The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Thursday January 10, 2019 (NIV)

Genesis 23:1-24:51

The Death of Sarah

23 Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old. She died at Kiriath Arba(A) (that is, Hebron)(B) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her.(C)

Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites.[a](D) He said, “I am a foreigner and stranger(E) among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.(F)

The Hittites replied to Abraham, “Sir, listen to us. You are a mighty prince(G) among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb for burying your dead.”

Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites. He said to them, “If you are willing to let me bury my dead, then listen to me and intercede with Ephron son of Zohar(H) on my behalf so he will sell me the cave of Machpelah,(I) which belongs to him and is at the end of his field. Ask him to sell it to me for the full price as a burial site among you.”

10 Ephron the Hittite was sitting among his people and he replied to Abraham in the hearing of all the Hittites(J) who had come to the gate(K) of his city. 11 “No, my lord,” he said. “Listen to me; I give[b](L) you the field, and I give[c] you the cave that is in it. I give[d] it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead.”

12 Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land 13 and he said to Ephron in their hearing, “Listen to me, if you will. I will pay the price of the field. Accept it from me so I can bury my dead there.”

14 Ephron answered Abraham, 15 “Listen to me, my lord; the land is worth four hundred shekels[e] of silver,(M) but what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.”

16 Abraham agreed to Ephron’s terms and weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver,(N) according to the weight current among the merchants.(O)

17 So Ephron’s field in Machpelah(P) near Mamre(Q)—both the field and the cave in it, and all the trees within the borders of the field—was deeded 18 to Abraham as his property(R) in the presence of all the Hittites(S) who had come to the gate(T) of the city. 19 Afterward Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah(U) near Mamre (which is at Hebron(V)) in the land of Canaan.(W) 20 So the field and the cave in it were deeded(X) to Abraham by the Hittites as a burial site.(Y)

Isaac and Rebekah

24 Abraham was now very old,(Z) and the Lord had blessed(AA) him in every way.(AB) He said to the senior servant(AC) in his household, the one in charge of all that he had,(AD) “Put your hand under my thigh.(AE) I want you to swear(AF) by the Lord, the God of heaven(AG) and the God of earth,(AH) that you will not get a wife for my son(AI) from the daughters of the Canaanites,(AJ) among whom I am living,(AK) but will go to my country and my own relatives(AL) and get a wife for my son Isaac.(AM)

The servant asked him, “What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land?(AN) Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?(AO)

“Make sure that you do not take my son back there,”(AP) Abraham said. “The Lord, the God of heaven,(AQ) who brought me out of my father’s household and my native land(AR) and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring[f](AS) I will give this land’(AT)—he will send his angel before you(AU) so that you can get a wife for my son from there. If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath(AV) of mine. Only do not take my son back there.”(AW) So the servant put his hand under the thigh(AX) of his master(AY) Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.

10 Then the servant left, taking with him ten of his master’s camels(AZ) loaded with all kinds of good things(BA) from his master. He set out for Aram Naharaim[g](BB) and made his way to the town of Nahor.(BC) 11 He had the camels kneel down near the well(BD) outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water.(BE)

12 Then he prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham,(BF) make me successful(BG) today, and show kindness(BH) to my master Abraham. 13 See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water.(BI) 14 May it be that when I say to a young woman, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink,(BJ) and I’ll water your camels too’(BK)—let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac.(BL) By this I will know(BM) that you have shown kindness to my master.”

15 Before he had finished praying,(BN) Rebekah(BO) came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel(BP) son of Milkah,(BQ) who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor.(BR) 16 The woman was very beautiful,(BS) a virgin;(BT) no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.

17 The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”(BU)

18 “Drink,(BV) my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.

19 After she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels(BW) too,(BX) until they have had enough to drink.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels.(BY) 21 Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful.(BZ)

22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring(CA) weighing a beka[h] and two gold bracelets(CB) weighing ten shekels.[i] 23 Then he asked, “Whose daughter are you?(CC) Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?(CD)

24 She answered him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milkah bore to Nahor.(CE) 25 And she added, “We have plenty of straw and fodder,(CF) as well as room for you to spend the night.”

26 Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord,(CG) 27 saying, “Praise be to the Lord,(CH) the God of my master Abraham,(CI) who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness(CJ) to my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey(CK) to the house of my master’s relatives.”(CL)

28 The young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things.(CM) 29 Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban,(CN) and he hurried out to the man at the spring. 30 As soon as he had seen the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s arms,(CO) and had heard Rebekah tell what the man said to her, he went out to the man and found him standing by the camels near the spring. 31 “Come, you who are blessed by the Lord,”(CP) he said. “Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.”

32 So the man went to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and fodder(CQ) were brought for the camels, and water for him and his men to wash their feet.(CR) 33 Then food was set before him, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I have to say.”

“Then tell us,” Laban said.

34 So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant.(CS) 35 The Lord has blessed(CT) my master abundantly,(CU) and he has become wealthy.(CV) He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.(CW) 36 My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age,(CX) and he has given him everything he owns.(CY) 37 And my master made me swear an oath,(CZ) and said, ‘You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,(DA) 38 but go to my father’s family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.’(DB)

39 “Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’(DC)

40 “He replied, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked faithfully,(DD) will send his angel with you(DE) and make your journey a success,(DF) so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father’s family.(DG) 41 You will be released from my oath if, when you go to my clan, they refuse to give her to you—then you will be released from my oath.’(DH)

42 “When I came to the spring today, I said, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success(DI) to the journey on which I have come. 43 See, I am standing beside this spring.(DJ) If a young woman(DK) comes out to draw water and I say to her, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar,”(DL) 44 and if she says to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too,” let her be the one the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’(DM)

45 “Before I finished praying in my heart,(DN) Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder.(DO) She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’(DP)

46 “She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too.’(DQ) So I drank, and she watered the camels also.(DR)

47 “I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’(DS)

“She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel(DT) son of Nahor, whom Milkah bore to him.’(DU)

“Then I put the ring in her nose(DV) and the bracelets on her arms,(DW) 48 and I bowed down and worshiped the Lord.(DX) I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham,(DY) who had led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son.(DZ) 49 Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness(EA) to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so I may know which way to turn.”

50 Laban and Bethuel(EB) answered, “This is from the Lord;(EC) we can say nothing to you one way or the other.(ED) 51 Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed.(EE)

Footnotes:

  1. Genesis 23:3 Or the descendants of Heth; also in verses 5, 7, 10, 16, 18 and 20
  2. Genesis 23:11 Or sell
  3. Genesis 23:11 Or sell
  4. Genesis 23:11 Or sell
  5. Genesis 23:15 That is, about 10 pounds or about 4.6 kilograms
  6. Genesis 24:7 Or seed
  7. Genesis 24:10 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
  8. Genesis 24:22 That is, about 1/5 ounce or about 5.7 grams
  9. Genesis 24:22 That is, about 4 ounces or about 115 grams

Cross references:

  1. Genesis 23:2 : Jos 14:15; 15:13; 20:7; 21:11
  2. Genesis 23:2 : ver 19; S Ge 13:18
  3. Genesis 23:2 : Ge 24:67
  4. Genesis 23:3 : S Ge 10:15
  5. Genesis 23:4 : S Ge 17:8; 19:9; Ex 2:22; Lev 25:23; Ps 39:12; 105:12; 119:19; Heb 11:9, 13
  6. Genesis 23:4 : Ge 49:30; Ac 7:16
  7. Genesis 23:6 : Ge 14:14-16; 24:35
  8. Genesis 23:8 : Ge 25:9
  9. Genesis 23:9 : ver 17, 19; Ge 25:9; 47:30; 49:30; 50:13
  10. Genesis 23:10 : ver 18
  11. Genesis 23:10 : S Ge 18:1; Dt 22:15; 25:7; Jos 20:4; Ru 4:11; 2Sa 15:2; 2Ki 15:35; Ps 127:5; Pr 31:23; Jer 26:10; 36:10
  12. Genesis 23:11 : 2Sa 24:23
  13. Genesis 23:15 : Eze 45:12
  14. Genesis 23:16 : 2Sa 24:24; Jer 32:9; Zec 11:12
  15. Genesis 23:16 : 2Sa 14:26
  16. Genesis 23:17 : S ver 9
  17. Genesis 23:17 : S Ge 13:18
  18. Genesis 23:18 : S Ge 12:7
  19. Genesis 23:18 : ver 10
  20. Genesis 23:18 : S Ge 18:1
  21. Genesis 23:19 : S ver 9
  22. Genesis 23:19 : S Ge 13:18; Jos 14:13; 1Ch 29:27
  23. Genesis 23:19 : Ge 49:31
  24. Genesis 23:20 : Jer 32:10
  25. Genesis 23:20 : S Ge 10:15; 35:29; 47:30; 49:30; 50:5, 13
  26. Genesis 24:1 : S Ge 17:17; Jos 23:1
  27. Genesis 24:1 : Ge 12:2; Gal 3:9
  28. Genesis 24:1 : ver 35
  29. Genesis 24:2 : S Ge 15:3
  30. Genesis 24:2 : Ge 39:4-6
  31. Genesis 24:2 : ver 9; Ge 47:29
  32. Genesis 24:3 : Ge 47:31; 50:25
  33. Genesis 24:3 : ver 7
  34. Genesis 24:3 : S Ge 14:19; S Nu 20:14
  35. Genesis 24:3 : Dt 7:3; 2Co 6:14-17
  36. Genesis 24:3 : S Ge 10:15-19
  37. Genesis 24:3 : ver 37
  38. Genesis 24:4 : S Ge 12:1; Jdg 14:3
  39. Genesis 24:4 : S ver 29; S Ge 21:21
  40. Genesis 24:5 : ver 39
  41. Genesis 24:5 : Heb 11:15
  42. Genesis 24:6 : ver 8
  43. Genesis 24:7 : ver 3
  44. Genesis 24:7 : Ge 12:1
  45. Genesis 24:7 : Ro 4:13; Gal 3:16*
  46. Genesis 24:7 : S Ge 12:7
  47. Genesis 24:7 : S Ge 16:7
  48. Genesis 24:8 : ver 41; Jos 2:12, 17, 20; 9:20
  49. Genesis 24:8 : S ver 6
  50. Genesis 24:9 : S ver 2
  51. Genesis 24:9 : Ge 32:4; 33:8
  52. Genesis 24:10 : ver 19; 1Ki 10:2; 1Ch 12:40; Isa 30:6
  53. Genesis 24:10 : ver 22, 30, 47, 53; Ge 43:11; 45:23
  54. Genesis 24:10 : Nu 23:7; Dt 23:4; Jdg 3:8
  55. Genesis 24:10 : S Ge 11:29
  56. Genesis 24:11 : Ex 2:15
  57. Genesis 24:11 : ver 13; Ge 29:2, 9-10; Ex 2:16; 1Sa 9:11; Jn 4:7
  58. Genesis 24:12 : ver 27, 42, 48; Ge 26:24; 28:13; 31:42, 53; 32:9; 43:23; 46:3; Ex 3:6, 15, 16; 4:5; 1Ki 18:36; Ps 75:9; 94:7
  59. Genesis 24:12 : ver 21, 40, 51, 56; Ge 27:20; Ne 1:11
  60. Genesis 24:12 : S Ge 19:19; Jos 2:12; Job 10:12
  61. Genesis 24:13 : S ver 11, 43; Ge 29:8
  62. Genesis 24:14 : ver 18, 46
  63. Genesis 24:14 : ver 19
  64. Genesis 24:14 : ver 44
  65. Genesis 24:14 : Jos 2:12; Jdg 6:17, 37; 1Sa 14:10; 1Ki 13:3; Ps 86:17; Isa 38:7; Jer 44:29
  66. Genesis 24:15 : ver 45
  67. Genesis 24:15 : S Ge 22:23
  68. Genesis 24:15 : S Ge 22:22
  69. Genesis 24:15 : S Ge 11:29
  70. Genesis 24:15 : S Ge 11:29
  71. Genesis 24:16 : S Ge 12:11
  72. Genesis 24:16 : Dt 22:15-21
  73. Genesis 24:17 : ver 45; 1Ki 17:10; Jn 4:7
  74. Genesis 24:18 : S ver 14
  75. Genesis 24:19 : S ver 10
  76. Genesis 24:19 : ver 14
  77. Genesis 24:20 : ver 46
  78. Genesis 24:21 : S ver 12
  79. Genesis 24:22 : ver 47; Ge 41:42; Isa 3:21; Eze 16:11-12
  80. Genesis 24:22 : S ver 10
  81. Genesis 24:23 : ver 47
  82. Genesis 24:23 : Jdg 19:15; 20:4
  83. Genesis 24:24 : ver 29, 47; S Ge 11:29
  84. Genesis 24:25 : ver 32; Jdg 19:19
  85. Genesis 24:26 : ver 48, 52; Ex 4:31; 12:27; 1Ch 29:20; 2Ch 20:18
  86. Genesis 24:27 : Ge 14:20; Ex 18:10; Ru 4:14; 1Sa 25:32; 2Sa 18:28; 1Ki 1:48; 8:56; Ps 28:6; 41:13; 68:19; 106:48; Lk 1:68
  87. Genesis 24:27 : S ver 12
  88. Genesis 24:27 : ver 49; Ge 32:10; 47:29; Jos 2:14; Ps 98:3
  89. Genesis 24:27 : ver 21
  90. Genesis 24:27 : S ver 12, 48; S Ge 12:1
  91. Genesis 24:28 : Ge 29:12
  92. Genesis 24:29 : ver 4; Ge 25:20; 27:43; 28:2, 5; 29:5, 12, 13
  93. Genesis 24:30 : S ver 10; Eze 23:42
  94. Genesis 24:31 : Ge 26:29; Ps 115:15
  95. Genesis 24:32 : S ver 25
  96. Genesis 24:32 : S Ge 18:4
  97. Genesis 24:34 : S Ge 15:3
  98. Genesis 24:35 : S Ge 12:2
  99. Genesis 24:35 : ver 1
  100. Genesis 24:35 : S Ge 23:6
  101. Genesis 24:35 : S Ge 12:16
  102. Genesis 24:36 : S Ge 17:17
  103. Genesis 24:36 : Ge 25:5; 26:14
  104. Genesis 24:37 : Ge 50:5, 25
  105. Genesis 24:37 : ver 3
  106. Genesis 24:38 : S Ge 21:21
  107. Genesis 24:39 : S ver 5
  108. Genesis 24:40 : S Ge 5:22
  109. Genesis 24:40 : S Ge 16:7
  110. Genesis 24:40 : S ver 12
  111. Genesis 24:40 : S Ge 12:1
  112. Genesis 24:41 : S ver 8
  113. Genesis 24:42 : S ver 12
  114. Genesis 24:43 : S ver 13
  115. Genesis 24:43 : Pr 30:19; Isa 7:14
  116. Genesis 24:43 : S ver 14
  117. Genesis 24:44 : ver 14
  118. Genesis 24:45 : 1Sa 1:13
  119. Genesis 24:45 : ver 15
  120. Genesis 24:45 : S ver 17; Jn 4:7
  121. Genesis 24:46 : ver 18-19
  122. Genesis 24:46 : ver 20
  123. Genesis 24:47 : ver 23
  124. Genesis 24:47 : S Ge 22:22
  125. Genesis 24:47 : S ver 24
  126. Genesis 24:47 : S ver 22
  127. Genesis 24:47 : S ver 10; Isa 3:19; Eze 16:11-12
  128. Genesis 24:48 : S ver 26
  129. Genesis 24:48 : S ver 12
  130. Genesis 24:48 : S ver 27
  131. Genesis 24:49 : S ver 27
  132. Genesis 24:50 : Ge 22:22
  133. Genesis 24:50 : Ps 118:23
  134. Genesis 24:50 : Ge 31:7, 24, 29, 42; 48:16
  135. Genesis 24:51 : S ver 12
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Matthew 8:1-17

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy(A)

When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy[a](B) came and knelt before him(C) and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone.(D) But go, show yourself to the priest(E) and offer the gift Moses commanded,(F) as a testimony to them.”

The Faith of the Centurion(G)

When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed,(H) suffering terribly.”

Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”

The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.(I) For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.(J) 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west,(K) and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.(L) 12 But the subjects of the kingdom(M) will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”(N)

13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.”(O) And his servant was healed at that moment.

Jesus Heals Many(P)

14 When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.

16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.(Q) 17 This was to fulfill(R) what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

“He took up our infirmities
and bore our diseases.”[b](S)

Footnotes:

  1. Matthew 8:2 The Greek word traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin.
  2. Matthew 8:17 Isaiah 53:4 (see Septuagint)
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Psalm 9:13-20

13 Lord, see how my enemies(A) persecute me!
Have mercy(B) and lift me up from the gates of death,(C)
14 that I may declare your praises(D)
in the gates of Daughter Zion,(E)
and there rejoice in your salvation.(F)

15 The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug;(G)
their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.(H)
16 The Lord is known by his acts of justice;
the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.[a](I)
17 The wicked go down to the realm of the dead,(J)
all the nations that forget God.(K)
18 But God will never forget the needy;
the hope(L) of the afflicted(M) will never perish.

19 Arise,(N) Lord, do not let mortals triumph;(O)
let the nations be judged(P) in your presence.
20 Strike them with terror,(Q) Lord;
let the nations know they are only mortal.(R)

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 9:16 The Hebrew has Higgaion and Selah (words of uncertain meaning) here; Selah occurs also at the end of verse 20.
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Proverbs 3:1-6

Wisdom Bestows Well-Being

My son,(A) do not forget my teaching,(B)
but keep my commands in your heart,
for they will prolong your life many years(C)
and bring you peace and prosperity.(D)

Let love and faithfulness(E) never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.(F)
Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.(G)

Trust in the Lord(H) with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths(I) straight.[a](J)

Footnotes:

  1. Proverbs 3:6 Or will direct your paths
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.