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Victory at Hormah
21 [a] When the Canaanite king of Arad[b] who lived in the Negev[c] heard that Israel was approaching along the road to Atharim, he fought against Israel and took some of them prisoner.
2 So Israel made a vow[d] to the Lord and said, “If you will indeed deliver[e] this people into our[f] hand, then we will utterly destroy[g] their cities.” 3 The Lord listened to the voice of Israel and delivered up the Canaanites,[h] and they utterly destroyed them and their cities. So the name of the place was called[i] Hormah.
Fiery Serpents
4 Then they traveled from Mount Hor by the road to the Red Sea,[j] to go around the land of Edom, but the people[k] became impatient along the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness, for there is no bread or water, and we[l] detest this worthless[m] food.”
6 So the Lord sent venomous[n] snakes[o] among the people, and they bit the people; many people of Israel died. 7 Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord that he would take away[p] the snakes from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.
8 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a poisonous snake and set it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks[q] at it, he will live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it on a pole, so that if a snake had bitten someone, when he looked at the bronze snake he lived.[r]
The Approach to Moab
10 [s] The Israelites traveled on and camped in Oboth. 11 Then they traveled on from Oboth and camped at Iye Abarim,[t] in the wilderness that is before Moab on the eastern side.[u] 12 From there they moved on and camped in the valley of Zered. 13 From there they moved on and camped on the other side of the Arnon, in the wilderness that extends from the regions[v] of the Amorites, for Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. 14 This is why it is said in the Book of the Wars of the Lord,
“Waheb in Suphah[w] and the wadis,
the Arnon 15 and the slope of the valleys[x]
that extends to the dwelling of Ar,[y]
and falls off at the border of Moab.”
16 And from there they traveled[z] to Beer;[aa] that is the well where the Lord spoke to Moses, “Gather the people and I will give them water.” 17 Then Israel sang[ab] this song:
“Spring up, O well, sing to it!
18 The well which the princes[ac] dug,
which the leaders of the people opened
with their scepters and their staffs.”
And from the wilderness they traveled to Mattanah; 19 and from Mattanah to Nahaliel; and from Nahaliel to Bamoth; 20 and from Bamoth to the valley that is in the country of Moab, near the top of Pisgah, which overlooks the wastelands.[ad]
The Victory over Sihon and Og
21 [ae] Then Israel sent messengers to King Sihon of the Amorites, saying,[af]
22 “Let us[ag] pass through your land;[ah] we will not turn aside into the fields or into the vineyards, nor will we drink water from any well, but we will go along the King’s Highway until we pass your borders.” 23 But Sihon did not permit Israel to pass through his border; he[ai] gathered all his forces[aj] together and went out against Israel into the wilderness. When[ak] he came to Jahaz, he fought against Israel. 24 But the Israelites[al] defeated him in battle[am] and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as the Ammonites, for the border of the Ammonites was strongly defended. 25 So Israel took all these cities; and Israel settled in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all its villages.[an] 26 For Heshbon was the city of King Sihon of the Amorites. Now he had fought against the former king of Moab and had taken all his land from his control,[ao] as far as the Arnon. 27 That is why those who speak in proverbs[ap] say,
“Come to Heshbon, let it be built.
Let the city of Sihon be established![aq]
28 For fire went out from Heshbon,
a flame from the city of Sihon.
It has consumed Ar of Moab
and the lords[ar] of the high places of Arnon.
29 Woe to you, Moab.
You are ruined, O people of Chemosh![as]
He has made his sons fugitives,
and his daughters the prisoners of King Sihon of the Amorites.
30 We have overpowered them;[at]
Heshbon has perished as far as Dibon.
We have shattered them as far as Nophah,
which[au] reaches to Medeba.”
31 So the Israelites[av] lived in the land of the Amorites. 32 Moses sent spies to reconnoiter[aw] Jazer, and they captured its villages[ax] and dispossessed the Amorites who were there.
33 Then they turned and went up by the road to Bashan. And King Og of Bashan and all his forces[ay] marched out against them to do battle at Edrei. 34 And the Lord said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I have delivered him and all his people and his land into your hand. You will do to him what you did to King Sihon of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon.” 35 So they defeated Og,[az] his sons, and all his people, until there were no survivors,[ba] and they possessed his land.
Balaam Refuses to Curse Israel
22 [bb] The Israelites traveled on[bc] and camped in the rift valley plains[bd] of Moab on the side of the Jordan River[be] across from Jericho. 2 Balak son of Zippor saw all that the Israelites had done to the Amorites. 3 And the Moabites were greatly afraid of the people, because they were so numerous. The Moabites were sick with fear because of the Israelites.
4 So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “Now this mass of people[bf] will lick up everything around us, as the bull devours the grass of the field.” Now Balak son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at this time. 5 And he sent messengers to Balaam[bg] son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates River[bh] in the land of Amaw,[bi] to summon him, saying, “Look, a nation has come out of Egypt. They cover the face[bj] of the earth, and they are settling next to me. 6 So[bk] now, please come and curse this nation[bl] for me, for they are too powerful for me. Perhaps I will prevail so that we may conquer them[bm] and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed,[bn] and whoever you curse is cursed.”
7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fee for divination in their hands. They came to Balaam and reported[bo] to him the words of Balak. 8 He replied to them, “Stay[bp] here tonight, and I will bring back to you whatever word the Lord may speak to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. 9 And God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” 10 Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent a message to me, saying, 11 ‘Look, a nation has come out[bq] of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth. Come now and put a curse on them for me; perhaps I will be able to defeat them[br] and drive them out.’”[bs] 12 But God said to Balaam, “You must not go with them; you must not curse the people,[bt] for they are blessed.”[bu]
13 So Balaam got up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land,[bv] for the Lord has refused to permit me to go[bw] with you.” 14 So the princes of Moab departed[bx] and went back to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”
Balaam Accompanies the Moabite Princes
15 Balak again sent princes,[by] more numerous and more distinguished than the first.[bz] 16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak son of Zippor: ‘Please do not let anything hinder you from coming[ca] to me. 17 For I will honor you greatly,[cb] and whatever you tell me I will do. So come, put a curse on this nation for me.’”
18 Balaam replied[cc] to the servants of Balak, “Even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not transgress the commandment[cd] of the Lord my God[ce] to do less or more. 19 Now therefore, please stay[cf] the night here also, that I may know what more the Lord might say to me.”[cg] 20 God came to Balaam that night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, get up and go with them, but the word that I will say to you, that you must do.”
Birth Announcement of Jesus the Messiah
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy,[a] the angel Gabriel[b] was sent by[c] God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,[d] 27 to a virgin engaged[e] to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of David,[f] and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The[g] angel[h] came[i] to her and said, “Greetings, favored one,[j] the Lord is with you!”[k] 29 But[l] she was greatly troubled[m] by his words and began to wonder about the meaning of this greeting.[n] 30 So[o] the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid,[p] Mary, for you have found favor[q] with God! 31 Listen:[r] You will become pregnant[s] and give birth to[t] a son, and you will name him[u] Jesus.[v] 32 He[w] will be great,[x] and will be called the Son of the Most High,[y] and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father[z] David. 33 He[aa] will reign over the house of Jacob[ab] forever, and his kingdom will never end.” 34 Mary[ac] said to the angel, “How will this be, since I have not been intimate with[ad] a man?” 35 The angel replied,[ae] “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow[af] you. Therefore the child[ag] to be born[ah] will be holy;[ai] he will be called the Son of God.
36 “And look,[aj] your relative[ak] Elizabeth has also become pregnant with[al] a son in her old age—although she was called barren, she is now in her sixth month![am] 37 For nothing[an] will be impossible with God.” 38 So[ao] Mary said, “Yes,[ap] I am a servant[aq] of the Lord; let this happen to me[ar] according to your word.”[as] Then[at] the angel departed from her.
Mary and Elizabeth
39 In those days[au] Mary got up and went hurriedly into the hill country, to a town of Judah,[av] 40 and entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When[aw] Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped[ax] in her[ay] womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.[az] 42 She[ba] exclaimed with a loud voice,[bb] “Blessed are you among women,[bc] and blessed is the child[bd] in your womb! 43 And who am I[be] that the mother of my Lord should come and visit me? 44 For the instant[bf] the sound of your greeting reached my ears,[bg] the baby in my womb leaped for joy.[bh] 45 And blessed[bi] is she who believed that[bj] what was spoken to her by[bk] the Lord would be fulfilled.”[bl]
Mary’s Hymn of Praise
“My soul exalts[bo] the Lord,[bp]
47 and my spirit has begun to rejoice[bq] in God my Savior,
48 because he has looked upon the humble state of his servant.[br]
For[bs] from now on[bt] all generations will call me blessed,[bu]
49 because he who is mighty[bv] has done great things for me, and holy is his name;
50 from[bw] generation to generation he is merciful[bx] to those who fear[by] him.
51 He has demonstrated power[bz] with his arm; he has scattered those whose pride wells up from the sheer arrogance[ca] of their hearts.
52 He has brought down the mighty[cb] from their thrones, and has lifted up those of lowly position;[cc]
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,[cd] and has sent the rich away empty.[ce]
54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering[cf] his mercy,[cg]
55 as he promised[ch] to our ancestors,[ci] to Abraham and to his descendants[cj] forever.”
56 So[ck] Mary stayed with Elizabeth[cl] about three months[cm] and then returned to her home.
Psalm 57[a]
For the music director, according to the al-tashcheth style;[b] a prayer[c] of David, written when he fled from Saul into the cave.[d]
57 Have mercy on me, O God. Have mercy on me.
For in you I have taken shelter.[e]
In the shadow of your wings[f] I take shelter
until trouble passes.
2 I cry out for help to God Most High,[g]
to the God who vindicates[h] me.
3 May he send help from heaven and deliver me[i]
from my enemies who hurl insults.[j] (Selah)
May God send his loyal love and faithfulness.
4 I am surrounded by lions;
I lie down[k] among those who want to devour me,[l]
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords.[m]
5 Rise up[n] above the sky, O God.
May your splendor cover the whole earth.[o]
6 They have prepared a net to trap me;[p]
I am discouraged.[q]
They have dug a pit for me.[r]
They will fall[s] into it. (Selah)
7 I am determined,[t] O God. I am determined.
I will sing and praise you.
8 Awake, my soul![u]
Awake, O stringed instrument and harp!
I will wake up at dawn.[v]
9 I will give you thanks before the nations, O Lord.
I will sing praises to you before foreigners.[w]
10 For your loyal love extends beyond the sky,[x]
and your faithfulness reaches the clouds.
11 Rise up[y] above the sky, O God.
May your splendor cover the whole earth.[z]
9 With his speech[a] the godless person[b] destroys[c] his neighbor,
but by knowledge[d] the righteous will be delivered.
10 When the righteous do well,[e] the city rejoices;[f]
when the wicked perish, there is joy.
11 A city is exalted by the blessing provided from[g] the upright,
but it is destroyed by the counsel[h] of the wicked.[i]
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