The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Thursday March 21, 2019 (NIV)

Numbers 32:1-33:39

The Tribes of Reuben and Gad Request Land East of the Jordan River

32 The tribes of Reuben and Gad had a large number of livestock. They saw that the regions of Jazer and Gilead were a good place for livestock. So they came to Moses, the priest Eleazar, and the leaders of the community, and said to them, “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon, the land that the Lord won for the community of Israel, is a good place for livestock. Gentlemen, we have livestock. Please give us this land as our property. Don’t make us cross the Jordan River.”

Moses asked the tribes of Gad and Reuben, “Are you going to stay here while the rest of the Israelites go to war? That might discourage them from entering the land the Lord has given them. That’s what your ancestors did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to take a look at the land. They went as far as the Eshcol Valley and saw the land. But then they discouraged the rest of the Israelites from entering the land that the Lord had given them. 10 That day the Lord became angry and swore this oath, 11 ‘None of the people 20 years old or older, who came from Egypt, will see the land I promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob with an oath. This is because they didn’t wholeheartedly follow me.’ 12 Only Caleb (son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite) and Joshua (son of Nun) will get to see the land. This is because they wholeheartedly followed the Lord. 13 Since the Lord was angry with the Israelites, he made them wander in the desert for 40 years until the whole generation of those who had done evil in the Lord’s presence was gone.

14 “You’re just like your parents! You’re a bunch of sinners trying to make the Lord angry with Israel again. 15 If you turn away from him, he will abandon all these people in the desert. You would be responsible for their destruction.”

16 Then the tribes of Gad and Reuben came up to Moses and said, “Allow us to build stone fences for our livestock and cities for our families here. 17 Then we’ll be ready to march in battle formation[a] ahead of the other Israelites until we have brought them to their land. Meanwhile our families will live in walled cities, safe from the other people who live here. 18 We will not return to our homes until every Israelite has received his own land. 19 We won’t take possession of any land on the other side of the Jordan River, to the west and beyond. We already have our land here, east of the Jordan.”

20 Moses answered, “Do what you have said. In the Lord’s presence have all your armed men get ready for battle. 21 Have them cross the Jordan, and fight until the Lord forces out his enemies 22 and the land is conquered. Then you may come back. You will have fulfilled your military duty to the Lord and Israel. This land will be your own property in the Lord’s presence.

23 “If you don’t do all these things, you will be sinning against the Lord. You can be sure that you will be punished for your sin. 24 Build cities for your families and stone fences for your flocks, but do what you have promised.”

25 Then the tribes of Gad and Reuben said to Moses, “Sir, we will do as you command. 26 Our children, our wives, our livestock, and all our other animals will stay here in the cities of Gilead. 27 But in the Lord’s presence we will all get ready for battle and go with you, as you have said.”

28 So Moses gave orders about them to the priest Eleazar, Joshua (son of Nun), and the family heads of the tribes of Israel. 29 Moses told them, “If the tribes of Gad and Reuben get ready for battle in the Lord’s presence and cross the Jordan River with you and you conquer the land, give them Gilead as their own property. 30 If they don’t get ready for battle and go with you, the land they will take possession of must be in Canaan with yours.”

31 The tribes of Gad and Reuben answered, “Sir, we will do as the Lord has said. 32 We will enter Canaan as armed troops in the Lord’s presence, but the land we will take possession of is here, east of the Jordan.”

33 So Moses gave the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and half of the tribe of Manasseh, son of Joseph, the kingdoms of King Sihon of the Amorites and King Og of Bashan—the whole land with its cities and its surrounding territory.

34 The tribe of Gad rebuilt the cities of Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, 35 Atroth Shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, 36 Beth Nimrah, and Beth Haran as walled cities. They also built stone fences for their flocks.

37 The tribe of Reuben rebuilt the cities of Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, 38 Nebo, Baal Meon (whose names were changed), and Sibmah. These are the names they gave the cities they rebuilt.

39 The descendants of Machir, son of Manasseh, went to Gilead, captured it, and forced out the Amorites who were there. 40 So Moses gave Gilead to the people of Machir (the descendants of Manasseh), and they lived there. 41 Then Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, captured the settlements in Gilead. He called them Havvoth Jair [Settlements of Jair]. 42 Nobah captured Kenath and its villages. He named it Nobah after himself.

A Summary of Israel’s Journeys after Leaving Egypt

33 This is a list of all the places where the Israelites set up camp after they left Egypt in organized groups under the leadership of Moses and Aaron. At the Lord’s command Moses wrote down the places where they went as they traveled. This is the list:

They moved from Rameses on the fifteenth day of the first month, the day after the Passover. The Israelites boldly left in full view of all the Egyptians. The Egyptians were burying all their firstborn sons, whom the Lord had killed in a mighty act of judgment on their gods.

The Israelites moved from Rameses and set up camp at Succoth.

They moved from Succoth and set up camp at Etham, on the edge of the desert.

They moved from Etham and turned back to Pi Hahiroth, east of Baal Zephon, and set up camp near Migdol.

They moved from Pi Hahiroth[b] and went through the middle of the sea into the desert. After they traveled for three days in the Desert of Etham, they set up camp at Marah.

They moved from Marah and came to Elim. Elim had 12 springs and 70 palm trees, so they set up camp there.

10 They moved from Elim and set up camp by the Red Sea.

11 They moved from the Red Sea and set up camp in the Desert of Sin.

12 They moved from the Desert of Sin and set up camp at Dophkah.

13 They moved from Dophkah and set up camp at Alush.

14 They moved from Alush and set up camp at Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink.

15 They moved from Rephidim and set up camp in the Desert of Sinai.

16 They moved from the Desert of Sinai and set up camp at Kibroth Hattaavah.

17 They moved from Kibroth Hattaavah and set up camp at Hazeroth.

18 They moved from Hazeroth and set up camp at Rithmah.

19 They moved from Rithmah and set up camp at Rimmon Perez.

20 They moved from Rimmon Perez and set up camp at Libnah.

21 They moved from Libnah and set up camp at Rissah.

22 They moved from Rissah and set up camp at Kehelathah.

23 They moved from Kehelathah and set up camp at Mount Shepher.

24 They moved from Mount Shepher and set up camp at Haradah.

25 They moved from Haradah and set up camp at Makheloth.

26 They moved from Makheloth and set up camp at Tahath.

27 They moved from Tahath and set up camp at Terah.

28 They moved from Terah and set up camp at Mithcah.

29 They moved from Mithcah and set up camp at Hashmonah.

30 They moved from Hashmonah and set up camp at Moseroth.

31 They moved from Moseroth and set up camp at Bene Jaakan.

32 They moved from Bene Jaakan and set up camp at Hor Haggidgad.

33 They moved from Hor Haggidgad and set up camp at Jotbathah.

34 They moved from Jotbathah and set up camp at Abronah.

35 They moved from Abronah and set up camp at Ezion Geber.

36 They moved from Ezion Geber and set up camp at Kadesh in the Desert of Zin.

37 They moved from Kadesh and set up camp at Mount Hor on the border of Edom. 38 At the Lord’s command the priest Aaron went up on Mount Hor. He died there on the first day of the fifth month in the fortieth year after the Israelites had left Egypt. 39 Aaron was 123 years old when he died on Mount Hor.

Footnotes:

  1. Numbers 32:17 Greek, Latin; Masoretic Text “ready to march ahead quickly.”
  2. Numbers 33:8 Most Hebrew manuscripts, Samaritan Pentateuch, Syriac, Latin; some Hebrew manuscripts “moved from in front of Hahiroth.”
GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group

Luke 4:31-5:11

Jesus Forces an Evil Spirit out of a Man(A)

31 Jesus went to Capernaum, a city in Galilee, and taught them on a day of rest—a holy day. 32 The people were amazed at his teachings because he spoke with authority.

33 In the synagogue was a man possessed by a spirit, an evil demon. He shouted very loudly, 34 “Oh, no! What do you want with us, Jesus from Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

35 Jesus ordered the spirit, “Keep quiet, and come out of him!” The demon threw the man down in the middle of the synagogue and came out without hurting him.

36 Everyone was stunned. They said to one another, “What kind of command is this? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits, and they come out.”

37 So news about him spread to every place throughout the surrounding region.

Jesus Cures Simon’s Mother-in-Law and Many Others(B)

38 Jesus left the synagogue and went to Simon’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law was sick with a high fever. They asked Jesus to help her. 39 He bent over her, ordered the fever to leave, and it went away. She got up immediately and prepared a meal for them.

40 When the sun was setting, everyone who had friends suffering from various diseases brought them to him. He placed his hands on each of them and cured them. 41 Demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But Jesus ordered them not to speak. After all, they knew he was the Messiah.

Spreading the Good News(C)

42 In the morning he went to a place where he could be alone. The crowds searched for him. When they came to him, they tried to keep him from leaving. 43 But he said to them, “I have to tell the Good News about God’s kingdom in other cities also. That’s what I was sent to do.”

44 So he spread his message in the synagogues of Judea.[a]

Calling of the First Disciples(D)

One day Jesus was standing by the Sea of Galilee. The people crowded around him as they listened to God’s word. Jesus saw two boats on the shore. The fishermen had stepped out of them and were washing their nets. So Jesus got into the boat that belonged to Simon and asked him to push off a little from the shore. Then Jesus sat down and taught the crowd from the boat.

When he finished speaking, he told Simon, “Take the boat into deep water, and lower your nets to catch some fish.”

Simon answered, “Teacher, we worked hard all night and caught nothing. But if you say so, I’ll lower the nets.”

After the men had done this, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to tear. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. Their partners came and filled both boats until the boats nearly sank.

When Simon Peter saw this, he knelt in front of Jesus and said, “Leave me, Lord! I’m a sinful person!” Simon and everyone who was with him were amazed to see the large number of fish they had caught. 10 James and John, who were Zebedee’s sons and Simon’s partners, were also amazed.

Jesus told Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will catch people instead of fish.”

11 Simon and his partners brought the boats to shore, left everything, and followed Jesus.

Footnotes:

  1. Luke 4:44 Some manuscripts read “in the synagogues of Galilee.”
GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group

Psalm 64

Psalm 64

For the choir director; a psalm by David.

Hear my voice, O God, when I complain.
Protect my life from a terrifying enemy.
Hide me from the secret plots of criminals,
from the mob of troublemakers.
They sharpen their tongues like swords.
They aim bitter words like arrows
to shoot at innocent people from their hiding places.
They shoot at them suddenly, without any fear.
They encourage one another in their evil plans.
They talk about setting traps and say,
“Who can see them?”
They search for the perfect crime and say,
“We have perfected a foolproof scheme!”
Human nature and the human heart are a mystery!

But God will shoot them with an arrow.
Suddenly, they will be struck dead.
They will trip over their own tongues.
Everyone who sees them will shake his head.
Everyone will be afraid and conclude,
“This is an act of God!”
They will learn from what he has done.

10 Righteous people will find joy in the Lord and take refuge in him.
Everyone whose motives are decent will be able to brag.

GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group

Proverbs 11:22

22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout,
so is a beautiful woman who lacks good taste.

GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group