The Daily Audio Bible
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5 Ashhur, who first settled Tekoa, had two wives, Helah and Naarah. 6 Naarah gave birth to Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were Naarah’s sons. 7 Helah’s sons were Zereth, Izohar, and Ethnan. 8 Koz was the father of Anub and Zobebah, and he was the ancestor of the families of Aharhel, son of Harum.
9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez [Painful], because she said that his birth was painful. 10 Jabez prayed to the God of Israel, “Please bless me and give me more territory. May your power be with me and free me from evil so that I will not be in pain.” God gave him what he prayed for.
11 Chelub, Shuhah’s brother, was the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton. 12 Eshton was the first to settle Beth Rapha. He was the father of Paseah and Tehinnah, who first settled the city of Nahash. These were the men from Recah.
13 Kenaz’s sons were Othniel and Seraiah. The sons of Othniel were Hathath and Meonothai.[a] 14 Meonothai was the father of Ophrah. Seraiah was the father of Joab, who first settled the valley of Craftsmen. (It was named this because they were craftsmen.) 15 The sons of Caleb, son of Jephunneh, were Iru, Elah, and Naam. Elah’s son was Kenaz.
16 Jehallelel’s sons were Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel. 17 Ezrah’s sons were Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. His wife gave birth to Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah, who first settled Eshtemoa. 18 His Judean wife was the mother of Jered, who first settled Gedor, Heber, who first settled Soco, and Jekuthiel, who first settled Zanoah.
19 The sons of Hodiah’s wife, the sister of Naham, first settled Keilah of the Garmites and Eshtemoa of the Maacathites. 20 Shimon’s sons were Amnon, Rinnah, Ben Hanan, and Tilon. Ishi’s sons were Zoheth and Ben Zoheth.
21 The descendants of Shelah, son of Judah, were Er, who first settled Lecah, Laadah, who first settled Mareshah, families of the guild of linen workers at Beth Ashbea, 22 Jokim, Joash, Saraph, and the men of Cozeba. Saraph ruled Moab and Jashubi Lehem (according to ancient records). 23 They were the potters who lived at Netaim and Gederah. They lived there with the king and did his work.
Simeon’s Descendants
24 Simeon’s sons were Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul. 25 Shaul’s son was Shallum. Shallum’s son was Mibsam. Mibsam’s son was Mishma. 26 Mishma’s son was Hammuel. Hammuel’s son was Zaccur. Zaccur’s son was Shimei. 27 Shimei had 16 sons and 6 daughters. But his brothers didn’t have many children, so their entire family didn’t become as large as the people of Judah.
28 Simeon’s descendants lived in Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar Shual, 29 Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, 30 Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, 31 Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri, and Shaaraim. These were their cities until David became king. 32 Their five cities were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan. 33 They also had all the villages around these cities as far as the city of Baal. These places were where they lived, and they had their own genealogical records:
34 Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah (son of Amaziah), 35 Joel, Jehu (son of Joshibiah, grandson of Seraiah, and great-grandson of Asiel), 36 Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, and 37 Ziza (son of Shiphi, grandson of Allon, great-grandson of Jedaiah, a descendant of Shimri and Shemaiah). 38 These who are mentioned by name were leaders in their families, and the number of people in their households increased.
39 They moved to the outskirts of Gedor, on the east side of the valley, to find pasture for their flocks. 40 They found pasture that was rich and good. The land was vast, peaceful, and quiet because the Hamites used to live there. 41 In the days of King Hezekiah of Judah, the men listed here knocked down tents and killed the Meunites. They claimed the Meunites for God and destroyed them. (Even today no Meunites live there.) They lived in that land in place of the Meunites in order to have pasture for their flocks. 42 Ishi’s sons Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel led 500 of Simeon’s male descendants to Mount Seir. 43 They killed the Amalekites who were left. Simeon’s descendants still live there today.
Reuben’s Descendants
5 These are the sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn. (Although he was the firstborn, his rights as firstborn were given to his nephews, Joseph’s sons, because he dishonored his father’s bed. However, Joseph couldn’t be listed in the genealogy as the firstborn son. 2 Even though Judah was more prominent than his brothers and the prince was to come from him, Joseph received the rights as firstborn.)
3 The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 4 Joel’s son was Shemaiah. Shemaiah’s son was Gog. Gog’s son was Shimei. 5 Shimei’s son was Micah. Micah’s son was Reaiah. Reaiah’s son was Baal. 6 Baal’s son was Beerah. King Tiglath Pilneser of Assyria took him away as a captive. He was leader of the tribe of Reuben. 7 Beerah’s brothers according to their families, when they were enrolled in the genealogical records according to their ancestry, were as follows: The first was Jeiel, then Zechariah 8 and Bela (son of Azaz, grandson of Shema, and great-grandson of Joel).
Reuben’s descendants lived in Aroer as far as Nebo and Baal Meon. 9 Some of them lived eastward as far as the edge of the desert that extends to the Euphrates River, because they had so much livestock in Gilead. 10 In Saul’s day they fought a war against the Hagrites, defeated them, and lived in their tents throughout the entire region east of Gilead.
Gad’s Descendants
11 Gad’s descendants lived next to Reuben’s descendants in Bashan as far ⌞east⌟ as Salcah. 12 One family descended from Gad’s first son Joel. Another family descended from Gad’s second son Shapham. Other families descended from Gad’s sons Janai and Shaphat in Bashan. 13 Their seven relatives by families were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber. 14 These were the sons of Abihail, who was the son of Huri, grandson of Jaroah, and great-grandson of Gilead. Gilead was the son of Michael, grandson of Jeshishai, great-grandson of Jahdo, and great-great-grandson of Buz. 15 Ahi, son of Abdiel and grandson of Guni, was the head of their families. 16 They lived in Gilead, in Bashan and its villages, and in the entire pastureland of Sharon to its extreme edges. 17 All these people were recorded in genealogical records in the days of King Jotham of Judah and King Jeroboam of Israel.
Paul Makes an Appeal
25 Three days after Festus took over his duties in the province of Judea, he went from the city of Caesarea to Jerusalem. 2 The chief priests and the other important Jewish leaders informed Festus about their charges against Paul. They were urging 3 Festus to do them the favor of having Paul brought to Jerusalem. The Jews had a plan to ambush and kill Paul as he traveled to Jerusalem.
4 Festus replied that he would be returning to Caesarea soon and would keep Paul there. 5 He told them, “Have your authorities come to Caesarea with me and accuse him there if the man has done something wrong.”
6 Festus stayed in Jerusalem for eight or ten days at the most and then returned to Caesarea. The next day Festus took his place in court and summoned Paul.
7 When Paul entered the room, the Jews who had come from Jerusalem surrounded him. They made a lot of serious accusations that they couldn’t prove. 8 Paul defended himself by saying, “I haven’t broken any Jewish law or done anything against the temple or the emperor.”
9 But Festus wanted to do the Jews a favor. So he asked Paul, “Are you willing to go to Jerusalem to be tried there on these charges with me as your judge?”
10 Paul said, “I am standing in the emperor’s court where I must be tried. I haven’t done anything wrong to the Jews, as you know very well. 11 If I am guilty and have done something wrong for which I deserve the death penalty, I don’t reject the idea of dying. But if their accusations are untrue, no one can hand me over to them as a favor. I appeal my case to the emperor!”
12 Festus discussed the appeal with his advisers and then replied to Paul, “You have appealed your case to the emperor, so you’ll go to the emperor!”
King Agrippa Meets Paul
13 Later King Agrippa and Bernice came to the city of Caesarea to welcome Festus. 14 Since they were staying there for a number of days, Festus told the king about Paul’s case.
Festus said, “Felix left a man here in prison. 15 When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the Jewish leaders brought me some information about him and asked me to condemn him.
16 “I replied to them, ‘That’s not the Roman way of doing things. A person can’t be sentenced as a favor. Before he is sentenced, he must face his accusers and have a chance to defend himself against their accusation.’
17 “So the Jewish leaders came to Caesarea with me. The next day I immediately convened court and summoned the man. 18 When his accusers stood up, they didn’t accuse him of the crimes I was expecting. 19 They were disputing with him about their own religion and about some man named Jesus who had died. But Paul claimed that Jesus is alive. 20 Their debate about these things left me puzzled. So I asked Paul if he would like to go to Jerusalem to have his case heard there. 21 But Paul appealed his case. He asked to be held in prison and to have His Majesty the Emperor decide his case. So I ordered him to be held in prison until I could send him to the emperor.”
22 Agrippa told Festus, “I would like to hear the man.”
Festus replied, “You’ll hear him tomorrow.”
23 The next day Agrippa and Bernice entered the auditorium with a lot of fanfare. Roman army officers and the most important men of the city entered the auditorium with them. Festus gave the order, and Paul was brought into the auditorium.
24 Then Festus said, “King Agrippa and everyone who is present with us! All the Jews in Jerusalem and Caesarea have talked to me about this man you see in front of you. They shout that he must not be allowed to live any longer. 25 However, I don’t think that he has done anything to deserve the death penalty. But since he made an appeal to His Majesty the Emperor, I have decided to send him to Rome. 26 But I don’t have anything reliable to write our emperor about him. So I have brought him to all of you, and especially to you, King Agrippa. Then I’ll have something to write after he is cross-examined. 27 I find it ridiculous to send a prisoner to Rome when I can’t specify any charges against him.”
For the choir director; for flutes; a psalm by David.
5 Open your ears to my words, O Lord.
Consider my innermost thoughts.
2 Pay attention to my cry for help, my king and my God,
because I pray only to you.
3 In the morning, O Lord, hear my voice.
In the morning I lay my needs in front of you,
and I wait.
4 You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness.
Evil will never be your guest.
5 Those who brag cannot stand in your sight.
You hate all troublemakers.
6 You destroy those who tell lies.
The Lord is disgusted with bloodthirsty and deceitful people.
7 But I will enter your house because of your great mercy.
Out of reverence for you, I will bow toward your holy temple.
8 O Lord, lead me in your righteousness because of those who spy on me.
Make your way in front of me smooth.
9 Nothing in their mouths is truthful.
Destruction comes from their hearts.
Their throats are open graves.
They flatter with their tongues.
10 Condemn them, O God.
Let their own schemes be their downfall.
Throw them out for their many crimes
because they have rebelled against you.
11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice.
Let them sing with joy forever.
Protect them, and let those who love your name triumph in you.
12 You bless righteous people, O Lord.
Like a large shield, you surround them with your favor.
19 An offended brother is more ⌞resistant⌟ than a strong city,
and disputes are like the locked gate of a castle tower.
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