The Daily Audio Bible
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Two Silver Signal Trumpets
10 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Make two trumpets out of hammered silver. Use them to call the community together and as a signal to break camp. 3 When you blow both trumpets, the whole community will meet with you at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 4 If only one trumpet blows, the leaders, the heads of the divisions of Israel, will meet with you. 5 When they hear the trumpet fanfare, the tribes that are camped on the east side will break camp first. 6 When the trumpets sound a second fanfare, the tribes that are camped on the south will break camp. The fanfare is the signal to break camp. 7 But when you gather the assembly, the trumpets will blow without sounding a fanfare. 8 The sons of Aaron, the priests, will blow the trumpets. This will be a permanent law for you and your descendants.
9 “When you go to war in your own country against an enemy who is oppressing you, the trumpets will sound a fanfare. Then the Lord your God will remember you and rescue you from your enemies. 10 Also, on your festival days and on the first day of the month, blow the trumpets when you sacrifice your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. The trumpets will be a reminder for you in God’s presence. I am the Lord your God.”
Israel Leaves Mount Sinai
11 On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, the ⌞column of⌟ smoke left the tent of the words of God’s promise. 12 So the Israelites moved from the Desert of Sinai and traveled from place to place until the ⌞column of⌟ smoke stopped in the Desert of Paran.
13 This was the first time they moved, following the command that the Lord had given through Moses. 14 With their flag in front, the armies led by Judah’s descendants broke camp first. Nahshon, son of Amminadab, was in command. 15 Nethanel, son of Zuar, commanded the army of Issachar. 16 Eliab, son of Helon, commanded the army of Zebulun. 17 Then the tent ⌞of meeting⌟ was taken down, and the Gershonites and Merarites, who carried it, broke camp.
18 With their flag in front, the armies led by Reuben’s descendants broke camp next. Elizur, son of Shedeur, was in command. 19 Shelumiel, son of Zurishaddai, commanded the army of Simeon. 20 Eliasaph, son of Deuel, commanded the army of Gad. 21 Then the Kohathites, who carried the holy things, broke camp. By the time they arrived, the tent ⌞of meeting⌟ would already be set up.
22 With their flag in front, the armies led by Ephraim’s descendants broke camp next. Elisha, son of Ammihud, was in command. 23 Gamaliel, son of Pedahzur, commanded the army of Manasseh. 24 Abidan, son of Gideoni, commanded the army of Benjamin.
25 As a rear guard for the whole camp, the armies led by Dan’s descendants broke camp last with their flag in front. Ahiezer, son of Ammishaddai, was in command. 26 Pagiel, son of Ochran, commanded the army of Asher. 27 Ahira, son of Enan, commanded the army of Naphtali.
28 This was the order in which the Israelite armies broke camp when they went from place to place.
29 Moses said to his brother-in-law Hobab, son of Reuel the Midianite, “We are going to the place the Lord promised to give us. Come with us. We will be good to you, because the Lord has promised good things to Israel.”
30 Hobab answered, “No, I won’t go. I want to go back to my own country where my relatives are.”
31 But Moses said, “Please don’t leave us. You know where we can set up camp in the desert, and you could be our guide. 32 If you come with us, we will share with you all the good things the Lord gives us.”
33 So they left the mountain of the Lord and traveled for three days. The ark of the Lord’s promise went ahead of them a distance of three days’ journey to find them a place to rest. 34 The Lord’s ⌞column of⌟ smoke was over them by day when they moved the camp.
35 Whenever the ark started to move, Moses would say,
“Arise, O Lord!
Scatter your enemies!
Make those who hate you run away from you!”
36 And whenever it stopped, he would say,
“Return, O Lord, to the countless thousands of Israel!”
The People of Israel Demand Meat to Eat
11 The people began complaining out loud to the Lord about their troubles. When the Lord heard them, he became angry, and fire from the Lord began to burn among them. It destroyed some people on the outskirts of the camp. 2 The people cried out to Moses, Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire died down. 3 That place was called Taberah [Fire] because fire from the Lord burned among them there.
4 Some foreigners among the Israelites had a strong craving for ⌞other kinds of⌟ food. Even the Israelites started crying again and said, “If only we had meat to eat! 5 Remember all the free fish we ate in Egypt and the cucumbers, watermelons, leeks, onions, and garlic we had? 6 But now we’ve lost our appetite! Everywhere we look there’s nothing but manna!”
7 (Manna was ⌞small⌟ like coriander seeds and looked like resin. 8 The people would go around and gather it, then grind it in a handmill or crush it in a mortar. They would cook it in a pot or make round loaves of bread out of it. It tasted like rich pastry made with olive oil. 9 When dew fell on the camp at night, manna fell with it.)
10 Moses heard people from every family crying at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became very angry, and Moses didn’t like it either. 11 So he asked, “Lord, why have you brought me this trouble? How have I displeased you that you put the burden of all these people on me? 12 Am I their mother? Did I give birth to them? Are you really asking me to carry them in my arms—as a nurse carries a baby—all the way to the land you promised their ancestors with an oath? 13 Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep crying for me to give them meat to eat. 14 I can’t take care of all these people by myself. This is too much work for me! 15 If this is how you’re going to treat me, why don’t you just kill me? I can’t face this trouble anymore.”
16 The Lord answered Moses, “Bring me 70 Israelite men who you know are leaders and officers of the people. Take them to the tent of meeting, and have them stand with you. 17 I’ll come down and speak with you there. I’ll take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will help you take care of the people. You won’t have to take care of the people alone. 18 Tell the people to get ready for tomorrow. They must be set apart as holy. Then they will eat meat. I, the Lord, heard them crying and saying, ‘If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!’ So I will give them meat. 19 They won’t eat it just for one or two days, or five, or ten, or twenty days, 20 but for a whole month, until it comes out of their ears and they’re sick of it. This is because they rejected the Lord who is here among them and cried in front of him, asking, ‘Why did we ever leave Egypt?’ ”
21 But Moses said, “Here I am with 600,000 foot soldiers around me. Yet, you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!’ 22 Would they have enough if all the flocks and herds were butchered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?”
23 The Lord asked Moses, “Is there a limit to the Lord’s power? Now you will see whether or not my words come true.”
The Plot to Kill Jesus(A)
14 It was two days before the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the experts in Moses’ Teachings were looking for some underhanded way to arrest Jesus and to kill him. 2 However, they said, “We shouldn’t arrest him during the festival, or else there will be a riot among the people.”
A Woman Prepares Jesus’ Body for the Tomb(B)
3 Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had suffered from a skin disease. While Jesus was sitting there, a woman went to him. She had a bottle of very expensive perfume made from pure nard. She opened the bottle and poured the perfume on his head.
4 Some who were there were irritated and said to one another, “Why was the perfume wasted like this? 5 This perfume could have been sold for a high price, and the money could have been given to the poor.” So they said some very unkind things to her.
6 Jesus said, “Leave her alone! Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing for me. 7 You will always have the poor with you and can help them whenever you want. But you will not always have me with you. 8 She did what she could. She came to pour perfume on my body before it is placed in a tomb. 9 I can guarantee this truth: Wherever the Good News is spoken in the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
Judas Plans to Betray Jesus(C)
10 Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve apostles, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus. 11 They were pleased to hear what Judas had to say and promised to give him money. So he kept looking for a chance to betray Jesus.
Preparations for the Passover(D)
12 Killing the Passover lamb was customary on the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The disciples asked Jesus, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you?”
13 He sent two of his disciples and told them, “Go into the city. You will meet a man carrying a jug of water. Follow him. 14 When he goes into a house, tell the owner that the teacher asks, ‘Where is my room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ 15 He will take you upstairs and show you a large room. The room will be completely furnished. Get everything ready for us there.”
16 The disciples left. They went into the city and found everything as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.
17 When evening came, Jesus arrived with the twelve apostles.
Jesus Knows Who Will Betray Him(E)
18 While they were at the table eating, Jesus said, “I can guarantee this truth: One of you is going to betray me, one who is eating with me!”
19 Feeling hurt, they asked him one by one, “You don’t mean me, do you?”
20 He said to them, “It’s one of you twelve, someone dipping his hand into the bowl with me. 21 The Son of Man is going to die as the Scriptures say he will. But how horrible it will be for that person who betrays the Son of Man! It would have been better for that person if he had never been born.”
For the choir director; a psalm by David when the prophet Nathan came to him after David’s adultery with Bathsheba.
51 Have pity on me, O God, in keeping with your mercy.
In keeping with your unlimited compassion, wipe out my rebellious acts.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my guilt,
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 I admit that I am rebellious.
My sin is always in front of me.
4 I have sinned against you, especially you.
I have done what you consider evil.
So you hand down justice when you speak,
and you are blameless when you judge.
5 Indeed, I was born guilty.
I was a sinner when my mother conceived me.
6 Yet, you desire truth and sincerity.
Deep down inside me you teach me wisdom.
7 Purify me from sin with hyssop,[a] and I will be clean.[b]
Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear ⌞sounds of⌟ joy and gladness.
Let the bones that you have broken dance.
9 Hide your face from my sins,
and wipe out all that I have done wrong.
10 Create a clean heart in me, O God,
and renew a faithful spirit within me.
11 Do not force me away from your presence,
and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore the joy of your salvation to me,
and provide me with a spirit of willing obedience.
13 ⌞Then⌟ I will teach your ways to those who are rebellious,
and sinners will return to you.
14 Rescue me from the guilt of murder,
O God, my savior.
Let my tongue sing joyfully about your righteousness!
15 O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will tell about your praise.
16 You are not happy with any sacrifice.
Otherwise, I would offer one ⌞to you⌟.
You are not pleased with burnt offerings.
17 The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit.
O God, you do not despise a broken and sorrowful heart.
18 Favor Zion with your goodness.
Rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit—
with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings.
Young bulls will be offered on your altar.
31 The mouth of a righteous person increases wisdom,
but a devious tongue will be cut off.
32 The lips of a righteous person announce good will,
but the mouths of wicked people are devious.
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