Numbers 23-24
English Standard Version
Balaam's First Oracle
23 And Balaam said to Balak, (A)“Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 2 Balak did as Balaam had said. And Balak and Balaam (B)offered on each altar a bull and a ram. 3 And Balaam said to Balak, (C)“Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the Lord will come (D)to meet me, and whatever he shows me I will tell you.” And he went to a bare height, 4 (E)and God met Balaam. And Balaam said to him, “I have arranged the seven altars and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.” 5 And the Lord (F)put a word in Balaam's mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” 6 And he returned to him, and behold, he and all the princes of Moab were standing beside his burnt offering. 7 And Balaam (G)took up his discourse and said,
“From (H)Aram Balak has brought me,
the king of Moab (I)from the eastern mountains:
‘Come, (J)curse Jacob for me,
and come, denounce Israel!’
8 How can I curse whom God has not cursed?
How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?
9 For from the top of the crags (K)I see him,
from the hills I behold him;
behold, (L)a people dwelling alone,
and (M)not counting itself among the nations!
10 (N)Who can count the dust of Jacob
or number the fourth part[a] of Israel?
Let me die (O)the death of the upright,
and let my end be like his!”
11 And Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? (P)I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them.” 12 And he answered and said, (Q)“Must I not take care to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?”
Balaam's Second Oracle
13 And Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, from which you may see them. You shall see only a fraction of them and shall not see them all. Then curse them for me from there.” 14 And he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, (R)and built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. 15 Balaam said to Balak, (S)“Stand here beside your burnt offering, while I meet the Lord over there.” 16 And the Lord met Balaam and (T)put a word in his mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus shall you speak.” 17 And he came to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken?” 18 And Balaam took up his discourse and said,
“Rise, Balak, and hear;
give ear to me, O son of Zippor:
19 (U)God is not man, that he should lie,
or a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Has he said, and will he not do it?
Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
20 Behold, I received a command to bless:
(V)he has blessed, and (W)I cannot revoke it.
21 (X)He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob,
nor has he seen trouble in Israel.
The Lord their God is with them,
and the shout of a king is among them.
22 (Y)God brings them out of Egypt
and is for them like (Z)the horns of the wild ox.
23 For there is no enchantment against Jacob,
no (AA)divination against Israel;
now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel,
(AB)‘What has God wrought!’
24 Behold, a people! (AC)As a lioness it rises up
and as a lion it lifts itself;
(AD)it does not lie down until it has devoured the prey
and drunk the blood of the slain.”
25 And Balak said to Balaam, “Do not curse them at all, and do not bless them at all.” 26 But Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell you, (AE)‘All that the Lord says, that I must do’?” 27 And Balak said to Balaam, (AF)“Come now, I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.” 28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of (AG)Peor, which overlooks (AH)the desert.[b] 29 And Balaam said to Balak, (AI)“Build for me here seven altars and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 30 (AJ)And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
Balaam's Third Oracle
24 When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go, as at (AK)other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. 2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel (AL)camping tribe by tribe. And (AM)the Spirit of God came upon him, 3 and he (AN)took up his discourse and said,
“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,[c]
4 the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
(AO)falling down with his eyes uncovered:
5 How lovely are your tents, O Jacob,
your encampments, O Israel!
6 Like palm groves[d] that stretch afar,
like gardens beside a river,
(AP)like aloes (AQ)that the Lord has planted,
like cedar trees beside the waters.
7 Water shall flow from his buckets,
and his seed shall be (AR)in many waters;
his king shall be higher than (AS)Agag,
and (AT)his kingdom shall be exalted.
8 God brings him out of Egypt
and is for him like the (AU)horns of the wild ox;
he shall (AV)eat up the nations, his adversaries,
and shall (AW)break their bones in pieces
and (AX)pierce them through with his arrows.
9 He crouched, he lay down like a lion
and (AY)like a lioness; who will rouse him up?
(AZ)Blessed are those who bless you,
and cursed are those who curse you.”
10 And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he (BA)struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, (BB)“I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. 11 Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, (BC)‘I will certainly honor you,’ but the Lord has held you back from honor.” 12 And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, 13 (BD)‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord, to do either good or bad (BE)of my own will. What the Lord speaks, that will I speak’? 14 And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, (BF)I will let you know what this people will do to your people (BG)in the latter days.”
Balaam's Final Oracle
15 (BH)And he took up his discourse and said,
“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
16 the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
and knows the knowledge of (BI)the Most High,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
(BJ)falling down with his eyes uncovered:
17 (BK)I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near:
(BL)a star shall come out of Jacob,
and (BM)a scepter shall rise out of Israel;
it shall (BN)crush the forehead[e] of Moab
and break down all the sons of Sheth.
18 (BO)Edom shall be dispossessed;
(BP)Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed.
Israel is doing valiantly.
19 And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion
and destroy the survivors of cities!”
20 Then he looked on Amalek and (BQ)took up his discourse and said,
“Amalek was the first among the nations,
(BR)but its end is utter destruction.”
21 And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his discourse and said,
“Enduring is your dwelling place,
and your nest is set in the rock.
22 Nevertheless, Kain shall be burned
when Asshur takes you away captive.”
23 And he took up his discourse and said,
“Alas, who shall live when God does this?
24 But ships shall come from (BS)Kittim
and shall afflict Asshur and (BT)Eber;
and he too (BU)shall come to utter destruction.”
25 Then Balaam rose and (BV)went back to his place. And Balak also went his way.
Footnotes
- Numbers 23:10 Or dust clouds
- Numbers 23:28 Or Jeshimon
- Numbers 24:3 Or closed, or perfect; also verse 15
- Numbers 24:6 Or valleys
- Numbers 24:17 Hebrew corners [of the head]
Luke 2:1-36
English Standard Version
The Birth of Jesus Christ
2 In those days (A)a decree went out from (B)Caesar Augustus that all the world should be (C)registered. 2 This was the first (D)registration when[a] Quirinius (E)was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up (F)from Galilee, from the town of (G)Nazareth, to Judea, to (H)the city of David, which is called (I)Bethlehem, (J)because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed,[b] who was with child. 6 And (K)while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and (L)wrapped him in swaddling cloths and (M)laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in (N)the inn.[c]
The Shepherds and the Angels
8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord (O)appeared to them, and (P)the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all (Q)the people. 11 For (R)unto you is born this day in (S)the city of David (T)a Savior, who is (U)Christ (V)the Lord. 12 And (W)this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby (X)wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel (Y)a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14 (Z)“Glory to God (AA)in the highest,
(AB)and on earth (AC)peace (AD)among those with whom he is pleased!”[d]
15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby (AE)lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But (AF)Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, (AG)glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
21 And (AH)at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, (AI)he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Jesus Presented at the Temple
22 And (AJ)when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem (AK)to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in (AL)the Law of the Lord, (AM)“Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in (AN)the Law of the Lord, (AO)“a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was (AP)righteous and (AQ)devout, (AR)waiting for (AS)the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not (AT)see death before he had seen (AU)the Lord's Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when (AV)the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and (AW)blessed God and said,
29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant[e] depart (AX)in peace,
(AY)according to your word;
30 for (AZ)my eyes have seen your (BA)salvation
31 (BB)that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 (BC)a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and (BD)for glory to (BE)your people Israel.”
33 And (BF)his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed (BG)for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign (BH)that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
36 And there was (BI)a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin,
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Psalm 57-58
English Standard Version
Let Your Glory Be over All the Earth
To the choirmaster: according to (A)Do Not Destroy. A (B)Miktam[a] of David, when he fled from Saul, in (C)the cave.
57 (D)Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
for in you my soul (E)takes refuge;
in (F)the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
(G)till the storms of destruction pass by.
2 I cry out to God Most High,
to God who (H)fulfills his purpose for me.
3 (I)He will send from heaven and save me;
he will put to shame (J)him who tramples on me. Selah
(K)God will send out (L)his steadfast love and his faithfulness!
4 My soul is in the midst of (M)lions;
I lie down amid fiery beasts—
the children of man, whose (N)teeth are spears and arrows,
whose (O)tongues are sharp swords.
5 (P)Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!
6 They set (Q)a net for my steps;
my soul was (R)bowed down.
They (S)dug a pit in my way,
but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah
7 (T)My heart is (U)steadfast, O God,
my heart is steadfast!
I will sing and make melody!
8 (V)Awake, (W)my glory![b]
Awake, (X)O harp and lyre!
I will awake the dawn!
9 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
10 For your (Y)steadfast love is great to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
11 (Z)Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!
God Who Judges the Earth
To the choirmaster: according to (AA)Do Not Destroy. A (AB)Miktam[c] of David.
58 Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods?[d]
Do you judge the children of man uprightly?
2 No, in your hearts you devise wrongs;
your hands (AC)deal out violence on earth.
3 The wicked are (AD)estranged from the womb;
they go astray from birth, speaking lies.
4 (AE)They have venom like the venom of a serpent,
like the deaf adder that stops its ear,
5 so that it (AF)does not hear the voice of charmers
or of the cunning enchanter.
6 O God, (AG)break the teeth in their mouths;
tear out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord!
7 Let them (AH)vanish like water that runs away;
when he (AI)aims his arrows, let them be blunted.
8 Let them be like the snail (AJ)that dissolves into slime,
like (AK)the stillborn child who never sees the sun.
9 Sooner than your pots can feel the heat of (AL)thorns,
whether green or ablaze, may he (AM)sweep them away![e]
10 (AN)The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance;
he will (AO)bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 Mankind will say, “Surely there is (AP)a reward for the righteous;
surely there is a God who (AQ)judges on earth.”
Footnotes
- Psalm 57:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 57:8 Or my whole being
- Psalm 58:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 58:1 Or you mighty lords (by revocalization; Hebrew in silence)
- Psalm 58:9 The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain
Proverbs 11:14
English Standard Version
14 Where there is (A)no guidance, a people falls,
(B)but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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