abimelek that all the citizens were gathered together in the citadel of Shechem, 48 Abimelek went up to Mount Zalmon—he and all the people who were with him. Abimelek took an ax in his hand and cut brushwood. He picked up the brush and placed it on his shoulder. He told the people who were with him, “Quickly do exactly what you saw me do.” 49 All the people, each man, also cut brushwood and followed Abimelek. They placed the branches against the vault and with the branches they set the vault on fire, and all the people in the citadel of Shechem died, about a thousand men and women.

50 Abimelek then went to Thebez, besieged it, and captured it. 51 There was a strong tower in the middle of the city, and all the men and women and all the rulers of the city fled there. They shut it up tight behind them and went up to the roof of the tower. 52 Abimelek came up to the tower and attacked it. He approached the entrance of the tower to burn it down.

53 A certain woman threw down an upper millstone onto the head of Abimelek, and she fractured his skull. 54 He called quickly to the young man who carried his gear and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, so that they do not say about me, ‘A woman killed him.’” So this young man ran him through with his sword, and Abimelek died. 55 When the men of Israel saw that Abimelek was dead, they all went back, each to his place.

56 In this way God avenged the evil that Abimelek had done to his father by killing his seventy brothers. 57 God also returned all the evil done by the men of Shechem onto their own heads, and the curse of Jotham son of Jerubbaal came upon them.

The Sixth Judge: TolaJudges 101 After Abimelek, Tola, the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man from Issachar, arose to deliver [7] Israel. He lived in Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim. 2 He judged Israel twenty-three years. Then he died and was buried in Shamir.

The Seventh Judge: Jair3 After him Jair from Gilead arose. He judged Israel twenty-two years. 4 He had thirty sons, who rode thirty donkeys, and he also had thirty villages in the land of Gilead. People call them the Villages of Jair to this very day. 5 Jair also died and was buried in Kamon.

Footnotes1. Judges 9:2 Or lords or rulers. At times this term seems to refer to all the male citizens, at other times it refers to a smaller group of leaders. 2. Judges 9:4 The Hebrew text does not provide any unit of measurement. It is probably shekels. 3. Judges 9:21 The stop mark ′ is inserted into some names as a pronunciation guide. Beer should not be read as one syllable, beer, but as two syllables, be-eer. 4. Judges 9:37 This is apparently a name for Mount Ebal. 5. Judges 9:46 Or inner chamber 6. Judges 9:46 El is the chief god of the Canaanites, the father god, but here El seems to be another name for Baal. 7. Judges 10:1 Or save

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 06Judges 7:24 – 8:35LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 06

Judges 7:24 – 8:35 (EHV)
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Judges 724 Gideon sent messengers throughout the entire hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Go down to confront Midian. Seize the waters [1] before them, all the way to Beth Barah and the Jordan.” So all the Ephraimites who were called out seized the waters as far as Beth Barah and the Jordan. 25 They also captured Oreb and Ze’eb, [2] the two generals of Midian. They killed Oreb at the Rock of Oreb and Ze’eb at the Winepress of Ze’eb. Then they pursued Midian and brought the heads of Oreb and Ze’eb to Gideon by the crossing of the Jordan.

Judges 81 The men of Ephraim said to Gideon, “What kind of thing was that which you did to us by not inviting us when you went to fight against Midian?” They contended with him vigorously.

2 Gideon said to them, “What have I accomplished compared to you? Are not the gleanings of Ephraim better than the whole grape harvest of Abiezer? 3 It was into your hands that God delivered Oreb and Ze’eb, the leaders of Midian. So what have I been able to accomplish compared to you?” Their anger against him died down when he said this.

4 Gideon then went to the Jordan and crossed over with the three hundred men who were with him. They were exhausted but kept pursuing the enemy.

5 Gideon said to the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the troops who are following right behind me, because they are exhausted, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.”

6 But the leaders of Succoth said, “Are the cut-off hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hands? Why then would we give bread to your army?”

7 Gideon replied, “Just for that, when the Lord gives Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will tear your flesh with thorns from the wilderness and with briars.”

8 Then Gideon went up from there to Penuel [3] and made the same request, and the men of Penuel gave him the same answer that the men of Succoth had. 9 So Gideon said to the men of Penuel, “When I return in peace, I will tear down this tower.”

10 In the meantime Zebah and Zalmunna had arrived in Karkor. Their armies were with them, but only about fifteen thousand men were left from all the forces of the peoples from the East. One hundred twenty thousand swordsmen had fallen.

11 Gideon went up by the route of the nomads who live in tents east of Nobah and Jogbehah. He struck the camp when it was not on alert. 12 Zebah and Zalmunna fled, but Gideon pursued them and captured Zebah and Zalmunna, the two kings of Midian. This made the entire army tremble.

13 When Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle by the Ascent of Heres, 14 he captured a young man from Succoth. Gideon questioned the young man, who wrote down for him the names of the leaders of Succoth and of the town’s elders, seventy-seven men in all.

15 Gideon then went to the men of Succoth and said, “Look! Here are Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you taunted me, saying, ‘Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hands? Why then would we give bread to your exhausted men?’”

16 Then Gideon took the elders of the town, and he taught the men of Succoth a lesson with thorns from the wilderness and with briars. 17 He also tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.

18 Then Gideon said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What about [4] the men you killed at Tabor?”

They said, “They were just like you. Each one looked like a king’s son.”

19 “They were my brothers,” Gideon answered, “the sons of my mother. As surely as the Lord lives, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.”

20 Then he said to Jether, his firstborn, “Get up and kill them right now.” But the young man did not draw his sword because he was afraid, because he was still just a youth.

21 Zebah and Zalmunna said, “You get up and strike us down yourself, for a man’s strength shows what kind of man he is.” Gideon stepped up and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and he collected the crescent ornaments that were on the necks of their camels.

22 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us—you and your son and also your grandson—because you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.”

23 But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. Only the Lord will rule over you.” 24 But Gideon also said to them, “Let me ask you for one thing: that each man give me an earring from his plunder.” (The enemy wore gold earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)

25 They answered, “All right, we will give them to you.” Then they spread out a garment, and each man among them threw in an earring from his plunder. 26 The weight of the gold earrings that he had requested was seventeen hundred shekels. [5] This was in addition to the crescents, the pendants, and the purple clothing that had been worn by the kings of Midian, and the ornaments that were on the necks of their camels. 27 Gideon made the gold into a sacred breastplate. [6] He set it up in his town of Ophrah, and all Israel prostituted themselves to it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his household.

28 In this way Midian was humbled before the people of Israel, and they did not raise their heads again.

The land was quiet for forty years during the days of Gideon.

29 Jerubbaal son of Joash returned and lived in his own house. 30 Gideon had seventy sons, who were his direct descendants from his own body, because he had many wives. 31 Also his concubine at Shechem bore him a son, and he named him Abimelek. [7]

32 Finally Gideon son of Joash died at a good old age, and he was buried in the tomb of his father Joash, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

33 After Gideon died, the people of Israel again prostituted themselves to the Baals, and they set up Baal of the Covenant as their god. 34 The people of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who saved them from the hand of all their enemies around them. 35 They were not loyal to the house of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) in return for all the good he had done for Israel.

Footnotes1. Judges 7:24 Or fords or water holes 2. Judges 7:25 The stop mark ′ is inserted into some names as a pronunciation guide. Zeeb should not be read as one syllable, Zeeb, but as two syllables, Ze-eb. 3. Judges 8:8 Also called Peniel 4. Judges 8:18 The Hebrew word translated what about means where in all its other occurrences, but here it seems to mean what kind of. 5. Judges 8:26 The Hebrew does not specify the unit of weight. If the unit of weight was shekels, this would have equaled more than forty pounds. 6. Judges 8:27 The Hebrew word is ephod, which elsewhere is translated special vest. Here, where it is made of metal, breastplate seems more appropriate. 7. Judges 8:31 Abimelek means my father is king or father of a king.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 05Judges 7:1-23LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 05

Judges 7:1-23 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0605db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Judges 71 Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him set out and camped by the Spring of Harod. The Midianite camp was north of him, in the valley below the Hill of Moreh.

2 The Lord said to Gideon, “There are too many people with you for me to give Midian into your hands. If I did that, Israel would glorify itself at my expense and say, ‘My own hand has delivered me.’ 3 So then, make an announcement for the people to hear: ‘Whoever is trembling with fear can return home and fly away from Mount Gilead.’” [1] Twenty-two thousand people turned and left. Only ten thousand remained.

4 The Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many people. Lead them down to the water, and there I will refine them further for you. If I tell you, ‘This one will go with you,’ he may go with you, but if I say to you, ‘This one will not go with you,’ he must not go.”

5 So Gideon led the people down to the water, and the Lord said to Gideon, “Place everyone who laps water with his tongue, as a dog would lap, to one side. Place everyone who kneels down to drink on the other side.” 6 The number of those who lapped—those who put their hands to their mouths [2]—was three hundred men, while all the rest of the people knelt down to drink water.

7 The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men who lapped, I will deliver you, and I will give Midian into your hand. As for all the other people, let each man go back to his place.”

8 The men who had been chosen took provisions in hand, along with their ram’s horns, but Gideon sent every other Israelite man back to his own tent. He kept only the three hundred men. The camp of Midian lay below him in the valley.

9 That night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up and go down against the Midianite camp, for I have given them into your hand. 10 But if you are afraid to go down to attack them, then go down to the camp with your young attendant Purah. 11 Listen to what they say. After that your hands will be strengthened to go down to attack the camp.”

So Gideon and his young attendant Purah went down to the sentry posts at the edge of the camp.

12 Meanwhile, the Midianites and Amalekites and the whole army of the eastern peoples were spread out in the valley, thick as locusts, and their camels were more than could be counted, as many as the grains of sand on the seashore.

13 When Gideon went down, he arrived just as a man was telling his fellow soldier about a dream. He said, “Listen! I had a dream. I dreamed that a round loaf of barley bread came tumbling over and over into the Midianite camp. It crashed into a tent and struck it so that the tent fell down. It overturned the tent, and the tent collapsed!”

14 His companion responded, “What can that be but the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the man of Israel. God has given Midian and the whole camp into his hand.”

15 So when Gideon heard the retelling of the dream and its meaning, he bowed down in worship and returned to the camp of Israel. He said, “Get up, because the Lord has given the camp of Midian into your hand.” 16 He divided the three hundred men into three groups. He placed a ram’s horn into the hand of each one of them, as well as empty jars with torches inside them. 17 Then he said to them, “Watch me and do whatever I do. When you see me arrive at the edge of the camp, do whatever I do. 18 When I and all the men who are with me blow our ram’s horns, the rest of you, who are around the whole camp, also blow your ram’s horns and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon!’”

19 Gideon and the one hundred men with him went to the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after the Midianites had posted the guards. Gideon and his men blew their ram’s horns and shattered the jars that were in their hands. 20 All three groups blew their ram’s horns and broke their jars. They held the torches in their left hands, and in their right hands they held the ram’s horns that they were to blow. They shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” 21 Each man stood at his station around the camp. The whole Midianite camp started running, raised the alarm, and fled. [3]

22 When the Israelites blew the three hundred ram’s horns, [4] the Lord turned the sword of each Midianite against the person next to him throughout the whole camp.

The Midianite army fled up to Beth Shittah, toward Zererah, up to the border of Abel Meholah, as far as Tabbath.

23 Then all the men of Israel were summoned, from Naphtali, from Asher, and from all Manasseh, and they pursued Midian.

Footnotes1. Judges 7:3 The reference to Mount Gilead is puzzling since the name Gilead usually refers to locations east of the Jordan, but Gideon was camped at Mount Gilboa west of the Jordan. Perhaps Gilead or a similar word was another name for the location of the spring. 2. Judges 7:6 The Greek Old Testament does not have the words those who put their hands to their mouths. 3. Judges 7:21 Or, following a variant of the Hebrew, Gideon’s men shouted a war cry and put them to flight. 4. Judges 7:22 The name of the instrument is ram’s horn. The apostrophe does not move no matter how many horns or rams there may be.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 04Judges 6LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 04

Judges 6 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0604db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

The Fifth Judge: Gideon Versus the Midianites1 Again the people of Israel committed evil in the eyes of the Lord, and the Lord gave them into the hand of Midian for seven years. 2 The hand of Midian was heavy upon Israel. Because of Midian, the people of Israel made hidden shelters [1] for themselves, in the mountains, in caves, and other hideouts. 3 Whenever Israel planted crops, Midian and Amalek and the people of the East [2] would go up against Israel. 4 They would set up camp against them and ruin the crops all the way to Gaza, so there was no source of livelihood left in Israel—not even a sheep, an ox, or a donkey. 5 When the Midianites would invade with their herds of cattle and their tents, they were as numerous as locusts, so it was impossible to count them and their camels. This is how they came up against the land to ruin it. 6 So Israel was laid low because of Midian, and the people of Israel cried out to the Lord.

7 When the people of Israel cried out to the Lord because of Midian, 8 the Lord sent a man, a prophet, to the people of Israel. The prophet said this to them:

This is what the Lord God of Israel says: It was I who brought you up from Egypt, and I brought you out from the house of slavery. 9 I rescued you from the hand of Egypt and from the hand of all your oppressors, and I drove them out before you, and I gave you their land. 10 I said to Israel, “I am the Lord your God. Do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live,” but you did not listen to my voice.

11 The Angel of the Lord [3] came and sat under the oak that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite. His son Gideon was threshing wheat in the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. 12 The Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”

13 Gideon said to him, “Please tell me this, my lord: If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all the wonderful acts our fathers told us about when they said, ‘Is it not the Lord who brought us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us, and he has given us into the hand of Midian.”

14 The Lord turned to him and said, “Go forward in this strength that is now yours, and you will deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?”

15 He said to the Angel, “Pardon me, my lord, [4] but how can I deliver Israel? Look! My clan is the lowliest in Manasseh, and I—I am the least in my father’s house.”

16 But the Lord said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you will strike down Midian as one man.”

17 Gideon said to him, “If I have now found grace in your eyes, offer me a sign that it is you who are speaking with me. 18 Please do not leave this spot until I come back to you. I will bring my gift and set it before you.”

He said, “I will sit here until you return.”

19 So Gideon went and prepared a young goat, and he made unleavened bread from a half bushel [5] of flour. He put the meat into a basket and the broth into a pot. He then brought them out to the Angel under the oak, where he presented them.

20 The Angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread and set them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” So that is what he did. 21 The Angel of the Lord reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread, and fire came up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the Angel of the Lord vanished from his sight.

22 Gideon realized that this was the Angel of the Lord, and he said, “Oh, no! It is the Lord God! Yes, I have seen the Angel of the Lord face-to-face!”

23 But the Lord said to him, “Peace be with you. Do not be afraid. You will not die.”

24 So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there, and he named it “The Lord Is Peace.” To this day it stands at Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

25 On that same night the Lord said to him, “Take a bull from your father’s herd of cattle, the second bull, the one that is seven years old. [6] Tear down your father’s altar to Baal. Then cut down the Asherah pole that is next to it. 26 In its place, build an altar to the Lord your God in the proper way, on top of this stronghold. [7] Then take the second bull and send up a burnt offering using the wood from the Asherah pole that you cut down.

27 So Gideon took ten of his servants and carried out the word of the Lord. Yet because he was too afraid of the household of his father and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night.

28 When the men of the city got up early in the morning, they were surprised to see that the altar of Baal had been thrown down, the Asherah pole next to it had been cut down, and the second bull was being offered up as a sacrifice upon the altar that had been built there.

29 The people were asking each other, “Who did this?” They searched and investigated until they concluded, “Gideon son of Joash did this.”

30 So the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he broke down the altar of Baal and because he cut down the Asherah pole next to it.”

31 But Joash said to all those who opposed him, “Will you contend for Baal? Will you save him? Whoever contends for him will be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself if someone broke down his altar.” 32 From that day on they called Gideon “Jerubbaal,” [8] saying, “Let Baal contend with him, if he broke down his altar.”

33 Then all the Midianites and Amalekites and the people of the East gathered together. They crossed over to Israelite territory and set up camp in the Valley of Jezre’el. 34 The Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon. He blew the ram’s horn, and the clan of Abiezer was called out to follow him. 35 Gideon also sent messengers into all Manasseh, so Manasseh assembled behind Gideon. He also sent messengers into Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they came up to meet the others.

36 Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have said, 37 look here, I am placing a woolen fleece on the threshing floor. If dew is found only on the fleece, but all the ground around it is dry, then I will know that you will deliver Israel by my hand, as you have said.”

38 And that is exactly what happened! Gideon got up early in the morning and squeezed the fleece and wrung out dew from it—a bowlful of water!

39 But again Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more. Please let me conduct just one more test with the fleece: This time let the fleece be dry, but let there be dew on the ground all around.” 40 That night God did that very thing! Only the fleece was dry, and there was dew on the ground all around.

Footnotes1. Judges 6:2 The meaning of this word is uncertain. 2. Judges 6:3 This term usually refers to nomadic or semi-nomadic people. 3. Judges 6:11 In the title Angel of the Lord the word Angel is capitalized when the context makes it clear that it is God himself who is speaking rather than a created angel. Angel means messenger or envoy. 4. Judges 6:15 In the main Hebrew text the word lord is pointed as the special divine name Adonai, which means Lord, but verse 22 indicates that Gideon did not yet recognize the Angel of the Lord at this time. Hence, the translation lord, which is supported by some Hebrew manuscripts and versions. 5. Judges 6:19 An ephah 6. Judges 6:25 Translators disagree whether Gideon was to offer one bull or two. 7. Judges 6:26 Or, following a Hebrew variant, dwelling place 8. Judges 6:32 Jerubbaal means let Baal contend.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 03Judges 5LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 03

Judges 5 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0603db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Deborah’s Song1 On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song: [1]

2 When leaders take the lead in Israel, [2]
when the people freely offer themselves, bless the Lord!
3 Listen, kings! Lend an ear, rulers!
I will sing. Yes, I will sing to the Lord.
I will make music for the Lord, the God of Israel.

4 Lord, when you went out from Seir,
when you marched through the countryside of Edom,
the earth shook, the skies poured,
yes, the dark clouds poured water.
5 The mountains melted [3] before the Lord—this one of Sinai [4]—
before the Lord, the God of Israel.

6 In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,
in the days of Jael, the main roads were deserted,
and travelers kept to pathways and winding roads.

7 Life in the unwalled towns came to a halt.
In Israel, life came to a halt until I, Deborah, arose,
until I arose as a mother in Israel.

8 When Israel chose new gods, [5] there was war at the gates.
Neither shield nor spear was seen among the forty thousand in Israel.

9 My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel,
to those who freely offer themselves among the people. Bless the Lord!

10 Riders on tan donkey mares, you who sit on saddle blankets,
as well as those who walk along the way—consider this:

11 Listen to the voices of those who divide flocks [6] between water holes,
where they recount the righteous acts of the Lord,
righteous acts for those who live in the unwalled towns in Israel.
Then the people of the Lord went down to the city gates.

12 Wake, awake, Deborah!
⎣Wake up the multitudes of the people.⎦
Wake, awake, sing a song.
Rise up, Barak!
⎣Deborah, strengthen Barak.⎦ [7]
Lead away your captives, son of Abinoam.

13 Then a survivor subdued the mighty ones. [8]
The people of the Lord came down to me as warriors.

14 Some came from Ephraim—their root is in Amalek. [9]
Behind you came Benjamin with your people.
From Makir the commanders came down,
and from Zebulun those carrying the staff of a scribe.

15 The officers of Issachar are with Deborah.
Yes, Issachar sent support for Barak into the valley on foot. [10]
But in the divisions of Reuben there was much soul searching. [11]

16 Why did you linger among the sheepfolds
to listen to the whistling for the flocks?
Concerning the divisions in Reuben, there was much soul searching.

17 Gilead remained beyond the Jordan,
and Dan—why did he linger in ships?
Asher remained sitting on the seashore,
and upon its landing places he remained.

18 Zebulun is a people who scorned death and risked their lives,
and Naphtali stayed on the heights of the battlefields.

19 Kings came; they waged war.
There the kings of Canaan waged war,
in Ta’anach, at the waters of Megiddo,
but they gained no silver as plunder.

20 From the heavens the stars waged war.
From their courses they fought against Sisera.

21 The torrent Kishon swept them away,
the torrent from ancient times, the torrent Kishon.
Keep marching, my soul, in strength.

22 Then the horses’ hoofs thundered,
the stampeding, the stampeding of their mighty stallions!

23 “Curse Meroz!” says the Angel of the Lord.
“Completely curse those who live in her,
because they did not come to assist the Lord,
to help the Lord among the warriors.”

24 Most blessed among women is Jael,
the wife of Heber the Kenite.
Most blessed is she among the women in the tent.

25 He asked for water, but she gave him milk.
In a bowl fit for a nobleman she presented curdled milk.

26 Her hand reached for the tent stake,
her right hand for the workman’s hammer,
and she hammered Sisera.
She smashed his head.
She shattered and pierced his temple.

27 Between her feet he knelt, he fell, he lay there.
Between her feet he knelt, he fell.
Where he sank, there he fell—destroyed.

28 Out the window she peers.
Sisera’s mother wails from behind the latticework.
“Why is his chariot so late in coming?
Why do I still not hear the clatter of his chariots?”

29 The wise women among her ladies answer,
but she keeps saying to herself,

30 “Aren’t they just finding and dividing the plunder?
A womb [12]—no—two wombs for every man.
Dyed goods as plunder for Sisera, dyed fabrics as spoils,
embroidered dyed material,
fancy embroidered fabric for my neck, plunder.” [13]

31 Thus may all your enemies perish, Lord.
But those who love him will be
like the sun coming forth in its strength.

Then the land was quiet for forty years.

Footnotes1. Judges 5:1 Like much poetry, the Song of Deborah is cryptic and allusive. There are many difficulties of translation. 2. Judges 5:2 Or when the flowing locks in Israel flowed. The meaning of this line is uncertain. Flowing locks may refer to dedicated Nazarites or to fierce warriors. 3. Judges 5:5 Or quaked 4. Judges 5:5 It is uncertain whether the words this one of Sinai refer to the mountain of Sinai or the God of Sinai. 5. Judges 5:8 Or when God chose new leaders 6. Judges 5:11 Or sing songs. The meaning of the word is uncertain, and translations vary widely. 7. Judges 5:12 The words in half-brackets are not in the Hebrew text but are present in the Greek Old Testament. An accidental omission from the Hebrew text may have occurred as the scribe’s eye jumped from one occurrence of wake to another, and from one occurrence of Barak to another. 8. Judges 5:13 Or the survivors came down to the mighty ones. The meaning of the line is uncertain. 9. Judges 5:14 The Greek Old Testament reads in the valley. 10. Judges 5:15 The meaning of the line is uncertain. 11. Judges 5:15 Literally great searching of heart 12. Judges 5:30 This word, which many translations euphemize as girl, is the Hebrew word for womb. A euphemistic translation masks the callousness of Sisera’s mother, who knows that her son and his men would be finding women to rape after a victory. She expects to receive a share of the plunder from these predators. 13. Judges 5:30 The translation my neck is an alternate reading of the Hebrew text. The main reading of the Hebrew text is necks of plunder.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 02Judges 4LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 02

Judges 4 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0602db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

The Fourth Judge: Deborah and Barak Versus the Canaanites1 After Ehud died, once again the people of Israel committed evil in the eyes of the Lord. 2 So the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who ruled in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth Haggoyim. 3 Again the people of Israel called out to the Lord, because Jabin had nine hundred iron chariots. He brutally oppressed the people of Israel for twenty years.

4 Deborah, a woman, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, [1] was judging Israel at that time. 5 She would sit under the Palm Tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel would come to her for judgment.

6 She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali. She said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, has commanded, ‘Go and march to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from Naphtali and Zebulun. 7 I will lure Sisera, commander of the army of Jabin, to you at the stream Kishon along with his chariots and his horde, and I will give him into your hand.’”

8 But Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go, but if you do not go with me, I will not go.”

9 She answered, “All right. I will go with you, but because of the way you are going about it, the honor will not be yours. The Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh.

10 Barak called up the forces of Zebulun and Naphtali to meet at Kedesh. Ten thousand men went up on foot, and Deborah also went up with him.

11 It happened that Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the other Kenites, who were the descendants of Hobab, the brother-in-law [2] of Moses, and he had set up his tent out by the oak tree in Za’anannim [3] near Kedesh.

12 When Sisera was told that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, 13 Sisera led out all his chariots (nine hundred iron chariots) and all the people who were with him from Harosheth Haggoyim, and they came to the stream Kishon. [4]

14 Deborah said to Barak, “Get up! Today is the day that the Lord has given Sisera into your hands! Is not the Lord going ahead of you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor, and ten thousand men followed him.

15 The Lord threw Sisera, all his chariots, and all his troops into confusion with the edge [5] of the sword of Barak. So Sisera got down from his chariot and fled on foot. 16 Barak pursued the chariots and the troops as far as Harosheth Haggoyim. Sisera’s whole army fell by the edge of the sword. Not a single man was left.

17 Sisera meanwhile fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because there was peace between Jabin king of Hazor and the household of Heber the Kenite. 18 Jael came out to meet Sisera and said to him, “This way, my lord. Come here to me! Do not be afraid.” So he turned aside to her, went into her tent, and she hid him with a covering.

19 He said to her, “Give me something to drink, please—just a little water, because I am thirsty.” She opened a skin of milk and gave him some milk to drink. Then she covered him up.

20 After that, he said to her, “Stand at the door of the tent, and if anyone comes and asks you, ‘Is there anyone here?’ say, ‘No.’”

21 But then Jael wife of Heber took a tent stake, and gripping a hammer in her hand, she came to Sisera quietly and drove the stake through his temple, right through into the ground. Sisera had been fast asleep, exhausted—now he was dead!

22 When Barak arrived in pursuit of Sisera, Jael came out to meet him. She said to him, “Come in, and I will show you the man you are looking for.” So he went with her, and there he was. Sisera was lying there dead, with the tent stake through his temple.

23 So on that day God subdued Jabin king of Canaan before the people of Israel, 24 and the hand of the Israelites pressed harder and harder against Jabin king of Canaan, until they cut down Jabin king of Canaan.

Footnotes1. Judges 4:4 The Hebrew word lappidoth, which most translations understand as the name of Deborah’s husband, is a feminine form of a word that means torch. For that reason, some commentators interpret lappidoth as a description of Deborah as a firebrand of a woman. If that is the case, this sentence four times mentions that Deborah was a woman. 2. Judges 4:11 Or father-in-law. See Numbers 10:29. 3. Judges 4:11 The stop mark’ indicates that the double a should be pronounced as two syllables, Za-an. 4. Judges 4:13 The Hebrew word nahal, translated stream, describes the Kishon as a stream that has water in it only part of the year. 5. Judges 4:15 Literally mouth

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – June 01Judges 3:7-31LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 01

Judges 3:7-31 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0601db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Judges 37 Then the people of Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord. They forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs. [1] 8 The anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan Rishathaim, who was the king of Aram Naharaim. [2] The Israelites served Cushan Rishathaim for eight years. 9 Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up a deliverer for the Israelites, who saved them.

The deliverer was Othniel, son of Kenaz, the youngest brother of Caleb. [3] 10 The Spirit of the Lord was upon him. He served as Israel’s judge. When he went out to wage war, the Lord gave Cushan Rishathaim, the king of Aram, into his hand, and his hand was strong against Cushan Rishathaim. 11 Then the land was quiet for forty years, and Othniel son of Kenaz died.

The Second Judge: Ehud Versus the Moabites12 Again the people of Israel committed evil in the eyes of the Lord, so the Lord gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel because they had committed evil in the eyes of the Lord.

13 Eglon took Ammonites and Amalekites along with him. He advanced and attacked Israel and took possession of the City of Palms. 14 So the people of Israel served Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years.

15 Again the people of Israel called out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up a deliverer for them. The deliverer was Ehud son of Gera, a Benjaminite, who was left-handed. [4]

The Israelites sent him with a tribute payment for Eglon king of Moab. 16 Ehud made a double-edged sword for himself, about eighteen inches long, [5] and he strapped it under his clothing on his right thigh.

17 Ehud presented the tribute payment to Eglon king of Moab, who was a very fat man. 18 After Ehud had presented the tribute payment, he sent the men who had delivered the tribute on their way. 19 But after he himself had passed the carved images that were at Gilgal, Ehud turned back and told the king, “I have a secret for you, O king!”

The king said, “Quiet, everyone,” so all his attendants left the room.

20 Ehud approached Eglon as Eglon was sitting in the cool upper chamber, all alone. Ehud said, “I have something from God for you.” So Eglon stood up from the throne. 21 Ehud reached out his left hand and took the sword that was on his right thigh and drove it into Eglon’s belly. 22 As the hilt went in after the blade, Eglon’s fat closed behind the blade. Ehud did not draw the sword out from Eglon’s belly, and the contents of his bowels came out. 23 Ehud then went out to the vestibule, [6] shut the doors of the upper chamber behind him, and locked them. 24 Then off he went!

When Eglon’s servants came back, they were surprised to see that the doors of the upper chamber were locked. They said, “He must be using the toilet.” [7] 25 They waited until the delay became embarrassing, but no one opened the doors to the upper chamber. Finally they took the key and opened the door. And there he was. Their master was lying on the ground—dead!

26 While they delayed, Ehud had escaped. He passed by the carved images and escaped to Seirah. 27 When he arrived, ram’s horns were sounded throughout the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites marched down from the hill country with Ehud leading the way. 28 He said to them, “Follow me, because the Lord has given your enemies, the Moabites, into your hands.” So they pursued them, captured the fords of the Jordan opposite Moab, and let no one cross. 29 At this time they struck down about ten thousand men of Moab, every one robust, each one a powerful warrior. Not one escaped. 30 This is how Moab was humbled on that day under the hand of Israel, and the land was quiet for eighty years.

The Third Judge: Shamgar Versus the Philistines31 After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath. He struck down six hundred Philistines with an ox goad. He too delivered Israel.

Footnotes1. Judges 3:7 Variant Ashtartes 2. Judges 3:8 Aram of the Two Rivers is in northern Syria, along the tributaries of the Euphrates. 3. Judges 3:9 It is not certain whether Othniel or Kenaz was Caleb’s brother. It seems more likely that it was Kenaz. 4. Judges 3:15 Literally bound in his right hand. Possibly the term refers to a handicap, but it likely simply refers to left-handedness. 5. Judges 3:16 The Hebrew word used here is not the usual word for the eighteen-inch cubit, so this weapon may have been fifteen inches long, or even as short as nine inches. 6. Judges 3:23 Or colonnaded porch or balcony. The meaning of the word is uncertain. It seems that Ehud escaped by jumping off a balcony or perhaps by exiting through the toilet pit. See the next verse. 7. Judges 3:24 Literally covering his feet in the cool room

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 31Judges 2:6 – 3:6LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 31

Judges 2:6 – 3:6 (EHV)
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Judges 26 When Joshua dismissed the people, each of the descendants of Israel went to his own inheritance to take possession of the land. 7 The people served the Lord all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, those who had seen all the great deeds that the Lord had done for Israel.

8 Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of one hundred ten years. 9 They buried him within the borders of his inheritance, in Timnath Heres, [1] in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Ga’ash.

The Cycle10 After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them, who did not know the Lord or the deeds that he had done for Israel. 11 The people of Israel committed evil in the eyes of the Lord. They served the Baals, 12 and they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods from among the gods of the peoples who were around them. They bowed down to them, and they angered the Lord. 13 They abandoned the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtartes. [2]

14 So the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of raiders, who plundered them. He sold them into the hand of their enemies around them, and they were not able to stand up in the face of their enemies. 15 Whenever the men of Israel went out, the hand of the Lord was against them to bring disaster on them, just as the Lord had said to them and just as the Lord had sworn to them. So they were greatly distressed.

16 Nevertheless, the Lord raised up judges, [3] who saved them from the hand of those who plundered them, 17 but they did not listen even to the judges! Instead, they prostituted themselves to other gods and bowed down to them. They quickly turned from the way in which their fathers, who had obeyed the commands of the Lord, had once walked. This generation did not act the same way their fathers had acted.

18 Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, the Lord was with that judge and saved them from their enemies during all the days of that judge, because the Lord had compassion when he heard their groaning under their tormenters and oppressors.

19 But then, after the death of the judge, Israel would turn back and become more corrupt than their fathers by going after other gods, by serving them, and by worshipping them. They refused to let go of their practices and their shameless ways.

20 So the anger of the Lord burned against Israel. He said, “Because this nation has violated my covenant, which I commanded to their fathers, and because they did not obey my voice, 21 I will no longer drive out from among them a single one of the nations that Joshua left unconquered when he died. 22 I will do this in order to test Israel by means of them. Will Israel keep the way of the Lord and walk upon it as their fathers kept it, or not?” 23 So the Lord gave those nations a reprieve, and he did not drive them out quickly. He did not hand them over to Joshua.

The Land That Remains UnconqueredJudges 31 The following are the nations that the Lord left in place in order to test all the Israelites who had not experienced all the wars in Canaan. 2 (This was done so that the generations of Israelites who did not know war would learn how to wage war.) 3 Those who remained were the five serens [4] of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who dwell in the mountains of Lebanon from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath. [5] 4 They remained there to test Israel, in order to know whether or not they would obey the commands of the Lord, which he commanded to their fathers by the hand of Moses.

The Cycles BeginThe First Judge: Othniel Versus the Arameans5 The people of Israel lived in the midst of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 6 They took the daughters of these peoples as wives for themselves, and they gave their own daughters to the other peoples’ sons. They also served their gods.

Footnotes1. Judges 2:9 Called Timnath Serah in Joshua 19:50 and 24:30 2. Judges 2:13 Baal was the most worshipped god and Asherah the most worshipped goddess among the Canaanites. Ashtarte may originally have been a different goddess, but often she seems to be interchangeable with Asherah. The names of Baal and Ashtarte are plural because Baal and Asherah/Ashtarte had many local forms and local shrines. 3. Judges 2:16 The term judges refers not only to judicial officials but also to military deliverers or liberators who rescue people from oppression. 4. Judges 3:3 The word seren is used only for the rulers of the five Philistine city states. It may be related to the Greek word tyrant, an autocratic ruler of a city state. Seren is a title like pharaoh or czar, which is applied to one specific class of rulers. Since this is a unique title, the translation uses the transliteration seren rather than the traditional rendering lord. 5. Judges 3:3 Or to Lebo Hamath

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 30Judges 1:1 – 2:5LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 30

Judges 1:1 – 2:5 (EHV)
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Military and Political Conditions During the Time of the JudgesJudges 11 After the death of Joshua, the people of Israel asked the Lord, “Who should go up against the Canaanites for us? Who of us should be the first to wage war against them?”

2 The Lord said, “Judah should go up. I have handed over the land to them.”

3 So the tribe of Judah said to the tribe of Simeon, their brothers, “Go up with us to the territory that has been allotted to us, and together we will wage war against the Canaanites. We also will come with you into your allotment.” So Simeon went with Judah.

4 When Judah went up, the Lord delivered the Canaanites and Perizzites into their hand. At Bezek the Israelites struck down ten thousand men. 5 They encountered Adoni-Bezek at Bezek, and they waged war against him and struck down the Canaanites and the Perizzites. 6 Adoni-Bezek fled, but they pursued him, seized him, and cut off his thumbs and his big toes.

7 So Adoni-Bezek said, “Seventy kings, with their thumbs and their big toes cut off, had to scrounge for scraps of food under my table. God has repaid me with exactly what I did to them.” Israel brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.

8 The men of Judah waged war against Jerusalem and captured it. They struck the city with the edge [1] of the sword and set it on fire.

9 After that, the men of Judah went down to wage war against the Canaanites who lived in the hill country, in the Negev, and in the Shephelah. [2] 10 Judah went up against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron (the name of Hebron before this was Kiriath Arba). There they struck down Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.

11 From there they went up against those who lived at Debir (the name of Debir before this was Kiriath Sepher). 12 Then Caleb said, “To the one who attacks Kiriath Sepher and takes it, I will give my daughter Aksah as his wife.”

13 Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s youngest brother, [3] captured it. So Caleb gave his daughter Aksah to him as his wife.

14 She came to Othniel and pressured him to ask her father for pastureland. [4] As she dismounted from her donkey, Caleb said to her, “What do you want?” 15 She said to him, “Give me this blessing: Since you gave me land in the dry Negev, give me springs of water also.” So Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

16 The descendants of the Kenite father-in-law of Moses went up with the people of Judah from the City of Palms [5] to the part of the Wilderness of Judah that was in the Negev near Arad. They went and lived there among the people.

17 The tribe of Judah went along with the tribe of Simeon, its brother tribe. Together they struck down the Canaanites who lived in Zephath. They devoted the city to destruction and named the city Hormah. [6] 18 Judah also captured Gaza with its border region, Ashkelon with its border region, and Ekron with its border region.

19 The Lord was with Judah, and Judah took possession of the hill country, but Judah could not take possession of the land belonging to the people who lived in the valleys and lowlands, because they had iron chariots. [7]

20 Hebron was given to Caleb, as Moses had commanded, and he took possession of the land of the three sons of Anak.

21 But the men of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem, so the Jebusites live among the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.

22 The house of Joseph likewise went up against Bethel, and the Lord was with them. 23 The house of Joseph sent spies to scout Bethel (the name of the city was formerly Luz). 24 The spies saw a man coming out of the city, and they said to him, “Please show us a way into the city, and we will grant you mercy.” 25 The man showed them a way into the city, and they struck the city with the edge of the sword, but they let the man and his whole family go. 26 The man went to the land of the Hittites, built a city, and named it Luz. That is its name to this day.

27 But the tribe of Manasseh did not take possession of Beth Shan and its towns or Ta’anach and its towns. They did not drive out the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its towns, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns, so the Canaanites were determined to keep living in this land. 28 Whenever Israel grew strong, they made the Canaanites perform forced labor, but they did not drive them out completely.

29 In the same way, Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites living at Gezer. Instead, the Canaanites continued to live among them at Gezer.

30 Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron or the inhabitants of Nahalol. Instead, the Canaanites continued to live among them. Zebulun did subject them to forced labor.

31 Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Akko, the inhabitants of Sidon, or those in Ahlab, Akzib, Helbah, Aphek, or Rehob. 32 Instead, the people of Asher lived among the Canaanites, who continued to live in the land because the Asherites did not drive them out.

33 Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh or the inhabitants of Beth Anath. Instead, they continued to live among the Canaanites, who continued to live in the land, but the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath did perform forced labor for Naphtali.

34 The Amorites forced the men of Dan back into the hill country. They did not allow them to come down to the lowlands. 35 The Amorites were determined to continue living in Mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Sha’albim, but the hand of the house of Joseph grew heavy on them, and they were put to forced labor. 36 The border of the Amorites stretched from the Ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela, and beyond.

Religious Conditions During the Time of the JudgesJudges 21 The Angel of the Lord [8] went up from Gilgal to Bokim, and he said, “I brought you up out of Egypt, and I brought you to the land that I swore to give to your fathers. I said, ‘I will not break my covenant with you, forever. 2 As for you, do not make a covenant with the people living in this land. You must tear down their altars.’ But you did not listen to my voice. What is this you have done? 3 So I say, ‘I will not drive them out before you, but they will be traps for you, and their gods will be a snare to you.’”

4 When the Angel of the Lord spoke these things to all the people of Israel, the people lifted up their voices and wept loudly. 5 They named that place Bokim, [9] and they sacrificed to the Lord there.

Footnotes1. Judges 1:8 Literally mouth 2. Judges 1:9 The hill country is the central mountain ridge of Israel. The Negev is the arid southern wilderness. The Shephelah is the western foothills. 3. Judges 1:13 It is not certain whether Othniel or Kenaz was Caleb’s brother. It seems more likely that it was Kenaz. 4. Judges 1:14 As the text is translated here, Aksah urged her husband to ask her father for the land, but he apparently did not do so, which would account for her making the request herself. See Joshua 15:18-19. 5. Judges 1:16 Probably the area of Jericho 6. Judges 1:17 Hormah means devoted to destruction. 7. Judges 1:19 Presumably fitted with iron, not made of iron 8. Judges 2:1 In the title Angel of the Lord, the word Angel is capitalized when the context makes it clear that it is God himself who is speaking rather than a created angel. Angel means messenger or envoy. 9. Judges 2:5 Bokim means weeping.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 29Mark 16:9-20LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 29

Mark 16:9-20 (EHV)
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Mark 16The Risen Savior Appears9 After Jesus had risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10 She went and reported to those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11 When they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe it.

12 After these things, Jesus appeared in another form to two of them as they were walking along on their way to the country. 13 These two also returned and reported it to the rest. But they did not believe them either.

14 Later, he appeared to the Eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table. He rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

17 “These signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons. They will speak in new languages. 18 They will pick up snakes. And if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them. They will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well.”

19 Then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.

20 Those who went out preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. [1]

Footnotes1. Mark 16:20 This translation includes verses 9-20 because they are included in the vast majority of Greek manuscripts that have been handed down to us. Evidence for the existence of this long ending extends back to the 2nd century. In the early centuries of the church, these verses were read in worship services on Easter and Ascension Day. However, a few early manuscripts and early translations omit verses 9-20, and a few manuscripts have a different ending.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 28Mark 15:42 – 16:8LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 28

Mark 15:42 – 16:8 (EHV)
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Mark 15Jesus’ Burial42 It was already evening, and since it was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath), 43 Joseph from Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, boldly went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate was surprised that he was already dead. He summoned the centurion and asked him if Jesus had been dead for a long time. 45 When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he granted the body to Joseph. 46 Joseph bought a linen cloth, took him down, and wrapped him in the linen cloth. He laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of rock, and he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were watching where the body was laid.

The ResurrectionMark 161 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so they could go and anoint Jesus. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, at sunrise, they went to the tomb. 3 They were saying to each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb for us?” 4 When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.

5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 6 He said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

8 They went out and hurried away from the tomb, trembling and perplexed. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 27Mark 15:22-41LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 27

Mark 15:22-41 (EHV)
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Mark 1522 They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha, which means, “The place of a skull.” 23 They tried to give him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 They crucified him. And they divided his garments, casting lots for them to decide what each of them would take.

25 Now it was the third hour [1] when they crucified him. 26 The superscription stating the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” 27 They also crucified two criminals with him, one on his right and one on his left. [2]

29 Those who passed by ridiculed him, shaking their heads and saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save yourself! Come down from the cross!”

31 In the same way, the chief priests along with the experts in the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said. “He cannot save himself. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross so that we may see and believe!”

Those who were crucified with him also insulted him.

Jesus’ Death33 When it was the sixth hour, [3] darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. [4] 34 At the ninth hour Jesus shouted with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” [5]

35 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah!”

36 Someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink. They said, “Leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down.”

37 Jesus cried out with a loud voice and breathed his last. 38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 When the centurion who stood facing him saw how he cried out and breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

40 There were also women watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41 When he was in Galilee, they followed him and served him. Many other women also came up with him to Jerusalem.

Footnotes1. Mark 15:25 9 am 2. Mark 15:27 Some witnesses to the text include verse 28: The Scripture was fulfilled, which says, “He was numbered with transgressors.” See Luke 22:37, where its inclusion is certain. 3. Mark 15:33 Noon 4. Mark 15:33 3 pm 5. Mark 15:34 Psalm 22:1

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Through My Bible Yr Y – Month DMark 15:1-21LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 26

Mark 15:1-21 (EHV)
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Mark 15Jesus’ Trial in Pilate’s Court1 As soon as it was morning, the chief priests, along with the elders, the experts in the law, and the whole Sanhedrin, reached a decision. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. 2 Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”

He answered him, “It is as you say.”

3 The chief priests accused him of many things. 4 Pilate questioned him again, “Are you not going to answer anything? See how many charges they are bringing against you!”

5 But Jesus still did not answer anything, so Pilate was amazed.

Barabbas or Jesus?6 At each Festival, Pilate used to release to the people one prisoner whom they requested. 7 There was one named Barabbas, who was imprisoned with the rebels and had committed murder in the rebellion. 8 The crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do for them what he usually did.

9 Pilate replied, “Do you want me to release the King of the Jews to you?” 10 In fact, he knew that it was because of envy that the chief priests had handed him over.

11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas to them instead.

12 Again, Pilate replied to them, “Then what do you want me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?”

13 “Crucify him!” they shouted back.

14 But Pilate said to them, “Why? What has he done wrong?”

But they shouted even louder, “Crucify him!”

15 Since he wanted to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. After he had Jesus flogged, he handed him over to be crucified.

Soldiers Mock Jesus16 The soldiers led him away inside the palace, which is the Praetorium, and called together the whole cohort [1] of soldiers. 17 They put a purple robe on him, twisted together a crown of thorns, and put it on him. 18 The soldiers began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 They kept hitting him on the head with a reed and spitting on him. They also kneeled down to pay homage to him.

The Crucifixion20 When they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothing on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.

21 A certain man, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), was passing by on his way in from the country. They forced him to carry Jesus’ cross.

Footnotes1. Mark 15:16 A Roman cohort was about six hundred soldiers.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 25Mark 14:53-72LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 25

Mark 14:53-72 (EHV)
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Mark 14Jesus’ First Trial in the Sanhedrin53 They led Jesus away to the high priest. All the chief priests, the elders, and the experts in the law gathered together. 54 Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. He was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire.

55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death, but they did not find any. 56 Many testified falsely against him, but their testimonies did not agree. 57 Some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.’” 59 Yet even on this point, their testimony did not agree.

60 The high priest stepped forward [1] and questioned Jesus, “Have you no answer? What is this they are testifying against you?”

61 But Jesus was silent and did not answer anything.

Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”

62 “I am,” Jesus said. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming with the clouds of heaven.” [2]

63 The high priest tore his robes and said, “Why do we need any more witnesses? 64 You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?”

They all condemned him as being worthy of death. 65 Then some began to spit on him. They covered his face and struck him with their fists, saying, “Prophesy!” The guards also took him and beat him.

Peter Denies Jesus66 While Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the servant girls of the high priest came there. 67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked directly at him and said, “You were also with the Nazarene, Jesus!”

68 But he denied it, saying, “I don’t know or understand what you are saying,” and he went out to the entryway. Then a rooster crowed.

69 When the servant girl saw him, once more she began to tell those standing there, “This is one of them.”

70 But again he denied it. After a little while those who were standing there said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, because you are a Galilean.”

71 But he began to curse and to swear, “I do not know this man you are talking about!” 72 Just then, the rooster crowed for the second time. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

Footnotes1. Mark 14:60 Or stood up in front (literally in the center) 2. Mark 14:62 Psalm 110:1; Daniel 7:13

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 24Mark 14:26-52LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 24

Mark 14:26-52 (EHV)
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Mark 1426 After they sang a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial27 Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me. For it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ [1] 28 But after I am raised, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

29 But Peter said to him, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”

30 Jesus said to him, “Amen I tell you: Today—this very night—before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”

31 But Peter kept saying emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you.” And they all said the same thing.

Gethsemane32 They went to a place named Gethsemane. Jesus told his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 Then he took Peter, James, and John along with him and began to be troubled and distressed. 34 He said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow, even to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch.”

35 Going forward a little, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 He also said, “Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup away from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

37 When he returned to the disciples, he found them sleeping. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Were you not strong enough to keep watch for one hour? 38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

39 Again he went away and prayed, saying the same thing. 40 When he returned, he found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. They did not know what they should answer him. 41 He returned the third time and said to them, “Are you going to continue sleeping and resting? It is enough. The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise, let us go. Look, my betrayer is near.”

Jesus’ Arrest43 Just then, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. A crowd was with him, armed with swords and clubs. They were from the chief priests, the experts in the law, and the elders. 44 Now his betrayer had given them a signal, saying, “The one I kiss is the man. Arrest him and lead him away under guard.” 45 He went right to Jesus and said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him. 46 They laid hands on him and arrested him. 47 But one of those who stood nearby drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

48 Jesus responded by saying to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to capture me as you would a criminal? 49 Day after day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But this happened so that the Scriptures may be fulfilled.” 50 Then the disciples all left him and fled.

51 A certain young man was following him, wearing just a linen cloth over his naked body. They seized him, 52 but he left behind the linen cloth and fled from them naked.

Footnotes1. Mark 14:27 Zechariah 13:7

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 23Mark 14:1-25LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 23

Mark 14:1-25 (EHV)
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Mark 14The Plot to Kill Jesus1 It was two days before the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the experts in the law were looking for some deceptive way to arrest Jesus and kill him. 2 “Certainly not during the Festival,” they said, “or there will be a riot among the people.”

Mary Anoints Jesus3 While Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made from pure nard. She broke the alabaster jar and poured it over his head. 4 But there were some who were indignant and said to one another, “Why has this perfume been wasted? 5 Certainly this perfume could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii [1] and given to the poor!” And they began to scold her.

6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing for me. 7 In fact, you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you are not always going to have me. 8 She did what she could. She anointed my body beforehand for burial. 9 Amen I tell you: Wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman did will also be told in memory of her.”

Judas Plans to Betray Jesus10 Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray Jesus to them. 11 When they heard this, they were glad and promised to give him money. So he began to look for an opportunity to betray him.

Jesus Celebrates the Passover12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, his disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 13 He sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and there a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 Wherever he enters, tell the owner of the house that the Teacher says, ‘Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.”

16 His disciples left and went into the city and found things just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover.

17 When it was evening, he arrived with the Twelve.

One Will Betray Jesus18 While they were reclining and eating, Jesus said, “Amen I tell you: One of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.”

19 They began to be sorrowful and said to him one by one, “Surely not I?”

20 He said to them, “It is one of the Twelve, one who is dipping bread with me in the dish. 21 Indeed, the Son of Man is going to go just as it has been written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

The Lord’s Supper22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread. When he had blessed it, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “Take it. [2] This is my body.”

23 Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them. They all drank from it. 24 He said to them, “This is my blood of the new testament, [3] which is poured out for many. 25 Amen I tell you: I will certainly not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

Footnotes1. Mark 14:5 A denarius was worth about one day’s wage. 2. Mark 14:22 A few witnesses to the text read Take, eat. 3. Mark 14:24 As in last will and testament. See Galatians 3:15.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 22Mark 13:24-37LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 22

Mark 13:24-37 (EHV)
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Mark 1324 “But after that distress in those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light. 25 The stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 26 Then you will see the Son of Man coming on clouds with great power and glory. [1] 27 At that time he will send out his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of the sky.

28 “Learn from this illustration of the fig tree: Whenever its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also when you see these things happening, you will know that he is near—at the doors! 30 Amen I tell you: This generation will certainly not pass away until all these things happen. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Watch! Be Alert!32 “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Watch! Be alert and pray, because you do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man going away on a journey. When he left his home, he put his servants in charge and assigned what each one was to do. He also commanded the doorkeeper to keep watch. 35 Therefore keep watch, because you do not know when the owner of the house is coming: whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or early in the morning. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: Keep watch!”

Footnotes1. Mark 13:26 See Daniel 7:13.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 21Mark 13:1-23LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 21

Mark 13:1-23 (EHV)
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Mark 13The Destruction of Jerusalem and the End of the World1 As Jesus was leaving the temple courts, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, look what impressive stones these are, and what impressive buildings!”

2 Jesus said to him, “Do you see these large buildings? There will not be one stone here left on top of another. They will all be thrown down.”

3 As he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be fulfilled?”

5 Jesus began by telling them, “Be careful that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many.

7 “Whenever you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled. Such things must happen, but the end is not yet. 8 In fact, nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places. There will be famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. 9 But be on your guard! People will hand you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues. You will stand in the presence of rulers and kings for my sake as a witness to them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. 11 Whenever they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand what you should say. Say whatever is given to you in that hour, because you will not be the ones speaking; instead it will be the Holy Spirit.

12 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father, his child. Children will rise up against their parents and put them to death. 13 You will be hated by everyone because of my name, but the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 When you see the abomination that causes desolation [1] standing where it should not be—let the reader understand—then those who are in Judea should flee to the mountains. 15 The one who is on the housetop should not go down or enter to take anything out of his house. 16 The one who is in the field should not return to get his clothes. 17 How terrible it will be for those who are pregnant and those who are nursing babies in those days! 18 Pray that this will not happen in winter. 19 For in those days there will be distress of such a kind as has not happened from the beginning of the creation until now, and surely never will be again. 20 If the Lord had not shortened those days, no one would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened the days. 21 Then if someone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. 22 For false Christs and false prophets will rise up and perform signs and wonders to deceive even the elect, if it were possible. 23 So be on your guard. I have told you everything in advance.

Footnotes1. Mark 13:14 Daniel 9:18; 11:31; 12:11

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 20Mark 12:28-44LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 20

Mark 12:28-44 (EHV)
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Mark 12Love God and Your Neighbor28 One of the experts in the law approached after he heard their discussion. When he saw that Jesus had answered them well, he asked Jesus, “Which commandment is the greatest of all?”

29 Jesus answered, “The most important is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord, our God, the Lord is one. 30 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ [1] 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ [2] There is no other commandment greater than these.”

32 The expert in the law said to him, “Well said, teacher. You have spoken correctly on the basis of the truth that he is one, and there is no other besides him. [3] 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” [4]

34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.

David’s Son and David’s Lord35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he responded by saying, “How is it that the experts in the law say that the Christ is the Son of David? 36 David himself said by the Holy Spirit:

The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies a footstool under your feet.’ [5]

37 “David himself calls him Lord, so how can he be his son?” The large crowd listened to him with delight.

Do Not Do What They Do38 He also said to them in his teaching, “Beware of the experts in the law who like to walk around in long robes and receive greetings in the marketplaces. 39 They love the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and offer long prayers to look good. These men will receive greater condemnation.”

The Poor Widow’s Offering41 Jesus sat down opposite the offering box and was watching how the crowd put money into it. Many rich people put in large amounts. 42 One poor widow came and put in two small bronze coins, [6] worth less than a penny. [7] 43 He called his disciples together and said to them, “Amen I tell you: This poor widow put more into the offering box than all the others. 44 For they all gave out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all that she had to live on.”

Footnotes1. Mark 12:30 Deuteronomy 6:4-5 2. Mark 12:31 Leviticus 19:18 3. Mark 12:32 See Deuteronomy 6:4; 4:35; Isaiah 45:21. 4. Mark 12:33 Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18 5. Mark 12:36 Psalm 110:1 6. Mark 12:42 Literally lepta. One lepton was a coin worth about 1⁄128 of an agricultural worker’s daily wages. 7. Mark 12:42 Literally quadrans. One quadrans was a coin worth about 1⁄64 of an agricultural worker’s daily wages.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 19Mark 12:1-27LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 19

Mark 12:1-27 (EHV)
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See series: Through My Bible

Mark 12The Parable of the Wicked Tenants1 Jesus began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he rented it out to some tenant farmers and went on a journey. 2 When it was time, he sent a servant to the tenants to receive his share of the vineyard’s produce. 3 They took him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Again, he sent another servant to them. But they hit him on the head and treated him shamefully. 5 Then he sent another servant, but they killed that one. He also sent many others; some they beat, and others they killed. 6 He still had one left, a dearly loved son. Finally, he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 But those tenant farmers said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come on, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 They seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 So what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenant farmers and give the vineyard to others. 10 Have you not read this Scripture:

The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
11 The Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes?” [1]

12 They were looking for a way to arrest him, because they knew that he had spoken the parable against them. But they feared the crowd, so they left him and went away.

Paying Taxes to Caesar13 The Jewish leaders sent some Pharisees and some Herodians to Jesus to try to trap him in what he said. 14 They came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are honest and do not play favorites, since you are not partial to anyone, [2] but you teach the way of God on the basis of the truth. Is it lawful to pay a tax to Caesar or not? 15 Should we pay it or not?”

Since Jesus knew their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why do you keep testing me? Bring me a denarius so that I can look at it.”

16 So they brought one.

He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?”

“Caesar’s,” they answered him.

17 Then Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

And they were amazed at him.

The God of the Living18 Next some Sadducees (who say that there will be no resurrection) came to him. They asked him a question: 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us: ‘If a man’s brother dies and leaves behind a wife but no child, then his brother should take his wife and raise up children for his brother.’ [3]

20 “Now there were seven brothers. The first one took a wife and died without leaving children. 21 The second one married her and died, leaving no children. The third one did the same. 22 The seven left no children. Last of all, the woman also died. 23 So when they rise in the resurrection, whose wife will she be, since all seven had her as a wife?”

24 Jesus said to them, “Isn’t this the reason you are mistaken: that you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? 25 In fact, when people rise from the dead, they do not marry, and they are not given in marriage, but they are like angels in heaven. 26 But about the dead—that they are raised—have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God told him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? [4] 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken.”

Footnotes1. Mark 12:11 Psalm 118:22-23 2. Mark 12:14 Literally and it is not a concern to you about anyone, for you do not look at the face of men 3. Mark 12:19 See Deuteronomy 25:5-6. 4. Mark 12:26 Exodus 3:6,15

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 18Mark 11:20-33LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 18

Mark 11:20-33 (EHV)
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Mark 11The Withered Fig Tree20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered down to the roots. 21 Peter remembered and said, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”

22 Jesus replied, “Have faith in God. 23 Amen I tell you: Whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, everything that you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. 26 But if you do not forgive, your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins.” [1]

Jesus’ Authority Is Questioned27 They went into Jerusalem again. As he was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the experts in the law, and the elders came to him. 28 They asked him, “By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do these things?”

29 Jesus replied, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 30 The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men? Answer me.”

31 They discussed this with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 32 But if we say, ‘From men’. . . .” (They feared the crowd, because everybody held that John really was a prophet.) 33 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

Footnotes1. Mark 11:26 A few witnesses to the text do not include verse 26.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 17Mark 11:1-19LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 17

Mark 11:1-19 (EHV)
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Mark 11Jesus’ Triumphal Entry Into Jerusalem1 As they approached Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, on the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples 2 and told them, “Go into the village ahead of you. As soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it, and he will send it back here without delay.’”

4 They left and found a colt on the street, tied at a door; and they untied it. 5 Some who were standing there asked them, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 The disciples answered them just as Jesus had instructed them, and the men let them go.

7 They brought the colt to Jesus, threw their garments on it, and Jesus sat on it. 8 Many people spread their garments on the road. Others spread branches that they had cut from the fields. 9 Those who went in front and those who followed were crying out,

Hosanna! [1]
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! [2]
10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!
Hosanna in the highest!

11 Jesus went into the temple courts in Jerusalem and looked around at everything. Since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

Jesus Curses a Fig Tree12 The next day, after they had set out from Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 When he saw a fig tree in leaf in the distance, he went to see if he might find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, since it was not the season for figs. 14 Jesus said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And his disciples were listening.

Jesus Cleanses His Father’s House15 They came to Jerusalem. Jesus went into the temple area and began to drive out those who were selling and buying in the temple courts. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those who were selling doves. 16 He would not allow anyone to carry any merchandise through the temple courts. 17 He began to teach them: “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? [3] But you have made it ‘a den of robbers’!” [4]

18 The chief priests and the experts in the law heard this and were looking for a way to kill him. Indeed they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.

19 When evening came, Jesus and his disciples would leave the city.

Footnotes1. Mark 11:9 Hosanna means save us or help us, we pray. 2. Mark 11:9 Psalm 118:25-26 3. Mark 11:17 Isaiah 56:7 4. Mark 11:17 Jeremiah 7:11

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 16Mark 10:17-31LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 16

Mark 10:17-31 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0516db.mp3
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Mark 10The Rich Young Ruler17 As Jesus was setting out on a journey, one man ran up to him and knelt in front of him. He asked, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

18 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except one—God. 19 You know the commandments. ‘You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony. You shall not defraud. Honor your father and mother.’” [1]

20 The man replied, “Teacher, I have kept all these since I was a child.”

21 Jesus looked at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

22 When he heard this, he looked sad and went away grieving, because he had great wealth. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!”

24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus told them again, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in their riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

26 They were even more astonished and said to one another, “Who then can be saved?”

27 Jesus looked at them and said, “For people, it is impossible, but not for God, because all things are possible for God.”

28 Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.”

29 Jesus said, “Amen I tell you: There is no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the gospel, 30 who now at this time will fail to receive one hundred times as much: houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields (along with persecutions)—and in the coming age: eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

Footnotes1. Mark 10:19 Exodus 20:12-16; Deuteronomy 5:16-20

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 15Mark 10:17-31LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 15

Mark 10:17-31 (EHV)
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Mark 10The Rich Young Ruler17 As Jesus was setting out on a journey, one man ran up to him and knelt in front of him. He asked, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

20 The man replied, “Teacher, I have kept all these since I was a child.”

21 Jesus looked at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

26 They were even more astonished and said to one another, “Who then can be saved?”

27 Jesus looked at them and said, “For people, it is impossible, but not for God, because all things are possible for God.”

28 Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.”

Footnotes1. Mark 10:19 Exodus 20:12-16; Deuteronomy 5:16-20

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 14Mark 10:1-16LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 14

Mark 10:1-16 (EHV)
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Mark 10Marriage and Divorce1 Jesus got up and went to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. Crowds gathered around him again and, as he usually did, he taught them. 2 Some Pharisees came to test him and asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”

3 He replied, “What did Moses command you?”

4 They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.” [1]

5 But Jesus told them, “He wrote this command for you because of your hard hearts. 6 But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. [2] 7 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh. [3] So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

10 In the house his disciples asked him about this again. 11 He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. 12 If she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

Jesus Loves Little Children13 Some people began bringing little children to Jesus so that he would touch them. But the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said, “Let the little children come to me! Do not hinder them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Amen I tell you: Whoever will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the little children in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

Footnotes1. Mark 10:4 See Deuteronomy 24:1,3. 2. Mark 10:6 Genesis 1:27; 5:2 3. Mark 10:8 Genesis 2:24

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 13Deuteronomy 32:48 – 34:12LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 13

Deuteronomy 32:48 – 34:12 (EHV)
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Deuteronomy 3248 On this same day the Lord spoke to Moses:

49 “Go up to Mount Nebo, this mountain of the Abarim range, which is in the land of Moab opposite Jericho, and view the land of Canaan that I am giving to the people of Israel as a possession, 50 and die on the mountain that you are about to ascend and be gathered to your people, just as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people. 51 This will happen because you broke faith with me among the people of Israel at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin, by not treating me as holy among the people of Israel. 52 You may view the land from a distance, but you will not go into the land that I am giving to the people of Israel.”

The Blessings of MosesDeuteronomy 331 The following is the blessing with which Moses, the man of God, blessed the people of Israel before his death. 2 He said:

The Lord came from Sinai,
and from Seir he rose like the sun for them.
He was shining from Mount Paran,
and he came with ten thousand holy ones.
From his right hand a fiery law [1] flew at them.

3 Indeed, you love the peoples.
All his holy ones are in your hand.
They are seated [2] at your feet.
Each one rises after hearing your words.

4 Moses commanded a law for us
as a possession for the assembly of Jacob.

5 The Lord was King in Jeshurun, [3]
when the heads of the people gathered
together with the tribes of Israel.

6 May Reuben live and not die,
but may his men be few in number. [4]

7 Concerning Judah he said this:
Hear, O Lord, the voice of Judah,
and bring him to his people.
With his own hands he fights for them,
and you will be a help against his enemies.

8 Concerning Levi he said:
Your Thummim and your Urim belong to your favored man,
whom you tested at Massah,
with whom you contended at the waters of Meribah.

9 He said about his father and mother,
“I do not recognize them.”
He did not show regard for his own brother.
He did not acknowledge his own children.
Instead he protected your word,
and he guarded your covenant.

10 The Levites will teach your judgments to Jacob.
They will teach your law to Israel.
They will burn incense for you to smell.
They will offer whole offerings upon your altar.

11 Bless, O Lord, his strength,
and accept the work of his hands.
Cripple those who rise against him.
Prevent those who hate him from rising against him.

12 Concerning Benjamin he said:
Those loved by the Lord will dwell with him safely.
He will be a canopy over them all day.
They will rest securely against his chest. [5]

13 Concerning Joseph he said:
His land is blessed by the Lord:
blessed with the best gifts from the heavens,
blessed with dew and with the deep waters hidden below,

14 blessed with the best gifts produced by the sun,
blessed with the best gifts yielded by the seasons,

15 blessed with the best crops from the ancient mountains,
blessed with the best gifts from the everlasting hills,

16 blessed with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness,
blessed with the favor of the one who was dwelling in
the burning bush.
May all these come on the head of Joseph,
on the forehead of the one set apart from his brothers.

17 Like a firstborn bull, he has majesty,
and his horns are the horns of a wild ox.
With them he will gore the peoples,
all the peoples, to the ends of the earth.
Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim.
Such are the thousands of Manasseh.

18 Concerning Zebulun he said:
Rejoice, Zebulun, when you go out.
Rejoice, Issachar, in your tents.

19 They will call people to the mountain.
There they will sacrifice righteous offerings.
Indeed they will nurse on the abundance from the seas
and on the treasures hidden in the sand.

20 Concerning Gad he said:
Blessed is the one who enlarges Gad.
Like a lioness he settles down.
He tears off arms and even heads.

21 He selected the best portion for himself,
the portion reserved for the ruler.
He came with heads of the people
to carry out the righteousness of the Lord,
to carry out his judgments along with Israel.

22 Concerning Dan he said:
Dan is a lion cub.
He leaps out from Bashan.

23 Concerning Naphtali he said:
Naphtali is abounding with favor.
He is full of the blessing of the Lord.
Take possession of the west [6] and south.

24 Concerning Asher he said:
The most blessed of sons is Asher.
May he be pleasing to his brothers.
May he bathe his feet in olive oil.

25 Your door bolts are iron and bronze.
May your strength be as long-lasting as all your days.

26 There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,
who rides through the heavens to help you.
In his majesty he rides through the clouds.

27 The everlasting God is a dwelling place,
and his eternal arms are under you.
He drove out [7] the enemy in front of you,
and he said, “Destroy!”

28 So Israel settled down in safety.
Jacob dwelt in security
in a land of grain and fresh wine,
and, yes, its heavens dropped down dew.

29 How blessed are you, O Israel!
Who is like you?
You are a people saved by the Lord,
the shield who gives you help,
the sword who gives you majesty.
Your enemies will come cringing before you,
and you will trample on their high places.

The Death of MosesDeuteronomy 341 Moses went up from the Plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, opposite Jericho, and the Lord showed him the whole land: the territory of Gilead as far as Dan, 2 all of Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, the whole land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea, [8] 3 the Negev, and the Kikkar as far as Zoar (that is, the plain in the valley around Jericho, the City of Palms).

4 Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land that I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, when I said I will give it to your descendants. [9] I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over to it.”

5 So Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab as the Lord had said. 6 The Lord buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth Peor, but no one knows his burial place to this day.

7 Moses was one hundred twenty years old at his death. His eyes had not grown dim, and his vigor had not declined. 8 So the children of Israel wept for Moses in the Arabah of Moab for thirty days. Then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses came to an end.

9 Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit [10] of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him, so the people of Israel listened to him and did just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

10 Never again has a prophet risen in Israel like Moses, who knew the Lord face-to-face. 11 Moses performed all the signs and wonders that the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh and against all his officials and his whole land. 12 No other prophet ever displayed all of the mighty power and the great, awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.

Footnotes1. Deuteronomy 33:2 The form and the meaning of the Hebrew word eshdat are uncertain. 2. Deuteronomy 33:3 Or bow down. The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain. 3. Deuteronomy 33:5 Jeshurun is another name for Israel. It means the Upright One. 4. Deuteronomy 33:6 Or nor let his men be few. This translation in the footnote applies the negative from the first line of the parallelism also to the second line, a phenomenon not too uncommon in Hebrew poetry. 5. Deuteronomy 33:12 Literally they will dwell between his shoulders 6. Deuteronomy 33:23 Or the sea 7. Deuteronomy 33:27 Or will drive out. The verbs in verse 28 can also be translated as futures. 8. Deuteronomy 34:2 Hebrew the Western Sea 9. Deuteronomy 34:4 Hebrew seed 10. Deuteronomy 34:9 Or Spirit

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 12Deuteronomy 32:1-47LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 12

Deuteronomy 32:1-47 (EHV)
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Deuteronomy 321 Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak.

Let the earth hear the sayings from my mouth.
2 Let my teaching drop down like rain,
and let my sayings distill like dew,
like raindrops on grass,
like showers on green plants.

3 Yes, I will proclaim the name of the Lord.
Ascribe greatness to our God.

4 He is the Rock! Perfect is his work.
Indeed all of his ways are justice.
He is a faithful God. He does no wrong.
Righteous and upright is he.
5 Israel acted corruptly against him.
They are not his children.
That is their fault. [1]
They are a twisted and crooked generation.
6 Is this how you repay the Lord,
you foolish people, who are not wise?
Is he not your father, who created you,
who made you and established you?
7 Remember the days of the distant past.
Consider the years of many generations.
Ask your father and he will tell you about it.
Ask your elders and they will describe it to you.

8 When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance,
when he separated the children of Adam,
he established the boundaries for peoples
according to the number of the sons of Israel. [2]

9 But the allotment for the Lord is his people.
Jacob is the territory that is his possession.
10 The Lord found Jacob in a wild land,
in a desolate land, in a howling wasteland.
He encircled him. He cared for him.
He guarded him like the pupil of his eye.
11 As an eagle rises from its nest
and hovers over its young,
then spreads its wings to catch them
and carries them on the edge of its wings,
12 so the Lord alone led Israel.
There was no foreign god with him.
13 He caused them to ride over the high places of the land,
and they ate the produce from the fields.
He caused them to suck honey from the rocks
and olive oil from the hardest flint.
14 He fed them with curds from the cattle and milk from the flocks,
with fat lambs, rams, and goats from Bashan,
with the very best wheat,
and they drank foaming wine, the blood of the grape.
15 Jeshurun [3] grew fat and kicked.
You grew fat, you were stout, you were stuffed.
Then he abandoned the God who made him,
and he mocked the Rock who saved him.
16 They made him jealous with strange gods.
They provoked him with abominations.
17 They sacrificed to demons that are not gods,
to gods they had not known,
to newcomers from their neighbors,
gods whom your fathers did not fear.
18 You failed to remember the Rock who conceived you.
You forgot the God who gave you birth.
19 The Lord saw this and rejected them,
because his sons and daughters had provoked him.
20 So the Lord said: [4]
I will hide my face from them,
until I see what their final condition will be,
because they are a twisted generation,
children who cannot be trusted.

21 They have made me jealous with their non-gods.
They have provoked me with their useless things.
So I will make them jealous by a non-people.
By a foolish nation I will provoke them.
22 For a fire has been ignited by my anger,
and it burns to the depths of hell. [5]
It devours the earth and its produce.
It sets the foundations of the mountains on fire.

23 I will pile up disasters for them.
I will use up all my arrows on them.
24 They will be sucked dry by hunger and burned up by fever.
I will send them bitter destruction.
Wild animals will sink their teeth into them
with the burning venom of snakes that crawl in the dust.
25 In the street the sword will take away their children.
Inside the houses terror will fill young man and
young woman alike,
the nursing child, together with the gray-haired old man.
26 I would have said, “I will cut them to pieces.
I will erase their memory from mankind,”
27 if I had not dreaded the taunting of the enemy.
I did not want their adversaries to misunderstand.
I did not want them to say,
“Our hand is high-and-mighty,
and the Lord has not done any of this.”
28 For they are a nation that never takes advice,
and they understand nothing.
29 If only they had been wise,
they would have comprehended this.
They would have understood
what the final outcome would be.
30 How could one pursue a thousand,
and two chase away ten thousand,
unless their Rock had sold them,
and the Lord had handed them over?

31 Yes, their rock is not like our Rock,
as our enemies themselves recognize.
32 For their vine grows from the vine of Sodom
and from the fields of Gomorrah.
Their grapes are poison grapes.
They have bitter clusters.
33 Their wine is burning snake venom
and the deadly poison of cobras.
34 Do I not have all this stored up with me?
Is this not sealed up in my storehouses?
35 To me belongs vengeance and repayment.
It will come at the time when their foot slips.
Indeed, the day of their disaster is near,
and their impending doom is coming quickly.
36 Yes, the Lord will judge his people,
but he will change his course of action toward his servants
when he sees that their strength is exhausted,
and that there are none left, either as prisoners or still free.
37 Then he will say:
Where are their gods,
the rock in which they sought refuge,
38 the gods that ate the fat of their sacrifices
and drank the wine of their drink offerings?
Let them rise up and help you.
Let them be a shelter over you.
39 Now see that I, only I, am he,
and there is not a god comparable to me.
I put to death and I make alive.
I wound and I heal.
There is no one who can deliver out of my hand.
40 For I lift up my hand to heaven,
and I swear: “As I live forever,
41 if I sharpen the lightning, which is my sword,
and my hand grabs hold of judgment,
I will take revenge against my adversaries,
and I will repay those who hate me.
42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood,
and my sword will devour flesh
from the blood of the slain and the captives,
from the long-haired heads of the enemy.”

43 Shout out with a cry of joy, you nations, because of his people,
for he will avenge the blood of his servants, [6]
and he will return vengeance to his adversaries,
but he will atone for the ground, for his people.

44 Moses came along with Hoshea [7] son of Nun and spoke all the words of this song in the hearing of the people.

45 Then when Moses had finished speaking all of these words to all Israel, 46 he also said to them:

“Direct your heart to all the words that I am calling as a witness against you today. Instruct your children with them so that they may be careful to carry out all the words of this law, 47 for it is not empty talk for you, because it is your life. By this word you will live long on the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”

Footnotes1. Deuteronomy 32:5 The line is cryptic. It consists of a single Hebrew word, their flaw. 2. Deuteronomy 32:8 The translation, sons of Israel, retains the main Hebrew reading. A Hebrew Dead Sea Scroll reads sons of God. The Greek Old Testament reads angels of God. Sons of God is likely the original reading, and the other two readings are interpretations of it. 3. Deuteronomy 32:15 Jeshurun is another name for Israel. It means the Upright One. 4. Deuteronomy 32:20 There are frequent unmarked changes of speaker in Hebrew poetry. In this poem the shifts from Moses’ words to the Lord’s words are indicated in the increased indentation. 5. Deuteronomy 32:22 Hebrew sheol 6. Deuteronomy 32:43 The Greek Old Testament and a Dead Sea Scrolls version of Deuteronomy 32:43 contain words that apparently were lost from the standard Hebrew text, possibly because of the double occurrence of the word shout for joy or rejoice. Hebrews 1:6 appears to follow the longer text of Deuteronomy 32, although Psalm 95/96:7 could be an alternate source of this quotation (the Hebrew and Greek numbers of this psalm are not the same). Here are the variant readings:

| Hebrew | Rejoice, you nations, ⎣with⎦ his people. | | Greek | Rejoice, you heavens, along with him,and let all the sons of God worship him;rejoice, you nations, with his people,and let all the angels of God strengthen themselves in him; | | DSS | Rejoice, you heavens, along with him, and let all the angels worship him; | | Heb 1:6 | He says, “All God’s angels must worship him.” | 7. Deuteronomy 32:44 That is, Joshua

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 11Deuteronomy 31LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 11

Deuteronomy 31 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0511db.mp3
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Joshua Will Follow Moses1 Moses came and spoke the following words to all Israel. 2 He said to them:

“I am now one hundred twenty years old. I can no longer go out and come back. [1] The Lord has said to me, ‘You will not cross over this Jordan.’

3 “The Lord your God himself will cross over before you. He will destroy those nations before you, and you will take possession of their land. Joshua is the one who will cross over before you, as the Lord promised. 4 The Lord will do to them as he did to Sihon and Og, kings of the Amorites, and as he did to their lands when he destroyed them. 5 The Lord will hand them over to you, and you are to deal with them according to the whole set of commands that I gave you.

6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid and do not be terrified before them, because the Lord your God is going with you. He will not abandon you and he will not forsake you.”

7 Moses called Joshua and said to him in the view of all Israel:

“Be strong and courageous, because you will go with this people into the land that the Lord promised to your fathers with an oath, and you will divide it among them as their possession. 8 The Lord himself will go ahead of you. He will be with you. He will not abandon you, and he will not forsake you. Do not be afraid and do not be overwhelmed.”

Reading the Law9 Then Moses wrote down this law, and he gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi who carry the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel. 10 Moses commanded them:

“At the end of seven years, at the appointed time of the year of the release, at the Festival of Shelters, 11 when all Israel comes to appear in the presence of the Lord your God at the place that he will choose, you are to read this law before all Israel in their hearing. 12 Gather the people—the men, the women, the children, and the alien who resides within your gates—so that they may hear it and learn to fear the Lord your God and to be careful to carry out all the words of this law. 13 Their children also, who do not know the law, are to hear it and learn to fear the Lord your God all the time that you live on the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”

The Transition to Joshua14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “The time is approaching for you to die. Summon Joshua and stand at the Tent of Meeting, and I will commission him.”

So Moses and Joshua went and stood at the Tent of Meeting. 15 Then the Lord appeared at the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood over the entrance to the tent. 16 The Lord said to Moses:

“You are about to lie down with your fathers, but this people will rise up and prostitute themselves to the foreign gods among them in the land they are about to enter. They will forsake me and break my covenant that I made with them. 17 My anger will burn against them on that day, and I will forsake them and hide my face from them. They will be on the verge of being devoured, and many evils and distresses will find them. They will say on that day, ‘Haven’t these evil things found us because our God is not among us?’ 18 Yet I will hide my face on that day because of all the evil they have done by turning to other gods.

19 “So now, write down this song and teach it to the people of Israel. Put it in their mouths so this song will be my witness against the people of Israel. 20 When I bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey that I promised by oath to their fathers, and they eat and are satisfied and grow fat, and they then turn to other gods and serve them, when they despise me and break my covenant, 21 and many evils and distresses find them, then this song will testify against them as a witness, because it will not be forgotten or gone from the mouths of their descendants. I certainly know the inclination that they are developing today before I bring them to the land that I have promised on oath.”

22 So Moses wrote down this song on that day and taught it to the people of Israel.

23 Then the Lord commissioned Joshua son of Nun and said to him:

“Be strong and courageous, because you will bring the people of Israel into the land that I have promised to them with an oath, and I will be with you.”

24 When Moses had finished writing the words of this law in a book, 25 he gave this command to the Levites, who carry the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord:

26 “Take this Book of the Law, and place it beside the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God, and let it remain there as a witness against you. 27 I certainly know how rebellious and stubborn you are. Even while I am still alive and among you today, you are rebels against the Lord. So how much more after my death! 28 Assemble all the elders of your tribes and your officials before me, and I will speak all these words in their hearing, and I will call the heavens and the earth to witness against them. 29 I know that after my death you will act corruptly and turn from the way that I have commanded you, and that evil will come on you in future days when you do evil in the sight of the Lord by provoking him to anger by the work of your hands.”

Moses’ Song30 Then Moses spoke the words of this song in the hearing of the whole assembly of Israel, from beginning to end:

Footnotes1. Deuteronomy 31:2 That is, he could no longer lead them on their campaigns.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 10Deuteronomy 29 – 30LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 10

Deuteronomy 29 – 30 (EHV)
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Renewing the CovenantDeuteronomy 291 These are the words of the covenant that the Lord commanded Moses to make with the people of Israel in the land of Moab, in addition to the covenant that he had made with them at Horeb. [1] 2 Moses summoned all Israel and spoke to them as follows:

You have seen everything that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh, to all his officials, and to his whole land: 3 the great trials that your eyes saw, those great signs and wonders. 4 Yet the Lord to this very day has not given you a heart to understand, or eyes to see, or ears to hear.

5 “I led you through the wilderness for forty years. Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did the sandals on your feet. 6 You did not eat bread, and you did not drink wine and beer. I did all this so you would know that I am the Lord your God.”

7 When you came to this place, and Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan came out to meet us in battle, we struck them down. 8 We took their land and gave it as an inheritance to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half of the tribe of Manasseh.

9 Therefore you are to keep the words of this covenant and carry them out so that you may succeed in all that you do.

10 You are standing today before the Lord your God, all of you—your tribal heads, your elders, your officers, and men of every rank in Israel, 11 your children, your wives, and the aliens who reside in your camp, whether as wood cutters or water carriers. 12 You are standing here so that you may enter into the covenant of the Lord your God, which is sealed by the oath that the Lord your God is making with you today, 13 in order to establish you today as his people and himself as your God, just as he promised you and just as he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

14 Today I am not making this covenant and its oath only with you, 15 but also with everyone who is standing here with us before the Lord our God, and also with those who are not here with us today.

16 You yourselves know how we lived in the land of Egypt and how we passed through the midst of the various nations we encountered. 17 You saw their detestable things and their filthy idols of wood and stone and silver and gold that were with them.

18 Make sure that there is not among you a man, a woman, a family, or a tribe whose heart today is turning away from the Lord our God to go and serve the gods of those nations. Make sure that there is among you no root that is producing a poison plant and bitter wormwood. 19 When such a person hears the words of this oath, he might congratulate himself in his heart and say, “I’ll be safe, even though I’m proceeding in my stubborn way.” By acting this way he will destroy the watered ground as well as the parched.

20 The Lord will not be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger and jealousy of the Lord will smoke against that man, and all the curses written in this document will come to rest on him, and the Lord will wipe away his name from under the heavens. 21 The Lord will single him out from all the tribes of Israel for disaster, in keeping with all the curses of the covenant that are written in this Book of the Law.

22 And when the next generation, your children who will come after your time, and the foreigner who will come from a distant land have seen the plagues on that land and the sicknesses with which the Lord struck it, they will say, 23 “Sulfur and salt, conflagration for all of its land! No planting, no sprouting, no maturing crop in it! It will be like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which the Lord overthrew in his fierce anger!”

24 Then all the nations will say, “Why did the Lord do something like that to this land? What is the reason for this burning, this fierce anger?”

25 Then they will say, “It is because they forsook the covenant of the Lord, the God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them out of the land of Egypt. 26 They went and served other gods and bowed down to them, gods that they had not known and that he had not allotted to them. 27 So the anger of the Lord burned against that land to bring on it the entire curse written in this book. 28 The Lord uprooted them from their land in anger, in rage, and in his great wrath, and he hurled them into another land, as it is to this day.”

29 The hidden things belong to the Lord our God, but the revealed things belong to us and to our children forever, so that we carry out all the words of this law.

Prosperity Will Follow RepentanceDeuteronomy 301 When all these things come upon you, both the blessing and the curse that I have given you, and you take them to heart while you are among all the nations to which the Lord your God has banished you, 2 and when you return to the Lord your God and listen to his voice with all your heart and soul, in every way that I am commanding you today, you and your children, 3 then the Lord your God will restore you from your captivity. He will have compassion on you, and he will gather you together again out of all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you. 4 Even if your banished people are at the end of the heavens, the Lord your God will gather you together there and take you away from there. 5 The Lord your God will bring you back to the land that your fathers possessed, and then you will possess it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers.

6 The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, with the result that you will live.

7 Then the Lord your God will place all these curses on your enemies and on those who hated you and persecuted you. 8 Once again you will listen to the voice of the Lord, and you will carry out all of his commands that I am giving you today.

9 The Lord your God will cause you to be overflowing with good things from all the work of your hands, in the fruit of your womb, in the fruit of your animals, and in the fruit of your soil. Once again he will rejoice over your prosperity, just as he rejoiced over your fathers, 10 when you obey the voice of the Lord your God by keeping his commandments and his statutes written in this Book of the Law, when you return to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

11 Certainly, this commandment that I am giving you today is not too difficult for you, and it is not far away. 12 It is not up in the heavens, so that you have to say, “Which one of us will go up to the heavens and get it for us so we can listen to it and carry it out?” 13 It is not across the sea, so that you have to say, “Which one of us will cross over to the other side of the sea and get it for us so we can listen to it and carry it out?” 14 Instead, the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so you can obey it.

Life or Death15 See now, today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and disaster. 16 This is what I am commanding you today: Love the Lord your God, walk in his ways, and keep his commandments, his statutes, and his ordinances. Then you will live and increase in number, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are going to possess.

17 But if your heart turns away, and you do not listen, and you are lured away, and you bow down to other gods and serve them, 18 then I declare to you today that you will most certainly perish. You will not live a long life on the land that you are about to enter and possess by crossing over the Jordan.

19 I call the heavens and the earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, a blessing and a curse. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live 20 by loving the Lord your God, by listening to his voice, and by clinging to him, because that means life for you, and you will live a long life on your land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Footnotes1. Deuteronomy 29:1 In chapter 29, English verse 1 is equal to Hebrew verse 28:69. English verses 2-29 are equal to Hebrew verses 1-28.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 09Deuteronomy 28:15-68LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 09

Deuteronomy 28:15-68 (EHV)
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See series: Through My Bible

Deuteronomy 28The Curses for Disobedience15 If you do not listen to the voice of the Lord your God and do not carefully carry out all of his commandments and statutes that I am commanding you today, then all these curses will come upon you and overtake you.

16 You will be cursed in the city, and you will be cursed in the fields.
17 You will be cursed in your basket and in your kneading trough.
18 You will be cursed in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your soil, in the calves of your cattle and in the lambs of your flock.
19 You will be cursed when you come in, and you will be cursed when you go out.
20 The Lord will send on you a curse and confusion and opposition in every undertaking of your hand that you carry out, until you are destroyed and until you quickly perish, because of the evil you have done by forsaking me.
21 The Lord will cause epidemics to cling to you until he has removed you from your land that you are going to possess.
22 The Lord will strike you with wasting diseases, fever, and inflammation, with intense heat and with drought, [1] and with blight and with mildew. [2] They will pursue you until you perish.
23 The skies over your head will become bronze, and the earth under you will become iron. 24 The Lord will turn the rain of your land to dust. From the heavens it will come down on you until you are destroyed.
25 The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. In one direction you will go out against them, but in seven directions you will flee from them, and you will become a horrible sight to all the kingdoms of the earth.
26 Your dead bodies will become food for every bird of the sky and every animal of the earth, and there will not be anyone to scare them away.
27 The Lord will strike you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors, scabs, and itch, from which you cannot be healed.
28 The Lord will strike you with insanity and with blindness and with a confused mind.
29 You will grope at noon as a blind person gropes in the dark, and you will not prosper in your ways.
You will be cheated and robbed all the time, and there will be no one to rescue you.
30 You will be pledged in marriage to a woman, but another man will violate her.
You will build a house, but you will not live in it. You will plant a vineyard, but you will not enjoy its fruit.
31 Your ox will be slaughtered in front of your eyes, but you will not eat of it. Your donkey will be seized right in front of your face, and it will not return to you. Your flock will be given to your enemies, but there will be no one to help you.
32 Your sons and your daughters will be given to another people, and your eyes will grow weak as you look longingly for them all day long, but your hands will be powerless.
33 A people that you do not know will eat what your soil and all your work produces.
You will be squeezed and crushed throughout the days 34 until you go insane from the sights that your eyes will see.
35 The Lord will strike you on your knees and legs with distressing boils from which you cannot be healed, from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head.

36 The Lord will lead you and the king, whom you will set over you, to a nation that you and your fathers have not known, and there you will serve other gods of wood and stone.

37 You will become an object of horror, the subject of proverbs, and the butt of sarcastic taunts among all the people to whom the Lord will send you.

38 You will take a lot of seed out to the field, but you will harvest little, because locusts will finish it off.

39 You will plant and tend vineyards, but you will not drink the wine and store it, because worms will eat them up.

40 You will have olive trees covering your whole property, but you will not anoint yourselves with oil, because your olives will fall off the trees.

41 You will produce sons and daughters, but they will not remain yours, because they will go into captivity.

42 Locusts will take possession of all of your trees and all the fruit of your land.

43 The alien who resides among you will ascend higher and higher over you, and you will descend lower and lower. 44 He will cause you to borrow, but you will not cause him to borrow. He will become the head, and you will become the tail.

45 All of these curses will come upon you, and they will pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, because you did not listen to the voice of the Lord your God by keeping his commandments and his statutes that he commanded you. 46 They will be signs and wonders against you and your descendants perpetually.

47 Because you would not serve the Lord your God with joy and gladness in your heart flowing from the abundance of everything he gave you, 48 you will serve your enemies that the Lord will unleash against you in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and a lack of everything, and he will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you.

49 He will bring a nation from far away against you, from the end of the earth, as fast as an eagle soars through the air, a nation whose language you do not understand, 50 a fierce nation that does not show any regard for the old or any mercy to the young. 51 That nation will eat the produce from your animals and the fruit from your soil until you are destroyed. It will leave you no grain, no new wine, no fresh oil, no calves of your cattle or lambs from your flock until it has caused you to perish. 52 That nation will besiege you in all of your cities until the high, fortified walls that you were trusting collapse throughout your land. When that nation besieges you in all of the cities throughout your whole land that the Lord your God is giving you, 53 you will eat the fruit of your womb, the flesh of your sons and daughters, whom the Lord your God has given you, because of the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you.

54 The most sensitive and refined man among you will be so begrudging against his brother, against the wife he embraces, and against any of his children who still survive, 55 that he will not give to any one of them some of the flesh of his children that he is eating, because then he would have nothing left for himself, because of the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you in all of your cities.

56 The most sensitive and refined woman among you, so refined and sensitive that she would not venture to touch the sole of her foot to the ground, will begrudge the husband she embraces and her son and daughter 57 the afterbirth that goes out from between her legs and the babies that she gives birth to, because she plans to eat them secretly since she has nothing else, as a result of the siege and the distress that your enemy will inflict on you in all of your cities.

58 If you are not careful to carry out all the words of this law that are written in this book, [3] to fear this honored and awesome Name, the Lord your God, 59 then the Lord will bring extraordinary plagues on you and your descendants: severe, long-lasting plagues and distressing, long-lasting sicknesses.

60 Then he will bring back on you all the sicknesses of Egypt that you feared, and they will cling to you. 61 More than that, the Lord will bring on you all other sicknesses and plagues that are not written in this Book of the Law, until you are destroyed.

62 Then you will be left as just a few people instead of being as numerous as the stars in the heavens, because you did not listen to the voice of the Lord your God.

63 Just as the Lord delighted in making you prosperous and making you many in number, likewise the Lord will delight in causing you to perish and in destroying you. You will be torn away from your land that you are going to possess.

64 The Lord will scatter you among all the peoples from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will serve other gods, gods made of wood and stone, gods that you and your fathers have not known. 65 Still, among those nations you will find no peace, nor will the sole of your foot find a place to rest. There the Lord will give you a trembling heart and longing eyes and a despairing soul.

66 Your life will be hung out in front of you. Night and day you will live in dread, and you will not expect to survive.

67 In the morning you will say, “If only it were evening!” In the evening you will say, “If only it were morning!” because of the dread you feel in your heart and because of what your eyes see.

68 The Lord will send you back to Egypt in ships on a journey that I said you would never again experience. There you will try to sell yourselves to your enemies as male and female slaves, but there will be no buyer.

Footnotes1. Deuteronomy 28:22 The translation follows an alternate reading of the Hebrew. The main Hebrew reading is sword. 2. Deuteronomy 28:22 The identification of some of these plagues is uncertain. 3. Deuteronomy 28:58 Ancient books were written on scrolls, not in bound books.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 08Deuteronomy 27:1 – 28:14LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 08

Deuteronomy 27:1 – 28:14 (EHV)
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The Altar for Cursing and BlessingDeuteronomy 271 Moses and the elders of Israel gave the following orders to the people: Keep the entire set of commands that I am giving you today.

2 At the time that you cross the Jordan into the land that the Lord your God is giving to you, set up large stones and coat them with lime plaster. 3 Write on them all the words of this law when you cross over to enter the land that the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, promised you. 4 When you cross over the Jordan, set up these stones on Mount Ebal and coat them with lime plaster, as I am commanding you today.

5 Build an altar there to the Lord your God, an altar made of stones. Do not shape them with an iron tool. 6 Build the altar of the Lord your God with whole, uncut stones, and offer whole burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God. 7 Sacrifice fellowship offerings and eat there, and rejoice before the Lord your God.

8 Write clearly and carefully all of the words of this law on the stones.

9 Moses and the priests, who are Levites, also spoke the following to all Israel:

Be silent and listen, Israel! Today you have become the people of the Lord your God. 10 Obey the voice of the Lord your God and carry out his commandments and statutes that I am giving you today.

11 Then Moses gave this command to the people that day:

12 The following tribes will stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people when you cross the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. 13 The following will stand on Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.

The Curses From Mount Ebal14 The Levites will testify to every person of Israel with a loud voice:

15 Cursed is the man that makes a carved image or a molten metal image, an abomination to the Lord, a work of the hands of a craftsman, and sets it up secretly.
All the people will say, “Amen!”
16 Cursed is anyone who dishonors his father or his mother.
All the people will say, “Amen!”
17 Cursed is anyone who moves the boundary marker of his neighbor.
All the people will say, “Amen!”
18 Cursed is anyone who leads astray a blind man on his way.
All the people will say, “Amen!”
19 Cursed is anyone who perverts the justice due to an alien who resides among you, or justice due to the fatherless or a widow.
All the people will say, “Amen!”
20 Cursed is any man who lies down with his father’s wife, because he has removed the skirt that is reserved for his father.
All the people will say, “Amen!”
21 Cursed is anyone who lies down with any animal.
All the people will say, “Amen!”
22 Cursed is any man who lies down with his sister, either the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.
All the people will say, “Amen!”
23 Cursed is any man who lies down with his mother-in-law.
All the people will say, “Amen!”
24 Cursed is anyone who strikes down his neighbor secretly.
All the people will say, “Amen!”
25 Cursed is anyone who takes payment to strike down an innocent person.
All the people will say, “Amen!”
26 Cursed is anyone who does not uphold the words of this law by doing them.
All the people will say, “Amen!”

The Blessings for ObedienceDeuteronomy 281 If you fully obey the voice of the Lord your God by carefully carrying out all his commandments that I am giving you today, then the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. 2 All of the following blessings will come upon you and overtake you, if you listen to the voice of the Lord your God:

3 You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the fields.
4 You will be blessed in the fruit of your womb, in the fruit of your soil, and in the fruit of your animals: the calves of your cattle and the lambs of your flock.
5 You will be blessed in your basket and in your kneading trough.
6 You will be blessed when you come in, and you will be blessed when you go out.
7 The Lord will cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you. From one direction they will come out against you, but they will flee from you in seven directions.
8 The Lord will command a blessing on you in your storehouses and in regard to every action of your hand, and he will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
9 The Lord will establish you as his holy people, just as he swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and you walk in his ways.
10 Then all the people of the earth will see that the name of the Lord has been proclaimed over you, and they will fear you.
11 The Lord will cause you to be overflowing with good things: with the fruit of your womb, the fruit of your animals, and the fruit of the soil of the land that the Lord swore to your fathers to give you.
12 The Lord will open for you his good storehouse, the heavens, by giving rain for your land in its season and by blessing all the work of your hand.
Then you will cause many nations to borrow from you, but you yourself will not borrow.
13 The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will be only at the top and never at the bottom, if you conscientiously obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you today to carry out, 14 and if you do not turn away to the right or to the left from all the words that I am commanding you today, to walk after other gods and serve them.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 07Deuteronomy 26LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 07

Deuteronomy 26 (EHV)
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Firstfruits and Tithes1 When you enter the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and you take possession of it and settle in it, 2 take some of the first ripe produce that you harvest from the soil of the land that the Lord your God is giving you. Put it in a basket, and go to the place where the Lord your God will choose to establish his name. 3 Go to the priest who is presiding at that time and say to him, “Today I declare before the Lord your God that I have come to the land that the Lord swore to our fathers to give to us.” 4 The priest will take the basket from your hand and set it down in front of the altar of the Lord your God.

5 Then you will respond and say in the presence of the Lord your God, “My father was a wandering [1] Aramean. He went down to Egypt and lived there as an alien with just a few people, but there he became a great, strong, and populous nation. 6 The Egyptians mistreated and afflicted us. They imposed hard labor on us. 7 We cried out to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice, and he saw our affliction, our labor, and oppression. 8 The Lord brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand and an outstretched arm and with great awe-inspiring acts and signs and wonders. 9 He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10 So now, look as I bring the firstfruits of the soil that you have given me, Lord.”

Then set the basket down before the Lord your God and bow down before the Lord your God. 11 Then you, as well as the Levite and the alien who resides among you, will rejoice in all the good things that the Lord your God has given to you and your household.

12 When you have finished tithing a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of tithing, and you have given it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless, and to the widow so that they may eat within the gates of your cities and be satisfied, 13 then say before the Lord your God, “I have completely removed the holy portion from my house, and I have also given it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless, and to the widow just as you have commanded me. I have neither transgressed nor forgotten your commandments. 14 I have not eaten any of it while I was mourning, and I have not removed any of it while I was unclean or given any of it for the dead. I have obeyed the voice of the Lord my God. I have done just as you have commanded me. 15 Look down from your holy dwelling place, from the heavens, and bless your people Israel and the soil that you have given us, as you swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

Obey the Lord’s Command16 The Lord your God commands you this day to carry out these statutes and commandments, and to be careful to do them with all your heart and soul. 17 You have declared today that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in his ways and keep his statutes and commandments and his ordinances and obey his voice.

18 The Lord has declared today, just as he promised you, that you are his treasured people who are to carry out all of his commandments, 19 and that he will set you up in praise, fame, and splendor, high above all the nations that he has made, and that you will be set apart as a holy people to the Lord your God, just as he promised.

Footnotes1. Deuteronomy 26:5 Or perishing

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 06Deuteronomy 24 – 25LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 06

Deuteronomy 24 – 25 (EHV)
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Restrictions on DivorceDeuteronomy 241 When a man takes a woman and marries her, if she is not pleasing to him because he has found something indecent about her, and he writes her a divorce document and hands it to her and sends her out of his house, 2 and she leaves and moves on and becomes the wife of another man, 3 and then that second man hates her and writes her a divorce document and hands it to her and sends her out of his house, or perhaps the second man that took her as a wife dies, 4 in these circumstances her first husband, who sent her away, cannot take her again as his wife after she was stigmatized as impure, because that would be detestable to the Lord. You must not attach guilt to the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.

More Miscellaneous Laws5 When a man takes a new wife, he must not go out with the army, and no one is to impose any duty on him. He is to be freed from duty for one year for the sake of his homelife so that he may make the woman whom he has married happy.

6 No person is to hold as security a mill or an upper millstone, because he would be holding someone’s livelihood as security.

7 If a man is caught kidnapping a fellow Israelite and enslaving him or selling him, that kidnapper must die, and you will purge the evil from among you.

8 Be careful during an outbreak of an impure skin disease [1] by being very conscientious about doing everything that the priests, who are Levites, instruct you to do. Take care to do exactly as I have commanded them. 9 Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam on your journey after coming out of Egypt.

10 When you make a loan to your neighbor, a loan of any kind, do not go into his house to take his security pledge. 11 Stand outside, and the man to whom you are making the loan will bring the pledged object out to you. 12 If he is a poor man, do not sleep in a garment he has pledged as security. 13 You are certainly to return the pledged object to him at sundown so he can sleep in his garment and bless you. Righteousness will be yours before the Lord your God.

14 Do not oppress a hired person who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brother Israelites or one of the aliens who reside in your land inside your gates. 15 Each day, before the sun goes down, pay him his wages, because he is poor and his life depends on it. If you do not, he will cry out against you, and you will be guilty of sin.

16 Fathers are not to be put to death because of their sons, and sons are not to be put to death because of their fathers. Each man is to be put to death because of his own crime.

17 Do not neglect justice for an alien who lives among you or for a fatherless child, and do not take the clothing of a widow as a pledge.

18 Remember that you were a slave in Egypt, but the Lord your God redeemed you from there. Therefore I am commanding you to do this.

19 When you harvest the crops in your field and you forget a bundle in the field, do not return to get it. It will be for the benefit of the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in everything your hands do.

20 When you beat your olives off the tree, do not strip the boughs clean of olives. Some are to be left for the benefit of the alien, the fatherless, and the widow.

21 When you cut grapes from your vineyard, do not go over it again. Leave some for the benefit of the alien, the fatherless, and the widow.

22 Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt. That is why I am commanding you to do this.

Deuteronomy 251 When there is a dispute between men and they go to court and a verdict is reached, and they have acquitted the innocent person and convicted the guilty one, 2 if the guilty one is to be flogged, the judge is to make him lie down, and he will order him to be flogged in his presence with the number of blows that is proportionate to his guilt. 3 He may have him struck forty times, but no more, so that your brother does not become degraded in your eyes by receiving a severe beating that goes beyond this number.

4 You are not to muzzle an ox when it is threshing.

5 When brothers live together and one of them dies without having children, the wife of the deceased brother is not to marry a stranger from outside the family. Her brother-in-law is to come and take her as his wife and perform for her the duty of a brother-in-law. 6 The firstborn that she bears will be recognized as a son who carries on the name of his deceased brother, so his name will not be erased from Israel. 7 But if a man does not want to marry his sister-in-law, his sister-in-law is to go to the city gate where the elders preside and say, “My brother-in-law refuses to establish a name in Israel for his brother. He does not want to perform the duty of a brother-in-law for me.” 8 Then the elders of his city are to call him and talk to him. If he stands firm and says, “I do not want to marry her,” 9 his sister-in-law is to approach him in the sight of the elders. She is to pull the sandal off his foot, spit in his face, and testify by saying, “This is what is done to the man who will not build up the house of his brother!” 10 Then the name that he will go by in Israel is “the house of a man whose sandal was pulled off.”

11 If two men are fighting each other, a man and his neighbor, and the wife of one comes up to rescue her husband from the hands of the one striking him, and she reaches out her hand and she grabs hold of his testicles, 12 you are to cut off her hand. Your eye is not to look on her with compassion.

13 Do not have two alternate sets of stone weights in your bag, larger and smaller. 14 Do not have alternate measures in your house, larger and smaller. 15 You must have a full and honest set of weights. You must have a full and honest set of measures, so that you may have a long life in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 16 For anyone doing such things, anyone who acts dishonestly, is detestable to the Lord your God.

17 Remember what the Amalekites, without any fear of God, did to you on your journey after you came out of Egypt. 18 Remember how they confronted you on the way, when you were weak and tired, and they cut off all the stragglers among you, the ones who were lagging behind. 19 When the Lord your God gives you rest from all your enemies that are around you in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance, wipe away the memory of Amalek from under the heavens. Do not forget!

Footnotes1. Deuteronomy 24:8 Traditionally leprosy

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 05Deuteronomy 22 – 23LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 05

Deuteronomy 22 – 23 (EHV)
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Deuteronomy 221 If you see an ox or a sheep that belongs to your brother Israelite going astray, do not ignore it. Return it to your brother. 2 If your brother Israelite does not live nearby and you are not acquainted with him, bring it to your own house and keep it with you until your brother comes looking for it. Then return it to him. 3 Do the same with his donkey, the same with his clothing, and the same with anything your brother has lost and you have found. You are not allowed to do nothing. [1]

4 If you see the donkey or ox that belongs to your brother Israelite and it has fallen on the road, do not ignore it. Help him lift it up.

5 A woman must not wear the attire of a man, and a man is not to put on the clothing of a woman, because anyone doing these things is detestable to the Lord your God.

6 If you happen to see a bird’s nest along the road, whether in a tree or on the ground, and it has young ones or eggs in it, and the mother is sitting over the young or on the eggs, do not take the mother along with the young birds. 7 You may take the young birds for yourself, but be sure to set the mother free, so that it may go well for you and you may have a long life.

8 When you build a new house, you are to make a railing for your roof so you do not bring bloodguilt on your house if someone should fall from it.

9 Do not plant your vineyard with two kinds of seed. If you do, the whole yield becomes unusable [2]—both the seed that you sow and the produce from the vineyard.

10 Do not plow with an ox and a donkey together.

11 Do not wear fabric that is a mixture of wool and linen.

12 Make tassels on the four corners of your clothing that you use to cover yourself.

Issues Concerning Marriage13 If a man marries a woman and goes to her, and afterward he hates her 14 and accuses her with unfounded charges and defames her and says, “I married this woman, but when I approached her I found that she did not have evidence of virginity,” 15 then the father and mother of the girl are to produce evidence of the girl’s virginity and bring it to the elders of the city at the gate.

16 The father of the girl shall say to the elders, “I gave my daughter to this man as a wife, and afterward he hated her, 17 so he has accused her with unfounded charges by saying, ‘I have found that your daughter does not have evidence of virginity,’ but here is the evidence of my daughter’s virginity.” Then they are to spread out the bed covering in front of the elders of the city.

18 Then the elders of that city will take the man and discipline him. 19 They will fine him a hundred pieces of silver and give them to the father of the girl because the man defamed a virgin of Israel. She shall continue to be his wife. He is not allowed to divorce her as long as he lives.

20 But if the accusation proves to be the truth because evidence of the girl’s virginity was not found, 21 then they will bring the girl out to the entrance of her father’s house, and the men of her city will pelt her with stones until she dies, because she did a disgraceful thing in Israel by shaming the house of her father with her sexual immorality. In this way you will purge the evil from among you.

22 If a man is found lying down with a married woman, both of them are to die: the man lying with the woman, and also the woman. In that way you will purge the evil from Israel.

23 If there is a virgin pledged in marriage to a man, and another man comes upon her in the city and lies down with her, 24 take both of them out to the gate of that city and pelt them with stones until they die—the girl, because she did not cry out for help in the city, and the man, because he violated the wife of another man. In that way you will purge the evil from your midst.

25 But if a man comes upon a girl who has been pledged in marriage and they are out in the countryside, and he grabs her and lies down with her, then only the man that lay with her must die. 26 Do not do anything to the girl. There is no sin worthy of death on her part, because this is like a case in which a man attacks another person and kills him. 27 He came upon her in the open country, and the girl who was pledged in marriage cried out for help, but she had no one to rescue her.

28 If a man finds a virgin who is not pledged in marriage and he grabs her and lies down with her and they are caught, 29 the man lying down with her must give the father of the girl fifty pieces of silver, and she will become his wife. Because he violated her, he is not allowed to divorce her as long as he lives.

30 A man must not marry the wife of his father; that is, he is not to remove the skirt that is reserved for his father.

Exclusion From the AssemblyDeuteronomy 231 No man whose testicles are crushed or who has a severed penis is to come within the assembly of the Lord. [3]

2 A child born of an incestuous relationship [4] is not to come within the assembly of the Lord. Even in the tenth generation his descendant is not to come within the assembly of the Lord.

3 An Ammonite or a Moabite is not to come within the assembly. Even in the tenth generation their descendants may never come within the assembly of the Lord, 4 because they did not meet you with food and water on your journey after you came out of Egypt, and because they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor of Aram Naharaim [5] to curse you. 5 But the Lord your God was not willing to listen to Balaam, and the Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loved you. 6 Do not seek their peace and prosperity as long as you live.

7 Do not detest an Edomite, because he is your brother. Do not detest an Egyptian, because you were an alien in his land. 8 Their children may come within the assembly of the Lord in the third generation.

Miscellaneous Laws9 When you go out on a campaign against your enemies, you must guard yourselves against anything evil.

10 If there is a man among you who is unclean because of an emission during the night, he must go outside the camp. He must not come inside the camp. 11 Toward evening he is to bathe himself in water, and when the sun sets, he may re-enter the camp.

12 You are to have a designated area [6] outside the camp where you can go. 13 In addition to your weapon, you must have a scraper with you so that when you squat out there, you can dig a hole with it and then proceed to cover up what comes out. 14 Since the Lord your God is moving within your camp to save you and to defeat your enemies before you, your camp is to be holy. Do not let him see anything indecent among you so that he turns away from you.

15 Do not return a slave who escaped to you from his master. 16 Let him live with you, among your people, in the place he chooses within one of your cities that he thinks is good for him. Do not mistreat him.

17 The daughters of Israel must not become female temple prostitutes, and neither are the sons of Israel to become male temple prostitutes.

18 Do not bring the fee earned by a whore or the pay earned by a “dog” [7] to the house of the Lord your God to fulfill any vow, because it is an abomination to the Lord. Yes, both of them are.

19 Do not make your brother Israelite pay interest, whether interest of money or of food, or of anything that may be loaned out for interest. 20 You may charge interest to a foreigner, but to your brother you are not to charge interest, so that the Lord your God may bless you in everything you do in the land that you are coming to possess.

21 When you make a vow to the Lord your God, do not delay fulfilling it, because the Lord your God will require it of you and you will be guilty. 22 But if you do not make a vow at all, you will not be guilty. 23 Whatever has passed from your lips you must be careful to do, because with your own mouth you vowed to make an offering to the Lord your God with your mouth.

24 When you come into your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat grapes to satisfy your appetite, but you must not put any into your container. 25 When you come into a field of standing grain belonging to your neighbor and you pluck the heads of grain with your hand, you are not allowed to use a sickle to cut his standing grain.

Footnotes1. Deuteronomy 22:3 Or hide it 2. Deuteronomy 22:9 Hebrew is declared holy, that is, set aside from common use 3. Deuteronomy 23:1 In the Hebrew text, chapter 23 starts with English verse 22:30. In chapter 23, the remaining Hebrew verse numbers are one number higher than the corresponding English verse numbers. 4. Deuteronomy 23:2 The meaning of the term mamzer is uncertain. Some believe it refers to any illegitimate birth or to any birth resulting from prostitution. The suggestion that it refers to an incestuous relationship is supported by the mention of the Moabites and Ammonites in verse 3. See Genesis 19. 5. Deuteronomy 23:4 Or Aram of the Two Rivers, which is in northern Syria between the tributaries of the Euphrates River 6. Deuteronomy 23:12 The Hebrew word here usually means hand. It sometimes refers to a sign or marker, which explains its meaning here, “a handy place.” 7. Deuteronomy 23:18 A male prostitute

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 04Deuteronomy 20 – 21LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 04

Deuteronomy 20 – 21 (EHV)
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Conduct During WarDeuteronomy 201 When you go out for battle against your enemies, and you see the horses and chariots of a people more numerous than you are, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you.

2 When you are approaching the battle, the priest is to come forward and speak to the people. 3 He will say to them, “Listen, Israel, you are approaching the battle against your enemies. Do not let your heart become weak. Do not be afraid. Do not tremble. Do not dread them, 4 because the Lord your God is going with you to do battle for you against your enemies, to save you.”

5 The officers also are to speak to the people and say, “Whoever has built a new house but has not dedicated it, let him go and return to his house so that he does not die in the battle and another man dedicates it.

6 “Whoever has planted a vineyard but has not yet removed it from sacred status, [1] let him go and return to his house so that he does not die in the battle and another man is the first to eat from it.

7 “Whoever is pledged in marriage to a woman but has not consummated the marriage, let him go and return to his house so that he does not die in the battle and another man takes her in marriage.”

8 Then the officers are to speak again to the people and say, “Whoever is afraid and fainthearted may go and return to his house, so that the hearts of his brother Israelites do not melt in cowardice like his heart.”

9 When the officers finish speaking to the people, they are to appoint army commanders at the head of the people.

10 When you approach a city to fight against it, call out to it, asking for a peaceful surrender. 11 If the city answers you, “Peace,” and it opens up its gates for you, then all the people found in it will become forced labor for you and they will serve you.

12 But if it does not make peace with you, and it makes war against you, then lay siege against it. 13 The Lord your God will deliver it into your hands, and you will strike down all the males with the edge of the sword.

14 But the women and the children, and the cattle and everything that is in the city—all its plunder—take as spoils of war for yourself. You may make use of the plunder of your enemies that the Lord your God gives you.

15 Do this to all the cities that are very far away from you, which are not cities of the nations around here.

16 However, from the cities of these people that the Lord your God is giving to you as your inheritance, do not keep alive anything that breathes. 17 Devote them completely to destruction—the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites—just as the Lord your God has commanded you, 18 so that they do not teach you to commit all of the abominations that they commit for their gods, with the result that you sin against the Lord your God.

19 When you lay siege against a city for a long time, as you fight against it in order to capture it, do not destroy its trees by swinging axes against them, because you will be able to eat what the trees bear, so do not cut them down. For is a tree in the field something human that you should besiege it? 20 Only trees that you know are not food-producing trees may be destroyed. You may cut them down to build siege works against the city that makes war against you, until it falls.

Unsolved MurdersDeuteronomy 211 In the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess, if a person who has been killed is found lying in the open country and it is not known who struck him down, 2 then your elders and your judges are to go out and measure the distance from the person who was killed to each of the surrounding towns.

3 The elders of the city that is closest to the person who was killed are to take a heifer that has not been worked and has not pulled with a yoke. 4 The elders of that city are to bring the heifer down to a gully that has a flowing stream and that has not been plowed and sown, and they are to break the neck of the heifer there in the gully.

5 Then the priests, the descendants of Levi, are to come near, because the Lord your God has chosen them to serve and to bless you in the name of the Lord, and every dispute and every case of assault is to be decided according to their ruling. 6 Then all the elders of the city closest to the person who was killed are to wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the gully.

7 Then they are to testify by saying, “Our hands did not pour out this blood, and our eyes did not observe it. 8 Atone, Lord, for your people whom you have redeemed, and do not charge us with taking innocent life among your people Israel.” Then their bloodguilt will be atoned for.

9 In this way you will purge away from among you the guilt of shedding the blood of an innocent person by doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord.

Captive Wives10 When you go out for battle against your enemies and the Lord your God gives them into your hands, if you take some of them as captives, 11 and you see in that group of captives a beautiful woman, and you are attracted to her and would like to take her as your wife, 12 then you will bring her into your house. She is to shave her head and trim her nails. 13 She also is to remove the clothing she wore when she was captured and to stay in your house and weep for her father and her mother for a month. After that you may come to her and become her husband and she will become your wife.

14 Then if you are no longer pleased with her, you are to let her go as she desires. You must not sell her for money. You are not to deal with her as a slave, [2] because you have humiliated her.

Family Law15 If a man has two wives, and one is loved and one is not loved, and both the loved one and the unloved one have borne children for him, and the firstborn son belongs to the unloved wife, 16 then on the day that he bequeaths what he owns to his sons, he cannot declare the son of the loved wife as his firstborn in preference to the son of the unloved wife, who is the true firstborn. 17 He must acknowledge the son of the unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double portion of everything that is recognized as his. Because that son is the beginning of his father’s virility, the legal right of the firstborn belongs to him.

18 If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey the voice of his father and his mother, and they discipline him, but he will not listen to them, 19 then his father and his mother are to take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city and to the gate of his hometown. 20 Then they will say to the elders of his city, “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He does not obey us. He is a worthless glutton and a drunkard.” 21 Then all the men of his city are to stone him to death, and so you will purge the evil from among you, and all Israel will hear and fear.

Miscellaneous Laws22 If there is a man whose sin justly deserves a death sentence, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, [3] 23 his dead body is not to remain on the tree overnight. You must bury him on the same day, because a person left hanging on a tree is cursed by God. You are not to defile your ground that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.

Footnotes1. Deuteronomy 20:6 That is, he has not yet been allowed to eat from it. 2. Deuteronomy 21:14 Or tyrannically. The meaning is uncertain. 3. Deuteronomy 21:22 Or pole

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 03Deuteronomy 18 – 19LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 03

Deuteronomy 18 – 19 (EHV)
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The Inheritance of the LevitesDeuteronomy 181 The priests, who are Levites, as well as the whole tribe of Levi, will not have any allotted inheritance with Israel. They will eat from the offerings made to the Lord by fire, [1] which is their inheritance.

2 So they will not have an inheritance among their brothers. The Lord is their inheritance, as he promised them.

3 This then will be the prescribed allotment for the priests from the people who offer sacrifices, whether an ox or a sheep: They are to give to the priests the shoulder, both cheeks, and the stomach. 4 You are also to give them the firstfruits from your grain, your new wine, your fresh oil, and the first fleece from your flock. 5 For the Lord your God has chosen them from all of your tribes to stand in service in the name of the Lord—them and their sons for all time.

6 When a Levite comes from any of your towns throughout Israel where he resides, and whenever he follows his heart’s desire and comes to the place that the Lord will choose, 7 and he serves in the name of the Lord your God, standing there before the Lord like all of his fellow Levites, 8 then he may eat the same portion, regardless of any income he received from selling family property.

9 When you enter the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to practice anything like the abominations of those nations. 10 Let no one be found among you who makes his son or his daughter pass through fire, or who uses divination, or who engages in fortune telling, or who observes omens, or who practices witchcraft, 11 or who casts a magic spell, or who consults a ghost or a familiar spirit, or who inquires of the dead. [2]

12 Anyone doing these things is detestable to the Lord, and because of these abominations, the Lord your God is driving them out before you.

13 You are to be blameless with the Lord your God.

14 It is true that those nations whose land you are taking listen to fortune tellers and diviners, but the Lord your God has not permitted you to do things like that.

The Prophet15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brother Israelites. Listen to him.

16 That is exactly what you asked from the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly. You said, “Do not let me hear the voice of the Lord my God anymore, and do not let me see this great fire again, or I will die.”

17 Then the Lord said to me, “They have done well by saying what they said. 18 I will raise up a prophet for them from among their brothers, like you, and I will put my words in his mouth, and he will speak to them everything that I command him. 19 Anyone who will not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account. 20 Any prophet who presumes to speak something in my name that I have not commanded him to speak or who speaks something in the name of other gods—that prophet shall die.”

21 What if you ask yourselves, “How can we know that the Lord has not spoken that word?” 22 If a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, and the thing does not come about and does not come true, the Lord has not spoken that word. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him. [3]

Cities of RefugeDeuteronomy 191 When the Lord your God has cut down the nations whose land the Lord your God is giving you, and you have taken possession of their land and settled in their cities and houses, 2 set aside three cities within the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess. 3 Prepare roads [4] for yourselves, and divide the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance into three parts, so that anyone who has killed a person will be able to flee to one of these cities.

4 Now this is an example of a person who has killed someone who may flee there and live: someone who has struck down his friend unintentionally, without being hateful toward him beforehand. 5 For instance, someone goes with his friend into the forest to cut down trees, and when his hand swings the ax to cut down the tree, the iron ax head slips off the wooden handle and strikes his friend, who then dies—that person may flee to one of these cities and live.

6 Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the one who has killed someone, because the avenger is hot with anger. Then because of the long distance to the city of refuge, the avenger may overtake the man and strike him down fatally. His death would not be just, because he had not been hateful toward the other one beforehand. 7 Therefore I am commanding you this: Set aside for yourselves three cities.

8 When the Lord your God expands your territory, as he swore to your fathers, and he gives you the entire land that he promised to give your fathers, 9 if you carefully keep this whole set of commands that I am commanding you today, by loving the Lord your God and by walking in his ways always, then add for yourselves three more cities in addition to these three. 10 Then innocent blood will not be poured out within your land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, nor will you be guilty of bloodshed.

11 But if there is a person who is hateful toward another, and he lies in ambush for him and springs up on him and strikes him so he dies, and the killer flees to one of the cities of God, 12 then the elders of his home city are to send for him and take him from there. They are to hand him over to the avenger of blood, and he is to be put to death.

13 Your eye is not to look with compassion on him. You are to purge the blood of the innocent person from Israel so that it may go well for you.

Miscellaneous Laws14 Do not move your neighbor’s boundary marker, which the first generation of occupants set up as a boundary for your inherited property in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.

15 A single witness does not have legal standing to convict a person of any guilt or sin in connection with any wrongful action he may have committed. A case is to have standing only on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

16 If a malicious witness rises up against a person to testify against him about a legal offense, 17 and if the two people involved in the dispute stand before the Lord and before the priests and the judges who preside at that time, 18 the judges are to investigate diligently. If the person is a dishonest witness because he has falsely accused his brother, 19 then you are to do to him just as he had plotted to do to his brother. So you will purge the evil from among you. 20 The rest of the people will hear, and they will fear, and they will not do an evil thing like this among you again. 21 Your eye is not to look with compassion. The principle is life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

Footnotes1. Deuteronomy 18:1 Or from the food offerings 2. Deuteronomy 18:11 The distinctions between all these classes of occult practitioners are uncertain. 3. Deuteronomy 18:22 Or it 4. Deuteronomy 19:3 Or determine the distances

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 02Deuteronomy 16 – 17LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 02

Deuteronomy 16 – 17 (EHV)
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The FestivalsThe PassoverDeuteronomy 161 Observe the month of Abib [1] and keep the Passover for the Lord your God, because it was in the month of Abib that the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt at night.

2 As a Passover sacrifice to the Lord your God, slaughter an animal from the flock or herd at the place where the Lord will choose to establish his name. 3 Do not eat leavened bread with it. For seven days eat unleavened bread, the bread of affliction, because you went out of the land of Egypt in a hurry. Do this so that you may remember the day that you went out from the land of Egypt for all the days of your life.

4 No yeast or leaven is to be found among you for seven days, and none of the meat that you sacrifice on the evening of the first day is to be left until morning.

5 You are not allowed to sacrifice the Passover inside the gates of any of the cities that the Lord your God is giving you. 6 Rather, it is at the place where the Lord your God will choose to establish his name that you are to sacrifice the Passover, in the evening at the setting of the sun, the time of day that you went out of Egypt.

7 Cook it and eat it at the place that the Lord your God will choose. In the morning return to your tents.

8 Six days you are to eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there is to be a special convocation to the Lord your God. Do not do any regular work.

The Festival of Weeks9 Count off seven weeks. As the starting point of the seven weeks, mark the time that the sickle first strikes the standing grain.

10 Then observe the Festival of Weeks [2] for the Lord your God and give a voluntary offering of as much as you can afford, in keeping with how much the Lord has blessed you.

11 Rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, the Levite who is within the gates of your city, and the alien and the fatherless and the widow who are among you. Do this in the place where the Lord your God will choose to establish his name.

12 Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, so you are to be careful to carry out these statutes.

The Festival of Shelters13 After you have gathered in the produce from your threshing floor and your winepress, celebrate the Festival of Shelters [3] for seven days.

14 Rejoice in your festival, you and your son and your daughter, and your male servant and your female servant, and the alien and the orphan and the widow within your gates.

15 For seven days celebrate to the Lord your God in the place that the Lord will choose, because the Lord your God will bless you in all of your crops and in all the work of your hands, and you will most certainly be joyful.

16 Three times a year all of your males are to present themselves before the Lord your God at the place that he will choose: at the Festival of Unleavened Bread, at the Festival of Weeks, and at the Festival of Shelters. They are not to present themselves before the Lord empty-handed, 17 but each person is to have in his hand a gift that is in keeping with the blessing that the Lord your God has given you.

Judges18 Appoint judges and officers for your tribes to serve at the gates of all the cities that the Lord your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment.

19 Do not distort justice. Do not show partiality. Do not take a bribe, because a bribe blinds the eyes of wise people and twists the actions of righteous people.

20 Justice! You are to pursue justice, so that you may live and possess the land that the Lord your God is giving you!

The Penalty for Idolatry21 Do not set up any kind of wooden Asherah pole beside the altar of the Lord your God that you have made for yourself. 22 Do not set up for yourself a sacred memorial stone, which is something that the Lord your God hates.

Deuteronomy 171 Do not sacrifice to the Lord your God any ox or sheep that has any kind of defect or serious flaw, because that is something detestable to the Lord your God.

2 If there is found among you (within the gates of one of your cities that the Lord your God is giving you) a man or a woman who is doing something that is evil in the eyes of the Lord your God by transgressing his covenant, 3 or a man or a woman who is going and serving other gods and bowing down to them or to the sun or to the moon or to any of the army of the heavens, something that I have not commanded, 4 and you are told about it and you listen and investigate diligently, and it is established that the charge is true and that this abomination has been committed in Israel, 5 then you are to bring that man or that woman who has committed this evil out to your city gate, and you are to stone that person to death, whether man or woman.

6 A person is to be put to death on the basis of the testimony of two or three witnesses. No one is to be put to death based on the testimony of one witness. 7 The hands of the witnesses are to be the first ones raised against him when putting him to death, and after that the hands of all the other people. In that way you are to purge the evil from among you.

8 If a case is too difficult for you to make a decision, whether it involves a homicide, a lawsuit, or an assault, or any matters of controversy within the gates of your cities, then proceed by going up to the place that the Lord your God will choose. 9 Go to the priests, who are from the tribe of Levi, and to the presiding judge at that time and lay out the case. They will declare the verdict to you. 10 Then you are to act according to the verdict that they will declare to you from the place that the Lord will choose, and you are to be careful to carry out everything that they instruct you to do.

11 Act according to the instructions they give you and according to the judgment that they speak to you. Do not turn to the right or to the left from the word that they declare to you.

12 Any man who acts presumptuously by not listening to the priest, who presides and serves the Lord your God there, or by not listening to the judge, that man is condemned to die. In that way you will purge the evil from Israel. 13 Then all the people will hear and fear and not act presumptuously anymore.

The King14 When you have entered the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “I am determined to set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,” 15 you may set a king over yourself, one whom the Lord your God will choose. You may set over yourself a king who is from among your brother Israelites. You must not set a foreigner over you, one who is not your brother.

16 But the king must not accumulate more and more horses for himself, and he must not send people back to Egypt in order to accumulate more horses, because the Lord has said to you, “You must not go back that way again.” 17 He must not accumulate more and more wives for himself, or his heart may go astray. He must not accumulate excessive silver and gold for himself.

18 When he sits on his royal throne, he is to have a copy of this law written for him on a scroll in the presence of the priests, who are from the tribe of Levi. 19 It is to remain with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he learns to fear the Lord his God by being careful to carry out all the words of this law and these statutes, 20 so that his heart does not grow haughty toward his brothers and turn away from this set of commands, either to the right or the left, so that the days of his royal reign in Israel, as well as that of his sons, may be many.

Footnotes1. Deuteronomy 16:1 Abib corresponds to March/April. It was the month the grain harvest began. 2. Deuteronomy 16:10 Also called Pentecost or Reaping 3. Deuteronomy 16:13 Also called Tabernacles or Ingathering

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – May 01Deuteronomy 14 – 15LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 01

Deuteronomy 14 – 15 (EHV)
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Deuteronomy 141 You are the children of the Lord your God.

Do not cut yourselves or make a bald spot on your forehead for a dead person, 2 because you are set apart as holy people for the Lord your God, and the Lord your God has chosen you out of all the people that are on the face of the earth, to be his people that are his treasured possession.

Clean and Unclean Foods3 Do not eat any detestable thing.

4 These are the animals that you may eat: cattle, sheep, and goats; 5 deer, gazelle, roebuck, wild goat, ibex, antelope, and mountain sheep. 6 Every animal that has divided hoofs with splits in the middle and that rechews its food [1] among the animals—you may eat them.

7 But these you are not to eat from among those that either rechew their food or have divided hoofs with splits in the middle: the camel, the hare, and the rock badger, because even though they rechew their food, their hoofs are not divided. They are unclean for you. 8 The pig, because it has divided hoofs but does not rechew its food, is unclean for you. You are not to eat their flesh and you are not to touch their carcasses.

9 These you may eat of all the creatures that live in the water: Any that have fins and scales you may eat. 10 Any that do not have fins and scales you are not to eat. They are unclean for you.

11 Any clean bird you may eat. 12 But you are not to eat the following: the eagle, the black vulture, and the bearded vulture, 13 the red kite, the black kite, and falcons of every kind, 14 ravens and crows of every kind, 15 the eagle owl, the short-eared owl, the long-eared owl, all species of hawks, 16 the tawny owl, the fisher owl, the screech owl, 17 the white owl, and the scops owl, the osprey, 18 the stork and herons of every kind, the hoopoe, and the bat. [2] 19 Any swarming insect that flies is unclean for you. None of them are to be eaten. 20 Any clean winged creature you may eat.

21 Do not eat the carcass of any animal that is found dead. You may give it to the alien who resides in your town, and he may eat it or sell it to a foreigner, but you are a people who are set apart as holy for the Lord your God.

Do not boil a baby goat in its mother’s milk.

Tithes22 Give a tenth of all the yield from your seed that comes out of the field every year.

23 Eat the tithe in the presence of the Lord your God in the place that he will choose to establish his name—the tenth of your grain, your new wine, and your fresh oil, as well as the firstborn of your herd and flock, so that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always.

24 When the Lord your God blesses you, if the distance of your journey is so long that you cannot carry the tithe with you, because the place that the Lord your God will choose to establish his name is far away from you, 25 then you may exchange the tithe for silver and take the silver in your hand and travel to the place that the Lord your God will choose for himself. 26 There exchange the silver for anything that you desire—animals from the herd or the flock, or wine or beer, or anything that you may want. Then eat it there before the Lord your God and rejoice, both you and your household.

27 But you must not neglect the Levites who reside within the gates of your cities, because they do not have an allotted inheritance among you. 28 At the end of every third year, bring out the entire tithe of your produce from that year and store it in your towns. 29 Then the Levites may come, because they do not have an allotted inheritance among you, and also the aliens and the fatherless and the widows within your towns, and they may eat and be satisfied, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work that your hands perform.

The Sabbatical YearDeuteronomy 151 At the end of seven years grant a release. [3]

2 This is how the release is to be done: Every creditor is to release [4] what he has loaned to his neighbor. He must not exact it from his neighbor or from his brother Israelite, because the Lord’s release has been proclaimed. 3 You may exact it from a foreigner, but your hand is to release whatever your brother Israelite owes you. [5]

4 However, there should be no poor people among you, because the Lord will greatly bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance for you to possess, 5 if you obey the voice of the Lord your God by carefully carrying out all of this command that I am giving you today. 6 For the Lord your God will bless you, just as he has promised you, and you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow; you will rule over many nations, but they will not rule over you.

7 However, if there is a poor person among you, any one of your fellow Israelites within the gates of your towns in the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not harden your heart and shut your hand against your poor brother. 8 Rather, open up your hand to him and freely lend him enough of whatever he needs for himself. 9 Be careful that you do not harbor this wicked thought: Year seven, the year of release, is near! So as a result you have a harsh attitude toward your poor brother and do not give him anything. Then he will cry out to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty of sin. 10 Give freely to him, and do not feel resentful about giving to him, because on account of your giving, the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and whatever you put your hand to. 11 Since there will never cease to be poor people in the land, I command you, open up your hand to your brother in your land, to the afflicted and the poor among you.

The Release of Servants12 If your brother, that is, a Hebrew man or woman, sells himself to you, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year you are to set him free. 13 When you set him free, do not send him out empty-handed. 14 Provide for him generously from your flock and from your threshing floor and from your winepress. Give to him from the blessings that the Lord your God has given to you. 15 You should remember that you yourself were a slave in the land of Egypt, but the Lord your God redeemed you. Therefore I am commanding this procedure to you today.

16 But he might say to you, “I don’t want to leave you,” because he loves you and your household, and he is well off with you. 17 In that case you are to take an awl and bore through his ear into the door, and he will be a slave to you permanently. Do the same in the case of your female slave. 18 When you do set a servant free, it should not seem like a hardship to you, because for six years he has earned for you double the income that a hired worker would. The Lord your God will bless you in everything that you do.

The Firstborn19 Set apart for the Lord your God every firstborn male from your herd and your flock. Do not work the firstborn of your oxen, and do not shear the firstborn of your flock. 20 You and your household are to eat the firstborn in the presence of the Lord each year, in the place that the Lord will choose. 21 But if it has a defect (if it is lame or blind, or if it has any other serious defect), you must not sacrifice it to the Lord your God. 22 You may eat it within the gates of your towns. The unclean and the clean person alike may eat it, as you would a gazelle or a deer. 23 But you must not eat its blood. You are to pour it out on the ground like water.

Footnotes1. Deuteronomy 14:6 Or brings up the cud. The term describes an animal that rechews its food after it has swallowed it once and then regurgitated it or excreted it. This list is not limited to true ruminants. 2. Deuteronomy 14:18 The precise identity of many of the birds is uncertain. Translations vary greatly. The inclusion of bats shows that the category is flyers. 3. Deuteronomy 15:1 That is, a remission of debt 4. Deuteronomy 15:2 Or forgive 5. Deuteronomy 15:3 It is not certain if the creditor is to forgive the debt permanently or to suspend repayment during the year in which there is no harvest.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – April 30Deuteronomy 12 – 13LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 30

Deuteronomy 12 – 13 (EHV)
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Deuteronomy 121 These are the statutes and the ordinances that you are to be conscientious about keeping in the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given to you to possess all the days that you live in the land:

2 Completely destroy all the places where the nations that you are driving out serve their gods, whether on the high mountains or on the hills or under every beautiful green tree. 3 Tear down their altars! Smash their sacred memorial stones! Burn their Asherah poles [1] with fire, and cut down the carved images of their gods! In this way you will destroy their names from those places.

4 Do not serve the Lord your God in the way that they worship, 5 but seek out and go to the site that the Lord your God will choose from within all your tribes to place his name and his dwelling place. 6 There you are to bring your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the elevated offerings from your hands, your offerings to fulfill a vow, your voluntary offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and your flock. 7 Eat there in the presence of the Lord your God, and rejoice in everything you do, you and your household, because the Lord your God has blessed you.

8 Do not in any way do what we are doing here today, that is, each person doing whatever is right in his own eyes, 9 because you have not yet come to your place of rest, the inheritance that the Lord your God is giving to you.

10 But you will cross over the Jordan and settle in the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and he will give you rest from all your enemies all around you, so that you will live in safety. 11 Then go to the place that the Lord your God chooses as the place to establish his name. There you are to bring everything that I am commanding you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes, the offerings from your hands, and all the best voluntary offerings that you vow to the Lord.

12 You will rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your sons and your daughters, and your male servants and your female servants, and the Levites who live within the gates of your cities, because they do not have an allotted inheritance among you.

13 Be careful that you do not offer up your burnt offering in just any place that you see fit, 14 but only in the place that the Lord will choose in one of your tribes. That is where you are to offer up your burnt offerings and where you are to do everything that I am commanding you.

15 But in any town you may butcher and eat meat to your heart’s content, as the Lord your God has blessed you. The unclean and the clean person alike may eat it as they would a gazelle or a deer, 16 but you must never eat the blood. Pour it on the ground like water.

17 You are not to eat the tithe from your grain, your new wine, or your fresh oil in your towns. The same applies to the firstborn of your herd and your flock, or anything you vow, or your voluntary offerings, or your special elevated offerings. 18 Eat those things before the Lord your God in the place that the Lord your God will choose—you and your sons and your daughters, your male servants and your female servants, and the Levites within your cities. Rejoice before the Lord your God in everything that you are doing.

19 Be careful that you do not neglect the Levites as long as you live on your land.

20 When the Lord your God expands your territory as he promised you, and you say, “I would like to eat meat,” because you are hungry for meat, then you may eat it to your heart’s content. 21 If the place that the Lord your God will choose to establish his name is too far away for you, then you may slaughter [2] animals from your herd and flock which the Lord has given you, just as I commanded you, and you may eat within your cities as you desire. 22 Yes, just as gazelle and deer are eaten, you may eat it. The unclean and the clean person alike may eat it. 23 Only be very sure not to eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life together with the flesh. 24 Do not eat it. Pour it out on the ground like water. 25 Do not eat it, so that it may go well for you and for your children after you when you do what is right in the eyes of the Lord.

26 But as for the holy things that you have and your voluntary offerings, gather them up and take them to the place that the Lord will choose. 27 Offer your burnt offerings, both the flesh and the blood, on the altar of the Lord your God. The blood of the sacrifice is to be poured out on the altar of the Lord your God, but the meat you may eat.

28 Be careful that you obey all these words that I am commanding you so that it may go well for you and for your children after you in the distant future when you do what is good and right in the eyes of the Lord your God.

29 When the Lord your God cuts off the nations where you are going and drives them out before you, and when you take possession of their land and settle in it, 30 be careful that you are not snared after they have been destroyed before you. Do not inquire about their gods and ask, “How did these people serve their gods? I also want to do the same thing.”

31 Do not serve the Lord your God in the way that they worship, because they do for their gods every detestable thing that the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in fire for their gods.

32 Be careful to do everything that I am commanding you. Do not add to it, and do not subtract from it.

False Prophets and Fortune TellersDeuteronomy 131 If a prophet or an interpreter of dreams arises among you, and he predicts a sign or wonder for you, [3] 2 and the sign or wonder that he promised you comes true, and he says, “Let’s go after other gods that you do not know, and let’s serve them,” 3 do not listen to the words of that prophet or that interpreter of dreams, because the Lord your God is testing you to see whether you really love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

4 Follow the Lord your God, fear him, keep his commandments, listen to his voice, serve him, and cling to him.

5 That prophet or that interpreter of dreams is to be put to death because he advised you to turn against the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, in order to draw you away from the path on which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. Purge the evil from among you.

The Penalty for Idolatry6 If your full brother or your mother’s son, your son or your daughter, the wife you embrace, or your closest friend tempts you by saying secretly, “Let’s go and serve other gods,”—gods that neither you nor your fathers have known, 7 from among the gods of the peoples around you, either near or far from you, anywhere from one end of the land to the other— 8 do not be influenced by him and do not listen to him. Your eye is not to look on him with compassion. Do not spare him and do not pardon him, 9 but kill him. Your hand is to be the first one on him when putting him to death, and afterward the hands of all the other people. 10 Stone him to death, because he tried to pull you away from the Lord your God, who led you out of the land of Egypt, where you were slaves. 11 Then all of Israel will hear and fear, and such an evil thing as this will not be done among you again.

12 If you hear in one of your cities, which the Lord your God is giving you so that you can live in them, 13 men of worthless character have gone out from among you and have pulled the inhabitants of their city away from the Lord, saying, “Let’s go and serve other gods,” gods whom you have not known, 14 then investigate, search out the truth, and inquire diligently. If it becomes established truth that this abomination has been done among you, 15 you are to strike down the inhabitants of that city with the blade of the sword. Devote it and everything in it to complete destruction by the blade of the sword, including its cattle. 16 Gather all its plunder at the center of its town square. Then burn the city and all its plunder as a whole burnt offering to the Lord your God. It is to be a permanent mound of ruins, never to be rebuilt.

17 Let nothing that has been devoted to destruction stick to your hands, so that the Lord will turn away from his anger and show you compassion. In his compassion he will increase your population, as he swore to your fathers, 18 if you obey the voice of the Lord your God by keeping all of his commandments that I am commanding you today, by doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord your God.

Footnotes1. Deuteronomy 12:3 Asherah poles were representations of the goddess Asherah. They may have been living trees or poles carved from tree trunks. 2. Deuteronomy 12:21 The word translated slaughter often refers to sacrifices, but sacrifices were to be offered only at the Dwelling, which was the only legitimate sanctuary. 3. Deuteronomy 13:1 In the Hebrew text, chapter 13 starts with English verse 12:32. In chapter 13, the remaining Hebrew verse numbers are one number higher than the corresponding English verse numbers.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – April 29Deuteronomy 10:12 – 11:32LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 29

Deuteronomy 10:12 – 11:32 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0429db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Deuteronomy 1012 So now, Israel, what is the Lord your God asking of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 to keep the commandments of the Lord and his statutes that I am commanding you today for your own good.

14 Indeed, the heavens and the heaven of heavens, [1] the earth and everything that is on it—these belong to the Lord your God. 15 Still, the Lord attached himself to your fathers, loved them, and he chose their descendants after them (that’s you!) from all peoples, as it is today.

16 So cut away the tough shell of your sinful nature, [2] and do not be stubborn any longer.

17 The Lord your God is God of Gods and Lord of Lords, the great God, the mighty one and the awesome one, who does not show favoritism and does not take a bribe. 18 He carries out justice for the fatherless and widows. He loves the alien who dwells among you and gives him food and clothing. 19 So you are to love the alien, because you were aliens in the land of Egypt.

20 Fear the Lord your God, serve him, cling to him, and take your oaths in his name.

21 He is your glory. He is your God, who performed for you these great and awesome things that your own eyes have seen.

22 When your fathers went down to Egypt, they numbered seventy people, but now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars of the sky.

Deuteronomy 111 Love the Lord your God and always carry out his requirements, his statutes, his ordinances, and his commandments.

2 Know this today! I am not addressing your children, who have not known and seen all these things:

the discipline of the Lord your God;
his greatness, his strong hand, and his outstretched arm;
3 his signs and his deeds that he performed in Egypt
against Pharaoh king of Egypt and against all his land;
4 what he did to the army of Egypt and its horses and chariots;
how he caused the water of the Red Sea to flow over their heads
when they pursued you;
how the Lord has destroyed them to this day;
5 what he did for you in the wilderness until you came to this place;
6 what he did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab son of Reuben;
how the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them
with their households, their tents,
and every living thing that was at their feet,
in the middle of all Israel.

7 Know today it is your own eyes that have seen every deed that the Lord your God performed.

8 Therefore, keep the whole set of commands that I am giving you today so that you may have the strength to enter and take possession of the land that you are about to cross into and possess, 9 and so that you may live for a long time on the land that the Lord your God swore to give to your fathers and to their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey.

10 The land that you are about to enter and possess is not like that land of Egypt that you left, where you were accustomed to sow your seed and water it by hand [3] like a vegetable garden. 11 But the land you are entering to possess is a land of mountains and valleys. It drinks water provided by rain from the heavens. 12 It is a land that the Lord your God takes care of. The eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it, from the start to the end of the year.

13 If you faithfully listen to my commandments that I am giving you today, to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14 then I will provide rain for your land in season, early fall rain and late spring rain, and you will gather your grain and your new wine and your fresh oil. 15 I will provide grass in your field for your livestock, and you will eat and be satisfied.

16 Be careful, or your heart will be deceived and you will turn away and serve other gods and bow down to them. 17 Then the anger of the Lord will burn against you, and he will close up the heavens. There will be no rain, the ground will not produce crops, and you will perish quickly from the good land that the Lord is giving you.

18 Put these words of mine in your hearts and in your soul, and tie them on your wrists as signs and as symbols on your forehead. 19 Teach them to your children by talking about them when you sit in your house and when you travel on the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 20 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, 21 so that your days and the days of your children may be many on the land that the Lord promised to your fathers with an oath, as many as the days that the heavens remain over the earth.

22 If you carefully keep the whole set of commandments that I am giving you, loving the Lord your God, walking in all his ways, and clinging to him, 23 then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you will take possession of nations larger and stronger than you.

24 Every place where the sole of your foot walks will be yours. From the Wilderness to Lebanon, from the River—the River Euphrates—to the Mediterranean Sea, [4] all of it will be your territory.

25 No one will be able to stand up to you. The Lord your God will put the fear and dread of you over the whole land on which you walk, just as he promised you.

26 You see, I am placing before you today a blessing and a curse: 27 the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God that I am giving you today, 28 or the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the Lord your God and you turn away from the path that I am commanding you today by walking after other gods whom you did not know.

29 When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are about to enter and possess, you are to pronounce the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal. 30 As you know, they are on the other side of the Jordan, beyond the west road, [5] toward the setting sun, in the land of the Canaanites that live in the Arabah, opposite Gilgal, by the oaks of Moreh.

31 You are about to cross over the Jordan to go in and take the land that the Lord your God is giving you. You will take it and live in it. 32 But be careful to carry out all the statutes and the ordinances that I am giving you today.

Footnotes1. Deuteronomy 10:14 The heavens are where the birds and stars are. The heaven of heavens is where God dwells. 2. Deuteronomy 10:16 Literally circumcise the foreskin of your hearts 3. Deuteronomy 11:10 Literally by foot, referring to using one’s foot to dig a furrow through which the water could run 4. Deuteronomy 11:24 Hebrew the Western Sea 5. Deuteronomy 11:30 The meaning of this phrase is uncertain.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – April 28Deuteronomy 9:1 – 10:11LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 28

Deuteronomy 9:1 – 10:11 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0428db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Deuteronomy 91 Listen, Israel, today you are about to cross the Jordan to go in and to take possession of nations larger and stronger than you, nations with large cities that have fortified walls reaching up to the skies, 2 with people strong and tall, the Anakites, whom you know and about whom you have heard it said: “Who can stand up against the descendants of Anak?”

3 So know today that the Lord your God himself is crossing over in front of you. Like a consuming fire he will destroy them, and he will subdue them before you. You will take possession of their land and destroy them quickly, just as the Lord promised you.

4 When the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say in your heart, “Because of my righteousness the Lord brought me in to take possession of this land,” when actually it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is handing over their land to you.

5 You are not entering to take possession of their land because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart, but because of the wickedness of these nations. The Lord your God is handing over their land to you, in order to confirm the promise that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

6 Know, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, because a stiff-necked people [1] is what you are. 7 Remember and do not forget how you made the Lord your God angry in the wilderness. From the day that you went out of the land of Egypt until your arrival at this place, you have been rebels against the Lord. 8 Even at Horeb you made the Lord angry. Yes, the Lord was angry enough at you to destroy you.

9 When I went up the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant that the Lord made with you, I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. I did not eat bread and I did not drink water. 10 Then the Lord gave me the two tablets of stone written with the finger of God, and on them were all the words that the Lord had spoken with you from the middle of the fire on the mountain, on the day of the assembly. 11 At the end of the forty days and forty nights, the Lord gave me the two tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant.

12 Then the Lord said to me, “Get moving and go down quickly from here because your people, whom you led out of Egypt, have acted corruptly. They have turned away quickly from the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a thing of molten metal.”

13 The Lord also said to me, “I have seen these people, and what a stiff-necked people they are! 14 Leave me alone, and I will destroy them. I will blot out their name from under the heavens, and I will make you into a nation stronger and more numerous than they.”

15 So I turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in my two hands, while the mountain was burning with fire.

16 I saw how you were sinning against the Lord your God by making for yourselves a calf from molten metal and by quickly turning aside from the way that the Lord your God had commanded you to go.

17 I grabbed the two tablets and I threw them from my two hands [2] and I shattered them right before your eyes.

18 Then I lay facedown before the Lord forty days and forty nights like the first time. I did not eat bread and I did not drink water, because of all the sin that you committed by doing evil in the eyes of the Lord and making him angry.

19 I was afraid of the heated anger of the Lord, who was angry enough at you to destroy you, but the Lord listened to me again at that time.

20 The Lord was even angry enough with Aaron to destroy him. So I prayed also for Aaron at that time.

21 Then I took that wicked thing that you had made, the calf. I burned it with fire and crushed it by grinding it until it was as fine as dust. Then I threw its dust into the gully that goes down from the mountain.

22 Again and again, at Taberah and at Massah and at Kibroth Hatta’avah, you made the Lord angry.

23 Then, when the Lord sent you from Kadesh Barnea, and he said, “Go up and take possession of the land that I have given to you,” you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God. You did not put your faith in him, and you did not obey him. 24 You have been rebels against the Lord ever since I have known you.

25 So I lay facedown before the Lord for forty days and forty nights. I lay facedown because the Lord said he would destroy you. 26 So I prayed to the Lord and said, “Lord God, do not destroy your people, your inheritance that you have redeemed by your greatness, whom you brought out of Egypt with a strong hand.

27 “Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Do not look at the stubbornness of these people and at their wickedness and their sin. 28 Otherwise the land out of which you brought us will say, ‘This happened because the Lord did not have the power to bring them to the land that he had promised to them, or this happened because he hated them and brought them out to kill them in the wilderness.’

29 “But they are your people and your possession, whom you brought out by your great power and by your outstretched arm.”

Deuteronomy 101 At that time the Lord said to me, “Cut out two tablets of stone like the first ones, and come up to me on the mountain, and make an ark [3] out of wood. 2 Then I will write on the tablets the same words that were on the first ones that you shattered, and you are to put them in the ark.”

3 So I made an ark of acacia wood and I cut out two tablets of stone like the first ones, and I went up the mountain with the two tablets in my hands. 4 He wrote on the tablets the same writing as on the first tablets, the Ten Commandments [4] that the Lord had spoken to you on the mountain from the middle of the fire, on the day of the assembly. Then the Lord gave them to me. 5 I turned and came back down the mountain, and I put the tablets in the ark that I had made. There they are kept, as the Lord commanded me to do.

6 The people of Israel traveled from Be’eroth Bene Ja’akan to Moserah. Aaron died there, and he was buried there, and Eleazar his son served as priest in his place. 7 From there they traveled to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land of gullies filled with water.

8 At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord and to serve him, and to pronounce a blessing in his name, as they do to this day. 9 That is why Levi did not have an allotment of land and an inheritance with his brothers. The Lord himself is their inheritance, as the Lord your God promised him.

10 I had stayed on the mountain for forty days and forty nights like the first time, and the Lord listened to me again on this second occasion. The Lord agreed not to destroy you. 11 So the Lord said to me, “Set out and continue the journey at the head of the people, and they will enter and take possession of the land that I promised to give them with an oath to their fathers.”

Footnotes1. Deuteronomy 9:6 Like a stubborn animal that refuses to be led 2. Deuteronomy 9:17 It is not apparent why the account emphasizes that it was two hands. 3. Deuteronomy 10:1 An ark is a box. This is not the same Hebrew word as Noah’s ark. 4. Deuteronomy 10:4 Literally the Ten Words

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – April 27Deuteronomy 8LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 27

Deuteronomy 8 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0427db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

1 Be conscientious about carrying out the entire body of commands that I am giving you today so that you may thrive and increase and you may go in and possess the land that the Lord promised by oath to give to your fathers. 2 Remember the whole journey on which the Lord your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, in order to humble you and to test you, in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commandments. 3 So he humbled you and allowed you to be hungry. Then he fed you manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known before, in order to teach you that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 4 The clothes you wore did not wear out, and your feet did not swell these forty years. 5 So know in your heart that just as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you. 6 Therefore you are to keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by revering him.

7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of gullies filled with water, a land with springs and groundwater that flows out into the valleys and down the mountains, 8 a land with wheat and barley and vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees for oil, and honey, [1] 9 a land where you can eat bread and not be poor, where you will not lack anything, a land whose rocks are iron and from whose mountains you can mine copper.

10 Then you will eat, and you will be filled, and you will praise the Lord your God for the good land that he has given you. 11 Be very careful so that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and ordinances and his statutes that I am commanding you today. 12 When you eat and are satisfied, and you build nice houses and move into them, 13 and your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold increase, and everything that you have prospers, 14 watch out so that your heart does not become arrogant and forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, where you were slaves. 15 Do not forget the Lord, who led you in the great and terrifying wilderness, where there were venomous snakes and scorpions, where the thirsty ground had no water, but the Lord made water come out of a flint rock for you. 16 Do not forget the Lord, who in the wilderness fed you manna, which your fathers had not known before, to humble you and to test you so that it would be good for you later on.

17 You might say in your heart, “My ability and the power of my hand have earned this wealth for me.” 18 But then you are to remember that the Lord your God is the one who gives you the ability to produce wealth, to confirm his covenant that he promised to your fathers with an oath, as he does to this day.

19 But if you ever do forget the Lord your God and you follow other gods, and if you serve them and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will certainly perish. 20 Just like the nations that the Lord is about to destroy in front of you, you also will perish, because you would not listen to the voice of the Lord your God.

Footnotes1. Deuteronomy 8:8 Dvash includes bee honey and sweet fruit syrup.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – April 26Deuteronomy 7LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 26

Deuteronomy 7 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0426db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

1 When the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take as a possession, and when he clears away many nations before you (the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and stronger than you), 2 and when the Lord your God has given them over to you and he has struck them down, you are to devote them to destruction. Do not make a treaty with them, and do not show mercy to them. 3 Do not form marriage alliances with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons, and do not take their daughters for your sons, 4 because they will turn your sons away from following me, and they will serve other gods. The anger of the Lord will burn against you, and then he will destroy you quickly. 5 Instead, this is the way you must deal with them: Break down their altars. Smash their sacred memorial stones. Cut down their Asherah poles. [1]Burn their idols with fire.

6 For you are a people that is holy to the Lord your God, because the Lord your God has chosen you to belong to him as a people that is his treasured possession, chosen from all the peoples that are on the face of the earth. 7 The Lord became attached to you by love and has chosen you, not because you were more numerous than all the peoples. Actually you were the fewest of all the peoples. 8 But because of the Lord’s love for you and because he was keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that is why the Lord brought you out by a strong hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

9 He did this so that you would know that the Lord your God, yes, he is God, the faithful God who maintains both his covenant and his mercy for those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations. 10 But he also repays the ones who hate him to their face by destroying them. He will not delay repaying anyone who hates him. To his face he will fully repay him. 11 So you are to be careful to keep the set of commandments and the statutes and the ordinances that I am commanding you today.

12 When you obey these ordinances and are careful to keep them, the Lord your God will keep for your benefit the covenant and the mercy that he promised to your fathers with an oath. 13 He will love you and bless you and multiply you. He will bless the fruit from your womb and the fruit from your soil, your grain and your new wine and your fresh olive oil, the offspring of your cattle and the young of your flock upon the land that he swore to your fathers that he would give you. 14 You will be blessed beyond all the peoples. There will not be an infertile male or infertile female among you or among your livestock. 15 The Lord will remove from you all sickness, and he will not place on you all of the diseases of Egypt, the calamities that you experienced. Instead he will put them on all those who hate you. 16 You will consume all the peoples that the Lord your God is giving to you. Your eye is not to look with compassion on them. You are not to serve their gods, because that would be a snare to you.

17 If you say in your heart, “These nations are more numerous than we are. How are we able to take possession of their land?” 18 do not be afraid of them. Be sure to remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all the Egyptians. 19 The great test which your eyes saw and the signs and the wonders and the strong hand and the outstretched arm by which the Lord your God brought you out—that is what the Lord your God will do to all the peoples that you fear.

20 The Lord your God will also send the hornet against them until those who are left and are hiding from you have been destroyed. 21 Do not be overwhelmed before them, because the Lord your God is right among you, a great and awe-inspiring God.

22 The Lord your God, the God before you, will clear away the nations little by little. You will not succeed in finishing them off too quickly, so that the wild animals do not become too numerous for you. 23 But the Lord your God will give them over to you, and he will throw these peoples into complete confusion until they are destroyed. 24 He will give their kings into your hands, and he will cause their names to die out under the heavens, because none of them will be able to hold their ground against you until you have destroyed them. 25 Burn the images of their gods with fire, and do not covet the silver and gold on them or take it for yourself, so that you are not snared by it, because it is an abomination to the Lord your God. 26 Do not bring a detestable thing to your house and in that way become devoted to destruction just like it. Detest it and regard it as an utterly disgusting thing, because it is devoted to destruction.

Footnotes1. Deuteronomy 7:5 Asherah poles were representations of the goddess Asherah. They may have been living trees or poles carved from tree trunks.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – April 25Deuteronomy 6LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 25

Deuteronomy 6 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0425db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

1 Moses spoke as follows: [1]

Now this is the body of commands, and these are the statutes and the ordinances that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, so you may carry them out in the land to which you are crossing over to receive as a possession, 2 so that you may fear the Lord your God by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I am commanding to you, as well as to your children and grandchildren, all the days of your life, and so that your days may be long.

3 Listen, O Israel, and be conscientious about doing those things, so it may go well for you and so you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, promised you. 4 Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God. The Lord is one! 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul [2] and with all your might. 6 These words that I am commanding you today are to be on your heart. 7 Teach them diligently to your children, and speak about them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as a sign on your wrists, and they will serve as symbols on your forehead. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.

10 When the Lord your God brings you to the land about which he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that he would give it to you, he will bring you to great and good cities that you did not build, 11 to houses full of all kinds of good things that you did not fill, to wells that you did not dig, and to vineyards and olives that you did not plant. Then, when you eat and are full, 12 watch yourself, so that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, where you were slaves. 13 Fear the Lord your God, serve him, and swear by his name. 14 Do not go after other gods from among the gods of the peoples around you. 15 If you do, the Lord your God will be a jealous God in your midst, and the anger of the Lord your God will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the earth.

16 Do not put the Lord your God to the test the way you tested him at Massah. 17 Be very conscientious about keeping the commandments of the Lord your God and his testimonies and his statutes, which he commanded you. 18 Do what is right and good in the eyes of the Lord, so that it may go well for you and you may go and take possession of the good land that the Lord promised to your fathers with an oath, 19 driving out all your enemies from your presence, as the Lord promised.

20 When your son asks you in the future, “What are these testimonies and statutes and ordinances that the Lord our God has commanded for you?” 21 then you are to say to your son, “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand. 22 Right before our eyes the Lord gave great, devastating signs and wonders in Egypt against Pharaoh and against his whole household. 23 Then he brought us out of there to bring us in and give us the land that he promised to our fathers with an oath.”

24 Then the Lord commanded us to carry out all of these statutes, to fear the Lord our God for our own lasting good, to keep us alive, even as we are today. 25 Righteousness will be ours when we are conscientious about carrying out this entire set of commands in the presence of the Lord our God as he commanded us.

Footnotes1. Deuteronomy 6:1 These words are added to indicate the resumption of the law code after the chapter break. 2. Deuteronomy 6:5 Or with your whole being

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – April 24Deuteronomy 4:41 – 5:33LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 24

Deuteronomy 4:41 – 5:33 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0424db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Deuteronomy 4Cities of Refuge41 Then Moses set aside three cities in the region east of the Jordan, the place where the sun rises, 42 so that someone who killed a man could flee to them, that is, someone who killed his neighbor unintentionally and who did not previously hate him—he could flee to one of these cities and remain alive: 43 Bezer in the wilderness in the tableland belonging to the Reubenites, Ramoth in Gilead belonging to the Gadites, and Golan in Bashan belonging to the Manassites.

A Review of the Law44 This is the Law that Moses set before the people of Israel. 45 These are the testimonies and statutes and ordinances that Moses spoke to the people of Israel when they went out of Egypt, 46 in the region east of the Jordan opposite Beth Peor in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel struck down when they came out of Egypt. 47 So they took possession of his land as well as the land of Og king of Bashan, the two kings of the Amorites who were in the region east of the Jordan, where the sun rises. 48 They took possession from Aroer, which is on the edge of the Arnon Canyon, all the way to Mount Siyon, that is, Mount Hermon, 49 including all of the Arabah on the east side of the Jordan, up to the Sea of the Arabah [1] below the slopes of Pisgah.

Deuteronomy 51 Moses called together all Israel and said this to them: Listen, Israel, to the statutes and ordinances that I am speaking in your hearing today so that you learn them and are conscientious about carrying them out. 2 The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. 3 The Lord did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, with those who are here today, all of us who are living today. 4 Face-to-face the Lord spoke with you at the mountain from the middle of the fire. 5 At that time I was standing between the Lord and you to relate to you the word of the Lord, because you were afraid of the fire and you did not go up on the mountain.

Then the Lord said:

6 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt, where you were slaves. [2]

7 You shall have no other gods beside me. [3] 8 You shall not make any carved image for yourself or a likeness of anything in heaven above, on the earth below, or in the waters under the earth. 9 Do not bow down to them or be subservient to [4] them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God. [5] I follow up on [6] the guilt of the fathers with their children, their grandchildren, and their great-grandchildren if they also hate me. 10 But I show mercy to thousands who love me and keep my commandments.

11 You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not permit anyone who misuses his name to escape unpunished.

12 Observe the Sabbath day by setting it apart as holy, just as the Lord your God commanded you. 13 Six days you are to serve and perform all of your regular work, 14 but the seventh day is a sabbath rest to the Lord your God. You are not to do any regular work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock or the alien who resides inside your gates, in order that your male servant and your female servant may rest like you. 15 Remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out from there with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the day of rest.

16 Honor your father and your mother, just as the Lord your God commanded you, so that you may prolong your days and so that it may go well for you on the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

17 You shall not commit murder.

18 You shall not commit adultery.

19 You shall not steal.

20 You shall not give lying testimony against your neighbor.

21 You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. And you shall not desire your neighbor’s house or his field, his male servant or his female servant, his ox or his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

22 These are the words the Lord spoke to your whole assembly at the mountain from the middle of the fire, the thick cloud, and the gloom, with a loud voice, and he did not add anything. He wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me. 23 When you heard the voice from the middle of the darkness while the mountain was burning with fire, you approached me—all the heads of your tribes and your elders.

24 Then you said, “See how the Lord our God has shown us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice from the middle of the fire. Today we have seen that a man can live even though God has spoken to him. 25 But now, why should we die, because this great fire will consume us? If we continue to hear the voice of the Lord our God any longer, we will die. 26 For who of all flesh has ever heard the voice of the living God speaking from the middle of fire as we have and has lived? 27 You go near and listen to everything that the Lord our God says, and then you speak to us everything that the Lord our God speaks to you, and we will hear and do it.”

28 The Lord heard what you said when you spoke to me. So the Lord said to me, “I heard what these people said when they spoke to you. Everything that they spoke to you is good. 29 If only this would be in their hearts—to fear me and to keep all my commandments always, so that it might go well for them and for their children continually. 30 Go and say to them, ‘Go back to your tents.’ 31 As for you, stand here with me and I will speak to you all the commands and the statutes and the ordinances that you are to teach them and that they are to do in the land that I am giving them as a possession. 32 Tell them: [7] ‘Be conscientious about doing just as the Lord your God commanded you. Do not turn aside to the right or to the left. 33 Walk in every way the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and it may be good for you and you may live long in the land that you will possess.’”

Footnotes1. Deuteronomy 4:49 The Dead Sea 2. Deuteronomy 5:6 Literally the house of slaves 3. Deuteronomy 5:7 Literally against my face. Or besides me or before me or in my presence or because of my presence. 4. Deuteronomy 5:9 The Hebrew verb for to serve is written as a passive form to give it a derogatory tone. 5. Deuteronomy 5:9 That is, a God who demands exclusive loyalty 6. Deuteronomy 5:9 Or demand an accounting for. The Hebrew verb pachad has traditionally been translated visit, but in modern English visit has a social connotation. The term, however, refers to an official visit to bring punishment or reward to someone. 7. Deuteronomy 5:32 The words tell them are added to mark the change of addressee.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – April 23Deuteronomy 4:1-40LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 23

Deuteronomy 4:1-40 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0423db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Deuteronomy 4Review of the Covenant for a New Generation1 So now, Israel, listen to the statutes and the ordinances that I am teaching you, and carry them out so that you may live and so that you may enter the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving to you and take possession of it. 2 Do not add to the word that I am commanding you, and do not subtract from it, so that you keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you. 3 With your own eyes you have been observing what the Lord did at Baal Peor. Indeed, the Lord your God destroyed from among you every man who followed the Baal of Peor.

4 But all of you, who are clinging to the Lord your God, are still alive today. 5 Note well now, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may carry them out also in the land that you are entering to take as a possession. 6 Keep them and put them into practice, because in this way your wisdom and your understanding will be recognized by all the people who hear about all these statutes; and they will say, “This great nation is certainly a wise and understanding people,” 7 because what other great nation is there that has a god as close to it as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call on him? 8 What other great nation is there that has statutes and ordinances as righteous as this entire law that I am presenting to you today?

9 But guard yourselves and guard your whole being [1] diligently, so that you do not forget the things that your eyes have seen and so that those things do not disappear from your heart all the rest of the days of your life. Make them known to your children and to your children’s children. 10 Tell about the day that you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb when the Lord said to me, “Bring the people near to me and I will make sure that they hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they are living in the land, and so that they may teach their children.” 11 So you drew near and you stood under the mountain while the mountain was burning with fire up to the very heavens. There was darkness, a thick cloud, and gloom. 12 Then the Lord your God spoke to you from the middle of the fire. You heard the sound of the words, but you did not see a form. You only heard the sound. 13 He declared to you his covenant that he commanded you to carry out, namely, the Ten Commandments. [2] Then he wrote them on two tablets of stone. 14 At that time the Lord commanded me to teach you the statutes and ordinances for you to carry out in the land that you are entering in order to occupy it.

15 So guard your hearts very carefully, because you did not see any form on the day that the Lord your God spoke to you at Horeb from the middle of the fire. 16 Do this so that you do not act corruptly and make for yourselves an idol of any form. Do not make an image of a male or female, 17 an image of any animal that walks on the earth, an image of any bird that flies in the sky, 18 an image of anything that creeps on the ground, or an image of any fish that swims in the water below the earth. 19 Beware so that you do not lift up your eyes to the heavens and see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the vast army of the heavens, and you are lured away, and you bow down to them and worship them—things that the Lord your God has allotted to all the nations under all the heavens.

20 But you are the ones that the Lord has chosen and has brought out of the iron furnace of Egypt, to be a nation that is his possession, as is the case today. 21 But the Lord was angry with me because of your words, and he swore that I would not cross the Jordan and would not come into the good land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance. 22 I will die in this land without crossing over the Jordan, but you will cross over and take possession of this good land. 23 Be on guard so that you do not forget the covenant that the Lord your God made [3] with you and so that you do not make an idol for yourselves in the form of anything that the Lord your God prohibited. 24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. [4]

25 But when you become the father of children, and you have grandchildren, and you have grown old in the land, if you then act corruptly by making an idol of any form, and you do evil in the eyes of the Lord your God, provoking him to anger, 26 I today call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you, that you will most certainly perish quickly from the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess. You will not live many days in it, because you will most certainly be destroyed. 27 The Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left as a people that are few in number among the nations where the Lord your God will force you to go. 28 There you will worship gods, the work of human hands, made of wood and stone—things that do not see or hear or eat or smell.

29 But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find him when you search for him with all your heart and with all your soul. 30 When you experience misery and all these things have happened to you in future days, then you will return to the Lord your God, and you will be obedient to his voice. 31 For the Lord your God is a compassionate God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant that he promised to your fathers with an oath.

32 So ask now about the former days, long before your time, beginning from the day when God created man on the earth. Search from one end of the heavens to the other. Has there ever been anything like this great event, or has anything like it ever been heard? 33 Has a people ever heard the voice of God speaking from the middle of fire as you heard and yet continued to live? 34 Or has a god ever tried to go and take for himself a nation from inside another nation by tests, signs, and warnings, or by war, by a strong hand and an outstretched arm, and by great awe-inspiring acts like all those that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt in front of your very eyes? 35 You yourselves were shown this so that you could know that the Lord—he is God! There is none except him alone. 36 He let you hear his voice from the heavens to discipline you, and on earth he let you see his great fire, and you heard his words from the middle of the fire. 37 Yes, because he loved your fathers and chose their descendants after them, he brought you out of Egypt by the great power of his Presence, 38 driving out from your presence nations greater and stronger than you are, to bring you in, to give you their land as an inheritance, as it is this day. 39 Therefore know this today and again take it to heart that the Lord is God in the heavens above and on the earth below. There is no other. 40 Keep his statutes and his commandments that I am commanding you today, so that it may go well for you and for your children after you, and so that you may live long on the land [5] that the Lord your God is giving you for all time. [6]

Footnotes1. Deuteronomy 4:9 Or your soul or yourself 2. Deuteronomy 4:13 Literally the Ten Words 3. Deuteronomy 4:23 Literally cut. See Genesis 15 for a covenant made by cutting up sacrifices. 4. Deuteronomy 4:24 God’s jealousy is his demand for exclusive loyalty. 5. Deuteronomy 4:40 Or on the soil 6. Deuteronomy 4:40 Literally for all the days

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – April 22Deuteronomy 3LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 22

Deuteronomy 3 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0422db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

1 Then we turned and went up on the road to Bashan, and Og the king of Bashan came out to confront us. He and all his people came for war at Edrei. 2 But the Lord said to me, “Do not be afraid of him, because I have given him into your hands, as well as all of his people and his land. Do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.” 3 So the Lord our God gave into our hands also Og king of Bashan and all his people. We struck them down until they had no survivor remaining.

4 So we took all of his cities at that time. There was not a city that we did not take from them—sixty cities, the whole area of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan. 5 All of these were fortified cities with high walls, gates, and bars, besides very many small unwalled towns. [1] 6 We devoted them to destruction, just as we had done to Sihon king of Heshbon. There was a total destruction of every city, of men, women, and children, 7 but all of the cattle and the plunder of the cities we took as spoils for ourselves.

8 So at that time we took the land out of the hands of the two kings of the Amorites who were east of the Jordan, from the Arnon Canyon to Mount Hermon. 9 (The Sidonians call Hermon Sirion, but the Amorites call it Senir.) 10 We took all the cities of the tableland and all of Gilead and all of Bashan, up to Salecah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan. 11 (Only Og king of Bashan had remained from what was left of the Rephaim. His bed, [2] a bed of iron, is it not in Rabbah of the people of Ammon? Its length is thirteen feet, and its width is six feet, [3] according to the standard measure.)

12 So we took possession of this land at that time. I gave to Reuben and to Gad the land starting at Aroer, which is at the Arnon Canyon, and half of the hill country [4] of Gilead, as well as its cities. 13 I gave to the half tribe of Manasseh the remainder of Gilead and all of Bashan, the kingdom of Og, all the territory of Argob (all that part of Bashan is called the land of the Rephaim). 14 Jair, the descendant of Manasseh, took all the territory of Argob up to the border of the Geshurites and the Ma’acathites, and he named the villages of Bashan after himself, Havvoth Jair, [5] as they are called to this day. 15 I gave Gilead to Makir. 16 To the Reubenites and to the Gadites I gave the land of Gilead from the Arnon Canyon (that is, from the middle of the canyon), which served as one of their borders, up to the Jabbok Canyon, which served as their border with the people of Ammon. 17 Also the Arabah and the Jordan served as their border from the Sea of Kinneret [6] to the Sea of the Arabah, that is, the Salt Sea, [7] under the slopes of Pisgah on the east.

18 I gave you a command at that time: “The Lord your God gave you this land as a possession. All of your soldiers, armed for battle, are to cross over before your brother Israelites. 19 Only your wives and your children and your livestock (I know that you have a lot of livestock) may stay in your cities that I have given you, 20 until the Lord gives rest to your brothers as he has to you, and they also have taken possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving them on the other side of the Jordan. After that you may return, each man to his possession that I have given you.”

21 I also gave a command to Joshua at that time: “With your own eyes you have been observing everything that the Lord your God has done to these two kings. The Lord will do the same to all the kingdoms to which you are crossing. 22 Do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God himself is fighting for you.”

23 I also begged the favor of the Lord at that time: 24 “My Lord God, you have begun to show your servant your greatness and your strong hand. Indeed, what god in heaven or on earth is there that has done anything like your works and your mighty deeds? 25 Let me cross over, please, and let me see the good land on the other side of the Jordan—this good hill country and the mountains of Lebanon.”

26 But the Lord was furious with me because of you, and he did not listen to me but said to me, “Enough from you! Do not continue to speak to me anymore about this matter. 27 Go up to the top of Pisgah and lift up your eyes toward the west and the north and the south and the east. Take a good look, because you will not be crossing over this Jordan. 28 But commission Joshua for duty and strengthen him and encourage him, because he will cross over in front of these people, and he will enable them to take possession of the land that you will only see.” 29 So we stayed in the valley opposite Beth Peor.

Footnotes1. Deuteronomy 3:5 The Hebrew word ‘ir, usually translated city, includes settlements smaller than what is usually denoted by the word cities. Here the Hebrew text specifies that the second category, translated small towns, are “country cities.” 2. Deuteronomy 3:11 Or sarcophagus 3. Deuteronomy 3:11 Nine cubits by four cubits 4. Deuteronomy 3:12 The Hebrew is literally the mountain. The translation retains the traditional rendering hill country for the highland regions of Israel. 5. Deuteronomy 3:14 Havvoth Jair means Villages of Jair. 6. Deuteronomy 3:17 The Sea of Galilee 7. Deuteronomy 3:17 The Dead Sea

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – April 21Deuteronomy 2LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 21

Deuteronomy 2 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0421db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

1 Then we turned and traveled toward the wilderness on the road to the Red Sea, as the Lord had told me, and we traveled for many days to get around the area of Mount Seir. [1]

The Journey Past Edom2 Then the Lord said to me, 3 “You have been traveling around this mountainous region long enough. Turn north 4 and command the people, ‘You are about to pass through the territory of your brothers, the people of Esau, who are living in Seir, and they will be afraid of you. So be very careful. 5 Do not wage war against them because I am not going to give you any of their land, not even an area the size of a footprint, because I have given the Mount Seir region to Esau as a possession. 6 You may buy food from them with money so you can eat, and you may purchase water from them with money so you can drink. 7 For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He knows your trek through this vast wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you. You have not lacked anything.’” 8 So we passed by the territory of our brothers, the people of Esau, who were living in Seir. After leaving the Arabah Road, Elat, and Ezion Geber behind us, we turned and we traveled along the road of the Wilderness of Moab.

The Journey Past Moab9 Then the Lord said to me, “Do not be hostile toward Moab and do not wage war against them in battle, because I am not going to give you any of their land as a possession, since I have given Ar to the people of Lot as a possession.”

10 (The Emites formerly lived in it, a strong, numerous people and tall like the Anakites. 11 They, like the Anakites, are also considered to be Rephaim, [2] but the Moabites call them Emites. 12 The Horites also lived in Seir formerly, but the people of Esau took possession of their land and destroyed them from their midst. They settled there in their place, just as Israel did in the land that the Lord gave to them as their possession.)

13 Then the Lord told us: [3] “Now get ready and cross the Zered Canyon.” So we crossed over the Zered Canyon. 14 The time that we traveled from Kadesh Barnea until we crossed over the Zered Canyon was thirty-eight years, until that whole generation of fighting men were eliminated from the camp, just as the Lord had sworn to them. 15 Yes indeed, the hand of the Lord was against them to destroy them from the camp until they were eliminated.

The Journey Past Ammon16 Just as soon as all those fighting men were eliminated from the people by their death, 17 the Lord spoke to me: 18 “Today you are going to cross the border of Moab at Ar. 19 When you come near the people of Ammon, do not be hostile toward them and do not wage war against them, because I am not going to give any of the land of the people of Ammon to you as a possession, since I have given it to the people of Lot as a possession.”

20 (It also is considered to be the land of the Rephaim. The Rephaim lived in it formerly, but the Ammonites call them Zamzumites. 21 They are a strong and numerous people and as tall as the Anakites. But the Lord destroyed the Rephaim from among the Ammonites. The Ammonites took possession of their land and lived there in their place. 22 The Lord had done the same things for the people of Esau, who live in Seir, when he destroyed the Horites before them, and they took possession of their land and settled there in their place and remain there to this day. 23 Now the Caphtorites, who came out of Caphtor, [4] destroyed the Avvites who were living in villages as far as Gaza and settled in their place.)

Confrontation With the Amorites24 Then the Lord told us: [5] “Get ready to travel and cross over the Arnon Canyon. See, I have given into your hands Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Start to take possession of it and wage war against him. 25 This very day I will begin to put dread and fear of you on the faces of the people everywhere under heaven, so that they will hear reports about you and they will tremble, and they will be shaking because of you.”

26 So I sent messengers from the Wilderness of Kedmoth to Sihon king of Heshbon with an offer of peace. I said, 27 “Let us pass through your land. We will proceed only on the road. We will not turn aside to the right or to the left. 28 You can sell us food in exchange for money so we can eat, and you can give us water in exchange for money so we can drink. Only let us pass through on foot, 29 as did the people of Esau living in Seir and the Moabites living in Ar, until we can cross over the Jordan into the land that the Lord our God is giving us.”

30 But Sihon king of the Amorites was not willing to let us pass through on the road, because the Lord your God gave him a stubborn attitude by making his heart obstinate, in order to give him over into your hands, as is now the case today. 31 Then the Lord said to me, “Look now, I have begun to give you Sihon and his land. Start taking action to take possession of his land.”

32 Then Sihon and all of his people went out to meet us in battle at Jahaz. 33 The Lord our God gave him to us, and we struck him down, as well as his sons and all his people. 34 So we captured each of his cities at that time. We devoted each city to destruction, with the men, women, and children. We did not leave a survivor. 35 We took only the livestock as plunder for ourselves, as well as the spoils of war from the cities that we captured. 36 From Aroer, which is on the edge of the Arnon Canyon, from the city that is in the canyon, all the way up to Gilead, there was not a city that was out of reach for us. The Lord our God gave us everything. 37 But it was only the land of the people of Ammon that you did not approach: the land along both sides of the Jabbok Canyon, the cities of the hill country, and everything that the Lord our God had forbidden us to take.

Footnotes1. Deuteronomy 2:1 That is, Edom 2. Deuteronomy 2:11 The Rephaim were a race of giant people who were among the earliest inhabitants of the land. The translation retains the Hebrew form of the name Rephaim because of its occurrence in geographic terms like the Valley of Rephaim. 3. Deuteronomy 2:13 The words then the Lord told us are not in the Hebrew text but are added to the translation to mark the transition to a new subject. 4. Deuteronomy 2:23 Caphtor is a location in the Mediterranean Sea, perhaps Crete. 5. Deuteronomy 2:24 The words then the Lord told us are not in the Hebrew text but are added to mark the transition.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – April 20Deuteronomy 1LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 20

Deuteronomy 1 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0420db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

1 These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel in the area beyond the Jordan, in the wilderness, in the Arabah opposite Suph, between Paran on one side and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Di Zahab on the other.

2 (It is an eleven-day journey from Horeb to Kadesh Barnea by the Mount Seir road.)

3 In the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first of the month, Moses spoke to the people of Israel everything that the Lord had commanded him concerning them. 4 This was after he had defeated Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and he had defeated Og king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth, at Edrei. [1] 5 In the area east of the Jordan, in the land of Moab, Moses took on the task of explaining clearly this law [2] as follows. This is what he said:

6 The Lord our God spoke to us at Horeb. He said, “You have stayed at this mountain long enough. 7 Turn in the other direction, start traveling, and go to the hill country of the Amorites and to all the people living in the Arabah, [3] in the hill country, [4] in the Shephelah, [5] and in the Negev, [6] and in the coastland by the sea (the land of the Canaanites) and the Lebanon range, up to the Great River (the River Euphrates). 8 Look now, I have given you the land that is ahead of you. Go and take possession of the land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, promising to give it to them and to their descendants after them.”

9 So I said to you at that time, “I am not able to carry you by myself. 10 The Lord your God has increased your number, and here you are today, as numerous as the stars in the heavens. 11 May the Lord, the God of your fathers, add to you a thousand times as many as you are now, and may he bless you, just as he promised you. 12 But how can I manage by myself to carry the burden that you have become and the load that you are—especially your disputes? 13 Provide for yourselves, tribe by tribe, men who are wise and perceptive and with known ability, and I will appoint them as your leaders.”

14 Then you answered me, “What you propose to do is good.” 15 So I took the heads of your tribes, men who were wise and of known ability, and I appointed them as heads over you, commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds and commanders of fifties and commanders of tens, as well as officers for your tribes.

16 I gave these orders to your judges at that time: “Listen to disputes among your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother Israelite, as well as with the alien who resides with him. 17 Do not show partiality in judgment. Provide a hearing for the small and the great alike. Do not be motivated by fear of any person, because judgment belongs to God. Any case that is too difficult for you, bring it before me and I will hear it.” 18 So I gave you orders at that time about everything that you should do.

19 Then we journeyed from Horeb, and we walked through that whole vast and terrifying wilderness that you saw on the road to the hill country of the Amorites, as the Lord our God had commanded us to do. When we came to Kadesh Barnea, 20 I said to you, “You have come to the hill country of the Amorites, which the Lord our God is giving us. 21 Look now, the Lord your God has given you the land ahead of you. Go up, take possession of it, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has said to you. Do not be afraid and do not be overwhelmed.”

22 Then all of you approached me and said, “Let us send out some of our men so that they can scout the land for us and bring us a report about the route that we should take and the cities that we will reach.”

23 The plan seemed good to me, so I selected from you twelve men, one man from each tribe. 24 They set out and went up to the hill country and came to the area of the Valley of Eshcol and spied on it. 25 They took in their hands some of the fruit of the land and brought it back to us and brought us a report that said, “The land that the Lord our God is giving us is good.”

26 Still you were not willing to go up, and you rebelled against the order of the Lord your God. 27 You complained in your tents and said, “Because the Lord hates us, he brought us out of the land of Egypt to hand us over to the Amorites so they could destroy us. 28 Where are we going? Our brothers have made our hearts melt by saying, ‘People there are stronger and taller than we are! There are large cities with fortified walls up to the skies! Also, we have seen the descendants of Anak there!’”

29 So I said to you, “Do not be overwhelmed and do not be afraid of them. 30 The Lord your God, who is going ahead of you, will fight for you, exactly as he did for you in Egypt, right before your very eyes, 31 and just as he did in the wilderness, where you saw that the Lord your God carried you as a man carries his son, on the entire way that you walked until you came to this place.” 32 Yet even with this, you did not believe the Lord your God, 33 who went ahead of you on the journey to search out a place for you to camp. He showed you the way that you should travel, by fire during the night and by a cloud during the day.

34 When the Lord heard the tone of your words, he was angry, and he swore an oath: 35 “Not one of these people from this evil generation will see the good land that I swore to give to your fathers, 36 except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give the land on which he walked to him and his children, because he has fully followed the Lord.” 37 The Lord was angry with me too because of you. He said, “You also will not enter there. 38 Joshua son of Nun, who is standing before you, will enter there. Strengthen him, because he will lead Israel to possess it. 39 Your toddlers, who you said would become plunder of war, and your children, who today do not yet know good and evil, will enter there. I will give it to them and they will take possession of it. 40 But you, turn around and travel into the wilderness toward the Red Sea.” [7]

41 Then you answered me, “We have sinned against the Lord. We will go up and fight, just as the Lord our God commanded us to do.” So each man among you strapped on his weapons of war, and you thought it would be easy to go up to the hill country.

42 But the Lord instructed me: “Say to them, ‘Do not go up and fight, because I will not be among you to keep you from being struck down by your enemies.’” 43 So I spoke to you, but you did not listen. You rebelled against the command of the Lord and acted presumptuously by going up to the hill country anyway. 44 Then the Amorites living in the hill country went out to meet you. They pursued you like bees, and they struck you down in Seir all the way to Hormah. 45 Then you returned and you cried out before the Lord, but the Lord did not pay attention to the noise you made. He did not listen to you. 46 So you stayed in Kadesh many days—those well-known days that you stayed there.

Footnotes1. Deuteronomy 1:4 Or and in Edrei. The word and is present in the ancient versions and in Joshua 12:4. 2. Deuteronomy 1:5 The Hebrew word torah, traditionally translated law, includes other types of instruction besides laws. 3. Deuteronomy 1:7 The Arabah is the Great Rift of the Jordan Valley. 4. Deuteronomy 1:7 The Hebrew is literally the mountain. The translation retains the traditional rendering hill country for the highland regions of Israel. 5. Deuteronomy 1:7 Shephelah, which means “pressed down region,” is the name for the foothills west of the hill country of Judah. 6. Deuteronomy 1:7 The Negev is the arid region in the southern part of Judah. 7. Deuteronomy 1:40 Hebrew Sea of Reeds. In this case it refers to the Gulf of Aqaba.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – April 19Mark 9:30-50LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 19

Mark 9:30-50 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0419db.mp3
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Mark 9Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection Again30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know this, 31 because he was teaching his disciples. He told them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill him. But three days after he is killed, he will rise.”

32 But they did not understand the statement and were afraid to ask him about it.

Who Is the Greatest?33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” 34 But they remained silent, because on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35 Jesus sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he will be the last of all and the servant of all.” 36 Then he took a little child and placed him in their midst. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me. And whoever welcomes me, welcomes not just me but also him who sent me.”

Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name. We tried to stop him, because he was not following us.”

39 But Jesus said, “Do not try to stop him, because no one who does a miracle in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil about me. 40 Whoever is not against us is for us. 41 Amen I tell you: Whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you belong to Christ, will certainly not lose his reward.

Do Not Cause Little Believers to Fall Into Sin42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to fall into sin, [1] it would be better for him if he were thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around his neck. 43 If your hand causes you to fall into sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed, than to have two hands and go into hell, [2] into the unquenchable fire, 44 ‘where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ [3] 45 If your foot causes you to fall into sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, than to have two feet and be thrown into hell, [4] 46 ‘where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ 47 If your eye causes you to fall into sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, [5] 48 ‘where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ 49 For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good. But if the salt loses its flavor, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

Footnotes1. Mark 9:42 Or fall from faith (Greek skandalizo is also used in verses 43, 45, and 47) 2. Mark 9:43 Or Gehenna 3. Mark 9:44 Isaiah 66:24 is quoted in verses 44, 46, and 48. A few witnesses to the text omit verses 44 and 46. 4. Mark 9:45 Or Gehenna 5. Mark 9:47 Or Gehenna

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – April 18Mark 9:1-29LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 18

Mark 9:1-29 (EHV)
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Mark 91 He said to them, “Amen I tell you: There are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God come with power.”

The Transfiguration2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him and led them up a high mountain where they were alone by themselves. There he was transfigured in front of them. 3 His clothes became radiant, dazzling white, whiter than anyone on earth could bleach them. 4 And Elijah appeared to them together with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.

5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 He did not know what to say because they were terrified.

7 A cloud appeared and overshadowed them, and a voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him.”

8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus alone.

9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 They kept the matter to themselves, discussing with one another what this “rising from the dead” meant.

11 They asked him, “Why do the experts in the law say that Elijah must come first?”

12 He said to them, “Elijah does come first and restores all things. Why was it also written about the Son of Man that he must suffer many things and be rejected? 13 But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they wanted, just as it was written about him.”

Jesus Heals a Boy With a Demon14 When they returned to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them, and some experts in the law were arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people in the crowd saw Jesus, they were very excited and ran to greet him. 16 He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?”

17 One man from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who has a spirit that makes him unable to speak. 18 Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.”

19 “O unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied. “How long will I be with you? How long will I put up with you? Bring him to me.”

20 They brought the boy to Jesus. As soon as the spirit saw him, it threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell on the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has this been happening to him?”

“From childhood,” he said. 22 “It has often thrown him into the fire and into the water to kill him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

23 “If you can?” [1] Jesus said to him. “All things are possible for the one who believes.”

24 The child’s father immediately cried out and said with tears, [2] “I do believe. Help me with my unbelief!”

25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was quickly gathering, he rebuked the unclean spirit. “You mute and deaf spirit,” he said, “I command you to come out of him and never enter him again!”

26 The spirit screamed, shook the boy violently, and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many of them said, “He’s dead!” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him up, and he stood up.

28 When Jesus went into a house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why were we not able to drive it out?”

29 He said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out, except by prayer and fasting.” [3]

Footnotes1. Mark 9:23 Some witnesses to the text read If you are able to believe. 2. Mark 9:24 A few witnesses to the text omit with tears. 3. Mark 9:29 A few witnesses to the text omit and fasting.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – April 17Mark 8:27-38LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 17

Mark 8:27-38 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0417db.mp3
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Mark 8Jesus Is the Christ27 Jesus went away with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”

28 They told him, “John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others say one of the prophets.”

29 “But who do you say I am?” he asked them.

Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” [1]

30 Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection31 Jesus began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things; be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the experts in the law; be killed; and after three days rise again. 32 He was speaking plainly to them. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But after turning around and looking at his disciples, Jesus rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! You do not have your mind set on the things of God, but the things of men.”

Take Up the Cross34 He called the crowd and his disciples together and said to them, “If anyone wants to follow me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it. But whoever loses his life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36 After all, what good is it for a man to gain the whole world and yet forfeit his soul? 37 Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 In fact, whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Footnotes1. Mark 8:29 Christ is the Greek word for Anointed One. The Hebrew/Aramaic word is Messiah.

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – April 16Mark 8:1-26LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 16

Mark 8:1-26 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0416db.mp3
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Mark 8Jesus Feeds More Than Four Thousand1 In those days, when there was again a large crowd and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples and said to them, 2 “I feel compassion for the crowd because they have already stayed with me three days and do not have anything to eat. 3 If I send them home hungry, they will faint on the way. Some of them have come from a long distance.”

4 His disciples replied, “Where can anyone get enough bread to feed these people here in this deserted place?”

5 He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?”

“Seven,” they said.

6 He commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves, gave thanks, and broke them. He gave the pieces to his disciples to distribute to the crowd, and they did so. 7 They also had a few small fish. He blessed them and said that these should be distributed as well. 8 The people ate and were satisfied. They picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 9 About four thousand men were there. Then he sent them away. 10 Right after that, Jesus got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.

A Sign From Heaven11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. 12 He sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen I tell you: No such sign will be given to this generation.” 13 After he left them and got back into the boat, he crossed to the other side.

Watch Out for the Teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees14 They had forgotten to take bread along except for one loaf that they had with them in the boat. 15 “Watch out,” Jesus warned them. “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.”

16 They began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread.

17 Since Jesus knew this, he said to them, “Why are you discussing your lack of bread? Do you still not understand or comprehend? Do you have a hardened heart? 18 You have eyes—do you not see? You have ears—do you not hear? Do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you pick up?”

“Twelve,” they told him.

20 “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you pick up?”

“Seven,” they said.

21 He said to them, “Do you still not comprehend?”

Jesus Heals a Blind Man22 They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought him a blind man and begged him to touch him. 23 He took hold of the blind man’s hand and led him out of the village. When he had spit on his eyes, he placed his hands on him and asked him, “Do you see anything?”

24 The man looked up and said, “I see people. To me they look like trees walking.”

25 Then Jesus placed his hands on his eyes again. The man opened his eyes and his sight was restored. He could see everything clearly. 26 Jesus sent him home, saying, “Do not go into the village.”

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – April 15Mark 7:24-37LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 15

Mark 7:24-37 (EHV)
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Mark 7The Faith of a Gentile Woman24 Jesus got up and went from there to the region of Tyre and Sidon. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it, but he could not remain hidden. 25 Instead, when a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him, she immediately came and fell down at his feet. 26 This woman was a Greek, of Syro-Phoenician origin. She asked him to drive the demon out of her daughter.

27 Jesus said to her, “Let the children be fed first, because it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to their little dogs.”

28 “Lord,” she answered, “their little dogs under the table also eat some of the children’s crumbs.”

29 Then he said to her, “Because of this statement, go! The demon has gone out of your daughter.”

30 She went home, found the child lying on the bed and the demon gone.

31 Jesus left the region of Tyre again and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, within the region of the Decapolis.

“Ephphatha! Be Opened!”32 They brought a man to him who was deaf and had a speech impediment. They pleaded with Jesus to place his hand on him. 33 Jesus took him aside in private, away from the crowd. He put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. 34 After he looked up to heaven, he sighed and said, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”) 35 Immediately the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was set free, and he began to speak plainly. 36 Jesus gave the people strict orders to tell no one, but the more he did so, the more they kept proclaiming it. 37 They were amazed beyond measure and said, “He has done everything well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak!”

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Through My Bible Yr 01 – April 14Mark 7:1-23LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 14

Mark 7:1-23 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/01-0414db.mp3
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Mark 7Commandments and Traditions1 The Pharisees and some of the experts in the law came from Jerusalem and gathered around Jesus. 2 They saw some of his disciples eating bread with unclean (that is, unwashed) hands. 3 In fact, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they scrub their hands with a fist, [1] holding to the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. [2] And there are many other traditions they adhere to, such as the washing [3] of cups, pitchers, kettles, and dining couches. [4] 5 The Pharisees and the experts in the law asked Jesus, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders? Instead they eat bread with unclean hands.”

6 He answered them, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites. As it is written:

These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
7 They worship me in vain, teaching human rules as if they
were doctrines. [5]

8 “You abandon God’s commandment but hold to human tradition like the washing of pitchers and cups, and you do many other such things.” [6] 9 He continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside God’s commandment to keep [7] your own tradition. 10 For example, Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ [8] and ‘Whoever speaks evil of his father or mother must be put to death.’ [9] 11 But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or mother, “Whatever help you might have received from me is corban”’ [10] (which means an offering), 12 then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. 13 So you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. You do many things like that.”

14 He called the crowd to him again and said, “Everyone, listen to me and understand. 15 There is nothing outside of a man that can make him unclean by going into him. But the things that come out of a man are what make a man unclean. 16 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!” [11]

17 After he had left the crowd and entered a house, his disciples asked him about this illustration. 18 He said, “Are you lacking in understanding too? Do you not understand that whatever goes into a man from the outside cannot make him unclean? 19 For it does not enter his heart but goes into his stomach and goes out of him into the latrine—in this way all foods are purified.” [12]

20 He continued, “What comes out of a man, that is what makes a man unclean. 21 In fact, from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual sins, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, unrestrained immorality, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness. 23 All these evil things proceed from within and make a person unclean.”

Footnotes1. Mark 7:3 Or up to the wrist. This refers to a method of ceremonial washing. 2. Mark 7:4 Greek baptizo (translated baptize in other contexts) 3. Mark 7:4 Greek baptismos (translated baptism in other contexts) 4. Mark 7:4 A few witnesses to the text omit and dining couches. 5. Mark 7:7 Isaiah 29:13 6. Mark 7:8 A few witnesses to the text omit the last part of verse 8 (like the washing. . .). 7. Mark 7:9 Some witnesses to the text read establish. 8. Mark 7:10 Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16 9. Mark 7:10 Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9 10. Mark 7:11 Corban is a Hebrew word for an offering devoted to God. 11. Mark 7:16 A few witnesses to the text omit this verse. 12. Mark 7:19 Or latrine.” (In this way all foods are purified.) The punctuation in the text indicates Jesus spoke the last sentence of verse 19. The parentheses in this footnote would indicate that the last sentence was an inspired comment by Mark.

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Bible reading from Joshua 18 - 19 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Joshua 15:13 - 17:18 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Joshua 13:1 - 15:12 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Joshua 11 - 12 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Joshua 10 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Joshua 9 (EHV)

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – September 07Joshua 8LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 07

Joshua 8 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0907db.mp3
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The Capture of Ai1 The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid. Do not be overwhelmed. Take with you the whole military force [1] and get ready to go up to Ai. You see, I have given the king of Ai into your hand with his people, his city, and his land. 2 You shall do to Ai and its king just as you did to Jericho and its king, but its plunder and its livestock you may take as spoils of war for yourselves. Set an ambush for the city on the west side of it.”

3 So Joshua and the whole military force got ready to go up to Ai. Joshua chose thirty thousand men, strong warriors, and sent them out during the night. 4 He commanded them, “See to it that you set up an ambush against the city on its west side, not very far from the city. All of you are to be on alert. 5 Then I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. When the men of Ai come out to face us just as they did the first time, we will flee from them. 6 They will come out after us until we lure them away from the city, because they will say, ‘They are fleeing from us just as they did the first time!’ and we will flee from them. 7 Then you are to spring up from the ambush and seize the city, and the Lord your God will give it into your hand. 8 When you have taken the city, you are to set the city on fire. According to the word of the Lord you are to act in this way. Look, I have commanded you.”

9 So Joshua sent them out, and they went to the place for the ambush. They lay hidden on the west side of Ai, between Bethel and Ai. But Joshua spent that night among the people of the main force.

10 Joshua got up early in the morning, and he mustered the people. Then he went up—he and the elders of Israel—leading the main force of the people to Ai. 11 The whole military force that was with him went up and advanced. They arrived opposite the city, and they camped north of Ai. The valley was between Joshua and Ai. 12 He had taken about five thousand men and set them as an ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.

13 This is how they positioned the people: The whole army that had come from the camp was north of the city, but the detachment in the ambush was west of the city. That night Joshua went out into the middle of the valley.

14 When the king of Ai saw this, the men of the city got up quickly and went out to face Israel in battle—the king and all his people—at the chosen place [2] facing the Arabah. But he did not know that there was an ambush for him west of the city. 15 Then Joshua and all Israel pretended to be beaten before them and fled toward the wilderness. 16 All the people that were in the city were marshaled to pursue them. As they pursued Joshua, they were lured away from the city. 17 So not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel. They left the city open and pursued Israel.

18 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Point toward Ai with the javelin that is in your hand, because I will give Ai into your hand.” So Joshua reached out toward the city with the javelin that was in his hand. 19 The ambush force quickly sprang up from its place and came running as soon as he reached out his hand. Then they went into the city, took it, and quickly set it on fire.

20 The men of Ai turned to look behind them, and, to their surprise, the smoke of the city was rising to the sky! They were not strong enough to escape this way or that, because the people of Israel who had been fleeing toward the wilderness turned back against the pursuers. 21 When Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush force had taken the city and that smoke was rising from the city, they turned back and struck the men of Ai. 22 Then the other Israelites came out of the city against the men of Ai so that they were trapped in the middle of Israel, with some Israelites on this side of them and some on that. So Israel struck them down until there was no one left, no survivor, no escapee. 23 But they took the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.

24 When Israel had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai who were in the open country of the wilderness, into which the men of Ai had pursued them, and when all of the men of Ai had fallen by the edge [3] of the sword so that they were finished off, then all Israel turned back to Ai and struck it with the edge of the sword. 25 All those who fell that day, both men and women, were twelve thousand—all the people of Ai. 26 Joshua did not lower his hand that held the javelin until he had completely destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. 27 But the livestock and the plunder from that city the Israelites took as spoils of war for themselves, according to the word of the Lord that he had commanded Joshua.

28 Then Joshua burned Ai and reduced it to a mound of rubble, which lies in ruins to this day. 29 He hanged the king of Ai on a tree [4] until evening. When the sun was setting, Joshua gave the command, and they took down his corpse from the tree and threw it at the entrance to the gatehouse of the city. Then they erected a large heap of stones over him, which remains to this day.

The Altar at Mount Ebal30 Then Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, 31 just as Moses, the servant of the Lord, had commanded the people of Israel. According to the directions written in the Book of the Law of Moses, it was an altar of uncut stones, upon which no one had used an iron tool. They offered up burnt offerings to the Lord on it, and they also sacrificed fellowship offerings.

32 There on the stones Joshua wrote a copy of the Law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the people of Israel.

33 All Israel with its elders and officers and its judges were standing on both sides of the ark facing the priests from the tribe of Levi who held the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. Both the resident aliens and the native-born stood there, half in front of Mount Gerizim and half in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses, the servant of the Lord, had commanded previously, so that the people of Israel could be blessed.

34 After that, Joshua read aloud all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, exactly as all of it is written in the Book of the Law.

35 There was not one word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read aloud before the whole assembly of Israel, including the women, the children, and the aliens living among them.

Footnotes1. Joshua 8:1 Literally the people of war 2. Joshua 8:14 The battle site may have been chosen by either army or dictated by the terrain. 3. Joshua 8:24 Literally mouth 4. Joshua 8:29 Or wooden pole

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – September 06Joshua 7LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 06

Joshua 7 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0906db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Achan’s Sin1 The people of Israel acted unfaithfully in regard to the devoted things. Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things, and the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel.

2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven, east of Bethel. He said to them, “Go up and spy on [1] the land.” So the men went up and spied on Ai.

3 They returned to Joshua and told him, “All the people do not need to go up. Let about two or three thousand men go up, and they can defeat Ai. Do not trouble all the people with going up there, because there are only a few people in Ai.” 4 So about three thousand men from among the people went up there, but they fled from the men of Ai. 5 The men of Ai struck dead about thirty-six of them. They pursued them from the city gate as far as Shebarim, [2] and they struck them dead on the way down the descent. So the hearts of the people melted and turned to water.

6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell down with his face to the ground in front of the Ark of the Lord until evening—he and the elders of Israel. They also threw dust on their heads. 7 Joshua said, “Ah, my Lord God! Why did you bring this people across the Jordan to place us into the hand of the Amorites to exterminate us? If only we had been willing to settle in the area on the other side of the Jordan! 8 Please bear with me, my Lord! What can I say after Israel has turned its back before its enemies? 9 Now the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear, and they will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. Then what will you do for your great name?”

10 Then the Lord gave directions to Joshua:

You, get up! Why are you falling on your face? 11 Israel has sinned! They have transgressed [3] the covenant that I commanded for them! Yes, they have even taken some of the devoted things. They have stolen! They have deceived! Yes, they have even placed the devoted things that they stole among their own goods. 12 That is why the people of Israel are not able to stand before their enemies. They turned their backs before their enemies because they have become liable to destruction. I will not continue to be with you unless you destroy the devoted things from among you.

13 Get up and consecrate the people. You are to tell them: Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, because this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says. Things devoted to destruction are in your midst, Israel. You will not be able to stand before your enemies until you remove the devoted things from your midst.

14 In the morning you are to present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe that the Lord identifies [4] is to come forward by clans. The clan that the Lord identifies is to come forward by households. The household that the Lord identifies is to come forward one man at a time. 15 Then the man who is caught with the devoted things is to be burned with fire—he and all that belongs to him—because he transgressed the covenant of the Lord and because he committed sacrilege in Israel.

16 Joshua got up early in the morning, and he had Israel come forward tribe by tribe. The tribe of Judah was identified. 17 Then he had the tribe of Judah come forward, and he identified the clan of the Zerahites. Next, he had the clan of the Zerahites come forward by individual families, and Zabdi’s family was identified. 18 Then he had Zabdi’s household come forward one man at a time, and Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, was identified.

19 Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory now to the Lord, the God of Israel, and give him praise. Now tell me what you did. Do not conceal it from me.”

20 Achan answered Joshua, “It is true. I am the one who has sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel, and this is what I did: 21 Among the plunder I saw an expensive Mesopotamian robe, [5] a fine one, and two hundred shekels of silver and one wedge [6] of gold—it weighed fifty shekels. [7] I coveted them and I took them. Now they are hidden in the ground inside my tent, and the silver is underneath it.”

22 So Joshua sent agents. They ran to the tent, and there it was! The robe was hidden in his tent, and the silver was underneath it! 23 They took them from the middle of the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the people of Israel, where they poured them out before the Lord.

24 Then Joshua took Achan son of Zerah and the silver, the garment, and the wedge of gold, as well as Achan’s sons and his daughters, his ox, his donkey and his flock, and his tent and everything that belonged to him—so all Israel, led by Joshua, brought them up to the Valley of Achor.

25 Joshua said, “Why have you brought disaster on us? The Lord will bring disaster on you this day!”

Then all Israel stoned Achan to death. They also burned him and them [8] with fire, and they pelted them with stones. 26 They erected a large heap of stones over Achan, which remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from the heat of his anger. For that reason the name of that place is called the Valley of Achor [9] to this day.

Footnotes1. Joshua 7:2 Or scout 2. Joshua 7:5 Shebarim may mean the quarries. 3. Joshua 7:11 Or broken or violated 4. Joshua 7:14 Or selects 5. Joshua 7:21 Literally a robe from Shinar 6. Joshua 7:21 Or bar 7. Joshua 7:21 A shekel is about ⅖ of an ounce. 8. Joshua 7:25 The text does not specify whether this refers to Achan’s family, his possessions, or both. 9. Joshua 7:26 Achor means disaster or trouble.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – September 05Joshua 5 – 6LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 05

Joshua 5 – 6 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0905db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Circumcision RenewedJoshua 51 When all the kings of the Amorites who were in the region west of the Jordan and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan in front of the people of Israel until we [1] had crossed over, their hearts melted, and they lost all courage in the presence of the Israelites.

2 At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives, and circumcise the sons of Israel again, a second time.” 3 So Joshua made flint knives, and he circumcised the sons of Israel at the Hill of the Foreskins.

4 This is the reason Joshua had to circumcise the men of Israel again: All the people who came up out of Egypt—all the males, the fighting men—died in the wilderness along the way after they came out of Egypt. 5 All the people who came out of Egypt had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness during the journey after they had come out from Egypt had not been circumcised. 6 Yes, for forty years the Israelites walked through the wilderness until the whole nation was gone—all the fighting men who had gone out from Egypt, who had not listened to the voice of the Lord. The Lord had sworn to them that they would not see the land that the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 7 So it was their sons, whom the Lord had raised up in their place, whom Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised, since the people had not circumcised them during the journey.

8 When the whole nation had been circumcised, they stayed at their places in the camp until they recuperated.

9 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the disgrace of Egypt from you.” So the name of that place is Gilgal [2] to this day.

10 While the people of Israel were camped at Gilgal, they celebrated the Passover on the plain near Jericho on the fourteenth day of the month, in the evening at sunset. 11 They ate from the produce of the land on the day after the Passover. On that very day they ate unleavened bread and roasted grain. 12 The manna stopped the day after the first day that they had eaten from the produce of the land. The people of Israel no longer received manna. Instead, they ate from the crops of the land of Canaan that year.

The Commander of the Lord’s Army Leads the Campaign13 When Joshua was at Jericho, he looked up and saw a man was standing right there in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went to him and said, “Are you one of us or one of our enemies?”

14 The man said, “Neither! I have now come as the commander of the army of the Lord.” Joshua fell with his face to the ground and worshipped. Then he said to him, “What does my Lord have to say to his servant?”

15 The commander of the army of the Lord said to Joshua, “Take your sandals off your feet, because the place where you are standing is holy.” So Joshua did so.

Joshua 61 Jericho was shut up tight because of the Israelites. There was no one going out and no one coming in.

2 So the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho and its king into your hands even though they are strong warriors. 3 You shall march around the city with all the fighting men. Circle the city one time. Do this for six days. 4 Seven priests shall carry seven special ram’s horns [3] in front of the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times with the priests blowing the ram’s horns. 5 When there is a long blast on the special ram’s horn of jubilee, when you hear the sound of the ram’s horn, [4] all the people shall shout with a loud war cry. Then the wall of the city will collapse on itself, and the people [5] will go up into the city, one man after another.”

The Fall of Jericho6 So Joshua son of Nun called for the priests and said to them, “Lift up the Ark of the Covenant, and seven priests shall carry seven special ram’s horns in front of the Ark of the Lord.” 7 Then he said to the people, “Move out. March around the city. The armed contingent shall march in front of the Ark of the Lord.”

8 When Joshua had given orders to the people, the seven priests with the seven special ram’s horns moved forward in front of the Lord, blowing the ram’s horns continuously, with the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord following them. 9 The armed contingent was marching ahead of the priests, who were blowing the ram’s horns, and the rear guard was following the ark. The priests kept blowing the ram’s horns as they went. 10 But to the people Joshua had given the order, “Do not shout and do not let your voice be heard. Do not let a word go out of your mouth until the day I say to you, ‘Shout!’ Then you shall shout!” 11 So he had the Ark of the Lord go around the city, sending it out to circle the city one time. Then they came back to the camp and spent the night there.

12 Then Joshua got up early in the morning, and the priests lifted up the Ark of the Lord. 13 The seven priests with the seven special ram’s horns moved forward in front of the Ark of the Lord, blowing the ram’s horns continuously. The armed contingent was marching in front of them, and the rear guard was following behind the Ark of the Lord. The priests kept blowing the ram’s horns as they went. 14 They marched around the city one time on the second day, and then they returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

15 Then on the seventh day they got up early, at daybreak, and they marched around the city seven times, following the directions they had been given. It was only on the seventh day that they marched around the city seven times. 16 Then on the seventh time, the priests blew the ram’s horns, and Joshua said to the people, “Shout, because the Lord has given you the city! 17 The city will be devoted to destruction. [6] The city and everything in it will be devoted to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute will live—she along with all who are with her in the house—because she hid the agents whom we sent. 18 But you must keep away from the things devoted to destruction, or you will make yourselves subject to destruction by taking some of the devoted things, and you will make the camp of Israel subject to destruction and bring disaster upon it. 19 But all the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to [7] the Lord. They must go into the treasury of the Lord.”

20 So the people shouted, and the priests blew the ram’s horns. When the people heard the sound of the ram’s horns, they shouted with a loud war cry. Then the wall collapsed on itself, and the people went up into the city, one man after another. So they captured the city. 21 Then they applied the decree of destruction by the edge of the sword to everything that was in the city—both men and women, young and old, and also the oxen, sheep, and donkeys.

22 To the two men who had spied on the land Joshua said, “Go to the house of the prostitute and bring out the woman and everyone who belongs to her, just as you swore to her.” 23 So the young men who had acted as spies went and brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and everyone who belonged to her. They brought out all her family members, and they settled them outside the camp of Israel.

24 But the city and everything in it they burned with fire. Only the silver and gold and the bronze and iron vessels were placed into the treasury of the House of the Lord. 25 But Joshua spared the lives of Rahab the prostitute and her father’s household and everyone who belonged to her, and she has lived within Israel to this day, because she hid the agents that Joshua sent to spy on Jericho.

26 At that time Joshua swore an oath:

Cursed before the Lord is the man who sets out to rebuild this city, Jericho.
At the cost of his firstborn he will lay its foundation,
and at the cost of his youngest he will set up its gates.

27 So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame spread through the whole land.

Footnotes1. Joshua 5:1 Hebrew variant they 2. Joshua 5:9 Gilgal sounds like the Hebrew for roll away. 3. Joshua 6:4 Literally ram’s horns of the jubilees. The account uses two different Hebrew words for ram’s horns: shofar, which is the usual word for ram’s horns, and yobel, a special name for the jubilee ram’s horns. The translation uses the rendering special ram’s horns when yobel is part of the expression. Since ram’s horn is the technical name of the instrument, ram’s horns remains the proper form of the name even when there is more than one horn. 4. Joshua 6:5 Literally when there is a long blast of the horn of the jubilee, when you hear the sound of the ram’s horn. These may be two parallel statements referring to one type of instrument. 5. Joshua 6:5 In Joshua the word people often refers to the rank and file of the army, not to the whole nation. The army was not a standing professional army, but more like the United States National Guard or Reserves. 6. Joshua 6:17 The Hebrew root cherem, which is translated devoted to destruction, usually indicates that the Lord, as a verdict of his just judgment, has declared that someone or something is to be destroyed completely. In some cases in which there is no reference to a divine decree, cherem may be translated total destruction. 7. Joshua 6:19 Or dedicated to

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – September 04Joshua 3 – 4LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 04

Joshua 3 – 4 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0904db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Preparing for the CrossingJoshua 31 After Joshua had gotten up early in the morning, he and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and arrived at the Jordan. They stayed there until they crossed over. 2 After three days the officers went through the camp 3 and gave this order to the people: “As soon as you see the priests from the tribe of Levi carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God, you are to set out from your position and follow the ark. 4 But keep a distance between you and the ark—about three thousand feet. [1] Do not get too close to it, so that you can determine which way you should go, because you have never crossed over this way before.”

5 Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, because tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

6 Then Joshua said to the priests, “Lift up the Ark of the Covenant and pass by in front of the people.” So they lifted up the Ark of the Covenant and went ahead of the people.

7 The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel so that they will know that just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. 8 You are the one who will give this order to the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant: ‘As soon as you come to the edge of the water of the Jordan, you are to stand still in the Jordan.’”

9 Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come closer to me and listen to the words of the Lord your God.” 10 Then Joshua said, “This is how you will know that the Living God is among you and that he will most certainly drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, [2] the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites: 11 Look, the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of all the earth is about to cross over the Jordan ahead of you. 12 So now choose for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from each tribe. 13 As soon as the soles of the feet of the priests carrying the Ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, come to rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan flowing down from upstream will be cut off, and they will stand up in one heap.”

14 So the people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan, and the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of the people. 15 As soon as the priests carrying the ark came to the Jordan, and as soon as their feet dipped into the edge of the water (the Jordan is full and overflows all its banks during all the days of the grain harvest), 16 the waters flowing down from upstream came to a standstill. The waters piled up in one heap, very far away, at Adam, the town that is next to Zarethan, and the waters flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah, that is, the Salt Sea, [3] were completely cut off. So the people crossed the Jordan opposite Jericho. 17 The priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord stood on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel was crossing over on dry ground, until the entire nation had finished crossing the Jordan.

The MonumentJoshua 41 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord told Joshua, 2 “Take twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe, 3 and give them the following orders: ‘Pick up twelve stones from here in the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the feet of the priests are standing securely. Carry them over with you and put them at the place where you will stay tonight.’”

4 So Joshua called the twelve men whom he had selected from the people of Israel—a man from each tribe. 5 Joshua said to them, “Go to the middle of the Jordan in front of the Ark of the Lord your God. There each man is to lift up one stone on his shoulder. The number will correspond to the number of the tribes descended from the sons of Israel, 6 so that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in the future, ‘What do these stones mean for you?’ 7 Then you shall respond to them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off in front of the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. When the ark passed through the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones will serve as a permanent memorial for the people of Israel.”

8 So the people of Israel did just as Joshua had ordered. They picked up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, corresponding to the number of the tribes descended from the sons of Israel, as the Lord had instructed Joshua. They carried the stones over with them to their lodging place and deposited them there. 9 Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the feet of the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant had stood. [4] They are there to this day.

10 The priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything that the Lord had commanded Joshua to speak to the people had been accomplished, just as Moses had commanded Joshua. The people moved swiftly and completed the crossing. 11 When all the people had finished crossing, the Ark of the Lord and the priests crossed over in the presence of the people.

12 The descendants of Reuben, the descendants of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, [5] arranged by their military units, had crossed over ahead of the people of Israel, just as Moses had commanded them, 13 about forty thousand men armed for battle. They crossed over to the plain near Jericho to wage war in the presence of the Lord.

14 That day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they honored [6] him, just as they had honored Moses, all the days of his life.

15 The Lord said to Joshua, 16 “Command the priests who are carrying the Ark of the Testimony that they should come up out of the Jordan.”

17 So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.”

18 When the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord came up from the middle of the Jordan, as soon as the soles of their feet reached dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and it overflowed all its banks as before. 19 The people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month and set up camp at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho.

20 Those twelve stones that they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal. 21 He said to the people of Israel, “When your children in the future ask their fathers, ‘What are these stones?’ 22 you shall teach your children, ‘On dry land Israel crossed over this Jordan.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan in front of you until you crossed over, just as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up in front of us until we had crossed over. 24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth would know that the hand of the Lord is strong, so that you would fear the Lord your God always.”

Footnotes1. Joshua 3:4 That is, two thousand cubits 2. Joshua 3:10 There is no known connection between the early “Hittites,” who first appeared during the patriarchal period and who were a Canaanite ethnic group (Genesis 10:15), and the later Indo-European “Hittites” from Anatolia (Turkey). 3. Joshua 3:16 That is, the Dead Sea 4. Joshua 4:9 This verse could also be translated there Joshua set up the twelve stones that had previously been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant had stood. It is, therefore, uncertain if there were two monuments or one. 5. Joshua 4:12 Half of the tribe of Manasseh asked for land in the Transjordan. After they establish themselves there as an independent entity, they are called the half tribe of Manasseh. 6. Joshua 4:14 Or revered

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – September 03Joshua 2LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 03

Joshua 2 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0903db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

The Spies and Jericho1 Now Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two men from Shittim to be spies. He said, “Go and look over the land and Jericho.” So they set out and came to the house of a woman who was a prostitute. Her name was Rahab. They settled in to spend the night there.

2 It was reported to the king of Jericho: “Some Israelite men came here tonight to spy on the land.” 3 So the king of Jericho sent messengers to Rahab. They said, “Bring out the men who came to you, the ones who came to your house, because they have come to spy on the whole land.”

4 Now the woman had taken the two men and had hidden both of them. So she said, “Yes, the men did come to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5 When the gate was about to be shut at dark, the men left. I do not know where the men went. Go after them quickly so you can overtake them.”

6 But she actually had taken them up to the roof and had concealed them among the stalks of flax that she had spread out on the roof. 7 The men of Jericho then went to pursue them along the route to the Jordan that led to the fords. The city gate was closed just after the pursuers had gone out to pursue the spies.

8 But before the men lay down, Rahab came up to them on the roof. 9 She said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land. Because of you, terror has fallen upon us, and all the inhabitants of the land are melting in fear before you. 10 Indeed, we have heard that the Lord dried up the waters of the Red Sea in front of you when you came out of Egypt, and we heard what you did to the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan—to Sihon and to Og. We heard that you devoted them to destruction. 11 We heard, and our hearts melted, and no one’s courage could hold up anymore against you, because the Lord your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth below. 12 So now, please swear to me by the Lord that since I have shown kindness to you, you in turn will show kindness to my father’s house. Give me a trustworthy sign 13 that you will preserve the lives of my father and mother and my brothers and sisters and everyone who belongs to them, and that you will spare our lives.”

14 The men said to her, “If you do not reveal what we are doing, our lives are pledged for your lives, even to the point of death. Then when the Lord gives us the land, we will show mercy and faithfulness to you.”

15 She let them down through the window with a rope, since her house was built into the city wall, and she was living inside the wall.

16 She said to them, “To the hill country! Get moving, so the pursuers do not catch up with you. Hide there for three days until the pursuers return, and then you can go on your way.”

17 The men said to her, “When we come into the land, we will be free from this oath that you made us swear 18 unless you tie this bright red cord in the window through which you let us down, and you gather your father and mother, your brothers, and your father’s entire household into your house. 19 If any one of them goes outside the doors of your house, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be free of guilt. Anyone who is with you in the house, his blood will be on our heads if a hand is laid on him. 20 If you reveal what we are doing, we will be free from the oath that you made us swear.”

21 She said, “It will be done just as you have said!” Then she sent them out, and they went away. She tied the bright red cord in the window.

22 After they left, they went up into the hill country and stayed there for three days, until the pursuers had returned. The pursuers had searched for them all along the route, but they found nothing. 23 So then the two men set out to return. After they had come down from the hill country, they crossed the river and came to Joshua son of Nun. They reported to him everything that had happened to them. 24 They said to Joshua, “The Lord has without doubt given the entire land into our hands. What’s more, all the inhabitants of the land are melting in fear before us.”

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – September 02Joshua 1LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 02

Joshua 1 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0902db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Preparing to Enter the Land1 This is what happened after the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord.

The Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, the attendant of Moses, 2 “Moses my servant is dead. So prepare to cross the Jordan River that lies in front of you. You and all this people, prepare to go into the land that I am about to give to the people of Israel. 3 I have given you every place where the sole of your foot has stepped, just as I promised Moses. 4 From the Wilderness [1] and from Lebanon to the Great River, the Euphrates River—all the land of the Hittites—as far as the Mediterranean Sea, [2] where the sun sets, this will be your territory. 5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, I will be with you. I will not abandon you, and I will not forsake you.

6 “Be strong and courageous, because you will divide this land among these people, this land which I swore to their fathers that I would give to this people. 7 Just be strong and very courageous. Be careful to act according to the entire Law which my servant Moses commanded for you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may succeed wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law must never depart from your mouth, and you are to meditate on it day and night, so that you will act faithfully according to everything written in it, because then you will prosper in everything you do, and you will succeed. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified and do not be overwhelmed, because the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

10 So Joshua gave this order to the officers of the people: 11 “Go through the camp and give this order to the people: ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, because within three days you will be crossing over this Jordan to take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving to you as a possession.’”

12 To the Reubenites and the Gadites and to half of the tribe of Manasseh Joshua said, 13 “Remember the command that Moses, the servant of the Lord, gave you when he said, ‘The Lord your God is granting you rest, and he has given you this land.’ 14 Your wives, your children, and your cattle will stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but you yourselves, all of your strong warriors in their military units, are to cross over ahead of your brothers. You are to help your brothers 15 until the Lord gives rest to them as he has to you and they too take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving them. Then you may return to the land allotted to you so that you may fully possess the land that Moses, the servant of the Lord, gave to you in the area east of the Jordan, toward the sunrise.”

16 Then they answered Joshua, “Everything that you have commanded us we will do. We will go to any place you send us. 17 Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, we will likewise obey you. May the Lord your God be with you, just as he was with Moses. 18 Anyone who rebels against your orders and does not obey whatever you command him will be put to death. Just be strong and courageous!”

Footnotes1. Joshua 1:4 Or desert. This refers to the wilderness south of Israel in the Sinai Peninsula. 2. Joshua 1:4 Hebrew Great Sea

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – September 012 Thessalonians 2:13 – 3:17LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – September 01

2 Thessalonians 2:13 – 3:17 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0901db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

2 Thessalonians 2Chosen for Salvation13 But we are always obligated to thank God for you, brothers, loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation by the sanctifying work of the Spirit and faith in the truth. 14 For this reason he also called you through our gospel so that you would obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold on to the teachings that were passed along to you, either by word of mouth or by a letter from us. 16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and in his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and establish you in every good work and word.

Pray for Us2 Thessalonians 31 Finally, brothers, pray for us so that the word of the Lord may spread quickly and be glorified just as it was among you. 2 Pray also that we may be rescued from evil and wicked people. For not everyone has faith. 3 Still, the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and protect you from the Evil One. 4 We also have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will continue to do what we are telling you. 5 May the Lord continue to direct your hearts to God’s love and Christ’s patient endurance.

Warnings Against Idleness6 We instruct you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to avoid every brother who is walking idly and not in accordance with the teaching that you received from us. 7 In fact, you yourselves know how necessary it is for you to imitate us, because we were not idle among you. 8 We never ate anyone’s bread without paying for it. Instead, with labor and hardship we worked night and day, so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 This was not because we lacked authority, but to provide an example for you to imitate. 10 In fact, when we were with you, this was our command to you: If anyone does not want to work, he should not eat. 11 Indeed, we hear that some among you are idle, not busy working, but being busybodies. 12 In the Lord Jesus Christ, we command and urge these people to work quietly and eat their own bread.

13 But you, brothers, do not grow weary of doing good. 14 And if anyone does not obey our word in this letter, take note of him so that you do not associate with him, in order that he may be put to shame. 15 Yet do not consider him an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

Benediction16 May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with you all.

17 This greeting is written by me, Paul, with my own hand. This is a distinguishing sign of how I write in every letter.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – August 312 Thessalonians 2:1-12LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 31

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0831db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

2 Thessalonians 2The Man of Sin1 Now, about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together with him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to be quickly shaken from your composure or disturbed by a spirit, a message, or a letter thought to be from us, which says that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way, because that day will not come until the falling away comes first, and the man of sin [1] is revealed—the son of destruction. 4 He opposes and exalts himself above everyone who is called God or every object of worship, so that he sits in the temple of God, displaying himself as God.

5 Do you not remember that, while I was still with you, I kept telling you these things? 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 In fact, the mystery of this lawlessness is already at work, but only until the one who is now holding him back moves out of the way. 8 Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will consume with [2] the breath of his mouth and destroy when he appears in splendor at his coming.

9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan, with every kind of miracle, that is, with false signs and wonders, 10 and with every kind of unrighteousness that deceives those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 And because of this, God continues to send them a strong delusion, so that they believe the lie, 12 in order that all those may be condemned who refused to believe the truth but instead delighted in unrighteousness.

Footnotes1. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Some witnesses to the text read lawlessness. (“Witnesses to the text” mentioned in footnotes may include Greek manuscripts, lectionaries, translations, and quotations in the church fathers.) 2. 2 Thessalonians 2:8 Some witnesses to the text read slay by.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – August 302 Thessalonians 1LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 30

2 Thessalonians 1 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0830db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Greeting1 Paul, Silas, [1] and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Judgment at Christ’s Coming3 We are always obligated to thank God for you, brothers, [2] as is fitting, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love that each and every one of you has for one another is increasing. 4 So we ourselves boast about you in God’s churches in regard to your patient endurance and faith in all your persecutions and in the trials that you are enduring. 5 This is evidence of God’s righteous verdict that resulted in your being counted worthy of God’s kingdom, for which you also suffer. 6 Certainly, it is right for God to repay trouble to those who trouble you, 7 and to give relief to you, who are troubled along with us. When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his powerful angels, 8 he will exercise vengeance in flaming fire on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 Such people will receive a just penalty: eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord and from his glorious strength, 10 on that day when he comes to be glorified among his saints, and to be marveled at among all those who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. 11 For this reason, we are always praying for you, that our God will make you worthy of your calling and use his power to fulfill every good desire and work of your faith, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you and you in him, in keeping with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ.

Footnotes1. 2 Thessalonians 1:1 Silvanus in Greek 2. 2 Thessalonians 1:3 When context indicates it, the Greek word for brothers may refer to all fellow believers, male and female.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – August 291 Thessalonians 5LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 29

1 Thessalonians 5 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0829db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Instruction Concerning the Signs of the End Times1 Concerning the times and dates, brothers, there is no need to write to you, 2 for you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 When people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will suddenly come on them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will certainly not escape. 4 But you, brothers, are not in the dark so that this day takes you by surprise like a thief, 5 for you are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep like everyone else, but rather let us remain alert and sober.

7 To be sure, those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 You see, God did not appoint us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as you are also doing.

Final Exhortations and Greetings12 Brothers, we ask you to take note of those who work hard among you, who exercise leadership over you in the Lord, and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love, on account of their work. Live at peace with each other.

14 We also encourage you, brothers, to admonish those who are idle. Encourage those who are discouraged, help those who are weak, and be patient with everyone. 15 See to it that no one repays evil with evil, but instead, always strive to do good to each other and to everyone else.

16 Rejoice always. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not extinguish the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21 But [1] test everything. Hold on to the good. 22 Keep away from every kind [2] of evil.

23 May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

25 Brothers, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. 27 I put you under oath to the Lord to read this letter to all the holy [3] brothers.

28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Footnotes1. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 A few witnesses to the text omit But. 2. 1 Thessalonians 5:22 Or appearance 3. 1 Thessalonians 5:27 A few witnesses to the text omit holy.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – August 281 Thessalonians 4LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 28

1 Thessalonians 4 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0828db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Instruction Concerning Sexual Propriety1 Therefore, beyond this, brothers, just as you received instruction from us about how you are to walk [1] so as to please God (as indeed you are doing), we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that you do so even more. 2 To be sure, you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 Indeed, this is God’s will: that you be sanctified, namely, that you keep yourselves away from sexual immorality. 4 He wants each of you to learn to obtain a wife [2] for yourself [3] in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in lustful passion like the heathen, who do not know God. 6 No one is to overstep and take advantage of his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, just as we said previously and solemnly testified to it. 7 For God did not call us for uncleanness, but in sanctification. 8 Consequently, whoever rejects this is not rejecting a man, but the God who gives you his Holy Spirit.

Instruction Concerning Brotherly Love and Labor9 Concerning brotherly love, there is no need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God, with the result that you love one another. 10 In fact, you are doing so toward all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we encourage you, brothers, to do this even more, 11 and to make it your ambition to live a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, just as we instructed you. 12 Do this so that you are conducting yourselves decently toward outsiders and are not lacking anything.

Instruction Concerning the Resurrection of the Dead at Christ’s Second Coming13 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who have fallen asleep, [4] so that you do not grieve in the same way as the others, who have no hope. 14 Indeed, if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then in the same way we also believe that God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.

15 In fact, we tell you this by the word of the Lord: We who are alive and left until the coming of the Lord will certainly not go on ahead of those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them, to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore, encourage one another with these words.

Footnotes1. 1 Thessalonians 4:1 Or conduct yourselves 2. 1 Thessalonians 4:4 Literally vessel 3. 1 Thessalonians 4:4 Or each one of you to learn to control your own body 4. 1 Thessalonians 4:13 A few witnesses to the text read are falling asleep.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – August 271 Thessalonians 3LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 27

1 Thessalonians 3 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0827db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Timothy’s Mission and Good Report1 So, when we could not stand it any longer, we thought it best to remain behind in Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and coworker for God in the gospel of Christ. [1] We sent him to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one will be shaken by these trials, for you know well that we are destined for this. 4 In fact, even when we were with you, we told you ahead of time that we were going to suffer, and it happened just that way, as you know. 5 This is why, when I could not stand it any longer, I sent to find out about your faith, because I was afraid that somehow the Tempter had tempted you and our labor might have been for nothing.

6 But now, Timothy has returned to us from you and has told us the good news about your faith and love. He also told us that you always have fond memories of us and long to see us, just as much as we also long to see you. 7 Because of this, brothers, in all our distress and affliction, we have been encouraged about you through your faith. 8 For now we really live, if you are standing firm in the Lord. 9 Indeed, how can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have before God on account of you? 10 Night and day we are praying earnestly to see you in person and to supply what is lacking in your faith.

11 May God our Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. 12 And may the Lord increase your love and make it overflow for each other and for all people, just as ours does for you, 13 so that he may establish your hearts as blameless in holiness before our God and Father, when our Lord Jesus comes with all his saints. [2]

Footnotes1. 1 Thessalonians 3:2 Some witnesses to the text read our brother, God’s servant, and our coworker in the gospel of Christ. 2. 1 Thessalonians 3:13 Or holy ones, referring to the holy angels

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – August 261 Thessalonians 2LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 26

1 Thessalonians 2 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0826db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Paul Defends His Ministry Among the Thessalonians1 Indeed, brothers, you yourselves know that our visit to you was not a waste of time. 2 Even though we had suffered previously and were treated shamefully in Philippi (as you know), we were bold in our God to speak the gospel of God to you in the face of great opposition. 3 For our appeal does not come from error or impure motives, or by way of deceit. 4 Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please people but God, who examines our hearts. 5 Indeed, as you know, we never at any time used flattering speech, nor did we act with greed as a motive. God is our witness. 6 Also, we did not seek the praise of people (neither yours nor anyone else’s), 7 even though we could have been a burden as Christ’s apostles. On the contrary, we were gentle [1] among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. 8 We yearned for you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.

9 Surely, brothers, you remember our labor and hardship! We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you, while we preached the gospel of God to you. 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how devout, righteous, and blameless we were toward you who believe. 11 In the same way, you know that we treated each of you as a father deals with his own children: 12 encouraging, comforting, and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who is calling you into his kingdom and glory.

13 There is also another reason we give thanks to God unceasingly, namely, when you received God’s word, which you heard from us, you did not receive it as the word of men but as the word of God (as it really is), which is now at work in you who believe. 14 Yes, brothers, you became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus, because you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and who severely persecuted us. They are not pleasing to God and are hostile to all people. 16 By hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved, they are always filling up the full measure of their sins. And the wrath has come upon them completely. [2]

Paul’s Desire to See the Thessalonians17 As for us, brothers, after we were separated from you like orphans for just a short time (in person, not in our heart), it was with great desire that we made every effort to see you again in person. 18 For we wanted to come to you (I, Paul, wanted this, not just once, but twice), but Satan hindered us. 19 Indeed, who is our hope or joy or crown about which we boast before our Lord Jesus when he returns? Is it not you? 20 Yes, you are our glory and our joy.

Footnotes1. 1 Thessalonians 2:7 Some witnesses to the text read infants. This would change the translation to: we could have been a burden as Christ’s apostles, but we were infants among you. Like a nursing mother taking care of her own children, 8 we yearned. . . 2. 1 Thessalonians 2:16 Or has come upon them at last

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – August 251 Thessalonians 1LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – August 25

1 Thessalonians 1 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0825db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Greeting1 Paul, Silas, [1] and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians, which is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. [2]

Thanksgiving for the Faith of the Thessalonians2 We always give thanks to God for all of you as we make mention of you in our prayers, 3 because we constantly remember before God our Father your work produced by faith, your labor produced by love, and your patient endurance produced by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

4 Dear brothers, [3] loved by God, we know that God has chosen you, 5 because our gospel did not come to you with mere words, but with power, with the Holy Spirit, and with deep conviction. You yourselves know very well what kind of people we proved to be for your sake, while we were with you. 6 You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, when you welcomed the word during a time of great affliction with the joy from the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became a model for all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. [4] 8 Indeed, the word of the Lord has resounded from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith in God has become known. As a result, we do not need to say anything, 9 because they themselves inform us about what kind of reception we received from you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God. 10 They also report how you patiently wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, the one who is going to rescue us from the coming wrath.

Footnotes1. 1 Thessalonians 1:1 Silvanus in Greek 2. 1 Thessalonians 1:1 A few witnesses to the text omit from God. . . Jesus Christ. (“Witnesses to the text” mentioned in footnotes may include Greek manuscripts, lectionaries, translations, and quotations in the church fathers.) 3. 1 Thessalonians 1:4 When context indicates it, the Greek word for brothers may refer to all fellow believers, male and female. 4. 1 Thessalonians 1:7 Macedonia and Achaia were the two provinces comprising Greece.

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Bible reading from Psalm 28 - 29 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 27 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 26 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 25 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 23 - 24 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 22:22-31 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 22:1-21 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 20 - 21 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 19 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 18:31-50 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 18:1-30 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 17 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 15 - 16 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 13 - 14 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Hosea 13 - 14 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Hosea 11 - 12 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Hosea 9 - 10 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Hosea 5:15 - 8:14 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Hosea 4:1 - 5:14 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Hosea 3 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Hosea 1 - 2 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Amos 8:4 - 9:15 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Amos 7:1 - 8:3 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Amos 6 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Amos 5 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Amos 3 - 4 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Amos 1 - 2 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 28:17-31 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 28:1-16 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 27:21-44 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 27:1-20 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 26:19-32 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 26:1-18 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 25:13-27 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 24:22 - 25:12 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 24:1-21 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 23:11-35 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 22:30 - 23:10 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 22:17-29 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 21:37 - 22:16 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 21:17-36 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 21:1-16 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 20:17-38 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 20:1-16 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 19:21-41 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 19:1-20 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 18:18-28 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 18:1-17 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 17:16-34 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 17:1-15 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 16:16-40 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 16:6-15 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 15:35 - 16:5 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 15:13-34 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 15:1-12 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 14:13-28 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 14:1-12 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 13:44-52 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 13:13-43 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Exodus 19 - 20 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 12:25 - 13:12 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Exodus 18 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Exodus 17 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Exodus 15:22 - 16:36 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Exodus 14:1 - 15:21 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Exodus 12:37 - 13:22 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Exodus 12:1-36 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Exodus 10 - 11 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Exodus 9 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Exodus 8 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Exodus 6:10 - 7:25 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Exodus 4:18 - 6:9 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Exodus 3:1 - 4:17 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Exodus 1 - 2 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 12:1-24 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 11:19-30 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 11:1-18 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 10:34-48 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 9:43 - 10:33 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 9:32-42 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 9:19b-31 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 9:1-19a (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 8:26-40 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Acts 8:5-25 (EHV)

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – June 01Acts 7:44 – 8:4LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – June 01

Acts 7:44 – 8:4 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0601db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Acts 7Stephen Defends Himself44 “Our fathers had the Tent of the Testimony in the wilderness. It was just like the model Moses had seen, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it. 45 After our fathers received it from him, they brought it in with Joshua when they took possession of the land from the nations God drove out before our fathers. It was here until the days of David. 46 He found favor in the presence of God and asked that he might obtain a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. [1] 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him.

48 “However, the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands, just as the prophet says:

49 Heaven is my throne,
and earth is my footstool.
What sort of house will you build for me? says the Lord,
or what is my resting place?
50 Did not my hand make all these things? [2]

Stephen Condemns the Jewish Rulers51 “You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit! You are doing just what your fathers did. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who prophesied the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers— 53 you who received the law as transmitted by angels, but did not keep it.”

The Stoning of Stephen54 When they heard these things, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed up into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 He said, “Look, I see heaven opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

57 But they screamed at the top of their voices, covered their ears, and rushed at him with one purpose in mind. 58 They threw him out of the city and stoned him. The witnesses laid their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59 While they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” After he said this, he fell asleep.

Acts 81 Saul agreed with putting Stephen to death.

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen, and they mourned deeply for him.

3 But Saul was trying to destroy the church by going into one house after another, dragging off both men and women, and putting them in prison.

The Word of God Spreads in Samaria4 So those believers who were scattered went around proclaiming the gospel message.

Footnotes1. Acts 7:46 A few witnesses to the text read house of Jacob. 2. Acts 7:50 Isaiah 66:1-2

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 31Acts 7:1-43LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 31

Acts 7:1-43 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0531db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Acts 7Stephen Defends Himself1 Then the high priest asked, “Are these things true?”

2 Stephen said, “Gentlemen, brothers and fathers, listen! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. 3 God said to him, ‘Leave your land and your relatives and come to the land that I will show you.’ [1]

4 “Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God had him move from there to this land where you are now living.

5 “He gave him no inheritance in this land, not even enough to set his foot on. But God promised to give it as a possession to him and to his descendants [2] after him, [3] even though Abraham still had no child. 6 God revealed that his descendants [4] would live as strangers in a foreign country, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years. 7 God added, ‘I will judge the nation that they will serve as slaves, and after that they will leave there and serve me in this place.’ [5]

8 “Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. So Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day. Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.

Stephen Defends Himself9 “The patriarchs, filled with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt, but God was with him. 10 God rescued him from all his troubles and granted him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. And Pharaoh made him governor over Egypt and over his whole palace.

11 “A famine came over all of Egypt and Canaan, causing great suffering, and our fathers found no food. 12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers on their first visit. 13 On their second visit, Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to Pharaoh. 14 Then Joseph sent word and invited his father Jacob and all his relatives to come to him, seventy-five people in all. 15 Jacob went down to Egypt, and there he died, he and our fathers. 16 Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

17 “As the time approached that God spoke about in the promise he had made [6] to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt. 18 This continued until another king who knew nothing about Joseph became ruler of Egypt. 19 He took advantage of our people in a cunning way, and he mistreated our fathers by forcing them to get rid of their babies so that they would not survive. [7]

Stephen Defends Himself20 “At that time, Moses was born, and he was favored by God. For three months he was cared for in his father’s house. 21 After he was placed outside, [8] Pharaoh’s daughter took him in and brought him up as her own son. 22 Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was powerful in his words and actions.

23 “But when he was forty years old, it entered his mind to visit his brothers, the sons of Israel. 24 When he saw one of them being mistreated, he defended him and avenged the oppressed man by striking down the Egyptian. 25 He thought that his brothers would understand that God was giving them deliverance by his hand, but they did not understand. 26 The next day, he came across two of them while they were fighting, and he tried to reconcile them. He said, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why are you harming each other?’ 27 But the one who was harming his neighbor pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Do you want to kill me the same way you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ [9] 29 At this remark, Moses fled and lived as an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.

30 “After forty years had passed, an angel of the Lord [10] appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in the flames of a burning bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight. As he went closer to look, the voice of the Lord said, 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of [11] Jacob.’ [12] Moses trembled and did not dare to look. 33 Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take your sandals off your feet, because the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning. I have come down to rescue them. Now come, I will send you to Egypt.’ [13]

35 “This is the same Moses they had rejected by saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge?’ This is the one whom God sent to be a ruler and deliverer with the help of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 This is the one who led the people out, as he performed wonders and miraculous signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years. 37 This is the Moses who said to the people of Israel, ‘God [14] will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’ [15] 38 This is the one who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai and with our fathers. He received living messages to give to us, 39 but our fathers refused to obey him. Instead they pushed him away and turned back, in their hearts, to Egypt. 40 They told Aaron, ‘Make gods for us who will go before us. As for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt—we do not know what has happened to him.’ [16] 41 That was the time when they made a calf, offered a sacrifice to the idol, and were taking delight in the works of their hands.

42 “But God turned away and gave them over to the worship of the heavenly bodies, as it is written in the book of the prophets:

Did you bring me slaughtered animals and sacrifices
forty years in the wilderness, house of Israel?
43 No, you even took up the tent of Moloch
and the star of your god Rephan,
the statues you made to worship.
Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Babylon. [17]

Footnotes1. Acts 7:3 Genesis 12:1 2. Acts 7:5 Literally seed 3. Acts 7:5 Genesis 12:7; 13:15; 17:8; 48:4 4. Acts 7:6 Literally seed 5. Acts 7:7 Genesis 15:13-14 6. Acts 7:17 Some witnesses to the text read sworn. 7. Acts 7:19 Pharaoh commanded the Israelites to throw their newborn baby boys into the Nile River (Exodus 1:22). 8. Acts 7:21 Moses was set in a basket by his mother and placed among the reeds of the Nile River (Exodus 2:3). 9. Acts 7:28 Exodus 2:13-14 10. Acts 7:30 Some witnesses to the text omit of the Lord. 11. Acts 7:32 Some witnesses to the text read Isaac and Jacob. 12. Acts 7:32 Exodus 3:6 13. Acts 7:34 Exodus 3:5,7,8,10 14. Acts 7:37 A few witnesses to the text read The Lord your God. 15. Acts 7:37 Deuteronomy 18:15 16. Acts 7:40 Exodus 32:1 17. Acts 7:43 Amos 5:25-27

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 30Acts 6LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 30

Acts 6 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0530db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Choosing the Seven1 In those days, as the number of disciples was increasing, a complaint arose from the Greek-speaking Jews against the Hebrew-speaking Jews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.

2 So the Twelve called together the whole group of disciples and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers, carefully select from among you seven men with good reputations, who are full of the Holy [1] Spirit and wisdom. We will put them in charge of this service. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

5 This proposal pleased the entire group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas, a proselyte from Antioch.

6 They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

7 The word of God kept on spreading, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly. Also a large group of priests became obedient to the faith.

Stephen Is Arrested8 Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. 9 Some men who were from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia) rose up and disputed with Stephen. 10 But they were unable to stand up against the wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking.

11 Then they secretly induced some men to say, “We heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.” 12 They stirred up the people, the elders, and the experts in the law. They came, dragged Stephen away, and brought him before the Sanhedrin. 13 They presented false witnesses who said, “This man never stops making threats against this holy place and the law. 14 In fact, we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs Moses handed down to us.”

15 All those who were sitting in the Sanhedrin were looking intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Footnotes1. Acts 6:3 Some witnesses to the text omit Holy.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 29Acts 5:17-42LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 29

Acts 5:17-42 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0529db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Acts 5On Trial Before the Sanhedrin17 The high priest rose up, along with his associates (that is, the party of the Sadducees), because they were filled with envy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, brought them out, and said, 20 “Go, stand in the temple and keep on telling the people the whole message about this life.” 21 After they heard this, they entered the temple courts at daybreak and began to teach.

When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin (that is, the whole council of elders of the people of Israel). Then they sent orders to the jail to have the apostles brought in. 22 But when the officers arrived, they did not find them in the prison. They returned and reported, 23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside!” 24 When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard these words, they were puzzled about them, wondering what could have happened.

25 Then someone came and reported to them, “Look! The men you put in prison are standing in the temple courts and teaching the people.”

26 Then the captain went with the officers and brought the apostles in without force, because they were afraid that the people might stone them. 27 After they brought them in, they had them stand before the Sanhedrin. The high priest asked them, 28 “Did we not give you strict orders not to teach in this name? [1] Look, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you are determined to bring this man’s blood down on us!”

29 But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you arrested and killed by hanging him on a cross. 31 God exalted him to his right hand as Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and the forgiveness of sins. 32 We are witnesses [2] of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

33 When they heard this, they were furious and began making a plan to put them to death. [3] 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was highly respected by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men [4] be put outside for a little while.

35 Then he said to them, “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you are about to do with these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, all his followers were scattered, and it all came to nothing.

37 “After him, Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and led many [5] people in a revolt. He also was killed, and all his followers were scattered.

38 “So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and leave them alone! For if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them. [6] Perhaps you might even be found to be fighting against God!”

40 They were convinced by him. They summoned the apostles, beat them, ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were considered worthy to suffer shame for the Name. [7] 42 Every day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

Footnotes1. Acts 5:28 Some witnesses to the text read We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name! 2. Acts 5:32 Some witnesses to the text read his witnesses. 3. Acts 5:33 Some witnesses to the text read were furious and wanted to put them to death. 4. Acts 5:34 Some witnesses to the text read apostles. 5. Acts 5:37 Some witnesses to the text omit many. 6. Acts 5:39 Some witnesses to the text read it. 7. Acts 5:41 Some witnesses to the text read for the name of Jesus.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 28Acts 4:32 – 5:16LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 28

Acts 4:32 – 5:16 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0528db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Acts 4The Believers Shared Everything32 The whole group of believers was one in heart and soul. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they held everything in common. 33 The apostles continued to testify about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ [1] with great power, and abundant grace was on all of them. 34 There was not a needy person among them. For from time to time those who were owners of lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds received from what was sold, 35 and laid it at the apostles’ feet. It was distributed to each one according to what anyone needed.

36 Joseph, who was called Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated “son of encouragement”), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, 37 sold a field that belonged to him. He brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Ananias and SapphiraActs 51 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s knowledge, he kept back part of the proceeds for himself. Then he brought a portion of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? 4 Was it not yours before it was sold? And after it was sold, was not the money at your disposal? How could you plan such a thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”

5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. Great fear gripped everyone who heard about it. 6 The young men got up and wrapped up his body. Then they carried him out and buried him.

7 About three hours later, his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this how much you got for the land?”

“Yes,” she said, “that was the price.”

9 Then Peter said to her, “How could you two agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of those who buried your husband are standing at the door, and they will carry you out too!”

10 Instantly she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in, they found her dead. Then they carried her outside and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear gripped the whole church and all who heard about these things.

Many Miracles12 Many signs and wonders were done among the people through the hands of the apostles. With one mind, they all continued meeting in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 No one else dared to join them, but the people held them in high regard. 14 More and more believers in the Lord were added to their group, large numbers of both men and women. 15 As a result, people were even carrying the sick into the streets and laying them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 Crowds also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, [2] bringing the sick and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and all of them were healed.

Footnotes1. Acts 4:33 Some witnesses to the text omit Christ. 2. Acts 5:16 Some witnesses to the text read from the neighboring towns to Jerusalem.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 27Acts 4:1-31LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 27

Acts 4:1-31 (EHV)
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Acts 4On Trial for an Act of Kindness1 As Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests, the commander of the temple guard, and the Sadducees approached them. 2 They were very upset because Peter and John were teaching the people and proclaiming the resurrection from the dead in connection with Jesus. 3 They arrested them and put them in jail until the next day because it was already evening.

4 But many of those who had heard the message believed, and the number of the men increased to about five thousand.

5 The next day, the rulers, the elders, and the experts in the law assembled in Jerusalem 6 with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all the rest of the high priest’s family. 7 After they made Peter and John stand in front of them, they began to question them: “By what power or by what name did you do this?”

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel, [1] 9 if we are being questioned today for a kind act that was done for the lame man, as to how this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that it was by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead! By him this man stands before you healed. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you builders, which has become the cornerstone. [2]

12 “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.”

13 When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and found out that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were astonished and took note of the fact that these men had been with Jesus.

14 But since they saw the man who had been healed standing there with them, they could not say anything in reply. 15 After they had ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, they discussed the matter among themselves. 16 They asked, “What should we do with these men? To be sure, it is evident to all who live in Jerusalem that a miraculous sign has been done through them, and we cannot deny it. 17 However, in order that this may spread no further among the people, let us give them a strict [3] warning not to speak any longer to anyone in this name.”

18 Then they summoned them and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

19 But Peter and John answered them, “Decide whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God. 20 For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

21 After they had threatened them further, they let them go. They found no way to punish them because all of the people were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man on whom this miraculous sign of healing was performed was over forty years old.

The Church Speaks God’s Word Boldly23 After Peter and John were released, they went to their own friends and reported everything the high priests and the elders had said. 24 When they heard this, with one mind they raised their voices to God and said, “Master, you are the God who [4] made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. 25 By the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David, your servant, you said:

Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth take their stand,
and the rulers are gathered together
against the Lord
and against his Anointed One. [5] [6]

27 “For certainly, in this city both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and people of Israel, were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did whatever your hand and your plan had decided beforehand should happen.

29 “Now Lord, look at their threats and give to your servants the ability to keep on speaking your word with all boldness 30 as you stretch out your hand to heal and as signs and wonders take place through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

31 After they prayed, the place where they were gathered was shaken. Also, everyone was filled with the Holy Spirit, and they continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

Footnotes1. Acts 4:8 Some witnesses to the text omit of Israel. 2. Acts 4:11 Psalm 118:22 3. Acts 4:17 Some witnesses to the text omit strict. 4. Acts 4:24 Some witnesses to the text omit are the God who. 5. Acts 4:26 Or Christ 6. Acts 4:26 Psalm 2:1-2

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 26Acts 3LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 26

Acts 3 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0526db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Peter Heals a Lame Man1 Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, [1] an hour of prayer. 2 A certain man who was lame from birth was carried there every day and placed at the temple gate, which is called Beautiful, so that he could beg for donations from those entering the temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter the temple, he asked them for a donation.

4 Peter looked directly at him, as did John. Peter said, “Look at us.” 5 So the man paid close attention to them, expecting to receive something from them.

6 But Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I will give you. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” 7 Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately the man’s feet and ankles were made strong. 8 Jumping up, he stood and began to walk. He entered the temple courts with them, walking, jumping, and praising God.

9 All the people saw him walking and praising God. 10 They recognized him as the one who used to sit begging for money at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 11 While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people came running toward them in utter amazement in the area called Solomon’s Colonnade.

12 When Peter saw this, he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this? Why are you staring at us, as if by our own power or godliness we have made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, [2] the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and disowned in the presence of Pilate, though he had decided to release him. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you. 15 You killed the Author [3] of Life, whom God raised from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16 And on the basis of faith in his name, it is the name of Jesus that has strengthened this man, whom you see and know. This faith that comes through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you.

17 “Now brothers, [4] I know that you acted in ignorance, just like your leaders. 18 But in this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through the mouth of all the prophets: that his Christ would suffer. 19 Therefore repent and return to have your sins wiped out, 20 so that refreshing times may come from the presence of the Lord and that he may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you. 21 He must receive heaven [5] until the times when everything will be restored, as God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.

22 “Moses said to the fathers: [6]

The Lord your [7] God will raise up for you a Prophet from your brothers who is like me. Listen to everything he tells you. 23 And this is what will happen: Every person who does not listen to that Prophet will be completely cut off from the people. [8]

24 “Also, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have talked about these days. 25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with our [9] fathers when he said to Abraham:

In your seed [10] all the families of the earth will be blessed. [11]

26 “God raised up his Servant and sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you away from your wicked ways.”

Footnotes1. Acts 3:1 3 pm 2. Acts 3:13 Some witnesses to the text read the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 3. Acts 3:15 Or Prince 4. Acts 3:17 When context indicates it, the Greek word for brothers may refer to all fellow believers, male and female. In this case, it seems to refer to fellow Jews. 5. Acts 3:21 Or Heaven must receive him. 6. Acts 3:22 Some witnesses to the text omit to the fathers. 7. Acts 3:22 Some witnesses to the text read our. 8. Acts 3:23 Deuteronomy 18:15,18,19 9. Acts 3:25 Some witnesses to the text read your. 10. Acts 3:25 Or descendant. The literal seed is retained in the translation to help readers trace the line of the promised Savior from Eve through Abraham and David to Jesus, the promised Seed of the Woman. 11. Acts 3:25 Genesis 12:3; 18:18; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 25Acts 2:37-47LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 25

Acts 2:37-47 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0525db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Acts 237 Now when the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Gentlemen, brothers, what should we do?”

38 Peter answered them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your [1] sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

40 He testified solemnly with many other words and was appealing to them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”

41 Those who [2] accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added.

The Christians Lived in Unity42 They continued to hold firmly to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of the bread, and to the prayers. 43 Awe came over every soul, [3] and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They were selling their possessions and property and were distributing the proceeds according to what anyone needed.

46 Day after day, with one mind, they were devoted to meeting in the temple area, as they continued to break bread in their homes. They shared their food with glad and sincere hearts, 47 as they continued praising God and being viewed favorably by all the people. Day after day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

Footnotes1. Acts 2:38 Some witnesses to the text omit your. 2. Acts 2:41 Some witnesses to the text add gladly. 3. Acts 2:43 Some witnesses to the text omit Awe came over every soul.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 24Acts 2:14-36LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 24

Acts 2:14-36 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0524db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Acts 2Peter’s Pentecost Message14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and spoke loudly and clearly to them: “Men of Judea, and all you residents of Jerusalem, understand this, and listen closely to my words. 15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day. [1] 16 On the contrary, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

17 This is what God says will happen in the last days:
I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.
Your sons and your daughters will prophesy.
Your young men will see visions.
Your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in the sky above,
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and a rising cloud of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And this will happen: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved. [2]

22 “Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus the Nazarene was a man recommended to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know. 23 This man, who was handed over by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, you [3] killed by having lawless men nail him to a cross. 24 He is the one God raised up by freeing him from the agony of death, because death was not able to hold him in its grip.

25 “Indeed, David says concerning him:

I saw the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart was glad,
and my tongue rejoiced.
My flesh also will rest in hope,
27 because you will not abandon my life to the grave, [4]
nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life.
You will fill me with joy in your presence. [5]

29 “Gentlemen, brothers, I can speak confidently to you about the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath that he would seat one of his descendants [6] on his throne, [7] 31 he saw what was coming and spoke about the resurrection of Christ, saying that he [8] was neither abandoned to the grave nor did his flesh see decay. [9]

32 “This Jesus is the one God has raised up. We are all witnesses of that. 33 So, after he was exalted to the right hand of God and after he received the promised Holy Spirit from the Father, he poured out what you are now seeing and hearing.

34 “For David did not ascend into heaven, and yet he says:

The Lord said to my Lord,
‘Sit at my right hand,
35 until I make your enemies
a footstool under your feet.’ [10]

36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

Footnotes1. Acts 2:15 9 am 2. Acts 2:21 Joel 2:28-32 3. Acts 2:23 Some witnesses to the text add took and. 4. Acts 2:27 Greek hades 5. Acts 2:28 Psalm 16:8-11 6. Acts 2:30 Some witnesses to the text read that he would raise Christ, one of his descendants according to the flesh, to sit. 7. Acts 2:30 Psalm 89:3-4; 132:11 8. Acts 2:31 A few witnesses to the text read his life. 9. Acts 2:31 Psalm 16:10 10. Acts 2:35 Psalm 110:1

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 23Acts 2:1-13LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 23

Acts 2:1-13 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0523db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Acts 2The Holy Spirit Comes on Pentecost1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the rushing of a violent wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw divided tongues that were like fire resting on each one of them. 4 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, since the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak fluently.

5 Now there were godly Jewish men from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 When this sound was heard, a crowd came together and was confused, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 They were completely baffled and said to each other, [1] “Look, are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them speaking in his own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, and of Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt, and the parts of Libya around Cyrene; visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes; 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring in our own languages the wonderful works of God.” 12 They were all amazed and perplexed. They kept saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocked them and said, “They are full of new wine.”

Footnotes1. Acts 2:7 Some witnesses to the text omit to each other.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 22Acts 1:12-26LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 22

Acts 1:12-26 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0522db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Acts 112 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. [1]

Matthias Is Chosen13 When they entered the city, they went to the upstairs room where they were staying. Peter and John were there, also James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. 14 All of them kept praying together with one mind, along with the women, with Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

15 In those days, when the group there numbered about 120 people, Peter stood up among the brothers [2] and said, 16 “Gentlemen, [3] brothers, the Scripture [4] had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David about Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 Judas was counted as one of us and was given a share in this ministry.

18 “Now this man acquired a field with what he was paid for his wicked act. When he fell headfirst, his middle burst open, and all his intestines spilled out. 19 This became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, and so in their own language that field was called Akeldema, which means Field of Blood. 20 Indeed, it is written in the book of Psalms:

May his residence be deserted.
Let there be no one dwelling in it. [5]

And,

let someone else take his position. [6]

21 “Therefore it is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us during the entire time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from his baptism by John until the day Jesus was taken up from us, become a witness with us of his resurrection.”

23 They proposed two: Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this apostolic ministry from which Judas turned away to go to his own place.” [7]

26 Then they assigned lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias. So he was counted with the eleven apostles. [8]

Footnotes1. Acts 1:12 That is, a distance less than a mile 2. Acts 1:15 Some witnesses to the text read disciples. (“Witnesses to the text” mentioned in footnotes may include Greek manuscripts, lectionaries, translations, and quotations in the church fathers.) 3. Acts 1:16 Literally Men 4. Acts 1:16 Some witnesses to the text read this Scripture. 5. Acts 1:20 Psalm 69:25 6. Acts 1:20 Psalm 109:8 7. Acts 1:25 Some witnesses to the text read portion or inheritance. 8. Acts 1:26 It is uncertain whether the procedure described in this verse refers to casting lots or voting.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 21Acts 1:1-11LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 21

Acts 1:1-11 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0521db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Acts 1Introduction and Theme1 I wrote my first book, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began doing and teaching 2 until the day he was taken up, after he had given instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After he had suffered, he presented himself alive to the apostles with many convincing proofs. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and told them things about the kingdom of God.

4 Once, when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for what the Father promised, which you heard from me. 5 For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

6 So when they were together with him, they asked, “Lord, is this the time when you are going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Jesus Ascends to Heaven9 After he said these things, he was taken up while they were watching, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 They were looking intently into the sky as he went away. Suddenly, two men in white clothes stood beside them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing here looking up into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 20Psalm 11 – 12LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 20

Psalm 11 – 12 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0520db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 11Faith, Not FlightHeadingFor the choir director. By David.

The Fear of the Fainthearted1 In the Lord I take refuge.
How can you say to my soul:
“Flee to your mountain like a bird.
2 Look! The wicked bend their bow.
They set their arrow against the string
to shoot in the darkness at the upright in heart.
3 When the foundations are being torn down,
what can the righteous do?”

David’s Answer4 The Lord is in his holy temple.
The Lord is on his throne in heaven.
His eyes observe.
He focuses on [1] the children of Adam. [2]
5 The Lord is righteous.
He examines the wicked.
He really hates [3] those who love violence.
6 On the wicked he will rain down fiery coals and sulfur. [4]
A scorching wind will be the cup given to them.
7 Indeed, the Lord is righteous. He loves righteousness.
The upright will view his face.

Psalm 12Proud Words vs. Pure WordsHeadingFor the choir director. According to sheminith. [5] A psalm by David.

The Proud Words of the Ungodly1 Save us, Lord, for the merciful have disappeared.
The faithful have vanished from among mankind.

2 Everyone speaks falsehood to his neighbor.
Their flattering lips speak double-talk. [6]
3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips.
May he cut off every tongue that speaks boastfully,
4 which says, “With our tongues we will establish our power.
We say what we please. [7] Who is lord over us?”

The Pure Words of the Lord5 “Because of the destruction of the oppressed,
because of the groaning of the poor,
now I will rise up,” says the Lord.
“I will keep him safe from the one who puffs against him.” [8]
6 The words of the Lord are pure words,
like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.
7 You, Lord, will keep them safe.
You will protect them from such people forever.
8 The wicked strut around
when depravity is honored by the children of Adam.

Footnotes1. Psalm 11:4 Literally his eyelids test 2. Psalm 11:4 Or sons of man, that is, all mankind 3. Psalm 11:5 Literally his soul hates 4. Psalm 11:6 The Hebrew text reads snares, fire, and sulfur. The translation follows one Greek version, which inverts two letters in one Hebrew word, changing snares to fiery coals. 5. Psalm 12:1 Sheminith is apparently derived from the Hebrew word for eight. It may refer to an eight-stringed instrument, to the bass voice, to low-pitched stringed instruments, or, most likely, to a method for tuning a stringed instrument (1 Chronicles 15:21). 6. Psalm 12:2 Literally speak with a heart and a heart 7. Psalm 12:4 Literally our lips are with us 8. Psalm 12:5 Or in the safety he desires

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 19Psalm 9 – 10LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 19

Psalm 9 – 10 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0519db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 9Praise for God’s Righteous JudgmentHeadingFor the choir director. According to “The Death of the Son.” [1] A psalm by David.

Praise for God’s Righteous Judgment1 I will thank you, Lord, with all my heart.
I will tell about all your wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and rejoice in you.
I will make music to your name, O Most High.

Judgment Against David’s Enemies3 When my enemies turn back,
they stumble and perish from your presence,
4 for you have upheld my rights and my cause.
You sat on the throne, judging righteously.
5 You have rebuked the nations,
and you made the wicked perish.
You have blotted out their name forever and ever.
6 As for the enemy, their destruction is complete and final.
You have uprooted cities.
Memory of them has perished with them.

Judgment Against the Whole World7 The Lord is seated forever.
He has established his throne for judgment.
8 The Lord himself will judge the world in righteousness.
He will judge the peoples with fairness.
9 The Lord will be a refuge for those who have been crushed,
a refuge for times of trouble.
10 Those who know your name will trust in you,
for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.

Closing Praise and Final Appeal11 Make music for the Lord, who is seated in Zion.
Proclaim his deeds among the peoples.
12 Yes, he who avenges bloodshed remembers them.
He does not forget the cry of the afflicted.
13 Have mercy on me, O Lord.
See my afflictions that are caused by those who hate me,
and raise me up from the gates of death,
14 so that I may declare all your praise.
In the gates of the Daughter of Zion [2] I will rejoice in your salvation.

The Fate of the Wicked15 The nations have sunk into the pit they have made.
Their feet are caught in the net that they have hidden.
16 The Lord makes himself known by the judgment he has carried out.
By the work of his hands the wicked are snared. Interlude for meditation [3]
17 The wicked return to the grave,
all the nations who forget God.
18 But he will never forget the needy.
The hope of the afflicted will never perish.
19 Rise up, O Lord. Do not let man triumph.
Let the nations be judged in your presence.
20 Strike them with fear, O Lord.
Let the nations know they are only human. Interlude

Psalm 10Break the Arm of the Wicked ManAn Opening Appeal for Action1 Why, Lord, do you stand so far away?
Why do you hide in times of distress?

A Portrait of the Wicked2 Because of the pride of the wicked, the oppressed burn. [4]
They are caught in the schemes that the wicked plan.
3 Yes, the wicked man boasts about his heart’s desires.
He blesses the robber. He despises the Lord. [5]
4 With his nose in the air, the wicked does not seek God.
There is no room at all for God in his thoughts.
5 His ways are prosperous all the time.
He is haughty. Your judgments do not concern him.
He snorts at all of his foes.
6 He says in his heart, “I will not be shaken.
Through age after age I will have no trouble.”
7 Cursing fills his mouth, along with lies and threats.
Trouble and evil lie under his tongue.
8 He waits in ambush by the villages.
In hidden places he murders the innocent.
His eyes are spying on the helpless.
9 He lies in ambush. He hides like a lion in a thicket.
He lies in ambush to catch the oppressed.
He catches the oppressed by dragging them in his net.
10 The helpless are crushed. They sink down.
They fall under his strength.
11 He says in his heart, “God has forgotten.
He hides his face. He never sees.”

An Appeal for Divine Justice12 Rise up, O Lord! Lift up your hand, O God.
Do not forget the oppressed.
13 Why does the wicked man despise God?
Why does he say in his heart,
“You do not seek justice”?
14 But you do see. You notice trouble and grief.
You take it into your own hands.
The helpless one abandons himself to you.
For the fatherless you are indeed a helper.
15 Break the arm of the wicked.
You pursue the wickedness of the evil man
until you find no more. [6]

Confidence in Divine Justice16 The Lord is King forever and ever.
The nations will perish from his land.
17 Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted.
You strengthen their hearts,
and your ear pays attention,
18 to obtain justice for the fatherless and the crushed,
so that the worldly man [7] may no longer terrify.

Footnotes1. Psalm 9:1 This may be the name of the tune. The translation according to the death of the son is uncertain. 2. Psalm 9:14 This half-line may be taken with the preceding line rather than with the following line. Here Daughter of Zion seems to be a personification of Jerusalem. 3. Psalm 9:16 Higgaion and selah together may mean a musical interlude for meditation. 4. Psalm 10:2 Or in pride the wicked burns for [that is, he hotly pursues] the oppressed 5. Psalm 10:3 With a different punctuation and reading of the Hebrew text the robber reviles the Lord 6. Psalm 10:15 Or which he thought you would not find 7. Psalm 10:18 Or mortal man

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 18Psalm 7 – 8LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 18

Psalm 7 – 8 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0518db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 7The Slandered SaintHeadingA shiggaion [1] by David, which he sang to the Lord
because of the words of Cush, from the tribe of Benjamin.

David’s Innocence1 O Lord my God, in you I take refuge.
Save me from all my pursuers and deliver me.
2 Otherwise, like a lion they will tear me apart.
They will drag me away with no one to rescue me.
3 O Lord my God, if I have done this,
if there is injustice in my hands,
4 if I have done evil to anyone who is at peace with me,
or if I have robbed my foe for no reason,
5 then let an enemy pursue my life and overtake me.
Let him trample my life to the ground
and make my glory dwell in the dust. Interlude

David’s Appeal for Justice6 Stand up, O Lord, in your anger.
Rise up against the fury of my foes.
Awake for me. You have commanded justice. [2]
7 A crowd of peoples surrounds you.
Turn against them from on high.
8 Let the Lord judge the peoples.
Acquit me, O Lord, according to my righteousness,
according to my integrity which is in me.
9 The evil of the wicked will come to an end,
but you will establish the righteous.
You search minds and hearts, [3] O righteous God.

God’s Judgment Against the Wicked10 My shield is God, who saves the upright in heart.
11 God, the judge, is righteous,
but he is a God who expresses his wrath every day.
12 If he [4] does not relent,
the Lord [5] will sharpen his sword.
He has bent his bow and will string it.
13 He prepares his deadly weapons.
He will make his arrows flames.

You Reap What You Sow14 Yes, whoever conceives evil and is pregnant with trouble
will give birth to disappointment. [6]
15 He digs a pit and scoops it out,
and he will fall into the hole he has made.
16 The trouble he causes comes back on his own head.
His violence comes down on top of his own skull.

Closing Praise17 I will thank the Lord because of his righteousness,
and I will make music to the name of the Lord Most High.

Psalm 8Your Name Is MajesticHeadingFor the choir director. According to gittith. [7] A psalm by David.

The Glory of God Declared by the HeavensThe Glory of God Declared by Children1 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Set this glory of yours above the heavens. [8]
2 From the lips of little children and nursing babies
you have established strength [9] because of your foes,
to put a stop to the enemy and the avenger.

The Glory of the Son of Man3 Whenever I look up at your heavens, the works of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place—
4 what is man that you remember him,
the son of man [10] that you pay attention to him!
5 Nevertheless, you make him suffer need,
apart from God for a while, [11]
but you crown him with glory and honor.
6 You make him the ruler over the works of your hands.
You put everything under his feet:
7 all flocks and cattle, and even the wild animals,
8 the birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea,
which pass through the currents of the seas.
9 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Footnotes1. Psalm 7:1 The Hebrew word shiggaion is a musical term of uncertain meaning. Perhaps it means an emotional song. 2. Psalm 7:6 Or command justice 3. Psalm 7:9 Literally hearts and kidneys 4. Psalm 7:12 It is not clear whether he refers to God or to the wicked. 5. Psalm 7:12 Hebrew he. The subject the Lord is supplied for clarity. 6. Psalm 7:14 Or lies 7. Psalm 8:1 Gittith means in the style of Gath. Gath is a city name. It also means winepress. The term seems to refer to a musical style associated with Gath or perhaps to the name of a melody. 8. Psalm 8:1 The grammar of the line is difficult. 9. Psalm 8:2 The Greek Old Testament and Matthew 21:16 read prepared praise. 10. Psalm 8:4 Or the Son of Man, or the Son of Adam. Hebrews 2:6 makes it clear that Jesus is the Son of Adam who fulfills this prophecy. Jesus’ title, the Son of Man, however, is based on Daniel 7:13 rather than on this verse. Here and in Daniel 7:13 it seems that the term son of man is not yet a formal title. It is the poetic parallel of the term man. 11. Psalm 8:5 This very important verse is difficult and has been the subject of a number of interpretations. A literal rendering of the Hebrew reads: You made him lack—God—a little. This could be paraphrased with Luther: You let him be forsaken by God for a little while. The translation above follows Luther in understanding this as a reference to Jesus’ humiliation. The Greek translation of the Old Testament interprets the Hebrew word elohim, which usually means god, as a reference to godlike beings, namely, the angels: You made him a little lower [or lower for a little while] than the angels. Hebrews 2:7 quotes this translation. In either interpretation the point is the same: Jesus endured humiliation while he was on earth acting as our Savior. The fact that he needed help from the angels is one evidence of this.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 17Psalm 6LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 17

Psalm 6 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0517db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 6Do Not Rebuke Me in Your AngerHeadingFor the choir director. With stringed instruments.
According to sheminith. [1] A psalm by David.

Anxious Prayer1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger.
Do not discipline me in your wrath.
2 Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am fading away.
Heal me, Lord, for my bones are trembling,
3 and my soul is terrified.
But you, O Lord—how long?
4 Turn, O Lord, and deliver my soul.
Save me because of your mercy.
5 For in death no one remembers you.
In the grave who praises you?
6 I am worn out from my groaning.
I flood my bed all night long.
With my tears I drench my couch.
7 My eyes are blurred by sorrow.
They are worn out because of all my foes.

Confident Trust8 Turn away from me, all you evildoers,
because the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
9 The Lord has heard my cry for mercy.
The Lord accepts my prayer.
10 They will be put to shame.
All my enemies will be terrified.
They will turn back.
They will be put to shame in an instant.

Footnotes1. Psalm 6:1 Sheminith seems to be derived from the Hebrew word for eight. It may refer to an eight-stringed instrument, to the bass voice, to low-pitched stringed instruments, or, most likely, to a method for tuning a stringed instrument (1 Chronicles 15:21).

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 16Psalm 5LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 16

Psalm 5 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0516db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 5With You the Wicked Cannot DwellHeadingFor the choir director. For flutes. A psalm by David.

Access in Prayer1 Turn your ear to my words, O Lord.
Understand me when I sigh.
2 Pay attention to my cry for help,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
3 Lord, in the morning you hear my voice.
In the morning I lay out my requests in front of you,
and I watch for your answer.

No Access4 For you are not a God who takes pleasure in evil.
With you the wicked cannot dwell.
5 The arrogant cannot stand before your eyes.
You hate all evildoers.
6 You put to death those who speak lies.
The Lord is disgusted with bloodthirsty, deceitful men.

Access in Prayer7 But as for me, by your great mercy
I will enter your house.
I will bow down toward your holy temple
with reverence for you.
8 Lord, lead me in your righteousness.
Because of those who slander me,
make your way straight before me.

Lying Tongues9 Nothing reliable comes out of their mouth.
From within them comes destruction.
Their throat is an open grave.
With their tongue they flatter.
10 Declare them guilty, O God!
Let them fall because of their own schemes.
For their many treacherous deeds banish them,
because they have rebelled against you.

Praising Tongues11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad.
Let them sing for joy forever.
You cover them with protection,
so those who love your name rejoice in you.
12 Yes, you bless the righteous, Lord.
You surround them with your favor as a shield.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 15Psalm 3 – 4LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 15

Psalm 3 – 4 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0515db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 3How Many Are My Foes, But You Are My ShieldHeadingA psalm by David. When he fled from Absalom, [1] his son.

Many Enemies1 O Lord, how my foes are multiplying!
Many are rising up against me!
2 Many are saying about my life, Interlude [2]
“There is no salvation for him in God.”

One Protector3 But you, O Lord, are a shield for me.
You are my glory and the one who lifts up my head.
4 With a loud voice I cry out to the Lord, Interlude
and he answers me from his holy mountain.

Peaceful Rest5 I lie down, and I sleep.
I awake, because the Lord sustains me.
6 I will not be afraid of the thousands of people
who line up against me on all sides.

Certain Victory7 Rise up, O Lord! Save me, my God!
Yes, you will strike all my enemies on the jaw.
The teeth of the wicked you will break.
8 Salvation belongs to the Lord. Interlude
Your blessing rests on your people.

Psalm 4My Righteous God, Give Me ReliefHeadingFor the choir director. With stringed instruments. A psalm by David.

A Prayer to God1 My righteous God, answer me when I call.
When I was under pressure, you gave me relief.
Be merciful to me and hear my prayer.

A Rebuke to Enemies2 You people, how long will you turn my glory into shame?
How long will you love empty delusions? Interlude
How long will you pursue lies?
3 Know this: The Lord has set apart
his favored one [3] for himself.
The Lord will hear when I call to him.

Advice to Friends4 You may be upset, but do not sin.
When you are on your beds,
speak to your heart, but remain silent. Interlude
5 Offer righteous sacrifices,
and trust in the Lord.
6 Many are saying, “Who can show us any good?”
Shine the light of your face on us, O Lord.

Closing Prayer7 You have placed joy in my heart greater than the joy
when grain and new wine are plentiful.
8 In complete peace I will lie down, and I will sleep,
for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Footnotes1. Psalm 3:1 See 2 Samuel 15–18. 2. Psalm 3:2 The Hebrew term selah probably indicates a musical interlude for meditation, so selah is translated interlude throughout Psalms. 3. Psalm 4:3 The Hebrew word hasid refers to someone who receives and/or gives mercy. It is the most common title for a believer in the Psalms. Many translations use generic terms like devout, godly, or faithful. This translation uses favored when hasid refers primarily to a recipient of mercy and merciful when it refers primarily to a dispenser of mercy.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 14Psalm 1 – 2LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 14

Psalm 1 – 2 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0514db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Book IPsalms 1–41Psalm 1Two Responses to God’s WordThe Way of the Godly Leads to Blessing1 How blessed is the man
who does not walk in the advice of the wicked,
who does not stand on the path with sinners,
and who does not sit in a meeting with mockers.
2 But his delight is in the teaching [1] of the Lord,
and on his teaching he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted beside streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season,
and its leaves do not wither.
Everything he does prospers.

The Way of the Ungodly Leads to Destruction4 Not so the wicked!
No, they are like the chaff which the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

Conclusion6 Yes, the Lord approves [2] of the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

Psalm 2The Nations Conspire, But God’s King Rules SecurelyThe Futile Rebellion of the Nations1 Why do the nations rage?
Why do the peoples grumble in vain?
2 The kings of the earth take a stand,
and the rulers join together
against the Lord
and against his Anointed One. [3]
3 “Let us tear off their chains
and throw off their ropes from us.”

The Reaction of the Lord4 The one who is seated in heaven laughs.
The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then he speaks to them in his anger,
and in his wrath he terrifies them.
6 “I have installed my King on Zion, my holy mountain.”

The Powerful Rule of God’s King7 I will proclaim the decree of the Lord.
He said to me:
“You are my Son.
Today I have begotten you. [4]
8 Ask me,
and I will give you the nations as your inheritance
and the ends of the earth as your possession.
9 You will smash them with an iron rod.
You will break them to pieces like pottery.”

The Lesson to Be Learned10 So now, you kings, do what is wise.
Accept discipline, [5] you judges of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son,
or he will be angry,
and you will be destroyed in your way,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
How blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Footnotes1. Psalm 1:2 The Hebrew torah is traditionally translated law, but the term torah also includes other types of instruction besides legal regulations, so here it is translated with the more general term teaching. 2. Psalm 1:6 Literally knows 3. Psalm 2:2 Or Messiah 4. Psalm 2:7 Or I have become your father 5. Psalm 2:10 Or receive correction

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 08Luke 23:13-25LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 08

Luke 23:13-25 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0508db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Luke 2313 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought this man to me as one who is misleading the people. Look, I have examined him in your presence. I have found in this man no basis for the charges you are bringing against him. 15 Herod did not either, for he sent him back to us. [1] See, he has done nothing worthy of death. 16 So I will have him flogged and release him.”

Barabbas or Jesus?17 Pilate needed to release one prisoner to them at the Festival. [2] 18 But they all shouted together with one voice: “Take him away! Release Barabbas to us!” 19 Barabbas had been thrown in prison for a rebellion in the city and for murder.

20 Pilate addressed them again, because he wanted to release Jesus. 21 But they kept shouting, “Crucify! Crucify him!”

22 He said to them the third time, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found no grounds for sentencing him to death. So I will whip him and release him.” 23 But they kept pressuring him with loud voices, demanding that he be crucified. And their voices [3] were overwhelming. 24 So Pilate decided that what they demanded would be done. 25 He released the one they had asked for, who had been thrown in prison for rebellion and murder, but he handed Jesus over to their will.

Footnotes1. Luke 23:15 Some witnesses to the text read For I sent you to him. 2. Luke 23:17 A few witnesses to the text omit verse 17. See Matthew 27:15 and Mark 15:6. 3. Luke 23:23 Some witnesses to the text add and the voices of the high priests.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 07Luke 22:63 – 23:12LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 07

Luke 22:63 – 23:12 (EHV)
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Luke 22The Guards Mock Jesus63 The men who were holding Jesus in custody mocked him while they were beating him. 64 They blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who hit you?” 65 And they went on saying many other blasphemous things against him.

Jewish Court66 As soon as it was day, the council of the elders of the people met together, both the chief priests and experts in the law. They brought him into their Sanhedrin and said, 67 “If you are the Christ, tell us.”

But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, 68 and if I ask you, you will not answer me or release me. [1] 69 But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” [2]

70 They all said, “Are you then the Son of God?”

He said to them, “I am what you are saying.”

71 Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony? For we ourselves have heard it from his own mouth!”

Jesus’ Trial in Pilate’s CourtLuke 231 The whole group of them got up and brought him before Pilate. 2 They began to accuse him, saying, “We found this fellow misleading our nation, forbidding the payment of taxes to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.”

3 Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”

“It is as you say,” Jesus replied.

4 Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”

5 But they kept insisting, “He stirs up the people, teaching all through Judea, beginning from Galilee all the way here.”

Pilate Sends Jesus to Herod6 When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was a Galilean. 7 When he learned that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem during those days.

8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad. For a long time, he had wanted to see him, because he had heard many things about him. He hoped to see some miracle performed by him. 9 He questioned him with many words, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 The chief priests and the experts in the law stood there, vehemently accusing him. 11 Herod, along with his soldiers, treated him with contempt and ridiculed him. Dressing him in bright clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. 12 Herod and Pilate became friends with each other on that day. Before this they had been enemies of each other.

Footnotes1. Luke 22:68 A few witnesses to the text omit or release me. 2. Luke 22:69 Psalm 110:1

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 06Luke 22:47-62LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 06

Luke 22:47-62 (EHV)
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Luke 22Jesus’ Arrest47 While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd appeared, and the man called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He came near to Jesus to kiss him. 48 But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

49 When those who were around him saw what was about to happen, they said to him, “Lord, should we strike with a sword?” 50 Then one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.

51 But Jesus responded, “Stop! No more of this!” Then he touched the servant’s ear and healed him. 52 Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come out against him, “Have you come out as you would against a robber, with swords and clubs? 53 Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour—when darkness rules.”

54 Then they seized him, led him away, and brought him into the high priest’s house.

Peter Denies JesusPeter followed at a distance. 55 When they had lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. 56 A servant girl saw him sitting near the light. She looked closely at him and said, “This man also was with him.”

57 But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.”

58 After a little while someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them!”

But Peter answered, “Man, I am not!”

59 After about one hour had passed, someone else was firmly insisting, “Truly this man was with him too, because he is a Galilean!”

60 But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about!” At that very moment, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the Lord’s word, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today you will deny me three times.” 62 He went outside and wept bitterly.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 05Luke 22:31-46LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 05

Luke 22:31-46 (EHV)
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Luke 22Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial31 The Lord said, “Simon, Simon, pay attention: Satan has asked to have you all, so that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have returned to me, strengthen your brothers.”

33 He said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death!”

34 But Jesus replied, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you deny three times that you know me.”

35 He said to them, “When I sent you out without money bag, traveler’s bag, and sandals, did you lack anything?”

“Nothing,” they said.

36 Then he told them, “But now, let the one who has a money bag take it, and likewise a traveler’s bag. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. 37 For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘He was counted with transgressors.’ [1] Indeed, what is written about me is going to have its fulfillment.”

38 They said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.”

He said to them, “That is enough.”

Gethsemane39 Jesus left and went out to the Mount of Olives, as was his custom. His disciples followed him. 40 When he reached the place, he told them, “Keep praying that you may not enter into temptation.”

41 He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done.”

43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 As he was in agony, he prayed more fervently. His sweat became like great drops of blood falling to the ground. [2]

45 When he rose from prayer, he went to the disciples and found them sleeping as a result of sorrow. 46 He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and keep praying so that you may not enter into temptation.”

Footnotes1. Luke 22:37 Isaiah 53:12 2. Luke 22:44 A few witnesses to the text omit verses 43-44.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 04Luke 22:14-30LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 04

Luke 22:14-30 (EHV)
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Luke 2214 When the hour had come, Jesus reclined at the table with the twelve apostles. 15 He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, 16 for I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

17 He took a cup, gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves, 18 for I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

The Lord’s Supper19 He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way, he took the cup after the supper, saying, “This cup is the new testament [1] in my blood, which is being poured out for you.

One Will Betray Jesus21 “But look, the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. 22 The Son of Man is going to go as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!”

23 They began to discuss with one another which of them it was who was going to do this.

Who Is Greatest?24 A dispute arose among the disciples about which of them was considered to be greatest. 25 But he told them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are called Benefactors. 26 But it is not to be that way with you. Instead, let the greatest among you become like the youngest, and the one who leads like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, one who reclines at the table or one who serves? Isn’t it the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. 28 You are those who have remained with me in my trials. 29 I am going to grant a kingdom to you, just as my Father granted to me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

Footnotes1. Luke 22:20 As in last will and testament. See Galatians 3:15.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 03Luke 22:1-13LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 03

Luke 22:1-13 (EHV)
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Luke 22The Plot to Kill Jesus1 The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching. 2 The chief priests and the experts in the law were trying to find some way to put Jesus to death, because they were afraid of the people. 3 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, who was one of the Twelve. 4 He went away and spoke with the chief priests and officers of the temple guard about how he could betray Jesus to them. 5 They were glad and agreed to give him money. 6 He promised to do it and was looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus to them away from the crowd.

Jesus Celebrates the Passover7 The day of Unleavened Bread arrived, when it was necessary to sacrifice the Passover lamb. 8 Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go prepare the Passover for us, so that we may eat it.”

9 They said to him, “Where do you want us to prepare it?”

10 He told them, “Just as you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters. 11 Tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ 12 He will show you a large, furnished upper room. Make preparations there.” 13 They went and found things just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 02Luke 21:25-38LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 02

Luke 21:25-38 (EHV)
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Luke 2125 “There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And on the earth nations will be in anguish, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the surging waves, 26 people fainting from fear and expectation of the things coming on the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. [1] 28 But when these things begin to happen, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near.”

29 He told them a parable. “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30 As soon as they are sprouting leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is actually near. 31 So also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Amen I tell you: This generation [2] will not pass away until all these things happen. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Be Ready!34 “Watch yourselves or else your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and the worries of this life, and that day may come on you suddenly. [3] 35 For it will come like a trap on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Stay alert all the time, praying that you may be able to escape all these things that are going to happen and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

37 During the days, Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, and each night he would go out and spend the night on the Mount of Olives. 38 And all the people came early in the morning to listen to him in the temple courts.

Footnotes1. Luke 21:27 Daniel 7:13 2. Luke 21:32 Or kind of people 3. Luke 21:34 A few witnesses to the text read suddenly like a trap. Yes, it will come on all those . . .

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – May 01Luke 21:1-24LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – May 01

Luke 21:1-24 (EHV)
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Luke 21The Poor Widow Gave More1 Jesus looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the offering box. 2 He saw a poor widow there putting in two small coins. [1] 3 He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow put in more than everyone, 4 for all these put in some of their leftovers as gifts to God, [2] but she, out of her poverty, put in all that she had to live on.”

The Destruction of Jerusalem and the End of the World5 As some were talking about the temple, how it was decorated with beautiful stones and offerings, Jesus said, 6 “These things that you see here—the days will come when there will not be one stone left on another—every one will be thrown down.”

7 They asked him, “Teacher, when will these things happen? And what is the sign that these things are about to happen?”

8 He said, “Watch out so that you are not deceived! For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. 9 Whenever you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be terrified, for these things must happen first, but the end will not be right then.”

10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines, and plagues in various places. There will be horrifying sights and great signs from heaven. 12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, handing you over to synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for my name’s sake. 13 It will turn out to be your opportunity to testify. 14 So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand how to defend yourselves, 15 for I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, [3] relatives, and friends. They will put some of you to death. 17 You will be hated by all people for my name’s sake. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By patient endurance you will gain your lives.

20 “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let those who are inside the city get out. Let those who are in the country not enter the city. 22 For these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that has been written. 23 How terrible it will be for those who are pregnant and nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. 24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken captive to all nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Footnotes1. Luke 21:2 Literally lepta. One lepton was a coin worth about 1⁄128 of an agricultural worker’s daily wages. 2. Luke 21:4 Or put in gifts to God from their abundance 3. Luke 21:16 Greek adelphoi. Depending on the context, this plural word may refer to brothers or siblings (including any sisters). See Luke 14:26 where the text literally says brothers and sisters.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 30Luke 19:47 – 20:47LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 30

Luke 19:47 – 20:47 (EHV)
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Luke 1947 Every day he was teaching in the temple courts, but the chief priests, the experts in the law, and the leaders of the people continued to look for a way to put him to death. 48 They could not find any way to do it, because all the people were clinging to him and listening.

Jesus’ Authority Is QuestionedLuke 201 One day, as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and preaching the good news, the chief priests and experts in the law came to him with the elders. 2 They asked him, “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things. Or who is the one who gave you this authority?”

3 He answered them, “I will also ask you one question. Tell me: 4 the baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?”

5 They discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered that they did not know where it was from.

8 Jesus said to them, “Neither am I going to tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants9 He began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, leased it to some tenant farmers, and went away on a journey for a long time. 10 When it was the right time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenant farmers beat the servant and sent him away empty-handed. 11 The man went ahead and sent yet another servant, but they also beat him, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 He then sent yet a third. They also wounded him and threw him out. 13 The owner of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I will send my son, whom I love. Perhaps they will respect him.’

14 “But when the tenant farmers saw him, they talked it over with one another. They said, ‘This is the heir. Let’s kill him, so that the inheritance will be ours.’ 15 They threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. So what will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy those tenant farmers and give the vineyard to others.”

When they heard this, they said, “May it never be!”

17 But he looked at them and said, “Then what about this that is written:

The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone? [1]

18 “Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush the one on whom it falls.”

19 That very hour the chief priests and the experts in the law began looking for a way to lay hands on him, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.

Paying Taxes to Caesar20 They watched him carefully and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, so that they could trap Jesus in something he said, and then deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor. 21 They questioned him, “Teacher, we know that you say and teach what is right and show no partiality to anyone, but you teach the way of God on the basis of the truth. 22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

23 But he was aware of their deceit and said to them, 24 “Show me a denarius. [2] Whose image and inscription are on it?”

“Caesar’s,” they answered.

25 He said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

26 They were not able to trap him in what he said in the presence of the people. They were amazed at his answer and became silent.

The God of the Living27 Some of the Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to him. 28 They asked him a question, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies leaving a wife but no children, his brother should take the wife and raise up children for his brother. [3] 29 So there were seven brothers. The first took a wife and died childless. 30 The second took her as a wife, [4] 31 and so did the third, and in the same way the seven died and left no children. 32 Finally the woman died too. 33 So in the resurrection, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as a wife.”

34 Jesus said to them, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy to experience that age and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. 36 In fact, they cannot die any more, for they are like the angels. They are sons of God, because they are sons of the resurrection.

37 “Even Moses showed in the account about the burning bush that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord: ‘The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ [5] 38 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all are alive to him.”

39 Some of the experts in the law answered, “Teacher, you have spoken well.” 40 Then they no longer dared to ask him anything.

David’s Son and David’s Lord41 Jesus said to them, “How is it that they say that the Christ is David’s son? 42 David himself says in the book of Psalms:

The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand, 43 until I make your enemies
a footstool under your feet.” [6]

44 “So David calls him ‘Lord.’ Then how is he his son?”

Beware45 While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, 46 “Beware of the experts in the law, who like to walk around in long robes and love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets. 47 They devour widows’ houses and offer long prayers to look good. They will receive greater condemnation.”

Footnotes1. Luke 20:17 Psalm 118:22 2. Luke 20:24 A denarius was worth about one day’s wage. 3. Luke 20:28 Deuteronomy 25:5 4. Luke 20:30 Some witnesses to the text add and this one died childless. 5. Luke 20:37 Exodus 3:6 6. Luke 20:43 Psalm 110:1

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 29Luke 19:29-46LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 29

Luke 19:29-46 (EHV)
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Luke 1929 As he came near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples ahead, 30 saying, “Go to the village ahead of you. When you enter it, you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31 And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you will say this: ‘The Lord needs it.’”

32 Those who were sent ahead went and found things just as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

34 They said, “The Lord needs it.”

35 Then they brought the colt to Jesus. They threw their robes on the colt and set Jesus on it. 36 As he went along, people spread their robes on the road. 37 As he was approaching the slope of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began to praise God joyfully, with a loud voice, for all the miracles they had seen, 38 saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! [1] Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

39 Some of the Pharisees from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

40 He replied, “I tell you, if these people would be silent, the stones would cry out.”

41 As he came near, he saw the city and wept over it. 42 He said, “If you, yes you, had only known on this day [2] the things that would bring peace to you. But now, it is hidden from your eyes. 43 In fact, the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you, surround you, and hem you in on every side. 44 Within your walls, they will dash you and your children to the ground. And within your walls, they will not leave one stone on top of another, because you did not recognize the time when God came to help you.” [3]

Jesus Cleanses His Father’s House45 Jesus entered the temple courts and began to drive out those who were selling [4] things there. 46 He told them, “It is written, ‘My house will be a house of prayer,’ [5] but you have made it a ‘den of robbers’!” [6]

Footnotes1. Luke 19:38 Psalm 118:26 2. Luke 19:42 Some witnesses to the text read this your day. 3. Luke 19:44 The time when God came to help you is literally the time of your visitation. 4. Luke 19:45 Some witnesses to the text add and buying. 5. Luke 19:46 Isaiah 56:7 6. Luke 19:46 Jeremiah 7:11

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 28Genesis 50LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 28

Genesis 50 (EHV)
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1 Joseph put his face against his father’s face, wept over him, and kissed him. 2 Joseph commanded the physicians who served him to embalm his father, so the physicians embalmed Israel. 3 Forty days were set aside for him, for that is how many days it takes to embalm. The Egyptians mourned for him for seventy days.

4 When the days of mourning for Jacob were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh. He said, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak directly to Pharaoh for me and say 5 that my father made me take an oath. He said to me, ‘Look, I am dying. Bury me in my tomb that I have dug for myself in the land of Canaan.’ Now therefore, please let me go up and bury my father, and I will return here again.”

6 Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, just as he made you swear to do.”

7 Joseph went up to bury his father, and all the officials of Pharaoh went up with him: the senior officials of Pharaoh’s household, all the elders of the land of Egypt, 8 all the household of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s household. Only their little ones, their flocks, and their herds were left in the land of Goshen. 9 Both chariots and horsemen went up with him. It was a very great entourage.

10 They came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is on the other side of the Jordan, and there they mourned with a very loud and bitter lament. Joseph mourned for his father seven days. 11 When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, witnessed the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a very solemn mourning by the Egyptians.” That is why they named the place Abel Mizraim. [1] It is beyond the Jordan. 12 His sons did for him just what he commanded them to do: 13 They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field at Machpelah, which Abraham had purchased along with the field. He purchased it from Ephron the Hittite, as a piece of property for a burial site near Mamre. 14 After he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt—he and his brothers, and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.

Joseph and His Brothers15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and will pay us back in full for all of the evil that we did to him.”

16 They sent the following message to Joseph: “Before he died your father commanded us, 17 ‘You are to tell Joseph, “Please forgive the offense of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.”’ Now, please forgive the offense of the servants of the God of your father.”

Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

18 His brothers also came and fell down in front of him, and they said, “See now, we are your servants.”

19 Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring this to pass and to keep many people alive, as it is this day. 21 Now therefore, do not be afraid. I will nourish you and your little ones.” He comforted them and spoke to them in a kind way.

The Death of Joseph22 Joseph lived in Egypt, he and his father’s household. Joseph lived one hundred ten years. 23 He saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation. The children also of Makir, the son of Manasseh, were placed on Joseph’s knees when they were born. 24 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am dying, but God will surely visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25 Joseph made the descendants of Israel swear an oath. He said, “God will surely visit you. Then you shall carry my bones up from here.” 26 So Joseph died when he was one hundred ten years old, and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

Footnotes1. Genesis 50:11 Abel Mizraim means mourning of the Egyptians.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 27Genesis 49LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 27

Genesis 49 (EHV)
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See series: Through My Bible

Jacob Blesses His Sons1 Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather together, so that I can declare to you what will happen to you in the days to come.” [1]

2 Assemble together, and listen to this, you sons of Jacob.
Listen to Israel, your father.

3 Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might,
and the beginning of my vigor,
excelling in dignity and excelling in power.

4 Boiling over like water, you shall not excel,
because you went up to your father’s bed,
and you defiled it.
He went up to my couch!

5 Simeon and Levi are brothers.
Their daggers [2] are weapons of violence.

6 My soul, do not enter their council.
My glory, do not join in their assembly.
Yes, in their anger they killed men.
In their spitefulness they hamstrung oxen.

7 Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce.
Cursed be their wrath, for it was cruel.
I will divide them in Jacob.
I will scatter them in Israel.

8 Judah, your brothers will praise you.
Your hand will be on the throat of your enemies.
Your father’s sons will bow down to you.

9 Judah is a lion’s cub.
You have gone up from the prey, my son.
He stooped down. He crouched like a lion.
He is like a lioness. Who will provoke him?

10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
until the one to whom it belongs comes. [3]
He will receive the obedience of the peoples.

11 He will tie his foal to the vine,
his donkey’s colt to the choice vine.
He has washed his clothing in wine,
his garments in the blood of grapes.

12 His eyes will be darker than wine,
his teeth whiter than milk. [4]

13 Zebulun will dwell at the seashore.
He will provide a landing place for ships.
His border will extend toward Sidon.

14 Issachar is a strong-boned donkey,
lying down between the saddlebags. [5]

15 He saw a resting place that was good.
He saw land that was pleasant.
He bows his shoulder under the burden
and becomes a slave doing forced labor.

16 Dan will judge his people
as one of the tribes of Israel.

17 Dan will be a snake in the way,
a viper in the path.
It bites the horse’s heels,
so that its rider falls backward.

18 I have waited for your salvation, O Lord.

19 Raiders will attack Gad,
but he will attack their heels.

20 Asher’s food will be rich.
He will produce delicacies fit for a king.

21 Naphtali is a doe set free,
that bears beautiful fawns. [6]

22 Joseph is a fruitful vine,
a fruitful vine by a spring.
His branches run over the wall. [7]

23 The archers have fiercely attacked him.
They shot at him and harassed him,

24 but his bow remained steady.
His arms and hands were made strong
by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,
by the name of [8] the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel,

25 by the God of your father, who will help you,
by the Almighty, who will bless you
with blessings from heaven above,
blessings from the deep that lies below,
blessings from the breasts and from the womb.

26 The blessings of your father are greater than the blessings of
my parents, [9]
greater than the treasures of the ancient hills.
They will rest on the head of Joseph,
on the forehead of him who is elevated above his brothers.

27 Benjamin is a ravenous wolf.
In the morning he will devour the prey.
At evening he will divide the spoils.

28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them when he blessed them. He blessed each one with the appropriate blessing. 29 He instructed them and said to them, “I am going to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 in the cave that is in the field at Machpelah, which is near Mamre in the land of Canaan, which Abraham purchased along with the field from Ephron the Hittite as a burial place. 31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah. 32 The field and the cave that is in it was purchased from the descendants of Heth.” [10]

The Death and Burial of Jacob33 When Jacob finished instructing his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, breathed his last breath, and was gathered to his people.

Footnotes1. Genesis 49:1 This phrase often refers to the distant future. 2. Genesis 49:5 The meaning of the word is uncertain. The suggestions are many. 3. Genesis 49:10 Or until Shiloh comes. Shiloh is simply a transliteration of the Hebrew. Shiloh is not used elsewhere as a name of the Messiah. Ezekiel 21:27 and the ancient versions support the translation of shelo as to whom it belongs or which belongs to him. In either case the reference is to the coming Messiah. 4. Genesis 49:12 Or dark from wine, white from milk 5. Genesis 49:14 The meaning of the word is uncertain, perhaps sheepfolds or campfires. 6. Genesis 49:21 The poetic language is difficult. The line may mean he speaks beautiful words. 7. Genesis 49:22 The poetic language is difficult. Literally it means a son of fruitfulness, a son of fruitfulness beside a spring; his daughters run over a wall. 8. Genesis 49:24 By the name of is an alternate reading of the Hebrew text. The main Hebrew text reads from there. 9. Genesis 49:26 The Hebrew of the verse is difficult, and some translations emend the text to read greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains. 10. Genesis 49:32 There is no known connection between these descendants of Heth, who were apparently a Canaanite group (see Genesis 10:15), and the later Indo-European Hittites of Anatolia (Turkey). The Hittites of Anatolia did not call themselves Hittites but were given that name in the mistaken belief that they were related to the Hittites of the Bible.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 26Genesis 47:13 – 48:22LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 26

Genesis 47:13 – 48:22 (EHV)
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Genesis 47The Famine13 There was no food in all the land because the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan grew weak because of the famine. 14 Joseph collected all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan as payment for the grain that they purchased, and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s palace. 15 When all the money in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan had been spent, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us bread, for why should we die right in front of your eyes? Look, our money is running out.”

16 So Joseph said, “Give me your livestock, and I will give you food for your livestock if your money is gone.”

17 They brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food in exchange for the horses, and for the flocks, and for the herds, and for the donkeys. He supplied them with food for that year in exchange for all their livestock. 18 When that year was ended, they came to him during the second year and said to him, “We will not hide from my lord the fact that our money is all spent, and the herds of livestock belong to my lord. My lord can see that we have nothing left but our bodies and our lands. 19 Why should we die right in front of your eyes, both we and our land? Purchase us and our land in exchange for bread, and we along with our land will serve Pharaoh. Give us seed, so that we may live and not die, so that the land will not be desolate.”

20 So Joseph purchased all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh, because every man among the Egyptians sold his field, because the famine had them in its grip, and the land became Pharaoh’s. 21 As for the people, he made them all servants from one end of the territory of Egypt all the way to the other end of it. [1] 22 The land that belonged to the priests was the only land that he did not purchase, because the priests had a regular allotment from Pharaoh and ate from the allotment that Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land. 23 Then Joseph said to the people, “Since I have purchased you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed for you to sow the land. 24 This is what you shall do at the harvests: Give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four fifths will be your own share, which you can use as seed to sow the field and as food for yourselves, for everyone in your household, and for your little ones.”

25 They said, “You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.”

26 Joseph made it a regulation concerning the farmland in Egypt to this day, that Pharaoh should receive a fifth of the produce. Only the land of the priests did not become Pharaoh’s.

27 Israel lived in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen, and they acquired possessions for themselves there. They were fruitful and multiplied greatly. 28 Jacob lived in the land of Egypt for seventeen years. So the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were one hundred forty-seven years. 29 The time drew near that Israel must die, so he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh and deal kindly and truthfully with me. Please do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but when I rest with my fathers, you are to carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.”

He said, “I will do as you have said.”

31 He said, “Swear to me,” and he swore to him. Israel bowed himself on the head post of the bed. [2]

Jacob Blesses Ephraim and ManassehGenesis 481 Sometime after these things Joseph was told, “Come right away. Your father is sick.” So he took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, with him. 2 Jacob was told, “Look, your son Joseph is coming to you,” so Israel gathered his strength and sat up on the bed.

3 Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me. 4 He said to me, ‘I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make you into a community of peoples, and I will give this land to your descendants after you as a permanent possession.’ 5 Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, will be counted as mine. Ephraim and Manasseh will count as my sons the same as Reuben and Simeon. 6 Your sons that you father after them will count as your own. For receiving their inheritance they will be registered under the name of their brothers. 7 As for me, when I came back from Paddan, to my loss [3] Rachel died on the journey in the land of Canaan when we were still some distance from Ephrath, and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).”

8 Israel saw Joseph’s sons and asked, “Who are these boys?”

9 Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.”

Israel said, “Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.”

10 Now the eyes of Israel were failing because of his age, and he could not see. Joseph brought the boys close to Jacob, and he kissed them and embraced them. 11 Israel said to Joseph, “I did not think I would see your face, but now God has let me see your offspring also.” 12 Joseph moved them from Jacob’s lap, and he bowed down with his face to the ground. 13 Joseph led them both. He led Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel, crossing his hands, stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, though Manasseh was the firstborn. 15 He blessed Joseph and said,

May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,

the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,

16 the Angel who has redeemed me from all evil,

bless these lads,

and let my name be placed on them,

and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac.

Let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.

17 When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, he was displeased. He held up his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.”

19 His father refused and said, “I know, my son. I know. He also will become a people, and he also will be great. However, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a multitude of nations.” 20 He blessed them that day with these words: “Israel will pronounce a blessing using your name, saying, ‘May God make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh.’” So he placed Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

21 Israel said to Joseph, “You see that I am dying, but God will be with you and will bring you again to the land of your fathers. 22 In addition, I have given to you one share more than your brothers: the ridge of Shechem [4] that I took out of the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow.”

Footnotes1. Genesis 47:21 The translation follows the Samaritan Pentateuch and the Greek Old Testament. The main Hebrew text reads he moved them to the cities. 2. Genesis 47:31 The Hebrew text reads bed. The Greek text reads staff, the reading that is followed by Hebrews 11:21. 3. Genesis 48:7 Or by my side. Literally upon me or against me. 4. Genesis 48:22 The Hebrew word shechem can mean portion or ridge, or it may be a place name Shechem. The sentence seems to involve a wordplay that alludes to all three meanings.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 25Genesis 46:1 – 47:12LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 25

Genesis 46:1 – 47:12 (EHV)
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Jacob Goes to EgyptGenesis 461 Israel traveled with all that he had until he came to Beersheba, where he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2 God called to Israel in a vision at night, “Jacob, Jacob!”

Jacob said, “I am here.”

3 He said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. 4 I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will certainly bring you back again. And Joseph’s hand will close your eyes.”

5 Jacob set out from Beersheba, and the sons of Israel transported Jacob their father, their little ones, and their wives in the carts that Pharaoh had sent to transport him. 6 They took their livestock and their property that they had acquired in the land of Canaan and came into Egypt—Jacob, and all his offspring with him, 7 his sons and his grandsons, his daughters and his granddaughters. So he brought all his offspring with him into Egypt.

8 These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt, that is, Jacob and his sons:

Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn. 9 The sons of Reuben were Hanoch,
Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
10 The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and
Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman.
11 The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
12 The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah, but Er
and Onan had died in the land of Canaan. The sons of Perez were
Hezron and Hamul.
13 The sons of Issachar were Tola, Puvah, Iob, [1] and Shimron.
14 The sons of Zebulun were Sered, Elon, and Jahle’el.
15 Those are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan
Aram, along with his daughter Dinah. The total number of souls of
his sons and his daughters was thirty-three.

16 The sons of Gad were Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi,
and Areli.
17 The sons of Asher were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and Serah
their sister. The sons of Beriah were Heber and Malchiel.
18 Those are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah, his
daughter, and Zilpah bore these to Jacob, a total of sixteen souls.

19 The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife, were Joseph and Benjamin.
20 Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt.
Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, gave birth to them.
21 The sons of Benjamin were Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Na’aman,
Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. 22 These are the sons of
Rachel, who were born to Jacob. The total was fourteen souls.

23 The son of Dan was Hushim.
24 The sons of Naphtali were Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.
25 These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel,
his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob. The total was seven souls.

26 The total number of souls who came with Jacob into Egypt, who were his direct descendants, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, was sixty-six. 27 The sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two souls.

The total number of the souls in the house of Jacob who came into Egypt was seventy. [2]

28 Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to lead the way to Goshen. And so they arrived in the land of Goshen. 29 Joseph prepared his chariot and went to meet Israel his father in Goshen. He approached him, hugged him, and wept on his shoulder for a long time. 30 Israel said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen you face-to-face and you are still alive.”

31 Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s family, “I will go up and speak with Pharaoh. I will tell him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me. 32 These men are shepherds. They make their living taking care of livestock, and they have brought with them their flocks and their herds, and all that they have.’ 33 This is what you should say when Pharaoh summons you and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34 You shall say, ‘Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers.’ Ask for the right to live in the land of Goshen, for every shepherd is repulsive to the Egyptians.”

Genesis 471 Then Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father and my brothers have come from the land of Canaan with their flocks, their herds, and all that they own, and now they are in the land of Goshen.” 2 He took five of his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh.

3 Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?”

They answered Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we and our fathers.” 4 They said to Pharaoh, “We have come to reside as aliens in the land, for your servants have no pasture for their flocks, because the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.”

5 Pharaoh responded to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. 6 The land of Egypt is open to you. Arrange for your father and your brothers to dwell in the best of the land. Let them settle in the land of Goshen. If you know any capable men among them, then put them in charge of my livestock.”

7 Joseph brought Jacob his father and presented him to Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 8 Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How many are the days and the years of your life?”

9 Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days and the years of my wandering are one hundred thirty years. The days and the years of my life have been few and full of trouble, and they have not been as many as the days and the years of the lives of my fathers during the days of their wandering.” 10 Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from the presence of Pharaoh.

11 Joseph settled his father and his brothers and gave them property in the land of Egypt, in the best part of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. 12 Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all of his father’s household with food, based on the number in their families.

Footnotes1. Genesis 46:13 The variant Jashub has considerable support. 2. Genesis 46:27 The Greek Old Testament has seventy-five and includes some additional names.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 24Genesis 45LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 24

Genesis 45 (EHV)
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1 Joseph was unable to control himself in front of all his attendants, so he called out, “Send everyone out from my presence!” When no one else was left with him, Joseph revealed himself to his brothers. 2 He wept out loud. The Egyptians heard him, and the house of Pharaoh heard about it. 3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?”

His brothers could not answer him, because they were terrified by his presence. 4 Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me, please.”

They came closer. He said, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 Now do not be upset or angry with yourselves for selling me to this place, since God sent me ahead of you to preserve life. 6 For two years now the famine has been in the land, and there are still five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7 God sent me ahead of you to preserve you as survivors on the earth, and to keep you alive by a great act of deliverance. 8 So it was not you who sent me here, but God, and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord over his entire household, and ruler over the whole land of Egypt. 9 Hurry, go up to my father and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me. Do not delay. 10 You shall live in the land of Goshen, where you will be close to me—you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. 11 I will take care of you here, for there are still five years of famine. Otherwise you will come to ruin, you, and your household, and all that you have.”’ 12 Pay attention. Your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth that speaks to you. 13 You shall tell my father all about my position of honor in Egypt and about everything that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.”

14 He threw his arms around his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his shoulder. 15 He kissed all his brothers and wept over them. After that his brothers talked with him.

16 This report was heard in Pharaoh’s house: “Joseph’s brothers have come.” This pleased Pharaoh and his officials.

17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Load your animals. Travel quickly to the land of Canaan. 18 Get your father and your households, and return to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the rich food of the land. 19 Now I command you to do this: Take carts [1] from the land of Egypt for your little ones and your wives, and bring your father here. 20 Also, do not worry about your belongings, for the best of the whole land of Egypt is yours.’”

21 So that is what the sons of Israel did. Joseph gave them carts as Pharaoh had commanded, and he gave them supplies for the journey. 22 He gave each one of them a change of clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothing. 23 He sent the following to his father: ten donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and supplies for his father on the journey. 24 So he dismissed his brothers, and they departed. He said to them, “See to it that you do not quarrel on the way.”

25 They went up from Egypt and came to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan. 26 They told him, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” He was stunned [2] because he did not believe them. 27 They told Jacob every word that Joseph had said to them. When he saw the carts that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived.

28 Israel said, “It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”

Footnotes1. Genesis 45:19 Or wagons. Ancient pictorial evidence suggests the vehicles were two-wheeled ox carts, not four-wheeled wagons. 2. Genesis 45:26 Literally his heart was numb

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 23Genesis 44LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 23

Genesis 44 (EHV)
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1 Joseph commanded the manager of his house, “Fill the men’s bags with food, as much as they can carry. Put each man’s money into the mouth of his bag. 2 Put my cup, the silver cup, into the mouth of the bag of the youngest, along with his money for the grain.” The manager did exactly what Joseph told him to do.

3 As soon as it became light in the morning, the men were sent on their way, with their donkeys. 4 When they had left the city and still were not very far away, Joseph said to his manager, “Get up. Pursue those men. When you overtake them, ask them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good? 5 Isn’t this the cup that my lord drinks from and that he uses for divination? By doing this you have done evil.’” 6 The steward caught up to them and spoke those words to them.

7 They replied to him, “Why does my lord say such things? Your servants would never do such a thing! 8 That money, which we found in the mouths of our bags—we brought it back to you from the land of Canaan. Why then would we steal silver or gold out of your lord’s house? 9 If your cup is found with any of your servants, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”

10 He said, “Fine, it will be just as you have said. If it is found with anyone, he will be my slave, and the rest of you will be blameless.”

11 Then each man quickly lowered his bag to the ground, and each man opened his bag. 12 The manager searched, beginning with the oldest and finishing with the youngest, and the cup was found in Benjamin’s bag. 13 Then they tore their clothing, and each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city.

14 When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there. They fell to the ground before him. 15 Joseph said to them, “What did you think you were doing? Didn’t you know that a man like me can discover things by divination?”

16 Judah said, “What can we tell my lord? What can we say? How can we clear ourselves? God has exposed the guilt of your servants. Here we are. We are my lord’s slaves, both we and the one in whose hand the cup was found.”

17 Joseph said, “I would never do that. The man in whose hand the cup was found will be my slave, but as for the rest of you, go up in peace to your father.”

18 Then Judah approached him and said, “O my lord, please let your servant speak to my lord directly. Do not let your anger burn against your servant, because you are just like Pharaoh. 19 My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ 20 We said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a child from his old age, a young one. His brother is dead, and he alone is left from his mother, and his father loves him.’ 21 You said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, so that I may see him with my own eyes.’ 22 We said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father, for if he were to leave his father, his father would die.’ 23 You said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will never see my face again.’ 24 And so it was that when we came to your servant, my father, we told him about the words of my lord. 25 Our father said, ‘Go again. Buy us a little food.’ 26 We said, ‘We cannot go down. If our youngest brother is with us, we will go down, because we cannot see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’ 27 Your servant, my father, said to us, ‘You know that my wife gave birth to two sons for me. 28 The one has departed from me and I said, “I am sure he is torn to pieces,” and I have not seen him since. 29 If you take this one away from me as well, and mishap comes upon him, you will bring my gray hairs down to the grave with sorrow.’ 30 So now when I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us, since my father’s life is bound up in the boy’s life, 31 when he sees that the boy is no more, he will die. Your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant, our father, to the grave with sorrow. 32 For your servant became a guarantee for the boy to my father. I said, ‘If I do not bring him to you, then I will bear the blame before my father forever.’ 33 So please let your servant stay as a slave to my lord instead of the boy, and let the boy go up with his brothers. 34 For how can I go up to my father if the boy is not with me? How could I stand to see the evil that will come on my father?”

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 22Genesis 43LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 22

Genesis 43 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0422db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

1 The famine in the land was severe, 2 so when they had eaten all the grain that they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy a little more food for us.”

3 Judah said to him, “The man sternly warned us, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ 4 If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you, 5 but if you do not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’”

6 Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly by telling the man that you had another brother?”

7 They said, “The man interrogated us about ourselves and about our relatives. He asked, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ We just answered his questions. Is there any way we could have known that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down here’?”

8 Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me, and we will get up and go, so that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. 9 I will serve as a guarantee for him. You can hold me accountable for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him in front of you, then let me bear the blame forever. 10 Look, if we had not delayed, we certainly could have returned for a second time by now.”

11 Their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then this is what you should do: Put some of the best products of the land into your containers and take a gift for the man: a little balm, a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds. 12 Also take double the amount of silver with you. Take back the silver that was returned into the mouths of your bags. Perhaps it was an oversight. 13 Also take your brother. Get going and return to the man. 14 May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, so that he will release your other brother and Benjamin to you. But if I am deprived of my children, I am deprived.”

15 The men took that present, and they took double the amount of silver with them. They also took Benjamin. They got up, went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph. 16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the manager [1] of his house, “Bring the men into the house. Butcher an animal and prepare it, for the men will dine with me at noon.”

17 The manager did as Joseph commanded and brought the men to Joseph’s house. 18 The brothers were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph’s house. They said, “Because of the money that was returned into our bags the first time, we are being brought in, so that he may find a pretext against us, pounce on us, seize us as slaves, and take our donkeys.”

19 They approached the manager of Joseph’s house and spoke to him at the door of the house. 20 They said, “Please, my lord, we really did come down the first time to buy food. 21 When we came to the lodging place, we opened our bags, and to our surprise each man’s silver was in the mouth of his bag, the full amount of our money. [2] We have brought it back with us. 22 We have also brought down with us additional money to buy food. We do not know who put our money into our bags.”

23 He said, “There is no problem. Do not be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your bags. I received your money.” He brought Simeon out to them. 24 The man brought the men into Joseph’s house and gave them water, so they could wash their feet. He gave their donkeys fodder. 25 They prepared the gift for Joseph, who was coming at noon, because they heard that they would be eating bread there.

26 When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gift that they had brought to the house, and they bowed down to the ground in front of him. 27 He asked them about their welfare: “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?”

28 They said, “Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive.” [3] They bowed down and prostrated themselves.

29 Joseph looked up and saw Benjamin, his brother, his mother’s son, and he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” He said, “God be gracious to you, my son.” 30 Joseph hurried out, because he was overcome by his emotions over his brother, and he looked for a place to weep. He went into his room and wept there. 31 Then he washed his face and came out. After he regained control of himself, he said, “Serve the meal.”

32 They served Joseph by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians do not eat with Hebrews, for that is repulsive to the Egyptians. 33 The brothers were seated in front of him. They were lined up in order, starting with the firstborn based on his birthright down to the youngest based on his youth, and the men expressed their amazement to each other. 34 He sent servings to them from his table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. They were drinking and they were feeling the effects. [4]

Footnotes1. Genesis 43:16 Or steward 2. Genesis 43:21 There were no coins at this time. Money was silver that was weighed out. 3. Genesis 43:28 The Greek Old Testament adds a sentence: And he said, “Blessed be that man by God.” 4. Genesis 43:34 The word refers to some level of intoxication, not just to drinking a beverage.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 21Genesis 42LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 21

Genesis 42 (EHV)
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Joseph and His Brothers1 When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you standing here looking at each other?” 2 He also said, “Listen, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us there, so that we may live and not die.” 3 So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin along with his other brothers, because he said, “Something bad might happen to him.”

5 The sons of Israel were among those who came to buy grain because of the famine in the land of Canaan. 6 Joseph was the governor over the land. He was the one who sold grain to all the people of the land. Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. 7 Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he acted like a stranger toward them and spoke harshly to them. He asked them, “Where did you come from?”

They said, “From the land of Canaan to buy food.”

8 Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. 9 Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed about them and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see where the land is exposed.”

10 They said to him, “No, my lord, your servants have come to buy food. 11 We are all one man’s sons. We are honest men. Your servants are not spies.”

12 He said to them, “No, you have come to see where the land is exposed!”

13 They said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. Listen, at the present time the youngest remains with our father, and one is no more.”

14 Joseph said to them, “It is just as I said. You are spies! 15 This is how you will be tested: By the life of Pharaoh, you shall never get out of here, unless your youngest brother comes here. 16 Send one of you to get your brother. The rest of you will be kept under arrest, so that your words may be tested, whether you are telling the truth. Otherwise, by the life of Pharaoh, you are spies.” 17 He kept them all together, confined in the jail for three days.

18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do what I tell you and you will live, because I fear God. 19 If you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined in the jail, but the rest of you go and deliver grain to your houses to relieve the famine. 20 Bring your youngest brother to me so that your words may be verified, and you will not die.” So they did as he said.

21 They said to one another, “We are certainly guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the misery of his soul when he begged us, but we would not listen. That is why this misery has come upon us.”

22 Reuben answered them, “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Do not sin against the boy’? But you would not listen. So now payment for his blood is being required from us.”

23 They did not know that Joseph understood them, because an interpreter was being used between them. 24 Joseph turned away from them and wept. After he returned and spoke to them, he seized Simeon from among them and tied him up before their very eyes. 25 Then Joseph gave a command to fill their containers with grain, to return each man’s money into his sack, and to give them food for the journey. So all this was done for them.

26 They loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed from there. 27 When one of them opened his sack at the lodging place to give his donkey food, he saw his money. It was right there in the mouth of his bag. 28 He said to his brothers, “My money has been returned! Look, there it is, in my bag!” Their hearts sank, and they turned to one another trembling and said, “What is this that God has done to us?”

29 They came to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan and told him everything that had happened to them. They said, 30 “The man, the lord of the land, spoke harshly to us and accused us of being spies against the country. 31 We said to him, ‘We are honest men. We are not spies. 32 We are twelve brothers, sons of our father. One brother is no more, and at the present time the youngest is with our father in the land of Canaan.’ 33 That man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘This is how I will know that you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers with me. Take grain to relieve the famine at your houses, and go on your way. 34 Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I will know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. Then I will release your brother to you, and you will be allowed to conduct business in the land.’”

35 Then as they emptied their sacks, they were surprised to see that each man’s pouch of money was in his sack. When they and their father saw their pouch of money, they were afraid.

36 Jacob, their father, said to them, “You have deprived me of my children! Joseph is no more. Simeon is no more. And now you want to take Benjamin away. All these things are against me.”

37 Reuben spoke to his father, “You may put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Entrust him to my care, and I will bring him back to you again.”

38 Jacob said, “My son shall not go down with you, since his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If he has a mishap on the journey that you are taking, you will bring my gray hairs down to the grave with sorrow.”

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 20Genesis 41:14-57LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 20

Genesis 41:14-57 (EHV)
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Genesis 4114 Then Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon. Joseph shaved, changed his clothing, and went to Pharaoh.

15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said about you, that when you hear a dream, you can interpret it.”

16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in my power. God will give Pharaoh an answer to give him peace of mind.”

17 Pharaoh spoke to Joseph: “In my dream, there I was, standing on the bank of the river. 18 Suddenly seven fat, beautiful cows came up out of the river and were grazing in the marsh grass. 19 Just then seven poor cattle, very ugly and thin, came up after them. They were uglier than any I had ever seen in the whole land of Egypt. 20 The thin, ugly cattle ate up the first seven cattle, the fat ones, 21 and when they had eaten them up, you could not even tell that they had eaten them, because they were still as ugly as they were at the beginning. Then I woke up.

22 “Later I had another dream, in which I saw seven heads of grain grow on one stalk. They were full and good. 23 Then I saw seven heads of grain spring up after them. They were withered, thin, and blasted by the east wind. 24 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads of grain. I told the dream to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”

25 Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dream of Pharaoh is one. God has declared to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26 The seven good cattle are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years. It is one dream. 27 The seven thin, ugly cattle that came up after them are seven years, and also the seven empty heads of grain blasted by the east wind. They will be seven years of famine. 28 This is the very thing that I told Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 Look, seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the whole land of Egypt. 30 Seven years of famine will come up after them, and all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten. The famine will consume the land, 31 and the abundance will not be remembered in the land because of the famine that follows, for it will be very severe. 32 The double dream was shown to Pharaoh, because this matter is established by God, and God will bring it to pass very soon.”

Joseph Comes to Power33 “Let Pharaoh, therefore, look for a man who is wise and discerning, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 When Pharaoh does this, let him appoint overseers over the land to collect one fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. 35 Let them collect all this food from these good years that are coming. Accumulate grain under the authority of Pharaoh to provide food for the cities, and let them store it. 36 The food will be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that will take place in the land of Egypt so that the land does not perish because of the famine.”

37 The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. 38 Pharaoh said to his officials, “Can we find anyone else like this man, a man who has the spirit of God?”

39 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has shown you all of this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you are. 40 You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people will submit to your word. Only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “Look, I have appointed you over the whole land of Egypt.”

42 Pharaoh took his signet ring off of his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand. He dressed Joseph in robes made from the best linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had him ride in the second best chariot that he had. Men went ahead of him crying out, “Kneel down!” [1] Pharaoh appointed him over the whole land of Egypt. 44 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but in the whole land of Egypt no one will lift up his hand or his foot without your permission.” 45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath Paneah, and he gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, as a wife. Joseph went out and began to rule over the land of Egypt.

46 Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and traveled throughout the whole land of Egypt. 47 During the seven years of abundance the earth produced plentiful harvests. 48 He collected all the food during the seven good years in the land of Egypt, and he stored up the food in the cities. In every city he stored the food from the fields that were around the city. 49 Joseph stored up a huge amount of grain, like the sand of the sea. Finally he stopped keeping track, because it was too much to measure.

50 Two sons were born to Joseph before the first year of famine arrived. Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, gave birth to them. 51 Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, because he said, “God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s house.” [2] 52 He named the second son Ephraim. He said, “Yes, God has made me fruitful in the land where I was afflicted.” [3]

53 So the seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end. 54 The seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in every land, but in the whole land of Egypt there was bread. 55 When the whole land of Egypt was starving, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread, and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. Do whatever he tells you.” 56 The famine spread over the face of the whole earth. Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians. The famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57 The whole world came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe all over the whole world.

Footnotes1. Genesis 41:43 The meaning of the term is uncertain. 2. Genesis 41:51 Manasseh sounds like the Hebrew for forget. 3. Genesis 41:52 Ephraim sounds like the Hebrew for twice fruitful.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 19Genesis 40:1 – 41:13LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 19

Genesis 40:1 – 41:13 (EHV)
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Joseph Interprets DreamsGenesis 401 Sometime after this, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt committed an offense against their lord, the king of Egypt. 2 Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker. 3 He put them under custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison, the place where Joseph was confined. 4 The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he was responsible for them. They stayed in prison for some time. [1] 5 While they were confined in the prison, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt each had a dream. Each man had his own dream during the same night. Each man’s dream had its own meaning. 6 Joseph came to them in the morning, looked at them, and saw that they were troubled. 7 He asked Pharaoh’s officers who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why do you look so troubled today?”

8 They said to him, “We each had a dream, but there is no one who can interpret it.”

Joseph said to them, “Interpretations belong to God, don’t they? Please tell me the dreams.”

9 The chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream. “In my dream, there was a vine in front of me, 10 and the vine had three branches. As I watched, it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters produced ripe grapes. 11 I had Pharaoh’s cup in my hand. I took the grapes, pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and handed the cup to Pharaoh.”

12 Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: The three branches are three days. 13 Within three days, Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office. You will place Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, the way you used to do when you were his cupbearer. 14 But remember me when everything is going well for you. Please show kindness to me, and mention me to Pharaoh, and bring me out of this jail, 15 because I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and I also have done nothing here to deserve to be put into the dungeon.”

16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream. I saw three baskets of white bread on my head. 17 In the top basket there were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.”

18 Joseph answered, “This is its interpretation: The three baskets are three days. 19 Within three days, Pharaoh will lift up your head from upon you and will hang you on a tree, and the birds will eat your flesh off of you.”

20 And so it was that on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, Pharaoh had a feast prepared for all his officials, and he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his officials. 21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his position again, and he again placed the cup into Pharaoh’s hand. 22 But he hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had explained to them. 23 Nevertheless, the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

Pharaoh’s DreamsGenesis 411 At the end of two full years Pharaoh also had a dream. In the dream he was standing beside the river. 2 There, right in front of him, seven beautiful, fat cows came up out of the river and were grazing in the marsh grass. 3 Just then seven ugly, thin cows came up out of the river behind them, and they stood beside the other cows on the bank of the river. 4 The ugly, thin cows ate up the seven beautiful, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.

5 Pharaoh fell asleep again and dreamed a second time. He saw seven healthy, good heads of grain come up on one stalk. 6 Right after that, seven thin heads of grain, blasted by the east wind, sprang up after them. 7 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Pharaoh woke up and realized that it was a dream. 8 The next morning he was very troubled, so he sent for all of Egypt’s magicians [2] and wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh.

9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I remember my faults. 10 Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me in custody in the house of the captain of the guard—me and the chief baker. 11 We each had a dream during the same night—he and I. Each of us dreamed a dream that had its own interpretation. 12 There was a young man with us, a Hebrew, a servant to the captain of the guard, and we told him our dreams, and he interpreted our dreams for us. To each man he gave the interpretation of his dream. 13 It turned out exactly as he interpreted them for us. Pharaoh restored me to my office but hanged the chief baker.”

Footnotes1. Genesis 40:4 In Hebrew the expression for many days may cover months or even years. 2. Genesis 41:8 Or omen-readers

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 18Genesis 38 – 39LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 18

Genesis 38 – 39 (EHV)
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Judah and TamarGenesis 381 About that time Judah went down from his brothers and visited a man from Adullam named Hirah. 2 There Judah saw a daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. He took her as a wife and went to her. 3 She conceived and gave birth to a son, and he named him Er. 4 She conceived again and gave birth to another son, and she named him Onan. 5 She gave birth to yet another son and named him Shelah. It was at Kezib that she gave birth to Shelah.

6 Judah took a wife for Er, his firstborn. Her name was Tamar. 7 It turned out that Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord killed him.

8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Go to your brother’s wife. Perform your duty for her as the brother of her deceased husband and provide offspring [1] for your brother.” 9 Onan knew that the offspring would not be his, so whenever he went to his brother’s wife, he wasted his semen on the ground, so that he would not provide offspring for his brother. 10 But the thing that he did was evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord killed him also.

11 Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah is grown up.” Actually he had said to himself, “I do not want him to die like his brothers.” So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.

12 After some time Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died. When Judah had finished mourning, he went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13 Tamar was told, “Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.” 14 She took off the garments that identified her as a widow, covered herself with her veil, disguised herself, and sat in the gate of Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah, because she saw that Shelah had grown up, but she was not going to be given to him as a wife.

15 When Judah saw her, he thought that she was a prostitute, because she had covered her face. 16 He turned to her by the roadside and said, “Please, let me come to you,” because he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law.

She said, “What will you give me, so that you may come to me?”

17 He said, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.”

She said, “Will you give me something as a security deposit until you send the goat?”

18 He said, “What should I give you as a deposit?”

She said, “Your stamp seal on its cord and your staff that is in your hand.”

He gave them to her and went to her, and she conceived by him. 19 Then she got up and left. Later she took off her veil and put her widow’s garments back on.

20 Judah sent the young goat with his friend, the Adullamite, to get back the deposit from the woman’s possession, but he could not find her. 21 So he asked the men from that place, “Where is the sacred prostitute who was by the road at Enaim?”

They said, “There hasn’t been any sacred prostitute here.”

22 So he returned to Judah and said, “I could not find her, and the men of the place said, ‘There hasn’t been any sacred prostitute here.’”

23 Judah said, “Let her keep it, so that we are not disgraced. Look, I did send this young goat, but you were unable to find her.”

24 About three months later Judah was told, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has prostituted herself, and even worse, she is pregnant by prostitution.”

Judah said, “Bring her out and burn her.”

25 When she was brought, she sent this message to her father-in-law: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these things belong.” She also said, “Please help me identify whose these are—this stamp seal on its cord and the staff.”

26 Judah recognized them and said, “She is more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah, my son.” But he was not intimate with her again.

27 When the time came for her to go into labor, it turned out that there were twins in her womb. 28 When she was in labor, one of the twins put out a hand, and the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” 29 But then after he had pulled back his hand, his brother came out first, so she said, “What a breakthrough you made for yourself!” That is why he was named Perez. [2] 30 Afterward his brother who had the scarlet thread on his hand came out, so he was named Zerah. [3]

Joseph in EgyptGenesis 391 When Joseph was brought down to Egypt, Potiphar the Egyptian, who was an officer [4] of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard, bought Joseph from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down to Egypt. 2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he became successful. He served in the house of his master the Egyptian. 3 His master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made everything that he touched a success. 4 Joseph found favor in his sight. Joseph served him, and he made Joseph manager of his household. He put Joseph in charge of everything.

5 From the time that Potiphar made him manager of his household, in charge of everything that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s household for Joseph’s sake, and the blessing of the Lord rested on everything that he had, both in the house and in the fields. 6 So he left Joseph in charge of everything that he had. He did not concern himself with anything except the food that he ate.

Joseph was well built and handsome. 7 Sometime after all this, his master’s wife had her eye on Joseph, and she said, “Come, lie down with me.”

8 But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not concern himself with anything that has been entrusted to me in the house. He has put me in charge of everything that he has. 9 He has no one in this house greater than I am, and he has not withheld anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a great evil and sin against God?”

10 She kept speaking to Joseph day after day, but he would not listen to her. He would not lie down beside her or even be with her. 11 But one day when he went into the house to do his work, none of the men of the household were there inside the house. 12 She caught him by his garment and said, “Come, lie down with me!” He left behind his garment in her hand and ran outside.

13 When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had run outside, 14 she called to the men of her household and said to them, “Look, my husband has brought a Hebrew man in to put us to shame. He came in to lie down with me, but I screamed loudly. 15 When he heard me scream, he left behind his garment with me and ran outside.”

16 She kept his garment beside her until his master came home. 17 This is what she told him: “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought to us, came to me to put me to shame and said to me, ‘Let me lie down with you.’ [5] 18 And look, when I screamed and cried out, he left behind his garment with me and ran outside.”

19 As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, saying, “This is what your servant did to me,” he became very angry. 20 Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were confined, so Joseph was kept in prison there.

21 But the Lord was with Joseph. He showed mercy to him and gave him favor in the sight of the warden of the prison. 22 The warden of the prison made Joseph responsible for all the prisoners who were in the prison. Joseph was responsible for whatever they did there. 23 The warden of the prison did not pay attention to anything that was under his authority, because the Lord was with Joseph, and the Lord made everything that he did succeed.

Footnotes1. Genesis 38:8 Literally seed, which alludes both to semen and to the child that is produced from it 2. Genesis 38:29 Perez means breaking out. 3. Genesis 38:30 Zerah means scarlet. 4. Genesis 39:1 In some contexts this word can mean eunuch, but that does not seem to be the case here. 5. Genesis 39:17 The words and said to me, “Let me lie down with you” are not in the Hebrew text but are included in the Greek Old Testament.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 17Genesis 37LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 17

Genesis 37 (EHV)
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Trouble in Jacob’s Family1 Jacob lived in the land where his father had resided as an alien, that is, in the land of Canaan.

2 This is the account about the development of the family of Jacob:

When Joseph was seventeen years old, he was tending the flock with his brothers. He was just a boy compared to the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah. Joseph brought a bad report about them to their father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his other sons, because he was the son born in his old age, [1] and he made him a special robe. [2] 4 His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, so they hated him and could not speak to him in a friendly way.

5 Once Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers, so they hated him all the more. 6 He said to them, “Please listen to this dream that I have dreamed: 7 There we were, binding sheaves in the field, and suddenly my sheaf rose up and stood upright. Then your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf.”

8 His brothers said to him, “So will you really reign over us? Will you really have dominion over us?” They hated him all the more because of his dreams and what he said.

9 Then he had another dream and told it to his brothers. He said, “Listen, I had another dream. This is what I saw: The sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed down to me.” 10 He told it to his father and to his brothers. His father rebuked him and said to him, “What kind of dream is this that you have dreamed? Will I and your mother and your brothers really come and bow down to the ground in front of you?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept what he had said in mind.

12 His brothers went to pasture their father’s flock in Shechem. 13 Israel said to Joseph, “Aren’t your brothers pasturing the flock in Shechem? Go, I will send you to them.”

Joseph said to him, “Yes, I will do it.”

14 Israel said to him, “Please go and see whether everything is going well with your brothers and with the flock. Then bring me word again.” So he sent him off from the valley at Hebron, and he arrived at Shechem.

15 A man met him as he was wandering in the countryside. The man asked him, “What are you looking for?”

16 He said, “I am looking for my brothers. Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.”

17 The man said, “They have left here. I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’”

Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan. 18 They saw him in the distance, and before he came near to them, they conspired against him to kill him. 19 They said to each other, “Look, here comes this master of dreams. 20 Come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of the cisterns, and we will say, ‘A wild animal has devoured him.’ Then we will see what will become of his dreams.”

21 Reuben heard this and rescued him out of their hands. He said, “Let’s not take his life.” 22 Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood. Throw him into this cistern that is in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him.” He said this so that he could rescue him out of their hands and restore him to his father.

23 And so when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the special robe he was wearing. 24 Then they took him and threw him into the cistern. The cistern was empty; there was no water in it.

25 They sat down to eat bread, and they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead with their camels loaded with spices, balm, and myrrh, which they were going to deliver to Egypt. 26 Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there in killing our brother and concealing his blood? 27 Come on, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him, since he is our brother, our own flesh.” His brothers listened to him. 28 As the Midianites, who were merchants, were passing by, the brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces [3] of silver. They brought Joseph to Egypt.

29 When Reuben returned to the cistern, he saw that Joseph was not in the cistern, so he tore his clothing. 30 He returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is no longer here, and as for me, where will I go now?”

31 Then they took Joseph’s robe, killed a male goat, and dipped the robe in the goat’s blood. 32 They took the special robe, and they brought it to their father and said, “We have found this. Examine it now, and see whether it is your son’s robe or not.”

33 He recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe. A wild animal has devoured him. Without a doubt Joseph has been torn to pieces.” 34 Jacob tore his clothing, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son for many days. 35 All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. He said, “No, I will mourn for my son until I go down to the grave.” So his father wept for him.

36 In Egypt the Midianites sold him to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, who was the captain of the guard.

Footnotes1. Genesis 37:3 Or who would care for him in his old age 2. Genesis 37:3 Traditionally a coat of many colors, but the precise meaning of the term is no longer known. It may have been a robe or tunic with fancy embroidery or a tunic with long sleeves. 3. Genesis 37:28 The unit of weight is not specified in the text. It likely was shekels. Twenty shekels weighs about eight ounces.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 16Genesis 36LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 16

Genesis 36 (EHV)
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Esau’s Descendants1 Now this is the account about the descendants of Esau (that is, Edom): 2 Esau took Canaanite women as his wives. They were Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite. 3 He also married Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, the sister of Nebaioth.

4 Adah gave birth to Eliphaz for Esau.

Basemath gave birth to Reuel.

5 Oholibamah gave birth to Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.

These are the sons of Esau, who were born to him in the land of Canaan.

6 Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, along with his livestock, all his animals, and all the possessions that he had accumulated in the land of Canaan, and he went into another land, away from his brother Jacob. 7 Their herds were too large for them to stay together, and the land where they had settled could not support both of them because of their livestock. 8 So Esau lived in the hill country of Seir. (Esau is another name for Edom.)

9 This is the account about the descendants of Esau, who was the founding father of Edom in the hill country of Seir:

10 The following are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz the son of Esau’s wife Adah, and Reuel the son of Esau’s wife Basemath.

11 The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. 12 Timna was the concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz, and she gave birth to Amalek for Eliphaz. These are the grandsons of Esau’s wife Adah.

13 The following are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the grandsons of Esau’s wife Basemath.

14 The following were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah, the granddaughter of Zibeon. She gave birth to Jeush, Jalam, and Korah for Esau.

The Chiefs of the Clans of Edom15 The following are the chiefs of the clans of the descendants of Esau:

From the descendants of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau they were Chief Teman, Chief Omar, Chief Zepho, Chief Kenaz, 16 Chief Korah, Chief Gatam, and Chief Amalek. These are the chiefs who descended from Eliphaz in the land of Edom. These are the descendants of Adah.

17 The following are the descendants of Esau’s son Reuel: Chief Nahath, Chief Zerah, Chief Shammah, and Chief Mizzah. These are the chiefs who descended from Reuel in the land of Edom. These are the descendants of Esau’s wife Basemath.

18 The following are the descendants of Esau’s wife Oholibamah: Chief Jeush, Chief Jalam, and Chief Korah. These are the chiefs who came from Esau’s wife Oholibamah daughter of Anah. 19 These are the descendants of Esau (that is, Edom), and these are their chiefs.

Other People of Edom20 The following are the sons of Seir the Horite, who lived in the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 21 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These are the chiefs who descended from the Horites, the descendants of Seir in the land of Edom.

22 The sons of Lotan were Hori and Heman. Lotan’s sister was Timna.

23 The following are the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.

24 The following are the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. This is the Anah who discovered the hot springs in the wilderness as he was feeding the donkeys of Zibeon his father.

25 The following are the descendants of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.

26 The following are the sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran.

27 The following are the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Za’avan, and Akan.

28 The following are the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran.

29 The following are the chiefs who descended from the Horites: Chief Lotan, Chief Shobal, Chief Zibeon, Chief Anah, 30 Chief Dishon, Chief Ezer, and Chief Dishan. These are the chiefs who came from the Horites, according to their chiefdoms in the land of Seir.

Kings of Edom31 The following are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the people of Israel:

32 Bela son of Beor reigned in Edom. The name of his city was Dinhabah. 33 Bela died, and Jobab son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his place.

34 Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place.

35 Husham died, and Hadad son of Bedad, who struck Midian in the territory of Moab, reigned in his place. The name of his city was Avith.

36 Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place.

37 Samlah died, and Shaul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his place.

38 Shaul died, and Baal Hanan son of Achbor reigned in his place.

39 Baal Hanan son of Achbor died, and Hadad [1] reigned in his place. The name of his city was Pau. His wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.

40 The following are the names of the chiefs who came from Esau, listed according to their clans, their territory, and their names: Chief Timna, Chief Alvah, Chief Jetheth, 41 Chief Oholibamah, Chief Elah, Chief Pinon, 42 Chief Kenaz, Chief Teman, Chief Mibzar, 43 Chief Magdiel, and Chief Iram. These are the chiefs of Edom, according to the territory they inhabited in the land they possessed. (Edom is another name for Esau, the father of the Edomites.)

Footnotes1. Genesis 36:39 Hadad is the reading of many Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions. Most Hebrew manuscripts have Hadar.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 15Genesis 35LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 15

Genesis 35 (EHV)
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The Return to Bethel1 God said to Jacob, “Get up and go to Bethel, and live there. Make an altar there for God, who appeared to you when you fled from the presence of Esau your brother.”

2 Then Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Throw away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your clothing. 3 Let’s get up and go to Bethel. I will make an altar there for God, who answered me in the day when I was in trouble and who has been with me wherever I have traveled.”

4 They gave Jacob all the foreign gods that were in their possession and the rings that were in their ears, and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree that was near Shechem.

5 They set out, and terror from God fell on the cities that were around them, so they did not pursue Jacob’s sons. 6 So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. 7 He built an altar there and named the place El Beth El, [1] because God had been revealed to him there, when he fled from the presence of his brother.

8 Deborah, who was Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried under the oak below Bethel. So the place was named Allon Bacuth. [2]

9 God appeared to Jacob again after he had come from Paddan Aram, and he blessed him. [3] 10 God said to him, “Your name is Jacob, but your name will not be Jacob anymore. Your name will be Israel.” So he named him Israel. [4] 11 God said to him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a community of nations will descend from you, and kings will come from your body. 12 The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give also to you, and I will give the land to your descendants after you.”

13 God left him in the place where he had spoken with him, 14 and Jacob set up a memorial in the place where God had spoken with him. It was a memorial stone. He poured out a drink offering on it and poured oil on it. 15 Jacob named the place where God spoke with him Bethel.

Jacob’s Sons16 Then they traveled from Bethel. As they were coming close to Ephrath, Rachel went into labor. She was experiencing hard labor, 17 and when she was in hard labor, the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for now you will have another son.”

18 Then as her life was slipping away [5] (for she was dying), she named her son Benoni, [6] but his father named him Benjamin. [7] 19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). 20 Jacob set up a memorial stone on her grave. It is the marker for Rachel’s tomb to this day. 21 Israel traveled on and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder. [8]

22 While Israel lived in that region, Reuben went and lay down with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard about it.

Jacob had twelve sons.

23 The sons of Leah were Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.

24 The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.

25 The sons of Bilhah (Rachel’s maid) were Dan and Naphtali.

26 The sons of Zilpah (Leah’s maid) were Gad and Asher.

These are the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan Aram.

27 Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre near Kiriath Arba (which is Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had resided as aliens.

The Death of Isaac28 The days of Isaac’s life were one hundred eighty years. 29 Isaac breathed his last and died. He was gathered to his people. He had lived a long, full life. Esau and Jacob, his sons, buried him.

Footnotes1. Genesis 35:7 El Beth El means God of the House of God. 2. Genesis 35:8 Allon Bacuth means Oak of Weeping. 3. Genesis 35:9 It is not certain whether the events in these verses occurred at this time or if they are a flashback to an earlier visit to Bethel. 4. Genesis 35:10 Israel means wrestles with God or prevails with God. 5. Genesis 35:18 Or as her soul was departing 6. Genesis 35:18 Benoni means son of my trouble. 7. Genesis 35:18 Benjamin means son of my right hand. 8. Genesis 35:21 Migdal Eder means Tower of the Flock.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 14Genesis 34LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 14

Genesis 34 (EHV)
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Dinah and Shechem1 Dinah, Jacob’s daughter by Leah, went out to see the young women of the land. 2 Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, the chief of that part of the land, saw her and took her, lay down with her, and humiliated her. [1] 3 He had a strong desire for Dinah, [2] the daughter of Jacob, and he was in love with the young woman and spoke tenderly to her. [3] 4 Shechem spoke to his father, Hamor, saying, “Get me this young woman as a wife.”

5 When Jacob heard that Shechem had defiled his daughter Dinah, his sons were out in the field with his livestock, so Jacob kept quiet about it until they came back. 6 Hamor the father of Shechem came to talk with Jacob. 7 The sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard about it. The men were shocked by the outrage, and they were very angry, because he had disgraced Israel by lying down with Jacob’s daughter, a thing that should not be done. 8 Hamor spoke with them. He said, “My son Shechem has a deep longing for your daughter. Please give her to him as a wife. 9 Intermarry with us. Give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves. 10 You may live among us, and the land will be open to you. Live in it, conduct trade, and acquire property in it.”

11 Shechem said to her father and to her brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you ask from me I will give. 12 No matter how great a bride price and gift [4] you demand, I will give it. Just give me the young woman as a wife.”

13 The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully, because Shechem had defiled their sister Dinah. 14 They said to them, “We cannot do this—giving our sister to a man who is uncircumcised. That would be a disgrace to us. 15 Only on this condition will we consent to your offer: If all your males become circumcised as we are, 16 then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters for ourselves, and we will live with you, and we will become one people. 17 But if you do not accept our terms and undergo circumcision, then we will take our sister, [5] and we will be gone.”

18 Their offer pleased Hamor and Hamor’s son Shechem. 19 The young man did not delay acting on it, because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter, and he was the most important [6] of all the household of his father. 20 Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city and discussed this with the men of their city. They said, 21 “These men want peace with us. So let them live in the land and trade in it. Look, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters as wives for ourselves, and let us give them our daughters. 22 Only on this condition will the men agree to live with us and to become one people with us: if every male among us is circumcised, as they are circumcised. 23 Won’t all their livestock, all their possessions, and all their animals become ours? So let’s accept their offer, so that they will settle among us.”

24 Everyone who assembled at the gate of his city listened to Hamor and to Shechem his son. So all the males who assembled at the gate of the city were circumcised. 25 Then on the third day, when they were still sore, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword, attacked the unsuspecting city, and killed all the males. 26 They killed Hamor and Shechem, his son, with the edge of the sword. They took Dinah out of Shechem’s house and left.

27 Jacob’s sons then came to the dead bodies and looted the city, because their sister had been defiled. 28 They took their flocks, their herds, their donkeys, everything that was in the city, everything that was in the countryside, 29 and all their wealth. They took all their little ones and their wives as captives. They looted everything that was in the houses.

30 Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have ruined me. You have made me stink to the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites. I am few in number. They will gather themselves together against me and attack me, and I will be destroyed, I and my household.”

31 But they said, “Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?”

Footnotes1. Genesis 34:2 The three Hebrew verbs could be rendered by the one English word rape, but the text uses more euphemistic terms here and elsewhere in the chapter. 2. Genesis 34:3 Literally his soul clung to Dinah 3. Genesis 34:3 Literally he spoke to her heart. This may include elements of romance and apology. 4. Genesis 34:12 Bride price is a payment to the family of the bride. The gift may be a payment given to Dinah as a sort of trust fund. A dowry is property the bride brings to the groom’s family. There is no dowry here. 5. Genesis 34:17 Literally daughter 6. Genesis 34:19 Or most honored

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 13Genesis 33LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 13

Genesis 33 (EHV)
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1 Jacob looked up, and there was Esau coming with four hundred men. Jacob divided the children into groups with Leah and Rachel and with the two maids. 2 He put the maids and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph at the end. 3 He himself crossed over the stream ahead of the others and bowed to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.

4 Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, hugged him around the neck, and kissed him. They both wept. 5 Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children and asked, “Who are these people with you?”

Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6 Then the maids came forward with their children, and they bowed low. 7 Leah and her children also came forward and bowed low. After them, Joseph came forward with Rachel, and they bowed low.

8 Esau said, “What did you mean by this whole camp that I met?”

Jacob said, “To gain favor in the sight of my lord.”

9 Esau said, “I have enough, my brother. Keep what is yours.”

10 Jacob said, “No, if I have now found favor in your sight, then please accept the gift from my hand, because when I saw your face, it was like seeing the face of God, now that you have accepted me. 11 Please accept the gift that I brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have everything I need.” He urged him, and he accepted it.

12 Esau said, “Let us get going on our journey, and I will lead the way for you.”

13 Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are still young, and that my flocks and herds are nursing their young, and if the herdsmen drive them too hard for even one day, all the flocks will die. 14 Please let my lord go ahead of his servant, and I will follow slowly, at the right pace for the livestock and the right pace for the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.”

15 Esau said, “Please let me leave some of my people with you.”

But he said, “Why? Just let me find favor in the sight of my lord.”

16 So Esau set out that day on his way back to Seir. 17 Jacob traveled to Succoth, built a house for himself, and made shelters for his livestock. That is why that place is called Succoth. [1]

18 When he returned from Paddan Aram, Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, and he camped in front of the city. 19 He bought the piece of land where he pitched his tent from the descendants of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for one hundred pieces of silver. [2] 20 He erected an altar there and called it El Elohe Israel. [3]

Footnotes1. Genesis 33:17 Succoth means shelters. 2. Genesis 33:19 Literally qesitahs, an ancient monetary unit of unknown weight and value 3. Genesis 33:20 El Elohe Israel means God, the God of Israel or the God of Israel is mighty.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 12Genesis 32:3-32LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 12

Genesis 32:3-32 (EHV)
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Genesis 323 Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to Esau, his brother, to the land of Seir, the region of Edom. 4 He gave them a command. “Tell my lord, Esau, ‘This is what your servant Jacob says: I have lived as an alien with Laban until very recently. 5 I have cattle, donkeys, flocks, male servants, and female servants. I have sent this message to inform my lord, so that I may find favor in your sight.’”

6 The messengers returned to Jacob and reported, “We came to your brother Esau. Now he is coming to meet you, and he has four hundred men with him.”

7 So Jacob was terrified and very distressed. He divided the people who were with him, as well as the flocks, and the herds, and the camels, into two camps. [1] 8 He said, “If Esau comes to one camp and strikes it, then the other camp will escape.” 9 Jacob said, “God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the Lord, who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your relatives, and I will do good for you,’ 10 I am not worthy of even a bit of all the mercy and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for I crossed over this Jordan with just my staff, and now I have grown into two camps. 11 Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I am afraid that he will come and strike me and the mothers, as well as the children. 12 You said, ‘I will surely do good for you and make your descendants like the grains of sand of the sea, which cannot be counted because there are so many.’”

13 Jacob spent that night there and selected a gift for Esau his brother from the possessions he had with him: 14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15 thirty milk camels and their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys with ten foals. 16 He handed them over to his servants, each herd by itself, and said to his servants, “Cross over in front of me, and keep some space between each herd and the next one.” 17 He commanded the one in front, “When Esau my brother meets you and asks, ‘Whose people are you? Where are you going? Whose herds are these in front of you?’ 18 then you shall say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. It is a gift sent to you, my lord Esau. Look, he is right behind us.’” 19 He commanded the second group, and the third, and all those who followed the herds, “This is how you shall speak to Esau when you meet him. 20 You shall say, ‘What’s more, look, your servant Jacob is right behind us.’” Jacob said, “I will win his favor with the gift that I have sent ahead of me, and after that I will see his face, and perhaps he will accept me.”

21 So the gift was sent over ahead of him, but he himself spent that night in the camp.

22 He got up that night and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and he also sent his possessions across. 24 Jacob was left alone, and he wrestled with a man there until daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not defeat him, he touched the socket of his thigh, and the socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated as he wrestled. 26 The man said, “Let me go. It’s daybreak.”

Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

27 Then he said to him, “What is your name?”

He said, “Jacob.”

28 Then he said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have fought with God and with men, and you have won.”

29 Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.”

He said, “Why do you ask what my name is?” Then he blessed him there.

30 Jacob named the place Peniel, [2] because he said, “I have seen God face-to-face, and my life has been spared.” 31 The sun rose as he crossed over at Peniel, and he was limping because of his thigh. 32 For that reason, to this day the people of Israel do not eat the tendon of the hip that is on the socket of the thigh, because God touched the socket of Jacob’s thigh on the tendon of the hip.

Footnotes1. Genesis 32:7 Or two groups. These are groups on the move, which we generally do not call camps in English, but the translation camps connects to the name Mahanaim, which means two camps. 2. Genesis 32:30 Peniel means face of God.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 11Genesis 31:1 – 32:2LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 11

Genesis 31:1 – 32:2 (EHV)
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Genesis 311 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, “Jacob has taken everything from our father. He has acquired all his wealth from things that belonged to our father.” 2 From the look on Laban’s face Jacob realized that his attitude toward him was not what it had been before. 3 The Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”

4 Jacob sent for Rachel and Leah and told them to come to the field where his flock was. 5 He said to them, “I see the look on your father’s face, and it is not favorable toward me as it was before, but the God of my father has been with me. 6 You know that I have served your father with all of my strength. 7 Your father has cheated me by changing my wages ten times, but God did not allow him to hurt me. 8 If he said, ‘The speckled animals will be your wages,’ then all the flock gave birth to speckled young. If he said, ‘The streaked animals will be your wages,’ then all the flock gave birth to streaked young. 9 In this way God has taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me. 10 Once during mating season, in a dream I watched and saw male goats that were streaked, speckled, and spotted [1] mating with the flock. 11 The Angel of God called out to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I answered, ‘I am here.’ 12 He said, ‘Look! All the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled, and spotted, because I have seen everything that Laban has been doing to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a memorial stone, and where you made a vow to me. Now get going, get out of this land, and return to the land where you were born.’”

14 Rachel and Leah answered him, “Do we still have any share of the inheritance in our father’s house? 15 Isn’t he treating us like foreigners? First he sold us. Now he has used up almost all the money he received for us. 16 All the riches that God has taken away from our father belong to us and our children. Now do whatever God has told you to do.”

17 Then Jacob got ready to go. He placed his sons and his wives on camels. 18 He took with him all his livestock and all his possessions that he had accumulated, including the livestock that he had acquired in Paddan Aram. He set out to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.

19 Now when Laban had gone off to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household gods. [2]

20 Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was running away. 21 So he fled with all that he had. He set out, crossed over the Euphrates River, and headed toward the hill country [3] of Gilead.

22 On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had fled. 23 He took his relatives with him and pursued him for seven days. He overtook him in the hill country of Gilead. 24 But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream during the night and said to him, “Be careful that you do not say anything to Jacob either good or bad.”

25 Laban caught up with Jacob. Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban along with his relatives also set up camp in the hill country of Gilead. 26 Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? Why have you deceived me and carried away my daughters like prisoners of war? 27 Why did you flee secretly and steal from me? Why didn’t you tell me, so that I could have sent you away with a celebration and with songs, with drums and with lyres? 28 Why didn’t you allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? [4] By doing this you have acted foolishly. 29 I have it in my power to hurt you, but the God of your father spoke to me last night and said, ‘Be careful that you do not say anything to Jacob either good or bad.’ 30 But even if you were so eager to leave because of your strong desire to return to your father’s house, why have you stolen my gods?”

31 Jacob answered Laban, “I was afraid, because I thought that you might take your daughters away from me by force. 32 But anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our relatives, identify anything I have that belongs to you, and take it.” (Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the household gods.)

33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find the gods. After he had left Leah’s tent, he entered Rachel’s tent. 34 Rachel had taken the household gods and put them into her camel’s saddle, and she was sitting on them. Laban felt all around the tent, but he did not find them. 35 Rachel said to her father, “Do not be angry, my lord, because I cannot stand up in your presence. I’m having my period.” He searched, but he did not find the gods.

36 Jacob became angry and argued with Laban. Jacob responded to Laban, “What is my crime? What is my sin that set you off in hot pursuit after me? 37 Now that you have rummaged through all my belongings, what have you found there that came from your house? Set it out here in front of my relatives and your relatives, so that they can settle the case between the two of us. 38 These twenty years that I have been with you, your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and I have not eaten rams from your flocks. 39 I did not bring to you those that were torn up by wild animals. I bore the loss myself. You made me pay for all the losses, whether they were stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 I was the one out there, consumed by the scorching heat of the day and by the frost at night, and sleep fled from my eyes. 41 These twenty years I put up with this in your house: I served you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for a share of your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times. 42 Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the God revered [5] by Isaac, had been with me, you certainly would have now sent me away empty-handed. But God saw the oppression I suffered and the labor of my hands, and he rebuked you last night.”

43 Laban answered Jacob, “These daughters are my daughters. These children are my children. These flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine, but what can I do today about these daughters of mine or about the children to whom they have given birth? 44 Now come, let us make a covenant, [6] you and I, and let it stand as a witness between me and you.” [7]

45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a memorial stone. 46 Jacob said to his relatives, “Gather stones.” They collected stones and piled them up. They ate there beside the pile of stones. 47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, [8] but Jacob called it Galeed. [9] 48 Laban said, “This pile of stones is a witness between me and you this day.” So it was named Galeed 49 and Mizpah, [10] for he also said, “May the Lord watch between me and you, when we are absent one from another. 50 If you mistreat my daughters, or if you take any wives in addition to my daughters, even if no one else sees it, understand that God is a witness between me and you.”

51 Laban said to Jacob, “See this pile of stones and see the memorial stone that I have set between me and you. 52 May this pile be a witness, and may the memorial stone be a witness that I will not cross over beyond this pile to you, and that you will not cross over beyond this pile and this memorial stone to harm me. 53 May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.”

Then Jacob swore by the God revered by his father Isaac. 54 Jacob offered a sacrifice there in the hill country and invited his relatives to eat bread with him. They ate bread and stayed all night in the hill country. 55 Early in the morning Laban got up, kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. Laban departed and returned to his place.

Jacob Meets EsauGenesis 321 Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. [11] 2 When he saw them, Jacob said, “This is God’s army.” He named that place Mahanaim. [12]

Footnotes1. Genesis 31:10 There is no consensus about the precise distinction of these three terms. 2. Genesis 31:19 Teraphim were household idols that may have been associated with inheritance rights to the family property. 3. Genesis 31:21 Or highlands. The word traditionally translated hill country is the same Hebrew word that means mountain. But in many cases, as it does here, it refers to highland regions, not to a mountain peak. 4. Genesis 31:28 Sons and daughters seems to include both his daughters and his grandchildren. 5. Genesis 31:42 The Hebrew word used here is a rarer synonym for the word usually translated fear. Though it can mean dread, in this context it refers to reverence or awe. 6. Genesis 31:44 Or agreement 7. Genesis 31:44 The Greek Old Testament has an additional sentence: And he said to him, “Look, there is no one else with us. Look, God is the witness between me and you.” 8. Genesis 31:47 Jegar Sahadutha means Witness Mound in Aramaic. 9. Genesis 31:47 Galeed means Witness Mound in Hebrew. 10. Genesis 31:49 Mizpah means watch or lookout. 11. Genesis 32:1 In the Hebrew text, chapter 32 starts with English verse 31:55. In chapter 32, the Hebrew verse numbers are one number higher than the English verse numbers. 12. Genesis 32:2 Mahanaim means two camps.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 10Genesis 29:31 – 30:43LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 10

Genesis 29:31 – 30:43 (EHV)
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Genesis 29Jacob’s Family31 The Lord saw that Leah was not loved, and he allowed her to conceive, but Rachel had no children. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, [1] because she had said, “The Lord has looked at my misery. So now my husband will love me.”

33 She conceived again and gave birth to a son and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” So she named him Simeon. [2]

34 She conceived again and gave birth to a son. She said, “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have given birth to three sons for him.” That is why he was named Levi. [3]

35 She conceived again and gave birth to a son. She said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah. [4] Then she stopped having children.

Genesis 301 When Rachel saw that she was bearing no children for Jacob, Rachel was jealous of her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I will die.”

2 Jacob’s anger burned against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you fruit from your womb?”

3 She said, “Here is my maid Bilhah. Go to her, so that she may bear a child for me, and my family will be built up through her.” 4 So she gave her servant girl Bilhah to Jacob as a wife, and he went to her. 5 Bilhah conceived and gave birth to a son for Jacob. 6 Rachel said, “God has judged in my favor. He has heard my voice and has given me a son.” Therefore she named him Dan. [5]

7 Bilhah, Rachel’s servant girl, conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Rachel said, “I have had a desperate struggle with my sister, and I have won.” So she named him Naphtali. [6]

9 When Leah saw that she was no longer bearing sons, she took her servant girl Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 Zilpah, Leah’s servant girl, bore Jacob a son. 11 Leah said, “How fortunate!” So she named him Gad. [7]

12 Zilpah, Leah’s servant girl, bore a second son for Jacob. 13 Leah said, “I am blessed, for women will call me blessed.” She named him Asher. [8]

14 At the time of the wheat harvest Reuben went out and found mandrakes [9] in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”

15 She said to her, “Isn’t it bad enough that you have taken away my husband? Do you want to take away my son’s mandrakes as well?”

Rachel said, “He will sleep with you tonight for your son’s mandrakes.”

16 When Jacob came in from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come to me, because I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.”

So he slept with her that night. 17 God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Leah said, “God has given me the wages I deserve, because I gave my servant girl to my husband.” So she named him Issachar. [10]

19 Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son to Jacob. 20 Leah said, “God has given me a great reward. Now my husband will treat me with honor, because I have borne six sons for him.” So she named him Zebulun. [11]

21 Afterward, she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.

22 God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. 23 She conceived, bore a son, and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.” 24 She named him Joseph [12] and said, “May the Lord add another son to me.”

Jacob Versus Laban25 After Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go home to my own place in my own country. 26 Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go, because you know how much I have served you.”

27 Laban said to him, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, stay here, for I have learned by divination [13] that the Lord has blessed me because of you.” 28 So he said, “Set your wages for me, and I will pay them.”

29 Jacob said to him, “You know how well I have served you, and how your livestock have fared under my care. 30 For before I came, you had very little, and it has been multiplied many times over. The Lord has blessed you wherever I set foot. Now isn’t it time for me to provide for my own household as well?”

31 Laban asked, “What shall I give you?”

Jacob said, “You do not have to give me anything. But if you will do this thing for me, I will continue to take your flock to pasture and watch over it: 32 I will pass through all your flocks today and take all the speckled and spotted sheep, every dark brown sheep among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled goats. These will be my wages. 33 This is how I will be able to prove my honesty whenever you demand an accounting of my wages: Any goats that are not spotted or speckled, and any lambs that are not dark brown that are found with me will be treated as stolen.”

34 Laban said, “Very well. We will do what you have said.” 35 But that day Laban removed all the male goats that were streaked and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had any white on it, and all the dark brown sheep, and handed them over to his sons. 36 Then he separated himself from Jacob by a three days’ journey, and Jacob pastured the rest of Laban’s flocks.

37 Jacob took fresh branches from poplar, almond, and plane trees. He peeled stripes on them so that the white inside the branches was visible. 38 He put the branches that he had peeled into the gutters of the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink, so the flocks would see them. They conceived when they came to drink. 39 The flocks conceived in front of the branches, and the flocks produced streaked, speckled, and spotted animals. 40 Jacob separated the lambs, and he made the flocks face toward the streaked animals and all the black animals in the flock of Laban, and he kept his own herds separate and did not put them into Laban’s flock. 41 And whenever the stronger animals in the flock were in heat, Jacob laid the branches in the gutters where the flocks could see them, so that they would conceive while looking at the branches. 42 But when the weak animals in the flock were in heat, he did not put the branches in. So the weaker animals were Laban’s, and the stronger were Jacob’s. 43 The man became much wealthier and had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys.

Footnotes1. Genesis 29:32 Reuben means Look, a son. 2. Genesis 29:33 Simeon means he heard. 3. Genesis 29:34 Levi sounds like joined to. 4. Genesis 29:35 Judah means praise. 5. Genesis 30:6 Dan means judged. 6. Genesis 30:8 Naphtali means struggle. 7. Genesis 30:11 Gad means fortune. 8. Genesis 30:13 Asher means happy. 9. Genesis 30:14 Mandrakes were thought to be an aphrodisiac and fertility drug. 10. Genesis 30:18 Issachar means wages or reward. 11. Genesis 30:20 Zebulun means live with or honor. 12. Genesis 30:24 Joseph means may he add. 13. Genesis 30:27 The meaning of this Hebrew word is uncertain.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 09Genesis 29:1-30LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 09

Genesis 29:1-30 (EHV)
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Genesis 29Jacob and Laban1 Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. [1]

2 He looked around and noticed a well in the field, and he saw three flocks of sheep lying there beside it. (That well was used to water the flocks. There was a large stone over the mouth of the well. 3 All the flocks would gather there. Then the shepherds would roll the stone away from the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well.)

4 Jacob said to the men waiting there, “My brothers, where are you from?”

They said, “We are from Haran.”

5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban, the grandson of Nahor?”

They said, “We know him.”

6 He said to them, “Is he doing well?”

They said, “He is. Look, there is his daughter Rachel, coming with the sheep.”

7 He said, “Look, it is still the middle of the day. It is not time to gather the livestock together. Water the sheep and go pasture them.”

8 They said, “We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered together, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well. Then we water the sheep.”

9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep because she took care of them. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother’s brother, Jacob went up, rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well, and watered the flock of Laban, his mother’s brother. 11 Jacob kissed Rachel and wept loudly. 12 Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative and that he was Rebekah’s son. She ran and told her father.

13 When Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet Jacob. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob repeated all these things to Laban. 14 Laban said to him, “Certainly you are my own flesh and blood.” [2]

Jacob lived with him for a month. 15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, is that any reason you should serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?”

16 Laban had two daughters. The name of the older one was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah had attractive eyes, [3] but Rachel had a beautiful face and figure. 18 Jacob loved Rachel. He said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”

19 Laban said, “It is better for me to give her to you than to give her to another man. Stay with me.”

20 Jacob served seven years for Rachel. They seemed to him like a few days, because of the love he had for her.

21 Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my time of service is finished, so that I may go to her.”

22 Laban gathered together all the local people and made a feast. 23 When evening had arrived, he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob went to her. 24 (Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maid.) 25 When morning came, Jacob realized it was Leah. So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Didn’t I serve you for Rachel? Why have you deceived me?”

26 Laban said, “That is not the way we do it here. We do not give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Fulfill the marriage week for this one, and we will give you the other one too—for seven more years of service.”

28 So that is what Jacob did. When he fulfilled the marriage week, Laban gave him Rachel his daughter as his wife. 29 (Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maid.) 30 Jacob also went to Rachel, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He served Laban seven more years.

Footnotes1. Genesis 29:1 This expression usually refers to nomadic or semi-nomadic tribes. 2. Genesis 29:14 Literally my bone and my flesh 3. Genesis 29:17 Is this a negative description or a positive one? Were Leah’s eyes weak or lacking sparkle, or were they delicate, tender, or lovely? At best, it seems that this is a weak compliment. Compared to her sister, Leah looked plain.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 08Genesis 27:46 – 28:22LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 08

Genesis 27:46 – 28:22 (EHV)
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Genesis 2746 Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am tired of my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob takes a wife from the daughters of Heth, these daughters of the land, what good will my life do me?”

Jacob’s Flight to LabanGenesis 281 So Isaac called Jacob, blessed him, and commanded him, “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan. 2 Get up. Go to Paddan Aram, [1] to the house of Bethuel, your mother’s father. Take a wife from there from the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. 3 May God Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, so that you may become a community of peoples. 4 May he give you and your descendants along with you the blessing he gave to Abraham, so that you may inherit the land where you have been living as an alien, the land God gave to Abraham.”

5 So Isaac sent Jacob away. He went to Paddan Aram to Laban, the son of Bethuel the Aramean. Laban was the brother of Rebekah, who was the mother of Jacob and Esau.

6 Esau observed that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan Aram to take a wife from there, and that as he blessed him, he had commanded him, “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.” 7 When he saw that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and had gone to Paddan Aram, 8 Esau realized that the daughters of Canaan did not please Isaac, his father. 9 So Esau went to Ishmael, and he took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebaioth, to be his wife, in addition to the wives that he already had.

10 Jacob set out from Beersheba and traveled toward Haran. 11 He came to a certain place and decided to spend the night there, because the sun had set. He took one of the stones from that place, put it under his head, and lay down to sleep in that place. 12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway set up on the earth with its top reaching to heaven. There were angels of God ascending and descending on it. 13 There at the top stood the Lord, who said, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. The land on which you are lying, I give to you and to your descendants. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south. In you and in your seed [2] all the families of the earth will be blessed. 15 Now, I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back again into this land. Indeed, I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised to you.”

16 Jacob woke up from his sleep, and he said, “Certainly the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17 He was afraid [3] and he said, “How awe- inspiring is this place! This is nothing other than the house of God, and this is the gate to heaven.”

18 Jacob got up early in the morning. He took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up as a sacred memorial stone and poured oil on top of it. 19 He named that place Bethel. (Before this, the name of the city had been Luz.) 20 Jacob took a vow, “If God will be with me to keep me safe on this journey I am making, and if he gives me food to eat and clothing to put on, 21 and I come back to my father’s house in safety, the Lord will be my God, 22 and this stone that I have set up as a memorial stone will be God’s house, and I will certainly give you a tenth of everything that you give me.”

Footnotes1. Genesis 28:2 Paddan Aram is located in what today is northern Syria, along the border with Turkey. 2. Genesis 28:14 Retention of the literal term seed, which can be taken as a singular, highlights the continuity of the Messianic promise from Eve, through Abraham and David, to Christ, the Seed of the Woman. 3. Genesis 28:17 Or he was filled with awe

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 07Genesis 27:1-45LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 07

Genesis 27:1-45 (EHV)
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Genesis 271 When Isaac was old and his eyes were so dim that he could hardly see, he called Esau his older son and said to him, “My son?”

He said to him, “I am here.”

2 Isaac said, “Look, I am very old, and I do not know when I am going to die. 3 So please take your gear, your quiver, and your bow, and go out to the open country, and get some wild game for me. 4 Make me tasty food, the kind I love, and bring it to me, so that I may eat and I may bless you with all my soul before I die.”

5 Rebekah had been listening when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. After Esau went to the open country to hunt for game and to bring it back, 6 Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son and said, “Listen, I heard your father speak to Esau your brother and tell him, 7 ‘Bring me some wild game and make tasty food for me, that I may eat and give you a blessing from the Lord before my death.’ 8 Therefore, my son, obey my voice and do what I am commanding you. 9 Go now to the flock, and get me two of the best young goats. I will make them into tasty food for your father, the kind he loves. 10 You will bring it to your father, so that he can eat it and bless you before his death.”

11 Jacob said to his mother Rebekah, “But Esau my brother is a hairy man, and my skin is smooth. 12 What if my father touches me? I will be exposed to him as a deceiver, and I will bring a curse on myself and not a blessing.”

13 His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son. Just obey my voice, and go get them for me.”

14 He went and got them and brought them to his mother. His mother made tasty food, the kind his father loved. 15 Rebekah took the good clothing of Esau, her older son, which was with her in the house, and put it on Jacob, her younger son. 16 She put the skins of the young goats on his hands and forearms and on the smooth part of his neck. 17 She put the tasty food and the bread that she had prepared into the hand of her son Jacob.

18 He came to his father and said, “My father?”

He said, “I am here. Who are you, my son?”

19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done what you asked me to do. Please get up, and sit here and eat some of my wild game, so that you may bless me with all your soul.”

20 Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?”

He said, “Because the Lord your God gave me success.”

21 Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, so that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.”

22 Jacob went close to Isaac his father, who felt him and said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23 He did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy, like his brother Esau’s hands. That was why he blessed him. 24 But he asked again, “Are you really my son Esau?”

He said, “I am.”

25 He said, “Bring it to me, and I will eat some of my son’s wild game, so that I may bless you.”

Jacob brought it to him, and he ate. He brought him wine, and he drank. 26 His father Isaac said to him, “Come near now, and kiss me, my son.” 27 He came near and kissed him. He smelled his clothing, so he blessed him and said:

Yes, the smell of my son is the smell of the open field
that the Lord has blessed.
28 May God give you the dew from the sky,
the richness of the earth,
and plenty of grain and new wine.
29 Let peoples serve you,
and nations bow down to you.
Be lord over your brothers.
Let your mother’s sons bow down to you.
Cursed be everyone who curses you.
Blessed be everyone who blesses you.

30 As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had just gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31 He also prepared tasty food and brought it to his father. He said to his father, “Let my father get up and eat his son’s wild game, so that you may bless me with all your soul.”

32 Isaac his father said to him, “Who are you?”

He said, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.”

33 Isaac trembled violently and said, “Then who was it that hunted wild game and brought it to me? I ate all of it before you came, and I have blessed him. And, yes, he will be blessed.”

34 When Esau heard the words of his father, he let out a very loud and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me—me too, my father.”

35 He said, “Your brother came deceitfully and has taken away your blessing.”

36 Esau said, “Isn’t he rightly named Jacob? For he has tripped me up these two times. He took away my birthright. And look, now he has taken away my blessing.” He also asked, “Haven’t you reserved a blessing for me?”

37 Isaac answered Esau, “You see, I have made him your lord, and I have given all his brothers to him as servants. I have sustained him with grain and new wine. So what can I do for you, my son?”

38 Esau said to his father, “Have you only one blessing, my father? Bless me—me too, my father.” And Esau wept loudly.

39 Isaac his father answered him,

Know this:
Your dwelling will be away from the richness of the earth
and away from the dew from the sky above.
40 By your sword you will live, but you will serve your brother.
Then when you break loose, you will shake his yoke off your neck.

41 Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him. Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand. Then I will kill my brother Jacob.”

42 The words of Esau, her older son, were told to Rebekah. She sent and called Jacob, her younger son, and said to him, “Listen, your brother Esau is consoling himself in regard to you by planning to kill you. 43 Now, therefore, my son, obey my voice. Get up. Flee to Laban, my brother, in Haran. 44 Stay with him a few days, until your brother’s fury turns away, 45 until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send for you and get you from there. Why should I be deprived of both of you in one day?”

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 06Luke 19:11-28LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 06

Luke 19:11-28 (EHV)
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Luke 19Parable of the Ten Minas11 As they were listening to these things, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 12 So he said, “A man of noble birth traveled to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself and then to return. 13 He called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. [1] ‘Conduct business until I return,’ he said to them.

14 “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to be king over us.’

15 “When he returned after receiving the kingdom, he summoned the servants to whom he had given the money. He wanted to find out what they had gained by conducting business.

16 “The first one came to him and said, ‘Master, your mina has earned ten more minas.’

17 “He said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you were faithful in a very small matter, you will have authority over ten cities.’

18 “The second one came and said, ‘Master, your mina has produced five more minas.’

19 “So he said to him, ‘You will be over five cities.’

20 “And another one came and said, ‘Master, here is your mina that I laid away in a piece of cloth. 21 For I was afraid of you, since you are a demanding man. You take what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow.’

22 “He said to him, ‘You wicked servant, I will judge you with your own words! You knew that I am a demanding man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow. 23 Then why did you not put my money in the bank? Then, when I returned, I could have collected it with interest!’

24 “He said to those standing there, ‘Take the mina away from him and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’

25 “But they said to him, ‘Master, he already has ten minas!’

26 “‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 27 Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them, bring them here and kill them in front of me.’”

Jesus’ Triumphal Entry Into Jerusalem28 After Jesus had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

Footnotes1. Luke 19:13 A mina was worth one hundred drachmas, or about one hundred days’ wages.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 05Luke 18:35 – 19:10LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 05

Luke 18:35 – 19:10 (EHV)
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Luke 18Blind Bartimaeus35 As he approached Jericho, a blind man sat by the road, begging. 36 When he heard a crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by. 38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 Those who were at the front of the crowd rebuked him, telling him to be quiet. But he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, he asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?”

He said, “Lord, I want to see again.”

42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you.”

43 Immediately he received his sight and began following Jesus, glorifying God. All the people, when they saw this, gave praise to God.

ZacchaeusLuke 191 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man named Zacchaeus was there. He was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but since he was short, he could not see because of the crowd. 4 He ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Jesus, because he was about to pass by that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6 He came down quickly and welcomed Jesus joyfully. 7 When the people saw it, they were all grumbling because he went to be a guest of a sinful man.

8 Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I am going to give half of my possessions to the poor. And if I have cheated anyone out of anything, I will pay back four times as much.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Today, salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 04Luke 18:18-34LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 04

Luke 18:18-34 (EHV)
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Luke 18The Rich Young Ruler18 A certain ruler asked Jesus, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

19 Jesus asked him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good, except one—God. 20 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery. You shall not murder. You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony. Honor your father and mother.’” [1]

21 “I have kept all these since I was a child,” he said.

22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

23 But when the ruler heard these words, he became very sad, because he was very rich.

24 When Jesus saw that the man became very sad, he said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

26 Those who heard this said, “Then who can be saved?”

27 He replied, “What is impossible for people is possible for God.”

28 And Peter said, “Look, we have left our possessions [2] and followed you.”

29 He said to them, “Amen I tell you: Anyone who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30 will most certainly receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come, eternal life.”

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection Again31 He took the Twelve aside and said to them, “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished. 32 Indeed, he will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, mistreat him, spit on him, 33 flog him, and kill him. On the third day, he will rise again.”

34 They did not understand any of these things. What he said was hidden from them, and they did not understand what was said.

Footnotes1. Luke 18:20 Exodus 20:12-16; Deuteronomy 5:16-20 2. Luke 18:28 Some witnesses to the text read left everything.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 03Luke 18:1-17LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 03

Luke 18:1-17 (EHV)
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Luke 18The Parable of the Persistent Widow1 Jesus told them a parable about the need to always pray and not lose heart: 2 “There was a judge in a certain town who did not fear God and did not care about people. 3 There was a widow in that town, and she kept going to him, saying, ‘Give me justice from my adversary!’ 4 For some time he refused, but after a while he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God or care about people, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice so that she will not wear me out with her endless pleading.’”

6 The Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 Will not God give justice to his chosen ones, who are crying out to him day and night? Will he put off helping them? 8 I tell you that he will give them justice quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector9 Jesus told this parable to certain people who trusted in themselves (that they were righteous) and looked down on others: 10 “Two men went up to the temple courts to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people, robbers, evildoers, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week. I give a tenth of all my income.’

13 “However the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even lift his eyes up to heaven, but was beating his chest and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’

14 “I tell you, this man went home justified rather than the other, because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Jesus Loves Little Children15 People were bringing even their babies to Jesus, so that he would touch them. When the disciples saw this, they began to rebuke them. 16 But Jesus invited them, saying, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Amen I tell you: Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 02Luke 17:20-37LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 02

Luke 17:20-37 (EHV)
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Luke 17The Kingdom of God Is Within You20 The Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom of God would come. Jesus answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in a way you can observe, 21 nor will people say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘Look, there it is!’ because the kingdom of God is within [1] you.”

Jesus Will Return22 He said to the disciples, “The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. 23 They will tell you, ‘Look, there he is!’ or ‘Look, here he is!’ Do not go out or chase after them, 24 for the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning that flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other side. 25 But first, he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. 26 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it also be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 They were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot: They were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, 29 but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 It will be the same on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day, the person who is on the roof and has belongings in the house should not go down to get them. Likewise, the person in the field should not turn back for anything. 32 Remember Lot’s wife! 33 Whoever tries to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it. 34 I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed. One will be taken, and the other will be left. 35 There will be two women grinding grain at the same place. One will be taken, and the other will be left.” [2]

37 “Where, Lord?” they asked him.

He said to them, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will be gathered.”

Footnotes1. Luke 17:21 Or among 2. Luke 17:35 Some witnesses to the text include verse 36: Two will be in the field: One will be taken, and the other will be left. (See Matthew 24:40.)

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – April 01Luke 17:1-19LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – April 01

Luke 17:1-19 (EHV)
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Luke 17Do Not Cause Little Believers to Fall Into Sin1 Jesus said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! 2 It would be better for that person if a millstone would be hung around his neck and he would be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. 3 Watch yourselves.

“If your brother sins, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him. 4 Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

Increase Our Faith5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”

6 The Lord said, “If you had faith like a mustard seed, you could tell this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. 7 Which one of you who has a servant plowing or taking care of sheep will say to him when he comes in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at the table’? 8 Won’t the master tell him instead, ‘Prepare my supper, and after you are properly dressed, serve me while I eat and drink. After that you may eat and drink’? 9 He does not thank the servant because he did what he was commanded to do, does he? 10 So also you, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants. We have only done what we were supposed to do.’”

Ten Lepers Healed—One Thanks God11 On another occasion, as Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, he was passing along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 When he entered a certain village, ten men with leprosy met him. Standing at a distance, 13 they called out loudly, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” As they went away they were cleansed.

15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice. 16 He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, thanking him. And he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus responded, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Get up and go your way. Your faith has saved you.”

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 31Luke 16:1-31LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 31

Luke 16:1-31 (EHV)
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Luke 16The Shrewd Manager1 Jesus also said to his disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager who was accused of wasting his possessions. 2 The rich man called him in and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you can no longer be manager.’

3 “The manager said to himself, ‘What will I do, since my master is taking away the management position from me? I am not strong enough to dig. I am ashamed to beg. 4 I know what I will do, so that when I am removed from my position as manager, people will receive me into their houses.’

5 “He called each one of his master’s debtors to him. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 He said, ‘Six hundred gallons [1] of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and write three hundred.’ 7 Then he said to another, ‘How much do you owe?’ And he said, ‘Six hundred bushels [2] of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill and write four hundred and eighty.’

8 “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the children [3] of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation [4] than the children of the light are. 9 I tell you, make friends for yourselves with unrighteous mammon, [5] so that when it runs out, they will welcome you into the eternal dwellings. 10 The person who is faithful with very little is also faithful with much. And the person who is unrighteous with very little is also unrighteous with much. 11 So if you have not been faithful with unrighteous mammon, who will entrust you with what is really valuable? 12 If you have not been faithful with what belongs to someone else, who will give you something to be your own? 13 No servant can serve two masters. Indeed, either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon.”

14 The Pharisees, who loved money, also heard all these things and sneered at him. 15 He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the sight of people, but God knows your hearts. In fact, what is highly regarded among people is an abomination in God’s sight. 16 The Law and the Prophets were until John. Since that time the good news of the kingdom of God is proclaimed, and everyone is trying to force his way into it. [6]

17 “It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for even one part of a letter in the Law to fail. 18 Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another is committing adultery, and the man who marries a woman divorced from her husband is committing adultery.

The Rich Man and Poor Lazarus19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day. 20 A beggar named Lazarus had been laid at his gate. Lazarus was covered with sores and 21 longed to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Besides this, the dogs also came and licked his sores. 22 Eventually the beggar died, and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell, [7] where he was in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus at his side. 24 He called out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in misery in this flame.’

25 “But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, and you are in misery. 26 Besides all this, a great chasm has been set in place between us and you, so that those who want to cross from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

27 “He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s home, 28 because I have five brothers—to warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

29 “Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets. Let them listen to them.’

30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

31 “Abraham replied to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Footnotes1. Luke 16:6 Or one hundred baths. A bath was about six gallons. 2. Luke 16:7 Or one hundred cors. A cor was about six bushels. 3. Luke 16:8 Or people 4. Luke 16:8 Or kind of people 5. Luke 16:9 Mammon is an Aramaic word that is transliterated in the Greek. It refers to worldly wealth (sometimes personified). It also appears in verses 11 and 13, and Matthew 6:24. It may also be translated money, but a different word for money is used in verse 14. 6. Luke 16:16 Or everyone is urgently invited into it 7. Luke 16:23 Greek hades

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 30Luke 15LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 30

Luke 15 (EHV)
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The Lost Sheep1 All the tax collectors and sinners were coming to Jesus to hear him. 2 But the Pharisees and the experts in the law were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

3 He told them this parable: 4 “Which one of you, if you had one hundred sheep and lost one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that was lost until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls together his friends and his neighbors, telling them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’ 7 I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who do not need to repent.

The Lost Coin8 “Or what woman who has ten silver coins, [1] if she loses one coin, would not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found the lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

The Lost Son11 Jesus said, “A certain man had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all that he had and traveled to a distant country. There he wasted his wealth with reckless living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 He went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 He would have liked to fill his stomach with the carob pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, and I am dying from hunger! 18 I will get up, go to my father, and tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’

20 “He got up and went to his father. While he was still far away, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, hugged his son, and kissed him. 21 The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick, bring out the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us eat and celebrate, 24 because this son of mine was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’ Then they began to celebrate.

25 “His older son was in the field. As he approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the servants and asked what was going on. 27 The servant told him, ‘Your brother is here! Your father killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 The older brother was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him.

29 “He answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I’ve been serving you, and I never disobeyed your command, but you never gave me even a young goat so that I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours arrived after wasting your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’

31 “The father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 32 But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’”

Footnotes1. Luke 15:8 These silver coins were Greek drachmas, each worth about a day’s wage.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 29Luke 14:25-35LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 29

Luke 14:25-35 (EHV)
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Luke 14The Cost25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus. He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, if he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, everyone who sees it will begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This fellow began to build, but was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, as he goes out to confront another king in war, will not first sit down and consider if he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if he is not able, he sends out a delegation and asks for terms of peace while his opponent is still far away. 33 So then, any one of you who does not say farewell to all his own possessions cannot be my disciple. 34 Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its flavor, how will it become salty again? 35 It is not fit for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. The one who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 28Luke 14:1-24LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 28

Luke 14:1-24 (EHV)
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Luke 14Jesus in a Pharisee’s Home1 One Sabbath day, when Jesus went into the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat bread, they were watching him closely.

2 Right in front of him was a man who was suffering from swelling of his body. [1] 3 Jesus addressed the legal experts and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?”

4 But they were silent. So he took hold of the man, healed him, and let him go. 5 He said to them, “Which of you, if your son [2] or an ox would fall into a well on a Sabbath day, would not immediately pull him out?”

6 And they could not reply to these things.

7 When he noticed how they were selecting the places of honor, he told the invited guests a parable. 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline in the place of honor, or perhaps someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him. 9 The one who invited both of you may come and tell you, ‘Give this man your place.’ Then you will begin, with shame, to take the lowest place.

10 “But when you are invited, go and recline in the lowest place, so that when the one who invited you comes, he will tell you, ‘Friend, move up to a higher place.’ Then you will have honor in the presence of all who are reclining at the table with you.

11 “Yes, everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

12 He also said to the one who had invited him, “When you make a dinner or a supper, do not invite your friends, or your brothers, or your relatives, or rich neighbors, so that perhaps they may also return the favor and pay you back.

13 “But when you make a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. Certainly, you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous.”

The Parable of the Great Banquet15 When one of those at the table with him heard these things, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will feast in the kingdom of God!”

16 Jesus said to him, “A certain man made a great banquet and invited many people. 17 When it was time for the banquet, he sent out his servant to tell those who were invited, ‘Come, because everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses.

“The first one told him, ‘I bought a field, and I need to go and see it. I ask you to excuse me.’

19 “Another one said, ‘I bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out. I ask you to excuse me.’

20 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, and so I am unable to attend.’

21 “The servant arrived and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house was angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town, and bring in here the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’

22 “The servant said, ‘Master, what you commanded has been done, and there is still room.’

23 “Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and urge them to come in, so that my house may be filled. 24 Yes, I tell you that none of those men who were invited will taste my banquet.’”

Footnotes1. Luke 14:2 Or dropsy (hydropsy), an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the tissues of the body 2. Luke 14:5 Some witnesses to the text read donkey.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 27Luke 13:18-35LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 27

Luke 13:18-35 (EHV)
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Luke 13Mustard Seed and Yeast18 Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like, and to what will I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.”

20 Again he said, “To what will I compare the kingdom of God? 21 It is like yeast, which a woman took and mixed into a bushel [1] of flour until it was all leavened.”

The Narrow Door22 He went on his way from one town and village to another, teaching, and making his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone said to him, “Lord, are only a few going to be saved?”

He said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. 25 Once the master of the house gets up and shuts the door, you will begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open for us!’ He will tell you in reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 And he will say, ‘I don’t know where you come from. Depart from me, all you evildoers.’ 28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown outside. 29 People will come from east and west, from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. 30 And note this: Some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

Jesus Warns Jerusalem31 In that very hour, some Pharisees came to him and said, “Leave, and go away from here, because Herod wants to kill you.”

32 He said to them, “Go tell that fox, ‘Look, I am going to drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal. 33 Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, because it cannot be that a prophet would be killed outside Jerusalem!’

34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I have wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 35 Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you will say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’” [2]

Footnotes1. Luke 13:21 Three seahs 2. Luke 13:35 Psalm 118:26

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 26Luke 13:1-17LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 26

Luke 13:1-17 (EHV)
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See series: Through My Bible

Luke 13Repent1 At that time there were some present who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 He answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered these things? 3 I tell you, no. But unless you repent, you will all perish too. 4 Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse sinners than all the people living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no. But unless you repent, you will all perish too.”

Parable of the Fig Tree6 He told them this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard. He came looking for fruit on it, but he did not find any. 7 So he said to the gardener, ‘Look, for three years now I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and I have found none. Cut it down. Why even let it use up the soil?’ 8 But the gardener replied to him, ‘Sir, leave it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put fertilizer on it. 9 If it produces fruit next year, fine. But if not, then cut it down.’”

Jesus Heals a Crippled Woman10 Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And a woman was there who had a spirit that had disabled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not stand up straight. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” 13 He placed his hands on her, and immediately she stood up straight and began to glorify God.

14 But the ruler of the synagogue was indignant that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. He said to the crowd in response, “There are six days to do work. So come to be healed on those days and not on the Sabbath day!”

15 The Lord answered him, “Hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you untie his ox or his donkey from the manger on the Sabbath and lead it to water? 16 Here is this daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years! Shouldn’t she be set free from this bondage on the Sabbath day?”

17 As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame. But the entire crowd was rejoicing over all the glorious things he was doing.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 25Luke 12:35-59LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 25

Luke 12:35-59 (EHV)
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Luke 12Be Ready!35 “Be dressed, ready for service, and keep your lamps burning. 36 Be like people waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 Blessed are those servants, whom the master will find watching when he comes. Amen I tell you: He will dress himself and have them recline at the table, and he will come and serve them. 38 Even if he comes in the second or third watch, [1] they will be blessed if he finds them alert. 39 But know this: If the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 40 You also be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you are not expecting him.”

41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us or to everybody?”

42 The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, [2] whom the master will put in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find doing so when he comes. 44 Truly I tell you: He will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is staying away for a long time.’ And he begins to beat the male and female servants, to eat and drink and become drunk, 46 then the master of that servant will arrive on a day when he was not expected and at an hour that his servant does not know. The master will cut him in two and assign him a place with the unbelievers. 47 That servant who knew his master’s will and did not prepare or act according to what his master wanted, will be punished severely. 48 But the one who did not know, and did something worthy of punishment, will be punished lightly. From everyone to whom much was given, much will be expected. From the one who was entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Division49 “I came to throw fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already ignited. 50 But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is finished! 51 Do you think that I came to bring peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 52 Yes, from now on there will be five divided in one household: three against two, and two against three. 53 They will be divided: father against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against mother; mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.” [3]

Interpret the Time54 He also said to the crowds, “Whenever you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say that a rainstorm is coming, and so it happens. 55 And whenever a south wind blows, you say that it is going to be hot, and it happens. 56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you do not know how to interpret this present time? 57 Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? 58 Indeed, as you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, make an effort on the way to reach a settlement with him. Otherwise, he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and the officer may throw you into prison. 59 I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last cent.” [4]

Footnotes1. Luke 12:38 That is, in the middle of the night 2. Luke 12:42 Or steward 3. Luke 12:53 Micah 7:6 4. Luke 12:59 Literally lepton. One lepton was a coin worth about 1⁄128 of an agricultural worker’s daily wages.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 24Luke 12:13-34LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 24

Luke 12:13-34 (EHV)
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Luke 12The Rich Fool13 Someone from the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But Jesus said to him, “Man, who appointed me to be a judge or an arbitrator over you?”

15 Then he said to them, “Watch out and be on guard against all greed, because a man’s life is not measured by how many possessions he has.”

16 He told them a parable: “The land of a certain rich man produced very well. 17 He was thinking to himself, ‘What will I do, because I do not have anywhere to store my crops?’ 18 He said, ‘This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and goods. 19 And I will tell my soul, “Soul, you have many goods stored up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry.”’

20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your soul will be demanded from you. Now who will get what you have prepared?’

21 “That is how it will be for anyone who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

Do Not Worry22 Jesus said to his disciples, “For that reason I tell you, stop worrying about your life, about what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. 23 Certainly life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap; they have no warehouse or barn; and yet God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than birds! 25 And who of you by worrying can add a single moment to his lifespan? 26 Since you are not able to do this little thing, why do you worry about the rest? 27 Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. But I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was dressed like one of these. 28 If this is how God clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will he clothe you, you of little faith? 29 Do not constantly chase after what you will eat or what you will drink. Do not be worried about it. 30 To be sure, the nations of the world chase after all of these things, but your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, continue to seek the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you. 32 Do not be afraid, little flock, because your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the needy. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not become old, a treasure in the heavens that will not fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 23Luke 11:53 – 12:12LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 23

Luke 11:53 – 12:12 (EHV)
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Luke 1153 When he went away from there, the experts in the law and the Pharisees began to oppose him fiercely and to question him closely about many things. 54 They were plotting against him to trap him in something he said. [1]

Warning Against HypocrisyLuke 121 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands gathered together so that they were trampling on one another, he began to speak first to his disciples: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be made known. 3 So then, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

Fear God, Not People4 “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that are not able to do any more. 5 But I will show you the one you should fear. Fear him who, after he has killed the body, has authority to throw it into hell. [2] Yes, I tell you, fear him!

6 “Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? [3] And not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight. 7 Why, even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So stop being afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.

Confess Christ8 “I tell you, whoever confesses me before other people, the Son of Man will also confess him before the angels of God. 9 But whoever denies me in the presence of other people will be denied in the presence of the angels of God. 10 Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 11 When they bring you before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourself, or what you will say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you should say.”

Footnotes1. Luke 11:54 Some witnesses to the text add so they could accuse him. 2. Luke 12:5 Gehenna 3. Luke 12:6 Greek assarion, less than a half hour’s wage

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 22Luke 11:37-52LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 22

Luke 11:37-52 (EHV)
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Luke 11Woes and Warnings37 After Jesus spoke, a Pharisee invited him to have a meal with him. He went in and reclined at the table. 38 When the Pharisee saw this, he was amazed that he did not first wash [1] before the meal. 39 But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 Fools! Didn’t the one who made the outside also make the inside? 41 But give those things that are inside as a gift to the poor, and see, everything will be clean for you. 42 But woe to you Pharisees, because you give a tenth of mint and rue and every herb, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have done these things without neglecting the others. 43 Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the best seat in the synagogues and the greetings in the marketplaces. 44 Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without realizing it.”

45 One of the legal experts answered him, “Teacher, by saying these things you are insulting us too.”

46 But Jesus said, “Woe to you legal experts too, because you load people down with burdens too difficult to carry, and you yourselves do not touch these burdens with one of your fingers. 47 Woe to you because you build monuments for the prophets, but your fathers killed them. 48 So you are witnesses and agree with what your fathers did, because they killed them, and you build their monuments. 49 For this reason the wisdom of God also said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles. Some of them they will kill and persecute, 50 so that this generation may be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed from the foundation of the world, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary.’ Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against this generation. 52 Woe to you legal experts, because you took away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not enter, and you hindered those who were trying to enter.”

Footnotes1. Luke 11:38 Greek baptizo (translated baptize in other contexts)

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 21Luke 11:14-36LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 21

Luke 11:14-36 (EHV)
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Luke 11Jesus Drives Out Demons14 Jesus drove out a demon, which was mute. After the demon had gone out, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed. 15 But some of them said, “He drives out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” 16 Others were testing him by demanding of him a sign from heaven. 17 But he knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed. And a house divided against itself falls. 18 If Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? You say that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19 But if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? So they will be your judges. 20 Yet if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger attacks him and defeats him, he takes away that man’s full armor, in which he had trusted, and divides up his plunder.

23 “The one who is not with me is against me. The one who does not gather with me scatters. 24 When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places, seeking rest, but does not find any. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house, the one I left.’ 25 When it returns, it finds the house swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and dwell there. The last condition of that man becomes worse than the first.”

The Sign of Jonah27 While he was saying these things, a woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that carried you, and the breasts at which you nursed!”

28 But he said, “Even more blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”

29 As the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation. It is seeking a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation. 31 The Queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. But look, one greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. But look, one greater than Jonah is here.

A Lamp and a Lampstand33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a hidden place or under a basket, but on a stand so that those who come in may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of the body. When your eye is good, your whole body is full of light. But when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. 35 Therefore, see to it that the light that is in you is not darkness. 36 So if your whole body is full of light, without any dark part, it will be completely full of light, as when a lamp shines on you with bright light.”

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 20Luke 11:1-13LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 20

Luke 11:1-13 (EHV)
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Luke 11The Lord’s Prayer1 On another occasion, Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.”

2 He said to them, “When you pray, say, ‘Our Father in heaven, [1] hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. [2] 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 Forgive us our sins, as we also forgive everyone who sins against us. [3] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’” [4]

Keep Praying5 He said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and tell him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine who is on a journey has come to me, and I do not have anything to set before him.’ 7 And the one inside replies, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give it to you.’ 8 I tell you, even if he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his bold persistence, he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

9 “I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives. The one who seeks finds. And to the one who knocks, it will be opened.

11 “What father among you, if your son asks for bread, would give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, would give him a snake instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, would give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

Footnotes1. Luke 11:2 Some witnesses to the text omit Our and in heaven. 2. Luke 11:2 Some witnesses to the text omit Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 3. Luke 11:4 Literally everyone who is indebted to us 4. Luke 11:4 A few witnesses to the text omit but deliver us from evil. See the footnote on Matthew 6:13 for the traditional ending of the Lord’s Prayer.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 19Luke 10:25-42LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 19

Luke 10:25-42 (EHV)
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Luke 10The Good Samaritan25 Just then, an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 “What is written in the law?” he asked him. “What do you read there?”

27 He replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; [1] and, love your neighbor as yourself.” [2]

28 He said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live.”

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho. He fell among robbers who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 It just so happened that a priest was going down that way. But when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 In the same way, a Levite also happened to go there, but when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 33 A Samaritan, as he traveled, came to where the man was. When he saw him, he felt sorry for the man. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. He put him on his own animal, took him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day, when he left, he took out two denarii, [3] gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him. Whatever extra you spend, I will repay you when I return.’ 36 Which of these three do you think acted like a neighbor to the man who fell among robbers?”

37 “The one who showed mercy to him,” he replied.

Then Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Mary and Martha38 As they went on their way, Jesus came into a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who was sitting at the Lord’s feet and was listening to his word. 40 But Martha was distracted with all her serving. She came over and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me.”

41 The Lord answered and told her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but one thing is needed. In fact, Mary has chosen that better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Footnotes1. Luke 10:27 Deuteronomy 6:5 2. Luke 10:27 Leviticus 19:18 3. Luke 10:35 A denarius was one day’s wage.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 18Luke 10:13-24LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 18

Luke 10:13-24 (EHV)
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Luke 1013 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to hell. [1] 16 Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name!”

18 He told them, “I was watching Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Look, I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy. And nothing will ever harm you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names have been written in heaven.”

21 In that same hour, Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and learned and have revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, because this was pleasing in your sight.

22 [2]“Everything was handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wants to reveal him.”

23 Turning to the disciples, he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! 24 Indeed, I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see the things that you are seeing, yet did not see them, and to hear the things that you are hearing, yet did not hear them.”

Footnotes1. Luke 10:15 Greek hades 2. Luke 10:22 Some witnesses to the text add Turning to his disciples, Jesus said.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 17Luke 9:57 – 10:12LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 17

Luke 9:57 – 10:12 (EHV)
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Luke 9Follow Jesus57 As they went on the way, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

58 Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

59 He said to another man, “Follow me!”

But he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

60 Jesus told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

61 Another man also said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say good-bye to those at my home.”

62 Jesus told him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Jesus Appoints Seventy-TwoLuke 101 After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two [1] others and sent them out two by two ahead of him [2] to every town and place where he was about to go.

2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. So ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go your way. Look, I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. 4 Do not carry a money bag or traveler’s bag or sandals. Do not greet anyone along the way. 5 Whenever you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ 6 And if a peaceful person is there, your peace will rest on him, but if not, it will return to you. 7 Remain in that same house, eating and drinking what they give you, because the worker is worthy of his pay. Do not keep moving from house to house. 8 Whenever you enter a town and they welcome you, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick who are in the town and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near you.’

10 “But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust from your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom on that day than for that town.

Footnotes1. Luke 10:1 Some witnesses to the text read seventy (also in verse 17). 2. Luke 10:1 Literally before his face

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 16Genesis 26LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 16

Genesis 26 (EHV)
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Isaac and Abimelek1 There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that had occurred during the days of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelek king of the Philistines at Gerar. 2 The Lord appeared to him and said, “Do not go down into Egypt. Live in the land where I tell you to live. 3 Live in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and to your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. 4 I will multiply your descendants like the stars of the sky and will give all these lands to your descendants. In your seed [1] all the nations of the earth will be blessed, 5 because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my requirements, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”

6 Isaac lived in Gerar. 7 When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister.” He was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” because he thought, “The men of this place might kill me for Rebekah, since she is beautiful.” 8 When he had been there a long time, Abimelek king of the Philistines happened to look out a window, and there was Isaac caressing Rebekah, his wife.

9 Abimelek called Isaac and said, “It is obvious that she is your wife. So why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?”

Isaac said to him, “Because I thought, ‘If I do not, I will die because of her.’”

10 Abimelek said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us!”

11 Abimelek gave this command to all the people: “Whoever touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”

12 Isaac planted grain in that land, and in the same year he reaped one hundred times as much as he had sown, because the Lord blessed him. 13 The man kept growing wealthier and wealthier until he became very great. 14 He possessed flocks and herds and a large household, so the Philistines were envious of him.

15 Now the Philistines had blocked all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, and they had filled them with earth. 16 Abimelek said to Isaac, “Move away from us, for you are much more powerful than we are.” [2]

17 So Isaac departed from there, camped in the valley of Gerar, and lived there.

18 Isaac dug again the wells that had been dug in the days of Abraham his father, because the Philistines had blocked them after the death of Abraham. He gave them the same names that his father had given them. 19 Isaac’s servants dug in the valley along the stream bed and found a well there that provided a steady flow of water. 20 But the herdsmen of Gerar started a dispute with Isaac’s herdsmen. They said, “The water belongs to us.” He named the well Esek, [3] because they argued with him. 21 They dug another well, but they started a dispute over that one also. He named it Sitnah. [4] 22 He left that place and dug another well. They did not start a dispute over that one, so he called it Rehoboth. [5] He said, “Now the Lord has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.”

23 He traveled from there to Beersheba. 24 The Lord appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Do not be afraid, for I am with you, and I will bless you and multiply your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.”

25 He built an altar there and proclaimed [6] the name of the Lord. He pitched his tent there. Isaac’s servants dug a well there.

26 Then Abimelek came from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his advisor and Phicol the commander of his army. 27 Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, since you hate me and have sent me away from you?”

28 They said, “We saw clearly that the Lord was with you. So we said, ‘Let there now be an oath between us, yes, between us and you. Let us make a treaty with you, 29 that you will do us no harm, since we have not touched you, and since we have done nothing but good for you, and we have sent you away in peace.’ Now you are blessed by the Lord.”

30 He made a feast for them, and they ate and drank. 31 They got up the next morning and exchanged their oaths. Isaac sent them on their way, and they departed from him peacefully. 32 It so happened that on the same day Isaac’s servants came and told him about a well that they had dug. They said to him, “We have found water.” 33 He called it Shibah. [7] Therefore the name of the city is Beersheba [8] to this day.

Esau and Jacob34 When Esau was forty years old, he took two wives: Judith, the daughter of Be’eri the Hittite, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite. 35 They were a source of bitterness for Isaac and Rebekah.

Footnotes1. Genesis 26:4 The literal rendering seed is retained here to show the continuity of the Messianic promises from Eve, through Abraham and David, to Christ, who was the promised Seed of the Woman. 2. Genesis 26:16 Or too numerous for us 3. Genesis 26:20 Esek means argument. 4. Genesis 26:21 Sitnah means opposition. 5. Genesis 26:22 Rehoboth means wide enough or enough room. 6. Genesis 26:25 Or called on 7. Genesis 26:33 Shibah means oath or seven. 8. Genesis 26:33 Beersheba means well of the oath or well of the seven.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 15Genesis 24:61 – 25:34LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 15

Genesis 24:61 – 25:34 (EHV)
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Genesis 2461 Rebekah set out with her female attendants. They rode on the camels and followed the man. Abraham’s servant took Rebekah and set out on his journey.

62 Isaac had come from the direction of Be’er Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. 63 In the evening Isaac had gone out into the field to meditate. [1] He looked up and saw that there were camels coming. 64 Rebekah also looked up, and when she saw Isaac, she jumped down from the camel. 65 She said to the servant, “Who is that man who is walking through the field to meet us?”

The servant said, “It is my master.”

She took her veil and covered herself. 66 The servant told Isaac everything that he had done. 67 Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah’s tent, and he took her as his wife. He loved her, and Isaac stopped mourning his mother’s death.

Abraham’s DeathGenesis 251 Abraham had taken another wife. Her name was Keturah. 2 She bore Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah for him. 3 Jokshan became the father of Sheba and Dedan. The descendants of Dedan were the Ashshurites, Letushites, and Leummites. 4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Elda’ah. All these were the descendants of Keturah.

5 Abraham left all that he had to Isaac. 6 To the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts, and during his lifetime he sent them away from Isaac his son to the territory that lay to the east.

7 The total days and years of Abraham’s life were one hundred seventy-five years. 8 Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man who lived a full life, and he was gathered to his people. 9 His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the Cave of Machpelah in the field of Ephron, the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is near Mamre. 10 This was the field that Abraham had purchased from the descendants of Heth. Abraham was buried there with Sarah, his wife. 11 After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac, his son. Isaac lived near Be’er Lahai Roi.

The Descendants of Ishmael12 Now this is the account about the development of the family line of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maid, had borne to Abraham.

13 The following are the names of the sons of Ishmael and the tribes that came from them, arranged in the order of their birth:

The firstborn of Ishmael was Nebaioth. Then came Kedar, Adbe’el, Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, arranged by their settlements and by their camps. They were twelve chiefs, each with his own tribe.

17 The total years of the life of Ishmael were one hundred thirty-seven years. When he breathed his last and died, he was gathered to his people. 18 His people lived between Havilah and Shur, east of Egypt, as you go toward Ashshur. He lived in hostility toward [2] all his relatives.

The Family of Isaac19 This is the account about the development of the family of Isaac, Abraham’s son.

Abraham became the father of Isaac. 20 Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, who was the daughter of Bethuel, an Aramean from Paddan Aram, and the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. 21 Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. The Lord answered his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 The children fought with each other inside her. She said, “What is this? Why is this happening to me?” She went to inquire of the Lord.

23 The Lord said to her:

Two nations are in your womb.
Two peoples will be separated from your body.
The one people will be stronger than the other people.
The elder will serve the younger.

24 When it was time for her to give birth, it was true: There were twins in her womb. 25 The first came out red all over, like a hairy garment. They named him Esau. [3] 26 After that, his brother came out, with his hand grabbing Esau’s heel. So he was named Jacob. [4] Isaac was sixty years old when she gave birth to them.

27 The boys grew up. Esau was a skillful hunter, an outdoorsman. Jacob was a quiet man, who stayed home among the tents. 28 Now Isaac loved Esau more, because he ate Esau’s wild game. Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 Once Jacob was cooking stew, and Esau came in from the field, and he was starving. 30 Esau said to Jacob, “Come on, let me eat some of that red stew, that red stew there, because I am starving.” (That is why Esau was also called Edom. [5])

31 Jacob said, “First, sell me your right as the firstborn.”

32 Esau said, “Look, I am about to die. What good is the birthright to me?”

33 Jacob said, “Swear to me first.”

So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Jacob gave Esau bread and a stew made of lentils. Esau ate and drank, got up, and went on his way. So Esau treated his birthright as if it was worthless.

Footnotes1. Genesis 24:63 Or relax. The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain. 2. Genesis 25:18 Or far away from 3. Genesis 25:25 Esau sounds like a Hebrew word for hairy. 4. Genesis 25:26 Jacob sounds like the Hebrew word for heel. 5. Genesis 25:30 Edom sounds like the Hebrew word for red.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 14Genesis 24:1-60LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 14

Genesis 24:1-60 (EHV)
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Genesis 24A Wife for Isaac1 Abraham was very old, well into old age. The Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 Abraham said to his servant, the senior supervisor of his house, who was in charge of everything that he had, “Please put your hand under my thigh. 3 You must swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not acquire a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living. 4 Instead, you shall go to my country and to my relatives and acquire a wife for my son Isaac.”

5 The servant said to him, “What if the woman is not willing to follow me to this land? In that case, should I take your son back to the land that you came from?”

6 Abraham said to him, “Let me make it very clear to you that you are not to take my son back there again. 7 The Lord, the God of heaven, took me away from my father’s house and from the land of my birth. He spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘I will give this land to your descendants.’ [1] The Lord will send his angel ahead of you, so you shall find a wife for my son from there. 8 If the woman is not willing to follow you, you will be released from this oath. But under no circumstances shall you take my son back there.”

9 The servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter. 10 The servant took ten of his master’s camels and set out. He took a variety of goods from his master with him. He set out and went to Mesopotamia [2] to the city of Nahor. 11 He made the camels kneel down by the well outside the city. It was evening, the time when women go out to draw water. 12 He said, “O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13 Here I am, standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14 Let this be the test: The young lady to whom I say, ‘Please let down your water jar, so that I may drink,’ will say, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink.’ She will be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. This is how I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.”

15 Before he had even finished speaking, out came Rebekah with her water jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 16 The young lady was very beautiful to look at, a virgin, who had never been intimate with any man. She went down to the spring, filled her water jar, and came up. 17 The servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a drink, a little water from your water jar.”

18 She said, “Drink, my lord.” She quickly let down her water jar into her hands and gave him a drink. 19 When she was done giving him a drink, she said, “I will also draw water for your camels, until they have finished drinking.” 20 She hurried and emptied her water jar into the trough, ran to the well again to draw more water, and drew water for all his camels.

21 The man remained silent and watched her carefully to find out whether the Lord had made his journey successful or not. 22 Then, when the camels were finished drinking, the man took a gold nose ring that weighed half a shekel and two gold bracelets that weighed ten shekels [3] for her wrists. 23 Then he asked, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there room for us to stay in your father’s house?”

24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25 She also said to him, “We have both straw and enough feed and enough room for you to spend the night.”

26 The man bowed his head and worshipped the Lord. 27 He said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his mercy and faithfulness toward my master. Indeed, the Lord has guided me to the house of my master’s relatives.”

28 The young lady ran and told her mother’s household about these things. 29 Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban ran out to the spring to meet the man. 30 When he saw the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and after he heard the words from Rebekah his sister, who said, “This is what the man said to me,” he went to find the man. And there he was, standing next to the camels by the spring. 31 Laban said, “Come with me, you who are blessed by the Lord. Why are you standing outside when I have prepared the house and a place for the camels?”

32 The man came to the house and unloaded the camels. Laban gave him straw and feed for the camels and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 33 Food was set before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have delivered my message.”

Laban said, “Tell us.”

34 He said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35 The Lord has blessed my master greatly. He has become great. The Lord has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, camels and donkeys. 36 Sarah, my master’s wife, bore a son for my master when she was old. My master has given him everything that he owns. 37 My master made me take an oath. He said, ‘You must not acquire a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I am living. 38 Instead, you shall go to my father’s house and to my relatives and acquire a wife for my son.’ 39 I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not follow me?’ 40 He said to me, ‘The Lord, in whose presence I walk, will send his angel with you and give your journey success, and you will acquire a wife for my son from my relatives and from my father’s house. 41 But you will be released from my oath, if, when you have come to my relatives, they do not give her to you—then you will be released from my oath.’ 42 Today I came to the spring and said, ‘O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if you now will bless my journey with success, 43 (here I am, standing by this spring of water) let this be the test: If the virgin who comes out to draw water (the one to whom I say, “Please give me a little water to drink from your water jar”) 44 tells me, “Drink, and I will also draw water for your camels,” she will be the woman whom the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’ 45 Before I had finished saying this to myself, out came Rebekah with her water jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water. I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ 46 She hurried and lowered her water jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink.’ So I drank, and she also gave the camels a drink. 47 I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore for him.’ I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. 48 I bowed my head and worshipped the Lord and blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right way to find the daughter of my master’s brother as a wife for his son. 49 Now if you will show mercy and faithfulness to my master here, tell me. If not, tell me, so that I may know whether to turn to the right or to the left.”

50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered, “This matter has been determined by the Lord. We cannot say anything to you either bad or good. 51 Look, Rebekah is right here in front of you. Take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has spoken.”

52 So, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord. 53 The servant brought out silver and gold jewelry and clothing and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave valuable gifts to her brother and her mother. 54 He and the men who were with him ate and drank, and they spent the night there. They got up in the morning, and he said, “Send me on my way to my master.”

55 Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young lady stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that she can go.”

56 He said to them, “Do not hold me back, since the Lord has granted my journey success. Send me on my way so that I can go to my master.”

57 They said, “We will call the young lady and ask her.” 58 They called Rebekah and asked her, “Do you want to go with this man?”

She said, “I do.”

59 So they sent all of them on their way—their sister Rebekah with her nurse, Abraham’s servant, and his men. 60 They blessed Rebekah and said to her, “May you, our sister, be the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let your offspring take possession of the gates of those who hate them.”

Footnotes1. Genesis 24:7 Or offspring 2. Genesis 24:10 Also called Aram Naharaim, Aram of the Two Rivers. This area is in northern Syria, along the border with Turkey. 3. Genesis 24:22 Ten shekels is about four ounces.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 13Genesis 23LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 13

Genesis 23 (EHV)
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The Death of Sarah1 Sarah lived one hundred twenty-seven years. That was the length of Sarah’s life. 2 Sarah died in Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.

3 Then Abraham got up from beside his deceased wife. He went and spoke to the descendants of Heth. [1] He said, 4 “I am an alien who has settled among you. Let me have a piece of property for a burial place among you where I may bury my dead in their final resting place.” [2] 5 The descendants of Heth answered Abraham, 6 “Listen to us, my lord. You are a prince of God among us. Bury your dead in the best of our tombs. None of us will withhold his tomb from you. Bury your dead.”

7 Abraham stood up and bowed down to the people of the land, that is, to the descendants of Heth. 8 He said to them, “If you have agreed that I may bury my dead in their final resting place, then listen to me, and speak to Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf, 9 so that he gives me the Cave of Machpelah, which is at the end of the field that he owns. Let him give it to me for the full price so that I may own a burial site among you.”

10 Now Ephron was sitting among the descendants of Heth. Ephron the Hittite responded to Abraham in the hearing of all the Hittites who were gathered at the city gate. He said, 11 “No, my lord, listen to me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead.”

12 Abraham bowed down before the people of the land. 13 He spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land. He said, “No, but if you are willing, please listen to me. I will give the money [3] for the field. Accept it from me, and I will bury my dead there.”

14 Ephron responded to Abraham, 15 “My lord, listen to me. The land is worth four hundred shekels of silver, but what is that between me and you? Go ahead, bury your dead.”

16 Abraham accepted Ephron’s offer, and Abraham weighed out to Ephron the price that Ephron had quoted to him in the hearing of the Hittites, four hundred shekels [4] of silver, according to the current standard of the merchants at that time.

17 So the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, near Mamre—the field, the cave that was in it, and all the trees that were within the boundaries of the field were deeded 18 to Abraham as his property. This was done in the presence of all the Hittites, who were assembled at the gate of the city. 19 After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave in the field at Machpelah near Mamre (that is, Hebron), in the land of Canaan. 20 The field and the cave that is in it were deeded to Abraham by the descendants of Heth as his property to be used as a burial site.

Footnotes1. Genesis 23:3 There is no known connection between these Canaanites (Genesis 10:15) and the later Indo-European Hittites of Anatolia (Turkey). The well-known Hittites of Anatolia did not actually call themselves Hittites but were given this name because of the mistaken belief that they were related to this people in the Bible. 2. Genesis 23:4 Literally out of my sight, also in verse 8 3. Genesis 23:13 Literally the silver. There were no coins at this time. Silver or gold were weighed out to serve as money. 4. Genesis 23:16 A shekel was about a half ounce or a bit less, but its weight varied with time and place, as the parenthetical comment indicates.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 12Genesis 21:22 – 22:24LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 12

Genesis 21:22 – 22:24 (EHV)
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Genesis 21Abraham and Abimelek22 At that time Abimelek and Phicol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham. He said, “God is with you in everything that you do. 23 Now swear to me here by God that you will not deal treacherously with me, or with my son, or with my grandson. But just as I have been kind to you, you shall do the same for me and for the land in which you have lived as an alien.”

24 Abraham said, “I will swear it.”

25 Abraham complained to Abimelek because of a well which Abimelek’s servants had seized violently. 26 Abimelek said, “I do not know who has done this. You did not tell me, and I did not hear about it until today.”

27 Abraham took sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelek. The two of them made a treaty. [1] 28 Abraham set aside seven ewe lambs from the flock.

29 Abimelek said to Abraham, “Why have you set these seven ewe lambs by themselves?”

30 He said, “You shall accept these seven ewe lambs from my hand as legal testimony that I have dug this well.” 31 Therefore, he called that place Beersheba, [2] because they both took an oath there. 32 So they made a treaty at Beersheba. Then Abimelek got up with Phicol, the commander of his army, and they returned into the land of the Philistines. 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he proclaimed [3] the name of the Lord, the Eternal God. 34 Abraham lived as an alien in the land of the Philistines for a long time. [4]

Abraham Offers IsaacGenesis 221 Some time later God tested Abraham. He called to him, “Abraham!”

Abraham answered, “I am here.”

2 God said, “Now take your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains there, the one to which I direct you.”

3 Abraham got up early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, along with Isaac his son. Abraham split the wood for the burnt offering. Then he set out to go to the place that God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.

5 Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go on over there. We will worship, and then we will come back to you.” 6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and loaded it on Isaac his son. He took the firepot and the knife in his hand. The two of them went on together.

7 Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father?”

He said, “I am here, my son.”

He said, “Here are the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”

8 Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them went on together. 9 They came to the place that God had told him about. Abraham built the altar there. He arranged the wood, tied up Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. 10 Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son.

11 The Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!”

Abraham said, “I am here.”

12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy. Do not do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

13 Abraham looked around and saw that behind him there was a ram caught in the thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 Abraham called the name of that place “The Lord Will Provide.” [5] So it is said to this day, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

15 The Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “I have sworn by myself, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply your descendants greatly, like the stars of the sky and like the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the city gates of their enemies. 18 In your seed [6] all the nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”

19 Then Abraham returned to his young men, and they set out and traveled together to Beersheba. Abraham lived at Beersheba.

20 Some time after these things Abraham was told, “Listen. Milcah also has borne children for your brother Nahor. 21 They are Uz his firstborn, his brother Buz, Kemuel the father of Aram, 22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” 23 Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. These eight sons Milcah bore for Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 24 Nahor’s concubine, whose name was Reumah, also gave birth to Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Ma’akah.

Footnotes1. Genesis 21:27 Or covenant 2. Genesis 21:31 Beersheba can mean well of the oath or well of seven. 3. Genesis 21:33 Or called on 4. Genesis 21:34 Literally for many days. In Hebrew this can cover months or even years. 5. Genesis 22:14 Or Yahweh Jireh or Yahweh Who Sees 6. Genesis 22:18 The literal rendering seed is retained here to indicate the continuity of the Messianic promise from Eve, through Abraham and David, to Christ, who was the promised Seed of the Woman.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 11Genesis 20:1 – 21:21LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 11

Genesis 20:1 – 21:21 (EHV)
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Abraham and AbimelekGenesis 201 Abraham traveled from there toward the Negev, and he lived between Kadesh and Shur. He lived as a resident alien in Gerar. 2 About his wife Sarah Abraham said, “She is my sister.” Abimelek king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. 3 But God came to Abimelek in a dream during the night and said to him, “Listen to me! You are a dead man because of the woman you have taken, because she has a husband.”

4 Now Abimelek had not come near her. He said, “Lord, will you kill even a righteous nation? 5 Didn’t he tell me, ‘She is my sister’? Even she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this with a sincere heart and innocent hands.”

6 God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this with a sincere heart, so I also prevented you from sinning against me. That is why I did not allow you to touch her. 7 Now therefore, return the man’s wife. He is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you do not return her, know for sure that you will die, you along with all who are yours.”

8 Abimelek rose early in the morning, called all his servants, and told them all these things. The men were terrified. 9 Then Abimelek summoned Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought this great sin on me and on my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done!” 10 Abimelek said to Abraham, “What did you see in us that made you do this?”

11 Abraham said, “I did it because I said to myself, ‘Surely they do not fear God in this place. They will kill me to get my wife.’ 12 Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife. 13 When God had me migrate from my father’s house, I said to her, ‘This is the kindness that you shall show to me: Everywhere that we go, say about me, “He is my brother.”’”

14 Abimelek took sheep and cattle, male servants and female servants, and he gave them to Abraham. He also returned Sarah, his wife, to him. 15 Abimelek said, “Look, my land is in front of you. Dwell wherever it pleases you.” 16 To Sarah he said, “Look, I have given your brother a thousand pieces [1] of silver. You see, it covers any offense in the eyes of everyone who is with you. In front of all of them you are vindicated.”

17 Abraham prayed to God. God healed Abimelek and his wife and his female servants, so that they were able to bear children. 18 For the Lord had closed up tight all the wombs of the household of Abimelek over the matter of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

The Birth of IsaacGenesis 211 The Lord visited [2] Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as he had promised. 2 Sarah conceived and gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age, at the set time which God had announced to him. 3 Abraham named the son who was born to him—the son whom Sarah had borne to him— [3] Isaac. [4] 4 Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

6 Sarah said, “God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears will laugh with me.” 7 She said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne a son for him in his old age.”

8 The child grew and was weaned. Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. 9 Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, the son whom Hagar had borne to Abraham, laughing at Isaac. 10 Therefore, she said to Abraham, “Throw out this slave girl [5] and her son! For the son of this slave will not be heir with my son Isaac.”

11 Abraham was very distressed because of his son. 12 God said to Abraham, “Do not be so distressed because of the boy and because of your maid. [6] Listen to everything that Sarah says to you, because the family line of your descendants [7] will be traced through Isaac. 13 I will also make the son of the maid into a nation because he too is your offspring.”

14 Abraham got up early in the morning. He took bread and a waterskin, which he gave to Hagar, putting it over her shoulder. He sent her away with her child. She set out and wandered in the wilderness near Beersheba. 15 The water in the skin was used up, and she dragged the child under one of the bushes. 16 She went and sat down by herself, across from him, at a distance, about a bow shot away, because she said, “Do not let me see the death of the child.” She sat across from him and wept loudly.

17 God heard the boy’s voice, and the Angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven and said to her, “What is wrong, Hagar? Do not be afraid, for God has heard the boy’s voice right where he is. 18 Get up. Help the boy up, and take him by the hand, because I will make him into a great nation.”

19 God opened her eyes, and she saw a well with water in it. She went, filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink. 20 God was with the boy, and as he grew up, he lived in the wilderness and became an archer. 21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran. His mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

Footnotes1. Genesis 20:16 No unit of measurement is specified. It most likely was shekels. 2. Genesis 21:1 In the Bible, visit means to bring blessing or judgment. Here it obviously is the former. 3. Genesis 21:3 Hebrew narrative style is often repetitious. We have tried to preserve that style. 4. Genesis 21:3 Isaac means he laughs. 5. Genesis 21:10 The word which is used in this chapter for female slave or servant (amah) is said to be somewhat higher than the one used in connection with Ishmael’s birth in chapter 16 (shiphchah). See the note to verse 12. 6. Genesis 21:12 The word which is used in this chapter for female slave or servant (amah) is allegedly somewhat higher than the one used in connection with Ishmael’s birth in chapter 16 (shiphchah). In Sarah’s eyes, Hagar is still a slave, but as Sarah’s surrogate, she also has the status of a secondary wife of Abraham. It is not clear, however, whether any distinction is intended by this shift of terms. Critics, of course, see the shift as evidence of two sources. 7. Genesis 21:12 Literally seed

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 10Genesis 19LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 10

Genesis 19 (EHV)
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The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah1 The two angels came to Sodom at evening. Lot, who was sitting in the gatehouse of Sodom, saw them and got up to meet them. He bowed down with his face to the ground, 2 and he said, “See now, my lords, please turn aside into your servant’s house and spend the night. Wash your feet, and you can get up early and go on your way.”

They said, “No, we will spend the night in the street.”

3 But he kept urging them, so they came with him and entered his house. He made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. 4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from all parts of town. 5 They called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may be intimate with them.” [1]

6 Lot went out to them and shut the door behind him. 7 He said, “Please, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. 8 See now, I have two daughters who have not had relations with a man. Please let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them whatever seems good to you. Only do not do anything to these men, because they have come under the protection [2] of my roof.”

9 They said, “Get out of our way!” They also said, “This fellow came to live here as an alien, and now he appoints himself as a judge. Now we will treat you worse than them!” They kept pushing Lot back and were ready to break down the door. 10 But the men inside reached out and grabbed Lot and pulled him into the house with them and shut the door. 11 They struck the men who were pressing against the door of the house, both young and old, with blindness so that they wore themselves out trying to find the door.

12 The men said to Lot, “Do you have anyone else here? Sons-in-law, your sons, your daughters, whoever you have in the city, get them out of this place, 13 for we are going to destroy this place, because the outcry against it has grown great before the Lord, so the Lord has sent us to destroy it.”

14 So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to his daughters in marriage. He said, “Get up! Get out of this place, for the Lord is going to destroy the city.” But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking.

15 When the dawn came, the angels urged Lot, “Get going! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, so that you will not be swept away by the guilt of the city.” 16 But Lot was taking too much time, so the men grabbed his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters, because of the Lord’s compassion for him. They led him out and placed him outside of the city. 17 Then when they had taken them out, one of them said, “Run for your life! Don’t look behind you, and don’t stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, so that you are not swept away!”

18 Lot said to them, “Oh no, my lord. [3] 19 See now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have shown me great mercy by saving my life. I cannot flee to the mountains, or this disaster will stick with me, and I will die. 20 Look, this city is close enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Please let me flee there—isn’t it just a little one?—so that my life will be saved.”

21 The man said to him, “Very well, I have granted your request concerning this thing, so I will not overthrow the city that you have spoken about. 22 Hurry, flee there, because I cannot do anything until you get there.” So the city was named Zoar. [4]

23 The sun had risen over the land when Lot came to Zoar. 24 Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire out of the sky from the Lord. 25 He overthrew those cities, as well as all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and whatever grew in the soil.

26 But Lot’s wife, who was behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

27 Abraham got up early in the morning and went to the place where he had stood before the Lord. 28 He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and all the land of the plain. As he looked, he saw that the smoke from the land was going up like the smoke from a kiln.

29 And so when God destroyed the cities of the plain, God remembered Abraham and brought Lot out through the middle of the devastation, when he overthrew the cities where Lot had lived.

Lot and His Daughters30 Lot went up out of Zoar and lived in the mountains, for he was afraid to live in Zoar. His two daughters were with him. He lived in a cave with his two daughters. 31 The firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man in the land to come to us as normally takes place everywhere on earth. 32 Come on, let’s get our father to drink wine, and we will lie down with him, that we may preserve our father’s seed.” [5] 33 They got their father to drink wine that night, and the firstborn went and lay down with her father. He did not know it when she lay down or when she got up.

34 Then the next day the firstborn said to the younger, “Look, last night I lay down with my father. Let us get him to drink wine again tonight. You go and lie down with him, so that we may preserve our father’s seed.” 35 They got their father to drink wine that night also. Then the younger went and lay with him. He did not know it when she lay down or when she got up. 36 In this way both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father.

37 The firstborn gave birth to a son and named him Moab. [6] He is the father of the Moabites to this day. 38 The younger also gave birth to a son and called his name Ben Ammi. [7] He is the father of the people of Ammon to this day.

Footnotes1. Genesis 19:5 Literally that we may know them. Shocking as the crime is, the text places a euphemism into the mouths of the perpetrators. The next verses make their intentions clear. 2. Genesis 19:8 Literally the shadow 3. Genesis 19:18 The Hebrew has this written as Adonai, the divine name Lord or an emphatic plural my lords. The Greek Old Testament has the singular my lord. 4. Genesis 19:22 Zoar means little. 5. Genesis 19:32 Seed here refers to semen and to the offspring that result from it. 6. Genesis 19:37 In Hebrew Moab sounds like from the father. 7. Genesis 19:38 Ben Ammi means son of my people.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 09Genesis 18LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 09

Genesis 18 (EHV)
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Three Men Meet Abraham1 The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he was sitting by the door to his tent during the heat of the day. 2 Abraham looked up, and he saw three men standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and he bowed down to the ground. 3 He said, “My lord, [1] if I have now found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by. 4 Now let me get a little water so that all of you can wash your feet and rest under the tree. 5 Let me get some bread so that you can refresh yourselves. After that you may go your way. That is why you have come to your servant.”

They said, “Yes, do as you have said.”

6 Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quickly prepare twenty quarts [2] of fine flour, knead it, and make some loaves of bread.” 7 Abraham ran to the herd, brought a good, tender calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to prepare it. 8 He took cheese curds, milk, and the calf that he had prepared and set it before them. He stood beside them under the tree while they ate.

9 They asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?”

He said, “She is over there in the tent.”

10 One of the men said, “I will certainly return to you when this season comes around next year. Then Sarah your wife will have a son.”

Sarah was listening to this from the tent door, which was behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well into old age. Sarah was past the age for childbearing. [3] 12 Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, will I have pleasure, since my lord is also old?”

13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really give birth to a child though I am old?’ 14 Is anything impossible for the Lord? At the set time next year I will return to you, and Sarah will have a son.”

15 Then Sarah denied it and said, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid.

The Lord said, “Yes, you did laugh.”

16 The men got up from there and looked down toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way. 17 The Lord said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, 18 since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him? 19 For I have chosen him, [4] so that he may command his children and his household who follow after him to keep the way of the Lord by carrying out righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may deliver to Abraham what he has promised him.”

20 So the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very flagrant, 21 I will go down now and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has come to me. If not, I will know.”

22 The two men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the Lord. 23 Abraham approached him and said, “Will you really sweep away the righteous along with the wicked? 24 What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep them away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 You would never do such a thing, killing the righteous along with the wicked, treating the righteous the same as the wicked. You would never do such a thing. The Judge of all the earth should do right, shouldn’t he?”

26 The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people within the city of Sodom, then I will spare the entire place for their sake.”

27 Abraham answered, “See now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it on myself to speak to my Lord. 28 What if there are five fewer than fifty righteous? Will you destroy the entire city if the number is five short?”

He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”

29 He spoke to him yet again and said, “What if only forty are found there?”

He said, “I will not do it for the sake of the forty.”

30 He said, “Please, do not be angry, my Lord, but I will speak again. What if thirty are found there?”

He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

31 He said, “See now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to my Lord. What if there are twenty found there?”

He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”

32 He said, “Please, do not be angry, my Lord, but I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?”

He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”

33 As soon as he had finished speaking with Abraham, the Lord went on his way, and Abraham returned to his place.

Footnotes1. Genesis 18:3 Or my Lord. The Hebrew writes this word as Adonai. That would make this a divine name, Lord, but did Abraham already recognize that the man was God? 2. Genesis 18:6 Or thirty-six pounds. Hebrew three seahs. This is a huge amount. 3. Genesis 18:11 Literally the way of women had ceased for Sarah 4. Genesis 18:19 Literally have known him

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 08Genesis 16 – 17LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 08

Genesis 16 – 17 (EHV)
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Hagar and IshmaelGenesis 161 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, bore no children for him. She had a servant girl, [1] an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. 2 Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Please go to my servant girl. It may be that I can build up a family through her.” Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

3 After Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram’s wife, took her servant girl, Hagar the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. 4 He went to Hagar, and she conceived. When she saw that she had conceived, she looked down on her mistress. 5 Sarai said to Abram, “This wrong that I am suffering is on account of you. I gave my servant girl into your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked down on me. May the Lord judge between me and you.”

6 But Abram said to Sarai, “Look, your servant girl is in your hands. Do to her whatever seems good to you.” Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her presence.

7 The Angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a flowing spring in the wilderness, beside the spring on the way to Shur. 8 He said, “Hagar, servant girl of Sarai, where did you come from? Where are you going?”

She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.”

9 The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her authority.” 10 The Angel of the Lord said to her, “I will greatly multiply your descendants, so that they will be too many to count.” 11 The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Listen, you are expecting a child and will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, [2] because the Lord has heard your affliction. 12 He will be a wild donkey of a man. His hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. He will dwell in hostility toward [3] all of his brothers.”

13 She called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees,” for she said, “Here have I really seen him who sees me?” [4] 14 Therefore the well was called Be’er Lahai Roi. [5] It is right there between Kadesh and Bered.

15 Hagar gave birth to a son for Abram. Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael for him.

The Covenant of CircumcisionGenesis 171 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty. Walk before me and be blameless. 2 I will make my covenant between me and you, and I will make your descendants very numerous.”

3 Abram fell on his face. God spoke with him. He said, 4 “As for me, this is my covenant with you. You will be the father of many nations. 5 Your name will not be Abram anymore, but your name will be Abraham, [6] for I have made you the father of a large group of nations. 6 I will make you extremely fruitful, and I will produce nations from you. Kings will come out of you. 7 I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you as an everlasting covenant throughout their generations. I will be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 I will give the land where you are living as an alien, all the land of Canaan, to you and to your descendants after you as a permanent possession. I will be their God.”

9 God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. 10 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, a covenant between me and you and your descendants after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You shall be circumcised by cutting the foreskin off your flesh. It will be a sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 Every boy among you who is eight days old shall be circumcised, every male throughout your generations, whether he is born in your house or purchased with money [7] from any foreigner who is not descended from you. 13 Every male who is born in your house or one who is purchased with your money must be circumcised. My covenant will be marked on your flesh as an everlasting covenant. 14 The uncircumcised male who is not circumcised by removing the foreskin from his flesh, that person must be cut off from his people. He has broken my covenant.”

15 God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai anymore, but her name will be Sarah. [8] 16 I will bless her and even give you a son by her. Yes, I will bless her, and she will be a mother of nations. Kings of many peoples will come from her.”

17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to someone who is one hundred years old? Will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?” 18 And Abraham said to God, “Oh, let Ishmael live in your presence!”

19 But God said, “No, Sarah, your wife, will bear a son for you. You shall name him Isaac. [9] I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.

20 “As for Ishmael, I have heard you. Yes, I have blessed him. I will make him fruitful and will multiply him very greatly. He will become the father of twelve chiefs, and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear for you at this set time next year.”

22 When he finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham. 23 Abraham took his son Ishmael, along with every male in Abraham’s house, all those who were born in his house, and all those who were purchased with his money, and he circumcised them by cutting off the foreskin from their flesh. He did this on that very day, just as God had said to him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when the foreskin of his flesh was circumcised. 25 Ishmael, his son, was thirteen years old when the foreskin of his flesh was circumcised. 26 On the same day both Abraham and Ishmael, his son, were circumcised. 27 All the men of his house, those born in the house as well as those purchased with money from a foreigner, were circumcised along with him.

Footnotes1. Genesis 16:1 Or female slave. Shiphchah is allegedly the lower level word for a female servant who serves as an attendant to the lady of the house. 2. Genesis 16:11 In Hebrew Ishmael sounds like God heard. 3. Genesis 16:12 Or far away from 4. Genesis 16:13 Or Have I been permitted to see even a glimpse of him who sees me? 5. Genesis 16:14 Be’er Lahai Roi means well of the one who lives and sees me. 6. Genesis 17:5 Abram and Abraham are variants of the same name. Both mean exalted father, but Abraham sounds more like the Hebrew for father of a multitude. 7. Genesis 17:12 Literally silver. There were no coins at this time. Silver or gold were weighed out to make payments. 8. Genesis 17:15 Sarai and Sarah are variants of the same name. Both mean princess. 9. Genesis 17:19 Isaac means he laughs.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 07Genesis 15LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 07

Genesis 15 (EHV)
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The Promise of an Heir1 After these events the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision. He said, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”

2 Abram said, “Lord God [1] what can you give me, since I remain childless, and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 Abram also said, “Look, you have given me no offspring, so a servant born in my house will be my heir.”

4 Just then, the word of the Lord came to him. God said, “This man will not be your heir, but instead one who will come out of your own body will be your heir.” 5 The Lord then brought him outside and said, “Now look toward the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He said to Abram, “This is what your descendants will be like.” 6 Abram believed in [2] the Lord, and the Lord credited it to him as righteousness. 7 He said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as a possession.”

8 He said, “Lord God, how will I know that I will possess it?”

9 The Lord said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 Abram gathered all of these, divided them in half, and laid the two halves across from each other, but he did not divide the birds in two. 11 Birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.

12 When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. Then terrifying, deep darkness fell on him. 13 The Lord said to Abram, “Know this! Your descendants will live as aliens in a land that is not theirs, and they will serve its people, who will afflict them for four hundred years. 14 But I will surely judge the nation that they will serve. Afterward your descendants will come out with great wealth, 15 but you will go to your fathers in peace. You will be buried at a good old age. 16 In the fourth generation your descendants will come here again, because the guilt of the Amorites is not yet full.” 17 Then when the sun had gone down and it was dark, suddenly a smoking oven and a flaming torch passed between the pieces. 18 On that day the Lord made [3] a covenant with Abram. He said, “To your descendants I have given this land from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates. 19 I will give you the territory of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaites, 21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”

Footnotes1. Genesis 15:2 The translation follows the tradition of reading the Hebrew combination Adonai Yahweh (Lord Yahweh) as Lord God. 2. Genesis 15:6 Or trusted in or believed 3. Genesis 15:18 The Hebrew expression for make a covenant is literally cut a covenant. Perhaps this is a reflection of the cutting of the animals.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 06Genesis 13:5 – 14:24LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 06

Genesis 13:5 – 14:24 (EHV)
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Genesis 135 Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks, herds, and tents. 6 The land was not able to support them if they lived close together, because their possessions were so great that they could not live together. 7 There was conflict between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. (The Canaanites and the Perizzites lived in the land at that time.) 8 Abram said to Lot, “Please, because we are close relatives, let there be no conflict between me and you and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen. 9 Doesn’t the whole land lie before you? Please separate yourself from me. If you go to the left, then I will go to the right. Or if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.”

10 Lot looked up and saw the whole region around the Jordan River as you come to Zoar. [1] (Before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, it was well watered everywhere, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt.) 11 So Lot chose the region around the Jordan for himself. Lot headed out toward the east, and they separated from each other. 12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, and Lot lived among the cities of the region around the Jordan and moved his tent close to Sodom. 13 Now the men of Sodom were extremely wicked sinners against the Lord.

14 After Lot was separated from him, the Lord said to Abram, “Now, lift up your eyes, and look around from the place where you are. Look north and south, east and west, 15 because all the land that you see, I will give to you and to your descendants permanently. 16 I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth, so that if a man could count the dust of the earth, then your descendants could also be counted. 17 Get up, walk through the length and breadth of the land, because I will give it to you.”

18 Abram moved his tent and went to live by the oaks at Mamre, which are at Hebron, and built an altar there to the Lord.

The Attack on SodomGenesis 141 In those days Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goyim [2] 2 made war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3 All these joined together in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea [3]). 4 For twelve years they served Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 In the fourteenth year Kedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and struck the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 6 and the Horites in their Mount Seir, all the way to El Paran, which is by the wilderness. 7 They returned and came to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh) and struck all the territory of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who lived in Hazazon Tamar. 8 The king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and lined up for battle in the Valley of Siddim 9 against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goyim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits. When the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, they fell there. [4]Those who survived fled to the hills. 11 The raiders took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food, and then they went on their way. 12 Because he had been living in Sodom, they took also Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, and his possessions and went on their way.

13 One person escaped and came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks that belonged to Mamre the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol and Aner. They were allies of Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his relative was taken captive, he led out all his trained men who were born in his house, three hundred eighteen of them, and pursued them as far as Dan. 15 During the night he divided his servants into groups to attack them. He struck them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 He brought back all the possessions. He also brought back his relative Lot, and his possessions, and the women also, and the rest of the people.

17 After Abram’s return from the defeat of Kedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was a priest of God Most High. 19 He blessed Abram and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 20 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”

Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and take the goods for yourself.”

22 Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted up my hand to swear to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 23 that I will not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, so that you cannot say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ 24 I will take nothing except that which the young men have eaten and the share belonging to the men who went with me, namely, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their share.”

Footnotes1. Genesis 13:10 In the Hebrew text, the words as you come to Zoar are placed at the end of verse 10, but they must refer to the area of Sodom and Gomorrah, not to Egypt. See 14:8. 2. Genesis 14:1 Or nations 3. Genesis 14:3 That is, the Dead Sea 4. Genesis 14:10 Or fell into them

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 05Genesis 11:10 – 13:4LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 05

Genesis 11:10 – 13:4 (EHV)
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Genesis 11The Ancestors of Abraham10 This is the account about the development of the family of Shem.

Shem was 100 years old and became the father of Arphaxad two years after the flood. 11 Shem lived 500 years after he became the father of Arphaxad, and he became the father of sons and daughters.

12 Arphaxad lived 35 years and became the father of Shelah. 13 Arphaxad lived 403 years after he became the father of Shelah, and he became the father of sons and daughters. [1]

14 Shelah lived 30 years and became the father of Eber. 15 Shelah lived 403 years after he became the father of Eber, and he became the father of sons and daughters.

16 Eber lived 34 years and became the father of Peleg. 17 Eber lived 430 years after he became the father of Peleg, and he became the father of sons and daughters.

18 Peleg lived 30 years and became the father of Reu. 19 Peleg lived 209 years after he became the father of Reu, and he became the father of sons and daughters.

20 Reu lived 32 years and became the father of Serug. 21 Reu lived 207 years after he became the father of Serug, and he became the father of sons and daughters.

22 Serug lived 30 years and became the father of Nahor. 23 Serug lived 200 years after he became the father of Nahor, and he became the father of sons and daughters.

24 Nahor lived 29 years and became the father of Terah. 25 Nahor lived 119 years after he became the father of Terah, and he became the father of sons and daughters.

26 Terah lived 70 years and became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

The Development of the Family of Terah27 Now this is the account about the development [2] of the family of Terah.

Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran became the father of Lot. 28 Haran died before his father Terah. He died in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldeans.

29 Abram and Nahor took wives. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran, who was also the father of Iscah. 30 Sarai was barren. She had no child.

31 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot, who was the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, who was the wife of his son Abram, and they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan. They came to Haran and lived there. 32 The days of Terah were 205 years. Terah died in Haran.

The Call of AbramGenesis 121 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Get out of your country and away from your relatives and from your father’s house and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse anyone who dishonors you. All of the families of the earth will be blessed in you.”

4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him. Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5 Abram took Sarai his wife, Lot his brother’s son, and all the possessions they had accumulated and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to travel to the land of Canaan. Eventually they arrived in the land of Canaan. 6 Abram passed through the land until he came to the Oak of Moreh at the place called Shechem. The Canaanites were in the land at that time.

7 The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your descendants.” [3] Abram built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

8 He moved on from there to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent there, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and proclaimed [4] the name of the Lord. 9 Abram pulled out from there and kept traveling toward the Negev. [5]

The First Trip to Egypt10 There was a famine in the land. So Abram went down into Egypt to stay there for a while, because the famine was severe in the land. 11 As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “Look, I know that you are a beautiful woman. 12 It might happen that when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me, but they will keep you alive. 13 Please say that you are my sister, so that it will go well for me because of you, and that my life may be preserved on account of you.”

14 So it happened that when Abram arrived in Egypt, the Egyptians did see that the woman was very beautiful. 15 Pharaoh’s officials saw her and praised her to Pharaoh, and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. 16 He treated Abram well for her sake. Abram received sheep, cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.

17 But the Lord struck Pharaoh and his house with severe diseases [6] because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18 Pharaoh summoned Abram and said, “What is this that you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Here is your wife. Take her and go.”

20 Pharaoh gave his men orders concerning him, so they sent him on his way with his wife and all that he had.

Abram and Lot SeparateGenesis 131 Abram went up out of Egypt into the Negev. He went with his wife and with all that he had, and with Lot too. 2 Abram was very wealthy in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3 He went on his journeys from the Negev to Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai. 4 He went to the site of the altar that he had made there earlier. There Abram proclaimed [7] the name of the Lord.

Footnotes1. Genesis 11:13 Some manuscripts of the Greek Old Testament have an extra generation between Arphaxad and Shelah: Cainan (also called Kenan) lived 130 years and became the father of Shelah. Cainan lived 330 years after he had become the father of Shelah, and he became the father of sons and daughters. Cainan occurs in the Greek Old Testament of Genesis 10:24; 11:12-13; and some texts of 1 Chronicles 1:24 (or 18) [sic]. It also occurs in most manuscripts of Luke 3:36. Manuscripts without Cainan include all passages of the Hebrew text (Genesis 10:24; 11:12-13; 1 Chronicles 1:18, 24), the Samaritan Pentateuch, 1 Chronicles 1:24 in the Greek Old Testament [sic], the Targums of Jonathan and Onkelos, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Latin Vulgate. It appears that Cainan was not part of the Hebrew text. (It should be noted that there are numerous discrepancies in the textual commentaries about this issue, especially concerning the Greek Old Testament, as is true of many other textual issues.) 2. Genesis 11:27 Or the account of the subsequent history 3. Genesis 12:7 Or offspring, literally seed 4. Genesis 12:8 Or called on 5. Genesis 12:9 The Negev is the arid region in the far south of Israel. Negev sometimes is used as a synonym for south. 6. Genesis 12:17 Or plagues 7. Genesis 13:4 Or called on

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 04Genesis 10:1 – 11:9LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 04

Genesis 10:1 – 11:9 (EHV)
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Genesis 101 Now this is the account about the development of groups of people who descended from Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah. Sons [1] were born to them after the flood.

The Descendants of Japheth2 The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshek, and Tiras. [2]

3 The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah.

4 The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittim, and the Dodanim. [3]

5 The islands and coastlands were divided into different lands among these peoples on the basis of their languages, their ethnic groups, and their nations.

The Descendants of Ham6 The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, [4] Put, and Canaan.

7 The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Ra’amah, and Sabteca.

The sons of Ra’amah were Sheba and Dedan.

8 Cush became the father of Nimrod. He was the first to be a mighty warrior on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the Lord. That is why the saying is “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord.” 10 The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Uruk, Akkad, and Calneh in the land of Shinar. [5] 11 From that land he went to Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah, 12 and Resen between Nineveh and Calah, the great city.

13 Mizraim [6] became the father of the Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, 14 Pathrusim, Casluhim (from whom the Philistines descended), and the Caphtorim.

15 Canaan became the father of Sidon (his firstborn) and Heth, 16 as well as the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, 17 the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, 18 the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. Afterward the families of the Canaanites spread out. 19 Then the borders of the Canaanites extended from Sidon, southward toward Gerar, as far as Gaza; from there it extended eastward toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.

20 These were the sons of Ham, according to their ethnic groups, their languages, their lands, and their nations.

The Descendants of Shem21 Sons were also born to Shem, the older brother of Japheth, [7] the father of all the descendants of Eber.

22 The sons of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram.

23 The sons of Aram were Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. [8]

24 Arphaxad became the father of Shelah. [9] Shelah became the father of Eber. 25 To Eber two sons were born. The name of one was Peleg, because in his days the earth was divided. [10]

Eber’s brother’s name was Joktan. 26 Joktan became the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 27 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 28 Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 29 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan. 30 Their dwelling was from Mesha all the way to Sephar, in the hill country of the east.

31 These were the descendants of Shem according to their ethnic groups, their languages, their lands, and their nations.

32 These are the families and groups of peoples descended from the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, by their nations. From these, nations spread out over the earth after the flood.

The Division of the EarthGenesis 111 The whole earth had one language and a single vocabulary. 2 As people traveled in the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they settled there. 3 They said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used mud brick instead of stone for building material, and they used tar for mortar. 4 They said, “Come, let’s build a city for ourselves and a tower whose top reaches to the sky, and let’s make a name for ourselves, so that we will not be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”

5 The Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the people were building. 6 The Lord said, “If this is the first thing they are doing as one people, who all have one language, then nothing that they intend to do will be too difficult for them. 7 Come, let’s go down there and confuse their language, so that they cannot understand one another’s speech.”

8 So the Lord scattered them from there over the face of the whole earth, and they stopped building the city. 9 It was named Babel, [11] because there the Lord confused the language of the whole earth. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

Footnotes1. Genesis 10:1 In these tables, sons in some cases includes descendants. Fathers in some cases means ancestors or forefathers. 2. Genesis 10:2 Some of these names are the names both of ancestral individuals and of ethnic groups that were derived from them. Some of the names also serve as names of geographic places. 3. Genesis 10:4 The names ending in –im are peoples rather than individuals. Usually we render these names with the suffix -ites, except for a few primordial groups whose names also occur as names of geographic places, such as the Valley of Rephaim. The name Kittim is retained because it is common in literature about the Bible. 4. Genesis 10:6 Mizraim is the Hebrew name for Egypt. 5. Genesis 10:10 That is, Babylon 6. Genesis 10:13 Mizraim is the Hebrew name for Egypt. 7. Genesis 10:21 Or whose older brother was Japheth, but this translation does not fit the Hebrew construction as well as the translation above does. 8. Genesis 10:23 The Greek text and 1 Chronicles 1:17 read Meshek. 9. Genesis 10:24 Some manuscripts of the Greek Old Testament have an extra generation (Cainan or Kenan) between Arphaxad and Shelah. See the note on Genesis 11:13. 10. Genesis 10:25 Peleg means division. 11. Genesis 11:9 Babel sounds like the Hebrew word for confusion.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 03Genesis 8:20 – 9:29LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 03

Genesis 8:20 – 9:29 (EHV)
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Genesis 820 Noah built an altar to the Lord and took from every clean animal and every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 The Lord smelled the pleasant aroma. The Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the soil anymore because of man, for the thoughts he forms in his heart are evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike every living thing, as I have done. 22 While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”

God’s Covenant With the EarthGenesis 91 God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. 2 Every animal on the earth and every bird in the sky will fear you and dread you. Everything that swarms on the ground and all the fish in the sea are handed over to you. 3 Every living, moving thing will be food for you. I have given everything to you, just as I gave you the green plants. 4 But flesh that has the blood (which is its life) still in it, you shall not eat. 5 In fact, I will hold each animal and each person responsible for your lifeblood. I will hold each man responsible for the life of his brother. 6 Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for God made man in his own image.

7 “But you, be fruitful and multiply. Increase abundantly on the earth, and multiply on it.”

8 God said to Noah and to his sons, who were with him, 9 “Listen, I will now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you 10 and with everything with you that has the breath of life: with the birds, with the livestock, and with every wild animal that is on the earth with you, with everything that went out of the ark, even with every wild animal on the earth. 11 I will establish my covenant with you: Never again will all living creatures [1] be cut off by the waters of a flood. Neither will there ever again be a flood to destroy the earth.”

12 God also said, “This is the sign of the covenant between me and you and every living creature with you that I am giving for all generations to come. 13 I have set my rainbow in the cloud, and it will be the sign of a covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring a cloud over the earth and the rainbow is seen in the cloud, 15 I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of every sort, [2] and the waters will never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 The rainbow will be in the cloud. I will look at it so that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of every kind that is on the earth.” 17 God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

The Repopulation of the Earth18 The sons of Noah who went out from the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) 19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from these, people spread out over the whole earth.

20 Noah began to be a man of the soil and planted a vineyard. 21 He drank some of the wine and got drunk. He lay uncovered inside his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside. 23 Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it over their shoulders. They went in backwards and covered the nakedness of their father. They faced backwards, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. 24 Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him. 25 He said:

A curse on Canaan!
He will be the lowest of servants to his brothers.

26 Then he said:

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem!
Let Canaan be his servant.
27 May God enlarge Japheth.
Let him dwell in the tents of Shem.
Let Canaan be his servant.

28 Noah lived 350 years after the flood. 29 All the days of Noah were 950 years. Then he died.

Footnotes1. Genesis 9:11 Literally all flesh 2. Genesis 9:15 Literally all flesh

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 02Genesis 7:1 – 8:19LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 02

Genesis 7:1 – 8:19 (EHV)
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Genesis 71 The Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and your entire household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation. 2 From every clean animal take with you seven pairs, [1] a male and his female. From the animals that are not clean, take two, a male and his female. 3 Also from the ⎣clean⎦ birds of the sky take seven and seven, male and female, ⎣and of all the unclean birds, one pair, a male and a female⎦ [2] to keep their offspring alive on the face of the whole earth. 4 In seven days I will cause it to rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights. Every living thing that I have made, I will wipe off the face of the earth.”

5 Noah did everything that the Lord commanded him.

The Flood6 Noah was six hundred years old when the flood [3] came, and water covered the earth.

7 Noah went into the ark with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, because of the waters of the flood. 8 Clean animals, animals that are not clean, birds, and everything that creeps on the ground 9 went into the ark with Noah two by two (male and female), just as God had commanded Noah.

10 After seven days, the waters of the flood came on the earth. 11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that very day, all the fountains of the great deep burst open, and the floodgates [4] of the sky were opened. 12 The rain came down on the earth for forty days and forty nights.

13 On that same day Noah, Noah’s sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth, Noah’s wife, and the three wives of his sons along with them entered the ark. 14 They went in with every animal according to its kind, all the livestock according to their kinds, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth according to its kind, and everything that flies according to its kind, flying birds of every sort. 15 Pairs of all the animals [5] that have the breath of life in them went to Noah in the ark. 16 A male and female of each animal that breathes went in, just as God had commanded Noah. Then the Lord shut Noah in.

17 The flood kept coming on the earth for forty days. The waters became deeper and lifted up the ark until it floated high above the earth. 18 The water kept increasing and overwhelmed the earth, and the ark was carried along on the surface of the water. 19 The water overwhelmed the earth. All the high mountains that were under the entire sky were covered. 20 The waters rose more than twenty feet above the mountains and covered them. 21 All living creatures [6] that moved on the earth perished, including birds, livestock, wild animals, every creeping thing that crawls on the earth, and all mankind. 22 Everything that breathed the breath of life through its nostrils, that is, everything that was on the dry land, died. 23 Every living thing that was on the face of the earth was wiped out, including mankind, livestock, creeping things, and birds of the sky. They all were wiped off the earth. Only Noah was left, as well as those who were with him in the ark. 24 The waters overwhelmed the earth for one hundred fifty days.

Genesis 81 God remembered Noah, as well as all the animals and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. So God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided. 2 The fountains of the deep and the floodgates of the sky were also closed, and the rain from the sky was restrained. 3 The waters kept receding from the earth. After the end of one hundred fifty days the waters had decreased. 4 In the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. 5 The waters receded continuously until the tenth month. In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were visible.

6 Then at the end of forty days Noah opened the window he had made in the ark. 7 He sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth, until the waters were dried up from the earth. 8 Then he sent out a dove to see if the waters had receded from the surface of the ground, 9 but the dove found no place to rest its foot, and it returned to him in the ark, because there was water on the surface of the whole earth. Noah reached out his hand, took the dove, and brought it back to him in the ark. 10 He waited another seven days. Then he sent the dove out of the ark again. 11 The dove came back to him at evening, and there in its mouth was an olive leaf it had just plucked. So Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth. 12 He waited another seven days and sent the dove out again. This time it did not return to him anymore.

13 And so in the six hundred first year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from the earth. Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked out. He saw that the surface of the ground was dry. 14 In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry.

15 God spoke to Noah. He said, 16 “Go out of the ark—you, your wife, your sons, and your sons’ wives with you. 17 Bring out with you every living thing of every sort that is with you, all flesh, including birds, livestock, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, so that they may swarm over the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.”

18 Noah went out with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives along with him. 19 Every animal, every creeping thing, every bird, and whatever swarms on the earth went out of the ship, species by species. [7]

Footnotes1. Genesis 7:2 Literally by sevens. There is a difference of opinion whether seven pairs of each clean animal were to be taken onboard or seven of each clean animal: three pairs and one extra for sacrifice. 2. Genesis 7:3 The words in the half-brackets are not present in the Hebrew text but are in the Greek Old Testament. It seems the Hebrew copyist’s eye might have jumped from the occurrence of female before the first half-bracket to the occurrence of female before the second half-bracket. The loss of this phrase would lead to the removal of the word clean near the beginning of the verse. 3. Genesis 7:6 Or deluge 4. Genesis 7:11 Or windows 5. Genesis 7:15 Literally all flesh 6. Genesis 7:21 Literally all flesh 7. Genesis 8:19 Literally by their families. Species here is not a narrow technical term as it is in present-day science.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – March 01Genesis 6LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – March 01

Genesis 6 (EHV)
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The World Descends Into Evil1 This is what happened when mankind [1] began to multiply on the face of the earth. [2]

When daughters were born to people, 2 the sons of God [3] saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they took as wives for themselves any of them they chose. 3 The Lord said, “My Spirit will not struggle [4] with man forever, because he is only flesh. [5] His days will be 120 years.” 4 The Nephilim [6] were on the earth in those days. After that, the sons of God went to the daughters of men, who bore children for them. Those became the powerful, famous men of ancient times.

5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of mankind was great on the earth, and that all the thoughts and plans they formed in their hearts were only evil every day. 6 The Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with sorrow. [7] 7 The Lord said, “I will wipe out mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth, along with the animals, the creeping things, and the birds of the sky, because I regret that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

Noah and the Ark9 This is the account about the development of Noah’s family.

Noah was a righteous man, a man of integrity in that generation. Noah walked with God. 10 Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11 In the sight of God the earth was morally corrupt, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 God looked at the earth and saw that it was corrupt, for all flesh was corrupt in all their ways on the earth.

13 So God said to Noah, “I have decreed the end of all flesh, because the earth is filled with violence because of them. Now I am going to destroy them along with the earth.

14 “Make an ark [8] of gopher wood. [9] Make rooms in the ark. Seal it inside and outside with pitch. 15 This is how you are to make it: The length of the ark is to be 450 feet, its width 75 feet, and its height 45 feet. 16 Make a roof for the ark, and leave an eighteen-inch opening just under the roof. Place a door on the side of the ark. Make it with lower, second, and third decks.

17 “I myself am about to bring a flood of waters on the earth, in order to destroy all flesh under the sky that has the breath of life. Everything that is on the earth will die, 18 but I will establish my covenant [10] with you. You shall come into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. 19 You shall bring a pair (male and female) of every kind of living flesh into the ark with you to keep them alive. 20 Include the birds according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, every creeping thing on the ground according to their kinds. Two of every sort shall come to you, so you can keep them alive. 21 Take with you every type of food that is eaten, and store it for yourself, so it can be used as food for you and for them.”

22 So that is what Noah did. He did everything that God commanded him, just as he had been told.

Footnotes1. Genesis 6:1 Literally the adam. The rendering of adam may be man, men, or mankind. 2. Genesis 6:1 The adamah, the soil or ground 3. Genesis 6:2 The sons of God were the descendants of Seth. They were marrying the daughters of the ungodly line of Cain and of those who followed in Cain’s way. 4. Genesis 6:3 Or remain 5. Genesis 6:3 Flesh may refer to both sinfulness and mortality. 6. Genesis 6:4 Nephilim is simply a transliteration of the Hebrew word. Its meaning is uncertain, but it is explained by the last sentence of the verse. There can be no direct connection with the Nephilim in Canaan after the flood. 7. Genesis 6:6 The exact force of the two verbs in this verse is difficult to render in English. God’s regret and grief are not simply his sorrow over sin and its consequences, but that he will now change his course of action. 8. Genesis 6:14 An ark is a box. The ark was apparently more like a floating box than like a ship. 9. Genesis 6:14 Gopher is simply a transliteration of the Hebrew word. Many versions translate it as cypress, but we do not know what kind of wood it was. 10. Genesis 6:18 Or agreement

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 28Genesis 4 – 5LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 28

Genesis 4 – 5 (EHV)
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The First Children: Cain and AbelGenesis 41 The man was intimate with Eve, his wife. She conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have gotten a man with the Lord.” [1] 2 She also gave birth to Cain’s brother Abel.

Abel tended sheep, but Cain worked the ground. 3 As time passed, one day Cain brought an offering to the Lord from the fruit of the soil. 4 Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The Lord looked favorably on Abel and his offering, 5 but he did not look favorably on Cain and his offering. Cain was very angry, and his face showed it.

6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why do you have that angry look on your face? [2] 7 If you do good, will you not be lifted up? If you do not do good, sin is crouching at the door. It has a strong desire for you, but you must rule over it.”

8 Cain said to Abel, his brother, “Let’s go into the field.” [3] When they were in the field, Cain attacked Abel, his brother, and killed him.

9 The Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel, your brother?”

He said, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

10 The Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the soil. 11 Now you are cursed and sent away from the soil [4] which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you work the soil, it will no longer give its strength to you. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”

13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is too great for me to bear. 14 Look, today you have driven me away from the soil. I will be hidden from your face, and I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth. And whoever finds me will kill me.”

15 The Lord said to him, “No! [5] If anyone kills Cain, he will face sevenfold revenge.” And the Lord appointed a sign for [6] Cain, so that anyone who found him would not strike him down.

The Descendants of Cain16 Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, [7] east of Eden.

17 Cain was intimate with his wife. She conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Cain built a city and named the city after his son Enoch. 18 To Enoch, Irad was born. Irad became the father of Mehujael. Mehujael became the father of Methushael. Methushael became the father of Lamech.

19 Lamech took two wives. The name of one was Adah, and the name of the other was Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal, who was the predecessor [8] of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal, who was the predecessor of all who play the lyre and flute. 22 Zillah also gave birth to Tubal Cain, who made all kinds of tools and weapons from bronze and iron. Tubal Cain’s sister was Na’amah.

23 Lamech said to his wives:

Adah and Zillah, hear my voice.
You wives of Lamech, listen to my speech.
Look, I have killed a man for wounding me,
a young man for bruising me.
24 If Cain will be avenged seven times,
then Lamech will be avenged seventy-seven times.

The Family Line of Seth25 Adam was intimate with his wife again. She gave birth to a son and named him Seth, [9] because she said, “God has set another child in place of Abel for me, since Cain killed him.” 26 Later a son was born to Seth, and he named him Enosh. This is when people began to proclaim [10] the name of the Lord.

Genesis 51 This is the account about the development of Adam’s family:

In the day that God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. 2 He created them male and female and blessed them, and on the day they were created, he named them “mankind.” [11]

3 Adam lived 130 years, and he became the father of a son in his own likeness, according to his own image, and he named him Seth. 4 The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were 800 years, and he became the father of sons and daughters. 5 All the days that Adam lived were 930 years. Then he died.

6 Seth lived 105 years, and he became the father of Enosh. 7 Seth lived 807 years after he became the father of Enosh, and he became the father of sons and daughters. 8 All the days of Seth were 912 years. Then he died.

9 Enosh lived 90 years, and he became the father of Kenan. 10 Enosh lived 815 years after he became the father of Kenan, and he became the father of sons and daughters. 11 All the days of Enosh were 905 years. Then he died.

12 Kenan lived 70 years, and he became the father of Mahalalel. 13 Kenan lived 840 years after he became the father of Mahalalel, and he became the father of sons and daughters. 14 All the days of Kenan were 910 years. Then he died.

15 Mahalalel lived 65 years, and he became the father of Jared. 16 Mahalalel lived 830 years after he became the father of Jared, and he became the father of sons and daughters. 17 All the days of Mahalalel were 895 years. Then he died.

18 Jared lived 162 years, and he became the father of Enoch. 19 Jared lived 800 years after he became the father of Enoch, and he became the father of sons and daughters. 20 All the days of Jared were 962 years. Then he died.

21 Enoch lived 65 years, and he became the father of Methuselah. 22 After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years, and he became the father of sons and daughters. 23 All the days of Enoch were 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God. Then, he was not there, for God took him.

25 Methuselah lived 187 years, and he became the father of Lamech. 26 After he became the father of Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years, and he became the father of sons and daughters. 27 All the days of Methuselah were 969 years. Then he died.

28 Lamech lived 182 years and became the father of a son. 29 He named him Noah [12] and said, “This one will bring us comfort during our work and the hard labor that we must perform with our hands because the Lord has cursed the soil.” 30 Lamech lived 595 years after he became father of Noah, and he became the father of sons and daughters. 31 All the days of Lamech were 777 years. Then he died.

32 Noah was 500 years old, and Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. [13]

Footnotes1. Genesis 4:1 Or, following Luther’s translation, I have gotten a man, the Lord. The Jerusalem Targum reads I have acquired a man, the Angel of the Lord. Cain means get or acquire. 2. Genesis 4:6 Literally why has your face fallen 3. Genesis 4:8 The words let’s go into the field, which are missing from the Hebrew text, are supplied from the ancient versions. 4. Genesis 4:11 Here and in verse 14 the Hebrew word adamah, which can be translated ground or land, refers to the soil that Cain worked. 5. Genesis 4:15 The translation no is supported by the ancient versions. The Hebrew reads very well then. 6. Genesis 4:15 Or placed a mark on 7. Genesis 4:16 Nod means wandering. 8. Genesis 4:20 Literally father, that is, the founder of this way of life 9. Genesis 4:25 Seth sounds like the Hebrew word for set or place. 10. Genesis 4:26 Or call on 11. Genesis 5:2 Hebrew adam 12. Genesis 5:29 The name Noah sounds similar to the Hebrew words for rest and comfort. 13. Genesis 5:32 It does not seem that all of Noah’s sons were born in the same year. Translations disagree whether the sons were born by the time Noah was 500 years old or after he was 500 years old.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 27Genesis 3LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 27

Genesis 3 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0227db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

The Fall Into Sin1 Now the serpent was more clever than any wild animal which the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Has God really said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees of the garden, 3 but not from the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden. God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it. You shall not touch it, or else you will die.’”

4 The serpent said to the woman, “You certainly will not die. 5 In fact, God knows that the day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was appealing to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate. She gave some also to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 The eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for their waists. [1] 8 They heard the voice of the Lord God, who was walking around in the garden during the cooler part [2] of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

9 The Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”

10 The man said, “I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself.”

11 God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree from which I commanded you not to eat?”

12 The man said, “The woman you gave to be with me—she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

13 The Lord God said to the woman, “What have you done?”

The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

14 The Lord God said to the serpent:

Because you have done this,
you are cursed more than all the livestock,
and more than every wild animal.
You shall crawl on your belly,
and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.
15 I will put hostility between you and the woman,
and between your seed and her seed. [3]
He will crush your head,
and you will crush his heel.

16 To the woman he said:

I will greatly increase your pain in childbearing.
With painful labor you will give birth to children.
Your desire will be for your husband,
but [4] he will rule over you.

17 To Adam he said:

Because you listened to your wife’s voice
and ate from the tree about which I commanded you,
“You shall not eat from it,”
the soil is cursed on account of you.
You will eat from it with painful labor all the days of your life.
18 Thorns and thistles will spring up from the ground for you,
but you will eat the crops of the field.
19 By the sweat of your face you will eat bread
until you return to the soil,
for out of it you were taken.
For you are dust,
and to dust you shall return.

20 The man named his wife Eve [5] because she would be the mother of all the living. 21 The Lord God made clothing of animal skins for Adam and for his wife and clothed them.

22 The Lord God said, “Look, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, so that he does not reach out his hand and also take from the Tree of Life and eat and live forever—” 23 the Lord God sent him out from the Garden of Eden to work the soil from which he had been taken. 24 So he drove the man out, and in front of [6] the Garden of Eden he stationed cherubim [7] and a flaming sword, which turned in every direction to guard the way to the Tree of Life.

Footnotes1. Genesis 3:7 The Hebrew word often means belt, but here it apparently is an apron or a loincloth. 2. Genesis 3:8 Literally the wind or breeze of the day, that is, late afternoon or evening 3. Genesis 3:15 In the promises of Genesis and their fulfillment, the translation retains the literal expression seed rather than offspring or descendants to keep the imagery of the Messiah as the Seed of the Woman. 4. Genesis 3:16 Or and 5. Genesis 3:20 Eve means life. 6. Genesis 3:24 Or east of 7. Genesis 3:24 Cherubim are angels who are part of God’s honor guard. The translation retains the Hebrew form of the plural because cherubs has a different connotation in English.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 26Genesis 1 – 2LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 26

Genesis 1 – 2 (EHV)
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See series: Through My Bible

The Creation of the WorldGenesis 11 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was undeveloped [1] and empty. Darkness covered the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

3 God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good. He separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” There was evening and there was morning—the first day.

6 God said, “Let there be an expanse [2] between the waters, and let it separate the water from the water.” 7 God made the expanse, and he separated the water that was below the expanse from the water that was above the expanse, and it was so. 8 God called the expanse “sky.” [3]There was evening and there was morning—the second day.

9 God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear,” and it was so. ⎣The waters under the sky gathered to their own places, and the dry land appeared.⎦ [4] 10 God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathering places of the waters he called “seas.” God saw that it was good. 11 God said, “Let the earth produce plants—vegetation that produces seed, and trees that bear fruit with its seed in it—each according to its own kind on the earth,” and it was so. 12 The earth brought forth plants, vegetation that produces seed according to its own kind, and trees that bear fruit with its seed in it, each according to its own kind, and God saw that it was good. 13 There was evening and there was morning—the third day.

14 God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to divide the day from the night, and let them serve as markers to indicate seasons, days, and years. 15 Let them serve as lights in the expanse of the sky to give light to the earth,” and it was so. 16 God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He also made the stars. 17 God set these lights in place in the expanse of the sky to provide light for the earth, 18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. God saw that it was good. 19 There was evening and there was morning—the fourth day.

20 God said, “Let the waters swarm with living creatures, and let birds and other winged creatures [5] fly above the earth in the open expanse of the sky.” 21 God created the large sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their own kind, and every winged bird according to its own kind. God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them when he said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the waters of the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23 There was evening and there was morning—the fifth day.

24 God said, “Let the earth produce living creatures according to their own kind, livestock, [6] creeping things, and wild animals according to their own kind,” and it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their own kind, and the livestock according to their own kind, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its own kind. God saw that it was good.

26 God said, “Let us make man [7] in our image, according to our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that crawls on the earth.”

27 God created the man in his own image.
In the image of God he created him.
Male and female he created them.

28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 God said, “Look, I have given you every plant that produces seed on the face of the whole earth, and every tree that bears fruit that produces seed. It will be your food. 30 To every animal of the earth, and to every bird of the sky, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.

31 God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning—the sixth day.

Genesis 21 The heavens and the earth were finished, along with everything in them. [8] 2 On the seventh day God had finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had been doing. 3 God blessed the seventh day and set it apart as holy, because on it he rested from all his work of creation that he had done.

The Creation of Man and Woman4 This is the account about the development [9] of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens:

5 No bushes that grow in the field were yet on the earth, [10] and no plants of the field had yet sprung up, since the Lord God had not yet caused it to rain on the earth. There was not yet a man to till the soil, 6 but water [11] came up from the earth and watered the entire surface of the ground.

7 The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground [12] and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. 8 The Lord God planted a garden [13] in Eden in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 Out of the ground the Lord God made every kind of tree grow—trees that are pleasant to look at and good for food, including the Tree of Life in the middle of the garden and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

10 A river went out from Eden to water the garden, and from there it divided and became the headwaters of four rivers. 11 The name of the first river is Pishon. It flows through the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold, 12 and the gold of that land is good. Incense [14] and onyx stone are also found there. 13 The name of the second river is Gihon. It is the same river that winds through the whole land of Cush. [15] 14 The name of the third river is Tigris. This is the one which flows along the east side of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates.

15 The Lord God took the man and settled him in the Garden of Eden to work it and to take care of it. 16 The Lord God gave a command to the man. He said, “You may freely eat from every tree in the garden, 17 but you shall not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, for on the day that you eat from it, you will certainly die.”

18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is a suitable partner for him.” 19 Out of the soil the Lord God had formed every wild animal and every bird of the sky, and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them. Whatever the man called every living creature, that became its name. 20 The man gave names to all the livestock, and to the birds of the sky, and to every wild animal, but for Adam [16] no helper was found who was a suitable partner for him. 21 The Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. As the man slept, the Lord God took a rib [17] and closed up the flesh where it had been. 22 The Lord God built a woman from the rib that he had taken from the man and brought her to the man.

23 The man said,
Now this one is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh.
She will be called “woman,”
because she was taken out of man. [18]
24 For this reason a man will leave his father and his mother
and will remain united with his wife,
and they will become one flesh. [19]
25 They were both naked, the man and his wife, and they were not ashamed.

Footnotes1. Genesis 1:2 Or without form 2. Genesis 1:6 Traditionally a firmament 3. Genesis 1:8 Or the heavens 4. Genesis 1:9 The Greek Old Testament includes the sentence in half-brackets. It is not in the Hebrew text. 5. Genesis 1:20 The Hebrew word oph usually refers to birds, but it means “flyers” and can include other flying creatures such as insects and bats. 6. Genesis 1:24 Or domestic animals 7. Genesis 1:26 The rendering of the Hebrew word adam is a key issue in this section. Adam may refer to man, mankind, or Adam. This translation retains the article where it occurs with adam (the man) and retains singular or plural forms of verbs and pronouns according to the Hebrew text. 8. Genesis 2:1 Literally all their armies 9. Genesis 2:4 The Hebrew word toledoth, which is used in the headings of the ten sections of Genesis, is related to the Hebrew root for give birth, but as used in the section headings of Genesis (such as 2:4; 5:1; 6:9, etc.), toledoth seems to refer to the development more than to the origin of the group being discussed. For this reason, in the section headings of Genesis, toledoth is regularly translated account about the development. 10. Genesis 2:5 Literally every bush of the field was not yet on the earth. This wording seems to refer to the time before the creation of plants on day 3, but the context of chapter 2 seems to be the preparation of the Garden of Eden as a special home for man and woman. Some commentators suggest that this verse refers only to the area of the Garden of Eden, which had been left unfinished, but the wide term on the earth does not seem to be a natural way to say this, so this may be a reference back to day 3. 11. Genesis 2:6 A rare word (ed) is used. It may refer to springs or, less likely, to mist. Genesis 2:10 refers to the presence of rivers. 12. Genesis 2:7 Literally as dust from the ground. This means man is still dust and will return to dust. 13. Genesis 2:8 In Hebrew, the term garden includes groves of trees. 14. Genesis 2:12 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain. It probably refers to a fragrant resin or a precious stone. 15. Genesis 2:13 In the Old Testament, Cush often refers to the land south of Egypt. Here the names of the third and fourth rivers suggest an area in Mesopotamia, today’s Iraq. 16. Genesis 2:20 Here the Hebrew word adam without the article becomes a personal name. 17. Genesis 2:21 Part of his side is a more literal translation than the traditional translation rib. 18. Genesis 2:23 Here the Hebrew word for man is ish not adam. Like the English word pair man/woman, the Hebrew words ish/ishah correspond to one another. 19. Genesis 2:24 Verse 24 may be a continuation of the words of Adam or a comment of the inspired writer. In either case, Jesus recognizes them as part of the divine institution of marriage (Matthew 19:4-5).

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 25Luke 9:37-56LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 25

Luke 9:37-56 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0225db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Luke 9Jesus Heals a Boy With a Demon37 The next day, after they had come down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. 38 Just then a man from the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, because he is my only child. 39 See, a spirit takes hold of him, and suddenly he screams. Then it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It hardly ever leaves him and constantly tortures him. 40 I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.”

41 Jesus answered, “O unbelieving and perverse generation, [1] how long will I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”

42 As the boy was approaching, the demon threw him down and shook him with convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43 They were all astonished at the majesty of God.

Jesus Predicts His Death and ResurrectionWhile everyone was amazed at all the things Jesus was doing, he said to his disciples, 44 “Let these words sink into your ears [2] and remember this: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.” 45 But they did not understand what he was saying. It was hidden from them so they did not grasp it. And they were afraid to ask him about this statement.

Who Is the Greatest?46 An argument started among them about which of them would be the greatest. 47 Since Jesus knew the thoughts of their hearts, he took a little child and had him stand next to him. 48 Then he said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in my name receives me. And whoever receives me receives him who sent me. In fact, the one who is least among all of you is the one who is great.”

Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us49 John said in reply, “Master, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he is not following you along with us.”

50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not try to stop him, because whoever is not against you is for you.”

Jesus Is Determined to Go to Jerusalem51 When the days were approaching for him to be taken up, Jesus was determined [3] to go to Jerusalem. 52 He sent messengers ahead of him. They went and entered a Samaritan village to make preparations for him. 53 But the people did not welcome him, because he was determined to go to Jerusalem. 54 When his disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” [4]

55 But he turned and rebuked them. “You don’t know what kind of spirit is influencing you. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy people’s souls, but to save them.” [5] Then they went to another village.

Footnotes1. Luke 9:41 Or kind of people 2. Luke 9:44 Or put these words in your ears 3. Luke 9:51 Literally set his face 4. Luke 9:54 Some witnesses to the text add just as Elijah did. 5. Luke 9:56 Some witnesses to the text omit this quotation.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 24Luke 9:18-36LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 24

Luke 9:18-36 (EHV)
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Luke 9Jesus Is the Christ18 One time when Jesus was praying alone and the disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”

19 They answered, “‘John the Baptist,’ but others say, ‘Elijah,’ and others say, ‘one of the ancient prophets come back to life.’”

20 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”

21 He gave them a strict command not to tell this to anyone. 22 He said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law. He must be killed and be raised on the third day.”

Take Up the Cross23 Jesus said to all of them, “If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 After all, what will it benefit a man if he gains the whole world, but destroys himself or is lost? 26 In fact, whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory, and the glory of the Father, and of the holy angels. 27 I am telling you the truth: There are some standing here who will certainly not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”

The Transfiguration28 About eight days after he said these words, Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 While he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothing became dazzling white. 30 Just then, two men, Moses and Elijah, were talking with him! 31 They appeared in glory and were talking about his departure, [1] which he was going to bring to fulfillment in Jerusalem.

32 Peter and those with him were weighed down with sleep, but when they were completely awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.

33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let’s make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He did not realize what he was saying.

34 While he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them. They were afraid as they went into the cloud. 35 Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love. [2] Listen to him!” 36 After the voice had spoken, they found Jesus alone. They kept this secret and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.

Footnotes1. Luke 9:31 Or exodus 2. Luke 9:35 A few witnesses to the text read my chosen one instead of whom I love.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 23Luke 9:1-17LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 23

Luke 9:1-17 (EHV)
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Luke 9Jesus Sends Out the Twelve1 Jesus called the Twelve [1] together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases. 2 He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money; and do not take two coats. [2] 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave. 5 If they do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”

6 They set out and went throughout the villages, proclaiming the good news and healing everywhere.

Recalling the Death of John the Baptist7 Herod the tetrarch heard about everything that was happening, and he was quite puzzled because some said that John had risen from the dead. 8 Others said that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the ancient prophets had risen. 9 But Herod said, “I beheaded John, but who is this, about whom I hear such great things?” So he wanted to see him.

Jesus Feeds More Than Five Thousand10 The apostles returned and told Jesus what they had done. He took them and withdrew privately to a town called Bethsaida. 11 But when the crowds found out, they followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God. He also healed those who needed healing. 12 As the day began to draw to a close, the Twelve came and said to him, “Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms to find lodging and food, because we are in a deserted place here.”

13 But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.”

“We have no more than five loaves and two fish,” they replied, “unless we go and buy food for all these people.” 14 (There were about five thousand men.)

He said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 They did so and got them all to sit down. 16 Then Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish, and, looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke them. Then he kept giving them to the disciples to set before the crowd. 17 They all ate and were satisfied. And they picked up twelve basketfuls of the broken pieces that were left over.

Footnotes1. Luke 9:1 Some witnesses to the text read twelve apostles. 2. Luke 9:3 Or tunics

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 22Luke 8:40-56LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 22

Luke 8:40-56 (EHV)
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Luke 8The Daughter of Jairus40 When Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, because they were all waiting for him. 41 Just then a man named Jairus arrived. He was a ruler of the synagogue. He fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged him to come to his house, 42 because he had an only daughter who was about twelve years old and she was dying.

As he went, the crowds pressed tightly against him. 43 There was a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years, yet although she had paid physicians all she had to live on, she could not be healed by anyone. 44 She approached Jesus from behind and touched the fringe of his garment. Immediately her flow of blood stopped. 45 And Jesus said, “Who touched me?”

As everyone was denying it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the crowds are pressing in and crowding you, yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’”

46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, because I know that power has gone out from me.” 47 When the woman saw that she did not escape his notice, she came trembling and fell down before Jesus. In the presence of all the people she told him why she had touched him and how she was healed immediately. 48 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

49 While he was still speaking, someone came from the synagogue ruler’s house, saying, “Your daughter has died. Don’t trouble the Teacher anymore.”

50 But when Jesus heard it, he told Jairus, “Do not be afraid. Only believe, and she will be saved.”

51 When he came to the house, he did not let anyone enter, except Peter, John, James, and the child’s father and mother. 52 All the people were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Stop weeping, because she is not dead, but sleeping.”

53 They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But he [1] took her by the hand and called out, “Child, get up!” 55 Her spirit returned, and she immediately got up. He ordered that something be given to her to eat. 56 Her parents were amazed, but he instructed them not to tell anyone what had happened.

Footnotes1. Luke 8:54 Some witnesses to the text add sent all of them out.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 21Luke 8:22-39LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 21

Luke 8:22-39 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0221db.mp3
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Luke 8Jesus Calms the Storm22 One day Jesus got into a boat with his disciples and told them, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they set out. 23 As they were sailing, he fell asleep. A powerful windstorm came down on the lake, the boat was filling up with water, and they were in danger.

24 They went to him and woke him, saying, “Master, master, we’re going to die!”

He woke up, rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they stopped. Then it was calm.

25 He said to them, “Where is your faith?”

They were afraid and amazed and said to one another, “Who, then, is this, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?”

A Demon-Possessed Man and a Herd of Pigs26 They sailed down to the region of the Gerasenes, [1] which is across from Galilee. 27 When Jesus stepped ashore, a man from the town met him. He was possessed by demons and for a long time had not worn any clothes. He did not live in a house but in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before him, and said with a loud voice, “What do I have to do with you, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torment me!” 29 For Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. In fact, the unclean spirit had seized him many times. He was kept under guard, and although he was bound with chains and shackles, he would break the restraints and was driven by the demon into deserted places.

30 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

He said, “Legion,” because many demons had gone into him. 31 They were begging Jesus that he would not order them to go into the abyss. 32 A herd of many pigs was feeding there on the mountain. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission. 33 The demons went out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

34 When those who were feeding the pigs saw what happened, they ran away and reported it in the town and in the countryside. 35 People went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet. He was clothed and in his right mind, and the people were afraid. 36 Those who saw it told them how the demon-possessed man was saved. 37 The whole crowd of people from the surrounding country of the Gerasenes [2] asked Jesus to leave them, because they were gripped with great fear.

As Jesus got into the boat and started back, 38 the man from whom the demons had gone out begged to be with him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your home and tell how much God has done for you.” Then he went through the whole town proclaiming what Jesus had done for him.

Footnotes1. Luke 8:26 Some witnesses to the text read Gadarenes; others read Gergesenes. 2. Luke 8:37 Some witnesses to the text read Gadarenes; others read Gergesenes.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 20Luke 8:4-21LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 20

Luke 8:4-21 (EHV)
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Luke 8The Parable of the Sower4 As a large crowd was gathering and people from one town after another were making their way to him, he spoke using a parable. 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell along the path. It was trampled, and the birds of the sky devoured it. 6 Other seed fell on rocky ground. As soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns. The thorns grew up with it and choked it. 8 Other seed fell into good soil. It grew and produced fruit—one hundred times as much as was sown.” As he said these things, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear!”

9 His disciples asked him, “What does this parable mean?”

10 He said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest I speak in parables so that ‘even though they see, they may not see, and even though they hear, they may not understand.’ [1] 11 This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear it, but then the Devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts to keep them from believing and being saved. 13 Those on the rocky ground are the ones who, when they hear, receive the word with joy, but they have no root. So they believe for a while, but then fall away in a time of testing. 14 The seeds that fell into the thorns are the ones who hear the word, but as they go on their way they are choked by the worries, riches, and pleasures of life, so they do not mature. 15 And the seeds in the good ground are the ones who hear the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it tightly, and produce fruit as they patiently endure.

16 “No one lights a lamp and then hides it under a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand so that those who enter may see the light. 17 For nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing is secret that will not be made known and come to light. 18 So listen carefully, because whoever has will be given more, and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers19 Jesus’ mother and brothers came to him, but they could not get near him because of the crowd. 20 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.”

21 But he answered them, “My mother and brothers are those who are hearing and doing the word of God.”

Footnotes1. Luke 8:10 Isaiah 6:9

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 19Luke 7:36 – 8:3LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 19

Luke 7:36 – 8:3 (EHV)
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Luke 7Jesus Is Anointed by a Sinful Woman36 A certain one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him. Jesus entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 Just then a sinful woman from that town learned that he was reclining in the Pharisee’s house. She brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38 stood behind him near his feet weeping, and began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she began to wipe them with her hair while also kissing his feet and anointing them with the perfume. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would realize who is touching him and what kind of woman she is, because she is a sinner.”

40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

He said, “Teacher, say it.”

41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii, [1] and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he forgave them both. So, which of them will love him more?”

43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one who had the larger debt forgiven.”

Then he told him, “You have judged correctly.” 44 Turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house, but you did not give me water for my feet. Yet she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but she, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfume. 47 Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that is why she loved so much. But the one who is forgiven little loves little.” 48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.”

49 Those reclining at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

50 He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Preaching the GospelLuke 81 Soon afterward Jesus was traveling from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him 2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and diseases: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out; 3 Joanna, the wife of Cuza, Herod’s household manager; Susanna; and many others who provided support for them [2] out of their own possessions.

Footnotes1. Luke 7:41 A denarius was worth about one day’s wage. 2. Luke 8:3 Some witnesses to the text read him.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 18Luke 7:18-35LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 18

Luke 7:18-35 (EHV)
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Luke 7John the Baptist and Christ18 John’s disciples told him about all these things. 19 Calling two of his disciples to him, he sent them to Jesus [1] to ask, “Are you the one who was to come or should we look for someone else?” 20 When the men had arrived, they said to Jesus, “John the Baptist sent us to ask you, ‘Are you the one who was to come or should we look for someone else?’”

21 At that time Jesus healed many people of their diseases, afflictions, and evil spirits. And he gave many blind people the ability to see. 22 Jesus answered them, “Go, tell John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are healed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. 23 Blessed is the one who does not fall away on account of me.”

24 After John’s messengers had left, Jesus began to talk to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 25 No. Then what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Yet those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in royal palaces. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written: ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ [2]

28 “Yes, I tell you, [3] among those born of women there is no prophet [4] greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

29 When all the people (including the tax collectors) heard this, they declared that God was just, since they were baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and the legal experts rejected God’s purpose for themselves by not being baptized by him.

31 “To what then will I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance. We sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’ 33 For John the Baptist has come without eating bread or drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a man who is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35 Yet wisdom is declared right by all her children.”

Footnotes1. Luke 7:19 Some witnesses to the text read the Lord. 2. Luke 7:27 Malachi 3:1 3. Luke 7:28 Some witnesses to the text read I tell you the truth. 4. Luke 7:28 Some witnesses to the text read no one.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 17Luke 7:1-17LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 17

Luke 7:1-17 (EHV)
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Luke 7A Believing Centurion1 After Jesus had finished saying all these things to the people who were listening, he went into Capernaum. 2 A centurion’s servant, who was valuable to him, was sick and about to die. 3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 When they came to Jesus, they begged him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy of having you do this for him, 5 because he loves our nation, and he built our synagogue for us.”

6 Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell Jesus, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, because I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7 That is why I did not consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I am also a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to another one, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

9 When Jesus heard these things, he was amazed at him. He turned to the crowd that was following him and said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel.” 10 And when the men who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.

Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son11 Soon afterward [1] Jesus went on his way to a town called Nain, and [2] his disciples and a large crowd were traveling with him. 12 As he was approaching the town gate, there was a dead man being carried out, the only son of his mother. She was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not cry.” 14 He went up to the open coffin, touched it, and the pallbearers stopped. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.

16 Fear gripped all of them, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us” and “God has visited his people!” 17 This was reported about him in all of Judea and in all the surrounding countryside.

Footnotes1. Luke 7:11 Some witnesses to the text read On the next day. 2. Luke 7:11 Some witnesses to the text add many of.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 16Luke 6:37-49LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 16

Luke 6:37-49 (EHV)
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Luke 6Consider the Beam in Your Own Eye37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be poured into your lap. In fact, the measure with which you measure will be measured back to you.”

39 He also told them a parable: “A blind man cannot guide a blind man, can he? Won’t they both fall into a pit? 40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher. 41 Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to notice the beam in your own eye? 42 Or how can you tell your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck in your eye,’ when you do not see the beam in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck in your brother’s eye.

Listen and Do43 “Certainly a good tree does not produce bad fruit, and a bad tree does not produce good fruit. 44 In fact, each tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not gather figs from thorn bushes, and they do not gather grapes from a bramble bush. 45 The good person brings what is good out of the good stored in his heart, and the evil person brings what is evil out of the evil within. [1] To be sure, what his mouth speaks flows from the heart.

46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and does them—I will show you what he is like: 48 He is like a man building a house who dug down deep and laid a foundation on bedrock. When a flood came, the river beat against that house but could not shake it, because it was founded on bedrock. [2] 49 But the one who listened to my words and did not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river broke against it, it fell immediately, and that house was completely destroyed.”

Footnotes1. Luke 6:45 Some witnesses to the text read out of the evil treasure of his heart. 2. Luke 6:48 A few witnesses to the text read because it was well built.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 15Luke 6:12-36LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 15

Luke 6:12-36 (EHV)
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Luke 6Jesus Sends Out the Twelve12 It happened in those days that Jesus went up on the mountain to pray, and he spent all night in prayer to God. 13 When it was day, he summoned his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also called apostles: 14 Simon, whom he also named Peter, and his brother Andrew; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; 15 Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, also Simon, who was called the Zealot; 16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Jesus Heals Many17 He went down with them and stood on a level place with a large crowd of his disciples and a large number of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, as well as from the coastal area of Tyre and Sidon. These people came to listen to him and to be healed of their diseases. 18 Those who were troubled by unclean spirits were also cured. 19 The whole crowd kept trying to touch him, because power was going out from him and healing them all.

Blessings and Woes20 He lifted up his eyes to his disciples and said:

Blessed are you who are poor,
because yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
because you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
because you will laugh.
22 Blessed are you whenever people hate you,
and whenever they exclude and insult you
and reject your name as evil because of the Son of Man.

23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy because of this: Your reward is great in heaven! The fact is, their fathers constantly did the same things to the prophets.”

24 But woe to you who are rich,
because you are receiving your comfort now.
25 Woe to you who are well fed now,
because you will be hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
because you will be mourning and weeping.
26 Woe to you when all people speak well of you,
because that is how their fathers constantly treated the
false prophets.

Love Your Enemies27 “But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone strikes you on one cheek, offer the other too. If someone takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes away your things, do not demand them back.

31 “Treat others just as you would want them to treat you. 32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? To be sure, even the sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even the sinners do the same thing. 34 If you lend to those from whom you expect to be repaid, what credit is that to you? Even the sinners lend to sinners in order to be paid back in full. 35 Instead, love your enemies, do good and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the unthankful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 14Luke 5:27 – 6:11LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 14

Luke 5:27 – 6:11 (EHV)
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Luke 5The Calling of Levi (Matthew)27 After these things, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at the tax collector’s booth. He said to him, “Follow me.”

28 Levi left everything, got up, and followed Jesus. 29 Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house. There was a large crowd of tax collectors and others dining with them. 30 The Pharisees and experts in the law grumbled against his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

31 Jesus answered them, “The healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

A Question About Fasting33 They said to him, “Why do John’s disciples fast and pray often, and so do the Pharisees’ disciples, but yours go on eating and drinking?”

34 Jesus said to them, “You cannot make the attendants of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? 35 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them. Then, in those days, they will fast.”

36 He told them a parable: “No one tears a patch from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new garment, and the patch from the new garment will not match the old one. 37 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined. 38 Instead, new wine must be put into fresh wineskins so both are preserved. 39 And no one wants new wine while drinking old wine, because he says, ‘The old is fine.’”

Lord of the SabbathLuke 61 When Jesus was going through the grain fields on a Sabbath day, his disciples were picking heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them. 2 But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”

3 Jesus answered them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he was hungry (he and his companions)? 4 He went into the house of God, took and ate the Bread of the Presence, which is lawful only for the priests to eat. He also gave some to his companions.” 5 Jesus also said to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Jesus Heals a Man With a Withered Hand6 On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and taught. A man was there whose right hand was withered. 7 The experts in the law and the Pharisees were watching him closely, to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. They wanted to find a reason to accuse him. 8 But he always knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the withered hand, “Stand up and step forward.” [1] He got up and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you something. Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” 10 He looked around at all of them and told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did, and his hand was restored. 11 They were filled with rage and began discussing with one another what they could do to Jesus.

Footnotes1. Luke 6:8 Or Get up and stand in the center

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 13Luke 5:12-26LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 13

Luke 5:12-26 (EHV)
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Luke 5Jesus Heals a Leper12 On another occasion, Jesus was in one of the towns, and there was a man full of leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

13 Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be made clean.”

Immediately the leprosy left him. 14 Jesus ordered him to tell no one, “But go, show yourself to the priest, and offer what Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony for them.” 15 The news about him spread even more, and large crowds gathered to listen and be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to deserted places and prayed.

Jesus Forgives Sins17 On one of the days while Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was with him to heal. 18 Just then, men who were carrying a paralyzed man on a stretcher tried to bring him in and lay him in front of Jesus. 19 Since they did not find a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him down through the tiles on his stretcher into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. 20 When he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins have been forgiven.”

21 The experts in the law and the Pharisees began to think to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins except God alone?”

22 But Jesus knew their thoughts and answered them, “Why are you thinking this in your hearts? 23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins have been forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. . .” He said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your stretcher, and go home.”

25 Immediately, he stood up in front of them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God. 26 They were all astonished and glorified God. They were also filled with reverence and said, “We have seen wonderful things today.”

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 12Luke 5:1-11LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 12

Luke 5:1-11 (EHV)
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Luke 5The Calling of the First Disciples1 One time, while the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. [1] 2 He saw two boats there along the lakeshore. The fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 3 Jesus got into one of the boats, which belonged to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from the shore. He sat down and began teaching the crowds from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water, and let down your nets for a catch.”

5 Simon answered him, “Master, we worked hard all through the night and caught nothing. But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their nets were about to tear apart. 7 They signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, because I am a sinful man, Lord.” 9 For Peter and all those with him were amazed at the number of fish they had caught, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.

Jesus said to Simon, “Have no fear. From now on you will be catching people.”

11 After they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.

Footnotes1. Luke 5:1 This is the Sea of Galilee.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 11Luke 4:31-44LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 11

Luke 4:31-44 (EHV)
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Luke 4Jesus Drives Out a Demon31 He went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbath. 32 They were amazed by his teaching, because his message had authority. 33 In the synagogue there was a man who was possessed by the unclean spirit of a demon. He cried out with a loud voice, 34 “Leave us alone! What do you have to do with us, Jesus the Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God!”

35 Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” The demon threw him down in front of them and came out of him without harming him.

36 They were all filled with awe and began to say to one another, “What is this message? With authority and power he commands unclean spirits, and they come out!” 37 News about him spread to every place in the surrounding area.

Jesus Heals Many38 Jesus got up, left the synagogue, and went into Simon’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever. They asked him to help her. 39 He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. Immediately she got up and began to serve them. 40 As the sun was setting, they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases. He laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. 41 Demons also came out of many people, crying out, “You are the Son of God!” He rebuked them and did not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

42 When it was day, he went out to a deserted place. The crowds were looking for him. They went up to him and were trying to prevent him from leaving them. 43 But he told them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, because that is why I was sent.” 44 And he continued to preach in the synagogues in the land of the Jews. [1]

Footnotes1. Luke 4:44 Literally Judea. Luke uses Judea here for all of Palestine, including Galilee. Some witnesses to the text read Galilee.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 10Luke 4:14-30LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 10

Luke 4:14-30 (EHV)
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Luke 4A Prophet in His Hometown14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through all the surrounding area. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues and being honored by everyone.

16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. As was his custom, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read. 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

18 The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he anointed me to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to set free those who are oppressed,
19 and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. [1]

20 He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began to tell them, “Today, this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

22 They all spoke well of him and were impressed by the words of grace that came from his mouth. And they kept saying, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”

23 He told them, “Certainly you will quote this proverb to me, ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ Do here in your hometown everything we heard you did in Capernaum.” 24 And he said, “Amen [2] I tell you: No prophet is accepted in his hometown. 25 But truly I tell you: There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut for three years and six months, while a great famine came over all the land. 26 Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow of Zarephath, in Sidon. 27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was healed except Naaman the Syrian.”

28 All those who were in the synagogue were filled with rage when they heard these things. 29 They got up and drove him out of the town. They led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. 30 But he passed through the middle of them and went on his way.

Footnotes1. Luke 4:19 Isaiah 61:1-2 2. Luke 4:24 Usually people say Amen at the end of a prayer, but Jesus used this Hebrew word at the beginning of a statement, which was unique. The inspired writer simply transliterated the Hebrew word that Jesus spoke, instead of using a Greek term. This translation does the same in English. The basic meaning is I solemnly tell you the truth.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 09Luke 3:23 – 4:13LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 09

Luke 3:23 – 4:13 (EHV)
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Luke 323 Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry.

The Genealogy of Jesus ChristJesus was the son (so it was thought) of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, 27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, 29 the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, 31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, 33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, [1] the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Cainan, [2] the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Malaleel, the son of Cainan, 38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

The Devil Tempts JesusLuke 41 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, 2 where he was tempted by the Devil for forty days. He did not eat anything during those days. When they came to an end, he was hungry. 3 The Devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered him, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’” [3]

5 The Devil led him up to a high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 The Devil told him, “I will give you all this power and the glory of these kingdoms, because it has been entrusted to me, and I can give it to anyone I want. 7 So, if you worship me, it will all be yours.”

8 Jesus answered him, “It is written: ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” [4]

9 The Devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here, 10 because it is written:

He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you.

11 And,

they will lift you up with their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” [5]

12 Jesus answered him, “It says: ‘You shall not test the Lord your God.’” [6]

13 When the Devil had finished every temptation, he left him until an opportune time.

Footnotes1. Luke 3:33 Some witnesses to the text read Admin; a few also add Arni. 2. Luke 3:36 This name is not found in the Hebrew Old Testament, but it is in the Septuagint (Genesis 10:24; 11:12). 3. Luke 4:4 Deuteronomy 8:3. A few older witnesses omit but by every word of God. 4. Luke 4:8 Deuteronomy 6:13 5. Luke 4:11 Psalm 91:11-12 6. Luke 4:12 Deuteronomy 6:16

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 08Luke 3:1-22LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 08

Luke 3:1-22 (EHV)
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Luke 3John the Baptist Prepares the Way1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene— 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness. 3 He went into the whole region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 Just as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:

A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
“Prepare the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight.
5 Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be
made low.
The crooked will become straight, and the rough ways smooth.
6 And everyone [1] will see the salvation of God.” [2]

7 So John kept saying to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Therefore produce fruits in keeping with repentance! Do not even think of saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ because I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones. 9 Even now the ax is ready to strike [3] the root of the trees. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is going to be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

10 The crowds began to ask him, “What should we do then?”

11 He answered them, “Whoever has two shirts should share with the person who has none, and whoever has food should do the same.”

12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized. They said, “Teacher, what should we do?”

13 To them he said, “Collect no more than what you were authorized to.”

14 Soldiers were also asking him, “And what should we do?”

He told them, “Do not extort money from anyone by force or false accusation. Be satisfied with your wages.”

15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might be the Christ. 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But someone mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will thoroughly clean out his threshing floor. He will gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

18 Then with many other words, he appealed to them and was preaching good news to the people. 19 But after John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the evil things he had done— 20 Herod added this to them all: He locked John in prison.

John Baptizes Jesus21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. While he was praying, heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love. I am well pleased with you.”

Footnotes1. Luke 3:6 Or all flesh 2. Luke 3:6 Isaiah 40:3-5 3. Luke 3:9 Literally is placed against

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 07Luke 2:41-52LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 07

Luke 2:41-52 (EHV)
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Luke 2The Boy Jesus in the Temple Courts41 Every year his parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the Festival. 43 When the days had ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it. 44 Since they thought he was in their group, they went a day’s journey. Then they began to look for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him.

46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us this way? See, your father and I have been anxiously looking for you.”

49 He said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be taking care of my Father’s business?” 50 They did not understand what he was telling them.

51 He went down with them and came to Nazareth. He was always obedient to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. 52 Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 06Luke 2:21-40LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 06

Luke 2:21-40 (EHV)
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Luke 2The Presentation in the Temple21 After eight days passed, when the child was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

22 When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn [1] male will be called holy to the Lord.”) [2] 24 And they came to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” [3]

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, waiting for the comfort of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 Moved by the Spirit he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what was customary according to the law, 28 Simeon took him into his arms and praised God. He said,

29 Lord, you now dismiss your servant in peace, according to
your word,
30 because my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared before the face of all people,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your
people Israel.

33 Joseph [4] and the child’s [5] mother were amazed at the things that were spoken about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Listen carefully, this child is appointed for the falling and rising of many in Israel and for a sign that is spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

36 Anna, a prophetess, was there. She was a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old. She had lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, [6] 37 and then she was a widow of eighty-four years. She did not leave the temple complex, since she was worshipping with fasting and prayers night and day. 38 Standing nearby at that very hour, she gave thanks to the Lord. She kept speaking about the child to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. [7]

39 When they had accomplished everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town, Nazareth. 40 The child grew and became strong. [8] He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.

Footnotes1. Luke 2:23 Literally who opens the womb 2. Luke 2:23 Exodus 13:2,12,15 3. Luke 2:24 Leviticus 12:8 4. Luke 2:33 Some witnesses to the text read His father. 5. Luke 2:33 Literally his 6. Luke 2:36 Literally after her virginity 7. Luke 2:38 Some witnesses to the text read in Jerusalem. 8. Luke 2:40 Some witnesses to the text add spiritually or in spirit.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 05Luke 2:1-20LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 05

Luke 2:1-20 (EHV)
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Luke 2Jesus Is Born1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 And everyone went to register, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the town of Nazareth, into Judea, to the town of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was from the house and family line of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, his wife, [1] who was pledged to him in marriage and was expecting a child.

6 And so it was that while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 There were in the same country shepherds staying out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified! 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. For behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all people: 11 Today in the town of David, a Savior was born for you. He is Christ [2] the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude from the heavenly army, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward mankind.” [3]

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Now let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they told others the message they had been told about this child. 18 And all who heard it were amazed by what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Footnotes1. Luke 2:5 Some witnesses to the text omit his wife. 2. Luke 2:11 Christ is the Greek word for Anointed One. The Hebrew/Aramaic word is Messiah. 3. Luke 2:14 A few witnesses to the text read among people of his goodwill.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 04Luke 1:57-80LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 04

Luke 1:57-80 (EHV)
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Luke 1John the Baptist Is Born57 When the time came for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they were rejoicing with her. 59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. They wanted to call him Zechariah after the name of the father. 60 But his mother answered, “No. He will be called John.”

61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62 They made signs to his father, to see what he wanted to name him.

63 He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.

64 Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened, his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 Fear came on all who lived around them. In the entire hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66 And everyone who heard this took it to heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” Clearly, the hand of the Lord was with him.

Zechariah’s Song67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

68 Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has visited us and prepared redemption for his people.
69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,
70 just as he said long ago through the mouth of his holy prophets.
71 He raised up salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,
72 in order to show mercy to our fathers by remembering his holy covenant,
73 the oath which he swore to Abraham our father,
74 to grant deliverance to us from the hand of our enemies,
so that we are able to serve him without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High,
because you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of God’s tender mercies,
by which the Rising Sun from on high will visit us,
79 to shine on those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.

80 The child continued to grow and became strong in spirit. He lived in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 03Luke 1:39-56LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 03

Luke 1:39-56 (EHV)
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Luke 1Mary Visits Elizabeth39 In those days Mary got up and hurried to the hill country, to a town of Judah. 40 She entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 Just as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 She called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 But why am I so favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 In fact, just now, as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy! 45 Blessed is she who believed, because the promises spoken to her from the Lord will be fulfilled!”

Mary’s Song46 Then Mary said,

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
47 and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,
48 because he has looked with favor on the humble state of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is
his name.
50 His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm.
He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones.
He has lifted up the lowly.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things, but the rich he has sent
away empty.
54 He has come to the aid of his servant Israel, remembering his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his offspring [1] forever.

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then returned to her home.

Footnotes1. Luke 1:55 Or seed

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 02Luke 1:26-38LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 02

Luke 1:26-38 (EHV)
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Luke 1The Angel Gabriel Appears to the Virgin Mary26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.” [1]

29 But she was greatly troubled by the statement and was wondering what kind of greeting this could be. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, because you have found favor with God. 31 Listen, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end.”

34 Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Listen, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age even though she was called barren, and this is her sixth month. 37 For nothing will be impossible for God.”

38 Then Mary said, “See, I am the Lord’s servant. May it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

Footnotes1. Luke 1:28 A few witnesses to the text omit this sentence. (“Witnesses to the text” mentioned in footnotes may include Greek manuscripts, lectionaries, translations, and quotations in the church fathers.)

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – February 01Luke 1:1-25LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – February 01

Luke 1:1-25 (EHV)
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Luke 1Introduction1 Many have undertaken to compile an account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, 2 an account like those handed down to us by those who were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word from the beginning. 3 For this reason, it seemed good to me also, since I followed everything closely from the beginning, to write an orderly account to you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you were taught.

The Angel Gabriel Appears to Zechariah5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a certain priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah. His wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and righteous decrees of the Lord. 7 They did not have a child because Elizabeth was unable to bear children, and they were both well along in years. 8 On one occasion, while Zechariah was serving as priest before God and his division was on duty, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 The whole crowd of people were praying outside the temple during the hour of the incense offering.

11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and overcome by fear. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear a son for you, and you are to name him John. 14 You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 because he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to drink wine or beer. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 He will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17 He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, to turn the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to prepare a people who are ready for the Lord.”

18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this, because I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years?”

19 The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God and was sent to speak to you in order to tell you this good news. 20 Now listen, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things happen, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at the proper time.”

21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering what was taking him so long in the temple. 22 When he did come out, he was unable to speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. He kept making signs to them and remained unable to speak.

23 When the days of his priestly service were completed, he went back to his home.

24 After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived. She kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, 25 “The Lord has done this for me in the days when he looked with favor on me and took away my disgrace among the people.”

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 31Revelation 22:6-21LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 31

Revelation 22:6-21 (EHV)
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Revelation 22Jesus Is Coming Soon6 The angel said to me, “These words are faithful and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, [1] sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”

7 “And look: I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who holds on to the words of the prophecy of this book.”

8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. When I heard and saw them, I bowed down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things. 9 But he said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and also with those who hold on to the words of this book. Worship God!”

10 The angel also said to me:

Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near.
11 Let the one who is unjust continue to be unjust.
Let the one who is filthy continue to be filthy.
Let the one who is just continue to do what is just.
Let the one who is holy continue to be holy.

Jesus Speaks12 Look, I am coming soon and my reward is with me, to repay each one according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, [2] so that they may have the right to the Tree of Life and so that they may enter through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, that is, the sorcerers, the adulterers, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

16 I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star.

17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears this say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who wants the water of life take it as a gift.

18 I give this warning to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book. 19 And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the Tree [3] of Life and in the Holy City, which are written in this book.

20 The one who testifies about these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

21 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ [4] be with all the saints. [5] Amen.

Footnotes1. Revelation 22:6 A few witnesses to the text read the God of the holy prophets. 2. Revelation 22:14 Some witnesses to the text read who do his commandments. 3. Revelation 22:19 Some witnesses to the text read Book. 4. Revelation 22:21 A few witnesses to the text omit Christ. 5. Revelation 22:21 A few witnesses to the text read be with all of you or with everyone.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 30Revelation 21:22 – 22:5LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 30

Revelation 21:22 – 22:5 (EHV)
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Revelation 2122 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God has given it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations [1] will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory [2] into it. 25 There is no day when its gates will be shut, for there will be no night in that place. 26 They will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. 27 Nothing that is unclean and no one who does what is detestable or who tells lies will ever enter it, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Paradise RestoredRevelation 221 The angel showed me the [3] river of the water of life, which was as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb. 2 In the middle of the city’s street and on each side of the river was a tree of life that yielded twelve kinds of fruit. The tree yields its fruit every month, and its leaves are for the healing of the nations.

3 There will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city. His servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face. His name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will no longer be any night or any need for lamplight or sunlight, because the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.

Footnotes1. Revelation 21:24 A few witnesses to the text add of those who are saved. 2. Revelation 21:24 Some witnesses to the text add and the honor of the nations. 3. Revelation 22:1 Some witnesses to the text add pure.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 29Revelation 21:9-21LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 29

Revelation 21:9-21 (EHV)
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Revelation 21The New Jerusalem9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls that were filled with the seven last plagues came and spoke with me. He said, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”

10 He carried me away in spirit to a great and high mountain, and he showed me the [1] Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It has the glory of God. Its radiance is similar to a very precious stone, like crystal-clear jasper.

12 It has a large, high wall. It has twelve gates. Twelve angels are at the gates, and twelve names are engraved on the gates, the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. 13 Three gates are on the east, three on the north, three on the south, and three on the west. 14 The city’s wall also has twelve foundations, and on them are the twelve names of the Lamb’s twelve apostles.

15 The one who spoke with me had a gold measuring rod so that he could measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 The city is laid out as a square. Its length and width are equal. He measured the city with the measuring rod: 12,000 stadia. [2] Its length, width, and height are equal. 17 He also measured its wall by human measurement, which was what the angel used: 144 cubits.

18 The wall is made of jasper, and the city is pure gold, like pure glass. 19 The foundations of the city’s wall had been adorned with every kind of precious stone.

The first foundation is jasper,
the second sapphire,
the third agate,
the fourth emerald,
20 the fifth onyx,
the sixth ruby, [3]
the seventh diamond, [4]
the eighth beryl,
the ninth topaz,
the tenth turquoise, [5]
the eleventh jacinth,
the twelfth amethyst.

21 The twelve gates are twelve pearls. Each of the gates is made out of one pearl. And the street of the city is pure gold, like transparent glass.

Footnotes1. Revelation 21:10 A few witnesses to the text add great and. 2. Revelation 21:16 The measurements are not converted to modern equivalents because that would make it more difficult to recognize the symbolical significance of the original numbers. 3. Revelation 21:20 Or carnelian. The specific identification of these gems is uncertain. This translation uses names of recognizable modern gemstones, even if they might not have the same mineral makeup as the ancient stones. 4. Revelation 21:20 Or chrysolite 5. Revelation 21:20 Or chrysoprase

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 28Revelation 21:1-8LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 28

Revelation 21:1-8 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0128db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Revelation 21The New Heaven and the New Earth1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, because the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. And the sea no longer existed. 2 And I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And from the throne [1] I heard a loud voice that said, “Look! God’s dwelling is with people. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them, and he will be their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain, because the former things have passed away.”

5 The one who was seated on the throne said to me, “Look, I am making everything new!” He also said, “Write, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me:

It is done.
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.
To anyone who is thirsty,
I will give freely from the spring of the water of life.
7 The one who overcomes
will inherit these things.
I will be his God,
and he will be my son.
8 But those who are cowardly, unbelieving, detestable,
murderers, adulterers, sorcerers, idolaters, and all the liars
will have their share in the lake burning with fire and sulfur,
which is the second death.

Footnotes1. Revelation 21:3 Some witnesses to the text read from heaven.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 27Revelation 20:11-15LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 27

Revelation 20:11-15 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0127db.mp3
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Revelation 20The Final Judgment11 Then I saw a great white throne and the one who sat on it. The earth and the sky fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. 12 I also saw the dead, great and small, standing in front of the throne, and books were opened. Another book was also opened, which is the Book of Life. The dead were judged by the things written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death and the Grave [1] gave up the dead that were in them, and they were judged, each one according to what he had done.

14 Death and the Grave [2] were thrown into the Lake of Fire. The Lake of Fire is the second death. 15 If anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the Lake of Fire.

Footnotes1. Revelation 20:13 Or Hell, Greek Hades 2. Revelation 20:14 Or Hell, Greek Hades

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 26Revelation 20:1-10LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 26

Revelation 20:1-10 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0126db.mp3
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Revelation 20Christ and Satan1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven. He had the key to the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 He seized the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, bound him for a thousand years, 3 threw him into the abyss, locked it, and set a seal on it, so that he could no longer deceive the nations until the thousand years come to an end. After this he must be released for a short time.

They Lived and Reigned With Christ4 Then I saw thrones, and those who were sitting on them were given the authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshipped the beast and his image, and they did not receive his mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not live until the thousand years came to an end.) This is the first resurrection.

6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them. Instead they will be priests of God and of Christ. And they will reign with him for a thousand years.

Satan Defeated7 When the thousand years come to an end, Satan will be released from his prison. 8 He will go out to deceive the nations that are in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to gather them for battle. They are as numerous as the sand of the sea.

9 They came up over the broad expanse of the earth, and they surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of [1] heaven and devoured them. 10 And the Devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are. There they will be tormented day and night, forever and ever.

Footnotes1. Revelation 20:9 A few witnesses to the text omit God out of.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 25Revelation 19:11-21LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 25

Revelation 19:11-21 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0125db.mp3
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Revelation 19The Rider on the White Horse11 I saw heaven standing open, and there was a white horse! Its rider is called Faithful and True, and he judges and makes war in righteousness. 12 His eyes are like blazing flames, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him, which no one knows except he himself. 13 He is also clothed in a garment that had been dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies in heaven, which were clothed with white, clean, fine linen, were following him on white horses. 15 Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. He will shepherd them with an iron staff. He himself is going to trample the winepress of the fierce anger of the Almighty God. 16 On his garment and on his thigh this name is written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

17 I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he called out with a loud voice to all the birds that were flying in the middle of the sky. He said:

Come, gather together for God’s great supper,
18 so that you can eat the flesh of kings,
and the flesh of military leaders,
and the flesh of mighty men,
and the flesh of horses and of their riders,
and the flesh of all people, both free and slave, and small and great.

19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20 The beast was captured along with the false prophet who performed miracles on his behalf, with which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and had worshipped its image. These two were thrown alive into the Lake of Fire, which burns with sulfur. 21 The rest were killed with the sword that comes out of the mouth of the rider on the horse. And all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 24Revelation 18:21 – 19:10LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 24

Revelation 18:21 – 19:10 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0124db.mp3
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Revelation 1821 A mighty angel picked up a stone like a large millstone and, as he threw it into the sea, he said:

This is the way Babylon, the great city,
will be overthrown with violence and
will never again be found.
22 The sound of harpists and musicians, flutists and trumpeters,
will never be heard in you again.
No craftsman of any trade
will ever be found in you again.
The sound of a millstone
will never be heard in you again.
23 The light of a lamp
will never shine in you again.
The voice of bridegroom and bride
will never be heard in you again,
because your merchants were the great ones of the earth,
because your witchcraft led all the nations astray,
24 and the blood of prophets and saints was found in this city, [1]
along with the blood of all those who were slain on the earth.

The Church’s VictoryRevelation 191 After these things I heard what seemed to be the loud sound of an immense crowd in heaven, saying:

Alleluia!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
2 for his judgments are true and just,
because he has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality,
and he has avenged his servants’ blood that was shed by her hand.

3 A second time they said, “Alleluia! Her smoke goes up forever and ever.”

4 Then the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures bowed down and worshipped God, who sits on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!”

5 And from the throne came a voice that said, “Praise our God, all you his servants and you who fear him, small and great.”

The Wedding Supper of the Lamb6 And I heard what seemed to be the roar of a large crowd or the roar of many waters or the sound of loud rumblings of thunder, saying:

Alleluia!
For the Lord our [2] God, the Almighty, reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory,
because the wedding of the Lamb has come.
His bride has made herself ready,
8 and she was given bright, clean, fine linen to wear.
(In fact, the fine linen is the “not guilty” verdicts pronounced on the saints.)

9 The angel said to me, “Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb.” He also said to me, “These are the true words of God.” 10 And I bowed down at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers, who have the testimony about Jesus. Worship God. For the testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

Footnotes1. Revelation 18:24 Literally in her 2. Revelation 19:6 A few witnesses to the text omit our.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 23Revelation 18:1-20LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 23

Revelation 18:1-20 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0123db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Revelation 18Babylon Has Fallen1 After these things I saw another angel coming down out of heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was given light by his glory. 2 He called out with a loud voice, saying:

Fallen, fallen, is Babylon the Great.
She has become a dwelling place for demons,
and a prison for every unclean spirit,
and a prison for every unclean bird, [1]
and a prison for every unclean and hated beast.
3 For all the nations have drunk from [2] the wine of her adulterous desire,
and the kings of the earth committed adultery with her,
and the merchants of the earth became rich from the abundance of her luxury.

4 And I heard another voice from heaven say:

Come out of her, my people,
so that you will not share in her sins,
and so that you will not receive any of her plagues,
5 because her sins have reached heaven
and God has remembered her crimes.
6 Pay her back even as she has paid.
Pay her back double for what she has done.
In the cup that she mixed, mix her a double portion.
7 As much glory and luxury as she gave herself,
give that much torture and grief to her,
because in her heart she says:
I sit as a queen,
I am not a widow, and
I will never mourn.
8 For this reason her plagues will come on a single day:
death, mourning, and famine,
and she will be burned in fire,
because the Lord God, who judges her, is powerful.

Some Mourn Babylon’s Destruction9 “The kings of the earth who committed adultery and lived in luxury with her will weep and mourn for her when they see the smoke from her burning. 10 They will stand far away because of terror at her torment and say:

Woe, woe, the great city,
Babylon, the strong city!
For your judgment came in a single hour.

11 “The merchants of the earth also weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargo anymore, 12 a cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet fabric, every kind of aromatic wood and ivory article, and every article made of precious wood, brass, iron, and marble; 13 also cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, olive oil, high quality flour, grain, cattle, sheep, horses, and carriages, as well as bodies and souls of people.

14 “The fruit your soul desired has left you. All your costly and splendid things have passed away from you. No one will ever find them again.

15 “The merchants who sold those things and were made rich by Babylon will stand far away out of terror at her torment. They are going to weep and mourn, 16 saying:

Woe, woe to the great city that was clothed in fine linen
and purple and scarlet,
adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls,
17 because such great wealth was made a wasteland in a single hour.

“Every ship captain and all the ocean travelers and the sailors and those who make their living on the sea stood far away 18 and cried out when they saw the smoke rise from her burning. They said, ‘Who is like the great city?’ 19 They threw dust on their heads and cried out as they wept and mourned, saying:

Woe, woe to the great city
by whom all who have ships on the sea were made rich from her treasures,
because she was made a wasteland in a single hour.
20 Rejoice over her, heaven,
also you saints, apostles, and prophets,
because God has judged her for the judgment you received from her.”

Footnotes1. Revelation 18:2 Some witnesses to the text read unclean and hated bird and omit and a prison for every unclean and hated beast. 2. Revelation 18:3 Some witnesses to the text read For all the nations have fallen as a result of.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 22Revelation 17LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 22

Revelation 17 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0122db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

The Vision of the Great Prostitute1 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke to me. He said, “Come, I will show you the judgment on the great prostitute who is sitting on many waters. 2 The kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality with her, and those who make their home on the earth have become drunk on the wine of her immorality.”

3 The angel carried me in spirit into a wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was clothed with purple and scarlet and was adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. In her hand was a gold cup full of abominations and the filth of her sexual immorality. 5 And on her forehead this name was written:

Mystery

Babylon the Great,

the mother of the prostitutes

and of the abominations of the earth.

6 And I saw that this woman was drunk from the blood of the saints and the blood of Jesus’ martyrs.

Explanation of the Woman and the BeastWhen I saw her, I was greatly amazed. 7 And the angel said to me, “Why are you amazed? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, the one that has seven heads and ten horns. 8 The beast that you saw: He existed, is no more, and he is about to come out of the abyss and go to destruction. Those who make their home on the earth, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life from the creation of the world, will be amazed when they see the beast, because he existed, is no more, and will exist again.

9 “A mind that has wisdom is needed here: The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman is sitting. They are also seven kings. 10 Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, but when he comes, he must remain for a little while.

11 “The beast that existed and is no more is the eighth king (who is one of the seven) and is going to go to destruction. 12 The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but along with the beast they will receive authority like kings for one hour. 13 They share one purpose and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them, because he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Those who are with him are the called, the elect, and the believing.”

15 The angel also said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is sitting, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages. 16 The ten horns and the beast that you saw will hate the prostitute and will cause her to be abandoned and naked. They will also eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose, namely, to agree to give their royal authority to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 The woman whom you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 21Revelation 16LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 21

Revelation 16 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0121db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

The First Five Bowls1 I heard a loud voice from the temple say to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.”

2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and horrible and painful sores came on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshipped his image.

3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man, and every living creature in the sea died.

4 The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and the springs of water, and they [1] turned into blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters say:

You are righteous, the one who is and who was, the Holy One, [2]
because you have made these judgments.
6 Because they poured out the blood of saints and prophets,
you have given them blood to drink.
They deserve it.

7 And I heard the incense altar, saying, [3] “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments.”

8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to burn people with fire. 9 People were scorched by the fierce heat. Then they blasphemed the name of God, who had authority over these plagues, but they did not repent and give him praise.

10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast. The beast’s kingdom was darkened. People gnawed their tongues in their torment. 11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their torments and their sores. But they did not repent of their deeds.

The Sixth Bowl: The Battle of Armageddon12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates. Its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings coming from the east. 13 I saw three unclean spirits, like frogs, which came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 They are, in fact, miracle-working, demonic spirits, which go out to the kings of the whole earth [4] to bring them together for the battle on the great day of the Almighty God.

15 “Look: I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes on, so that he does not walk around naked and his shame is not seen.”

16 Then they brought them together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.

The Seventh Bowl: The End of the World17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl on the air. And a loud voice came out of the temple [5] from the throne, saying, “It is done.” 18 There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, and crashes of thunder. There was also a great earthquake of a kind that has not occurred since mankind has been [6] on the earth.

19 And the great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. Babylon the Great was remembered by God, and he gave her the wine cup filled with his fierce wrath. 20 Every island vanished, and the mountains could no longer be found. 21 Massive hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell on people from the sky. And the people blasphemed God because of the plague of hail, because the plague was so severe.

Footnotes1. Revelation 16:4 Some witnesses to the text read it. 2. Revelation 16:5 A few witnesses to the text read and who will be instead of the Holy One. 3. Revelation 16:7 A few witnesses to the text read And I heard another, saying from the altar. 4. Revelation 16:14 A few witnesses to the text read the kings of the earth and of the whole world. 5. Revelation 16:17 A few witnesses to the text add of heaven. 6. Revelation 16:18 Some witnesses to the text read man has been.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 20Revelation 15LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 20

Revelation 15 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0120db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

The Angels With the Seven Last Plagues1 Then I saw another great and remarkable sign in heaven: seven angels with seven plagues—the last plagues, because in them God’s wrath is completed.

2 And I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire. I also saw those who had won the victory over the beast and his image [1] and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass. They held the harps of God, 3 and they were singing the song of Moses, God’s servant, and the song of the Lamb. They said:

Great and marvelous are your works, Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways, King of the Nations. [2]
4 Who will not fear you, [3] Lord,
and who will not praise your name?
You alone are holy!
All the nations will come and will bow down before you,
because your righteous verdicts have been revealed.

5 After these things I looked, and the sanctuary of the Tent of the Testimony was opened in heaven. 6 The seven angels who hold the seven plagues came out of the sanctuary. They were clothed with clean bright linen, and they wore gold sashes around their chests.

7 One of the four living creatures gave the seven angels the seven gold bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. 8 And the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power. No one was able to enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

Footnotes1. Revelation 15:2 A few witnesses to the text add and his mark. 2. Revelation 15:3 Some witnesses to the text read ages. A few witnesses read saints. 3. Revelation 15:4 A few witnesses to the text omit you.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 19Revelation 14:14-20LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 19

Revelation 14:14-20 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0119db.mp3
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Revelation 14The Harvest14 Then I looked, and there was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man. He had a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Another angel came out of the temple and cried with a loud voice to the one sitting on the cloud, “Swing your sickle and begin reaping, for the time to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is very ripe.” 16 And the one sitting on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.

17 Another angel, who also had a sharp sickle, came out of the temple, which is in heaven. 18 And another angel, who was in charge of the fire, came from the altar and cried with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Swing your sharp sickle and harvest the grape clusters from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.” 19 Then the angel swung his sickle over the earth, and he harvested the earth’s vine and threw it into the great winepress of God’s wrath. 20 The winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia. [1]

Footnotes1. Revelation 14:20 Stadia is plural for the Greek stadion. Each stadion was about 606 feet. The distance here would be more than 180 miles.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 18Revelation 14:6-13LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 18

Revelation 14:6-13 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0118db.mp3
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Revelation 14The Three Angels6 Then I saw another angel flying in the middle of the sky. He had the everlasting gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth, to every nation, tribe, language, and people. 7 He said with a loud voice:

Fear God and give him glory,
because the hour of his judgment has come.
Worship him who made the sky, the earth, the sea, and the springs of water.

8 Another angel, a second, [1] followed. He said, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the Great, [2] who made every nation drink from the wine of her adulterous desire.”

9 Another angel, a third one, followed them. He said with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he will also drink from the wine of God’s wrath, which has been poured undiluted [3] into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment is going to rise forever and ever. Those who worship the beast and his image, and anyone who receives the mark of his name, are going to have no rest day and night.”

12 Here patient endurance is needed by the saints, who hold on to the commands of God and their faith in Jesus. 13 And I heard a voice from heaven say, [4] “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “because they will rest from their labors, for their works follow them.”

Footnotes1. Revelation 14:8 A few witnesses to the text omit a second. 2. Revelation 14:8 A few witnesses to the text add city. 3. Revelation 14:10 Wine was often mixed with water in the ancient world in order to dilute it. 4. Revelation 14:13 A few witnesses to the text add to me.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 17Revelation 14:1-5LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 17

Revelation 14:1-5 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0117db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Revelation 14The Lamb and the 144,0001 Then I looked, and there was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of a loud thunderclap. The sound that I heard was also like the sound of harpists playing their harps. 3 They were singing [1] a new song in front of the throne and the four living creatures and the elders. No one was able to learn that song except the 144,000, who had been purchased from the earth. 4 These are the ones who were not defiled with women, because they are virgins. They continually follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb. 5 And no lie was found in their mouths. They are blameless. [2]

Footnotes1. Revelation 14:3 A few witnesses to the text add as it were. 2. Revelation 14:5 A few witnesses to the text add before the throne of God.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 16Revelation 13:11-18LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 16

Revelation 13:11-18 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0116db.mp3
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Revelation 13The Beast From the Earth11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like the Lamb, and he spoke like the dragon. 12 He exercises all the authority of the first beast on his behalf. He causes the earth and those who make their home on it to worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. 13 He performs great miracles, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in the sight of people. 14 He also deceives those who make their home on the earth because of the miracles that he was permitted to perform on behalf of the beast, telling those who make their home on the earth to make an image for the beast who had been wounded by the sword but lived.

15 This beast was also given the ability to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast spoke and caused whoever did not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 He also makes all people, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 in order that no one may buy or sell unless he has the mark—the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom: Let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, because it is the number of a man. His number is 666.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 15Revelation 13:2-10LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 15

Revelation 13:2-10 (EHV)
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Revelation 132 The beast that I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth was like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power, his throne, and great authority. 3 One of his heads seemed to have been fatally wounded, [1] but his fatal wound was healed.

And the whole world that followed the beast was amazed. 4 They worshipped the dragon because he gave authority to the beast. They worshipped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can go to war against him?” 5 The beast was also given a mouth that spoke arrogant and blasphemous things. He was given authority to do these things for forty-two months.

6 The beast opened his mouth to speak blasphemies against God: to blaspheme his name, his dwelling, and [2] those who dwell in heaven. 7 He was also given permission to wage war against the saints and to overcome them, as well as authority over every tribe and people and language and nation. 8 All those who make their home on the earth will worship the beast—those whose names have [3] not been written from the beginning of the world in the Book of Life, which belongs to the Lamb that was slain. [4]

9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear:

10 If anyone is to be imprisoned, [5] he is going to be imprisoned.
If anyone is to be killed [6] with a sword, he is going to be killed with a sword.

Here patient endurance and confidence are needed by the saints.

Footnotes1. Revelation 13:3 Literally slaughtered to death 2. Revelation 13:6 Or namely or that is. 3. Revelation 13:8 Some witnesses to the text read the one whose name has. 4. Revelation 13:8 Or written in the Book of Life, which belongs to the Lamb that was slain from the beginning of the world. 5. Revelation 13:10 A few witnesses to the text read The person who leads someone into prison. 6. Revelation 13:10 A few witnesses to the text read If anyone kills.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 14Revelation 12:10 – 13:1LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 14

Revelation 12:10 – 13:1 (EHV)
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Revelation 1210 I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying:

Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Christ, [1]
because the accuser of our brothers [2] has been thrown down,
the one who accuses them before our God day and night.
11 They conquered him
because of the blood of the Lamb and
because of the word of their testimony.
They did not love their lives in the face of death.
12 For this reason, rejoice, you heavens and those who dwell in them.
Woe to the earth and the sea,
for the Devil has gone down to you.
He is full of rage, because he knows that his time is short.

The Dragon Persecutes the Woman13 When the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman, who had given birth to the male child. 14 Two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman so that she might fly to her place in the wilderness, where she is to be fed for a time, and times, and half a time, away from the presence of the serpent. 15 And the serpent spewed water out of his mouth, like a river, after the woman, in order to carry her away in the flowing water. 16 But the earth helped the woman. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river, which the dragon had spewed out of its mouth.

17 The dragon was angry about what had happened to the woman, and he went away to make war against the rest of her children—those who keep the commandments of God and who hold on to the testimony about Jesus.

18 And he [3] stood on the shore of the sea.

The Beast From the SeaRevelation 131 I saw a beast rising out of the sea. He had ten horns with ten crowns on his horns, and seven heads with blasphemous names [4] on his heads.

Footnotes1. Revelation 12:10 Or Anointed One 2. Revelation 12:10 When context indicates it, the Greek word for brothers may refer to all fellow believers, male and female. 3. Revelation 12:18 Some witnesses to the text read I. 4. Revelation 13:1 Some witnesses to the text read a blasphemous name.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 13Revelation 12:1-9LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 13

Revelation 12:1-9 (EHV)
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Revelation 12The Dragon and the Child1 A great sign appeared in the sky: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant, and she cried out in pain and agony as she gave birth.

3 Another sign also appeared in the sky: There was a huge red dragon that had seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. 4 His tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky and threw them to the earth. The dragon stood before the woman, who was about to give birth, so that he could devour the child as soon as it was born.

5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will shepherd all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. 6 Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God in order that she might be fed there for 1,260 days.

War in Heaven7 There was also a war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought with the dragon. The dragon fought back along with his angels, 8 but he was not strong enough. There was no longer a place for them [1] in heaven. 9 The great dragon was thrown down—the ancient serpent, the one called the Devil and Satan, the one who leads the whole inhabited earth astray—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Footnotes1. Revelation 12:8 Some witnesses to the text read him.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 12Revelation 11:15-19LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 12

Revelation 11:15-19 (EHV)
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Revelation 11The Seventh Trumpet: The End of the World15 Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying:

The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and
of his Christ, [1]
and he will reign forever and ever.

16 The twenty-four elders, who were sitting on their thrones before God, also fell on their faces and worshipped God, 17 saying:

We thank you, Lord God Almighty, who is, and who was, [2]
because you have taken your great power and reigned.
18 The nations were angry, and your anger has come.
And the time has come
when the dead are to be judged, and
when you will give the reward to your servants the prophets
and to your saints,
namely, to those who fear your name, the small
and the great, and
when you will destroy those who destroy the earth.

19 And God’s temple in heaven was opened and the Ark of his Covenant was seen in his temple. And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, crashes of thunder, an earthquake, and a great hailstorm.

Footnotes1. Revelation 11:15 Or Anointed One 2. Revelation 11:17 A few witnesses to the text add and who is coming.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 11Revelation 11:1-14LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 11

Revelation 11:1-14 (EHV)
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Revelation 11The Two Witnesses1 Then a measuring rod like a staff was given to me. He said, [1] “Stand up and measure the incense altar and the temple of God and those who worship in it. 2 Exclude the outer court of the temple and do not measure it, because it has been given to the heathen. They will trample the holy city for forty-two months. 3 I will commission my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”

4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that are standing before the Lord of the earth. 5 If anyone wants to harm them, fire is going to come out of their mouths and consume their enemies. If anyone should want to harm them, it is necessary that he be killed in this way.

6 These two have the authority to shut the sky so that no rain falls during the days when they are prophesying. They also have authority over the waters, to turn them into blood, and the authority to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

The Beast That Kills the Two Witnesses7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that comes up from the abyss will fight against them, conquer them, and kill them. 8 Their dead bodies will lie on the street of the great city, which spiritually [2] is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.

9 Some from the peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days and will not permit them to be placed in a tomb. 10 Those who dwell on the earth will also rejoice over them and celebrate by sending gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

11 After three and a half days the breath of life from God came into them. They stood on their feet, and a great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 And I [3] heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” They went up into heaven in a cloud, as their enemies watched them. 13 At that moment there was also a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed by the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave praise to the God of heaven.

14 The second woe is past. See, the third woe is coming soon.

Footnotes1. Revelation 11:1 Some witnesses to the text read The angel stood there and said. 2. Revelation 11:8 Or because of its spiritual condition 3. Revelation 11:12 Some witnesses to the text read they.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 10Revelation 10LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 10

Revelation 10 (EHV)
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The Angel With a Little Scroll1 Then I saw another powerful angel coming down out of heaven. He was clothed with a cloud, a rainbow was over his head, his face was like the sun, his feet were like pillars of fire, 2 and he had in his hand a little scroll, which had been opened. He put his right foot on the sea and his left on the land, 3 and he cried out with a loud voice, just as a lion roars. And when he cried out, the seven thunders spoke using their own voices.

4 When the seven thunders had spoken, I was about to write. But I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Seal up the things that the seven thunders said, and do not write them down.”

5 The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven, 6 and he swore by the one who lives forever and ever, who created the sky and the things in it, the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it. He said, “There will be no more delay. 7 Instead, in the days of the sound made by the seventh angel, that is, when he is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will also be completed, exactly as he made this good news known to his servants the prophets.”

John’s Commission to Prophesy8 The voice that I heard from heaven also spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll that has been opened in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 9 I went to the angel and said to him, “Give me the little scroll.”

He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.” 10 I took the little scroll out of the angel’s hand and ate it. It was as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. 11 And they said to me, “It is necessary that you prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.”

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 09Revelation 9LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 09

Revelation 9 (EHV)
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The Fifth Trumpet—The Locusts From Hell1 Then the fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen out of heaven to the earth, and the key to the pit of the abyss was given to him. 2 He opened the pit of the abyss, and smoke came up out of the pit like the smoke from a huge furnace. The sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the pit. 3 And out of the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given the kind of power that scorpions of the earth have. 4 They were told not to harm the earth’s grass, any green plant, or any tree, but only those people who do not have God’s seal on their foreheads.

5 Indeed, they were not given permission to kill these people but only to torture them for five months. And the pain they cause is like the pain caused by a scorpion when it stings a person. 6 In those days people will seek death but will certainly not find it. They will long to die, but death will escape them.

7 The locusts looked like horses ready for battle. On their heads were what appeared to be crowns that were like gold. Their faces looked like human faces. 8 They had hair that looked like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. 9 They had breastplates that appeared to be made of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of many chariots and horses charging into battle. 10 They had tails with stingers like those of scorpions, and in their tails they had power to hurt people for five months.

11 They have the angel of the abyss over them as their king. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he has the name Apollyon. [1]

12 One woe is past. Look! After these things two more woes are coming.

The Sixth Trumpet13 Then the sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice speak from the four [2] horns of the gold incense altar that is before God. 14 It said to the sixth angel, the one with the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15 And the four angels who had been prepared for this hour, day, month, and year were let loose so that they could kill a third of the people.

16 The number of soldiers on horseback was two hundred million. I heard their number. 17 And this is what I saw in the vision of the horses and their riders: They had breastplates that were fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow. The heads of the horses were like the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire and smoke and sulfur. 18 As a result of these three plagues, the fire and the smoke and the sulfur that came out of their mouths, a third of mankind was killed. 19 For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, for their tails are like snakes that have heads, which they use to cause injuries.

20 The rest of the people, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands by giving up their worship of demons and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, or wood, which cannot see, hear, or walk. 21 And they did not repent of their murders, their sorceries, their sexual immoralities, or their thefts.

Footnotes1. Revelation 9:11 Both Abaddon and Apollyon mean Destroyer. 2. Revelation 9:13 Some witnesses to the text omit four.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 08Revelation 8LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 08

Revelation 8 (EHV)
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The Seventh Seal: Seven Angels With Seven Trumpets1 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.

3 Another angel, holding a gold censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given a large amount of incense to offer together with the prayers of all the saints on the gold altar that was in front of the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense went up from the hand of the angel before God, together with the prayers of the saints.

5 The angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it on the earth. Then there came crashes of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.

The First Four Trumpets6 The seven angels, who had the seven trumpets, prepared to sound them. 7 The first sounded his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were thrown on the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, and [1] a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

8 Then the second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea became blood, 9 a third of the creatures that live in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

10 Then the third angel sounded his trumpet, and a huge star, blazing like a lamp, fell from the sky. It fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star was Wormwood, and a third of the waters became wormwood. [2] Many of the people died from these waters because they had been made bitter.

12 Then the fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, as well as a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them became dark. And there was no light for a third of the day and likewise for the night.

13 Then I looked and I heard a single eagle [3] flying in the middle of the sky, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to those whose home is on the earth because of the remaining trumpet blasts of the three angels who are about to sound their trumpets.”

Footnotes1. Revelation 8:7 A few witnesses to the text omit A third of the earth was burned up, and. 2. Revelation 8:11 Wormwood refers to a bitter herb that was used as medicine to kill intestinal worms. 3. Revelation 8:13 A few witnesses to the text read angel.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 07Revelation 7LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 07

Revelation 7 (EHV)
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The Church on Earth1 After this I saw four angels, who stood at the four corners of the earth. They were holding back the four winds of the earth so that the wind could not blow on the earth, the sea, or any tree.

2 And I saw another angel coming up from the east, who had the seal of the living God. He called out with a loud voice to the four angels who were given power to harm the earth and the sea. He said, 3 “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees until we have placed a seal on the foreheads of God’s servants.”

4 And I heard the number of those sealed:

144,000 sealed from all the tribes of the people of Israel:

| 5 from the tribe of Judah, | 12,000, who were sealed, | | from the tribe of Reuben, | 12,000, | | from the tribe of Gad, | 12,000, | | 6 from the tribe of Asher, | 12,000, | | from the tribe of Naphtali, | 12,000, | | from the tribe of Manasseh, | 12,000, | | 7 from the tribe of Simeon, | 12,000, | | from the tribe of Levi, | 12,000, | | from the tribe of Issachar, | 12,000, | | 8 from the tribe of Zebulun, | 12,000, | | from the tribe of Joseph, | 12,000, | | from the tribe of Benjamin, | 12,000, who were sealed. |

The Church in Heaven9 After these things I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing in front of the throne and of the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and with palm branches in their hands. 10 They called out with a loud voice and said:

Salvation comes from our God, who sits on the throne, and from
the Lamb.

11 All the angels stood around the throne, the elders, and the four living creatures. They fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, 12 saying:

Amen. Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and
power and might belong to our God forever and ever. Amen.

13 One of the elders spoke to me and said, “These people dressed in white robes, who are they and where did they come from?”

And I answered him, “Sir, you know.”

14 And he said to me:

These are the ones who are coming out of the great tribulation.
They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of
the Lamb.
15 Because of this they are in front of the throne of God,
and they serve him day and night in his temple.
He who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.
16 They will never be hungry or thirsty ever again.
The sun will never beat upon them, nor will any scorching heat,
17 for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd.
He will lead them to springs of living water.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 06Revelation 6LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 06

Revelation 6 (EHV)
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The Vision of the Seven Seals: The First Four Seals1 And I watched when the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. And I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come.” [1]

2 And I looked, and there was a white horse, and its rider held a bow. A crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

3 When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come.” [2] 4 And another horse, a fiery red one, went out. Its rider was given power to take peace away from the earth so that people would slaughter one another. And a great sword was given to him.

5 When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come.” [3] And I looked, and there was a black horse. Its rider had a scale in his hand. 6 And I heard something like a voice from among the four living creatures say, “A quart [4] of wheat for a denarius, [5] and three quarts [6] of barley for a denarius. And do not dilute [7] the oil and the wine.”

7 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come.” [8] 8 And I looked, and there was a pale green horse. And its rider was named Death, and the Grave [9] followed closely behind him. They were given power over a quarter of the earth, to kill people with the sword, with famine, with death, and by the wild animals of the earth.

The Fifth Seal: The Souls Under the Altar9 When the Lamb opened the fifth seal, under the incense altar I saw the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the word of God and because of the testimony they had maintained. 10 And they called out with a loud voice, saying, “O Lord, holy and true, how long until you judge and exact justice for our blood from those who live on the earth?” 11 A white robe was given to each one of them. And they were told to rest a little longer until their number would be complete, when their fellow servants and their brothers [10] would be put to death as they were.

The Sixth Seal: The Last Judgment12 And I watched when the Lamb opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun became as black as sackcloth made of hair. The entire moon became like blood. 13 The stars of the sky fell to the earth as a fig tree drops its unripe figs when it is shaken by a strong wind. 14 The sky was removed like a scroll being rolled up. Every mountain and island was moved from its place.

15 The kings of the earth, the nobles, the military leaders, the rich, the powerful, and everyone—slave or free—hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 And they kept saying to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their [11] wrath has come. Who is able to stand?”

Footnotes1. Revelation 6:1 Some witnesses to the text add and see. 2. Revelation 6:3 Some witnesses to the text add and see. 3. Revelation 6:5 Some witnesses to the text add and see. 4. Revelation 6:6 Or liter 5. Revelation 6:6 A denarius was about one day’s wage. 6. Revelation 6:6 Or liters 7. Revelation 6:6 Or adulterate 8. Revelation 6:7 Some witnesses to the text add and see. 9. Revelation 6:8 Or Hell, Greek Hades 10. Revelation 6:11 When context indicates it, the Greek word for brothers may refer to all fellow believers, male and female. 11. Revelation 6:17 Some witnesses to the text read his.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 05Revelation 5LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 05

Revelation 5 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0105db.mp3
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The Scroll With Seven Seals1 And I saw a scroll in the right hand of him who sat on the throne, with writing on the front [1] and on the back, sealed with seven seals.

2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll by breaking its seals?” 3 No one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. 4 And I began to weep bitterly because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping. Look! The Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed and is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Worthy Is the Lamb6 And I saw a Lamb standing in the center, near the throne, surrounded by the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders. The Lamb seemed to have been slain, and he had seven horns and seven eyes (these are the seven spirits of God that have been sent into all the world). 7 The Lamb came and took the scroll out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when the Lamb took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders bowed down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and gold bowls full of incense (these are the prayers of the saints). 9 And they sang a new song, saying:

You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and you bought us [2] for God with your blood
out of every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You made them [3] to be a kingdom and priests for our God,
and they will reign on the earth.

11 And I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels who were around the throne and around the living creatures and the elders. Their number was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands upon thousands. 12 With a loud voice they were saying:

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive
power and riches and
wisdom and strength and
honor and glory and blessing.

13 I also heard every creature that is in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever.

14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders bowed down and worshipped.

Footnotes1. Revelation 5:1 Some witnesses to the text read inside. 2. Revelation 5:9 Most of the witnesses to the text read us in verse 9 and them in verse 10. 3. Revelation 5:10 A few witnesses to the text read us.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 04Revelation 4LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 04

Revelation 4 (EHV)
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John’s Vision of God1 After these things I looked, and there was a door opened in heaven! And the first voice that I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after these things.” 2 Immediately I was in spirit. And look! A throne was standing in heaven, and someone was sitting on the throne. 3 The one who was sitting there looked like a jasper stone and a ruby. [1] Around the throne there was a rainbow that looked like an emerald.

4 Also around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and sitting on those thrones were twenty-four elders dressed in white garments, with gold crowns on their heads. 5 Out of the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings, and crashes of thunder. In front of the throne seven flaming lamps were burning, which are the seven spirits of God. 6 Also in front of the throne was something resembling a glassy sea, which was like crystal.

In the middle, near the throne and around the throne, there were four living creatures, full of eyes in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature was like an ox, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. 8 Each one of the four living creatures had six wings, and the wings were full of eyes all around and underneath. [2] Day and night, without pause, they keep saying:

Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty,
who was and who is and who is coming.

9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to him who sits on the throne, the one who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders bow down before him who sits on the throne. They worship the one who lives forever and ever and lay down their crowns in front of his throne as they say:

11 Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
to receive the glory and the honor and the power,
for you have created all things,
and because of your will they existed and were created.

Footnotes1. Revelation 4:3 Or carnelian 2. Revelation 4:8 Literally inside. The English idiom for the inside of a wing is underneath, that is, the hidden side.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 03Revelation 3:14-22LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 03

Revelation 3:14-22 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0103db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Revelation 3Letter to the Church in Laodicea14 To the messenger of the church in Laodicea write:

The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation, says this:

15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. If only you were cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm and not hot or cold, I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, “I am rich. I have become very wealthy and need nothing.” But you do not know that you are miserable, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments, so that you may be clothed and the shame of your nakedness may not become public, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.

19 I rebuke and discipline those whom I love. So take this seriously and repent.

20 Look, I stand at the door and I am knocking. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will go in with him and dine with him, and he with me. 21 To the one who is victorious I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.

22 Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 02Revelation 3:7-13LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 02

Revelation 3:7-13 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0102db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Revelation 3Letter to the Church in Philadelphia7 To the messenger of the church in Philadelphia write:

The Holy One, the one who is true, the one who has the key of David, the one who opens and no one can shut, and who shuts and no one can open, says this:

8 I know your works. Look, I have set before you an open door, which no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 Look, I will make those who are from the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not but are lying—look, I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them realize that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will also keep you from the hour of testing, which is about to come over the whole inhabited world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have so that no one takes your crown.

12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will never leave it again. I will also write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God—the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God—and my new name.

13 Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

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Through My Bible Yr 03 – January 01Revelation 3:1-6LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – January 01

Revelation 3:1-6 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/03-0101db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Revelation 3Letter to the Church in Sardis1 To the messenger of the church in Sardis write:

The one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says this:

I know your works. You have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up, and strengthen what is left, which is about to die, for I have found that your works are not complete in the sight of my God. 3 Therefore remember what you received and heard. Hold on to it and repent! If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come upon you.

4 Yet you have a few names in Sardis, people who have not defiled their clothes. They will walk with me in white clothing, for they are worthy.

5 The one who is victorious in this way [1] will be clothed in white clothing. I certainly will not erase his name from the Book of Life, and I will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.

6 Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Footnotes1. Revelation 3:5 Some witnesses to the text read he or this one instead of in this way.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 31Revelation 2:18-29LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 31

Revelation 2:18-29 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1231db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Revelation 2Letter to the Church in Thyatira18 To the messenger of the church in Thyatira write:

The Son of God, whose eyes are like fiery flames and whose feet are like polished bronze, says this:

19 I know your works and love and faith and service, as well as your patient endurance, and that you are doing more now than you did at first.

20 But I have this against you: You allow that woman Jezebel, the one who calls herself a prophetess, to deceive my servants and to teach them to commit sexual immorality and eat things offered to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, but she is not willing to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Look, I am going to throw her onto a bed and throw those who commit adultery with her into great suffering, if they do not repent of her [1] works. 23 And I will put her children to death. And all the churches will know that I am the one who searches hearts and minds, and that I will give to each of you according to your works.

24 To the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold to this teaching, who do not know Satan’s “deep things,” as they call them, I say that I will not lay any other burden on you. 25 Only hold fast to what you have until I come.

26 To the one who is victorious and continues to do my works until the end, I will give him authority over the nations, 27 and he will rule them with an iron staff and shatter them like clay pots, 28 just as I myself have received authority from my Father. I will also give him the morning star.

29 Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Footnotes1. Revelation 2:22 Some witnesses to the text read their.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 30Revelation 2:8-17LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 30

Revelation 2:8-17 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1230db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Revelation 2Letter to the Church in Smyrna8 To the messenger of the church in Smyrna write:

The First and the Last, who was dead and came to life again, says this:

9 I know [1] your suffering and your poverty—but you are rich. And I know the blasphemy that comes from those who say they are Jews but are not; rather, they are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear anything that [2] you are about to suffer. Look, the Devil is about to throw some of you into prison so that you will be tested, and you will suffer for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

11 Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.

Letter to the Church in Pergamum12 To the messenger of the church in Pergamum write:

The one who has the sharp, two-edged sword says this:

13 I know [3] where you live—where the throne of Satan is. And I know that you hold fast to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me even in the days when Antipas, my faithful witness, [4] was put to death near you, the place where Satan lives.

14 But I have a few things against you: You have some people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who instructed Balak to put a stumbling block in front of the children of Israel so that they would eat things offered to idols and commit sexual immorality. 15 Likewise, you also have some people who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore, [5] repent! If not, I will come to you soon, and I will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

17 Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious I will give some of the hidden manna. [6] I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, which no one will know except the one who receives it.

Footnotes1. Revelation 2:9 A few witnesses to the text add your works. 2. Revelation 2:10 Some witnesses to the text read Do not fear what. 3. Revelation 2:13 A few witnesses to the text add your works and. 4. Revelation 2:13 Or martyr 5. Revelation 2:16 Some witnesses to the text omit Therefore. 6. Revelation 2:17 A few witnesses to the text add to eat.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 29Revelation 2:1-7LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 29

Revelation 2:1-7 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1229db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Revelation 2Letter to the Church in Ephesus1 To the messenger of the church in Ephesus write:

The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven gold lampstands, says this:

2 I know your works, your [1] labor, and your patient endurance, and that you are not able to tolerate evil people. You have tested those who say they are apostles, but are not, and have found them to be liars. 3 Indeed, you do have patient endurance. You have endured hardships on account of my name and have not become weary.

4 But I have this against you: You have forsaken your first love. [2] 5 Remember, therefore, the state from which you have fallen! Repent and do the works you did at first. Otherwise I will come to you [3] and remove your lampstand from its place, if you do not repent.

6 But you do have this: You hate the actions of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

7 Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious I will give the privilege to eat from the tree of life, which is in [4] the paradise of God.

Footnotes1. Revelation 2:2 Some witnesses to the text omit your. 2. Revelation 2:4 Or You have lost the love you had at first 3. Revelation 2:5 A few witnesses to the text add quickly. 4. Revelation 2:7 A few witnesses to the text add the middle of.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 28Revelation 1:9-20LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 28

Revelation 1:9-20 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1228db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Revelation 1God Tells John to Write Down What He Sees9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingship and patient endurance in Jesus, [1] was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony about Jesus. [2]

10 I was in spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard a loud voice behind me, like a trumpet, 11 saying, “Write what you see on a scroll and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”

Jesus Appears12 I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me. When I turned, I saw seven gold lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was one like a son of man. He was clothed with a robe that reached to his feet, and around his chest he wore a gold sash. 14 His head and his hair were white, like white wool or like snow. His eyes were like blazing flames. 15 His feet were like polished bronze being refined in a furnace. His voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 He held seven stars in his right hand. A sharp two-edged sword was coming out of his mouth. His face was shining as the sun shines in all its brightness.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He placed his right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last— 18 the Living One. I was dead and, see, I am alive forever and ever! I also hold the keys of death and hell. [3]

19 “So write what you have seen, both those things that are and those that will take place after this.

20 “The mystery of the seven stars, which you saw in my right hand, and the seven gold lampstands is this: The seven stars are the messengers of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”

Footnotes1. Revelation 1:9 Some witnesses to the text read Christ. 2. Revelation 1:9 A few witnesses to the text add Christ. 3. Revelation 1:18 Greek hades

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 27Revelation 1:1-8LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 27

Revelation 1:1-8 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1227db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Revelation 1Introduction1 The revelation from Jesus Christ that God gave him to show his servants the things that must soon take place. Christ expressed this revelation by means of symbols sent [1] through his angel to his servant John. 2 John spoke as a witness to the word of God and to the testimony about [2] Jesus Christ, that is, to everything he saw. 3 Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy and blessed are those who hear it and hold on to the things written in it, because the time is near.

Greeting4 John,

To the seven churches in the province of Asia: [3]

Grace to you and peace from him who is, who was, and who is coming, and from the seven spirits that are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed [4] us from our sins by his own blood 6 and made us a kingdom and priests to God his Father—to him be the glory and the power forever. Amen.

7 Look, he is coming with clouds,
and every eye will see him,
including those who pierced him.
And all the nations of the earth will mourn because of him.
Yes. Amen.

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” [5] says the Lord God, the one who is, and who was, and who is coming, the Almighty.

Footnotes1. Revelation 1:1 Or Christ communicated these things by sending them 2. Revelation 1:2 Or of 3. Revelation 1:4 Here Asia refers to the Roman province of Asia (located in what is now Turkey), not the continent of Asia. 4. Revelation 1:5 Some witnesses to the text read washed. (“Witnesses to the text” mentioned in footnotes may include Greek manuscripts, lectionaries, translations, and quotations in the church fathers.) 5. Revelation 1:8 Some witnesses to the text add the Beginning and the End.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 26Psalm 148 – 150LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 26

Psalm 148 – 150 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1226db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 148Praise Him, All Creation1 Praise the Lord. [1]

Praise From the HeavensPraise the Lord from the heavens.
Praise him in the heights.
2 Praise him, all his angels.
Praise him, all his armies.
3 Praise him, sun and moon.
Praise him, all you bright stars.
4 Praise him, you highest heavens
and you waters which are above the heavens.

5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
because he commanded, and they were created.
6 He caused them to stand forever and ever.
He gave a decree, and it will not pass away.

Praise From the Earth7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
great sea creatures and all the depths,
8 fire and hail, snow and fog,
storm winds that obey his word,
9 mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,
10 wild animals and all cattle,
crawling creatures and flying birds,
11 kings of the earth and all peoples,
officials and all judges on earth,
12 young men and also young women,
old people with young people.
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted.
His splendor is above the earth and the heavens.
14 He has raised up a horn [2] for his people—
the praise of all his favored ones—
for the children of Israel, the people close to him.
Praise the Lord.

Psalm 149Praise Him, All His People1 Praise the Lord. [3]

The Church TriumphantSing to the Lord a new song.
Sing his praise in the congregation of his favored ones.
2 Let Israel rejoice in its Maker.
Let the people of Zion celebrate for their King.
3 Let them praise his name with dancing.
With hand drum and lyre let them make music to him.
4 For the Lord is pleased with his people.
He adorns the humble with salvation.
5 Let those he favors rejoice in honor.
Let them shout for joy on their beds.

The Church Militant6 May high praise of God be in their throats,
and a two-edged sword in their hands,
7 to inflict vengeance on the nations
and punishments on the peoples,
8 to bind their kings with chains
and their nobles with iron shackles,
9 to carry out the judgment written against them.
This is the glory of all his favored people.
Praise the Lord.

Psalm 150Praise the Lord!1 Praise the Lord. [4]

Where?Praise God in his sanctuary.
Praise him in the expanse that shows his might.

Why?2 Praise him for his acts of power.
Praise him according to his abundant greatness.

How?3 Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn.
Praise him with the harp and the lyre.
4 Praise him with hand drums and dancing.
Praise him with the strings and the flute.
5 Praise him with the sounding cymbals.
Praise him with loud cymbals.

Who?6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord.

Footnotes1. Psalm 148:1 Hebrew hallelu Yah 2. Psalm 148:14 The word horn is a reference to power. Here it refers to the Messiah. 3. Psalm 149:1 Hebrew hallelu Yah 4. Psalm 150:1 Hebrew hallelu Yah

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 25Psalm 147LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 25

Psalm 147 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1225db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 147Praise Him for Providing for His PeopleThe Creator Restores His People1 Praise the Lord. [1]

How good it is to make music to our God.
Yes, praise is pleasant and fitting!
2 The one who builds Jerusalem is the Lord.
He assembles the outcasts of Israel.
3 He is the one who heals the brokenhearted
and who bandages their wounds.
4 He counts the number of the stars.
He calls them all by name.
5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power.
To his understanding there is no limit.
6 The one who sustains the humble is the Lord.
He pushes the wicked down to the ground.

The Creator Loves His People7 Respond to the Lord with thanksgiving.
Make music to our God on the lyre.
8 He is the one who covers the sky with clouds.
He determines rain for the earth.
He makes grass sprout on the mountains.
9 He gives their food to the cattle
and to the young ravens when they call.
10 He is not impressed by the strength of the horse.
He is not pleased with the legs of a man.
11 The Lord is pleased with those who fear him,
those who wait for his mercy.

The Creator Reveals His Word12 Worship the Lord, O Jerusalem.
Praise your God, O Zion,
13 because he strengthens the bars on your gates.
He blesses your children within you.
14 He brings peace to your borders.
He satisfies you with the best wheat.
15 He sends his message to the earth.
His word runs swiftly.
16 He gives snow like wool.
He scatters frost like ashes.
17 He sends his hail like pieces of bread.
Who can stand in the face of his cold winds?
18 He sends his word, and the ice melts.
He breathes on the snow. [2] The waters flow. [3]
19 He reveals his words to Jacob,
his statutes and his judgments to Israel.
20 He has not done this for any other nation.
They do not know his judgments.

Praise the Lord.

Footnotes1. Psalm 147:1 Hebrew hallelu Yah 2. Psalm 147:18 Or he sends his wind on them 3. Psalm 147:18 The words ice and snow are added to clarify the antecedents.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 24Psalm 146LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 24

Psalm 146 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1224db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 146Praise Him for ProtectionPraise for Protection1 Praise the Lord. [1]

A Lifetime of PraisePraise the Lord, O my soul.
2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live.
I will make music to my God as long as I exist.

No Help in Humans3 Do not trust in human helpers, [2]
in a mortal man who cannot save you.
4 His spirit departs.
He returns to the ground he came from.
On that day, his plans have perished.

Help in the Lord5 Blessed is everyone who has the God of Jacob as his help.
His hope is in the Lord his God,
6 the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything which is in them.
He is the one who stays faithful forever.
7 He obtains justice for the oppressed.
He gives food to the hungry.
The Lord releases prisoners.
8 The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down.
The Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the aliens.
The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
but he turns aside the way of the wicked.

An Eternity for Praise10 The Lord reigns forever.
Your God, O Zion, rules for all generations.
Praise the Lord.

Footnotes1. Psalm 146:1 Hebrew hallelu Yah 2. Psalm 146:3 The Hebrew word refers to rich people who have the willingness and the means to help the needy.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 23Psalm 145LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 23

Psalm 145 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1223db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 145The Lord Is Worthy of PraiseHeadingA song of praise. By David.Praise1 I will exalt you, my God, the King,
and I will bless your name forever and ever.
2 Every day I will bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.

Proclamation of His Greatness3 Great is the Lord and worthy of great praise,
and there are no limits to the extent of his greatness.

Praise4 One generation will praise your deeds to another,
and they will declare your mighty acts.
5 I will contemplate the glorious splendor of your majesty
and the accounts of your wonderful works.
6 Then they will speak about the power of your awesome works,
and I will tell about your great deeds.
7 They will pour forth the memory of your abundant goodness
and sing loudly about your righteousness.

Proclamation of His Grace8 The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and great in mercy.
9 The Lord is good to all.
His compassion extends over all he has made.

Praise10 Everyone you have made will thank you, O Lord,
and the ones you favor will bless you.
11 They will tell about the glory of your kingdom,
and they will speak about your might,
12 to make known his might to the children of Adam,
to make known the glorious splendor of his kingdom.

Proclamation of His Kingdom13 Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The Lord is faithful to all his words
and merciful toward all he has made. [1]
14 The Lord lifts up all who fall,
and he supports all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look eagerly to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.
16 He opens his hand,
and he satisfies the desire of every living thing. [2]
17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and merciful toward all that he has made.
18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He grants the desire of those who fear him.
He hears their cry and saves them.
20 The Lord watches over all who love him,
but he will destroy all the wicked.

Praise21 My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord.
Let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

Footnotes1. Psalm 145:13 The second half of verse 13 does not appear in the Hebrew text, but it is in the Greek version of the Old Testament and a Dead Sea Scroll. 2. Psalm 145:16 Switching back and forth between second and third person verbs and pronouns is common in psalms.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 22Psalm 144LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 22

Psalm 144 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1222db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 144A Prayer for the NationHeadingBy David.Praise1 Blessed be the Lord my Rock,
who trains my hands for battle,
my fingers for war.
2 He shows me mercy.
He is my stronghold, my high fortress.
He is my deliverer and my shield,
so I take refuge in him.
He subdues peoples [1] under me.

Need3 Lord, what is man that you notice him,
the son of man that you consider him?
4 Man is like a breath. [2]
His days are like a passing shadow.

Petition5 Lord, rip open your heavens and come down.
Touch the mountains so that they smoke.
6 Send out lightning and scatter them.
Shoot your arrows and rout them.
7 Reach down your hand from on high.
Rescue me and snatch me from the mighty waters,
from the hand of foreigners 8 whose mouths speak lies,
who raise their right hands to a false oath. [3]

Praise9 God, I will sing a new song to you.
On the ten-stringed harp I will make music to you,
10 to you who gives victory to kings,
to you who delivers David his servant from the evil sword.

Petition11 Rescue me and snatch me from the hand of foreigners
whose mouths speak lies,
who raise their right hands to a false oath.

The Results of Victory12 Then our sons in their youth will be like full-grown plants.
Our daughters will be like corner pillars carved to decorate a palace.
13 Our storehouses will be filled with produce of every kind.
Our flocks will increase by thousands,
by tens of thousands in our countryside.
14 Our oxen will pull heavy loads.
There will be no breaking through our walls,
no exile into captivity,
no cry of distress in our city squares.
15 How blessed are the people for whom this is so.
How blessed are the people whose God is the Lord.

Footnotes1. Psalm 144:2 Hebrew variant. The main Hebrew reading is my people. 2. Psalm 144:4 Or vapor 3. Psalm 144:8 Literally their right hand a right hand of falseness

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 21Psalm 142 – 143LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 21

Psalm 142 – 143 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1221db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 142When My Spirit Grows FaintHeadingA maskil [1] by David. When he was in the cave. [2] A prayer.

A Prayer for the Weary1 With my voice I cry out to the Lord.
With my voice I call to the Lord for mercy.
2 I pour out my complaint before him.
I tell my distress before him.
3 When my spirit grows faint within me,
you are the one who knows my course.
On the path where I walk they have hidden a snare for me.
4 Look to my right and see.
There is no one who recognizes me.
There is no escape for me.
No one cares about my life.
5 I cry out to you, Lord.
I say, “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.”
6 Pay attention to my loud cry,
because I am very weak.
Rescue me from those who pursue me,
because they are too strong for me.
7 Set me free from my prison,
so I can give thanks to your name.
Then the righteous will gather around me,
because you have accomplished your purpose for me.

Psalm 143Do Not Bring Your Servant Into JudgmentHeadingA psalm by David.Prayer for Forgiveness1 Lord, hear my prayer.
Give ear to my cry for mercy.
In your faithfulness, answer me in your righteousness.
2 Do not bring charges against your servant,
because no one living can be righteous before you.

The Problem3 For the enemy pursues my soul.
He crushes my life to the ground.
He makes me dwell in dark places like those long dead,
4 so my spirit grows faint inside me.
Within me my heart is devastated.

The Reason for Hope5 I remember the days of long ago.
I meditate on all your works,
and I consider what your hands have done.
6 I spread out my hands to you. Interlude
My soul thirsts for you like a weary land.

The Prayer7 Hurry! Answer me, Lord.
My spirit fails.
Do not hide your face from me,
or I will be like those who go down to the pit.
8 Let me hear about your mercy in the morning,
for I trust in you.
Teach me the way that I should go,
for I lift up my soul to you.
9 Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord,
for I hide myself in you.
10 Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God.
May your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
11 For the sake of your name, O Lord, preserve my life.
In your righteousness, bring me out of trouble.
12 In your mercy, wipe out my enemies,
and destroy all who threaten my life,
for I am your servant.

Footnotes1. Psalm 142:1 A maskil is a type of hymn. It means a song that makes one wise or a skillful song. 2. Psalm 142:1 The cave at Adullam in 1 Samuel 22 or the cave at En Gedi in 1 Samuel 24

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 20Psalm 140 – 141LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 20

Psalm 140 – 141 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1220db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 140Rescue Me From Evil MenHeadingFor the choir director. A psalm by David.Plea for Deliverance1 Keep me safe, Lord, from the evil man.
Protect me from the violent man,
2 who plans evil in his heart.
Every day they gather for battle.
3 They sharpen their tongues like a snake. Interlude
The poison of vipers is under their lips.
4 Keep me safe, Lord, from the hands of the wicked.
Protect me from the violent man, who plans to trip my feet.
5 The proud have hidden a snare for me, and ropes. [1]
They have spread out a net along my route. Interlude
They have set traps for me.

Confidence6 I say to the Lord, “You are my God.”
Hear, O Lord, the sound of my cry for mercy.
7 O Lord, my Lord, the strength of my salvation,
you cover my head on the day for weapons.
8 Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked.
Do not let their scheme succeed when they rise up. [2] Interlude

Plea for Justice9 May the trouble caused by their lips
fall on the heads of those who surround me.
10 Let burning coals fall on them.
Cause them to fall into the fire,
or into pits from which they will never rise.
11 Do not let the slanderer [3] be established in the land.
As for the man of violence—
may evil hunt him and beat him down.

Confidence12 I know that the Lord will provide justice for the oppressed,
judgment for the poor.
13 Surely the righteous will give thanks to your name.
The upright will live in your presence.

Psalm 141Guard My Lips and HeartHeadingA psalm by David.Accept My Prayer1 Lord, I call to you. Hurry to me.
Turn your ear toward my voice when I call to you.
2 May my prayer linger before you like incense,
the lifting up of my hands like an evening offering.

Guard My Heart and Mouth3 Set a guard over my mouth, Lord.
Keep watch over the door of my lips.
4 Do not let my heart turn toward anything evil,
to take part in wicked deeds with men who do evil.
Let me not taste their delicacies.

Correct Me5 Let a righteous man strike me—it is mercy.
Let him rebuke me—it is lotion [4] on my head.
My head will not refuse it.

Reject the WickedBut my prayer is still against their evil deeds.
6 Their rulers will be thrown down by the sides of the cliff,
and they will hear that my words were pleasant.
7 They will say, [5] “As one splits and breaks up the earth,
so our bones have been scattered at the mouth of the grave.”

Closing Plea8 But my eyes look to you, Lord God. [6]
In you I take refuge. Do not take away my life.
9 Keep me from the snares they have set for me,
from the traps of the evildoers.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by safely.

Footnotes1. Psalm 140:5 This word seems to dangle and is omitted by many translators. 2. Psalm 140:8 Or so that they are not exalted 3. Psalm 140:11 Or boaster 4. Psalm 141:5 Literally oil 5. Psalm 141:7 The words they will say are added to clarify who is speaking. 6. Psalm 141:8 Yahweh Adonai, which the Jews read as if it was God the Lord

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 19Psalm 139LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 19

Psalm 139 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1219db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Psalm 139God’s Attributes—Too Wonderful for Me!HeadingFor the choir director. By David. A psalm.God Is All-Knowing1 Lord, you have investigated me,
and you know.
2 You know when I sit down and when I get up.
You understand my thoughts from far off.
3 You keep track of when I travel and when I stay, [1]
and you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before there is a word on my tongue,
you, Lord, already know it completely.
5 You put a fence behind me and in front of me,
and you have placed your hand on me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me.
It is too high—I cannot grasp it.

God Is Present Everywhere7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your Presence? [2]
8 If I go up to heaven, you are there.
If I make my bed in hell—there you are!
9 I rise on the wings of dawn.
I settle on the far side of the sea.
10 Even there your hand guides me,
and your right hand holds on to me.
11 And if I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light will become night around me,”
12 then even the darkness will not be too dark for you.
The night will be as light as the day.
Darkness and light are the same to you.

God Is Powerful and Good13 For you created my inner organs. [3]
You wove me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Your works are wonderful,
and my soul knows that very well.
15 My bones were not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unfinished body.
In your book all of them were written.
Days were determined, before any of them existed.
17 Your thoughts to me are so precious, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
18 If I would count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
I awake, and I am still with you.

God Is Holy19 If only you would slay the wicked, O God,
so that bloody men would depart from me,
20 men who speak against you maliciously.
Your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord,
and detest those who rise up against you?
22 I absolutely hate them. To me they are enemies.
23 Investigate me, God, and know my heart.
Test me and know my troubled thoughts.
24 See if there is any way in me that causes pain,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

Footnotes1. Psalm 139:3 Literally you winnow my path and my crouching down 2. Psalm 139:7 Or presence. Presence can be a name for God or for the second person of the Trinity. 3. Psalm 139:13 Literally kidneys. The kidneys were thought of as a center of emotion.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 18Daniel 11:21 – 12:13LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 18

Daniel 11:21 – 12:13 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1218db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Daniel 11Antiochus IV21 A despicable person will arise in his place, but they will not confer the royal majesty upon him. He will come when the kingdom is at ease and seize it through smooth, slippery talk. 22 A powerful force will be overpowered by him and broken, together with a leader of the covenant. 23 After an alliance is made with the leader of the covenant, the despicable person will act deceitfully. He will rise up and become powerful with a small nation. 24 He will come to the richest parts of the province when it is at ease, and he will do what his fathers and his fathers’ fathers did not do. He will distribute plunder and property to them. He will come up with plans against strongholds, but only for a time.

25 He will awaken his power and his courage against the King of the South with a great army. The King of the South will stir himself up for battle with a very great and powerful army, but he will not succeed because schemes will be plotted against him. 26 Those who eat his special royal food will try to break him, and his army will be swept away. Many will fall, struck down in battle.

27 The two kings, whose hearts are bent to evil, will sit at one table and lie to each other, but this scheming will not succeed, because the end is still set for an appointed time. 28 The King of the North will return to his land with a lot of captured possessions and with his heart set against the holy covenant. He will take action and then return to his own land.

29 At the appointed time he will return and come into the South again, but this later invasion will not turn out like the first invasion. 30 Ships from Kittim will come against him, and he will be humbled. [1]

Then he will turn and become furious against the holy covenant and take action. He will return and show favor to those who abandon the holy covenant. 31 His forces will arise, profane the temple fortress, abolish the continual daily sacrifice, and set up the abominable thing that causes desolation. 32 So he will corrupt wicked men of the covenant with smooth talk, but a people who know their God will be strong and take action.

33 Those of the people who have insight will make many understand, but they will fall by the sword, and to flames, captivity, and plunder for some time. 34 However, when they stumble, they will be aided by a little help, and many will join them insincerely. 35 Some of those who have insight will stumble so that they may be refined, purified, and made white until the time of the end, for it is still set for an appointed time.

The Antichrist and the Time of the End [2]36 The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt himself and magnify himself over every god, and he will speak amazing things against the God of Gods. He will prosper until furious anger is completed, because what has been determined shall be done. 37 He will not favor the God of his fathers. He also will not favor the desire of women or any god, because he will exalt himself above all of them. 38 He will honor a god of fortresses in their place. He will honor a god whom his fathers did not know with gold, silver, precious stones, and very valuable things. 39 He will deal with strong fortresses with the help of a foreign god. To all who acknowledge him, he will give great honor and make them rulers over many people. What is more, he will parcel out land for a price.

40 Then, at the time of the end, the King of the South will wage war against him, and the King of the North will storm out against him with chariots, horsemen, and many ships. He will enter countries like a flood and overflow them. 41 He will enter the beautiful land, and many will stumble. However, these nations will be delivered from his power: Edom, Moab, and the best of the Ammonites. 42 He will seek to harm countries, and the land of Egypt will not be one that escapes. 43 He will rule over the treasures of gold and silver and over all of the very valuable things of Egypt. Libyans and Cushites will be within his grasp. 44 However, reports from the east and from the north will terrify him. He will go out in great anger to destroy and to completely wipe out many. 45 He will pitch his royal tents between the seas toward the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and there will be no one to help him.

The Resurrection to Eternal LifeDaniel 121 Then at that time, Michael, the great prince who stands over your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress that has not happened from the first time that there was a nation until that time.

At that time your people will be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. 2 Many who are sleeping in the dusty ground will awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame, to everlasting contempt. 3 Those who have insight will shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who bring many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever. 4 Now you, Daniel, close up the words and seal the scroll until the time of the end. Many will continue running back and forth, and knowledge will increase.

The Messenger Concludes His Revelation5 I, Daniel, looked, and there were two others standing there, one on the near bank of the river and the other on the far bank of the river. 6 Someone said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long until the end of these amazing things?” 7 Then I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river. He raised his right hand and his left hand to heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and then, when the rejection of the holy people is finished, all these things will be finished. [3]

8 I myself heard, but I did not understand. So I said, “Lord, what will be the end result of these things?”

9 He said:

Go, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many will be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly. None of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.

11 From the time when the regular daily offering is removed and an abominable thing that causes desolation is set up, there will be one thousand two hundred ninety days. 12 Blessed is the one who waits and reaches one thousand three hundred thirty-five days.

13 But you, go on your way to the end. You will rest and rise to your assigned inheritance at the end of the days.

Footnotes1. Daniel 11:30 Antiochus IV would have successfully conquered Egypt, but he was thwarted by Roman intervention. In his rage he turned against the Jews and instigated a great persecution which led to the Maccabean revolt. 2. Daniel 11:36 When we reach the end of this section, we will be at the Last Day. Without notice, the topic morphs gradually from Antiochus, who is the Old Testament type of the Antichrist, to the Antichrist himself. 3. Daniel 12:7 Or when the power of the holy people has been completely broken, all these things will be completed

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 17Daniel 11:2-20LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 17

Daniel 11:2-20 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1217db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Daniel 11The Messenger Reveals Future Battles [1]Xerxes of Persia [2]2 Now I will tell you the truth: Look, three more kings will arise for Persia. Then the fourth one will gain great riches, more than anyone else. As he becomes strong through his riches, he will stir everyone up against the kingdom of Greece.

Alexander the Great [3]3 A warrior king will arise. He will rule a great dominion and will do as he pleases. 4 But as he rises, his kingdom will be broken and be divided to the four winds of heaven, but it will not be passed on to his descendants. It will not be ruled with the same ruling power with which he ruled, because his kingdom will be uprooted and given to others besides these.

The Ptolemies Versus the Seleucids [4]5 The King of the South will become strong, but one of his commanders will become stronger than he and rule a dominion greater than his. [5]

6 After some years, they will make an alliance. The daughter of the King of the South will come to the King of the North and make a fair agreement. However, she will not keep the strength of her arm, and he and his arm [6] will not endure. She will be given up—she and those who brought her, the one who fathered her, [7] and the one who strengthened her during these times. [8]

7 But one who is a branch from her root will arise in his place. [9] He will come against the army and come into the fortress of the King of the North. He will make war with them and win. 8 He will also take their gods captive to Egypt with their cast images and with their valuable silver and gold vessels. For some years he will leave the King of the North alone. 9 But the King of the North will come into the kingdom of the King of the South. Then he will return to his own land.

10 His sons [10] will stir themselves up and will gather a huge force of many armies, which will keep coming like an overflowing flood. They will stir themselves up again as far as his fortress. [11]

11 The King of the South will be enraged. He will go out and fight with the King of the North. The King of the North will raise up a great army, but the army will be handed over to the King of the South. 12 When the King of the North’s army is swept away, and the King of the South becomes arrogant, though he will cause tens of thousands to fall, he will not win. [12]

Antiochus the Great13 The King of the North will again raise an army, which will be greater than the first army, and after some years he will keep coming with a great army and many supplies. 14 In those times, many will rise up against the King of the South. Violent men from your own people will lift themselves up in fulfillment of this vision, but they will fail. 15 The King of the North will come and build siege works and capture a fortified city. The forces of the south will not stand, not even its best troops, because they will have no strength to stand. 16 The one who comes against him [13] will do as he pleases, and no one will stand in his way. He will stand in the beautiful land, [14] and it will be completely in his power. 17 He will be determined to come with the power of his entire kingdom and to bring a treaty with him, which he will enforce. He will give his daughter to the King of the South in marriage in order to destroy the southern kingdom. But his plan will not succeed or turn out to his advantage. 18 He will focus his attack on the coastlands and capture many. However, a commander will put an end to his insolence. Moreover, he will make him pay for his insolence. 19 Then the King of the North will turn his face toward the fortresses of his land. He will stumble and fall and not be found. [15]

20 Then one will arise in his place who will send an oppressive tax collector for the glory of his kingdom. However, in a few days he will be broken, but not in anger or battle.

Footnotes1. Daniel 11:2 This prophecy, which continues into chapter 12, extends from Daniel’s time till the end of the world. Understanding this chapter requires considerable knowledge of history, so the EHV includes more footnotes here than it usually does. For more information, consult commentaries and study Bibles. 2. Daniel 11:2 Esther’s husband Xerxes led a huge expedition against Greece that ended in failure in 480 bc. 3. Daniel 11:3 Alexander of Macedon very quickly built up a great empire that stretched from Greece to India, about 330 years before Christ. 4. Daniel 11:5 This is both one of the most amazing prophecies and one of the most difficult. Daniel, who lived in the 6th century bc, foretells in great detail events that happen from about 330 bc to 150 bc. The Ptolemies of Egypt and the Seleucids of Syria were two of the dynasties that succeeded Alexander. The Jews got caught in the middle of the conflict between them, and this led to a great persecution of the Jews. Consult commentaries and study Bibles for more details on this very complicated history. 5. Daniel 11:5 The King of the South is Ptolemy of Egypt and his successors. The King of the North is Seleucus, a subordinate of Ptolemy who gained power in Syria, and his successors. 6. Daniel 11:6 Variant seed, that is, descendant. The words for arm and seed look very much alike in Hebrew. 7. Daniel 11:6 Variant her child 8. Daniel 11:6 The kings are Ptolemy II and Antiochus II. The daughter of Ptolemy is Bernice, who was married to Antiochus. Antiochus eventually divorced Bernice and remarried his former wife Laodice, who then poisoned Antiochus, killed Bernice, and installed her own son as Seleucus II. 9. Daniel 11:7 Bernice’s brother, Ptolemy III, warred against Seleucus II. 10. Daniel 11:10 The sons of Seleucus II were Seleucus III and Antiochus III the Great. They fought against the Ptolemies. 11. Daniel 11:10 The line of thought in this verse is difficult to follow. 12. Daniel 11:12 This King of the South is Ptolemy IV. 13. Daniel 11:16 That is, the King of the North, who comes against the King of the South 14. Daniel 11:16 That is, Israel 15. Daniel 11:19 Antiochus the Great had success against both Egypt and Greece, but his plans were frustrated by the intervention of the Romans. It was at this time that Israel, which was between Syria and Egypt, got caught up in the conflict.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 16Daniel 10:1 – 11:1LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 16

Daniel 10:1 – 11:1 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1216db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Daniel’s Vision of a MessengerDaniel 101 In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, [1] a message was revealed to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar. Now the message was true. It was about a great war. He understood the message, and understanding came to him through the vision.

2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three whole weeks. 3 I ate no expensive food, and no meat or wine entered my mouth. I did not anoint myself at all until the completion of three whole weeks.

4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, I was beside the Great River, that is, the Tigris. 5 I looked up, and there, right in front of me, I saw a man dressed in linen. Around his waist he was wearing a belt made from gold of Uphaz. 6 His body was like topaz, and his face looked like lightning. His eyes were like burning torches, and his arms and feet were like polished bronze. The sound of his words was like the sound of an army.

7 Only I, Daniel, saw the vision. The men who were with me did not see the vision, but they were overwhelmed by fear and trembling, so they ran away to hide. 8 I was left alone, and I saw this great vision. No strength was left in me. My appearance changed for the worse. I became very pale, [2] and I had no strength. 9 I heard the sound of his words, but as I heard the sound of his words, I was in a deep sleep, facedown, with my face to the ground.

10 Then a hand touched me and pulled me up, trembling, to my hands and knees. 11 He said to me, “Daniel, you are a highly valued man. Understand the words that I am speaking to you. Stand up where you are, because now I have been sent to you.” When he spoke this word to me, I stood up, shaking.

12 He said to me, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, because from the first day that you began to commit your heart to gaining understanding and to humbling yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come in response to your words. 13 However, an officer of the kingdom of Persia was standing against me for twenty-one days. Yet Michael, one of the chief officers, came to help me, for I had been left there against the kings of Persia. 14 I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the latter days, because the vision concerns days still to come.”

15 As he spoke these words to me, I pressed my face to the ground and was silent. 16 Then someone whose form was like a son of man was touching my lips. So I opened my mouth and spoke and said to the one standing in front of me, “My lord, pain has come upon me in the vision, and I have no strength left in me. 17 How can this servant of my lord speak with my lord? And I, from now on—no strength remains in me, and no breath is left in me.”

18 The one whose appearance was like a man touched me again and strengthened me. 19 He said to me, “Do not be afraid, you highly valued man. Peace to you. Be strong! Be strong!”

As he spoke with me I was strengthened, and I said, “Keep speaking, my lord, because you strengthen me.”

20 He said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Now I will return to fight against the official of Persia. But after I leave that battle, the prince of Greece will come. 21 Nevertheless, I will tell you what is inscribed in the Book of Truth. No one is supporting me against these enemies except Michael, your prince. 11 1 In the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to strengthen and protect him.” [3]

Footnotes1. Daniel 10:1 About 536 bc 2. Daniel 10:8 Literally my splendor was changed upon me to destruction 3. Daniel 11:1 A debated issue is whether the last angel is Christ. This angel both helps Michael, the archangel, and is helped by Michael.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 15Daniel 9:20-27LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 15

Daniel 9:20-27 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1215db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Daniel 9Gabriel Explains Jerusalem’s Future20 While I was still speaking, praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, I was casting my prayer for grace, concerning the holy mountain of my God, before the Lord my God, 21 while I was still speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the first vision, touched me. I was completely exhausted. [1] It was about the time of the evening sacrifice. 22 He instructed me, “Daniel, now I have come to give you insight with understanding. 23 At the beginning of your plea for grace, a word went out, and I came to declare it to you, because you are very treasured. So pay attention to the word and understand the vision.”

The Vision of Seventy Sevens24 Seventy sevens [2] are determined concerning your people and your holy city:

to end rebellion,
to finish sin,
and to atone for guilt,
to bring everlasting righteousness,
to seal up prophetic vision,
and to anoint a most holy one. [3]

25 You should know and have insight. From the going out of a word to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until an anointed one, [4] a ruler, comes, there will be seven sevens and sixty-two sevens. [5] Jerusalem will be rebuilt with public squares and a moat, but during troubled times.

26 Then after the sixty-two sevens, the anointed one will be cut off and have nothing. Both the city and the holy place will be destroyed by the people of a ruler who is coming, [6] and its end will be with a flood. There will be war until the end, and desolations have been decreed.

27 He [7] will confirm a covenant for the many during one seven. In the middle of the seven, he will cause sacrifice and offering to cease.

On the wing of abominations is one who causes desolation, until the decreed end is poured out on the one who causes desolation.

Footnotes1. Daniel 9:21 Or he came to me in swift flight 2. Daniel 9:24 A form of the word seven is used, but it is not the term Daniel uses for an ordinary week of seven days. The “weeks” in this prophecy probably represent periods of seven years. 3. Daniel 9:24 The Hebrew phrase is not the usual expression for the Holy of Holies. Here it may refer to a holy person, the Messiah. 4. Daniel 9:25 The Hebrew word used here is the source of the English term Messiah and the Greek term Christ. 5. Daniel 9:25 The seven sevens extend from Daniel to Nehemiah and the sixty-two sevens from Nehemiah to Christ. 6. Daniel 9:26 Titus, the Roman general who destroyed Jerusalem in 70 ad 7. Daniel 9:27 The Messiah

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 14Daniel 9:1-19LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 14

Daniel 9:1-19 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1214db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Daniel 9Daniel’s Prayer1 In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes, [1] who was a Mede by descent and who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans— 2 in the first year of his reign, [2] I, Daniel, understood from the scrolls that, according to the word of the Lord given to the prophet Jeremiah, the number of years it would take to complete the devastation of Jerusalem was seventy years.

3 With fasting, sackcloth, and ashes I turned my face to the Lord God to seek him in prayer and to plead for grace. 4 I prayed to the Lord, my God, and I made confession.

Please, Lord, you are the great God, who is to be feared, [3] who keeps the covenant, and who shows mercy to those who love him and keep his commands. 5 We have sinned. We have been guilty. We have acted wickedly. We have rebelled and turned aside from your commands and standards. 6 We did not listen to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, officials, and fathers and to all the people of the land.

7 Righteousness is yours, Lord, but we are filled with shame this day—we the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, both near and far, in all the lands where you have banished them because of the treachery with which they betrayed you. 8 Lord, we are filled with shame—our kings, our officials, and our fathers, who sinned against you. 9 Acts of compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord our God, even though we have rebelled against him. 10 We did not listen to the voice of the Lord our God by walking according to his laws that he set before us through the hand of his servants, the prophets. 11 All Israel violated your law and turned away by not listening to your voice. So you poured out the curse on us and fulfilled the oath that is written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, because we sinned against him.

12 God has fulfilled the words that he spoke against us and against our judges by bringing such a great disaster upon us. What was done in Jerusalem has never been done under all of heaven. 13 As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster came upon us, but we did not seek the favor of the Lord our God to turn from our guilt and to gain insight into your truth. 14 Therefore, the Lord watched over the disaster and brought it upon us, because the Lord our God is righteous in everything he does, but we did not listen to his voice.

15 And now, Lord our God, you who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made a name for yourself to this very day, we have sinned, we have acted wickedly. 16 Lord, according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain, although, because of our sins and the guilt of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people are viewed with contempt by everyone around us.

17 Now listen, our God, to the prayer of your servant and to his plea for grace, and let your face shine upon your desolate sanctuary for your sake, my Lord. 18 My God, turn your ear toward us and listen. Open your eyes and see the desolation that is upon us and the city that is called by your name. No, it is not because of our righteous acts that we are casting our plea for grace before you, but because of your great acts of compassion. 19 Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, pay attention! Act, and do not delay—for your sake, my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.

Footnotes1. Daniel 9:1 Hebrew Ahasuerus. The later Persian king who had this name is called Xerxes in Esther. Xerxes is the Greek form of this name. The Darius referred to here is either Cyrus the Persian or one of his deputies. 2. Daniel 9:2 In 539 bc 3. Daniel 9:4 Or revered

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 13Daniel 8LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 13

Daniel 8 (EHV)
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Daniel’s Vision of the Ram and the Goat1 In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar, [1] a vision appeared to me—I, Daniel—after the one that appeared to me previously.

2 I saw the vision, and as I watched, I was in the citadel [2] of Susa, which is in the province of Elam. I saw in the vision that I was beside the Ulai Canal. 3 I looked up and right there in front of me I saw a ram standing beside the canal. He had two horns. The two horns were large. One, however, was larger than the other, but the larger one had grown up later. 4 I saw the ram pushing toward the west, north, and south, and no beast was able to stand in his way. Nothing could rescue anyone from his power. So he did as he pleased and made himself great.

5 As I was thinking about this, I saw a male goat coming from the west, moving across the surface of the whole earth without touching the ground. The goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes. 6 He came up to the ram with the two horns that I saw standing beside the canal, and he ran at him with fierce anger. 7 I saw him coming up to the ram, and he was enraged against him. He struck the ram and broke his two horns. The ram had no power to stand up against him, so the goat threw the ram to the ground and trampled him. There was no one who could rescue the ram from his power.

8 The male goat made himself very great. But as he became strong, his large horn was broken, and four conspicuous horns grew up in its place toward the four winds of heaven.

9 Then from one of these horns a single horn came up. It began small, but it became very large toward the south and the east and toward the beautiful land. 10 It exalted itself against the army of heaven. It made some of that army and some of the stars fall to earth, and it trampled them. 11 It exalted itself against the Prince of the Army. It deprived him of the continual sacrifice, and the place of his sanctuary was thrown down. 12 The army and the continual sacrifice will be handed over to the horn during the rebellion, and it will throw truth to the ground. It will succeed in doing this.

13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one speaking, “How long is the vision about the continual sacrifice and the rebellion that causes desolation going to last—this handing over of both the Holy Place and the army to be trampled?”

14 He said to him, “Until two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings, and then the Holy Place will be consecrated.”

Gabriel Explains the Vision of the Ram and the Goat15 When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I tried to understand it. Then suddenly there was someone standing in front of me who had the appearance of a man. 16 I heard a human voice coming from between the banks of the Ulai. It called out and said, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.”

17 So he came beside the spot where I stood, and when he came, I was terrified and fell facedown. He said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the vision concerns the time of the end.” 18 When he had spoken with me, I fell into a deep sleep, facedown on the ground. He touched me and made me stand up.

19 He said, “Listen, I am about to make known to you what will happen during the last part of the furious anger, because this concerns the appointed time of the end.

20 “The ram that you saw had two horns, the kings of Media and Persia. 21 The male goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes is the first king. [3] 22 He is the one who was broken, and four others arose in his place. Four kingdoms will arise from his nation, but not with the same power he had.

23 “In the latter part of their kingdom, when the rebels have reached their full measure, a merciless king who understands intrigue will arise. [4] 24 His power will be very great, but not from his own power. He will destroy wonderful things, and he will succeed in doing this. He will destroy mighty men [5] and the people of the saints. 25 Through his cunning, he will deceive in order to succeed by his power and will also exalt himself in his heart. He will destroy many who are at ease, [6] and he will rise up against the Prince of Princes. However, he will be broken, but not by human power. 26 The vision of the evenings and the mornings that was spoken is true. But you—seal the vision, because it concerns a time many days in the future.”

27 I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick for days. Then I got up and carried out the king’s business. I was stunned by the vision, but I did not understand it.

Footnotes1. Daniel 8:1 About 551 bc, after Daniel had been in exile more than 50 years 2. Daniel 8:2 The term citadel or fortress-city identifies a city as one of the capital cities of the Persian Empire. Persia and Elam are located in present-day Iran. 3. Daniel 8:21 Alexander the Great of Macedon, around 330 bc 4. Daniel 8:23 This section predicts the persecution of the Jews by Antiochus Epiphanes in about 168 bc. See chapter 11. 5. Daniel 8:24 Or many people 6. Daniel 8:25 Or unsuspecting

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 12Daniel 7LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 12

Daniel 7 (EHV)
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Daniel’s Vision of Four Beasts1 In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, [1] Daniel had a dream. When he was on his bed, he saw visions in his head. Then he wrote down the dream by recording the main points.

2 Daniel said:

During my visions at night, I was watching and saw the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea. 3 Four large beasts were coming out of the sea, each one different from the others.

4 The first was like a lion. It had wings like an eagle. I kept watching until its wings were plucked off. Then it was lifted up from the earth so that it stood on its feet like a man, and a man’s mind was given to it.

5 Then another appeared, a second beast that looked like a bear. It was raised up on one side. Three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth. This is what was being said to it: “Arise, devour much flesh.”

6 After this, I kept watching and another beast appeared which was like a leopard. It had four bird wings on its back. The beast had four heads, and dominion [2] was given to it.

7 After this, I kept watching the night visions, and another beast appeared. The fourth beast was frightening and terrifying and very strong. It had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed. With its feet it trampled whatever was left. Now it was different from all the beasts that came before it. It had ten horns.

8 I was thinking about the horns when suddenly another horn, a little one, came up among them. Three of the horns that had already been there were uprooted to make room for it. I noticed eyes like human eyes on that horn, and it had a mouth which was speaking boastfully.

The Coming of the Son of Man9 I continued to watch until thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days was seated. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair on his head was like pure wool. His throne was flames of fire. Its wheels were blazing fire. 10 A river of fire flowed out from his presence. Thousands upon thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and books were opened.

11 I kept paying attention to the sound of the boastful words that the horn was speaking. I kept watching until the beast was killed, and its body was destroyed and thrown into the burning fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion had been taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a set period of time.

13 I kept watching the night visions, and there, in the clouds of heaven, I saw one like a son of man [3] coming. He came to the Ancient of Days, and he was brought before him. 14 To him was given dominion, honor, and a kingdom. All peoples, nations, and languages will worship him. His dominion is an eternal dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.

An Angel Explains the Four Beasts15 I, Daniel—my spirit was distressed within my body, and the visions in my head disturbed me. 16 I approached one of those standing there, and I asked him for the truth about all this. So he spoke to me and made the meaning of these visions clear to me. 17 “These great beasts are four kings who will arise from the earth. 18 But the saints [4] of the Most High will receive the kingdom, and they will possess the kingdom forever—yes, forever and ever.”

19 Then I wanted to be certain about that fourth beast that was different from all the others. It was very frightening. Its teeth were iron, and its claws were bronze. It devoured and crushed, and whatever was left it trampled with its feet. 20 I also wanted to be certain about the ten horns on its head, about the other horn that came up, and about the three horns that fell to make room for it. What is more, that horn had eyes and a mouth that was speaking boastful things. Its appearance was greater than that of the other horns that were with it. 21 I kept watching, and that horn made war against the saints and prevailed over them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was rendered in favor of the saints of the Most High. Then the time came, and the saints took possession of the kingdom.

23 So this is what he said to me:

The fourth beast is the fourth kingdom that will come on the earth. It will be different from all the kingdoms. It will devour the entire earth, trample it, and smash it. 24 As for the ten horns—ten kings will arise from that kingdom, and another king will arise after them. He will be different from the previous ones, and he will humble three kings. 25 He will speak words against the Most High so that he will wear down the saints of the Most High. Moreover, he has plans to change times and the law. So the saints will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.

The Establishment of the Kingdom of God26 Then the court will be seated, and the horn’s dominion will be taken away in order to destroy it and wipe it out forever. 27 But the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under all the heavens will be given to the people, to the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an eternal kingdom, and all dominions will worship and obey him.

28 This was the end of the matter. I, Daniel—my thoughts troubled me greatly. My appearance changed and my face became pale, but I kept the matter to myself.

Footnotes1. Daniel 7:1 About 553 bc, after Daniel had been in exile more than 50 years 2. Daniel 7:6 Or authority to rule 3. Daniel 7:13 This prophecy forms the basis of Jesus’ use of the title Son of Man. At this point the words son of man are not yet a title but a description. Later, Son of Man is a title that indicates not only Jesus’ humanity but also his deity, since it reminds us that he ruled with God the Father from eternity. 4. Daniel 7:18 Or holy people

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 11Daniel 6LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 11

Daniel 6 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1211db.mp3
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Daniel Is Rescued From the Lions’ Den1 It seemed like a good plan to Darius to appoint one hundred twenty satraps over the kingdom. They were to rule throughout the kingdom. 2 Above them there would be three supervisors (Daniel was one of them) to whom these satraps would report, so that the king would not suffer any loss. 3 It came about that this Daniel distinguished himself above the supervisors and satraps, because there was an outstanding spirit in him. So the king intended to promote him so that he would be in charge of the entire kingdom.

4 Then the supervisors and satraps kept trying to find a basis for an accusation against Daniel in regard to his administration of the kingdom. However, they were unable to come up with an accusation or any evidence of corruption, because he was trustworthy and no neglect of duty or evidence of corruption could be found against him. 5 Then these men said, “We will not find any accusation to bring against this Daniel unless we find something against him concerning the law of his God.”

6 So these supervisors and satraps came as a group to the king and said this to him, “Darius, Your Majesty, may you live forever! 7 All the supervisors of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the advisors and the governors advise the king to establish and enforce a decree that prohibits anyone to pray a prayer to any god or person for thirty days except to you, Your Majesty. Anyone who does so will be thrown into the den [1] of lions. 8 Now Your Majesty, please establish the decree and sign a document that cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians that cannot be revoked.”

9 That is why King Darius signed the written decree.

10 Now, when Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went to his house. It had windows on its upper story that opened toward Jerusalem. Three times each day he would get on his knees and pray and offer praise before his God. He continued to do that, just as he had been doing before this. 11 Then these men came as a group and found Daniel praying and seeking favor from his God.

12 They then went and asked the king about the decree. “Your Majesty, did you not sign a decree that anyone who prays to any god or person for thirty days except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the den of lions?”

The king answered, “Indeed I did. The order is established as a law of the Medes and the Persians that cannot be revoked.”

13 Then they responded to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, does not pay attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree that you signed. Instead, three times each day he is praying his prayers.”

14 When the king heard this report, he was very upset about it, but he was determined to save Daniel. So until sunset he worked hard to rescue him. 15 Then these men came as a group to the king and kept saying to the king, “You know, Your Majesty, that it is the law of the Medes and the Persians that every decree or statute that the king establishes cannot be changed.”

16 Then the king gave the order, and Daniel was brought and thrown into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you.” 17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the pit. The king sealed it with his signet ring and the signet rings of his nobles so that nothing could be changed with regard to Daniel’s situation. 18 Then the king went to his palace. He spent the night without food, and no entertainment was brought before him. But he could not sleep.

19 At dawn the king arose as soon as it was light and hurried to the lions’ den. 20 As he came near the pit, he cried out in a fearful voice. The king said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, was your God, whom you serve continually, able to rescue you from the lions?”

21 Then Daniel spoke with the king. “Your Majesty, may you live forever! 22 My God sent his angel and shut the mouth of the lions. They have not hurt me because he found me innocent in his presence. Also before you, Your Majesty, I have committed no crime.”

23 Then the king was very glad and said that Daniel should be brought up from the pit. So Daniel was brought up from the pit, and he was unharmed because he trusted in his God.

24 The king gave the order, and those men who maliciously accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the lions’ den—they, their children, and their wives. They had not reached the bottom of the pit when the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in the entire earth:

May your peace and prosperity increase.
26 I give this command throughout my royal dominion:
People should continually tremble and be afraid before the God of Daniel,
because he is the living God, who endures forever.
His kingdom will not be destroyed,
and his dominion is eternal.
27 He rescues and he saves.
He works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth.
So he saved Daniel from the power of the lions.

28 So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius, that is, [2] during the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Footnotes1. Daniel 6:7 Or pit. The term den is retained here because of familiarity. 2. Daniel 6:28 Literally and. It is likely that Darius is another name of Cyrus, but some historians think he was a subordinate of Cyrus.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 10Daniel 5LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 10

Daniel 5 (EHV)
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The Handwriting on the Wall at Belshazzar’s Banquet1 King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and in front of the thousand he drank wine. 2 When he had tasted the wine, Belshazzar said to bring the gold and silver vessels that his father [1] Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines could drink from them. 3 Then they brought the gold vessels that they had taken from the temple, that is, the House of God in Jerusalem. So the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. 4 They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

5 At that moment the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, opposite the lampstand, and the king saw the back of the hand that was writing. 6 Then the king’s cheerful appearance changed, his face grew pale, [2] and his thoughts troubled him. His legs went limp, and his knees knocked together.

7 The king called out loudly to bring the spell casters, the astrologers, and the diviners. The king said to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever is able to read this writing and explain its meaning will be clothed in purple, with a gold chain around his neck, and he will rule as third highest in the kingdom.”

8 Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they were not able to read the writing or tell the king what it meant. 9 Then King Belshazzar was really terrified. He grew even paler, and his nobles were perplexed.

10 The queen [3] came to the drinking party [4] because of the words of the king and his nobles. The queen said, “Your Majesty, may you live forever! Do not let your thoughts trouble you, and do not look so frightened. 11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is a spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, enlightenment, insight, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him. So King Nebuchadnezzar your father, your father the king, appointed him chief of the magicians, spell casters, astrologers, and diviners, 12 because an outstanding spirit and knowledge and insight in interpreting dreams and explaining riddles and solving knotty problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be summoned, and he will explain the meaning of the writing.”

Daniel Interprets the Writing13 Then Daniel was brought before the king. The king said to Daniel, “Are you Daniel, one of the Judean exiles whom my father the king brought from Judah? 14 I have heard about you that a spirit of the gods is in you, and enlightenment and insight and outstanding wisdom are found in you. 15 Now, those wise men who are the spell casters were brought before me to read this writing and to make its meaning known to me, but they were not able to explain the meaning of the message. 16 Yet I have heard about you that you are able to explain meanings clearly and to solve knotty problems. Therefore, if you are able to read the writing and make its meaning known to me, you will be clothed in purple, with a gold chain around your neck, and you will rule as the third in the kingdom.”

17 Then Daniel answered the king:

Keep your gifts for yourself, or give your rewards to someone else! Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king, and I will make its meaning known to him. 18 As for you, Your Majesty—the Most High God gave the kingdom, greatness, splendor, and glory to Nebuchadnezzar, your father. 19 So because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and were afraid in his presence. He killed whomever he wanted, and he let live whomever he wanted. Also, he promoted anyone he wanted, and he demoted anyone he wanted. 20 But when he thought too much of himself, and his spirit became hardened in pride so that he acted arrogantly, he was deposed from the throne of his kingdom, and his splendor was taken away from him. 21 He was driven away from humans, and his mind was changed to that of an animal. So his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass as bulls are fed, and his body was wet with dew from the sky, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdoms of men, and he raises up over them anyone he desires.

22 But you, his son, Belshazzar, did not humble your heart although you knew all this. 23 Instead, you lifted yourself against the Lord of Heaven. The vessels from his house were brought before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. Then you praised the gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, who do not see and do not hear and do not know. But you did not honor the God who holds your breath in his hand and who controls all your ways. 24 So the back of the hand was sent by him, and this writing was inscribed.

25 Now this is the writing that was inscribed:

mene mene tekel and parsin

26 This is the meaning of the message:

Mene [5] means that God has counted up your kingdom and paid it out or spent it.

27 Tekel [6] means that you have been weighed in the scales, and you are too light.

28 Parsin [7] means that your kingdom has been broken in two and given to the Medes and the Persians.

29 Then Belshazzar spoke, and they dressed Daniel in purple, with a gold chain around his neck, and they made him the third highest ruler in the kingdom.

Darius Receives the Kingdom30 That very night, King Belshazzar the Chaldean was killed.

31 Then Darius the Mede received the kingdom, when he was about sixty-two years old. [8]

Footnotes1. Daniel 5:2 That is, his royal predecessor, not his physical father 2. Daniel 5:6 Literally his brightness changed 3. Daniel 5:10 Perhaps the king’s mother or grandmother, a daughter or granddaughter of Nebuchadnezzar 4. Daniel 5:10 Literally house of drinking 5. Daniel 5:26 Mene means “measured” or “counted” and suggests mina, a unit for weighing money. 6. Daniel 5:27 Tekel means “weighed” and suggests shekel, a unit for weighing money. 7. Daniel 5:28 Parsin means “divided” and suggests half shekel. It also sounds like the word “Persians.” 8. Daniel 5:31 English verse 5:31 is 6:1 in Hebrew. Throughout the rest of chapter 6, the English verse numbers are one number lower than the Hebrew numbers.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 09Daniel 4LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 09

Daniel 4 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1209db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Nebuchadnezzar’s Letter1 From King Nebuchadnezzar: [1]

To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell on the entire earth:

May your peace and prosperity increase.

2 It seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God did for me.

3 How great are his signs!
How mighty are his wonders!
His kingdom is an eternal kingdom,
and his dominion extends from generation to generation.

Nebuchadnezzar Seeks the Meaning of His Dream4 When I, Nebuchadnezzar, was carefree in my house and prospering in my palace, 5 I saw a dream that frightened me. The images I saw while I was on my bed and the visions in my head alarmed me. 6 So I issued a decree to bring before me all of the wise men of Babylon so that they could give the interpretation of the dream and make it known to me. 7 Then the magicians, the spell casters, the astrologers, and the diviners came, and I told them the dream. However, they could not make its meaning known to me. 8 Afterward, Daniel came before me (whose name is Belteshazzar, like the name of my god, and a spirit of the holy gods dwells in him), and I told him the dream.

9 Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that a spirit of the holy gods dwells in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you, take a look at the dream I saw and interpret it for me. 10 I was seeing visions in my head while I was on my bed:

There was a tree standing in the middle of the earth, [2] and its height was great. 11 The tree grew and became strong. Its height reached to heaven, and it was visible to the ends of the whole earth. 12 Its leaves were beautiful, and its fruit was plentiful. On it there was enough food for all. Under the tree the wild animals had shade, and the birds of the air lived in its branches. All living creatures fed themselves from it.

13 I was on my bed, watching the visions in my head, and I saw a watcher, [3] who was a holy one, come down from heaven. 14 He called out loudly, and this is what he said:

Chop down the tree and cut off its branches. Strip its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it, and the birds from its branches. 15 However, leave the stump with its root in the ground, with an iron and bronze band around it. Leave it with the grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew from the sky. Let its place be with the animals among the plants of the earth. 16 Let its mind be changed from that of a human, let the mind of an animal be given to it, and let seven times pass over it.

17 The proclamation is a decree of the watchers, and the matter is a command of the holy ones, so that all the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdoms of men. He gives them to whomever he wishes, and he appoints the lowliest men over them.

18 This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now, you, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means, because none of the wise men of my kingdom are able to make the meaning known to me. But you are able, because a spirit of the holy gods is in you.

Daniel Explains Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was horrified for a moment, and his thoughts troubled him. The king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream and its meaning trouble you.”

Belteshazzar answered, “My Lord, if only the dream were about your enemies and its meaning about your foes!”

20 The tree which you saw grew and became strong. Its height reached to heaven, and it was visible to the whole earth. 21 Its leaves were beautiful, and its fruit was abundant. On it there was food for all. The wild animals lived under it, and the birds of the air lived in its branches.

22 You are the tree, Your Majesty. For you have grown, and you have become great. Your greatness has increased and reached to heaven. Your dominion reaches to the ends of the earth. 23 And you, Your Majesty, saw a watcher, who was a holy one, coming down from heaven, and he said, “Chop down the tree and destroy it. However, leave the stump with its roots in the ground, with an iron and bronze band around it. Let it be with the grass of the field. Let it be wet with the dew from the sky. Its place will be with the wild animals, until seven times pass over it.”

24 This is the interpretation, Your Majesty:

It is a decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord, the king. 25 You will be driven away from humans, and your dwelling will be with the wild animals. You will have to eat plants as bulls do, and you will be wet with the dew from the sky. Seven times will pass over you until you know that the Most High rules the kingdoms of men, and he gives them to whomever he wishes. 26 Because they said to leave the stump with the roots of the tree, your kingdom will remain yours when you acknowledge that Heaven rules.

27 Therefore, Your Majesty, let my advice be pleasing to you. Break away from your sins with righteousness and from your guilty deeds by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps your prosperity will be extended.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream Is Fulfilled28 All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months he was walking on top of the palace of his kingdom in Babylon. 30 The king said, “Isn’t this the great Babylon that I built for a royal residence by my mighty power and my majestic glory?”

31 While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice came down from heaven. It said, “It is announced to you, King Nebuchadnezzar: The kingdom has been taken away from you. 32 You will be driven away from humans, and your dwelling will be with the wild animals. Grass will be fed to you as grass is fed to bulls, and seven times will pass over you until you know that the Most High rules the kingdoms of men, and he gives them to whomever he wishes.”

33 Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar, and he was driven away from humans. So he ate grass as bulls do, and his body was wet with the dew from the sky until his hair grew long like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.

34 At the end of the set time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me. So I blessed the Most High, and I praised and glorified the one who lives forever, because his dominion is an eternal dominion, and his kingdom lasts forever and ever. 35 All of the inhabitants of the earth are considered to be nothing, and he does as he wishes with the army of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth. So there is no one who can hold back the hand of the Most High and say to him, “What have you done?” 36 At that time my reason [4] returned to me, and my splendor and glory returned to me for the honor of my kingdom. So my advisors and nobles looked for me. I was reinstated over my kingdom, and I became even more majestic than I was before. 37 Now, I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and honor the King of Heaven, because all his works are true, and his ways are just. All those who walk in arrogance he is able to humble.

Footnotes1. Daniel 4:1 English 4:1-3 corresponds to 3:31-33 in Hebrew. English 4:4-18 corresponds to 4:1-15 in Hebrew. 2. Daniel 4:10 Or land 3. Daniel 4:13 That is, an angel 4. Daniel 4:36 Or sanity

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 08Daniel 3LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 08

Daniel 3 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1208db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Nebuchadnezzar’s Command to Worship His Idol1 King Nebuchadnezzar made a golden statue. It was ninety feet tall and nine feet wide. [1] He set it up in the plain of Dura [2] in the province of Babylon. 2 King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to assemble the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all of the rulers of the provinces [3] to come to the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 Then the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all of the rulers of the provinces assembled for the dedication of King Nebuchadnezzar’s statue. They stood in front of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

4 The herald called out loudly, “To you peoples, nations, and languages, this command is given: 5 When you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the harp, the triangular harp, the drum, [4] and all kinds of musical instruments, [5] you will fall down and worship the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar set up. 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into the blazing fiery furnace.”

7 Therefore, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the harp, the triangular harp, and all kinds of musical instruments, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshipped the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

The Young Men Remain Faithful8 At that time, some Chaldeans approached the king and maliciously accused the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “Your Majesty, [6] may you live forever! 10 You, Your Majesty, gave an order that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the harp, the triangular harp, the drum, and all kinds of musical instruments must fall down and worship the golden statue, 11 and whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into the blazing fiery furnace. 12 There are Jews whom you appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon, namely, Shadrak, Meshak, and Abednego. These men do not pay attention to you, Your Majesty. They do not serve your gods, and they do not worship the gold statue that you set up.”

13 Then in a furious rage Nebuchadnezzar said to bring Shadrak, Meshak, and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrak, Meshak, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods and that you do not worship the golden statue that I set up? 15 Now, if you are ready, at the time when you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the harp, the triangular harp, the drum, and all kinds of musical instruments, you must fall down and worship the statue I made. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be thrown into the blazing fiery furnace. What god will be able to save you from my hands?”

16 Shadrak, Meshak, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “We have no need to answer you about this matter. 17 Since our God, whom we serve, does exist, he is able to save us from the blazing fiery furnace. So, he may save us from your hand, Your Majesty. [7] 18 But if he does not, you should know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods, and we will not worship the golden statue that you set up.”

The Young Men Are Miraculously Saved by God19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, and the expression on his face changed against Shadrak, Meshak, and Abednego. He said to heat the furnace seven times hotter than it was usually heated. 20 He ordered some men, who were soldiers from his army, to bind Shadrak, Meshak, and Abednego in order to throw them into the blazing fiery furnace. 21 So these men were bound in their coats, their pants, their turbans, and their other clothing, and they were thrown into the middle of the blazing fiery furnace. 22 Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace was extremely hot, those men who carried Shadrak, Meshak, and Abednego were killed by the intense heat of the fire. 23 But these three men, Shadrak, Meshak, and Abednego, who had been tied up, fell into the blazing fiery furnace.

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was startled and immediately stood up. He said to his advisors, “Didn’t we throw three men, who had been tied up, into the middle of the fire?”

They answered the king, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”

25 He said, “Look! I see four men, who are untied and walking around in the middle of the fire, unharmed. What is more, the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the blazing fiery furnace. He said, “Shadrak, Meshak, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out!” Then Shadrak, Meshak, and Abednego came out from the middle of the furnace. 27 The satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the royal advisors gathered together and looked at these men. The fire had no power over their bodies. Not a hair on their head was singed, their robes were not damaged, and the smell of fire had not stuck to them.

28 Nebuchadnezzar said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrak, Meshak, and Abednego, who sent his angel and saved his servants, who trusted in God and ignored the king’s command. They gave up their bodies and did not pay homage or worship any god except their God. 29 So I have issued an order that every people, nation, and language that speaks any blasphemy against the God of Shadrak, Meshak, and Abednego shall be cut to pieces, and his house shall be turned into a pile of rubble, because there is no other god who is able to save like this.”

30 Then the king promoted Shadrak, Meshak, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Footnotes1. Daniel 3:1 Literally sixty cubits and six cubits 2. Daniel 3:1 Or in the niche in the city wall 3. Daniel 3:2 The precise distinctions between these Aramaic and Persian titles for government officials are uncertain. 4. Daniel 3:5 Or a type of pipe or bagpipes 5. Daniel 3:5 The identification of some of these instruments is uncertain. 6. Daniel 3:9 Literally O King 7. Daniel 3:17 The translation of this verse is difficult.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 07Daniel 2:31-49LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 07

Daniel 2:31-49 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1207db.mp3
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Daniel 231 You, Your Majesty, were looking, and there was a very great statue. That statue, which was large and extremely bright, was standing in front of you. Its appearance was frightening. 32 The statue looked like this: Its head was fine gold, its chest and its arms were silver, its abdomen and its thighs were bronze, 33 its shins were iron, and its feet were partly iron and partly fired clay. 34 You continued to watch until a stone was cut, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet that were iron and clay, and it smashed them. 35 Then all at once the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed and became like the chaff on the threshing floors of summer. The wind carried them away, and no trace of them could be found. However, the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the entire earth. 36 This is the dream.

So now we will interpret its meaning for Your Majesty. 37 You, Your Majesty, are the king of kings to whom the God of Heaven has given a kingdom, power, strength, and glory. 38 Wherever there are people, wild animals, and birds of the air, God has given them into your hand, and he has made you ruler over all of them. You are the head of gold.

39 After you another kingdom will arise that will be inferior to yours. Then another kingdom, a third kingdom of bronze will arise. This kingdom will rule the entire earth. 40 A fourth kingdom will be as strong as iron, since iron crushes and shatters everything. So, like iron that smashes, it will crush and smash all of these other kingdoms. 41 Because you saw feet and toes partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, this will be a divided kingdom. It will have some of the hardness of iron, because you saw iron mixed with common clay. [1] 42 What is more, the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay. This means that part of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. 43 You saw iron mixed with common clay. This means that the different parts of the kingdom will be a mixture of different races of people, [2] and they will not remain united to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.

44 In the days of those kings, the God of Heaven will establish a kingdom that will never be destroyed, and this kingdom will not be left to another race of people. It will crush and put an end to all of these kingdoms, but it will stand forever, 45 just as you saw that a stone was cut from the mountain, but not by human hands, and it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to Your Majesty what will happen after this. The dream is sure, and its interpretation is certain.

46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell facedown and paid homage to [3] Daniel. He commanded that a sacrificial gift and incense be offered to him. 47 The king said, “Truly your God is the God of Gods, the Lord of Kings, and the Revealer of Mysteries, because you were able to reveal this mystery.”

48 Then the king promoted Daniel to a high position and gave him many valuable gifts. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 When Daniel requested it, the king appointed Shadrak, Meshak, and Abednego over the administration of the province of Babylon. Daniel remained in the royal court.

Footnotes1. Daniel 2:41 Common clay is literally clay of clay, with two different Aramaic words for clay. 2. Daniel 2:43 Literally will be mixed among the seed of man 3. Daniel 2:46 Or worshipped

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 06Daniel 2:1-30LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 06

Daniel 2:1-30 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1206db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Daniel 2Nebuchadnezzar Challenges the Wise Men to Explain His Dream1 In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had a dream. His spirit was troubled, but he fell back to sleep again. 2 The king gave orders to summon the magicians, the spell casters, the sorcerers, and the astrologers [1] to relate the king’s dream to him. So they came and stood before the king. 3 The king said to them, “I had a dream, and my spirit was troubled because I did not understand the dream.”

4 The astrologers said to the king in Aramaic, [2] “Your Majesty, [3] may you live forever! Tell the dream to your servants, and we will explain its meaning.”

5 The king answered the astrologers, “My decision is final. If you do not tell me the dream and what it means, your body shall be cut to pieces, and your houses will be made into a pile of rubble. 6 However, if you explain the dream and its meaning, you will receive gifts, a reward, and great honor from me. So, explain to me the dream and its meaning!”

7 They responded a second time and said, “Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will explain its meaning.”

8 The king answered, “Now I know for sure that you are buying time because you see that my decision is final. 9 If you do not make the dream known to me, there is only one decree for you. You have conspired to give me a lying and cheating response until the situation changes. So, tell me the dream, and I will know that you are also able to explain its meaning to me.”

10 The astrologers responded to the king, “There is no person on earth who is able to reveal what the king wants. No great and powerful king has ever asked for a thing like this from any magician, spell caster, or astrologer. 11 The thing that the king is asking is difficult. There is no one who can reveal it to the king except the gods, who do not dwell with mortal flesh.”

12 Because of this the king became very angry. He was enraged and gave orders to put the wise men of Babylon to death. 13 The decree was issued that all the wise men were to be executed. So executioners looked for Daniel and his companions to execute them.

God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream to Daniel14 Then Daniel responded with good judgment and tact to Ariok, the chief of the king’s executioners, who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon. 15 He said to Ariok, the king’s officer, “Why is the decree from the king so harsh?” So Ariok explained the situation to Daniel. 16 Daniel then entered the court and asked the king to give him time so that he could reveal the interpretation to the king.

17 Next, Daniel went to his house and explained the situation to Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael, his companions. 18 They were to seek mercy from the God of Heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions would not be put to death with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision at night, and Daniel blessed the God of Heaven. [4] 20 Daniel said,

May the name of God be blessed forever and ever,

because wisdom and power are his.

21 He changes times and eras.

He removes kings,

and he brings kings to power.

He gives wisdom to the wise

and knowledge to those who have good judgment.

22 He reveals deep things and hidden things.

He knows what is in the dark,

and the light dwells with him.

23 To you, God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, because you have given me wisdom and power. Now you have made known to me what we requested from you, because you have made known to us the thing the king asked about.

Daniel Explains Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream24 As a result of this, Daniel went to Ariok, whom the king had assigned to put the wise men of Babylon to death. Daniel went and said this to him: “Do not put the wise men of Babylon to death. Bring me before the king, and I will explain the meaning to the king.”

25 Then Ariok immediately brought Daniel before the king. This is what Ariok said to the king: “I have found a man from among the Judean exiles who will make the interpretation known to the king.”

26 The king said to Daniel (whose name was Belteshazzar), “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I saw and its meaning?”

27 Daniel answered the king, “The mystery that the king is asking about, no wise men, spell casters, magicians, or diviners are able to explain it to the king. 28 However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the latter days. This is your dream; the visions in your head while you were on your bed were this:

29 For you, Your Majesty, while you were on your bed, thoughts arose about things that will come after this, and the Revealer of Mysteries made known to you what will happen. 30 But the reason that this mystery was revealed to me was not because I have more wisdom in me than any other living being. Rather, it was revealed to me so that the meaning could be made known to Your Majesty and so that you may know the thoughts of your heart.

Footnotes1. Daniel 2:2 In the book of Daniel there are two homonyms, both pronounced kasdim. One word refers to a type of astronomer/astrologer. The other word refers to the Chaldeans, the ethnic group that ruled Babylon. In most cases the context indicates the correct meaning. 2. Daniel 2:4 The text of Daniel is written in Aramaic from this point through the end of chapter 7. 3. Daniel 2:4 Literally O King 4. Daniel 2:19 The God of Heaven is the common title for the Lord in Daniel.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 05Daniel 1LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 05

Daniel 1 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1205db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Daniel Is Taken to Babylon1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into Nebuchadnezzar’s hand, along with some of the vessels of the House of God, and he brought them to the land of Shinar, [1] into the house of his god. He brought the vessels into the treasury of his god.

3 The king told Ashpenaz, the chief of his court officials, [2] to bring some young Israelite men from the royal family or from the nobility. 4 He was to choose young men who had no blemish, who were good looking, who had insight into all kinds of wisdom, who possessed knowledge, understanding, and learning, and who were capable of serving in the king’s palace, in order to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. [3] 5 The king assigned them daily rations from the special royal food and from the king’s own wine. He ordered that they should be trained for three years. At the end of training they were to serve the king. 6 In this group of young men were the Judeans Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7 The chief of the officials gave them new names. He gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar, Hananiah the name Shadrak, Mishael the name Meshak, and Azariah the name Abednego.

The Young Men Are Steadfast in Their Faith8 Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the special food of the king or with the wine that he drank. So he sought permission from the chief official, so that he would not have to defile himself. 9 God made the chief of the officials favorable and sympathetic toward Daniel. 10 Then the chief of the officials said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink. Why should he see your faces looking less healthy than those of the other young men who are your age? You put my life at risk before the king.”

11 Daniel said to the superintendent whom the chief of the officials had placed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days. Tell them to give us only vegetables, and we will eat them and drink water. 13 Observe our appearance and the appearance of the young men who eat the special royal food. Then deal with your servants based on what you see.” 14 So he listened to what they said about this and tested them for ten days.

15 At the end of ten days, their appearance was noticeably better than that of the others. They were healthier than any of the young men who had been eating the special royal food. 16 So the superintendent permanently took away the special royal food and the wine they were to drink and gave them only vegetables. 17 As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and insight into all kinds of literature, as well as wisdom. In addition, Daniel also understood every kind of vision and dream.

18 At the end of the time which the king had set for them to be brought to him, the chief of the officials brought them before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king spoke with them, and none of the others were found to be comparable to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they served the king. 20 In every matter concerning wisdom and understanding that the king sought from them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians [4] and spell casters in his entire kingdom. 21 So Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.

Footnotes1. Daniel 1:2 That is, Babylon 2. Daniel 1:3 The term may refer to eunuchs, but it is not limited to this meaning. 3. Daniel 1:4 The Chaldeans were the ethnic group ruling Babylon. 4. Daniel 1:20 The distinctions between the various kinds of occult practitioners are unclear.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 04Jude 1:17-25LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 04

Jude 1:17-25 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1204db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Jude 1Keep Yourselves in God’s Love17 But you, dear friends, remember the words that were spoken earlier by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers who follow their own ungodly lusts.” [1] 19 These are the people who cause divisions. They are worldly because they do not have the Spirit.

20 But you, dear friends, continue to build yourselves up in your most holy faith as you keep praying in the Holy Spirit. 21 Keep yourselves in God’s love as you continue to wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, which results in eternal life. 22 Show mercy to those who are wavering. [2] 23 Save others by snatching them out of the fire. Show mercy to still others with fear, [3] hating even the clothing that is stained by the flesh.

24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you faultless in the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only [4] God, our Savior, be glory, majesty, power, and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all time, now, and to all eternity. Amen.

Footnotes1. Jude 1:18 See 2 Peter 3:3; also 2 Peter 2:1; 1 Timothy 4:1-2; 2 Timothy 3:1-5. 2. Jude 1:22 Or disputing, or doubting 3. Jude 1:23 A few witnesses to the text omit Show mercy to still others with fear. 4. Jude 1:25 A few witnesses to the text add wise.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 03Jude 1:1-16LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 03

Jude 1:1-16 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1203db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Jude 1GreetingJude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James,

To those who are called, who are loved [1] in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:

2 Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

Ungodly Teachers Who Slipped In Secretly3 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you concerning the salvation we share, I felt it was necessary for me to write, to urge you to continue to contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints once and for all. 4 For certain individuals slipped in secretly, about whom it was written some time ago that they are condemned. They are ungodly people who turn the grace of our God into a license for sin and deny our only Master [2] and Lord, Jesus Christ.

5 I want to remind you, though you already know all these things, that after the Lord [3] rescued his people out of the land of Egypt, he later destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their position of authority but left their own dwelling place behind—God has kept them in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day. 7 Like Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, who in a similar way indulged in extreme sexual immorality and pursued homosexual perversion, [4] they serve as an example of those who are going to suffer the punishment of eternal fire.

8 Yet, in the very same way, these dreamers are defiling the flesh, despising authority, and blaspheming glorious ones. 9 But when the archangel Michael was disputing with the Devil and arguing about the body of Moses, he did not dare to bring a blasphemous condemnation against him. Instead he said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

10 But these people do not understand what they are blaspheming. They are being destroyed by the very things that they know by instinct (like unreasoning animals). 11 Woe to them! They have gone the way of Cain. They have abandoned themselves for hire to the error of Balaam. They perished in Korah’s rebellion.

12 These people are filthy stains on [5] your love feasts when they eat with you without fear, shepherding themselves. They are clouds without rain, being driven along by the winds. They are autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots. 13 They are wild waves of the sea piling up the foam of their own shame. They are wandering stars for whom the gloom of darkness has been reserved for eternity.

14 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, also prophesied about these people, saying, “Look, the Lord is going to come with tens of thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment against all of them and to convict every soul concerning all their ungodly deeds, which they did in an ungodly way, and concerning all the harsh words that ungodly sinners spoke against him.” 16 These are discontented grumblers, who walk according to their lusts, and their mouths speak boastful things as they flatter others to take advantage of them.

Footnotes1. Jude 1:1 A few witnesses to the text read sanctified. (“Witnesses to the text” mentioned in footnotes may include Greek manuscripts, lectionaries, translations, and quotations in the church fathers.) 2. Jude 1:4 A few witnesses to the text add God. 3. Jude 1:5 A few witnesses to the text read Jesus. 4. Jude 1:7 Or went after unnatural flesh. See Genesis 19:4-9. 5. Jude 1:12 Or hidden hazards at

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 022 Peter 3:11-18LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 02

2 Peter 3:11-18 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1202db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

2 Peter 311 Therefore, [1] since all these things will be destroyed, what kind of people ought you to be, living in holiness and godliness, 12 as you look forward to and hasten the coming of the day of God? That day will cause the heavens to be set on fire and destroyed, and the elements to melt as they burn with great heat. 13 But according to his promise we look forward to new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

14 Therefore, dear friends, as you look forward to these things, make every effort to be found in peace, spotless and blameless in his sight. 15 Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our dear brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom that was given to him. 16 He spoke about these things the same way in all of his letters. There are some matters that are hard to understand in his letters, which the ignorant and unstable distort, as they also do with the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

Conclusion17 Therefore, dear friends, since you already know these things, be on your guard so that you do not fall from your own firm position by being led astray through the error of the wicked. 18 Instead grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory, both now and forever. Amen.

Footnotes1. 2 Peter 3:11 Some witnesses to the text omit Therefore and read in this way after destroyed.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 012 Peter 3:1-10LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – December 01

2 Peter 3:1-10 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1201db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

2 Peter 3The Destruction of the World Is Coming1 Dear friends, this is now the second letter that I have written to you. I wrote both of them to stir up your sincere mind with a reminder 2 for you to remember the words spoken earlier by the holy prophets and the command of the Lord and Savior through your apostles.

3 First, know this: In the last days scoffers will come with their mocking, following their own lusts. 4 They will say, “Where is this promised coming of his? For from the time that our fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they have from the beginning of the creation.” 5 You see, what they are intentionally forgetting is that the heavens came into existence long ago by the word of God and that the earth came together out of the water and between the waters. [1] 6 Through these waters the former world perished, when it was flooded with water. 7 And now, by that same word, the heavens and earth have been stored up for fire, since they are being kept until the day of judgment and the destruction of the ungodly. 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: For the Lord, one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to do what he promised, as some consider slowness. Instead, he is patient for your sakes, [2] not wanting anyone to perish, but all to come to repentance.

Live a Holy Life10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. [3] On that day the heavens will pass away with a roar, the elements will be dissolved as they burn with great heat, and the earth and what was done on it will be burned up. [4]

Footnotes1. 2 Peter 3:5 See Genesis 1:7; 7:11. 2. 2 Peter 3:9 Some witnesses to the text read with you; other witnesses read with us. 3. 2 Peter 3:10 A few witnesses to the text add in the night. 4. 2 Peter 3:10 Some witnesses to the text read will be exposed.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – November 302 Peter 2LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – November 30

2 Peter 2 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1130db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

A Warning About False Teachers1 There were false prophets also among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved ways, and because of them the way of the truth will be blasphemed. 3 In their greed they will exploit you with fabricated messages. Their condemnation announced long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

God Will Punish These False Teachers4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned but handed them over to chains [1] of darkness by casting them into hell, to be kept under guard for judgment; 5 and if God did not spare the ancient world but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, along with seven others when he brought a flood on the world of ungodly people; 6 and if God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction, [2] by turning them into ashes when he made them an example of things to come for the ungodly; [3] 7 and if he rescued righteous Lot, who was very distressed by the unrestrained immorality of the wicked people 8 (while that righteous man was living among them, he was tormented in his righteous soul day after day by the lawless deeds he saw and heard); 9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation and to keep the unrighteous under guard until the day of judgment, in order to punish them.

10 This is especially true of those who follow the defiling lust of the flesh and who despise authority. Daring and arrogant, they do not tremble when they blaspheme glorious beings, 11 whereas angels, even though they are greater in strength and power, do not bring a slanderous judgment against them before the Lord. 12 But these people blaspheme in matters about which they are ignorant, just like unreasoning creatures that live by instinct and are born to be captured and destroyed. So they too will be destroyed as a consequence of their destructive activity. 13 They will be paid back [4] for the harm they cause.

They consider it a pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, who take delight in their deceitful pleasures [5] while they feast with you. 14 They have eyes full of longing for adulterous women and sins that never stop. They seduce unstable souls. They have trained their hearts for greed. They are children who are cursed.

15 They left the right way and went astray, following the path of Balaam, son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness. 16 (He was rebuked for his disobedience. A donkey, which does not talk, spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.) 17 These men are wells without water, clouds driven away by a windstorm, for whom the gloom of darkness has been reserved. [6] 18 For by uttering arrogant, empty words, they use the depraved lusts of the flesh to seduce those who are barely [7] escaping from those who live in error. 19 While they promise these people freedom, they themselves are slaves to corruption, for a person is a slave to what has control of him.

The Tragedy of Being Led Back Into a Sinful Life20 Indeed, if, after escaping the defiling things of the world through the knowledge of our [8] Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and controlled by them again, they are worse off than they were at first. 21 In fact, it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy command passed on to them. 22 They demonstrate the truth of the proverb: “A dog returns to its own vomit,” [9] and a washed sow returns to wallowing in the mud.

Footnotes1. 2 Peter 2:4 Some witnesses to the text read dungeons. 2. 2 Peter 2:6 A few witnesses omit to destruction. 3. 2 Peter 2:6 Some witnesses to the text read an example of the people who are going to be ungodly. 4. 2 Peter 2:13 A few witnesses to the text read They will suffer harm as the wages. 5. 2 Peter 2:13 A few witnesses to the text read their love feasts. 6. 2 Peter 2:17 Some witnesses to the text add forever. 7. 2 Peter 2:18 Some witnesses to the text read actually. 8. 2 Peter 2:20 Some witnesses to the text omit our. It would be replaced by the. 9. 2 Peter 2:22 Proverbs 26:11

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – November 292 Peter 1:12-21LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – November 29

2 Peter 1:12-21 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1129db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

2 Peter 112 That is why I intend [1] always to keep reminding you of these things, even though you already know them and are established in the truth you now have. 13 I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to keep you wide awake by reminding you, 14 because I know that the putting off of my tent is going to happen soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 I will also make every effort so that after my departure you always have a reminder of these things.

We Have God’s Inspired Word16 To be sure, we were not following cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the powerful appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father, when the voice came to him from within the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” [2] 18 We heard this voice, which came out of heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.

19 We also have the completely reliable prophetic word. You do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the Morning Star rises in your hearts, 20 since we know this above all else: No prophecy of Scripture comes about from someone’s own interpretation. 21 In fact, no prophecy ever came by the will of man, but men spoke from God [3] as they were being carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Footnotes1. 2 Peter 1:12 A few witnesses to the text read I will not neglect. 2. 2 Peter 1:17 Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35 3. 2 Peter 1:21 Some witnesses to the text read holy men of God spoke.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – November 282 Peter 1:1-11LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – November 28

2 Peter 1:1-11 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1128db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

2 Peter 1Greeting1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have obtained the same kind of faith as ours in the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus [1] our Lord.

Keep on Growing3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own [2] glory and excellence. 4 Through these he has given us his precious and great promises so that through them you may share in the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that sinful lust causes in the world.

5 And, for this very reason, after applying every effort, add moral excellence to your faith. To moral excellence, add knowledge. 6 To knowledge, add self-control. To self-control, add patient endurance. To patient endurance, add godliness. 7 To godliness, add brotherly affection. And to brotherly affection, add love. 8 For if you have these qualities and they are increasing, they are going to keep you from being idle or unfruitful in regard to your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 Indeed, the person who lacks these qualities is shortsighted and, in fact, blind, because he has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

Make Your Calling and Election Sure10 Therefore, brothers, [3] be more eager to make your calling and election sure for yourselves. [4] For if you do these things, you will never stumble. 11 In fact, in this way you will be richly supplied with an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Footnotes1. 2 Peter 1:2 Some witnesses to the text add Christ. (“Witnesses to the text” mentioned in footnotes may include Greek manuscripts, lectionaries, translations, and quotations in the church fathers.) 2. 2 Peter 1:3 Some witnesses to the text omit his own. 3. 2 Peter 1:10 When context indicates it, the Greek word for brothers may refer to all fellow believers, male and female. 4. 2 Peter 1:10 Some witnesses to the text add by good works.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – November 27Song of Songs 8:5-14LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – November 27

Song of Songs 8:5-14 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1127db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Song of Songs 8The Friends5 5a Who is this woman coming up from the wilderness,
leaning on her lover?

The Wealth of Our HouseThe Woman5b Under the apple tree I roused you.
There your mother conceived you.
There she who gave birth to you was in labor.

6 Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm,
because love is as strong as death.
Its passion is as relentless as the grave.
Its flames are flames of fire, a mighty blaze. [1]
7 Many waters cannot quench such love.
Rivers cannot wash it away.
If a man were to offer all the wealth
of his house for love,
he would be utterly scorned.

The Brothers. . .Decorated With SilverThe Brothers8 We have a little sister.
She has no breasts.
What shall we make for our sister
on the day she is spoken for?
9 If she is a wall,
we will build towers of silver on her.
If she is a door,
we will enclose her with panels of cedar.

My Own VineyardThe Woman10 I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers.
Thus I have become in his eyes
like one who delivers contentment.

11 Solomon had a vineyard in Baal Hamon.
He leased his vineyard to tenants.
Each was to bring for its fruit
a thousand shekels of silver.
12 But my own vineyard is before me.
The thousand shekels are for you, Solomon,
and two hundred are for those who tend its fruit.

The Last Call to LoveThe Man13 You who dwell in the gardens
with friends in attendance,
let me hear your voice!

Run Away With MeThe Woman14 Run away, my love,
and be like a gazelle,
or like a young buck
on the mountains of spices.

Footnotes1. Song of Songs 8:6 With alternate word division the text may be read the blaze of Yah. Yah is a short form of the divine name often written Yahweh.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – November 26Song of Songs 6:4 – 8:4LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – November 26

Song of Songs 6:4 – 8:4 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1126db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Song of Songs 6You Are BeautifulThe Man4 You are as beautiful, my darling, as Tirzah, [1]
lovely as Jerusalem,
majestic as troops with banners.

5 Turn your eyes away from me,
because they arouse me.
Your hair is like a flock of goats
flowing down from Gilead.
6 Your teeth are like a flock of ewes
coming up from the washing.
Each has its twin. Not one of them is alone.
7 Your cheeks behind your veil
are like the halves of a pomegranate.
8 There may be sixty queens,
and eighty concubines,
and virgins beyond number,
9 but my dove, my perfect one, is one of a kind.
She is the only daughter of her mother,
pure to the one who bore her.
The girls saw her and called her blessed.
The queens and concubines also praised her.

The Friends10 Who is this woman that appears like the dawn,
beautiful as the moon, clear as the sun,
majestic as the stars in procession?

A Puzzling InterludeThe Woman or The Man [2]11 I went down to the grove of nut trees,
to look at the new growth in the valley,
to see whether the vines had budded,
whether the pomegranates had blossomed.

12 Before I realized it, my desire set me
among the chariots of my willing people. [3]

Beautiful From Bottom to TopThe Friends13 Turn back, turn back, O Shulammite.
Turn back, turn back, so that we may look at you! [4]

The Woman [5]Song of Songs 71 Why would you look at the Shulammite.
as at the dance of Mahanaim? [6]

The Friends or The Man2 How beautiful are your feet in sandals,
O prince’s daughter!
Your hips are curved like a necklace,
the work of the hands of a craftsman.
3 Your navel is a round mixing bowl.
It never lacks blended wine.
Your belly is a mound of wheat, encircled by lilies.
4 Your two breasts are like two fawns,
twins of a gazelle.
5 Your neck is like an ivory tower.
Your eyes are the pools in Heshbon,
by the gate of Bat Rabbim. [7]
Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon,
overlooking Damascus.
6 Your head rises above you like Mount Carmel.
The flowing hair of your head is like purple.
The king is captivated by its curls.

The Man7 How beautiful you are and how pleasing,
O loved one, daughter of delights! [8]
8 Your height is like that of the date palm,
and your breasts like clusters of fruit.
9 I said, “I will climb the date palm.
I will take hold of its bunches of fruit.”
May your breasts be like the clusters of the vine,
the fragrance of your breath like apples,
10a and your mouth like the best wine—

The Woman10b —flowing to my lover,
gliding smoothly over lips and teeth. [9]
11 I belong to my lover,
and his desire is for me.

12 Come, my lover,
let us go to the fields.
Let us spend the night in the villages.
13 Let us go early to the vineyards.
We will see if the vines have budded,
if their blossoms have opened,
if the pomegranates are in bloom.
There I will give my love to you.
The mandrakes send out their fragrance.
At our door is every delicacy,
new as well as old,
that I have stored up for you, my lover.

He Embraces MeThe WomanSong of Songs 81 I wish that you were like a brother to me,
who was nursed at my mother’s breasts.
Then if I would meet you in public,
I could kiss you,
and no one would despise me.
2 I would lead you.
I would bring you to my mother’s house
where she used to teach me.
I would give you spiced wine to drink,
the juice of my pomegranates.

3 His left arm is under my head,
and his right arm embraces me.

4 Daughters of Jerusalem, you must swear
that you will not arouse or awaken love
until it so desires.

Footnotes1. Song of Songs 6:4 Tirzah is a city in Israel. Its name means delightful. 2. Song of Songs 6:11 The identity of the speaker of these verses is uncertain. 3. Song of Songs 6:12 This is a difficult verse of uncertain meaning. 4. Song of Songs 6:13 English verse 6:13 is 7:1 in Hebrew. In the rest of chapter 7, the English verse numbers are one lower than the Hebrew verse numbers. 5. Song of Songs 7:1 The identity of the speaker of this verse is uncertain. 6. Song of Songs 7:1 Mahanaim is the name of a city. It means two camps. Here the term may refer to two lines of dancers. 7. Song of Songs 7:5 Bat Rabbim means Daughter of Nobles. 8. Song of Songs 7:7 The translation follows a textual variant supported by the ancient versions. The Hebrew text reads O love, with delights. 9. Song of Songs 7:10 The reading lips and teeth is well attested by the ancient versions. The Hebrew reads lips of sleepers.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – November 25Song of Songs 5:2 – 6:3LISTEN HERE###### Through My Bible – November 25

Song of Songs 5:2 – 6:3 (EHV)
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1125db.mp3
See series: Through My Bible

Song of Songs 5At Night. . .the WatchmenThe Woman2 I was sleeping but my heart was awake.
A sound! My lover is knocking:
“Open to me, my sister,
my darling, my dove, my perfect one,
because my head is soaked with dew,
my locks with the dampness of the night.”

3 “I have taken off my robe.
Why should I get dressed again?
I have washed my feet.
Why should I get them dirty again?”

4 My lover thrust his hand
through the opening in the door.
My feelings were aroused for him.
5 I arose to open for my lover.
My hands dripped with myrrh,
my fingers with flowing myrrh,
on the handles of the lock.
6 I opened for my lover,
but my lover had left.
He was gone.
My spirits sank when he left. [1]
I looked for him but did not find him.
I called him, but he did not answer.

7 The watchmen who patrol the city found me.
They beat me. They bruised me.
They took my shawl away from me,
those watchmen of the walls!

8 Daughters of Jerusalem, you must swear to me—
if you find my lover—
what will you tell him?
—that I am sick with love.

The Friends9 What makes your lover better than any other lover,
most beautiful of women?
What makes your lover better than any other lover,
that you make us swear in this way?

My Lover Is RadiantThe Woman10 My lover is radiant and ruddy,
outstanding among ten thousand.
11 His head is the best gold, the purest gold.
His locks are wavy, black as a raven.
12 His eyes are like doves by streams of water.
They are washed in milk.
They are set in sockets.
13 His cheeks are like a bed of spice,
like towers of perfumes.
His lips are lilies, dripping with liquid myrrh.
14 His arms are rods of gold, set with topaz. [2]
His stomach is like polished ivory,
decorated with sapphires. [3]
15 His thighs are pillars of marble, [4]
set on bases of pure gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon,
choice as cedars.
16 His mouth is so sweet.
He is completely desirable.
This is my lover.
This is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

The FriendsSong of Songs 61 Where has your lover gone,
most beautiful of women?
Where did your lover turn?
We will look for him with you.

I Am His. He Is Mine.The Woman2 My lover has gone down to his garden,
to the beds of spices,
to browse in the gardens,
and to gather lilies.

3 I am my lover’s, and my lover is mine.
He browses among the lilies.

Footnotes1. Song of Songs 5:6 Or when he spoke 2. Song of Songs 5:14 The identification of this gem is uncertain. 3. Song of Songs 5:14 Perhaps lapis lazuli 4. Song of Songs 5:15 Or alabaster

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Bible reading from Song of Songs 3:6 - 5:1 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Song of Songs 2:8 - 3:5 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Song of Songs 1:1 - 2:7 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ecclesiastes 11:9 - 12:14 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ecclesiastes 10:8 - 11:8 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ecclesiastes 9:1 - 10:7 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ecclesiastes 7 - 8 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ecclesiastes 4:9 - 6:12 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ecclesiastes 3:1 - 4:8 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ecclesiastes 1 - 2 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Esther 9 - 10 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Esther 7 - 8 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Esther 5 - 6 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Esther 4 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Esther 2:19 - 3:15 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Esther 2:1-18 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Esther 1 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 2 Chronicles 36 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 2 Chronicles 34 - 35 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 2 Chronicles 33 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 2 Chronicles 31:2 - 32:33 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 2 Chronicles 29:1 - 31:1 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 2 Chronicles 26 - 28 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 2 Chronicles 25 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 2 Chronicles 24 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 2 Chronicles 22:10 - 23:21 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 2 Chronicles 21:1 - 22:9 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 2 Chronicles 19 - 20 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 2 Chronicles 17 - 18 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 2 Chronicles 15 - 16 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 2 Chronicles 13 - 14 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 2 Chronicles 11 - 12 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 2 Chronicles 9 - 10 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 2 Chronicles 7 - 8 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 2 Chronicles 6:12-42 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 2 Chronicles 5:2 - 6:11 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 2 Chronicles 3:1 - 5:1 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 124 - 126 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 122 - 123 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 120 - 121 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 119:153-176 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 119:129-152 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 119:105-128 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 119:81-104 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 119:49-80 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 119:1-24 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalms 117 - 118 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalms 116 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalms 115 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalms 113 - 114 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalms 111 - 112 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalms 110 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalms 109 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalms 108 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalms 107:33-43 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalms 107:1-32 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 1 Chronicles 29 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 1 Chronicles 28 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 1 Chronicles 25 - 27 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 1 Chronicles 23 - 24 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 1 Chronicles 22:2-19 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 1 Chronicles 21:1 - 22:1 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 1 Chronicles 18 - 20 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 1 Chronicles 17 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 1Chronicles 16:7-43 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 1 Chronicles 15:1 - 16:6 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 1 Chronicles 13 - 14 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 1 Chronicles 12 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 1 Chronicles 10 - 11 (EHV)

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Bible reading from 1 Chronicles 1 - 9 (EHV)

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Bible reading from James 5 (EHV)

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Bible reading from James 4 (EHV)

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Bible reading from James 3 (EHV)

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Bible reading from James 2:14-26 (EHV)

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Bible reading from James 2:1-13 (EHV)

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Bible reading from James 1:19-27 (EHV)

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Bible reading from James 1:1-18 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Malachi 3:7 - 4:6 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Malachi 2:10 - 3:6 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Malachi 1:1 - 2:9 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Zechariah 14 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Zechariah 12 - 13 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Zechariah 11 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Zechariah 9 - 10 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Zechariah 8 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Zechariah 7 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Zechariah 5 - 6 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Zechariah 3 - 4 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Zechariah 1 - 2 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Haggai 2 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Haggai 1 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 106:34-48 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 106:1-33 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 105 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 104 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 103 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 102 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 101 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 99 - 100 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 97 - 98 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 95 - 96 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 94 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 92 - 93 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 91 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalm 90 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Nehemiah 13 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Nehemiah 12 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Nehemiah 11 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Nehemiah 10 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Nehemiah 9:22-37 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Nehemiah 9:1-21 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Nehemiah 8 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Nehemiah 7 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Nehemiah 6 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Nehemiah 5 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Nehemiah 4 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Nehemiah 3 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Nehemiah 2 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Nehemiah 1 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezra 9 - 10 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezra 8 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezra 7 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezra 5 - 6 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezra 4 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezra 3 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezra 1 - 2 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Philemon (EHV)

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Bible reading from Colossians 3:18 - 4:18 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Colossians 3:1-17 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Colossians 2:8-23 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Colossians 1:24 - 2:7 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Colossians 1:15-23 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Colossians 1:1-14 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 47:13 - 48:35 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 47:1-12 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 45 - 46 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 43:13 - 44:31 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 42:1 - 43:12 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 40:48 - 41:26 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 40:1-47 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 39 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 38 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 37 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 36:16-38 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 35:1 - 36:15 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 34 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 33 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalms 89:38-52 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalms 89:1-37 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalms 88 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalms 86 - 87 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalms 85 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalms 84 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalms 81 - 83 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalms 79 - 80 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalms 78:40-72 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalms 78:1-39 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalms 77 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalms 75 - 76 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalms 74 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Psalms 73 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 31 - 32 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 29 - 30 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 27 - 28 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 25 - 26 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 24 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 23 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 22 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 20:45 - 21:32 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 20:1-44 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 18 - 19 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 17 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 16 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 14 - 15 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 12 - 13 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 11 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 9 - 10 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 8 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Ezekiel 6 - 7 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Philippians 1:27 - 2:18 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Philippians 1:12-26 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Philippians 1:1-11 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Lamentations 5 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Lamentations 4 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Lamentations 3 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Lamentations 2 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Lamentations 1 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Jeremiah 51:59 - 52:34 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Jeremiah 51:1-58 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Jeremiah 49:34 - 50:46 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Jeremiah 49:1-33 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Jeremiah 48 (EHV)

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Bible reading from Jeremiah 46 - 47 (EHV)

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – April 29Jeremiah 44 – 45

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Through My Bible – April 29

Jeremiah 44 – 45 (EHV)

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-0429db.mp3

See series: Through My Bible

The Lord’s Message to the Jews in Egypt Jeremiah 44 1 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews who lived in the land of Egypt—in Migdol, Tahpanhes, and Memphis, [1] and also in Upper Egypt: [2]

2 This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says. You have seen the disaster I brought on Jerusalem and all the cities of Judah. You see that today they are desolate and no one lives there 3 because they committed evil and provoked me to anger. They burned incense to serve other gods that neither they, nor you, nor your fathers knew. 4 I kept sending my servants the prophets to you again and again, saying, “Do not do this detestable thing that I hate.” 5 But they did not listen or pay attention. They did not turn away from their wickedness or stop burning incense to other gods. 6 Therefore, my wrath and anger were poured out and ignited against the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, and they were laid waste and desolate, as they are this day.

7 Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Armies, the God of Israel, says. Why are you doing such an evil thing to yourselves? You are cutting off from Judah man and woman, children and infants, leaving no one remaining. 8 Why are you provoking me to anger with the idols your hands have made? Why are you burning incense to other gods in Egypt where you have gone to live? You will cut yourselves off, making yourselves an object of cursing and ridicule among all the nations of the earth. 9 Have you forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, the wickedness of the king of Judah, the wickedness of their wives, your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 10 They have not humbled themselves even to this day. They have not feared me or walked in my law or in my statutes that I set before you and your fathers.

11 Therefore the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: I will certainly set my face against you to bring disaster, to cut off all Judah. 12 I will remove the survivors of Judah who are determined to go to Egypt and settle there, and they will be consumed. In the land of Egypt they will fall. They will be consumed by sword and famine. They will die, from the least to the greatest, by sword and famine. They will become an object of horror and derision, an object of cursing and ridicule. 13 I will punish those who go to live in the land of Egypt as I punished Jerusalem—with the sword, famine, and plague— 14 so that none of the survivors of Judah who have gone to live in Egypt will escape or survive to return to the land of Judah, to which they long to return in order to live there, because none of them will return, except a few refugees.

15 Then all the men who knew that their wives were burning incense to other gods, and all the women who were standing there—a large crowd—and all the people living in Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt [3] answered Jeremiah: 16 “We will not listen to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord, 17 but instead we will continue doing everything that we said we would do. We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven, and we will pour out drink offerings to her, just as we and our ancestors, our kings, and our officials used to do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. Then we had plenty of food. We were prosperous, and we had no troubles. 18 But ever since we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and stopped pouring out drink offerings to her, we have had nothing at all, and we have been consumed by sword and famine.”

19 Then the women said, “When we burned incense to the Queen of Heaven and poured out drink offerings to her, did we make the cakes in her image and pour out drink offerings to her without our husbands’ approval?”

20 Then Jeremiah said to all the people, both men and women, who were answering him, 21 “Do you think the Lord did not remember the incense you burned in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem—you, your ancestors, your kings and officials, and the people of the land? Do you think this did not enter his mind? 22 When the Lord could no longer bear your evil acts and the disgusting things you did, your land became a desolate wasteland, a cursed land, with no one living there to this day. 23 It is because you have burned incense and sinned against the Lord, because you have not obeyed him or walked in his law, his statutes, and his decrees, that this disaster has come upon you now.”

24 Jeremiah then said to all the people, including the women, “Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah in Egypt.”

25 The Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says this. You and your wives have declared with your words and your actions that you will keep the vows you made to burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and to pour out drink offerings to her. Do what you promised! By all means, fulfill your vows!

26 But hear the word of the Lord, all you Jews living in Egypt. Listen! I swear by my great name, declares the Lord, that my name will no longer be spoken by anyone from Judah living anywhere in Egypt, nor will they swear, “As surely as the Lord God lives.” 27 Look at this! I am watching over them to bring disaster, not good, and all the men of Judah who are in the land of Egypt will be consumed by sword and famine until they are all gone. 28 Those who escape the sword and return from the land of Egypt to the land of Judah will be very few. Then all the remnant of Judah who entered Egypt to live there will know whose word will stand—mine or theirs.

29 This will be a sign to you, declares the Lord. I will punish you in this place. Then you will know that my warnings to bring disaster upon you will stand. 30 This is what the Lord says. Watch me. I am handing Pharaoh Hophra, king of Egypt, over to his enemies who seek his life, just as I handed Zedekiah king of Judah over to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the enemy who sought his life.

A Message for Baruch Jeremiah 45 1 This is the message that Jeremiah the prophet gave to Baruch son of Neriah when he was writing down on a scroll the words that Jeremiah was dictating. This was in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah.

2 This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to you, Baruch.

3 You said, “Woe is me! The Lord has added sorrow to my pain. I am worn out with groaning and I have found no rest.”

4 This is what the Lord says. Tell him that I will overthrow what I have built and uproot what I have planted throughout the whole world. 5 So should you then be seeking great things for yourself? Stop seeking them. I will certainly bring disaster on every living thing, declares the Lord. But in every place you go, I will let you hang on to your life like a prize of war.

Footnotes 1. Jeremiah 44:1 Hebrew Noph. English usually uses the Greek forms of the names of Egyptian cities. 2. Jeremiah 44:1 Hebrew Pathros, the southern part of Egypt 3. Jeremiah 44:15 Hebrew in Egypt and Pathros

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – April 28Jeremiah 42 – 43

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Through My Bible – April 28

Jeremiah 42 – 43 (EHV)

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-0428db.mp3

See series: Through My Bible

The People Ask Jeremiah to Pray for Them Jeremiah 42 1 Then all the army officers, including Johanan son of Kareah and Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least to the greatest approached Jeremiah. 2 They said to him, “Please hear our request and pray to the Lord your God for us, for this group of survivors. As you can see, only a few of us are left, though once there were many. 3 Pray that the Lord your God may show us the way we should go and what we should do.”

4 Then Jeremiah the prophet said to them, “I have heard you. Certainly, I will pray to the Lord your God as you have asked. I will tell you whatever the Lord answers. I will keep nothing back from you.”

5 Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the Lord be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not do everything the Lord your God directs you to tell us. 6 Whether it is good or bad, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God, of whom you are inquiring for us. May it go well with us when we obey the voice of the Lord our God.”

7 Ten days later, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah. 8 He called Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers with him, along with all of the people from the least to the greatest, 9 and he reported this to them:

The Lord, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your request, says this: 10 If you stay in this land, I will build you up and not tear you down. I will plant you and not uproot you, for I am grieving over the disaster I brought upon you. 11 Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you now fear. Do not be afraid of him, declares the Lord, for I am with you to save you and to deliver you from his hand. 12 I will be merciful to you so that he will be merciful to you and will send you back to your own land.

13 But if you say, “We will not remain in this land,” and if you disobey the voice of the Lord your God, 14 and if you say, “No, we will go into the land of Egypt, where we will see no war, hear no battle signal from the ram’s horn, and experience no hunger for bread, and we will live there,” 15 then hear the word of the Lord, you survivors from Judah. This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says. If you are determined to go and live in Egypt, 16 then the sword you fear will overtake you in Egypt, the famine you dread will follow you there in Egypt, and you will die there. 17 This is what will happen to everyone who is determined to go into Egypt. All of them will die by the sword, famine, and plague. None of them will survive or escape from the disaster I am going to bring on them. 18 This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says. As my anger and my wrath have been poured out on those who live in Jerusalem, so will my wrath be poured out on you when you go to Egypt. You will be an object of horror and derision, an object of cursing and ridicule. You will never see this place again.

19 This is what the Lord says concerning you, you remaining survivors from Judah: Do not go to Egypt. You can be certain about this. I am warning you today 20 that you have put your own souls [1] in danger by sending me to the Lord your God and saying, “Pray to the Lord our God for us. Tell us everything the Lord our God says, and we will do it.” 21 I have told you this today, but you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God in anything he sent me to tell you. 22 Therefore, be certain about this. You will die by the sword, famine, and plague in the place where you want to go and live.

Jeremiah Is Taken to Egypt Jeremiah 43 1 When Jeremiah finished telling the people all the words of the Lord their God (everything the Lord had sent him to tell them), 2 Azariah son of Hoshaiah, Johanan son of Kareah, and all the arrogant men said to Jeremiah, “You are lying. The Lord our God did not send you to tell us, ‘Do not go to Egypt to settle there.’ 3 Baruch son of Neriah has turned you against us, in order to hand us over to the Chaldeans, so that they may kill us or carry us away to Babylon as captives.”

4 So Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers disobeyed the voice of the Lord, who was commanding them to remain in the land of Judah. 5 Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers took away everyone who remained in Judah, everyone who had returned to live in the land of Judah from the nations where they had been driven: 6 the men, women, and children, the king’s daughters, and everyone else that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, and also Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch son of Neriah. 7 They entered the land of Egypt, disobeying the voice of the Lord, and they went as far as Tahpanhes.

8 In Tahpanhes the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah. The Lord said, 9 “Take some large stones in your hand while the men of Judah are watching, and bury them in the mudbrick pavement at the entrance of Pharaoh’s palace at Tahpanhes. 10 Tell them that this is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says. Be sure of this. I will send for my servant, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and I [2] will set his throne on these stones that I [3] have hidden, and he will spread his royal canopy over them. 11 He will come and attack Egypt, bringing death to those doomed to death, captivity to those doomed to captivity, and the sword to those doomed to the sword. 12 I [4] will set fire to the temples of the gods of Egypt. He will burn them—or carry them away to captivity. He will wrap Egypt around himself as a shepherd wraps a cloak around himself. [5] Then he will go away in peace. 13 He will smash the sacred obelisks in the temple of the sun [6] in the land of Egypt, and he will burn down the temples of the Egyptian gods.”

Footnotes 1. Jeremiah 42:20 Or lives 2. Jeremiah 43:10 Hebrew I; some ancient translations read he. 3. Jeremiah 43:10 Hebrew I; some ancient translations read you. 4. Jeremiah 43:12 Hebrew I; some ancient translations read he. 5. Jeremiah 43:12 Or he will pick Egypt clean as a shepherd picks lice from his clothing 6. Jeremiah 43:13 Or in Heliopolis, the city of the sun

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – April 27Jeremiah 39 – 41

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Through My Bible – April 27

Jeremiah 39 – 41 (EHV)

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-0427db.mp3

See series: Through My Bible

The Fall of Jerusalem Jeremiah 39 1 In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege to it. 2 In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city wall. 3 All the officers of the king of Babylon entered and sat down in the middle gate: Nergal Sharezer the staff officer, [1] Nebo Sarsekim a chief officer, [2] Nergal Sharezer a high official, [3] and all the other officials of the king of Babylon. 4 When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled and left the city at night by way of the king’s garden through the gate between the two walls. Then they went toward the Arabah.

5 But the Chaldean army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains by Jericho. After they had captured him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath and passed judgment on him. 6 The king of Babylon killed Zedekiah’s sons in front of his eyes at Riblah, and he also killed the nobles of Judah. 7 Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him with bronze shackles and sent him to Babylon. 8 The Chaldeans burned down the king’s palace and the houses of the people. They also broke down the walls of Jerusalem. 9 Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, [4] carried into exile the rest of the people who remained in the city, along with those who had deserted, as well as the rest of the people. 10 But Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people, who owned nothing, and he then gave them vineyards and fields.

Jeremiah Is Released 11 Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave orders to Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, concerning Jeremiah. He said, 12 “Take him, look after him, and do him no harm. Do for him whatever he wants.”

13 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, Nebushazban the chief officer, [5] Nergal Sharezer a high official, [6] and all the other officials of the king of Babylon 14 sent for Jeremiah and had him taken out of the courtyard of the guard. They entrusted him to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, to take him to his house. So he remained among his people.

15 While Jeremiah had still been imprisoned in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord had come to him: 16 “Go and tell Ebed Melek the Cushite that this is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says. Watch, I am going to fulfill my words against this city for evil and not for good. They are going to be fulfilled before your eyes. 17 But I will deliver you on that day, declares the Lord, and you will not be handed over to those you fear. 18 I will certainly save you. You will not fall by the sword. You will escape with your life, because you have put your trust in me, declares the Lord.”

Jeremiah Is Set Free Jeremiah 40 1 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had released him at Ramah. Jeremiah had been captured and bound in chains with all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried into exile in Babylon. 2 When the captain of the guard found Jeremiah, he said to him, “The Lord your God pronounced this disaster on this place, 3 and the Lord has brought it about and has done what he said he would do. This took place because you people [7] sinned against the Lord and did not obey him. 4 But now, today, I am removing the chains from your wrists. If you wish, come with me to Babylon. I will take care of you. But if this does not seem good to you, then don’t come. The whole land is before you. If there is a place that seems good and right to you, go there.” 5 But before Jeremiah turned away, he added, “Or you can go to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan. The king of Babylon has made him governor over the cities of Judah. You can live with him among the people. Go wherever it seems right for you to go.”

Then the commander of the guard gave him a gift and some food and released him. 6 Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah and lived with him among the people who had been left behind in the land.

Gedaliah Is Assassinated 7 All the army officers who were still in the field and all their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam to be governor of the land, and that he had given him authority over the men, women, children, and over the poorest people of the land—those who were not carried away into exile in Babylon. 8 They and their men went to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Ja’azaniah [8] the son of the Ma’acathite. 9 Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, swore an oath in the presence of them and their men. He said, “Do not be afraid of the Chaldeans. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you. 10 As for me, I will certainly stay at Mizpah to represent you before the Chaldeans who come to us. As for you, store up wine, summer fruit, and oil, put it into your jars, and live in the towns you have taken over.”

11 When all the Jews who were in Moab, among the Ammonites, in Edom, and in other lands heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah, and that he had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, over them, 12 all those Jews returned from all the places they had been scattered. They returned to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah. There they stored up a large amount of wine and summer fruit.

13 Then Johanan son of Kareah and the army officers who were still in the field came to Gedaliah at Mizpah 14 and said to him, “Do you know that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to assassinate you?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.

15 Then Johanan son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah at Mizpah, “I urge you, let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah. No one will know. Why should he assassinate you and cause all the Jews who are gathered around you to be scattered and the remnant of Judah to perish?”

16 But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, “Do not do this! What you are saying about Ishmael is false.”

Jeremiah 41 1 In the seventh month, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, a descendant of the royal family and one of the chief officers of the king, came with ten men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah. While they were eating a meal together there, 2 Ishmael son of Nethaniah got up and struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, with a sword, killing the man the king of Babylon had appointed as governor over the land. 3 Ishmael also struck down all the Jews who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah and also the Chaldean soldiers they found there.

4 The next day, the day after Gedaliah was assassinated, before anyone knew about it, 5 men came from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria—eighty men in all—with their beards shaved, their clothing torn, and their bodies gashed. [9] They came bringing grain offerings and incense to the House of the Lord. 6 Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he came. As he met them he said, “Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam.” 7 When they got to the middle of the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the men with him began to kill them, throwing their bodies into a cistern. 8 But ten of them said to Ishmael, “Don’t kill us! We have food hidden in the countryside: wheat, barley, oil, and honey!”

So he stopped and did not murder them along with the others. 9 Now the cistern into which Ishmael threw all the dead bodies of the murdered men was a large one, [10] which had been built by King Asa to defend against Ba’asha king of Israel. Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled it with the murdered men.

10 Then Ishmael made prisoners of all the people who were left in Mizpah, including the king’s daughters and the others who were left there in Mizpah—people whom Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, had placed under the care of Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took them as prisoners and set out to cross over to the Ammonites.

11 But when Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers with him heard about all the crimes that Ishmael son of Nethaniah had committed, 12 they took all of their men and went to attack Ishmael son of Nethaniah. They caught up with him by the great pool at Gibeon. 13 When all the people with Ishmael saw Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him, they were glad. 14 All of the people whom Ishmael had taken prisoner turned back and went to Johanan son of Kareah. 15 But Ishmael son of Nethaniah and eight of his men escaped from Johanan and went over to the Ammonites.

16 Then Johanan son of Kareah and the army officers with him took all the survivors from Mizpah, whom he had recovered from Ishmael son of Nethaniah after Ishmael had killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam—the soldiers, the women, the children, and the court officials that Johanan had brought back from Gibeon. 17 They left there and stayed at Geruth Kimham near Bethlehem. They were on the way to Egypt 18 because they were afraid of the Chaldeans, since Ishmael son of Nethaniah had killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed as governor over the land.

Footnotes 1. Jeremiah 39:3 Hebrew samgar, or in Akkadian sin magir. Samgar may be a title or a title based on a place name. 2. Jeremiah 39:3 Hebrew rab saris 3. Jeremiah 39:3 Hebrew rab mag. Jeremiah uses accurate Akkadian titles and personal names that have been found in Babylonian cuneiform tablets. This demonstrates that Jeremiah had firsthand knowledge about the Babylonian personnel involved in the destruction of Jerusalem. 4. Jeremiah 39:9 Or the chief executioner 5. Jeremiah 39:13 Hebrew rab saris 6. Jeremiah 39:13 Hebrew rab mag 7. Jeremiah 40:3 You people is used to indicate that the pronoun is plural. 8. Jeremiah 40:8 Hebrew Jezaniah, another form of Ja’azaniah 9. Jeremiah 41:5 All these actions were signs of mourning. 10. Jeremiah 41:9 The translation was a large one follows the Greek reading. The Hebrew reading by the hand of Gedaliah does not seem to fit the context.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – April 26Jeremiah 37 – 38

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Through My Bible – April 26

Jeremiah 37 – 38 (EHV)

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-0426db.mp3

See series: Through My Bible

King Zedekiah’s Request to Jeremiah Jeremiah 37 1 King Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, made Zedekiah son of Josiah king in place of Jehoiachin [1] son of Jehoiakim. 2 But neither Zedekiah nor his attendants nor the people of the land obeyed the word of the Lord that he spoke through the prophet Jeremiah.

3 Nevertheless, King Zedekiah sent Jehucal son of Shelemiah with Zephaniah son of Ma’aseiah, the priest, to the prophet Jeremiah to request, “Please pray to the Lord our God for us.”

4 Jeremiah was still moving about freely among the people, for they had not yet put him into prison. 5 Pharaoh’s army had come out of Egypt, and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard the report about them, they withdrew from Jerusalem.

6 Then the word of the Lord came to the prophet Jeremiah.

7 The Lord, the God of Israel, says to tell this to the king of Judah, who sent you to me to inquire of me. Be warned. Pharaoh’s army, which has come out to help you, will go back to Egypt, to their own land. 8 Then the Chaldeans will return and attack this city. They will capture it and burn it down.

9 The Lord says: “Do not deceive yourselves by saying, ‘The Chaldeans will surely leave us.’ They will not. 10 For even if you would defeat the whole Chaldean army attacking you, and there were only wounded men left who were confined to their tents, they would still get up and burn this city down.”

11 When the Chaldean army had withdrawn from Jerusalem to face Pharaoh’s army, 12 Jeremiah left Jerusalem to go to the territory of Benjamin to claim his share of the property among the people there. 13 But as he arrived at the Benjamin Gate, the sentry who was in charge there, named Irijah son of Shelemiah, son of Hananiah, seized Jeremiah the prophet. He said, “You are deserting to the Chaldeans!”

14 But Jeremiah said, “That is false! I am not deserting to the Chaldeans.”

But Irijah did not listen to him. He seized Jeremiah and brought him to the officials. 15 Angry with Jeremiah, they beat him, and they imprisoned him in the house of Jonathan the scribe, because they were using that house as a prison.

16 Jeremiah was kept in a vaulted cistern [2] for a long time. 17 Then King Zedekiah sent for him and had him brought out. The king asked him secretly in his house, “Is there any word from the Lord?”

Jeremiah answered, “There is. He said, ‘You will be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon.’”

18 Jeremiah also said to King Zedekiah, “How have I sinned against you, against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison? 19 Where are your prophets now, who prophesied to you, ‘The king of Babylon will not attack you or this land’? 20 Now, my lord the king, please listen to me. Let my petition come before you: Please do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the scribe, or I will die there.”

21 Then Zedekiah the king ordered that Jeremiah be placed in the courtyard of the guard. Every day they gave him a loaf of bread from the street of the bakers until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard.

Jeremiah Is Imprisoned in a Cistern Jeremiah 38 1 Shephatiah son of Mattah, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jehucal [3] son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malkijah heard what Jeremiah had told the people when he said, 2 “This is what the Lord says. Whoever remains in this city will die by sword, famine, and plague, but whoever goes over to the Chaldeans will live. He will escape with his life, and he will live. 3 This is what the Lord says. This city will surely be handed over to the army of the king of Babylon, and he will capture it.”

4 Then the officials said to the king, “This man should be put to death because he is demoralizing the soldiers who are left in the city. He is demoralizing all the people by saying these things to them. This man is not seeking the welfare of the people. He wants to hurt them.”

5 King Zedekiah answered, “Very well. He is in your hands. The king cannot do anything to stop you.”

6 So they took Jeremiah and threw him into the cistern of Malkijah, the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They let Jeremiah down by ropes. There was no water in the cistern, but only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud.

7 Ebed Melek the Cushite, [4] an official in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the cistern. While the king was sitting in the Benjamin Gate, 8 Ebed Melek left the palace and said to the king, 9 “My lord the king, everything that these men have done to Jeremiah the prophet is evil. They have thrown him into a cistern, where he is likely to die because of the famine, for there is no more bread in the city.”

10 Then the king gave orders to Ebed Melek the Cushite: “Take thirty men from here under your command and lift Jeremiah the prophet up out of the cistern before he dies.”

11 So Ebed Melek took command of the men and entered a room under the treasury in the palace. He took some old rags and worn-out clothing from there, and he lowered them with ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern. 12 Ebed Melek the Cushite said to Jeremiah, “Put these rags and worn-out clothes under your arms to pad the ropes.” After Jeremiah did that, 13 they lifted him up with the ropes and pulled him out of the cistern. After this Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard.

14 King Zedekiah then sent for Jeremiah and brought him to the third entrance of the temple of the Lord. He said to Jeremiah, “I am going to ask you something. Do not hide anything from me.”

15 Jeremiah replied, “Won’t you put me to death if I tell you the truth? If I give you advice, you won’t listen to me.”

16 So King Zedekiah swore a secret oath to Jeremiah: “As surely as the Lord lives, who gave us our lives, I will not put you to death, and I will not hand you over to the men who seek your life.”

17 Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “The Lord, the God of Armies, the God of Israel, says: If you surrender to the Babylonian king’s officials, your life will be spared, and this city will not be burned. You will live, and your family will live. 18 But if you will not surrender to the Babylonian king’s officials, then this city will be handed over to the Chaldeans. They will burn it down, and you will not escape from their hands.”

19 King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews who have defected to the Chaldeans. The Chaldeans may turn me over to them, and they will torture me.”

20 But Jeremiah said, “They will not turn you over to them. Please obey the Lord by doing what I tell you. It will go well with you, and your life will be spared. 21 But if you refuse to surrender, this is what the Lord has revealed to me. 22 All the women who are left in the palace of the king of Judah will certainly be brought out to the officials of the Babylonian king. Those women will say to you, ‘Those trusted friends of yours misled you and led you to defeat. Your feet have sunk down into the mud, and they all have deserted you.’ 23 They will bring all your wives and children to the Chaldeans. You yourself will not escape their grasp. You will be seized by the king of Babylon, and this city will be burned down.”

24 Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “If you do not let anyone know about this conversation, you will not die. 25 But if the officials hear that I have spoken with you, they will come and ask you, ‘Tell us what you said to the king. Do not hide it from us, and we will not put you to death—just tell us what the king said to you.’ 26 Tell them, ‘I was humbly begging the king not to return me to the house of Jonathan to die there.’”

27 All the officials then came to Jeremiah. When they began to question him, he said everything just the way the king had commanded. Then they stopped questioning him, since no one had heard the conversation.

28 So Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard until the day Jerusalem was captured. He was still there when Jerusalem fell.

Footnotes 1. Jeremiah 37:1 Hebrew Coniah 2. Jeremiah 37:16 An underground chamber for storing rainwater, which was roofed over to prevent evaporation 3. Jeremiah 38:1 Hebrew Jucal, a form of Jehucal. See 37:3. 4. Jeremiah 38:7 Cush is the upper Nile region, roughly corresponding to present-day Sudan.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – April 25Jeremiah 36

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Through My Bible – April 25

Jeremiah 36 (EHV)

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Jehoiakim Burns Jeremiah’s Scroll 1 In the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord:

2 Take a scroll and write on it all the words I have spoken to you concerning Israel, concerning Judah and all the other nations, from the day I began speaking to you in the days of Josiah until now. 3 Perhaps when the house of Judah hears about all the disaster I am planning for them, each of them will turn from his evil ways. Then I will forgive their guilt and their sin.

4 So Jeremiah called Baruch son of Neriah. While Jeremiah dictated all the words that the Lord had spoken to him, Baruch wrote them on the scroll. 5 Then Jeremiah gave an order to Baruch, saying, “I am restricted from going into the House of the Lord, 6 so you will have to go. Read from the scroll you have written at my dictation. Read it in the hearing of all the people of Judah who have come from their cities on a day of fasting. 7 Perhaps they will make a request to the Lord, and each of them will turn from his evil ways, for the Lord has planned great anger and wrath against this people.”

8 Baruch son of Neriah did everything that Jeremiah the prophet had commanded him. He read the words of the Lord from the scroll in the House of the Lord.

9 Later, in the ninth month of the fifth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, all the people of Jerusalem and all the people who came from the cities of Judah proclaimed a fast before the Lord. 10 Then Baruch read the words of Jeremiah from the scroll in the House of the Lord, in the hearing of all the people. This was at the chamber of Gemariah son of Shaphan, the secretary, which was in the upper courtyard at the entrance of the New Gate of the House of the Lord.

11 When Micaiah son of Gemariah, son of Shaphan, heard all the words of the Lord from the scroll, 12 he went into the secretary’s room in the king’s palace. All the officials happened to be sitting there: Elishama the secretary, Delaiah son of Shemaiah, Elnathan son of Akbor, Gemariah son of Shaphan, Zedekiah son of Hananiah, and all the other officials. 13 Micaiah reported to them all the words he had heard when Baruch read the scroll in the hearing of the people. 14 Then all the officials sent Jehudi son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to tell Baruch, “Bring the scroll you have read in the hearing of the people, and come here.”

So Baruch son of Neriah brought the scroll in his hand and went to them. 15 They said, “Please sit down and read it to us.” So Baruch read it to them.

16 When they had heard everything, they turned to one another in fear. They said to Baruch, “We have to report all of these things to the king.” 17 They asked Baruch, “Tell us, how did you come to write all of this? Did Jeremiah dictate this to you?”

18 Baruch answered, “He dictated [1] all of these things to me, and I wrote them with ink on the scroll.”

19 Then the officials said to Baruch, “You and Jeremiah go and hide. Do not let anyone know where you are.”

20 They put the scroll in the room of Elishama the secretary, and then they went to the king in the court. They repeated all of these words to the king. 21 Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll. After he took it from the room of Elishama the secretary, Jehudi read it to the king in the hearing of all the officials who stood beside the king. 22 Now the king was sitting in the winter house (it was the ninth month), [2] and there was a metal heating pan with a fire of burning coals in front of him. 23 Whenever Jehudi had read three or four columns, the king would cut it off with a scribe’s knife and throw it into the fire until the entire scroll was burned up in the fire. 24 Neither the king nor his attendants who heard all these words were afraid. They did not tear their clothing. 25 Even when Elnathan and Delaiah pleaded with the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. 26 Instead, the king commanded Jerahme’el the king’s son, along with Seraiah son of Azriel and Shelemiah son of Abde’el, to arrest Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet. But the Lord hid them.

27 After the king had burned the scroll containing the words that Baruch had written at Jeremiah’s dictation, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah:

28 Take another scroll, and write all the earlier words on it that were on the first scroll, the one that Jehoiakim king of Judah burned.

29 Concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah, say: This is what the Lord says. You yourself have burned this scroll. You asked, “Why did you write on it that the king of Babylon would certainly come and destroy the land and cut off both men and animals?” 30 That is why the Lord says this about Jehoiakim king of Judah: He will have no one to sit on David’s throne. His dead body will be thrown out and exposed to the heat of the day and the frost of the night. 31 I will punish him, his offspring, and his servants for their guilt. I will bring on them and on everyone who lives in Jerusalem and the men of Judah every disaster I have pronounced against them, because they did not listen.

32 Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to his scribe Baruch son of Neriah, who wrote on it all the same words that had been on the scroll that Jehoiakim king of Judah burned in the fire. And many similar words were added to them.

Footnotes 1. Jeremiah 36:18 Literally he said from his mouth 2. Jeremiah 36:22 That is, the month of Kislev, late November/early December

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – April 24Jeremiah 35

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Through My Bible – April 24

Jeremiah 35 (EHV)

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The Example of the Rekabites 1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah. 2 “Go to the house of the Rekabites, and bring them into one of the rooms in the House of the Lord, and give them wine to drink.”

3 So I took Ja’azaniah son of Jeremiah, son of Habazziniah, along with his brothers and all his sons—the whole house of the Rekabites— 4 and I brought them into the House of the Lord, into the room of the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah, the man of God. It was next to the room of the officials that was above the room of Ma’asaiah son of Shallum, the doorkeeper. 5 I set bowls of wine and some cups before the men of the house of the Rekabites, and I said to them, “Drink some wine.”

6 But they said, “We do not drink wine. Our ancestor Jonadab son of Rekab commanded us: ‘You are not to drink wine, neither you nor your descendants, not ever. 7 Also, you are not to build houses, sow seed, plant vineyards, or own any of these things. You must always live in tents. Then you will live a long time on the land where you live as nomads.’ 8 We have obeyed what Jonadab son of Rekab, our ancestor, commanded us. We have never drunk wine—we, our wives, our sons, and our daughters. 9 We have never built houses to live in. We have no vineyards, fields, or crops. 10 We have lived in tents, and we have obeyed everything that Jonadab our ancestor commanded us. 11 But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded the land, we said, ‘Come on, we have to go to Jerusalem to escape the armies of the Chaldeans and the Arameans.’ That is why we are living in Jerusalem.”

12 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah.

13 This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says. Go ask the men of Judah and those living in Jerusalem: Will you learn a lesson and obey my words? declares the Lord. 14 Jonadab son of Rekab commanded his sons not to drink wine, and this command has been kept. To this day they drink no wine, for they have obeyed their ancestor’s command. But I keep speaking to you, again and again, and you have not obeyed me. 15 I have sent my servants the prophets to you again and again. They told you to turn from your evil ways, to reform your actions, and to stop following other gods in order to serve them. Then you would live on the land I have given to you and your fathers. But you have not paid attention or listened to me. 16 The sons of Jonadab son of Rekab have kept this command which their father gave them, but these people have not obeyed me.

17 Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Armies, the God of Israel, says. Watch this. I am going to bring down on Judah and everyone who lives in Jerusalem every disaster I have pronounced against them. I have spoken to them, but they have not listened. I have called them, but they have not answered.

18 Jeremiah said to the house of the Rekabites, “The Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says this. Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father and kept all his instructions and done everything he commanded you, 19 the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says that Jonadab will never fail to have a man to serve me.”

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – April 23Jeremiah 34

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Through My Bible – April 23

Jeremiah 34 (EHV)

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A Message for Zedekiah 1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, along with all his army, all the kingdoms of the earth, and all the peoples that were subject to him were fighting against Jerusalem and against all its cities.

2 The Lord, the God of Israel, says:

Go to Zedekiah king of Judah and tell him this is what the Lord says. I certainly am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it. 3 You will not escape his grasp. You will surely be taken and handed over to him. You will see the king of Babylon eye-to-eye, and he will speak with you face-to-face. You will go to Babylon.

4 Even so, hear the word of the Lord, Zedekiah king of Judah.

The Lord says concerning you: You will not die by the sword. 5 You will die in peace. Just as people made a funeral fire in honor of your fathers who were kings before you, so they will make a fire for you. They will lament for you, saying, “Alas, master!” This is my word, declares the Lord.

6 Jeremiah the prophet said all these things to Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem 7 when the army of the king of Babylon was fighting against Jerusalem and against the cities of Judah that still remained, namely, Lachish and Azekah (for these alone remained from all of Judah’s fortified cities).

8 The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord after King Zedekiah made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem proclaiming freedom for the slaves. 9 Everyone was to free his Hebrew slaves, male and female. No one was to keep a fellow Jew in slavery. 10 All the officials and all the people who entered into this covenant agreed that they would set their male and female slaves free, and that no one would keep them in slavery anymore. They obeyed the agreement and set them free. 11 But after this they changed their minds. They took back the slaves they had set free, and they made them serve as male and female slaves once again.

12 It was after this that the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah.

13 This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says. I made a covenant with your fathers on the day I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of slavery. I said that 14 every seven years you are to set free any fellow Hebrew who has sold himself to you. After he has served you six years, you are to set him free. [1] But your fathers did not listen to me or pay attention to me. 15 Now, after you repented and did what is right in my sight, each of you proclaimed freedom for his neighbor. You made a covenant before me in the house that bears my name, 16 but you have turned around and profaned my name. Each of you has taken back and enslaved his male and female slaves, whom you had set free to go where they wished. You forced them back into slavery, to serve as your male and female slaves.

17 Therefore this is what the Lord says. You have not listened to me by proclaiming freedom for your brothers and your neighbors. So I am proclaiming freedom to you, says the Lord. Freedom to fall by the sword, plague, and famine! I will make you a horror among all the kingdoms of the earth. 18 I am going to make the men who walked between the covenant pieces, [2] but who did not keep the terms of the covenant that they had made in my presence, just like the calf they cut in two and then walk between its pieces. 19 The officials of Judah and the officials of Jerusalem, the government ministers, [3] the priests, and all the people of the land who walked between the parts of the calf, 20 I will hand over to their enemies, to those who seek their lives. Their corpses will be food for the birds in the sky and the wild animals in the land.

21 I will hand over Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials to those who seek their lives and to the army of the king of Babylon, which has withdrawn from you. Watch, I will give a command, says the Lord, and I will bring them back to this city. They will fight against it, capture it, and burn it down. I will make the cities of Judah desolate so that no one can live there.

Footnotes 1. Jeremiah 34:14 Deuteronomy 15:12 2. Jeremiah 34:18 See Genesis 15:17 for an example of making a covenant by cutting a sacrificial animal into pieces and then walking between the two rows of pieces as a way of invoking a curse on anyone who broke the covenant. 3. Jeremiah 34:19 Or perhaps eunuchs

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – April 22Jeremiah 32 – 33

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Through My Bible – April 22

Jeremiah 32 – 33 (EHV)

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Jeremiah Is Imprisoned Jeremiah 32 1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar.

2 At that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem. Jeremiah the prophet was confined in the courtyard of the guard in the palace of the king of Judah. 3 Zedekiah king of Judah had confined him there.

Zedekiah had said, “Why do you prophesy and say that the Lord says that he will certainly give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and that he will capture it? 4 Why do you say that Zedekiah king of Judah will not escape from the hand of the Chaldeans, but will surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and that he will speak with him face-to-face and see him eye-to-eye? 5 Why do you say that he will bring Zedekiah to Babylon, to remain there until the Lord deals with him? declares the Lord. And that even though I fight with the Chaldeans, I will not succeed?”

Jeremiah Redeems a Field 6 Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me. 7 Watch for this. Hanamel, the son of your uncle Shallum, will come to you and tell you to buy his field in Anathoth, because the right of redemption is yours. So buy it.”

8 Then Hanamel my cousin came to me in the courtyard of the guard, just as the Lord had said, and he told me to buy his field in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, because the right to redeem it and take possession of it was mine. He told me to buy it for myself.

Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord. 9 I purchased the field in Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel. I weighed out for him seventeen shekels [1] of silver. 10 I signed the deed, sealed it, called witnesses, and weighed out the silver on the scales. 11 Then I took the deed of the purchase containing the terms and conditions, both the sealed copy and an unsealed copy, 12 and I gave them to Baruch son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, in the presence of my cousin Hanamel, and in the presence of the witnesses who had signed the deed, and in the presence of all the Jews sitting in the courtyard of the guard.

13 I gave Baruch instructions in their presence. I told him 14 that this is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, said: “Take these deeds, the sealed deed of purchase and the unsealed copy, and put them in a clay jar so that they will be preserved for a long time. 15 For the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says this: Houses and fields and vineyards will again be purchased in this land.”

16 After I gave the deed of purchase to Baruch son of Neriah, I prayed to the Lord:

17 Ah, Lord God! You are the one who made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm. There is nothing that is too difficult for you. 18 You show mercy to thousands, but you repay the guilt of the fathers into the laps of their children after them. Great and powerful God, the Lord of Armies is your name! 19 You give sound guidance, and your deeds are mighty. Your eyes are open to all the ways of mankind. You reward everyone according to what he has done, according to what his deeds deserve. 20 Up to this day you have performed signs and wonders—in the land of Egypt, in Israel, and even among all mankind—and you made a name for yourself as it is today.

21 You brought your people Israel out of Egypt with signs and wonders, with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with great terror. 22 You gave them this land that you swore to give to their fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey. 23 They came in and took possession of it, but they did not obey you or follow your law. They have not done everything that you commanded them to do. Therefore you have brought all this disaster upon them.

24 You see that the siege ramps have come up to the city to capture it. The city will be handed over to the Chaldeans, who fight against it by means of sword, famine, and plague. What you said has taken place, as you see. 25 Lord God, you said to me, “Buy the field with silver and call witnesses,” even though the city was being handed over to the Chaldeans.

26 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah.

27 Listen to me. I am the Lord, the God who rules over all flesh. Is there anything that is too difficult for me? 28 Therefore, this is what the Lord says. Watch, I am going to hand over this city to the Chaldeans and to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will capture it. 29 The Chaldeans who attack this city will come and set fire to it. They will burn it, along with the houses. People offered incense to Baal on those rooftops, and they poured out drink offerings to other gods there, and they provoked me to anger.

30 For the people of Israel and the people of Judah have done nothing but evil in my sight ever since their youth. The people of Israel have committed only evil with what their hands have made, declares the Lord. 31 Because this city has aroused my anger and wrath from the day it was built until now, I will remove it from my sight. 32 The people of Israel and the people of Judah have provoked me by all the evil they have done—they, their kings, their officials, their priests, their prophets, the men of Judah, and the people of Jerusalem. 33 They have turned their backs to me and not their faces. Though I taught them again and again, they did not listen to me or accept correction. 34 They set up their disgusting things in the house that bears my name, and they defiled it. 35 They built the high places of Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, to make their sons and daughters pass through the fire to Molek, something I did not command them to do. It did not enter my mind that they would do such a disgusting thing and cause Judah to sin.

36 About this city, you have been saying, “It will be handed over to the king of Babylon by sword, famine, and plague.” But now this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 37 Watch, I will gather them from all the lands where I have driven them in my furious anger and great wrath. Then I will bring them back again to this place. I will let them live in safety. 38 Then they will be my people, and I will be their God. 39 I will give them one heart and direct them in one way, so that they always fear me. This will be for their good and for the good of their children after them. 40 I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will never stop doing good for them. I will put this fear in their hearts so that they will not turn away from me. 41 I will rejoice in doing good for them. I will plant them in this land with all my heart and all my soul.

42 This is what the Lord says. Just as surely as I brought this great catastrophe on this people, so I will be the one to bring them all the good that I have promised them. 43 Once again fields will be purchased in this land, which you say is desolate, without man or animal, and which you say is handed over to the Chaldeans. 44 Men will buy fields for silver, sign the deeds, seal them, and call witnesses in the land of Benjamin and in the places around Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the Shephelah, and in the cities of the Negev. I will restore them from their captivity, declares the Lord.

Jeremiah 33 1 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time. This was while he was still locked up in the courtyard of the guard.

2 This is what the Lord, who made the earth, [2] says, the Lord who formed it and who established it—the Lord is his name. 3 Call on me and I will answer you. I will show you great and mysterious things you did not know. 4 For the Lord, the God of Israel, says this concerning the houses of this city and the palaces of the kings of Judah (which were being torn down to build up defenses against the siege ramps and the sword 5 during the fight against the Chaldeans): I will fill them with the corpses of men whom I have killed in my anger and my wrath. I will hide my face from this city because of all its wickedness.

6 But watch! I will bring it health and healing. I will heal them and reveal an abundance of peace and truth to them. 7 I will cause the captives of Judah and the captives of Israel to return, and I will build them up as they were in the beginning. 8 I will cleanse them from all the guilt they incurred by sinning against me. I will pardon all the guilt they incurred by sinning against me and by their rebellion against me. 9 This will provide a name of joy, praise, and glory for me, in the presence of all the nations of the earth. They will hear about all the good that I do for this city, and they will tremble in awe because of the good and because of the peace I provide for it.

10 This is what the Lord says. You say that this place is a wasteland, without man or animal, and that there is no man living in the cities of Judah or in the desolate streets of Jerusalem, not even an animal. 11 But the sound of joy, the sound of gladness, and the voice of the bride and groom will be heard there once again. A voice will again be heard that says, “Give thanks to the Lord of Armies, for the Lord is good, and his mercy endures forever,” as they bring thank offerings into the House of the Lord. For I will restore the fortunes of the lands as they were in the beginning, says the Lord.

12 This is what the Lord of Armies says. In this place, which is desolate, without man and without animal, in all its cities there will once again be pastures for shepherds to rest their flocks. 13 In the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the Shephelah, in the cities of the Negev, in the land of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, flocks will once again pass under the hand of the one who counts them, says the Lord.

14 Listen, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the good promises that I have spoken to the house of Israel and concerning the house of Judah.

15 In those days and at that time,

I will cause a righteous Branch to grow up from David’s line.

He will establish justice and righteousness on earth.

16 In those days Judah will be saved,

and Jerusalem will dwell securely.

This is what she [3] will be called:

The Lord Our Righteousness.

17 This is what the Lord says.

David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel. 18 Neither will the priests, who are Levites, fail to have a man to stand before me to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings, and to offer sacrifices continually.

19 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah.

20 This is what the Lord says. If you could break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that there would no longer be day or night at their appointed times, 21 only then could my covenant with my servant David be broken, so that he would not have a son to reign on his throne. Only then could my covenant with the priests who are Levites, my ministers, be broken. 22 Just as the stars of the sky cannot be counted and the sand of the seashore cannot be measured, in the same way I will multiply the offspring [4] of my servant David and the Levites who minister before me.

23 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah.

24 Have you not considered what these people are saying—that the Lord rejected the two families that he chose? They despise my people in this way, and they do not consider them a nation. 25 The Lord says: If I have not established my covenant with day and night, or the ordinances of heaven and earth, 26 only then will I reject the offspring of Jacob and of my servant David, and only then will I fail to choose one of his sons to rule over the offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. So I will restore them from captivity, and I will have mercy on them.

Footnotes 1. Jeremiah 32:9 That is, about 7 ounces 2. Jeremiah 33:2 The translation follows the Greek Old Testament. The Hebrew reads who made it. 3. Jeremiah 33:16 That is, Jerusalem 4. Jeremiah 33:22 Literally seed

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – April 21Jeremiah 31:27-40

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Through My Bible – April 21

Jeremiah 31:27-40 (EHV)

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Jeremiah 31 27 Look, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and with the seed of animal. 28 Just as I have watched over them to uproot and to tear down, to overthrow, destroy, and afflict, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, declares the Lord.

29 In those days they will no longer say,

“The fathers have eaten sour grapes,

and the children’s teeth are set on edge.”

30 But everyone will die for his own guilt.

Everyone who eats sour grapes—

his own teeth will be set on edge.

The New Covenant

31 Yes, the days are coming, declares the Lord,

when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel

and with the house of Judah.

32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers,

when I took them by the hand

and led them out of the land of Egypt.

They broke that covenant of mine,

although I was a husband to them, declares the Lord.

33 But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel

after those days,

declares the Lord.

I will put my law [1] in their minds,

and I will write it on their hearts.

I will be their God,

and they will be my people.

34 No longer will each one teach his neighbor,

or each one teach his brother, saying, “Know the Lord,”

because they will all know me,

from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord,

for I will forgive their guilt,

and I will remember their sins no more.

35 This is what the Lord says,

the Lord, who gives the sun for light by day,

who regulates the moon and stars for light by night,

who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar,

whose name is the Lord of Armies:

36 Only if these ordinances could vanish from my sight,

only then could the seed of Israel cease to be a nation before me,

declares the Lord.

37 This is what the Lord says:

Only if someone could measure what is above the sky,

only if someone could explore what is below the foundations

of the earth,

only then would I reject all the seed of Israel

for all that they have done, declares the Lord.

38 Look, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when the city will be rebuilt for the Lord from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. 39 The measuring line will stretch from there straight out to the Hill of Gareb and turn toward Goah. 40 The whole valley with the dead bodies and the ashes, and all the fields out to the Kidron Valley, to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, will be holy to the Lord. It will not be uprooted or torn down ever again.

Footnotes 1. Jeremiah 31:33 The term law here refers to the whole word of God. As verse 34 demonstrates, here the term law does not refer to the natural knowledge of the law written in our hearts, but rather to our knowledge of the gospel.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – April 20Jeremiah 30:1 – 31:26

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Through My Bible – April 20

Jeremiah 30:1 – 31:26 (EHV)

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-0420db.mp3

See series: Through My Bible

The Lord Will Restore Israel Jeremiah 30 1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord. 2 The Lord, the God of Israel, says,

Write all the words that I have spoken to you in a book. 3 Look, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity. I will restore them to the land I gave to their fathers, and they will possess it, says the Lord.

4 These are words the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah. 5 This is what the Lord says.

“We have heard cries of fear,

of terror, and not of peace.”

6 Ask and see.

Can a man give birth to a child?

Why then do I see every strong man

with his hands on his belly like a woman in labor?

Why has every face turned pale?

7 That day is so terrible that there is none like it!

It will be a time of trouble for Jacob,

but he will be saved out of it.

8 In that day, declares the Lord of Armies,

I will break the yoke off your neck.

I will tear away your bonds.

Strangers will no longer enslave Israel,

9 but they will serve the Lord their God

and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.

10 Therefore do not be afraid, my servant Jacob, declares the Lord.

Do not be terrified, Israel,

because I will certainly save you from a faraway place.

I will save your descendants from the land where they are captive.

Jacob will return.

He will enjoy quiet and be at ease,

and no one will make him afraid.

11 I am with you to save you, declares the Lord.

I will completely destroy all the nations

among which I have scattered you,

but I will not completely destroy you.

I will discipline you with justice, [1]

yet I will not regard you as entirely innocent.

12 So this is what the Lord says.

Your wound is incurable.

Your injury is severe.

13 There is no one to plead your cause,

no one to bind your wounds.

There are no healing medicines.

14 All who loved you have forgotten you.

They do not ask about you.

I have wounded you as an enemy would.

I have punished you as the cruel would,

because your guilt is so great,

because your sins are so many.

15 Why are you crying over your injury,

over your incurable wound?

It is because of your great guilt,

because of your many sins,

that I have done these things to you.

16 Yet all who devour you will be devoured.

All your enemies, every one of them, will go into captivity.

Those who plunder you will be plundered.

All who prey on you will become prey.

17 For I will restore your health,

and I will heal your wounds, declares the Lord,

because they have called you an outcast,

saying, “It is Zion—for whom no one cares.”

18 This is what the Lord says.

Look, I will end the captivity [2] of Jacob’s tents

and have compassion on his dwellings.

The city will be rebuilt on the mound of its ruins,

and the citadel will stand in its rightful place.

19 Thanksgiving will come out of them,

along with the sound of rejoicing.

I will multiply them,

and they will not decrease in number.

I will glorify them,

and they will not be insignificant.

20 Their children will be as they were long ago,

and their community will be established in my presence.

I will punish all who oppress them.

21 Their strong leader will be one of their own,

and their ruler will arise from among them.

I will summon him to come near,

and he will approach me,

for who would be bold enough to approach me?

says the Lord.

22 You shall be my people,

and I will be your God.

23 Look, a storm is coming from the Lord!

His wrath has gone out,

like a whirlwind twisting down,

whirling over the heads of the wicked.

24 The Lord’s anger will not turn back

until he has completely fulfilled the purposes of his heart.

In later days you will understand it.

The Lord’s Love for Israel Jeremiah 31 1 At that time, declares the Lord,

I will be the God of all the families of Israel,

and they will be my people.

2 This is what the Lord says.

The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness.

Israel had continual rest.

3 The Lord appeared to me [3] from a distance, saying:

I have loved you with an everlasting love.

I have drawn you with mercy.

4 I will build you up again,

and you will be built up, O Virgin Israel.

You will pick up your drums again,

and you will go out to dance with those who are joyful.

5 Again you will plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria.

The planters will plant and will enjoy its fruit.

6 For there will be a day

when the watchmen on the hills of Ephraim cry out,

“Come, let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God.”

7 This is what the Lord says.

Sing with joy for Jacob,

and shout for the greatest of the nations.

Make your praises heard and say,

“Lord, save your people,

the remnant of Israel!”

8 Watch, I will bring them from a land in the north

and gather them from the ends of the earth.

The blind and the lame will be there,

the pregnant woman together with the woman in labor.

They will return as a huge community.

9 They will come weeping.

They will pray as I bring them back.

I will lead them beside streams of water,

on a level path where they will not stumble.

For I am a father to Israel.

Ephraim is my firstborn.

10 Hear the word of the Lord, you nations.

Declare it in the distant islands.

Say that he who scattered Israel will gather him

and watch over him like a shepherd watching his flock.

11 For the Lord will ransom Jacob

and redeem him from the hand of the one who is stronger than him.

12 They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion,

and they will rejoice in the goodness of the Lord,

for the grain, the new wine, the oil,

and the young of the flocks and herds.

Their lives will thrive like a well-watered garden.

They will not grow weak anymore.

13 Then the virgin will rejoice and dance.

The young men and the old will be glad together,

for I will turn their mourning into joy.

I will comfort them

and give them joy instead of sorrow.

14 I will satisfy the priests with abundance,

and my people will be filled with my goodness,

declares the Lord.

15 This is what the Lord says.

A voice is heard in Ramah,

weeping and great mourning.

Rachel is weeping for her children.

She refuses to be comforted for her children,

because they are no more.

16 This is what the Lord says.

Stop your crying.

Do not shed tears,

because your work will be rewarded, declares the Lord.

They will return from the land of the enemy.

17 There is hope for your future, declares the Lord.

Your children will return to their own borders.

Interjection by Israel

18 I have certainly heard Ephraim grieving:

“You have disciplined me.

I was disciplined like an untrained calf.

Cause me to turn, and I will turn,

because you are the Lord my God.

19 After I turned away, I was sorry.

After I was instructed, I slapped my thigh in grief.

I was ashamed and humiliated,

because I bore the disgrace of my youth.”

The Lord Speaks Again

20 Isn’t Ephraim my dear son?

Isn’t he my darling child?

I often speak against him,

but I still remember him.

My heart longs for him.

I will certainly be compassionate to him, declares the Lord.

21 Set up road signs.

Make guideposts.

Direct your attention toward the highway,

toward the way by which you came.

Turn back, Virgin Israel.

Turn back to your cities.

22 How long will you turn away,

you unfaithful daughter?

The Lord has created a new thing on the earth:

A female will surround a man. [4]

God’s People Will Prosper Once Again

23 This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says.

When I bring them back from captivity,

they will once again say in the land of Judah and in its cities:

“The Lord bless you, you righteous dwelling place,

you holy mountain.”

24 Judah and all its cities will live there together,

the farmers and those who follow their flocks.

25 I will satisfy the thirsty,

and I will give rest to everyone who is weary.

26 Just after this I woke up and looked around.

My sleep had been pleasant for me.

Footnotes 1. Jeremiah 30:11 Or in just measure or as you deserve 2. Jeremiah 30:18 Or restore the fortunes 3. Jeremiah 31:3 The Greek Old Testament reads him. 4. Jeremiah 31:22 Or will embrace a man or will shelter a man. The church fathers understood this as an allusion to the virgin birth, but in the context it seems to refer to Judah’s future faithfulness to her husband, the Lord.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – April 19Jeremiah 29

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Through My Bible – April 19

Jeremiah 29 (EHV)

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-0419db.mp3

See series: Through My Bible

A Letter to the Exiles 1 This is the text of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the remnant of the elders in exile, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2 (This was after Jeconiah, [1] the queen mother, the secretaries, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metalworkers had gone into exile from Jerusalem.) 3 The letter was delivered by Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemaraiah son of Hilkiah when Zedekiah king of Judah sent them to Babylon, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. The letter said:

4 The Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says this to all the exiles whom I have deported from Jerusalem to Babylon.

5 Build houses and settle in them. Plant gardens and eat their fruit. 6 Get married and have sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there, and do not decrease in number. 7 Seek the peace of the city where I have exiled you. Pray to the Lord for that city, because when it has peace and prosperity, you will have peace and prosperity.

8 The Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says this. Do not let the prophets and fortune tellers who are among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams they dream for you. 9 For they prophesy falsely in my name, but I did not send them, declares the Lord.

10 This is what the Lord says. After seventy years have passed in Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious word to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to give you peace, not disaster, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come to pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 When you seek me, you will find me, when you will seek me with all your heart. 14 I will let you find me, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back from your exile. I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have sent you as exiles, declares the Lord. I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

15 Because you say, “The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,” 16 this is what the Lord says concerning the king who sits on David’s throne and concerning all the people who remain in this city, your brothers who were not carried away into exile with you. 17 Yes, this is what the Lord says. Watch, I am going to send sword, famine, and plague against them, and I will make them like rotten figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten. 18 I will pursue them with sword, famine, and plague, and I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, a curse, a terror, a thing to be hissed at, and a disgrace among all the nations where I have driven them, 19 because they have not obeyed my words, declares the Lord, words I sent them again and again through my servants the prophets. And you have not listened, either, declares the Lord.

Two Men Roasted in the Fire

20 Therefore hear the word of the Lord, all you exiles whom I sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon. 21 The Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says this about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Ma’aseiah, who are prophesying a lie in my name: Watch, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will put them to death before your eyes. 22 All the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse because of them:

May the Lord treat you like Zedekiah and like Ahab,

whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire.

23 This is because they have done sinful things in Israel. They have committed adultery with their neighbor’s wives, and they have spoken lies in my name, things I did not tell them to do. I am the one who knows. I am the witness, declares the Lord.

The Lord’s Response to Shemaiah’s Letter 24 Tell Shemaiah the Nehelamite 25 that this is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says.

You have sent letters in your own name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, to Zephaniah son of Ma’aseiah, the priest, and to all the priests, and you told them the following:

26 The Lord has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, so that there will be officers [2] in the Lord’s house who can deal with every crazy man who calls himself a prophet. You should put him in the stocks and in shackles. 27 So why have you not rebuked Jeremiah from Anathoth, who makes himself out to be a prophet among you?

28 Jeremiah sent this message to us in Babylon: It will be a long time. Build houses and settle in them. Plant gardens and eat their fruit.

29 Zephaniah the priest read this letter so that Jeremiah the prophet could hear the reading.

30 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah.

31 Send the following message to all the exiles.

This is what the Lord says about Shemaiah the Nehelamite. Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, but I did not send him, and he has led you to trust in a lie, 32 the Lord says this. Watch, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants. He will have no one left to live among this people. He will never see the good things I will do for my people, declares the Lord, because he has preached rebellion against the Lord.

Footnotes 1. Jeremiah 29:2 That is, Jehoiachin 2. Jeremiah 29:26 Or an officer

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – April 18Jeremiah 27 – 28

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Through My Bible – April 18

Jeremiah 27 – 28 (EHV)

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-0418db.mp3

See series: Through My Bible

The Yoke of Babylon Jeremiah 27 1 Early in the reign of Zedekiah [1] son of Josiah, king of Judah, this message came to Jeremiah from the Lord.

2 This is what the Lord said to me.

Make a yoke and straps and put them on your neck. 3 Then send word to the kings of Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, Tyre, and Sidon, through the messengers who came to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. 4 Give them a message for their masters. Tell them the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says, “Tell your masters: 5 By my great power I made the earth, the people, and the animals that are on it. I give it to anyone I please. 6 Now I will give all these lands to my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. I will even make the wild animals serve him. 7 All the nations will serve him, his son, and his grandson, until the time for his own land comes. Then he will serve many nations and great kings.”

8 The Lord also said:

I will punish any nation or kingdom that will not submit to this Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, that will not put their necks under the yoke of Babylon’s king. I will punish that nation with sword, famine, and plague, until I have consumed them by his hand. 9 So do not listen to your prophets, to your omen readers, to your dream interpreters, to your mediums, or to those who cast spells for you. Do not listen to those who tell you, “You will not serve the king of Babylon,” 10 because they are prophesying lies to you in order to remove you from your land. I will drive you out, and you will perish. 11 But if a nation bows its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serves him, I will let that nation remain on its own land. They will plow the soil and live on it, declares the Lord.

12 I also said all these things to Zedekiah king of Judah.

Bow your neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon. Serve him and his people, and you will live. 13 Why do you and your people want to die by sword, famine, and plague, as the Lord said would come upon any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? 14 Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are telling you not to serve the king of Babylon. They are prophesying a lie to you, 15 for I have not sent them, declares the Lord. They are prophesying falsely in my name, so I will drive you out, and you will perish, you and the prophets who are prophesying to you.

16 I also spoke to the priests and to all of the people.

The Lord says this. Do not listen to the words of your prophets who are prophesying to you that the vessels of the Lord’s house will soon be brought back again from Babylon, because they are prophesying a lie to you. 17 Do not listen to them. Serve the king of Babylon and live. Why should this city become a ruin? 18 If they really are prophets, and if the word of the Lord is with them, then let them intercede with the Lord of Armies, so that the vessels which are left in the house of the Lord, in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem, will not go to Babylon. 19 For this is what the Lord of Armies says about the pillars, the Sea, the carts for water, and the rest of the vessels that are left in the city, 20 which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had not taken away when he exiled Jeconiah [2] son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon, along with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem— 21 yes, this is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says concerning the vessels that are still in the house of the Lord and in the house of the king of Judah in Jerusalem: 22 They will be taken to Babylon, and there they will remain until the day I come for them, declares the Lord. Then I will bring them back and restore them to this place.

The False Prophet Hananiah Jeremiah 28 1 That same year, in the fifth month of the fourth year (early in the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah), the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon, spoke to me in the House of the Lord in the presence of the priests and all the people. He said, 2 “The Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says this. I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3 When two full years have passed, I will bring back all the vessels of the Lord’s house that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried off to Babylon. 4 I will also bring back Jeconiah [3] son of Jehoiakim king of Judah along with all the exiles of Judah who went to Babylon, declares the Lord, for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.”

5 Then the prophet Jeremiah replied to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the House of the Lord. 6 He said, “Amen! May the Lord do that! May the Lord fulfill the words you have prophesied and bring back the vessels of the Lord’s house, and may he bring all the exiles back from Babylon to this place. 7 Nevertheless, listen now to what I have to say in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people. 8 The prophets from ancient times, who came before you and me, prophesied war, famine, [4] and plague against many countries and great kingdoms. 9 As for the prophet who prophesies peace, only when the word of the prophet actually comes true will that prophet become known as someone whom the Lord has truly sent.”

10 Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke off the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke it. 11 In the presence of all the people, Hananiah said, “This is what the Lord says. This is how I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from off the neck of all the nations within two full years.” So the prophet Jeremiah went on his way.

12 After the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 13 “Go and tell Hananiah that this is what the Lord says. You have broken a wooden yoke, but in its place you will receive an iron yoke. 14 For the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says, I will put an iron yoke on the neck of all these nations so that they will serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. Yes, they will certainly serve him. I have even given him the wild animals.”

15 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent you, yet you are making this people trust in a lie. 16 Therefore this is what the Lord says. Watch, I will remove you from the face of the earth. This very year you will die, because you have preached rebellion against the Lord.”

17 In the seventh month of that same year, Hananiah the prophet died.

Footnotes 1. Jeremiah 27:1 The Hebrew reads Jehoiakim. The translation follows an alternate Hebrew reading. See also verse 3 and 28:1. 2. Jeremiah 27:20 That is, Jehoiachin 3. Jeremiah 28:4 That is, Jehoiachin 4. Jeremiah 28:8 The translation follows an alternate Hebrew reading. The main Hebrew text reads disaster.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – April 17Jeremiah 26

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Through My Bible – April 17

Jeremiah 26 (EHV)

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-0417db.mp3

See series: Through My Bible

Jeremiah Is Threatened 1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, the following word came from the Lord.

2 This is what the Lord says. Stand in the courtyard of the Lord’s house, and speak to people from the cities and towns of Judah who have come to worship at the House of the Lord. Tell them everything I have commanded you to tell them. Do not hold back a single word. 3 Maybe they will listen, and everyone will turn from his evil way. Then I will relent and not bring about the disaster that I was planning because of the evil things they have done.

4 You are also to say this to him.

This is what the Lord says. If you will not listen to me and follow my law, which I have set before you, 5 and if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I have sent to you again and again (but you have not listened), 6 then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make the name of this city a curse word for all the nations of the earth.

7 The priests, the prophets, and all the people listened as Jeremiah spoke these words at the House of the Lord. 8 When Jeremiah had finished saying everything the Lord had commanded him to say to all the people, then the priests, the prophets, and all the people seized him and said, “You must die! 9 Why do you prophesy in the name of the Lord that this house will be like Shiloh and that this city will be desolate with no one living here?” All the people crowded around Jeremiah in the House of the Lord.

10 When the officials of Judah heard about these things, they came up from the king’s house to the House of the Lord and sat in the entrance of the New Gate of the Lord’s house.

11 Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and to all the people, “This man deserves the sentence of death because he has been prophesying against this city, as you heard with your own ears.”

12 Then Jeremiah said to all the officials and to all the people, “The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the things that you have heard. 13 Now reform your ways and your actions, and obey the Lord your God. Then the Lord will relent and not bring about the disaster he has pronounced against you. 14 But as for me, look, I am in your hands. Do with me whatever seems good and right in your eyes. 15 But you can be certain of this. If you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and on those who live here, for it is true that the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”

16 Then the officials and the people said to the priests and to the prophets, “This man does not deserve to die. He has spoken in the name of the Lord our God.”

17 Some of the elders of the land got up and spoke to all the assembled people.

18 Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. He proclaimed this to all the people of Judah.

This is what the Lord of Armies says.

Zion will be plowed like a field,

Jerusalem will become a ruin,

and the temple mount will be a high place overgrown with trees. [1]

19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone at all in Judah put him to death? Didn’t he fear the Lord and seek his favor? And didn’t the Lord relent from the disaster he had pronounced against them? We would be committing a great evil against our own souls [2] that way!

20 (There had also been another man who prophesied in the name of the Lord, Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath Jearim. He prophesied against this city and against the land the same things that Jeremiah did. 21 When King Jehoiakim, all his strong warriors, and all his officials heard his words, the king wanted to put him to death. But Uriah heard about it and fled in fear to Egypt. 22 Then King Jehoiakim sent Elnathan son of Akbor and some other men to Egypt. 23 They brought Uriah out of Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him put to death with a sword and had his body thrown into the grave of the common people.)

24 But Ahikam son of Shaphan used his authority to protect Jeremiah, who was not handed over to the people to be put to death.

Footnotes 1. Jeremiah 26:18 Micah 3:12 2. Jeremiah 26:19 Or lives

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – April 16Matthew 28:1-20

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Through My Bible – April 16

Matthew 28:1-20 (EHV)

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-0416db.mp3

See series: Through My Bible

Matthew 28 Jesus’ Resurrection 1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 Suddenly, there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, and going to the tomb, he rolled away the stone and was sitting on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards were so terrified of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid! I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here. He has risen, just as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 Go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead! And look, he is going ahead of you to Galilee. There you will see him.’ See, I have told you!”

8 They hurried away from the tomb, with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly [1] Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!”

They approached, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him.

10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go, tell my brothers that they should go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

The Guards’ Report 11 As they were on their way, there were some members of the guard who went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12 After the chief priests had assembled with the elders and had reached a decision, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers 13 and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came at night and stole him away while we were sleeping.’ 14 If the governor hears about it, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 After the soldiers took the money, they did as they were instructed. And this story has been repeated among the Jews until this day.

“Go and Gather Disciples” 16 The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw him, they worshipped him, but some hesitated because they were uncertain. [2] 18 Jesus approached and spoke to them saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and gather disciples from all nations by baptizing them in [3] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and by teaching them to keep all the instructions I have given you. And surely I am with you always until the end of the age.”

Footnotes 1. Matthew 28:9 Some witnesses to the text add As they were on their way to report to the disciples, suddenly. . .. 2. Matthew 28:17 Or some doubted 3. Matthew 28:19 Or into

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – April 15Matthew 27:51-66

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Through My Bible – April 15

Matthew 27:51-66 (EHV)

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Matthew 27 51 Suddenly, the temple curtain was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and rocks were split. 52 Tombs were opened, and many bodies of saints who had fallen asleep were raised to life. 53 Those who came out of the tombs went into the holy city after Jesus’ resurrection and appeared to many people. 54 When the centurion and those who were guarding Jesus with him saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they were terrified and said, “Truly this was the Son of God.”

55 Many women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and who had served him were there, watching from a distance. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

Jesus’ Burial 57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59 Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and laid it in his own new tomb that he had cut in the rock. He rolled a large stone over the tomb’s entrance and left. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there sitting opposite the tomb.

The Guard 62 On the next day, which was the day after the Preparation Day, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered in the presence of Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remembered what that deceiver said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give a command that the tomb be made secure until the third day. Otherwise his disciples might steal his body and tell the people, ‘He is risen from the dead.’ And this last deception will be worse than the first.”

65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard. Go, make it as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and posting a guard.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – April 14Matthew 27:32-50

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Through My Bible – April 14

Matthew 27:32-50 (EHV)

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Matthew 27 32 As they were going out of the city, they found a man of Cyrene named Simon. They forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. 33 They came to a place called Golgotha, which means “The place of the skull.” 34 They offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. 35 After they had crucified him, they divided his clothing among themselves by casting lots. 36 Then they sat down and were keeping watch over him there. 37 Above his head they posted the written charge against him: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”

38 At the same time two criminals were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 People who passed by kept insulting him, shaking their heads, 40 and saying, “You who were going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”

41 In the same way the chief priests, experts in the law, and elders kept mocking him. They said, 42 “He saved others, but he cannot save himself. If he’s the King of Israel, let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now, if he wants him, because he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 In the same way even the criminals who were crucified with him kept insulting him.

Jesus’ Death 45 From the sixth hour until the ninth hour, [1] there was darkness over all the land. 46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” [2]

47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “This fellow is calling for Elijah.”

48 Immediately one of them ran, took a sponge, and soaked it with sour wine. Then he put it on a stick and gave him a drink. 49 The rest said, “Leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

50 After Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

Footnotes 1. Matthew 27:45 From noon to 3 pm 2. Matthew 27:46 Psalm 22:1

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – April 13Matthew 27:15-31

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Through My Bible – April 13

Matthew 27:15-31 (EHV)

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Matthew 27 Barabbas or Jesus? 15 At the time of the Festival the governor had a custom to release to the crowd any one prisoner they wanted. 16 At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas. 17 So when they were assembled, Pilate said to them, “Which one do you want me to release to you? Barabbas—or Jesus, who is called Christ?” 18 For Pilate knew that they had handed Jesus over to him because of envy.

19 While he was sitting on the judgment seat, Pilate’s wife sent him a message. “Have nothing to do with that righteous man,” she said, “since I have suffered many things today in a dream because of him.” 20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death. 21 The governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?”

“Barabbas!” they said.

22 Pilate said to them, “Then what should I do with Jesus, who is called Christ?”

They all said to him, “Crucify him!”

23 But the governor said, “Why? What has he done wrong?”

But they kept shouting even louder: “Crucify him!”

24 When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing and that instead it was turning into a riot, he took water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, “I am innocent of this righteous man’s blood. It is your responsibility.”

25 And all the people answered, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!”

26 Then he released Barabbas to them, but he had Jesus flogged and handed him over to be crucified.

Soldiers Mock Jesus 27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole cohort [1] of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. 29 They twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand, knelt in front of him, and mocked him by saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 They spit on him, took the staff, and hit him repeatedly on his head.

The Crucifixion 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

Footnotes 1. Matthew 27:27 A Roman cohort was about six hundred soldiers.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – April 12Matthew 27:1-14

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Through My Bible – April 12

Matthew 27:1-14 (EHV)

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Matthew 27 1 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people reached the decision to put Jesus to death. 2 They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pontius Pilate, the governor.

The End of Judas 3 Then when Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he felt remorse. He brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders 4 and said, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? That’s your problem.”

5 He threw the pieces of silver into the temple and left. Then he went out and hanged himself. 6 The chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, “It is not lawful to put these into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 They reached a decision to buy the potter’s field with the money, as a burial place for foreigners. 8 So that field has been called The Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:

They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price the sons of Israel had set for him, 10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, just as the Lord commanded me. [1]

Jesus’ Trial in Pilate’s Court 11 When Jesus stood in the presence of the governor, the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”

Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.”

12 When he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. 13 Then Pilate said to him, “Don’t you hear how many things they are testifying against you?”

14 But he did not answer him—not even one word, so that the governor was very surprised.

Footnotes 1. Matthew 27:10 See Zechariah 11:12-13; Jeremiah 19:1-13; 32:6-9.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – April 11Matthew 26:57-75

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Through My Bible – April 11

Matthew 26:57-75 (EHV)

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Matthew 26 Jesus’ First Trial in the Sanhedrin 57 Those who had arrested Jesus led him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the experts in the law and the elders were assembled. 58 Peter was following him at a distance and went as far as the courtyard of the high priest. He went inside and sat down with the guards to see how it would turn out.

59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 They found none, even though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward 61 and said, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”

62 The high priest stood up and said to him, “Have you no answer? What is this that these men are testifying against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I place you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God!”

64 Jesus said to him, “It is as you have said. But I tell you, soon you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? See, you have just heard the blasphemy! 66 What do you think?”

They answered, “He is deserving of death!” 67 Then they spit in his face and punched him. Some slapped him 68 and said, “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who hit you?”

Peter Denies Jesus 69 Meanwhile Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl came to him and said, “You were also with Jesus the Galilean.”

70 But he denied it in front of everyone, saying, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

71 When Peter went out to the entryway, someone else saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

72 Again Peter denied it with an oath and said, “I do not know the man.”

73 After a little while those who stood by came and said to Peter, “Surely you are also one of them because even your accent gives you away.”

74 Then he began to curse and to swear, “I do not know the man!” Just then the rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – April 10Matthew 26:30-56

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Through My Bible – April 10

Matthew 26:30-56 (EHV)

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Matthew 26 30 After they sang a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial 31 Then Jesus said to them, “This night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ [1] 32 But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

33 Peter answered him, “Even if all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.”

34 Jesus said to him, “Amen I tell you: Tonight before the rooster crows you will deny me three times.”

35 Peter said to him, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you.” And all the disciples said the same.

Gethsemane 36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane. He told his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and he began to be sorrowful and distressed. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to the point of death. Stay here, and keep watch with me.”

39 He went a little farther, fell on his face, and prayed. He said, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

40 He came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, “So, were you not able to stay awake with me for one hour? 41 Watch and pray, so that you do not enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to pass from me [2] unless I drink it, may your will be done.” 43 Again he returned and found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 He left them again, went away, and prayed a third time. He said the same words as before. 45 Then he returned to his disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise. Let us go. Look, my betrayer is near.”

The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus 47 While Jesus was still speaking, suddenly Judas (one of the Twelve) arrived. With him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign: “The one I kiss is the man. Arrest him.” 49 Immediately he went to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.

50 Jesus said to him, “Friend, why are you here?”

Then they advanced, took hold of Jesus, and arrested him. 51 Suddenly, one of the men with Jesus reached out his hand, drew his sword, and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place, because all who take the sword will die by the sword. 53 Do you not realize that I could call on my Father, and at once he would provide me with more than twelve legions [3] of angels? 54 But then how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?”

55 At that same time Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out to arrest me with swords and clubs as if I were a robber? Day after day I was sitting in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. 56 But all this has happened so that the writings of the prophets would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

Footnotes 1. Matthew 26:31 Zechariah 13:7 2. Matthew 26:42 Some witnesses to the text omit from me. 3. Matthew 26:53 A Roman legion contained as many as six thousand soldiers.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – April 09Matthew 26:17-29

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Through My Bible – April 09

Matthew 26:17-29 (EHV)

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Matthew 26 Jesus Celebrates the Passover 17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

18 He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him the Teacher says, ‘My time is near. I will observe the Passover with my disciples at your house.’”

19 The disciples did as Jesus commanded them and prepared the Passover. 20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. [1]

One Will Betray Jesus 21 As they were eating, he said, “Amen I tell you: One of you will betray me.”

22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after another, “Surely, not I, Lord?”

23 He replied, “The one who dipped his hand in the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man is going just as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for that man if he had not been born.”

25 Judas, who betrayed him, replied, “Surely, not I, Rabbi?”

He said to him, “Yes, you are the one.” [2]

The Lord’s Supper 26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples. He said, “Take, eat, this is my body.” 27 Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the new [3] testament, [4] which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you that I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

Footnotes 1. Matthew 26:20 Some witnesses to the text add disciples. 2. Matthew 26:25 Or It is what you yourself said, or You have said it yourself. 3. Matthew 26:28 A few early witnesses to the text omit new. 4. Matthew 26:28 As in last will and testament. See Galatians 3:15.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – March 17Jeremiah 8:4 – 9:22

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Through My Bible – March 17

Jeremiah 8:4 – 9:22 (EHV)

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Jeremiah 8

4 You are to tell them that this is what the Lord says:

Do people fall and not get up again?

If a person turns away, doesn’t he turn back again?

5 Then why has this people turned away?

Why is Jerusalem always turning away?

They hang on to deception

and refuse to let it go.

6 I have paid attention and listened,

but they do not say what is right.

No one repents of his wickedness.

No one asks, “What have I done?”

Everyone pursues his own course,

like a horse charging into battle.

7 Even the stork in the sky knows her seasons.

The turtledove, the swift, and the thrush [1]

observe the right time for their migration.

But my people do not recognize

the just judgments of the Lord.

8 How can you say, “We are wise,

and the law of the Lord is with us,”

when in reality the lying pen of the scribes

has changed it into a lie?

9 Your wise men will be put to shame.

They will be shattered and captured.

Since they have rejected the word of the Lord,

what kind of wisdom do they have?

10 That is why I will give their wives to other men

and their fields to new owners,

because, from the least to the greatest,

all of them are greedy for gain.

From prophet to priest, everyone practices deceit.

11 They dress the wound of the daughter of my people [2]

as if it were not serious.

“Peace, peace,” they say,

when there is no peace.

12 Are they ashamed when they do such a detestable thing?

No, they have no shame at all.

They do not even know how to blush.

That is why they will fall among the fallen.

They will be brought down when I punish them, says the Lord.

13 I will take away their harvest, [3] declares the Lord.

There will be no grapes on the vine.

There will be no figs on the fig tree,

and the leaves will wither.

What I have given them will be taken away from them.

The People React

14 Why are we just sitting here?

Let’s get together!

Let us go into the fortified cities and die there.

The Lord our God has condemned us to die

by giving us poisoned water to drink,

because we have sinned against him.

15 We hoped for peace,

but no good came.

We hoped for a time of healing,

but there is only terror.

16 The snorting of horses is heard from Dan.

At the sound of the neighing of mighty stallions,

the whole land trembles.

They have come to devour the land and everything in it,

the city and all who live there.

The Lord Responds

17 Look, I am sending snakes among you,

venomous snakes that cannot be charmed,

and they will bite you, declares the Lord.

Jeremiah Reacts

18 My joy is gone, grief is upon me, [4]

and my heart is sick.

19 I hear the cry of my dear people from a distant land:

“Is the Lord not in Zion?

Is her King not there?”

The Lord Responds

Why have they provoked my anger with their carved images,

with their worthless foreign idols?

The People

20 The harvest is past,

summer has ended,

and we have not been saved.

Jeremiah’s Grief

21 Because my people are crushed, I have been crushed.

I am in mourning, and horror seizes me.

22 Is there no balm in Gilead? [5]

Is there no physician there?

Why has the health of my people not been restored?

Jeremiah 9 1 I wish my head were a spring of water

and my eyes a fountain of tears.

Then I would weep day and night

for the fallen of my people. [6]

2 I wish there was a lodging place for travelers

in the wilderness.

Then I would leave my people

and get away from them.

They are all adulterers,

a society of traitors.

The Lord Gives a Warning

3 They bend their tongues like bows, to deceive.

It is not by faithfulness that they prevail in the land.

They go from evil to evil,

and they do not acknowledge me,

declares the Lord.

4 Everyone should be on guard against his friend.

Do not trust any brother,

for every brother is really a deceiver,

and every friend spreads slander.

5 Everyone betrays his friend,

and no one speaks the truth.

They have taught their tongues to lie.

They wear themselves out with sinning.

6 You, Jeremiah, live in the midst of deception!

In their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me,

declares the Lord.

7 Therefore this is what the Lord of Armies says.

Watch me. I will refine them and test them.

What else can I do for my dear people?

8 Their tongues are like deadly arrows.

They speak deceitfully.

With their mouths they speak peacefully to their neighbors,

but in their hearts they set traps.

9 Shall I not punish them for these things? declares the Lord.

Shall I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?

Jeremiah’s Grief

10 I will cry and sob for the mountains.

I will sing a lament for the pastures in the wilderness.

They are desolate and untraveled,

and not even the lowing of cattle is heard.

From the birds in the sky to all the animals below, everything has fled.

They are all gone.

The Lord’s Threat

11 I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins, a jackals’ den,

and I am going to lay waste to the cities of Judah,

so that no one can live there.

Jeremiah’s Question 12 Who is wise enough to understand this? Who has been instructed by the Lord so that he can explain it? Why is the land ruined and laid waste like a wilderness, so that no one can pass through it?

The Lord’s Answer 13 The Lord said:

This happened because they have forsaken my law, which I set before them. They did not listen to my voice or live according to it. 14 Instead, they followed the stubbornness of their hearts, and they have followed the Baals as their fathers taught them. 15 Therefore, this is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says. Watch me. I am going to make this people eat wormwood and drink bitter water. 16 I will scatter them among nations that they and their fathers have not known, and I will pursue them with the sword until I have destroyed them. 17 This is what the Lord of Armies says.

Consider this, and call for the wailing women.

Send for those who are the most skilled.

The People Mourn [7]

18 They should hurry and sob over us.

Our eyes will run with tears.

Our eyelids will stream with water.

19 The sound of sobbing is heard from Zion.

“We are ruined!

We are so ashamed!

We must leave our land

because they have torn down our dwellings.”

20 Listen to the word of the Lord, you women.

Pay attention to the word from his mouth.

Teach your daughters how to sob.

Each of you should teach her neighbor a lament.

21 Death has climbed in through a window

and entered our citadels.

It has taken away the children from the streets

and the young men from the city squares.

22 This is what the Lord says.

Dead bodies will fall

like manure on the ground,

like freshly cut grain after the reaper,

with no one to gather it.

Footnotes 1. Jeremiah 8:7 The precise identification of these species of birds is uncertain. 2. Jeremiah 8:11 An affectionate way of addressing Judah as his dear people 3. Jeremiah 8:13 The translation follows the Greek text. The Hebrew reads I will completely snatch them away. 4. Jeremiah 8:18 Or My comforter, grief is upon me. The meaning of one Hebrew word in this line is uncertain. 5. Jeremiah 8:22 A region east of the Jordan, known for plants such as the storax tree, which is useful for medicinal purposes 6. Jeremiah 9:1 English 9:1 is Hebrew 8:23. The other English verse numbers in chapter 9 are one number higher than the Hebrew verse numbers. 7. Jeremiah 9:18 In these chapters the warnings of the Lord and the responses of the people are interwoven in such a way that it is sometimes difficult to separate them.

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – March 16Jeremiah 7:1 – 8:3

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Through My Bible – March 16

Jeremiah 7:1 – 8:3 (EHV)

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Your False Religion Is Useless Jeremiah 7 1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord.

2 Stand in the gate of the House of the Lord and proclaim this message there.

Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah who are coming through this gate to worship the Lord. 3 This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says.

Reform your ways and your actions, and I will establish you in this place. 4 Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.”

5 Sincerely reform your ways and your actions. Carry out justice between a man and his neighbor. 6 Do not oppress the alien who lives in your land, the fatherless, or the widow. Do not shed innocent blood in this place. Do not follow after other gods to your own harm. If you avoid these things, 7 I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your fathers forever and ever.

8 Take warning. You are trusting in deceptive words that cannot help you.

9 Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and swear falsely? Will you offer sacrifices to Baal and follow other gods you do not know? 10 Will you come and stand before me in this temple that bears my Name, and say, “We are safe,” the whole time you do all these detestable things? 11 This house bears my Name! Have you made it a den of robbers? Watch out! I myself have been watching, declares the Lord.

Heed the Warning of Shiloh 12 Go to my place in Shiloh, where I first made a dwelling place for my Name. See what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel.

13 You have done all these things, declares the Lord. Even though I spoke to you again and again, you did not listen. I called you, but you did not answer. 14 Because of this, what I did to Shiloh I will now do to the house that bears my Name—the place in which you trust, the place I gave to you and to your fathers. 15 I will drive you out of my sight just as I drove away all of your brothers, the people of Ephraim.

Do Not Pray for This People 16 As for you, Jeremiah, do not pray for this people or lift up a cry or a request for them, and do not plead with me. I will not listen to you. 17 Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 18 The children gather wood, the fathers light a fire, and their wives knead dough to make cakes for the Queen of Heaven. They pour out drink offerings to other gods to make me angry. 19 Am I the one they are frustrating? declares the Lord. No, they are frustrating themselves, to their own shame.

20 Therefore this is what the Lord God says. You may be sure that my burning anger will be poured out on this place, on man and beast, on the trees of the field, and on the fruit of the land. It will burn and not be put out.

Their Sacrifices Are Useless 21 This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says. Go ahead. Grab your burnt offerings, along with your other sacrifices, and eat the meat yourselves! 22 When I brought your fathers out of Egypt, I said nothing to them about burnt offerings and sacrifices. 23 I gave them only this command: “Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Walk entirely in the way I commanded you to walk, so that it may go well with you.” 24 But they did not obey me or listen to me. They followed their own advice and the stubbornness of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward. 25 From the time your fathers left Egypt until today, I have sent all my servants, the prophets, to them again and again. 26 But they did not obey me or listen to me. They were stiff-necked and did more evil than their fathers.

27 So say all these things to them, but they will not listen to you. Call to them, but they will not answer you. 28 Say to them, “This is the nation that did not obey the Lord its God or accept discipline. Faithfulness has perished, and it has disappeared from their lips. 29 Cut off your hair and throw it away. Sing a lament on the barren heights, for the Lord has rejected and forsaken this generation under his wrath.”

30 The people of Judah have committed evil in my sight, declares the Lord. They set up their disgusting idols in the house that bears my Name, and they have defiled it. 31 They built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to burn their sons and daughters in the fire—a thing I did not command, nor did it enter my mind.

32 That is why the days are coming, declares the Lord, when that place will no longer be called Topheth or the Valley of Ben Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter, for they will bury the dead in Topheth because there will be no other place left. 33 The corpses of those people will become food for the birds in the sky and the wild animals in the land, and there will be no one to frighten them away. 34 In the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, I will bring the sounds of joy and happiness to an end, as well as the voices of groom and bride, for the land will become desolate.

Jeremiah 8 1 At that time, declares the Lord, the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of its officials, the bones of the priests, the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the people who live in Jerusalem will be removed from their graves. 2 They will be exposed to the sun, to the moon, and to all the army of the heavens, which they loved and served and followed and consulted and worshipped. They will not be gathered up again. They will not be reburied. They will lie on the ground like manure. 3 Death will be chosen rather than life for [1] the entire remnant left from this evil family, wherever I banish them, declares the Lord of Armies.

Footnotes 1. Jeremiah 8:3 Or by

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – March 15Jeremiah 5 – 6

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Through My Bible – March 15

Jeremiah 5 – 6 (EHV)

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A Dialogue About Jerusalem’s Sin The Lord [1]

Jeremiah 5 1 Hurry here and there through the streets of Jerusalem.

Look and take note.

Search her public squares.

See if you can find just one person who deals justly

and who seeks to be faithful.

If you can, I will forgive her.

2 Though they say, “As surely as the Lord lives,”

they are still swearing falsely.

The Prophet

3 Lord, don’t your eyes look for faithfulness?

You struck them,

but they felt no pain.

You crushed them,

but they refused discipline.

They made their faces harder than rock

and refused to repent.

4 Then I said:

These are only the poor.

They are foolish,

because they do not know the way of the Lord

and the just verdict of their God.

5 I will go to the great men and speak to them.

Certainly they know the way of the Lord,

the just verdict of their God.

But all of them together have broken the yoke

and have torn off their chains.

6 That is why a lion from the forest will strike them.

A wolf from the desert will attack them,

and a leopard is watching their cities.

Everyone who comes out of them will be torn to pieces

because their rebellions are so many,

and their unfaithfulness is so great.

The Lord

7 Why should I forgive you?

Your children have abandoned me

and sworn by gods that are not gods.

I satisfied their needs,

yet they committed adultery

and crowded into prostitutes’ houses.

8 They are well-fed, lusty [2] stallions,

each one neighing for his neighbor’s wife.

9 Should I not punish them for this? declares the Lord.

Should I not avenge myself on a nation like this one?

10 Go through her vineyards and destroy them,

but do not destroy them completely.

Cut away the branches,

because they do not belong to the Lord.

11 The house of Israel and the house of Judah

have been completely unfaithful to me, declares the Lord.

12 They have lied about the Lord.

They say, “He is nothing.

No disaster will come upon us.

We will not see sword or famine.

13 The prophets are only wind.

The word is not in them,

so let what they say come upon them.” [3]

14 Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Armies, says.

Because they have said this,

I will make my words in your mouth a fire.

These people are the wood, and it will burn them up.

15 Now, O house of Israel, I am bringing against you

a nation from far away, declares the Lord.

I am bringing an enduring nation, an ancient nation.

They are a nation whose language you do not know,

nor can you understand what they say.

16 Their quiver is like an open grave.

They are all strong warriors.

17 They will consume your harvest and your bread.

They will consume your sons and daughters.

They will consume your flocks and herds,

and they will consume your vines and fig trees.

With their swords they will beat down your fortified cities,

the places in which you trust.

18 Yet even in those days, declares the Lord, I will not destroy you completely. 19 When the people ask, “Why has the Lord our God done this to us?” answer them, “Just as you have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your own land, so now you will serve foreigners in a land that is not your own.”

20 Declare this to the house of Jacob!

Proclaim it in Judah!

21 Hear this, you foolish, senseless people!

You have eyes but you cannot see.

You have ears but you cannot hear.

22 Do you not fear me? declares the Lord.

Do you not tremble before me?

I made sand as the boundary for the sea,

a permanent barrier that it cannot cross.

The waves toss back and forth,

but they cannot get past it.

The towering waves crash,

but they cannot pass over it.

23 But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart.

They have turned aside and wandered away.

24 They do not say to themselves,

“We should fear the Lord our God,

who sends autumn rains and spring rains at the right time,

who reserves for us enough weeks for the harvest.”

25 But your guilty actions have kept these things at a distance.

Your sins have kept these good things away from you.

26 Wicked men are found among my people.

Like men who trap birds, they lie in wait for my people

to set traps and catch people. [4]

27 Like a cage full of birds, their houses are full of deceit.

That is how they became powerful and rich.

28 They have become fat and sleek.

They have gone beyond evil words. [5]

They do not argue a case for the fatherless to help them win,

and they do not seek justice for the poor.

29 Should I not punish them for these things? declares the Lord.

Should I not avenge myself on a nation like this one?

30 A terrible thing has taken place.

A horrible thing has happened in the land.

31 Prophets prophesy lies,

priests rule by their own authority,

and my people love this.

But what will you do in the end?

The Siege Is Coming The Lord [6]

Jeremiah 6 1 Flee for safety, people of Benjamin!

Get out of Jerusalem!

Blow the ram’s horn in Tekoa. [7]

Raise a signal over Beth Hakkerem!

Disaster and great destruction threaten from the north.

2 I will silence the beautiful, pampered daughter of Zion. [8]

3 Shepherds and their flocks will come against her.

They will pitch their tents all around.

Each one will pasture his flock in his own spot.

The Enemy

4 Consecrate yourselves for war against her.

Rise up, we will attack at noon!

The People of Judah

We are doomed! The day is ending.

The evening shadows are getting longer.

The Enemy

5 We should get up and attack at night

and destroy its citadels.

The Lord

6 This is what the Lord of Armies says.

Cut down her trees.

Raise a siege ramp against Jerusalem.

This city must be punished.

There is nothing but oppression inside her.

7 Just as a well pours out fresh [9] water,

she pours out fresh evil.

Violence and destruction are heard in her.

Sickness and wounds are always before me.

8 Be warned, Jerusalem,

or I will turn away from you.

I will make your land desolate,

so that no one can live there.

9 This is what the Lord of Armies says.

They will glean what remains of Israel

as thoroughly as a vine.

Like someone gathering grapes,

pass your hand over the branches again.

10 Who can I speak to?

Who will listen to my warning? [10]

Look! Their ears are uncircumcised.

They will not be able to hear.

Indeed, to them the word of the Lord is an embarrassment.

They take no pleasure in it.

11 I am full of the Lord’s wrath, [11]

and I cannot hold it in.

Pour it out on the children in the street

and on the young men gathered together.

Both husband and wife will be taken,

the old along with the very old.

12 Their houses will be turned over to others,

together with their fields and their wives,

because I will stretch out my hand against those who live in the land,

declares the Lord.

13 From the least of them to the greatest,

all of them are greedy for gain.

From prophets to priests, they all practice deceit.

14 They have treated the wound of my people as if it were nothing serious.

They say, “Peace, peace,” but there is no peace!

15 Are they ashamed of the detestable things they have done?

No, they are not ashamed at all!

They do not know how to be ashamed.

So they will fall with the fallen.

They will be thrown down when I punish them, says the Lord.

16 This is what the Lord says.

Stand at the crossroads and look.

Ask about the ancient paths.

Ask where the good road is.

Walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.

But you said, “We will not walk in it.”

17 I set watchmen over you and said,

“Listen to the sound of the ram’s horn!”

But you said, “We will not listen.”

18 Therefore, listen, you nations!

You witnesses, observe what will happen to them.

19 Listen, O earth.

I am bringing disaster on this people,

the fruit of their schemes,

because they have not listened to my words,

and they have rejected my law.

20 What use to me is incense from Sheba

or sweet cane from a distant land?

Your burnt offerings are not appealing to me.

Your sacrifices do not please me.

21 Therefore this is what the Lord says.

Look, I am going to place obstacles in front of this people.

Parents and children alike will stumble over them.

Friends and neighbors will perish.

22 This is what the Lord says.

Look, a nation is coming from a land in the north.

A great nation is stirring from the farthest parts of the earth.

23 Its warriors grip bows and spears.

They are cruel and merciless.

They sound like the roaring sea.

They ride horses, arranged like soldiers ready for battle

against you, O daughter of Zion.

The People of Judah

24 We have heard the news about them,

and our hands hang limp.

Anguish grips us like a woman in labor.

25 Do not go out to the field.

Do not walk on the road,

because the enemy has a sword.

There is terror on every side.

26 Put on sackcloth, daughter of my people.

Roll in ashes.

Mourn as you would for an only son,

because suddenly the destroyer will come upon us.

The Lord

27 I have made you like someone who tests metals.

My people are the ore that is being tested.

Observe them,

and examine their ways.

28 They are all stubborn rebels,

walking in slander.

They are as hard as bronze and iron,

and all of them are contaminated.

29 The bellows blows hot to melt away the refining agent [12] with fire.

The refining agent is completely used up, but the evil is not removed.

30 They are classified as rejected silver,

because the Lord has rejected them.

Footnotes 1. Jeremiah 5:1 The Hebrew text does not provide introductory words to mark the frequent changes of speaker. The translation provides headings to help the reader track these changes. 2. Jeremiah 5:8 The meaning of each of these two adjectives is uncertain. 3. Jeremiah 5:13 This closing quotation mark may be placed at the end of verse 12. 4. Jeremiah 5:26 The meanings of two Hebrew words in this verse are uncertain. 5. Jeremiah 5:28 Or their evil deeds overflow 6. Jeremiah 6:1 On the basis of the context and the gender of the Hebrew pronouns, the captions identify various speakers: the Lord, the enemy, and the people. In some instances these captions and divisions of the text are debatable. 7. Jeremiah 6:1 The Hebrew word taka, blow, sounds like the name of the village Tekoa. 8. Jeremiah 6:2 The meanings of two Hebrew words in this verse are uncertain. 9. Jeremiah 6:7 Literally cool 10. Jeremiah 6:10 The translation observes the traditional distinction between who and whom in formal prose but also recognizes the lessening use of this distinction in conversation. 11. Jeremiah 6:11 The Lord refers to himself in the third person. This is not unusual in Hebrew poetry. 12. Jeremiah 6:29 Literally lead

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – March 14Jeremiah 3:6 – 4:31

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Through My Bible – March 14

Jeremiah 3:6 – 4:31 (EHV)

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Jeremiah 3 Unfaithful Israel, Treacherous Judah 6 In the days of King Josiah, the Lord asked me:

Have you seen what unfaithful Israel did? She has gone up onto every high hill and under every green tree and acted like a prostitute there. 7 I told myself that after she did all this, she would return to me, but she did not return, and her treacherous sister Judah saw it. 8 Unfaithful Israel committed adultery, so I sent her away. I gave her a certificate of divorce, yet I saw that in spite of this, her treacherous sister Judah had no fear. She also went and acted like a prostitute. 9 Since Israel regarded her sexual sins so lightly, she defiled the land by committing adultery with stones and trees. 10 In spite of all this, her treacherous sister Judah did not turn back to me with all her heart, but only pretended, declares the Lord.

11 Then the Lord said to me:

Unfaithful Israel is more righteous than treacherous Judah.

12 Go, proclaim these words to the north.

Return, unfaithful Israel, declares the Lord.

I will no longer frown on you,

because I am merciful, declares the Lord.

I will not be angry forever.

13 At least acknowledge your guilt.

Admit that you rebelled against the Lord your God.

You have distributed your favors to strangers under every green tree,

and you have not listened to me, declares the Lord.

14 Return, unfaithful people, declares the Lord, because I am your husband. I will take you—one from a city, two from a family—and bring you to Zion. 15 Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. 16 In those days, when you have been fruitful and increased in number in the land, declares the Lord, men will no longer say, “The Ark of the Covenant of the Lord.” It will not enter their minds. It will not be remembered. It will not be missed, nor will another one be made. 17 Then they will call Jerusalem “The Throne of the Lord.” All nations will gather there in Jerusalem for the sake of the name of the Lord. No longer will they stubbornly follow their own evil hearts.

18 In those days the house of Judah will join with the house of Israel, and together they will come from a land in the north to the land I gave your fathers as an inheritance.

A Dialogue Between the Lord and Israel About True Repentance The Lord

19 I myself said that I would like to treat you like sons

and give you a desirable land,

the most splendid inheritance among the entire army of nations.

I thought you would call me Father

and would no longer turn away from me.

20 But you, O house of Israel, have been unfaithful to me,

like a wife who is unfaithful to her husband, declares the Lord.

21 A cry is heard on the bare hills,

the weeping and pleading of the people of Israel,

because they have perverted their way.

They have forgotten the Lord their God.

22 Return, unfaithful people.

I will cure you of your unfaithfulness.

The People

Yes, we will come to you,

for you are the Lord our God!

23 Yes, there has been deception from the hills,

and commotion in the mountains,

but there is salvation for Israel in the Lord our God.

24 Since our younger days,

shameful gods have consumed the results of our fathers’ hard work,

their sheep and cattle,

and their sons and daughters.

25 We will lie down in that shame.

Our disgrace covers us.

We have sinned against the Lord our God,

both we and our fathers.

From our younger days until today,

we have not obeyed the Lord our God.

The Lord

Jeremiah 4 1 Israel, if you will return, declares the Lord,

return to me.

If you remove your disgusting idols from my sight,

and do not go astray,

2 and if you swear, “As surely as the Lord lives,”

in truth, justice, and righteousness,

then the nations will be blessed by him,

and they will take pride in him.

3 For this is what the Lord says to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem:

Break up your unplowed ground

and do not sow among thorns.

4 Circumcise yourselves to the Lord.

Circumcise your hearts, you men of Judah,

you who live in Jerusalem.

Otherwise my rage will burn like fire,

fire that cannot be put out,

because of the evil that you have done.

The Lord Brings Judgment From the North

5 Announce in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem.

Blow the ram’s horn throughout the land.

Shout loudly and say, “Gather together!

We must flee into the fortified cities!”

6 Raise a signal flag to flee to Zion!

Flee for safety!

Do not stay behind!

I am bringing disaster from the north.

I am bringing terrible destruction.

7 A lion has come out of his den.

A destroyer of nations has set out.

He has come out of his lair to lay waste to the land.

Your cities will lie in ruins with no one living in them.

8 So put on sackcloth, mourn and wail,

because the burning anger of the Lord has not turned away from us.

9 When that day comes, declares the Lord,

the heart of the king will fail,

and the hearts of the officials as well.

The priests will be stunned.

The prophets will be dumbfounded.

Jeremiah’s Grief

10 Then I said:

Oh no, Lord God!

You have completely deceived these people

and Jerusalem as well.

You said, “You will have peace,”

but the sword is at our throats!

Further Warning From the Lord 11 At that time it will be said to these people and to Jerusalem: “A hot wind from the bare hills in the wilderness blows toward my dear people, but not to winnow or purify. 12 A wind too strong for that is being sent by me. Now I am passing judgment on them.”

13 Look! He rises up like clouds.

His chariots are like a whirlwind.

His horses are faster than eagles!

“We are doomed! We are ruined!”

14 Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart

so that you will be saved.

How long will your wicked thoughts live inside you?

15 A voice declares from Dan, [1]

and a report of disaster comes from the hills of Ephraim.

16 Announce this to the nations.

Make Jerusalem hear it.

A besieging army is coming from a distant land,

raising a war cry against the cities of Judah.

17 They have surrounded her like men watching a field,

because she has rebelled against me, declares the Lord.

18 The way you live and the things you did have brought this on you.

This is your punishment.

It is bitter!

It strikes your heart!

Jeremiah’s Grief

19 My agony! My agony! [2]

I am writhing in pain.

Oh my heart!

The walls of my heart are quivering!

I cannot keep silent,

because I hear the sound of the ram’s horn.

It is the signal for war!

20 One disaster after another is announced.

All the land is ruined.

Suddenly my tents are destroyed.

My tent curtains are torn apart in an instant.

21 How long must I see the battle flag

and hear the sound of the ram’s horn?

The Lord’s Grief

22 My people are fools.

They do not know me.

They are ignorant children.

They do not understand.

They are experts at doing evil,

and they do not know how to do good.

23 I looked at the earth.

It was undeveloped and empty. [3]

I looked at the heavens,

but there were no lights.

24 I looked at the mountains,

and they were quaking.

All the hills were shaking.

25 I looked and there was no one there.

Every bird in the sky had flown away.

26 I looked and saw that the fertile land was a wilderness.

All the cities were torn down,

because of the Lord and his burning anger.

27 This is what the Lord says.

The land will be laid waste,

but I will not destroy it completely.

28 Because of this, the earth will mourn,

and the sky above will grow dark.

I have spoken. I have made plans.

I will show no pity,

and I will not turn back from this.

29 At the sound of riders and archers,

the people of every city will flee.

They will go off into the brush.

They will climb up into the rocks.

Every city will be abandoned.

There will not be anyone to live in them.

30 You are destroyed!

What are you doing?

Why do you dress in scarlet

and put on gold jewelry?

Why do you put makeup on your eyes?

You are making yourself look beautiful for nothing.

Your lovers reject you.

They seek your life.

31 Listen, I hear a cry like that of a woman in labor,

a cry of pain like that of a woman giving birth to her first child,

the cry of the daughter of Zion gasping for breath,

stretching out her hands and saying,

“Oh no, it is hopeless!

My life is slipping away in the presence of murderers.”

Footnotes 1. Jeremiah 4:15 Dan was in the far north of Israel, the first place to be reached by an invasion from the north. 2. Jeremiah 4:19 Literally my guts, my guts 3. Jeremiah 4:23 As it was on the first day of creation

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – March 13Jeremiah 2:1 – 3:5

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Through My Bible – March 13

Jeremiah 2:1 – 3:5 (EHV)

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Israel Has Forsaken the Lord Jeremiah 2 1 The word of the Lord came to me.

2 Go and proclaim this in the hearing of Jerusalem.

This is what the Lord says.

This is what I remember concerning you:

your faithfulness when you were young,

and your love when you were pledged in marriage.

I remember how you followed me in the wilderness,

in a land that has never been planted.

3 Israel was set apart as holy to the Lord,

the firstfruits of his harvest.

All those who devoured Israel became guilty,

and disaster came upon them, declares the Lord.

4 Hear the word of the Lord, you house of Jacob.

All you families of the house of Israel,

5 this is what the Lord says.

What fault did your fathers find in me,

that they departed so far from me?

They followed worthless idols,

and so they became worthless themselves.

6 They did not say,

“Where is the Lord, who brought us up from the land of Egypt?

Where is the one who led us through the wilderness,

through a desert wasteland filled with ravines,

through a land of drought and the shadow of death,

a land which no one passes through,

a land where no human being lives?”

7 I brought you into a fertile land,

to eat its fruit and its good things.

But you defiled my land

and made my inheritance repulsive.

8 The priests did not ask, “Where is the Lord?”

The experts in the law did not acknowledge me.

Their shepherds rebelled against me.

The prophets prophesied by Baal

and went after useless idols.

9 So I am bringing charges against you again, declares the Lord,

and I am bringing charges against your children’s children.

10 Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus [1] and look.

Send someone to Kedar [2] and observe carefully.

See if there has ever been anything like this.

11 Has a nation ever exchanged its gods

(even though they are not gods at all)?

Yet my people have exchanged their Glory [3]

for useless idols.

12 Be appalled at this, you heavens.

Be horrified and wither away completely, declares the Lord.

13 For my people have committed two evils:

They have abandoned me, the spring of living water,

and they have dug their own cisterns,

broken cisterns that hold no water!

14 Is Israel a servant, born into slavery?

Why then has Israel been plundered?

15 Young lions have roared at him.

They have growled loudly.

They have made his land desolate.

His towns are burned and deserted.

16 The men of Memphis [4] and Tahpanhes

have shaved the top of your head. [5]

17 Have you not brought this on yourself

by deserting the Lord your God

while he led you on the way?

18 So why are you on the road to Egypt

to drink the water of the Shihor? [6]

And why are you on the road to Assyria

to drink the water of the River? [7]

19 It is your own evil that will bring discipline on you.

Your backsliding will judge you.

Know and see how evil and bitter it is for you

to forsake the Lord your God,

to have no fear of me,

declares the Lord God of Armies.

20 Long ago I broke your yoke.

I [8] tore off your chains,

but you said, “I will not serve you!”

Instead, on every high hill

and under every green tree

you sprawl out like a prostitute.

21 But I planted you as a very good vine,

healthy and from reliable stock.

How then did you turn against me?

How then did you turn into a wild vine?

22 Even if you scrub yourself with cleanser

and use a lot of strong soap,

the stain of your guilt is before me, declares the Lord.

23 How can you say, “I have not defiled myself.

I have not gone after the Baals”?

Look what you did in the valley!

Think about what you did!

You were a fast female camel

running wildly all over the place,

24 or a wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness,

sniffing the wind in her passion.

Who can control her when she is in heat?

None of the males who pursue her will become tired.

They will find her in her mating time.

25 Stop before your shoes wear out

and your throat becomes dry!

But you say, “It’s hopeless!

I love strange gods, and I must pursue them.”

26 As a thief is shamed when he is caught,

so the house of Israel will be shamed—

the people, their kings, their officials,

their priests, and their prophets.

27 They say to wood, “You are my father.”

They say to stone, “You gave birth to me.”

They have turned their backs to me

and not their faces.

But when a time of trouble comes, they say,

“Get up and save us!”

28 Where are the gods you made for yourselves?

Let them rise up,

if they are able to save you in a time of trouble.

After all, Judah, you have as many gods as you have towns.

29 Why do you bring charges against me?

You have all rebelled against me, declares the Lord.

30 I punished your people in vain.

They did not respond to correction.

Your own sword has devoured your prophets,

like a raging lion.

31 You people of this generation,

consider the word of the Lord.

Have I been a wilderness to Israel,

or a land of deep darkness?

Why do my people say, “We are free to wander.

We will not come to you anymore”?

32 Does a virgin about to be married forget her jewelry?

Does a bride forget her veil? [9]

But my people have forgotten me for countless days.

33 How practiced you are in the ways that you pursue love!

Even the most evil women could learn from your ways.

34 The lifeblood of poor, innocent people is found on your skirt,

even though you did not catch them breaking in.

In spite of all this, 35 you say, “I am innocent.

He will not be angry with me.”

But I have indeed judged you

because you say, “I have not sinned.”

36 How fickle you are in changing your direction!

You will be disappointed by Egypt,

just as you were by Assyria.

37 So you will leave there with your hands on your head,

because the Lord has rejected the ones you trust.

You will receive no help from them.

Jeremiah 3 1 If a man divorces his wife

and she leaves him and marries another man,

can he return to her again? [10]

Wouldn’t acting like that completely defile the land?

But you have lived like a prostitute with many lovers.

And now you want to return to me?

declares the Lord.

2 Look up to the bare hills and see.

Is there any place where you have not engaged in sex? [11]

You sat by the roadsides waiting for lovers,

like a nomad [12] in the desert.

You have defiled the land with your prostitution and wickedness.

3 That is why the showers have been withheld,

and the spring rains have not come.

Yet you have the shameless look of a prostitute.

You refuse to be ashamed.

4 Did you not just call to me, “My father!

You are my close friend from my youth!”?

5 You say, “Will he be angry for so long?

Will he keep up his wrath forever?”

Yes, that is what you say,

but you do whatever evil you can.

Footnotes 1. Jeremiah 2:10 Hebrew Kittim. The term may include other areas in the Mediterranean basin besides Cyprus. 2. Jeremiah 2:10 An area in Arabia 3. Jeremiah 2:11 Or their glory. This reading follows the main Hebrew text. An alternate Hebrew reading is my glory. 4. Jeremiah 2:16 Hebrew Noph. The English names of Egyptian cities are usually based on the Greek forms of their names rather than the Hebrew forms. 5. Jeremiah 2:16 Or have cracked your skull 6. Jeremiah 2:18 A branch of the Nile 7. Jeremiah 2:18 That is, the Euphrates 8. Jeremiah 2:20 The translation follows the Hebrew reading. The Greek Old Testament reads you. 9. Jeremiah 2:32 Literally sash 10. Jeremiah 3:1 Deuteronomy 24:1-4 says that he cannot. 11. Jeremiah 3:2 The main Hebrew reading uses a blunt sexual term. The reading written in the margin of the Hebrew text substitutes a milder term. The translation above splits the difference. 12. Jeremiah 3:2 Or an Arab

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Through My Bible Yr 02 – March 12

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Through My Bible – March 12

Jeremiah 1: (EHV)

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Jeremiah 1 1 The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, who was one of the priests from Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.

2 The word of the Lord came to him in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah, 3 and continued through the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah, up to the time of the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month.

The Call of Jeremiah 4 The word of the Lord came to me.

5 Before I formed you in the womb, I knew [1] you,

and before you were born, I set you apart.

I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.

6 But I said, “Ah, Lord God! I really do not know how to speak! I am only a child!”

7 The Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ You must go to everyone to whom I send you and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, because I am with you, and I will rescue you, declares the Lord.”

9 Then the Lord stretched out his hand and touched my mouth. The Lord said to me:

There! I have now placed my words in your mouth.

10 Look, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms

to uproot and to tear down,

to destroy and to overthrow,

to build and to plant.

Jeremiah’s First Visions 11 Again the word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?”

I answered, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”

12 The Lord said to me, “That is correct. You have observed accurately. And this vision means that I am watching [2] over my word to fulfill it.”

13 The word of the Lord came to me a second time: “What do you see?”

I answered, “I see a boiling pot tipped away from the north.”

14 Then the Lord said to me:

Disaster will boil over from the north on everyone who lives in the land.

15 Listen, I am summoning all the clans from the northern kingdoms, declares the Lord. They will come, and each one will set up his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem. They will come against all the surrounding walls and against all the cities of Judah. 16 I will pronounce my judgments against Judah because of their wickedness. They have abandoned me. They have made burnt offerings to other gods, and they have bowed down to the work of their own hands.

17 Now you, get ready. [3] Rise up and tell them everything I am commanding you. Do not be frightened by them, or I will frighten you in their presence.

18 Look, today I have made you like a fortified city, like an iron pillar, and like bronze walls, to take a stand against the whole land. Stand against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land.

19 They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you, because I am with you to rescue you, declares the Lord.

Footnotes 1. Jeremiah 1:5 Or chose 2. Jeremiah 1:12 The Hebrew word shokēd, watching, sounds like the Hebrew word shakēd, almond tree. 3. Jeremiah 1:17 Literally gird your loins, that is, hike up your robes

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Through My Bible Yr 2 – March 11 Matthew 18:1-35 (EHV)

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Through My Bible – MARCH 11

Matthew 18:1-35 (EHV)

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Matthew 18

Who Is the Greatest? 1 At that time the disciples approached Jesus and asked, “Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 Jesus called a little child, had him stand in the middle of them, 3 and said, “Amen I tell you: Unless you are turned and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever receives a little child like this one in my name receives me.

6 “But, if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, [1] it would be better for him to have a huge millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of temptations to sin. Temptations must come, but woe to that person through whom the temptation comes!

8 “If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, [2] cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to be thrown into the eternal fire with two hands or two feet. 9 If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to be thrown into hell fire with two eyes. 10 See to it that you do not look down on one of these little ones, because I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. 11 For the Son of Man came to save what was lost. [3]

The Lost Sheep 12 “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go looking for the one that wandered away? 13 If he finds it—Amen I tell you—he rejoices more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not wander away. 14 In the same way, your Father in heaven does not want even one of these little ones to perish.

Show Your Brother His Sin 15 “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his sin just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother. 16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every matter [4] may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ [5] 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And, if he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as an unbeliever or a tax collector. 18 Amen I tell you: Whatever you bind on earth will be [6] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 Amen I tell you again: If two of you on earth agree to ask for anything, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven. 20 In fact where two or three have gathered together in my name, there I am among them.”

The Unmerciful Servant 21 Then Peter came up and asked Jesus, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother when he sins against me? As many as seven times?”

22 Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but I tell you as many as seventy-seven times. [7] 23 For this reason the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle them, a man who owed him ten thousand talents [8] was brought to him. 25 Because the man was not able to pay the debt, his master ordered that he be sold, along with his wife, children, and all that he owned to repay the debt.

26 “Then the servant fell down on his knees in front of him, saying, ‘Master, be patient with me, and I will pay you everything!’ 27 The master of that servant had pity on him, released him, and forgave him the debt.

28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred denarii. [9] He grabbed him and began choking him, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’

29 “So his fellow servant fell down and begged him, saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back!’ 30 But he refused. Instead he went off and threw the man into prison until he could pay back what he owed.

31 “When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were very distressed. They went and reported to their master everything that had taken place.

32 “Then his master called him in and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt when you begged me to. 33 Should you not have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had mercy on you?’ 34 His master was angry and handed him over to the jailers until he could pay back everything he owed.

35 “This is what my heavenly Father will also do to you unless each one of you forgives his brother from his heart.”

Footnotes 1. Matthew 18:6 Or stumble. The Greek skandalizo could mean to stumble into sin or fall from faith. 2. Matthew 18:8 Or stumble. The Greek skandalizo could mean to stumble into sin or fall from faith. 3. Matthew 18:11 Some witnesses to the text omit verse 11. See Luke 19:10. 4. Matthew 18:16 Or word, fact, charge, or statement 5. Matthew 18:16 Deuteronomy 19:15 6. Matthew 18:18 Or will have been 7. Matthew 18:22 Or seventy times seven 8. Matthew 18:24 Ten thousand talents was an enormous amount equal to sixty million days’ wages. Each talent was worth six thousand denarii. A denarius was one day’s wage. 9. Matthew 18:28 This was one hundred days’ wages, since one denarius was equal to one day’s wage.

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Through My Bible Yr 2 – March 10 Matthew 17:14-27 (EHV)

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Through My Bible – MARCH 1

Matthew 17:14-27 (EHV)

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Matthew 17

Jesus Heals a Boy With a Demon 14 When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt in front of him. 15 “Lord,” he said, “have mercy on my son because he has seizures and is suffering terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they were not able to cure him.”

17 Jesus answered, “O unbelieving and perverse generation! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it went out of the boy, and he was cured from that hour.

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why were we unable to drive it out?”

20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. [1] Amen I tell you: If you have faith like a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. 21 But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” [2]

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection Again 22 While they were gathering together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men. 23 They will kill him, but on the third day he will be raised.” And they were greatly distressed.

A Coin in a Fish’s Mouth 24 When they came to Capernaum, those who collected the temple tax [3] came to Peter and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” 25 He said, “Yes.”

When he came into the house, Jesus spoke first, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect tolls or a tax? From their own sons or from others?”

26 Peter said to him, “From others.”

Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are exempt. 27 But, so that we do not offend them, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take the first fish that you pull up. When you open its mouth, you will find a silver coin. [4] Take that coin and give it to them for me and for you.”

Footnotes 1. Matthew 17:20 Some witnesses to the text read your unbelief. 2. Matthew 17:21 A few witnesses to the text omit verse 21. 3. Matthew 17:24 The two-drachma tax 4. Matthew 17:27 A stater coin, worth four drachmas

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Through My Bible Yr 2 – March 9 Matthew 16:21 – 17:13 (EHV)

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Through My Bible – MARCH 9

Matthew 16:21 – 17:13 (EHV)

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Matthew 16

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection 21 From that time, Jesus began to show his disciples that he had to go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, and be killed, and on the third day be raised again.

22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “May you receive mercy, Lord! This will never happen to you.”

23 But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a snare [1] to me because you are not thinking the things of God, but the things of men.”

Take Up the Cross 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 25 In fact whoever wants to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 After all, what will it benefit a person if he gains the whole world, but forfeits his soul? Or what can a person give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father together with his angels, and then he will repay everyone according to his actions. 28 Amen I tell you: Some who are standing here will certainly not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Matthew 17 The Transfiguration 1 Six days later Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John the brother of James; and he led them up onto a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured in front of them. His face was shining like the sun. His clothing became as white as the light. 3 Just then, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus.

4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, I will make three shelters here: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

5 While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them. Just then, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him.”

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell face down and were terrified. 7 Jesus approached and as he touched them, he said, “Get up, and do not be afraid.” 8 When they opened their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus alone. 9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Do not tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

10 His disciples asked him, “Then why do the experts in the law say that Elijah must come first?”

11 Jesus answered them, “Yes, Elijah is coming and will restore all things, [2] 12 but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him. Instead they did to him whatever they desired. In the same way the Son of Man will also suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

Footnotes 1. Matthew 16:23 Or stumbling block 2. Matthew 17:11 Malachi 4:5-6

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Through My Bible Yr 2 – March 8 Matthew 16:1-20 (EHV)

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Through My Bible – MARCH 8

Matthew 16:1-20 (EHV)

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Matthew 16

A Sign From Heaven 1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and, as a test, they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. 2 But he answered them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather because the sky is red.’ 3 In the morning you say, ‘It will be stormy weather today because the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times! 4 An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” He left them and went away.

Watch Out for the Teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees 5 When his disciples came to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread along. 6 Jesus said to them, “Watch out and be on guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

7 They were discussing this among themselves and said, “It is because we did not bring any bread.”

8 Since Jesus knew what they were saying, he said, “You of little faith! Why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you brought no bread? 9 Do you still not understand? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand and how many basketfuls you picked up? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand and how many basketfuls you picked up? 11 How is it that you do not understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

12 Then they understood that he was not warning them about the yeast in bread, but about the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Jesus Is the Christ 13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

14 They said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

15 He said to them, “But you, who do you say that I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell [1] will not overpower it. [2] 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will be [3] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he commanded the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

Footnotes 1. Matthew 16:18 Greek hades 2. Matthew 16:18 Or stand up against it 3. Matthew 16:19 Or will have been

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Through My Bible Yr 2 – March 7 Matthew 15:21-39 (EHV)

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Through My Bible – MARCH 7

Matthew 15:21-39 (EHV)

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Matthew 15

The Faith of a Canaanite Woman 21 Jesus left that place and withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 There a Canaanite woman from that territory came and kept crying out, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! A demon is severely tormenting my daughter!”

23 But he did not answer her a word.

His disciples came and pleaded, “Send her away, because she keeps crying out after us.”

24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

25 But she came and knelt in front of him, saying, “Lord, help me.”

26 He answered her, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to their little dogs.”

27 “Yes, Lord,” she said, “yet their little dogs also eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”

28 Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, your faith is great! It will be done for you, just as you desire.” And her daughter was healed at that very hour.

29 Jesus moved on from there and went along the Sea of Galilee. He went up onto the mountain and sat there. 30 Large crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, those unable to speak, and many others. They put them down at his feet, and he healed them. 31 As a result, the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healed, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.

Jesus Feeds More Than Four Thousand 32 Jesus summoned his disciples and said, “I feel compassion for the people, because they have remained with me already three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they might faint on the way.”

33 The disciples said to him, “Where can we get so many loaves in the wilderness to satisfy such a large crowd?”

34 Jesus asked them, “How many loaves do you have?”

They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.”

35 He instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground. 36 He took the seven loaves and the fish, gave thanks, and broke them. He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 37 They all ate and were filled. They picked up seven basketfuls of the broken pieces that were left over. 38 Those who ate numbered four thousand men, without counting the women and children. 39 After Jesus sent the crowd away, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.

Footnotes

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Through My Bible Yr 2 – March 6 Matthew 15:1-20 (EHV)

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Through My Bible – MARCH 6

Matthew 15:1-20 (EHV)

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Matthew 15

Commandments and Traditions 1 Then the Pharisees and experts in the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”

3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For example, God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ [1] and, ‘Whoever speaks evil of his father or mother should be put to death.’ [2] 5 But you say that if someone tells his father or mother, ‘Whatever help you might have received from me has been dedicated as a gift to God,’ [3] 6 that man does not need to honor his father or his mother. [4] And so you set aside the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 Hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:

8 These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

9 They worship me in vain, teaching human rules as if they are doctrines.” [5]

10 Then he summoned the crowd and said to them, “Listen and understand. 11 What goes into the mouth does not make a person unclean, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles a person.”

12 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard this saying?”

13 He answered, “Every plant which my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. 14 Let them go. They are blind guides of the blind. [6] And if the blind are guiding the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

15 Peter replied and said to him, “Explain the parable to us.”

16 Jesus said, “Do you still not understand? 17 Do you not understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated into the latrine? 18 But whatever comes out of the mouth comes from the heart. That is what defiles a person. 19 To be sure, out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimonies, and blasphemies. 20 These are the things that defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a person.”

Footnotes 1. Matthew 15:4 Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16 2. Matthew 15:4 Exodus 21:17 3. Matthew 15:5 See Mark 7:11. 4. Matthew 15:6 A few witnesses to the text omit or his mother. 5. Matthew 15:9 Isaiah 29:13 6. Matthew 15:14 A few witnesses to the text omit of the blind.

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Through My Bible Yr 2 – March 5 Matthew 14:13-36 (EHV)

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Through My Bible – MARCH 5

Matthew 14:13-36 (EHV)

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Matthew 14

Jesus Feeds More Than Five Thousand 13 When Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place to be alone. When the crowds heard this, they followed him on foot from the towns.

14 When Jesus got out of the boat, he saw a large crowd. He had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 When evening came, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place and the hour is already late. Send the crowds away, so that they can go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”

16 But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

17 They told him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”

18 “Bring them here to me,” he replied. 19 Then he instructed the people to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and the two fish. After looking up to heaven, he blessed them. He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples. The disciples gave the food to the people. 20 They all ate and were filled. They picked up twelve basketfuls of what was left over from the broken pieces. 21 Those who ate were about five thousand men, not even counting women and children.

Jesus Walks on Water 22 Immediately Jesus urged the disciples to get into the boat and to go ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed the crowd, he went up onto the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone. 24 By then the boat was quite a distance from shore, being pounded by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 In the fourth watch of the night, [1] Jesus came toward them, walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified and cried out in fear, “It’s a ghost!” 27 But Jesus spoke to them at once, saying, “Take heart! It is I! Do not be afraid.”

28 Peter answered him and said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”

29 Jesus said, “Come!”

Peter stepped down from the boat, walked on the water, and went toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind, he was afraid. As he began to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”

31 Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 Those who were in the boat worshipped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God!”

34 When they had crossed over, they came to the shore at Gennesaret. 35 When the men of that place recognized him, they sent word into all the surrounding region. They brought to him all who were sick 36 and begged that they might just touch the fringe of his garment. All who touched it were completely cured.

Footnotes 1. Matthew 14:25 Between 3 am and 6 am

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Through My Bible Yr 2 – March 4 Matthew 13:53 – 14:12 (EHV)

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Through My Bible – MARCH 4

Matthew 13:53 – 14:12 (EHV)

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Matthew 13

53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he left that place.

A Prophet Without Honor 54 Jesus entered his hometown and taught in their synagogue. As a result, the people were amazed and said, “Where did this fellow get this wisdom and these miracles? 55 Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother named Mary? And aren’t James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas his brothers? 56 And aren’t all of his sisters here with us? Where then did this fellow get all of these things?” 57 And they took offense at him.

But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own hometown and in his own house.” 58 He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

Matthew 14 Recalling the Death of John the Baptist 1 At that time, Herod the tetrarch heard the news about Jesus. 2 He said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist! He has risen from the dead! That is why these powers are working in him.” 3 For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. 4 John had been telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 Although Herod wanted to put him to death, he feared the crowd, because they regarded him as a prophet. 6 But when it was Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced among them. This pleased Herod. 7 So he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”

9 Although this saddened the king, because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that it be done. 10 He sent the order and had John beheaded in prison. 11 His head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. 12 John’s disciples came, took the body, and buried it. Then they went and reported this to Jesus.

Footnotes

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Through My Bible – MARCH 6

Through My Bible – MARCH 5

Through My Bible – MARCH 4