The Daily Audio Bible

¹⁸ Hezron’s son was Caleb. Caleb and his wife Azubah had a son named Jerioth. Her other sons were Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon. ¹⁹ After Azubah died, Caleb married Ephrath. She gave birth to Hur. ²⁰ Hur was the father of Uri, and Uri was the father of Bezalel.

²¹ Afterwards, Hezron slept with the daughter of Machir, the man who first settled Gilead. Hezron had married her when he was 60 years old. She gave birth to Segub. ²² Segub was the father of Jair, who had 23 towns in Gilead. ²³ Geshur and Aram captured Havvoth Jair with Kenath and its villages (60 cities in all). All of these people were descendants of Machir, the man who first settled Gilead. ²⁴ After Hezron died in Caleb Ephrathah, Hezron’s wife Abijah gave birth to Ashhur, who first settled Tekoa.

²⁵ Jerahmeel (the firstborn son of Hezron) fathered Ram (his firstborn), then Bunah, Oren, Ozem, and Ahijah. ²⁶ Jerahmeel had another wife. Her name was Atarah, and she was the mother of Onam.

²⁷ The sons of Ram (the firstborn son of Jerahmeel) were Maaz, Jamin, and Eker. ²⁸ Onam’s sons were Shammai and Jada. Shammai’s sons were Nadab and Abishur. ²⁹ The name of Abishur’s wife was Abihail. She gave birth to Ahban and Molid. ³⁰ Nadab’s sons were Seled and Appaim, but Seled died without children. ³¹ Appaim’s son was Ishi, and Ishi’s son was Sheshan, and Sheshan’s son was Ahlai. ³² The sons of Jada (Shammai’s brother) were Jether and Jonathan. Jether died without children. ³³ Jonathan’s sons were Peleth and Zaza. These were the descendants of Jerahmeel.

³⁴ Sheshan had no sons, but he had daughters. He had an Egyptian slave named Jarha. ³⁵ Sheshan let Jarha marry one of his daughters. She gave birth to Attai. ³⁶ Attai was the father of Nathan. Nathan was the father of Zabad. ³⁷ Zabad was the father of Ephlal. Ephlal was the father of Obed. ³⁸ Obed was the father of Jehu. Jehu was the father of Azariah. ³⁹ Azariah was the father of Helez. Helez was the father of Eleasah. ⁴⁰ Eleasah was the father of Sismai. Sismai was the father of Shallum. ⁴¹ Shallum was the father of Jekamiah. Jekamiah was the father of Elishama.

⁴² The descendants of Caleb (Jerahmeel’s brother) were his firstborn son Mesha, who first settled Ziph, and the sons of Mareshah, who first settled Hebron. ⁴³ Hebron’s sons were Korah, Tappuah, Rekem, and Shema. ⁴⁴ Shema was the father of Raham, who first settled Jorkeam. Rekem was the father of Shammai. ⁴⁵ Shammai’s son was Maon, who first settled Beth Zur. ⁴⁶ Ephah, Caleb’s concubine,^[a] was the mother of Haran, Moza, and Gazez. Haran was the father of Gazez. ⁴⁷ Jahdai’s sons were Regem, Jotham, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah, and Shaaph. ⁴⁸ Maacah, Caleb’s concubine, was the mother of Sheber and Tirhanah. ⁴⁹ Also, she was the mother of Shaaph, who first settled Madmannah, and of Sheva, who first settled Machbenah and Gibea. Caleb’s daughter was Achsah. ⁵⁰ These people were the descendants of Caleb.

The sons of Hur, the firstborn son of Ephrath, were Shobal, who first settled Kiriath Jearim, ⁵¹ Salma, who first settled Bethlehem, and Hareph, who first settled Beth Gadar. ⁵² Shobal, who first settled Kiriath Jearim, had these descendants: Haroeh, half of the Manahathites, ⁵³ the families of Kiriath Jearim, the Ithrites, the Puthites, the Shumathites, and the Mishraites. From these people came the Zorahites and Eshtaolites.

⁵⁴ The descendants of Salma, ⌞who first settled⌟ Bethlehem, were the Netophathites, Atroth, ⌞who first settled⌟ Beth Joab, half of the Manahathites, the Zorites, ⁵⁵ and the families of scribes who lived at Jabez. These families were the people of Tira, Shimea, and Sucah. These people are the Kenites who came from Hammath. They first settled Beth Rechab.

Judah’s Descendants: the Royal Family^(A)

3 These were David’s sons who were born to him while he was in Hebron: His first son was Amnon, ⌞born⌟ to Ahinoam from Jezreel. The second was Daniel, ⌞born⌟ to Abigail from Carmel. ² The third was Absalom, ⌞born⌟ to Maacah (the daughter of King Talmai) from Geshur. The fourth was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith. ³ The fifth was Shephatiah, ⌞born⌟ to Abital. The sixth was Ithream, ⌞born⌟ to David’s wife Eglah. ⁴ Six sons were born to him in Hebron, where he ruled for seven years and six months. He ruled for 33 years in Jerusalem.

⁵ These ⌞children⌟ were born to David in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon (the mother of these four was Ammiel’s daughter Bathshua) and ⁶ Ibhar, Elishama, Eliphelet, ⁷ Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, ⁸ Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet (nine ⌞by other wives⌟). ⁹ All of these were David’s sons. Besides these, there were the sons of the concubines.^[b] Tamar was their sister.

¹⁰ Solomon’s son was Rehoboam. Rehoboam’s son was Abijah. Abijah’s son was Asa. Asa’s son was Jehoshaphat. ¹¹ Jehoshaphat’s son was Joram. Joram’s son was Ahaziah. Ahaziah’s son was Joash. ¹² Joash’s son was Amaziah. Amaziah’s son was Azariah. Azariah’s son was Jotham. ¹³ Jotham’s son was Ahaz. Ahaz’s son was Hezekiah. Hezekiah’s son was Manasseh. ¹⁴ Manasseh’s son was Amon. Amon’s son was Josiah. ¹⁵ Josiah’s firstborn son was Johanan, the second was Jehoiakim, the third was Zedekiah, and the fourth was Shallum. ¹⁶ Jehoiakim’s son was Jeconiah, whose son was Zedekiah.

¹⁷ The descendants of the prisoner Jeconiah were his son Shealtiel, ¹⁸ then Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah. ¹⁹ Pedaiah’s sons were Zerubbabel and Shimei. Zerubbabel’s sons were Meshullam and Hananiah, and Shelomith was their sister. ²⁰ There were also five other sons: Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab Hesed. ²¹ Hananiah’s sons were Pelatiah and Jeshaiah. Jeshaiah’s son was Rephaiah.^[c] Rephaiah’s son was Arnan. Arnan’s son was Obadiah. Obadiah’s son was Shecaniah.^{[d] 22} Shecaniah’s son was Shemaiah. Shemaiah’s six sons were Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat. ²³ Neariah’s three sons were Elioenai, Hizkiah, and Azrikam. ²⁴ Elioenai’s seven sons were Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani.

More of Judah’s Descendants

4 Judah’s descendants were Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal. ² Reaiah, son of Shobal, was the father of Jahath. Jahath was the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These were the families of the Zorathites.

³ These were the first settlers in Etam: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash. Their sister’s name was Hazelelponi. ⁴ Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer was the father of Hushah. These were the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah, who first settled Bethlehem.

Paul Presents His Case to Felix

24 Five days later the chief priest Ananias went to the city of Caesarea with some leaders of the people and an attorney named Tertullus. They reported to the governor their charges against Paul.

² When Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him. He said to Felix, “Your Excellency, through your wise leadership we have lasting peace and reforms that benefit the people. ³ We appreciate what you’ve done in every way and in every place, and we want to thank you very much. ⁴ I don’t want to keep you too long. Please listen to us. We will be brief. ⁵ We have found this man to be a troublemaker. He starts quarrels among all Jews throughout the world. He’s a ringleader of the Nazarene sect. ⁶ He also entered the temple courtyard in a way that violates our tradition. So we arrested him.^{[a] 8} When you cross-examine him, you’ll be able to find out from him that our accusations are true.”

⁹ The Jews supported Tertullus’ accusations and asserted that everything Tertullus said was true.

¹⁰ The governor motioned for Paul to speak. Paul responded, “I know that you have been a judge over this nation for many years. So I’m pleased to present my case to you. ¹¹ You can verify for yourself that I went to Jerusalem to worship no more than twelve days ago. ¹² No one found me having a discussion with anyone in the temple courtyard or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues throughout the city. ¹³ These people cannot even prove their accusations to you. ¹⁴ But I’ll admit to you that I’m a follower of the way ⌞of Christ⌟, which they call a sect. This means that I serve our ancestors’ God and believe everything written in Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets. ¹⁵ I hope for the same thing my accusers do, that people with God’s approval and those without it will come back to life. ¹⁶ With this belief I always do my best to have a clear conscience in the sight of God and people. ¹⁷ After many years I have come back to my people and brought gifts for the poor and offerings ⌞for God⌟. ¹⁸ My accusers found me in the temple courtyard doing these things after I had gone through the purification ceremony. No crowd or noisy mob was present. ¹⁹ But some Jews from the province of Asia were there. They should be here in front of you to accuse me if they have anything against me. ²⁰ Otherwise, these men who are accusing me should tell what I was charged with when I stood in front of their council. ²¹ They could accuse me of only one thing. As I stood among them, I shouted, ‘I’m being tried in front of you because ⌞I believe that⌟ the dead will come back to life.’ ”

²² Felix knew the way ⌞of Christ⌟ rather well, so he adjourned the trial. He told them, “When the officer Lysias arrives, I’ll decide your case.” ²³ Felix ordered the sergeant to guard Paul but to let him have some freedom and to let his friends take care of his needs.

²⁴ Some days later Felix arrived with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him talk about faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁵ As Paul discussed the subjects of God’s approval, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became afraid and said, “That’s enough for now. You can go. When I find time, I’ll send for you again.” ²⁶ At the same time, Felix was hoping that Paul would give him some money. For that reason, Felix would send for Paul rather often to have friendly conversations with him.

²⁷ Two years passed. Then Porcius Festus took Felix’s place. (Since Felix wanted to do the Jews a favor, he left Paul in prison.)

For the choir director; with stringed instruments; a psalm by David.