The Daily Audio Bible
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Balaam’s Donkey
21 Balaam got up in the morning. He put a saddle on his donkey. Then he went with the Moabite officials. 22 But God was very angry when Balaam went. So the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey. His two servants were with him. 23 The donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road. The angel was holding a sword. He was ready for battle. So the donkey left the road and went into a field. Balaam hit the donkey. He wanted to get it back on the road.
24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path. The path went through the vineyards. There were walls on both sides. 25 The donkey saw the angel of the Lord. So it moved close to the wall. It crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So he hit the donkey again.
26 Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead. He stood in a narrow place. There was no room to turn, either right or left. 27 The donkey saw the angel of the Lord. So it lay down under Balaam. That made him angry. He hit the donkey with his walking stick. 28 Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth. It said to Balaam, “What have I done to you? Why did you hit me these three times?”
29 Balaam answered the donkey. He said, “You have made me look foolish! I wish I had a sword in my hand. If I did, I’d kill you right now.”
30 The donkey said to Balaam, “I’m your own donkey. I’m the one you have always ridden. Haven’t you been riding me to this very day? Have I ever made you look foolish before?”
“No,” he said.
31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes. He saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road. He saw that the angel was holding a sword. The angel was ready for battle. So Balaam bowed down. He fell with his face to the ground.
32 The angel of the Lord spoke to him. He asked him, “Why have you hit your donkey three times? I have come here to oppose you. What you are doing is foolish. 33 The donkey saw me. It turned away from me three times. Suppose it had not turned away. Then I would certainly have killed you by now. But I would have spared the donkey.”
34 Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I didn’t realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Tell me whether you are pleased with me. If you aren’t, I’ll go back.”
35 The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men. But say only what I tell you to say.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.
36 Balak heard that Balaam was coming. So he went out to meet him. They met at a Moabite town near the Arnon River. The town was on the border of Balak’s territory. 37 Balak said to Balaam, “Didn’t I send messengers to you? I wanted you to come quickly. So why didn’t you come? I can make you very rich.”
38 “Well, I’ve come to you now,” Balaam replied. “But I can’t say whatever I please. I can only speak the words God puts in my mouth.”
39 Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth. 40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep. He gave some to Balaam. He also gave some to the officials with him. 41 The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal. From there he could see the outer edges of the Israelite camp.
Balaam’s First Message From God
23 Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here. Prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.” 2 Balak did just as Balaam said. The two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
3 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering. I’ll go and try to find out what the Lord wants me to do. Maybe he’ll come and meet with me. Then I’ll tell you what he says to me.” So Balaam went off to a bare hilltop.
4 God met with him there. Balaam said, “I’ve prepared seven altars. On each altar I’ve offered a bull and a ram.”
5 The Lord put a message in Balaam’s mouth. The Lord said, “Go back to Balak. Give him my message.”
6 So Balaam went back to him. He found Balak standing beside his offering. All the Moabite officials were with him. 7 Then Balaam spoke the message he had received from God. He said,
“Balak brought me from the land of Aram.
The king of Moab sent for me from the mountains in the east.
‘Come,’ he said. ‘Put a curse on Jacob’s people for me.
Come. Speak against Israel.’
8 But how can I put a curse on
people God hasn’t cursed?
How can I speak against
people the Lord hasn’t spoken against?
9 I see them from the rocky peaks.
I view them from the hills.
I see a group of people who live by themselves.
They don’t consider themselves to be one of the nations.
10 Jacob’s people are like the dust of the earth.
Can dust be counted?
Who can count even a fourth of the Israelites?
Let me die as godly people die.
Let my death be like theirs!”
11 Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you here to put a curse on my enemies! But all you have done is give them a blessing!”
12 He answered, “I have to speak only the words the Lord puts in my mouth.”
Balaam’s Second Message From God
13 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come with me to another place. You can see the Israelites from there. You won’t see all of them. You will only see the outer edges of their camp. From there, put a curse on them for me.” 14 So Balak took Balaam to the field of Zophim. It was on the highest slopes of Pisgah. There Balak built seven altars. He offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
15 Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering. I’ll meet with the Lord over there.”
16 The Lord met with Balaam. He put a message in Balaam’s mouth. The Lord said, “Go back to Balak. Give him my message.”
17 So Balaam went to Balak. He found him standing beside his offering. The Moabite officials were with him. Balak asked him, “What did the Lord say?”
18 Then Balaam spoke the message he had received from God. He said,
“Balak, rise up and listen.
Son of Zippor, hear me.
19 God isn’t a mere human. He can’t lie.
He isn’t a human being. He doesn’t change his mind.
He speaks, and then he acts.
He makes a promise, and then he keeps it.
20 He has commanded me to bless Israel.
He has given them his blessing. And I can’t change it.
21 “I don’t see any trouble coming on the people of Jacob.
I don’t see any suffering in Israel.
The Lord their God is with them.
The shout of the King is among them.
22 God brought them out of Egypt.
They are as strong as a wild ox.
23 There isn’t any magic that can hurt the people of Jacob.
No one can use magic words to harm Israel.
Here is what will be said about the people of Jacob.
Here is what will be said about Israel.
People will say, ‘See what God has done!’
24 The Israelites are going to wake up like a female lion.
They are going to get up like a male lion.
They are like a lion that won’t rest
until it eats what it has caught.
They are like a lion that won’t rest
until it drinks the blood of what it has killed.”
25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Don’t put a curse on them at all! And don’t give them a blessing at all!”
26 Balaam answered, “Didn’t I tell you that I must do only what the Lord says?”
Balaam’s Third Message From God
27 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Come. Let me take you to another place. Perhaps God will be pleased to let you put a curse on the Israelites for me from there.” 28 Balak took Balaam to the top of Mount Peor. It looks out over a dry and empty land.
29 Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here. Prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.” 30 Balak did just as Balaam said. He offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
John the Baptist Is Born
57 The time came for Elizabeth to have her baby. She gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very kind to her. They shared her joy.
59 On the eighth day, they came to have the child circumcised. They were going to name him Zechariah, like his father. 60 But his mother spoke up. “No!” she said. “He must be called John.”
61 They said to her, “No one among your relatives has that name.”
62 Then they motioned to his father. They wanted to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for something to write on. Then he wrote, “His name is John.” Everyone was amazed. 64 Right away Zechariah could speak again. Right away he praised God. 65 All his neighbors were filled with fear and wonder. Throughout Judea’s hill country, people were talking about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it. And because the Lord was with John, they asked, “What is this child going to be?”
Zechariah’s Song
67 John’s father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit. He prophesied,
68 “Give praise to the Lord, the God of Israel!
He has come to his people and purchased their freedom.
69 He has acted with great power and has saved us.
He did it for those who are from the family line of his servant David.
70 Long ago holy prophets said he would do it.
71 He has saved us from our enemies.
We are rescued from all who hate us.
72 He has been kind to our people of long ago.
He has remembered his holy covenant.
73 He made a promise to our father Abraham.
74 He promised to save us from our enemies.
Then we could serve him without fear.
75 He wants us to be holy and godly as long as we live.
76 “And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High God.
You will go ahead of the Lord to prepare the way for him.
77 You will tell his people how they can be saved.
You will tell them that their sins can be forgiven.
78 All of that will happen because our God is tender and caring.
His kindness will bring the rising sun to us from heaven.
79 It will shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death.
It will guide our feet on the path of peace.”
80 The child grew up, and his spirit became strong. He lived in the desert until he appeared openly to Israel.
For the director of music. A miktam of David to the tune of “Do Not Destroy.”
58 Are you rulers really fair when you speak?
Do you judge people honestly?
2 No, in your hearts you plan to be unfair.
With your hands you do terrible things on the earth.
3 Even from birth those who are evil go down the wrong path.
From the day they are born they go the wrong way and spread lies.
4 Their words are like the poison of a snake.
They are like the poison of a cobra that has covered up its ears.
5 It won’t listen to a snake charmer’s tune,
even if the charmer plays very well.
6 God, break the teeth in the mouths of those sinners!
Lord, tear out the sharp teeth of those lions!
7 Let those people disappear like water that flows away.
When they draw their bows, let their arrows fall short of the target.
8 Let them be like a slug that melts away as it moves along.
Let them be like a baby that is born dead and never sees the sun.
9 Evil people will be swept away before burning thorns can heat a pot.
And it doesn’t matter if the thorns are green or dry.
10 Godly people will be glad when those who have hurt them are paid back.
They will dip their feet in the blood of those who do evil.
11 Then people will say,
“The godly will get their reward.
There really is a God who judges the earth.”
12 Whoever makes fun of their neighbor has no sense.
But the one who has understanding controls their tongue.
13 Those who talk about others will tell secrets.
But those who can be trusted keep the secrets of others.
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