The Daily Audio Bible
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Moses’ Death and Burial
34 Then Moses went up on Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab. He went to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. The Lord showed him the whole land. He could see Gilead as far as Dan, 2 all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the territory of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea, 3 the Negev, and the Jordan Plain—the valley of Jericho (the City of Palms)—as far as Zoar.
4 Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land I promised with an oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I said I would give it to their descendants. I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you may not go there.”
5 As the Lord had predicted, the Lord’s servant Moses died in Moab. 6 He was buried in a valley in Moab, near Beth Peor. Even today no one knows where his grave is.
7 Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eyesight never became poor, and he never lost his physical strength. 8 The Israelites mourned for Moses in the plains of Moab for 30 days. Then the time of mourning for him was over.
9 Joshua, son of Nun, was filled with the Spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him. The Israelites obeyed him and did what the Lord had commanded through Moses.
10 There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord dealt with face to face. 11 He was the one the Lord sent to do all the miraculous signs and amazing things in Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his officials, and to his whole country. 12 Moses used his mighty hand to do all the spectacular and awe-inspiring deeds that were seen by all the Israelites.
The Lord Instructs Joshua
1 After the death of the Lord’s servant Moses, the Lord said to Moses’ assistant Joshua, son of Nun, 2 “My servant Moses is dead. Now you and all these people must cross the Jordan River into the land that I am going to give the people of Israel. 3 I will give you every place on which you set foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your borders will be the desert ⌞on the south⌟, nearby Lebanon to the Euphrates River (the country of the Hittites) ⌞on the north⌟, and the Mediterranean Sea on the west. 5 No one will be able to oppose you successfully as long as you live. I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will never neglect you or abandon you. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will help these people take possession of the land I swore to give their ancestors.
7 “Only be strong and very courageous, faithfully doing everything in the teachings that my servant Moses commanded you. Don’t turn away from them. Then you will succeed wherever you go. 8 Never stop reciting these teachings. You must think about them night and day so that you will faithfully do everything written in them. Only then will you prosper and succeed.
9 “I have commanded you, ‘Be strong and courageous! Don’t tremble or be terrified, because the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.’ ”
The People Promise to Obey Joshua
10 Then Joshua ordered the officers of the people, 11 “Go through the camp. Tell the people, ‘Get your supplies ready. In three days you will cross the Jordan River to take possession of the land the Lord your God is going to give you.’ ”
12 Next, Joshua said to the tribes of Reuben and Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh, 13 “Remember what the Lord’s servant Moses commanded you. Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will give you this land—a place to rest.’ 14 Your wives, children, and livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan River. However, all your best soldiers must march in battle formation ahead of your relatives. You must help your relatives 15 take possession of the land the Lord your God is going to give them. Then they will have a place to rest like you do. After that, you may go back and take possession of the land east of the Jordan River which the Lord’s servant Moses gave you.”
16 The people responded to Joshua, “We’ll do everything you tell us and go wherever you send us. 17 We will obey you as we obeyed Moses. May the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses. 18 Whoever rebels against your authority or does not obey your orders will be put to death. Just be strong and courageous!”
Joshua Sends Spies to Jericho
2 From Shittim Joshua, son of Nun, secretly sent out two men as spies. He told them, “Go, look at that country, especially the city of Jericho.” So they went to Jericho and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab to spend the night there.
2 The king of Jericho was told, “Some Israelites have entered the city tonight. They came to gather information about our land.” 3 So the king of Jericho sent messengers to Rahab, who told her, “Bring out the men who came to your house. They came here to gather information about the entire land.”
4 But the woman had already taken the two men inside and hidden them. So she said, “Yes, the men did come here. But I didn’t know where they had come from. 5 When it was dark and the gate was just about to close, they left. I don’t know where they went. If you hurry, you’ll catch up with them.” 6 (She had taken them up to the roof and covered them with the flax which she had laid up there.)
7 The king’s men pursued them on the road leading to a shallow place to cross the Jordan River. As soon as the king’s men had left, the gate was closed.
8 Before the spies fell asleep, Rahab went up to them on the roof. 9 She said to them, “I know the Lord will give you this land. Your presence terrifies us. All the people in this country are deathly afraid of you. 10 We’ve heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea in front of you when you left Egypt. We’ve also heard what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites, who ruled east of the Jordan River. We’ve heard how you destroyed them for the Lord. 11 When we heard about it, we lost heart. There was no courage left in any of us because of you. The Lord your God is the God of heaven and earth. 12 Please swear by the Lord that you’ll be as kind to my father’s family as I’ve been to you. Also give me some proof 13 that you’ll protect my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and their households, and that you’ll save us from death.”
14 The men promised her, “We pledge our lives for your lives. If you don’t tell anyone what we’re doing here, we’ll treat you kindly and honestly when the Lord gives us this land.”
15 So she let them down by a rope from her window since her house was built into the city wall. (She lived in the city wall.) 16 She told them, “Go to the mountains so that the men who are pursuing you will not find you. Hide there for three days until they return to Jericho. Then you can go on your way.”
17 The men told her, “We will be free from the oath which you made us swear, ⌞if you tell anyone what we’re doing here⌟. 18 When we invade your land, tie this red cord in the window through which you let us down. Also, gather your father, mother, brothers, and all your father’s family into your house. 19 Whoever leaves your house will be responsible for his own life. We will be free from that responsibility. But we will take responsibility if anyone inside your house is harmed. 20 If you tell anyone what we’re doing here, we will be free from the oath which you made us swear.”
21 “I agree,” she said. So she let them go and tied the red cord in the window.
22 The men went to the mountains and stayed there for three days until the king’s men returned to Jericho. The king’s men had searched for them all along the road but had not found them. 23 Then the two spies came down out of the mountains, crossed the Jordan River, and returned to Joshua, son of Nun. They told him everything that had happened to them. 24 They told Joshua, “The Lord has given us the whole country. The people who live there are deathly afraid of us.”
The Narrow Door
22 Then Jesus traveled and taught in one city and village after another on his way to Jerusalem.
23 Someone asked him, “Sir, are only a few people going to be saved?”
He answered, 24 “Try hard to enter through the narrow door. I can guarantee that many will try to enter, but they won’t succeed. 25 After the homeowner gets up and closes the door, ⌞it’s too late⌟. You can stand outside, knock at the door, and say, ‘Sir, open the door for us!’ But he will answer you, ‘I don’t know who you are.’ 26 Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will tell you, ‘I don’t know who you are. Get away from me, all you evil people.’ 28 Then you will cry and be in extreme pain. That’s what you’ll do when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets. They’ll be in God’s kingdom, but you’ll be thrown out. 29 People will come from all over the world and will eat in God’s kingdom. 30 Some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last.”
Jesus Warns Jerusalem
31 At that time some Pharisees told Jesus, “Get out of here, and go somewhere else! Herod wants to kill you.”
32 Jesus said to them, “Tell that fox that I will force demons out of people and heal people today and tomorrow. I will finish my work on the third day. 33 But I must be on my way today, tomorrow, and the next day. It’s not possible for a prophet to die outside Jerusalem.
34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you kill the prophets and stone to death those sent to you! How often I wanted to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings! But you were not willing! 35 Your house will be abandoned. I can guarantee that you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”
Jesus Attends a Banquet
14 On a day of rest—a holy day, Jesus went to eat at the home of a prominent Pharisee. The guests were watching Jesus very closely.
2 A man whose body was swollen with fluid was there. 3 Jesus reacted by asking the Pharisees and the experts in Moses’ Teachings, “Is it right to heal on the day of rest—a holy day, or not?” 4 But they didn’t say a thing.
So Jesus took hold of the man, healed him, and sent him away. 5 Jesus asked them, “If your son or your ox falls into a well on a day of rest—a holy day, wouldn’t you pull him out immediately?” 6 They couldn’t argue with him about this.
A psalm by Asaph.
79 O God, the nations have invaded the land that belongs to you.
They have dishonored your holy temple.
They have left Jerusalem in ruins.
2 They have given the dead bodies of your servants
to the birds for food.
They have given the flesh of your godly ones
to the animals.
3 They have shed the blood of your people around Jerusalem
as though it were water.
There is no one to bury your people.
4 We have become a disgrace to our neighbors,
an object of ridicule and contempt to those around us.
5 How long, O Lord?
Will you remain angry forever?
Will your fury continue to burn like fire?
6 Pour your fury on the nations that do not know you,
on the kingdoms that have not called you.
7 They have devoured Jacob.
They have destroyed his home.
8 Do not hold the crimes of our ancestors against us.
Reach out to us soon with your compassion,
because we are helpless.
9 Help us, O God, our savior, for the glory of your name.
Rescue us, and forgive our sins for the honor of your name.
10 Why should the nations ⌞be allowed to⌟ say,
“Where is their God?”
Let us watch as the nations learn
that there is punishment for shedding the blood of your servants.
11 Let the groans of prisoners come into your presence.
With your powerful arm rescue those who are condemned to death.
12 Pay each one of our neighbors back
with seven times the number of insults they used to insult you, O Lord.
13 Then we, your people, the flock in your pasture,
will give thanks to you forever.
We will praise you throughout every generation.
26 A righteous person looks out for his neighbor,
but the path of wicked people leads others astray.
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