The Daily Audio Bible
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Isaac's Instructions to Jacob
28 Isaac called in Jacob, then gave him a blessing, and said:
Don't marry any of those Canaanite women. 2 Go at once to your mother's father Bethuel in northern Syria[a] and choose a wife from one of the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother. 3 I pray that God All-Powerful will bless you with many descendants and let you become a great nation. 4 (A) May he bless you with the land he promised Abraham, so that you will take over this land where we now live as foreigners.
5 Isaac then sent Jacob to stay with Rebekah's brother Laban, the son of Bethuel the Aramean.
Esau Marries the Daughter of Ishmael
6 Esau found out that his father Isaac had blessed Jacob and had warned him not to marry any of the Canaanite women. He also learned that Jacob had been sent to find a wife in northern Syria[b] 7 and that he had obeyed his father and mother. 8 Esau already had several wives, but he now realized how much his father hated the Canaanite women. 9 So he married Ishmael's daughter Mahalath, who was the sister of Nebaioth[c] and the granddaughter of Abraham.
Jacob's Dream at Bethel
10 (B) Jacob left the town of Beersheba and started out for Haran. 11 At sunset he stopped for the night and went to sleep, resting his head on a large rock. 12 (C) In a dream he saw a ladder that reached from earth to heaven, and God's angels were going up and down on it.
13 (D) The Lord was standing beside the ladder[d] and said:
I am the Lord God who was worshiped by Abraham and Isaac. I will give to you and your family the land on which you are now sleeping. 14 (E) Your descendants will spread over the earth in all directions and will become as numerous as the specks of dust. Your family will be a blessing to all people.[e] 15 Wherever you go, I will watch over you, then later I will bring you back to this land. I won't leave you—I will do all I have promised.
16 Jacob woke up suddenly and thought, “The Lord is in this place, and I didn't even know it.” 17 Then Jacob became frightened and said, “What a frightening place! It must be the house of God and the gateway to heaven.”
18 When Jacob got up early the next morning, he took the rock that he had used for a pillow and stood it up as a place of worship. Then he poured olive oil on the rock to dedicate it to God, 19 and he named the place Bethel.[f] Before that it had been named Luz.
20 Jacob solemnly promised God, “If you go with me and watch over me as I travel, and if you give me food and clothes 21 and bring me safely home again, you will be my God. 22 This rock will be your house, and I will give back to you a tenth of everything you give me.”
Jacob Arrives at Laban's Home
29 As Jacob continued on his way to the east, 2 he looked out in a field and saw a well where shepherds took their sheep for water. Three flocks of sheep were lying around the well, which was covered with a large rock. 3 Shepherds would roll the rock away when all their sheep had gathered there. Then after the sheep had been watered, the shepherds would roll the rock back over the mouth of the well.
4 Jacob asked the shepherds, “Where are you from?”
“We're from Haran,” they answered.
5 Then he asked, “Do you know Nahor's grandson Laban?”
“Yes we do,” they replied.
6 “How is he?” Jacob asked.
“He's fine,” they answered. “And here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.”
7 Jacob told them, “Look, the sun is still high up in the sky, and it's too early to bring in the rest of the flocks. Water your sheep and take them back to the pasture.”
8 But they replied, “We can't do that until they all get here, and the rock has been rolled away from the well.”
9 While Jacob was still talking with the men, his cousin Rachel came up with her father's sheep. 10 When Jacob saw her and his uncle's sheep, he rolled the rock away and watered the sheep. 11 He then kissed Rachel and started crying because he was so happy. 12 He told her that he was the son of her aunt Rebekah, and she ran and told her father about him.
13 As soon as Laban heard the news, he ran out to meet Jacob. He hugged and kissed him and brought him to his home, where Jacob told him everything that had happened. 14 Laban said, “You are my nephew, and you are like one of my own family.”
Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel
After Jacob had been there for a month, 15 Laban said to him, “You shouldn't have to work without pay, just because you are a relative of mine. What do you want me to give you?”
16-17 Laban had two daughters. Leah was older than Rachel, but her eyes didn't sparkle,[g] while Rachel was beautiful and had a good figure. 18 Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he answered, “If you will let me marry Rachel, I'll work seven years for you.”
19 Laban replied, “It's better for me to let you marry Rachel than for someone else to have her. So stay and work for me.” 20 Jacob worked seven years for Laban, but the time seemed like only a few days, because he loved Rachel so much.
21 Jacob said to Laban, “The time is up, and I want to marry Rachel now!” 22 So Laban gave a big feast and invited all their neighbors. 23 But that evening he brought Leah to Jacob, who married her and spent the night with her. 24 Laban also gave Zilpah to Leah as her servant woman.
25 The next morning Jacob found out that he had married Leah, and he asked Laban, “Why did you do this to me? Didn't I work to get Rachel? Why did you trick me?”
26 Laban replied, “In our country the older daughter must get married first. 27 After you spend this week[h] with Leah, you may also marry Rachel. But you will have to work for me another seven years.”
28-30 At the end of the week of celebration, Laban let Jacob marry Rachel, and he gave her his servant woman Bilhah. Jacob loved Rachel more than he did Leah, but he had to work another seven years for Laban.
31 The Lord knew that Jacob loved Rachel more than he did Leah, and so he gave children to Leah, but not to Rachel. 32 Leah gave birth to a son and named him Reuben.[i] Then she said, “The Lord has taken away my sorrow. Now my husband will love me more than he does Rachel.” 33 She had a second son and named him Simeon,[j] because she said, “The Lord has heard that my husband doesn't love me.” 34 When Leah's third son was born, she said, “Now my husband will hold me close.” So this son was named Levi.[k] 35 She had one more son and named him Judah,[l] because she said, “I'll praise the Lord!”
A Dying Girl and a Sick Woman
(Mark 5.21-43; Luke 8.40-56)
18 While Jesus was still speaking, an official came and knelt in front of him. The man said, “My daughter has just now died! Please come and place your hand on her. Then she will live again.”
19 Jesus and his disciples got up and went with the man.
20 A woman who had been bleeding for twelve years came up behind Jesus and barely touched his clothes. 21 She had said to herself, “If I can just touch his clothes, I will be healed.”
22 Jesus turned. He saw the woman and said, “Don't worry! You are now healed because of your faith.” At that moment she was healed.
23 When Jesus went into the home of the official and saw the musicians and the crowd of mourners,[a] 24 he said, “Get out of here! The little girl isn't dead. She is just asleep.” Everyone started laughing at Jesus. 25 But after the crowd had been sent out of the house, Jesus went to the girl's bedside. He took her by the hand and helped her up.
26 News about this spread all over that part of the country.
Jesus Heals Two Blind Men
27 As Jesus was leaving that place, two blind men began following him and shouting, “Son of David,[b] have pity on us!”
28 After Jesus had gone indoors, the two blind men came up to him. He asked them, “Do you believe I can make you well?”
“Yes, Lord,” they answered.
29 Jesus touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, you will be healed.” 30 They were able to see, and Jesus strictly warned them not to tell anyone about him. 31 But they left and talked about him to everyone in that part of the country.
Jesus Heals a Man Who Could Not Talk
32 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, some people brought to him a man who could not talk because a demon was in him. 33 After Jesus had forced the demon out, the man started talking. The crowds were so amazed they began saying, “Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel!”
34 (A) But the Pharisees said, “The leader of the demons gives him the power to force out demons.”
Jesus Has Pity on People
35 (B) Jesus went to every town and village. He taught in their synagogues and preached the good news about God's kingdom. Jesus also healed every kind of disease and sickness. 36 (C) When he saw the crowds, he felt sorry for them. They were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 (D) He said to his disciples, “A large crop is in the fields, but there are only a few workers. 38 Ask the Lord in charge of the harvest to send out workers to bring it in.”
(A psalm by David for the music leader.)
Trusting the Lord
1 The Lord is my fortress!
Don't say to me,
“Escape like a bird
to the mountains!”
2 You tell me, “Watch out!
Those evil people have put
their arrows on their bows,
and they are standing
in the shadows,
aiming at good people.
3 What can an honest person do
when everything crumbles?”
4 The Lord is sitting
in his sacred temple
on his throne in heaven.
He knows everything we do
because he sees us all.
5 The Lord tests honest people,
but despises those
who are cruel
and love violence.
6 He will send fiery coals[a]
and flaming sulfur
down on the wicked,
and they will drink nothing
but a scorching wind.
7 The Lord always does right
and wants justice done.
Everyone who does right
will see his face.
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