The Daily Audio Bible
Today's audio is from the CSB. Switch to the CSB to read along with the audio.
Deborah and Barak
4 After the death of Ehud, the Israelites again started disobeying the Lord. 2 So the Lord let the Canaanite King Jabin of Hazor conquer Israel. Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, lived in Harosheth-Ha-Goiim. 3 Jabin's army had 900 iron chariots, and for 20 years he made life miserable for the Israelites, until finally they begged the Lord for help.
4 Deborah the wife of Lappidoth was a prophet and a leader[a] of Israel during those days. 5 She would sit under Deborah's Palm Tree between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, where Israelites would come and ask her to settle their legal cases.
6 One day, Barak the son of Abinoam was in Kedesh in Naphtali, and Deborah sent word for him to come and talk with her. When he arrived, she said:
I have a message for you from the Lord God of Israel! You are to get together an army of 10,000 men from the Naphtali and Zebulun tribes and lead them to Mount Tabor. 7 The Lord will trick Sisera into coming out to fight you at the Kishon River. Sisera will be leading King Jabin's army as usual, and they will have their chariots, but the Lord has promised to help you defeat them.
8 “I'm not going unless you go!” Barak told her.
9 “All right, I'll go!” she replied. “But I'm warning you that the Lord is going to let a woman defeat Sisera, and no one will honor you for winning the battle.”
Deborah and Barak left for Kedesh, 10 where Barak called together the troops from Zebulun and Naphtali. Ten thousand soldiers gathered there, and Barak led them out from Kedesh. Deborah went too.
11 At this time, Heber of the Kenite clan was living near the village of Oak in Zaanannim,[b] not far from Kedesh. The Kenites were descendants of Hobab, the father-in-law of Moses, but Heber had moved and had set up his tents away from the rest of the clan.
12 When Sisera learned that Barak had led an army to Mount Tabor, 13 he called his troops together and got all 900 iron chariots ready. Then he led his army away from Harosheth-Ha-Goiim to the Kishon River.
14 Deborah shouted, “Barak, it's time to attack Sisera! Because today the Lord is going to help you defeat him. In fact, the Lord has already gone on ahead to fight for you.”
Barak led his 10,000 troops down from Mount Tabor. 15 And during the battle, the Lord confused Sisera, his chariot drivers, and his whole army. Everyone was so afraid of Barak and his army, that even Sisera jumped down from his chariot and tried to escape. 16 Barak's forces went after Sisera's chariots and army as far as Harosheth-Ha-Goiim.
Sisera's entire army was wiped out. 17 Only Sisera escaped. He ran to Heber's camp, because Heber and his family had a peace treaty with the king of Hazor. Sisera went to the tent that belonged to Jael, Heber's wife. 18 She came out to greet him and said, “Come in, sir! Please come on in. Don't be afraid.”
After they had gone inside, Sisera lay down, and Jael covered him with a blanket. 19 “Could I have a little water?” he asked. “I'm thirsty.”
Jael opened a leather bottle and poured him some milk, then she covered him back up.
20 “Stand at the entrance to the tent,” Sisera told her. “If someone comes by and asks if anyone is inside, tell them ‘No.’ ”
21 Sisera was exhausted and soon fell fast asleep. Jael took a hammer and drove a tent-peg through his head into the ground, and he died.
22 Meanwhile, Barak had been following Sisera, and Jael went out to meet him. “The man you're looking for is inside,” she said. “Come in and I'll show him to you.”
They went inside, and there was Sisera—dead and stretched out with a tent-peg through his skull.
23 That same day God defeated the Canaanite King Jabin while the Israelites looked on, and his army was no longer powerful enough to attack the Israelites. 24 Jabin grew weaker while the Israelites kept growing stronger, until at last the Israelites destroyed him.
Deborah and Barak Sing for the Lord
5 After the battle was over that day, Deborah and Barak sang this song:
2 We praise you, Lord!
Our soldiers volunteered,
ready to follow you.
3 Listen, kings and rulers,
while I sing for the Lord,
the God of Israel.
4 Our Lord, God of Israel,
when you came from Seir,
where the Edomites live,
5 (A) rain poured from the sky,
the earth trembled,
and mountains shook.
6 In the time of Shamgar
son of Anath,
and now again in Jael's time,
roads were too dangerous
for caravans.
Travelers had to take
the back roads,
7 and villagers couldn't work
in their fields.[c]
Then Deborah[d] took command,
protecting Israel as a mother
protects her children.
8 The Israelites worshiped
other gods,
and the gates of their towns
were then attacked.[e]
But they had no shields
or spears to fight with.
9 I praise you, Lord,
and I am grateful
for those leaders and soldiers
who volunteered.
10 Listen, everyone!
Whether you ride a donkey
with a padded saddle
or have to walk.
11 Even those who carry water[f]
to the animals will tell you,
“The Lord has won victories,
and so has Israel.”
Then the Lord's people marched
down to the town gates
12 and said, “Deborah, let's go!
Let's sing as we march.
Barak, capture our enemies.”
13 The Lord's people who were left
joined with their leaders
and fought at my side.[g]
14 Troops came from Ephraim,
where Amalekites once lived.
Others came from Benjamin;
officers and leaders came
from Machir and Zebulun.
15 The rulers of Issachar
came along with Deborah,
and Issachar followed Barak
into the valley.
But the tribe of Reuben
was no help at all![h]
16 Reuben, why did you stay
among your sheep pens?[i]
Was it to listen to shepherds
whistling for their sheep?
No one could figure out
why Reuben wouldn't come.[j]
17 The people of Gilead stayed
across the Jordan.
Why did the tribe of Dan
remain on their ships
and the tribe of Asher
stay along the coast
near the harbors?
18 But soldiers of Zebulun
and Naphtali
risked their lives
to attack the enemy.[k]
19 Canaanite kings fought us
at Taanach by the stream
near Megiddo[l]—
but they couldn't rob us
of our silver.[m]
20 From their pathways in the sky
the stars[n] fought Sisera,
21 and his soldiers were swept away
by the ancient Kishon River.
I will march on and be brave.
22 Sisera's horses galloped off,
their hoofs thundering
in retreat.
23 The Lord's angel said,
“Put a curse on Meroz Town!
Its people refused
to help the Lord fight
his powerful enemies.”
24 But honor Jael,
the wife of Heber
from the Kenite clan.
Give more honor to her
than to any other woman
who lives in tents.
Yes, give more honor to her
than to any other woman.
25 Sisera asked for water,
but Jael gave him milk—
cream in a fancy cup.
26 She reached for a tent-peg
and held a hammer
in her right hand.
And with a blow to the head,
she crushed his skull.
27 Sisera sank to his knees
and fell dead at her feet.
28 Sisera's mother looked out
through her window.
“Why is he taking so long?”
she asked.
“Why haven't we heard
his chariots coming?”
29 She and her wisest women
gave the same answer:
30 “Sisera and his troops
are finding treasures
to bring back—
a woman, or maybe two,
for each man,
and beautiful dresses
for those women to wear.”[o]
31 Our Lord, we pray
that all your enemies
will die like Sisera.
But let everyone who loves you
shine brightly like the sun
at dawn.
Midian Steals Everything from Israel
There was peace in Israel for about 40 years.
Moneybags, Traveling Bags, and Swords
35 (A) Jesus asked his disciples, “When I sent you out without a moneybag or a traveling bag or sandals, did you need anything?”
“No!” they answered.
36 Jesus told them, “But now, if you have a moneybag, take it with you. Also take a traveling bag, and if you don't have a sword,[a] sell some of your clothes and buy one. 37 (B) Do this because the Scriptures say, ‘He was considered a criminal.’ This was written about me, and it will soon come true.”
38 The disciples said, “Lord, here are two swords!”
“Enough of that!” Jesus replied.
Jesus Prays
(Matthew 26.36-46; Mark 14.32-42)
39 Jesus went out to the Mount of Olives, as he often did, and his disciples went with him. 40 When they got there, he told them, “Pray that you won't be tested.”
41 Jesus walked on a little way before he knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you will, please don't make me suffer by drinking from this cup.[b] But do what you want, and not what I want.”
43 Then an angel from heaven came to help him. 44 Jesus was in great pain and prayed so sincerely that his sweat fell to the ground like drops of blood.[c]
45 Jesus got up from praying and went over to his disciples. They were asleep and worn out from being so sad. 46 He said to them, “Why are you asleep? Wake up and pray that you won't be tested.”
Jesus Is Arrested
(Matthew 26.47-56; Mark 14.43-50; John 18.3-11)
47 While Jesus was still speaking, a crowd came up. It was led by Judas, one of the twelve apostles. He went over to Jesus and greeted him with a kiss.[d]
48 Jesus asked Judas, “Are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”
49 When Jesus' disciples saw what was about to happen, they asked, “Lord, should we attack them with a sword?” 50 One of the disciples even struck at the high priest's servant with his sword and cut off the servant's right ear.
51 “Enough of that!” Jesus said. Then he touched the servant's ear and healed it.
52 Jesus spoke to the chief priests, the temple police, and the leaders who had come to arrest him. He said, “Why do you come out with swords and clubs and treat me like a criminal? 53 (C) I was with you every day in the temple, and you didn't arrest me. But this is your time, and darkness[e] is in control.”
The Lord Punishes the Guilty
1 Lord God, you punish
the guilty.
Show what you are like
and punish them now.
2 You judge the earth.
Come and help us!
Pay back those proud people
for what they have done.
3 How long will the wicked
celebrate and be glad?
4 All of those cruel people
strut and boast,
5 and they crush and wound
your chosen nation, Lord.
6 They murder widows,
foreigners, and orphans.
7 Then they say,
“The Lord God of Jacob
doesn't see or know.”
8 Can't you fools see?
Won't you ever learn?
9 God gave us ears and eyes!
Can't he hear and see?
10 God instructs the nations
and gives knowledge to us all.
Won't he also correct us?
11 (A) The Lord knows how useless
our plans really are.
12 Our Lord, you bless everyone
that you instruct and teach
by using your Law.
13 You give them rest
from their troubles,
until a pit can be dug
for the wicked.
14 You won't turn your back
on your chosen nation.
15 Justice and fairness
will go hand in hand,
and all who do right
will follow along.
16 Who will stand up for me
against those cruel people?
17 If you had not helped me, Lord,
I would soon have gone
to the land of silence.[a]
18 When I felt my feet slipping,
you came with your love
and kept me steady.
19 And when I was burdened
with worries,
you comforted me
and made me feel secure.
20 But you are opposed
to dishonest lawmakers
21 who gang up to murder
innocent victims.
22 You, Lord God, are my fortress,
that mighty rock[b]
where I am safe.
23 You will pay back my enemies,
and you will wipe them out
for the evil they did.
3 Proud fools are punished
for their stupid talk,
but sensible talk
can save your life.
4 Without the help of an ox
there can be no crop,
but with a strong ox
a big crop is possible.
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.