The Daily Audio Bible
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Soldiers Skilled in War
18 There were 44,760 fighters from the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the eastern half-tribe of Manasseh. They were brave men who could use shields and swords. They could use their bows well. They were skilled in war. 19 They started a war against the Hagrites and the people of Jetur, Naphish and Nodab. 20 The men from the tribes of Manasseh, Reuben and Gad prayed to God in the war. They asked God to help them. So he helped them because they trusted him. He allowed them to defeat the Hagrites. And they also defeated all those who were with the Hagrites. 21 They took the animals that belonged to the Hagrites. They took 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep and 2,000 donkeys. They also captured 100,000 people. 22 Many Hagrites were killed. This is because God helped the people of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh. Then they lived there until Babylon captured them and took them away.
The Eastern Half-Tribe of Manasseh
23 There were many people in the eastern half-tribe of Manasseh. They lived in the area of Bashan all the way to Baal Hermon, Senir and Mount Hermon.
24 These were the family leaders: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah and Jahdiel. They were all strong, brave and famous men. And they were leaders in their families. 25 But they sinned against the God that their ancestors had worshiped. They began worshiping the gods of the people in that land. And those were the people God was destroying. 26 So the God of Israel made Pul king of Assyria want to go to war. Pul was also called Tiglath-Pileser. He captured the people of Reuben, Gad and the eastern half-tribe of Manasseh. And he took them away to Halah, Habor, Hara and near the Gozan River. And they have lived there from that time until this day.
Levi’s Children
6 Levi’s sons were Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
2 Kohath’s sons were Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.
3 Amram’s children were Aaron, Moses and Miriam.
Aaron’s sons were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 4 Eleazar was the father of Phinehas. Phinehas was the father of Abishua. 5 Abishua was the father of Bukki. Bukki was the father of Uzzi. 6 Uzzi was the father of Zerahiah. Zerahiah was the father of Meraioth. 7 Meraioth was the father of Amariah. Amariah was the father of Ahitub. 8 Ahitub was the father of Zadok. Zadok was the father of Ahimaaz. 9 Ahimaaz was the father of Azariah. Azariah was the father of Johanan. 10 Johanan was the father of Azariah. (Azariah was a priest in the Temple Solomon built in Jerusalem.) 11 Azariah was the father of Amariah. Amariah was the father of Ahitub. 12 Ahitub was the father of Zadok. Zadok was the father of Shallum. 13 Shallum was the father of Hilkiah. Hilkiah was the father of Azariah. 14 Azariah was the father of Seraiah. Seraiah was the father of Jehozadak.
15 Jehozadak was forced to leave his home when the Lord sent Judah and Jerusalem into captivity. That was when Nebuchadnezzar captured them and took them away.
16 Levi’s sons were Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
17 The names of Gershon’s sons were Libni and Shimei.
18 Kohath’s sons were Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.
19 Merari’s sons were Mahli and Mushi.
This is a list of the family groups of Levi. They are listed by the name of the father of each group.
20 Gershon’s son was Libni. Libni’s son was Jehath. Jehath’s son was Zimmah. 21 Zimmah’s son was Joah. Joah’s son was Iddo. Iddo’s son was Zerah. And Zerah’s son was Jeatherai.
22 Kohath’s son was Amminadab. Amminadab’s son was Korah. Korah’s son was Assir. 23 Assir’s son was Elkanah. Elkanah’s son was Ebiasaph. Ebiasaph’s son was Assir. 24 Assir’s son was Tahath. Tahath’s son was Uriel. Uriel’s son was Uzziah, and Uzziah’s son was Shaul.
25 Elkanah’s sons were Amasai and Ahimoth. 26 Ahimoth’s son was Elkanah. Elkanah’s son was Zophai. Zophai’s son was Nahath. 27 Nahath’s son was Eliab. Eliab’s son was Jeroham. Jeroham’s son was Elkanah, and Elkanah’s son was Samuel.
28 Samuel’s sons were Joel, the first son, and Abijah, the second son.
29 Merari’s son was Mahli. Mahli’s son was Libni. Libni’s son was Shimei. Shimei’s son was Uzzah. 30 Uzzah’s son was Shimea. Shimea’s son was Haggiah, and Haggiah’s son was Asaiah.
The Temple Musicians
31 David chose some men to be in charge of the music in the house of the Lord. They began their work after the Ark of the Covenant was put there. 32 They served by making music at the Holy Tent. (It is also called the Meeting Tent.) And they served until Solomon built the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. They followed the rules for their work.
33 These are the musicians and their sons:
From Kohath’s family there was Heman the singer. Heman was Joel’s son. Joel was Samuel’s son. 34 Samuel was Elkanah’s son. Elkanah was Jeroham’s son. Jeroham was Eliel’s son. Eliel was Toah’s son. 35 Toah was Zuph’s son. Zuph was Elkanah’s son. Elkanah was Mahath’s son. Mahath was Amasai’s son. 36 Amasai was Elkanah’s son. Elkanah was Joel’s son. Joel was Azariah’s son. Azariah was Zephaniah’s son. 37 Zephaniah was Tahath’s son. Tahath was Assir’s son. Assir was Ebiasaph’s son. Ebiasaph was Korah’s son. 38 Korah was Izhar’s son. Izhar was Kohath’s son. Kohath was Levi’s son. Levi was Israel’s son.
39 There was Heman’s helper Asaph. Asaph’s group stood by Heman’s right side. Asaph was Berekiah’s son. Berekiah was Shimea’s son. 40 Shimea was Michael’s son. Michael was Baaseiah’s son. Baaseiah was Malkijah’s son. 41 Malkijah was Ethni’s son. Ethni was Zerah’s son. Zerah was Adaiah’s son. 42 Adaiah was Ethan’s son. Ethan was Zimmah’s son. Zimmah was Shimei’s son. 43 Shimei was Jahath’s son. Jahath was Gershon’s son. Gershon was Levi’s son.
44 Merari’s family were the helpers of Heman and Asaph. Merari’s family stood by Heman’s left side. In this group was Ethan son of Kishi. Kishi was Abdi’s son. Abdi was Malluch’s son. 45 Malluch was Hashabiah’s son. Hashabiah was Amaziah’s son. Amaziah was Hilkiah’s son. 46 Hilkiah was Amzi’s son. Amzi was Bani’s son. Bani was Shemer’s son. 47 Shemer was Mahli’s son. Mahli was Mushi’s son. Mushi was Merari’s son. Merari was Levi’s son.
48 The other Levites served by doing their own special work in the Holy Tent. It is the house of God. 49 Aaron and his descendants offered the sacrifices on the altar of burnt offering. They also burned the incense on the altar of incense. They offered the sacrifices that removed the Israelites’ sins so they could belong to God. They did all the work in the Most Holy Place. They followed all the laws that Moses, God’s servant, had commanded.
50 These were Aaron’s sons: Eleazar was Aaron’s son. Phinehas was Eleazar’s son. Abishua was Phinehas’ son. 51 Bukki was Abishua’s son. Uzzi was Bukki’s son. Zerahiah was Uzzi’s son. 52 Meraioth was Zerahiah’s son. Amariah was Meraioth’s son. Ahitub was Amariah’s son. 53 Zadok was Ahitub’s son. Ahimaaz was Zadok’s son.
Land for the Levites
54 These are the places where Aaron’s descendants lived. Aaron’s descendants from the Kohath family group were given this land to live in. They received the first share of the land that was given to the Levites.
55 They were given the city of Hebron in Judah and the pastures around it. 56 But the fields farther from the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh. And the villages near Hebron were given to Caleb. 57 So the descendants of Aaron were given Hebron. It was one of the cities of safety.[a] They also received the cities of Libnah, Jattir, Eshtemoa, 58 Hilen, Debir, 59 Ashan, Juttah and Beth Shemesh. They received all these cities and the pastures around them. 60 They also received cities from the tribe of Benjamin. They received Gibeon, Geba, Alemeth, Anathoth and their pastures.
The Kohath family groups received a total of 13 cities.
61 The rest of the Kohath family group was given 10 cities. These cities were from the family groups of the western half-tribe of Manasseh. The cities were chosen by throwing lots.
62 The Gershon family group received 13 cities. They were from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali and the part of Manasseh living in Bashan.
63 The Merari family group received 12 cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun. Those cities were chosen by throwing lots.
64 So the Israelites gave these cities and their pastures to the Levites. 65 The cities from the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin were chosen by throwing lots. They are the cities named above.
66 Some of the Kohath family groups received cities and pastures from the tribe of Ephraim. 67 They received Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim. It was one of the cities of safety. They also received the cities of Gezer, 68 Jokmeam, Beth Horon, 69 Aijalon and Gath Rimmon. They received the cities and the pastures around them.
70 The rest of the people in the Kohath family group received cities from the western half-tribe of Manasseh. They received the cities of Aner and Bileam and their pastures.
71 From the eastern half-tribe of Manasseh, the Gershon family received towns and pastures. They received Golan in Bashan, Ashtaroth and the pastures around them.
72-73 From the tribe of Issachar, the Gershon family received towns and pastures. They received Kedesh, Daberath, Ramoth, Anem and their pastures.
74-75 From the tribe of Asher, the Gershon family received towns and pastures. They received Mashal, Abdon, Hukok, Rehob and their pastures.
76 From the tribe of Naphtali, the Gershon family received towns and pastures. They received Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon, Kiriathaim and their pastures.
77 The rest of the Levites, the people from the Merari family, also received towns and pastures. They received Jokneam, Kartah, Rimmono and Tabor from the tribe of Zebulun. They also received the pastures around those cities.
78-79 From the tribe of Reuben, the Merari family received towns and pastures. They received Bezer in the desert, Jahzah, Kedemoth, Mephaath and their pastures. (The tribe of Reuben lived east of the Jordan River, across from Jericho.)
80-81 From the tribe of Gad, the Merari family received towns and pastures. They received Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim, Heshbon, Jazer and their pastures.
Paul Defends Himself
26 Agrippa said to Paul, “You may now speak to defend yourself.”
Then Paul raised his hand and began to speak. 2 He said, “King Agrippa, I will answer all the charges that the Jews make against me. I think it is a blessing that I can stand here before you today. 3 I am very happy to talk to you, because you know so much about all the Jewish customs and the things that the Jews argue about. Please listen to me patiently.
4 “All the Jews know about my whole life. They know the way I lived from the beginning in my own country and later in Jerusalem. 5 They have known me for a long time. If they want to, they can tell you that I was a good Pharisee. And the Pharisees obey the laws of the Jewish religion more carefully than any other group of Jewish people. 6 Now I am on trial because I hope for the promise that God made to our ancestors. 7 This is the promise that the 12 tribes of our people hope to receive. For this hope the Jews serve God day and night. My king, the Jews have accused me because I hope for this same promise! 8 Why do any of you people think it is impossible for God to raise people from death?
9 “I too thought I ought to do many things against Jesus from Nazareth. 10 And in Jerusalem I did many things against God’s people. The leading priests gave me the power to put many of them in jail. When they were being killed, I agreed that it was a good thing. 11 In every synagogue, I often punished them. I tried to make them say evil things against Jesus. I was so angry against them that I even went to other cities to find them and punish them.
12 “One time the leading priests gave me permission and the power to go to Damascus. 13 On the way there, at noon, I saw a light from heaven. The light was brighter than the sun. It flashed all around me and the men who were traveling with me. 14 We all fell to the ground. Then I heard a voice speaking to me in the Jewish language.[a] The voice said, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you doing things against me? You are only hurting yourself by fighting me.’ 15 I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The Lord said, ‘I am Jesus. I am the One you are trying to hurt. 16 Stand up! I have chosen you to be my servant. You will be my witness—you will tell people the things that you have seen and the things that I will show you. This is why I have come to you today. 17 I will not let your own people hurt you. And I will keep you safe from the non-Jewish people too. These are the people I am sending you to. 18 I send you to open their eyes that they may turn away from darkness to the light. I send you that they may turn away from the power of Satan and turn to God. Then their sins can be forgiven and they can have a place with those people who have been made holy by believing in me.’
19 “King Agrippa, after I had this vision from heaven, I obeyed it. 20 I began telling people that they should change their hearts and lives and turn to God. I told them to do things to show that they really had changed. I told this first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and in every part of Judea, and also to the non-Jewish people. 21 This is why the Jews took me and were trying to kill me in the Temple. 22 But God helped me and is still helping me today. With God’s help I am standing here today and telling all people what I have seen. But I am saying nothing new. I am saying what Moses and the prophets said would happen. 23 They said that the Christ would die and be the first to rise from death. They said that the Christ would bring light to the Jewish and non-Jewish people.”
Paul Tries to Persuade Agrippa
24 While Paul was saying these things to defend himself, Festus said loudly, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Too much study has driven you crazy!”
25 Paul said, “Most Excellent Festus, I am not crazy. My words are true. They are not the words of a foolish man. 26 King Agrippa knows about these things. I can speak freely to him. I know that he has heard about all of these things. They did not happen off in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe what the prophets wrote? I know you believe!”
28 King Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian in such a short time?”
29 Paul said, “Whether it is a short or a long time, I pray to God that not only you but every person listening to me today would be saved and be like me—except for these chains I have!”
30 Then King Agrippa, Governor Festus, Bernice, and all the people sitting with them stood up 31 and left the room. They were talking to each other. They said, “There is no reason why this man should die or be put in jail.” 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “We could let this man go free, but he has asked Caesar to hear his case.”
A Prayer for Mercy in Troubled Times
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. By the sheminith. A song of David.
6 Lord, don’t correct me when you are angry.
Don’t punish me when you are very angry.
2 Lord, be kind to me because I am weak.
Heal me, Lord, because my bones ache.
3 I am very upset.
Lord, how long will it be?
4 Lord, return and save me.
Save me because of your kindness.
5 Dead people don’t remember you.
Those in the grave don’t praise you.
6 I am tired of crying to you.
Every night my bed is wet with tears.
My bed is soaked from my crying.
7 My eyes are weak from so much crying.
They are weak from crying about my enemies.
8 Get away from me, all you who do evil.
The Lord has heard my crying.
9 The Lord has heard my cry for help.
The Lord will answer my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be ashamed and troubled.
They will turn and suddenly leave in shame.
20 What you say affects how you live.
You will be rewarded by how you speak.
21 What you say can mean life or death.
Those who love to talk will be rewarded for what they say.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.