The Daily Audio Bible

47 Then he brought me back to the entrance of the house, and I saw water flowing eastward from under the threshold of the house, for the house faced east. The water flowed down from under the right side of the house, south of the altar. ² Next he led me out through the north gate and took me around outside to the outer gate, by way of the east gate, where I saw water trickling from the south side. ³ With a line in his hand the man went out toward the east and measured a thousand cubits [one-third of a mile] and had me wade across the stream; the water came up to my ankles. ⁴ He measured another thousand and had me wade through the water, which reached my knees. He measured another thousand and had me wade through water up to my waist. ⁵ Finally he measured a thousand, and it was a river I couldn’t cross on foot, because the water was so deep one would have to swim across; it was a river that could not be waded through. ⁶ He asked me, “Human being, have you seen this?” Then, guiding me, he got me back to the riverbank. ⁷ After being returned, I saw on the bank of the river a great number of trees on the one side and on the other. ⁸ He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and continues down to the ‘Aravah. When it enters the sea, the sea of stagnant water, [the Dead Sea,] its water will become fresh. ⁹ When this happens, swarms of all kinds of living creatures will be able to live in it wherever the streams flow; so that there will be a vast number of fish; for this water is flowing there, so that, wherever the river goes, everything will be restored and able to live. ¹⁰ Then fishermen will stand on its shores spreading their nets all the way from ‘Ein-Gedi to ‘Ein-‘Eglayim. There will be as many kinds of fish there as in the Great Sea, [the Mediterranean,] a great variety. ¹¹ However, its mud flats and marshes will not become fresh but will remain salty. ¹² On both riverbanks will grow all kinds of trees for food; their leaves will not dry up, nor will their fruit fail. There will be a different kind of fruit each month, because the water flows from the sanctuary, so that this fruit will be edible, and the leaves will have healing properties.”

¹³ “Adonai Elohim says this: ‘These are the borders of the land you are to distribute for inheritance by the twelve tribes of Isra’el, with Yosef receiving two portions. ¹⁴ For inheritance you will each have equal shares. I swore to your ancestors that I would give them this land, and now it falls to you to inherit it.

¹⁵ “‘The borders of the land will be as follows: on the north, from the Great Sea through Hetlon to the entrance of Tz’dad, ¹⁶ Hamat, Berotah, Sibrayim (which is between the border of Dammesek and the border of Hamat), Hatzer-Hatikhon (which is toward the border of Havran). ¹⁷ The border from the sea will be Hatzar-‘Einon (at the border of Dammesek); while on the north, northward, is the border of Hamat. This is the north side.

¹⁸ “‘On the east side, measure between Havran and Dammesek, Gil‘ad and the land of Isra’el by the Yarden, from the border to the eastern sea. This is the east side.

¹⁹ “‘On the side of the Negev toward the south it will be from Tamar as far as the waters of M’rivot-Kadesh, then to the Vadi [of Egypt] and on to the Great Sea. This is the south side toward the Negev.

²⁰ “‘The west side will be the Great Sea, as far as across from the entrance to Hamat. This is the west side.

²¹ “‘This is the territory you are to divide among the tribes of Isra’el. ²² You are to divide it by lot as an inheritance both to you and to the foreigners living among you who give birth to children living among you; for you they are to be no different from the native-born among the people of Isra’el — they are to have an inheritance with you among the tribes of Isra’el. ²³ You are to give the foreigner an inheritance in the territory of the tribe with whom he is living,’ says Adonai Elohim.

48 “‘Following is the list of tribes:

“‘This is Dan’s territory: from the north end, through Hetlon to the entrance of Hamat, Hatzar-‘Einan (at the border of Dammesek), northward, next to Hamat; and they will have their sides east and west.

² “‘Asher’s territory will run alongside the territory of Dan from east to west.

³ “‘Naftali’s territory will run alongside the territory of Asher from east to west.

⁴ “‘M’nasheh’s territory will run alongside the territory of Naftali from east to west.

⁵ “‘Efrayim’s territory will run alongside the territory of M’nasheh from east to west.

⁶ “‘Re’uven’s territory will run alongside the territory of Efrayim from east to west.

⁷ “‘Y’hudah’s territory will run alongside the territory of Re’uven from east to west.

⁸ “‘Alongside the territory of Y’hudah, from east to west, will be the offering you are to set aside, 25,000 [cubits] wide [eight miles], and in length equal to distance between the east and west boundaries of one of the portions, with the sanctuary inside it. ⁹ The offering you are to set aside for Adonai is to be eight [miles] long and three wide. ¹⁰ This holy offering will be for the cohanim; it will be eight [miles] in length along its north and south sides and three in width along its west and east sides; Adonai’s sanctuary will be inside it. ¹¹ The portion set aside as holy will be for the cohanim who are descendants of Tzadok that remained faithful to my commission and did not go astray when the people of Isra’el and the L’vi’im went astray. ¹² It is to be an especially holy portion set apart for them and taken from the offering of the land, next to the border of the L’vi’im.

¹³ “ ‘Alongside the territory for the cohanim, the L’vi’im are to have a portion eight [miles] long and three wide — its total length will be eight and its width three. ¹⁴ They may not sell, exchange or alienate any of this choice land; because it is holy, for Adonai.

¹⁵ “‘The 5,000 [cubits, that is, the one-and-a-half miles] that are left of the width is to be for the common use of the city, for housing and for open fields. The city will be inside it. ¹⁶ and will measure 4,500 cubits [just under one-and-a-half miles] along each of its sides — north, south, east and west. ¹⁷ The city is to have outside it a border of land 440 feet wide on each side — north, south, east and west. ¹⁸ A strip next to the holy offering extending three [miles] to the east and three to the west is to be left. This area by the holy offering is to be used to grow food for those serving the city. ¹⁹ The people from all the tribes of Isra’el who serve in the city will farm it. ²⁰ The entire offering will be eight [miles] square, including the section for the city.

²¹ “‘What remains will be for the prince — the land on the two sides of the holy offering and section for the city, that is, the portion eastward from the eight [miles] of the offering’s eastern border to the land’s eastern border and the portion westward from the eight [miles] of the offering’s western border to the land’s western border — this land adjacent to the [tribal] portions will be for the prince, with the holy offering and the sanctuary of the house inside it. ²² Thus the land belonging to the L’vi’im and the section for the city will be inside that which belongs to the prince.

“‘The territory belonging to the prince will be between the territory of Y’hudah and the territory of Binyamin — ²³ which brings us to the rest of the tribes:

“‘Binyamin’s territory will run from east to west.

²⁴ “‘Shim‘on’s territory will run alongside the territory of Binyamin from east to west.

²⁵ “‘Yissakhar’s territory will run alongside the territory of Shim‘on from east to west.

²⁶ “‘Z’vulun’s territory will run alongside the territory of Yissakhar from east to west.

²⁷ “‘Gad’s territory will run alongside the territory of Z’vulun from east to west.

²⁸ “‘Alongside the territory of Gad, from the Negev southward, the border will run from Tamar to the water at M’rivat-Kadesh, then to the Vadi [of Egypt], and on to the Great Sea. ²⁹ This is the land you are to distribute by lot to the tribes of Isra’el for inheritance, and these are their portions,’ says Adonai Elohim.

^30-34 “‘These are the city exits; they are to be named after the tribes of Isra’el, three gates on each of the four sides; the four sides each measure just under one-and-a-half [miles]: on the north, gates named after Re’uven, Y’hudah and Levi; on the east, gates named after Yosef, Binyamin and Dan; on the south, gates named after Shim‘on, Yissakhar and Z’vulun; and on the west, gates named after Gad, Asher and Naftali.

³⁵ “‘The perimeter of [the city] will be just under six [miles] long. And from that day on the name of the city will be Adonai Shamah [Adonai is there].’”

¹¹ Dear friends, I urge you as aliens and temporary residents^[a] not to give in to the desires of your old nature, which keep warring against you; ¹² but to live such good lives among the pagans that even though they now speak against you as evil-doers, they will, as a result of seeing your good actions, give glory to God on the Day of his coming. ¹³ For the sake of the Lord, submit yourselves to every human authority — whether to the emperor as being supreme, ¹⁴ or to governors as being sent by him to punish wrongdoers and praise those who do what is good. ¹⁵ For it is God’s will that your doing good should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. ¹⁶ Submit as people who are free, but not letting your freedom serve as an excuse for evil; rather, submit as God’s slaves. ¹⁷ Be respectful to all — keep loving the brotherhood, fearing God and honoring the emperor.

¹⁸ Household servants, submit yourselves to your masters, showing them full respect — and not only those who are kind and considerate, but also those who are harsh. ¹⁹ For it is a grace when someone, because he is mindful of God, bears up under the pain of undeserved punishment. ²⁰ For what credit is there in bearing up under a beating you deserve for doing something wrong? But if you bear up under punishment, even though you have done what is right, God looks on it with favor. ²¹ Indeed, this is what you were called to; because the Messiah too suffered, on your behalf, leaving an example so that you should follow in his steps.

²³ When he was insulted, he didn’t retaliate with insults; when he suffered, he didn’t threaten, but handed them over to him who judges justly. ²⁴ He himself bore our sins^[c] in his body on the stake,^[d] so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness — by his wounds you were healed.^{[e] 25} For you used to be like sheep gone astray, but now you have turned to^[f] the Shepherd, who watches over you.

3 In the same way, wives, submit to your husbands; so that even if some of them do not believe the Word, they will be won over by your conduct, without your saying anything, ² as they see your respectful and pure behavior. ³ Your beauty should not consist in externals such as fancy hairstyles, gold jewelry or what you wear; ⁴ rather, let it be the inner character of your heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit. In God’s sight this is of great value. ⁵ This is how the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves and submit to their husbands, ⁶ the way Sarah obeyed Avraham, honoring him as her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not succumb to fear.

⁷ You husbands, likewise, conduct your married lives with understanding. Although your wife may be weaker physically, you should respect her as a fellow-heir of the gift of Life. If you don’t, your prayers will be blocked.

ז (Zayin)

ח (Het)