Saturday, October 18, 2014
Friday, October 17, 2014
1 Kings 11:9-40
9 GOD was furious with Solomon for abandoning the GOD of Israel, the God who had twice appeared to him 10 and had so clearly commanded him not to fool around with other gods. Solomon faithlessly disobeyed GOD's orders.
11 GOD said to Solomon, "Since this is the way it is with you, that you have no intention of keeping faith with me and doing what I have commanded, I'm going to rip the kingdom from you and hand it over to someone else. 12 But out of respect for your father David I won't do it in your lifetime. It's your son who will pay — I'll rip it right out of his grasp. 13 Even then I won't take it all; I'll leave him one tribe in honor of my servant David and out of respect for my chosen city Jerusalem."
14 GOD incited Hadad, a descendant of the king of Edom, into hostile actions against Solomon. 15 Years earlier, when David devastated Edom, Joab, commander of the army, on his way to bury the dead, massacred all the men of Edom. 16 Joab and his army stayed there for six months, making sure they had killed every man in Edom. 17 Hadad, just a boy at the time, had escaped with some of the Edomites who had worked for his father. 18 Their escape route took them through Midian to Paran. They picked up some men in Paran and went on to Egypt and to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave Hadad a house, food, and even land. 19 Pharaoh liked him so well that he gave him the sister of his wife, Queen Tahpenes, in marriage. 20 She bore Hadad a son named Genubath who was raised like one of the royal family. Genubath grew up in the palace with Pharaoh's children.
21 While living in Egypt, Hadad heard that both David and Joab, commander of the army, were dead. He approached Pharaoh and said, "Send me off with your blessing — I want to return to my country."
22 "But why?" said Pharaoh. "Why would you want to leave here? Hasn't everything been to your liking?"
"Everything has been just fine," said Hadad, "but I want to go home — give me a good send-off!"
23 Then God incited another adversary against Solomon, Rezon son of Eliada, who had deserted from his master, Hadadezer king of Zobah. 24 After David's slaughter of the Arameans, Rezon collected a band of outlaws and became their leader. They later settled in Damascus, where Rezon eventually took over as king. 25 Like Hadad, Rezon was a thorn in Israel's side all of Solomon's life. He was king over Aram, and he hated Israel.
26 Adversaries Arise
And then, the last straw: Jeroboam son of Nebat rebelled against the king. He was an Ephraimite from Zeredah, his mother a widow named Zeruah. He served in Solomon's administration.
27 This is why he rebelled. Solomon had built the outer defense system (the Millo) and had restored the fortifications that were in disrepair from the time of his father David. 28 Jeroboam stood out during the construction as strong and able. When Solomon observed what a good worker he was, he put the young man in charge of the entire workforce of the tribe of Joseph.
29 One day Jeroboam was walking down the road out of Jerusalem. Ahijah the prophet of Shiloh, wearing a brand-new cloak, met him. The two of them were alone on that remote stretch of road. 30 Ahijah took off the new cloak that he was wearing and ripped it into twelve pieces.
31 Then he said to Jeroboam, "Take ten of these pieces for yourself; this is by order of the GOD of Israel: See what I'm doing — I'm ripping the kingdom out of Solomon's hands and giving you ten of the tribes. 32 In honor of my servant David and out of respect for Jerusalem, the city I especially chose, he will get one tribe. 33 And here's the reason: He faithlessly abandoned me and went off worshiping Ashtoreth goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh god of the Moabites, and Molech god of the Ammonites. He hasn't lived the way I have shown him, hasn't done what I have wanted, and hasn't followed directions or obeyed orders as his father David did.
34 "Still, I won't take the whole kingdom away from him. I'll stick with him through his lifetime because of my servant David whom I chose and who did follow my directions and obey my orders. 35 But after that I'll remove the kingdom from his son's control and give you ten tribes. 36 I'll leave one tribe to his son, to maintain a witness to my servant David in Jerusalem, the city I chose as a memorial to my Name.
37 "But I have taken you in hand. Rule to your heart's content! You are to be the king of Israel. 38 If you listen to what I tell you and live the way I show you and do what pleases me, following directions and obeying orders as my servant David did, I'll stick with you no matter what. I'll build you a kingdom as solid as the one I built for David. Israel will be yours! 39 I am bringing pain and trouble on David's descendants, but the trials won't last forever."
40 Solomon ordered the assassination of Jeroboam, but he got away to Egypt and found asylum there with King Shishak. He remained in exile there until Solomon died.
1 Kings 3:10-14
10 God, the Master, was delighted with Solomon's response. 11 And God said to him, "Because you have asked for this and haven't grasped after a long life, or riches, or the doom of your enemies, but you have asked for the ability to lead and govern well, 12 I'll give you what you've asked for — I'm giving you a wise and mature heart. There's never been one like you before; and there'll be no one after. 13 As a bonus, I'm giving you both the wealth and glory you didn't ask for — there's not a king anywhere who will come up to your mark. 14 And if you stay on course, keeping your eye on the life-map and the God-signs as your father David did, I'll also give you a long life."
Thursday, October 16, 2014
2 Samuel 12
12:1 But GOD was not at all pleased with what David had done, and sent Nathan to David. Nathan said to him, "There were two men in the same city — one rich, the other poor. 2 The rich man had huge flocks of sheep, herds of cattle. 3 The poor man had nothing but one little female lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up with him and his children as a member of the family. It ate off his plate and drank from his cup and slept on his bed. It was like a daughter to him.
4 "One day a traveler dropped in on the rich man. He was too stingy to take an animal from his own herds or flocks to make a meal for his visitor, so he took the poor man's lamb and prepared a meal to set before his guest."
5 David exploded in anger. "As surely as GOD lives," he said to Nathan, "the man who did this ought to be lynched! 6 He must repay for the lamb four times over for his crime and his stinginess!"
7 "You're the man!" said Nathan. "And here's what GOD, the God of Israel, has to say to you: I made you king over Israel. I freed you from the fist of Saul. 8 I gave you your master's daughter and other wives to have and to hold. I gave you both Israel and Judah. And if that hadn't been enough, I'd have gladly thrown in much more. 9 So why have you treated the word of GOD with brazen contempt, doing this great evil? You murdered Uriah the Hittite, then took his wife as your wife. Worse, you killed him with an Ammonite sword! 10 And now, because you treated God with such contempt and took Uriah the Hittite's wife as your wife, killing and murder will continually plague your family. 11 This is GOD speaking, remember! I'll make trouble for you out of your own family. I'll take your wives from right out in front of you. I'll give them to some neighbor, and he'll go to bed with them openly. 12 You did your deed in secret; I'm doing mine with the whole country watching!"
13 Then David confessed to Nathan, "I've sinned against GOD."
Nathan pronounced, "Yes, but that's not the last word. GOD forgives your sin. You won't die for it. 14 But because of your blasphemous behavior, the son born to you will die."
15 After Nathan went home, GOD afflicted the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and he came down sick. 16 David prayed desperately to God for the little boy. He fasted, wouldn't go out, and slept on the floor. 17 The elders in his family came in and tried to get him off the floor, but he wouldn't budge. Nor could they get him to eat anything. 18 On the seventh day the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him. They said, "What do we do now? While the child was living he wouldn't listen to a word we said. Now, with the child dead, if we speak to him there's no telling what he'll do."
19 David noticed that the servants were whispering behind his back, and realized that the boy must have died.
He asked the servants, "Is the boy dead?"
"Yes," they answered. "He's dead."
20 David got up from the floor, washed his face and combed his hair, put on a fresh change of clothes, then went into the sanctuary and worshiped. Then he came home and asked for something to eat. They set it before him and he ate.
21 His servants asked him, "What's going on with you? While the child was alive you fasted and wept and stayed up all night. Now that he's dead, you get up and eat."
22 "While the child was alive," he said, "I fasted and wept, thinking GOD might have mercy on me and the child would live. 23 But now that he's dead, why fast? Can I bring him back now? I can go to him, but he can't come to me."
24 David went and comforted his wife Bathsheba. And when he slept with her, they conceived a son. When he was born they named him Solomon. GOD had a special love for him 25 and sent word by Nathan the prophet that GOD wanted him named Jedidiah (God's Beloved).
2 Sam 7:18-29
18 King David went in, took his place before GOD, and prayed: "Who am I, my Master GOD, and what is my family, that you have brought me to this place in life? 19 But that's nothing compared to what's coming, for you've also spoken of my family far into the future, given me a glimpse into tomorrow, my Master GOD! 20 What can I possibly say in the face of all this? You know me, Master GOD, just as I am. 21 You've done all this not because of who I am but because of who you are — out of your very heart! — but you've let me in on it.
22 "This is what makes you so great, Master GOD! There is none like you, no God but you, nothing to compare with what we've heard with our own ears. 23 And who is like your people, like Israel, a nation unique in the earth, whom God set out to redeem for himself (and became most famous for it), performing great and fearsome acts, throwing out nations and their gods left and right as you saved your people from Egypt? 24 You established for yourself a people — your very own Israel! — your people permanently. And you, GOD, became their God.
25 "So now, great GOD, this word that you have spoken to me and my family, guarantee it permanently! Do exactly what you've promised! 26 Then your reputation will flourish always as people exclaim, 'The GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies is God over Israel!' And the house of your servant David will remain sure and solid in your watchful presence. 27 For you, GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies, Israel's God, told me plainly, 'I will build you a house.' That's how I was able to find the courage to pray this prayer to you.
28 "And now, Master GOD, being the God you are, speaking sure words as you do, and having just said this wonderful thing to me, 29 please, just one more thing: Bless my family; keep your eye on them always. You've already as much as said that you would, Master GOD! Oh, may your blessing be on my family permanently!"
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Monday, October 13, 2014
Judg 13:2-25
2 At that time there was a man named Manoah from Zorah from the tribe of Dan. His wife was barren and childless. 3 The angel of God appeared to her and told her, "I know that you are barren and childless, but you're going to become pregnant and bear a son. 4 But take much care: Drink no wine or beer; eat nothing ritually unclean. 5 You are, in fact, pregnant right now, carrying a son. No razor will touch his head — the boy will be GOD's Nazirite from the moment of his birth. He will launch the deliverance from Philistine oppression."
6 The woman went to her husband and said, "A man of God came to me. He looked like the angel of God — terror laced with glory! I didn't ask him where he was from and he didn't tell me his name, 7 but he told me, 'You're pregnant. You're going to give birth to a son. Don't drink any wine or beer and eat nothing ritually unclean. The boy will be GOD's Nazirite from the moment of birth to the day of his death.'"
8 Manoah prayed to GOD: "Master, let the man of God you sent come to us again and teach us how to raise this boy who is to be born."
9 God listened to Manoah. God's angel came again to the woman. She was sitting in the field; her husband Manoah wasn't there with her. 10 She jumped to her feet and ran and told her husband: "He's back! The man who came to me that day!"
11 Manoah got up and, following his wife, came to the man. He said to him, "Are you the man who spoke to my wife?"
He said, "I am."
12 Manoah said, "So. When what you say comes true, what do you have to tell us about this boy and his work?"
13 The angel of God said to Manoah, 14 "Keep in mind everything I told the woman. Eat nothing that comes from the vine: Drink no wine or beer; eat no ritually unclean foods. She's to observe everything I commanded her."
15 Manoah said to the angel of God, "Please, stay with us a little longer; we'll prepare a meal for you — a young goat."
16 GOD's angel said to Manoah, "Even if I stay, I won't eat your food. But if you want to prepare a Whole-Burnt-Offering for GOD, go ahead — offer it!" Manoah had no idea that he was talking to the angel of God.
17 Then Manoah asked the angel of God, "What's your name? When your words come true, we'd like to honor you."
18 The angel of GOD said, "What's this? You ask for my name? You wouldn't understand — it's sheer wonder."
19 So Manoah took the kid and the Grain-Offering and sacrificed them on a rock altar to GOD who works wonders. 20 As the flames leapt up from the altar to heaven, GOD's angel also ascended in the altar flames. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell facedown to the ground. 21 Manoah and his wife never saw the angel of GOD again.
Only then did Manoah realize that this was GOD's angel. 22 He said to his wife, "We're as good as dead! We've looked on God!"
23 But his wife said, "If GOD were planning to kill us, he wouldn't have accepted our Whole-Burnt-Offering and Grain-Offering, or revealed all these things to us — given us this birth announcement."
24 The woman gave birth to a son. They named him Samson. The boy grew and GOD blessed him. 25 The Spirit of GOD began working in him while he was staying at a Danite camp between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Judg 6:8-10
"GOD, the God of Israel, says,
I delivered you from Egypt,
I freed you from a life of slavery;
9 I rescued you from Egypt's brutality
and then from every oppressor;
I pushed them out of your way
and gave you their land.
10 "And I said to you, 'I am GOD, your God. Don't for a minute be afraid of the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living.' But you didn't listen to me."
Judg 2:10-3:10
that entire generation died and was buried. Then another generation grew up that didn't know anything of GOD or the work he had done for Israel.
11 The People of Israel did evil in GOD's sight: 12 they served Baal-gods; they deserted GOD, the God of their parents who had led them out of Egypt; they took up with other gods, gods of the peoples around them. They actually worshiped them! And oh, how they angered GOD 13 as they worshiped god Baal and goddess Astarte! 14 GOD's anger was hot against Israel: He handed them off to plunderers who stripped them; he sold them cheap to enemies on all sides. They were helpless before their enemies. 15 Every time they walked out the door GOD was with them — but for evil, just as GOD had said, just as he had sworn he would do. They were in a bad way.
16 But then GOD raised up judges who saved them from their plunderers. 17 But they wouldn't listen to their judges; they prostituted themselves to other gods — worshiped them! They lost no time leaving the road walked by their parents, the road of obedience to GOD's commands. They refused to have anything to do with it.
18 When GOD was setting up judges for them, he would be right there with the judge: He would save them from their enemies' oppression as long as the judge was alive, for GOD was moved to compassion when he heard their groaning because of those who afflicted and beat them. 19 But when the judge died, the people went right back to their old ways — but even worse than their parents! — running after other gods, serving and worshiping them. Stubborn as mules, they didn't drop a single evil practice.
20 And GOD's anger blazed against Israel. He said, "Because these people have thrown out my covenant that I commanded their parents and haven't listened to me, 21 I'm not driving out one more person from the nations that Joshua left behind when he died. 22 I'll use them to test Israel and see whether they stay on GOD's road and walk down it as their parents did."
23 That's why GOD let those nations remain. He didn't drive them out or let Joshua get rid of them.
Judges 3
3:1 These are the nations that GOD left there, using them to test the Israelites who had no experience in the Canaanite wars. 2 He did it to train the descendants of Israel, the ones who had no battle experience, in the art of war. 3 He left the five Philistine tyrants, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living on Mount Lebanon from Mount Baal Hermon to Hamath's Pass. 4 They were there to test Israel and see whether they would obey GOD's commands that were given to their parents through Moses.
5 But the People of Israel made themselves at home among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 6 They married their daughters and gave their own daughters to their sons in marriage. And they worshiped their gods.
7 Othniel
The People of Israel did evil in GOD's sight. They forgot their GOD and worshiped the Baal gods and Asherah goddesses. 8 GOD's hot anger blazed against Israel. He sold them off to Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim. The People of Israel were in servitude to Cushan-Rishathaim for eight years.
9 The People of Israel cried out to GOD and GOD raised up a savior who rescued them: Caleb's nephew Othniel, son of his younger brother Kenaz.The Spirit of GOD came on him and he rallied Israel. He went out to war and GOD gave him Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim. Othniel made short work of him.
10 The land was quiet for forty years. Then Othniel son of Kenaz died.
Judg 2:1-4
2:1 GOD's angel went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, "I brought you out of Egypt; I led you to the land that I promised to your fathers; and I said, I'll never break my covenant with you — never! 2 And you're never to make a covenant with the people who live in this land. Tear down their altars! But you haven't obeyed me! What's this that you're doing?
3 "So now I'm telling you that I won't drive them out before you. They'll trip you up and their gods will become a trap."
4 When GOD's angel had spoken these words to all the People of Israel, they cried out — oh! how they wept!
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Friday, October 10, 2014
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Deut 3:1-6
3:1 Then we turned north and took the road to Bashan. Og king of Bashan, he and all his people, came out to meet us in battle at Edrei.
2 GOD said to me, "Don't be afraid of him; I'm turning him over to you, along with his whole army and his land. Treat him the way you treated Sihon king of the Amorites who ruled from Heshbon."
3 So GOD, our God, also handed Og king of Bashan over to us — Og and all his people — and we utterly crushed them. Again, no survivors. 4 At the same time we took all his cities. There wasn't one of the sixty cities that we didn't take — the whole region of Argob, Og's kingdom in Bashan. 5 All these cities were fortress cities with high walls and barred gates. There were also numerous unwalled villages. 6 We totally destroyed them — a holy destruction. It was the same treatment we gave to Sihon king of Heshbon, a holy destruction of every city, man, woman, and child.
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Num 22:21-33
21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went off with the noblemen from Moab. 22 As he was going, though, God's anger flared. The angel of GOD stood in the road to block his way. Balaam was riding his donkey, accompanied by his two servants. 23 When the donkey saw the angel blocking the road and brandishing a sword, she veered off the road into the ditch. Balaam beat the donkey and got her back on the road.
24 But as they were going through a vineyard, with a fence on either side, 25 the donkey again saw GOD's angel blocking the way and veered into the fence, crushing Balaam's foot against the fence. Balaam hit her again.
26 GOD's angel blocked the way yet again — a very narrow passage this time; there was no getting through on the right or left. 27 Seeing the angel, Balaam's donkey sat down under him. Balaam lost his temper; he beat the donkey with his stick.
28 Then GOD gave speech to the donkey. She said to Balaam: "What have I ever done to you that you have beat me these three times?"
29 Balaam said, "Because you've been playing games with me! If I had a sword I would have killed you by now."
30 The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your trusty donkey on whom you've ridden for years right up until now? Have I ever done anything like this to you before? Have I?"
He said, "No."
31 Then GOD helped Balaam see what was going on: He saw GOD's angel blocking the way, brandishing a sword. Balaam fell to the ground, his face in the dirt.
32 GOD's angel said to him: "Why have you beaten your poor donkey these three times? I have come here to block your way because you're getting way ahead of yourself. 33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she hadn't, I would have killed you by this time, but not the donkey. I would have let her off."
Num 21:6-9
GOD sent poisonous snakes among the people; they bit them and many in Israel died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke out against GOD and you. Pray to GOD; ask him to take these snakes from us."
Moses prayed for the people.
8 GOD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it on a flagpole: Whoever is bitten and looks at it will live."
9 So Moses made a snake of fiery copper and put it on top of a flagpole. Anyone bitten by a snake who then looked at the copper snake lived.
Num 17:1-11
GOD spoke to Moses: 2 "Speak to the People of Israel. Get staffs from them — twelve staffs in all, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes. Write each man's name on his staff. 3 Start with Aaron; write Aaron's name on the staff of Levi and then proceed with the rest, a staff for the leader of each ancestral tribe. 4 Now lay them out in the Tent of Meeting in front of The Testimony where I keep appointments with you. 5 What will happen next is this: The staff of the man I choose will sprout. I'm going to put a stop to this endless grumbling by the People of Israel against you."
6 Moses spoke to the People of Israel. Their leaders handed over twelve staffs, one for the leader of each tribe. And Aaron's staff was one of them. 7 Moses laid out the staffs before GOD in the Tent of Testimony.
8 Moses walked into the Tent of Testimony the next day and saw that Aaron's staff, the staff of the tribe of Levi, had in fact sprouted — buds, blossoms, and even ripe almonds! 9 Moses brought out all the staffs from GOD's presence and presented them to the People of Israel. They took a good look. Each leader took the staff with his name on it.
10 GOD said to Moses, "Return Aaron's staff to the front of The Testimony. Keep it there as a sign to rebels. This will put a stop to the grumbling against me and save their lives."
11 Moses did just as GOD commanded him.
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Num 14:1-35
GOD spoke to Moses: 2 "Send men to scout out the country of Canaan that I am giving to the People of Israel. Send one man from each ancestral tribe, each one a tried-and-true leader in the tribe."
3 So Moses sent them off from the Wilderness of Paran at the command of GOD. All of them were leaders in Israel, one from each tribe. 4 These were their names:
from Reuben: Shammua son of Zaccur 5 from Simeon: Shaphat son of Hori 6 from Judah: Caleb son of Jephunneh 7 from Issachar: Igal son of Joseph 8 from Ephraim: Hoshea son of Nun 9 from Benjamin: Palti son of Raphu 10 from Zebulun: Gaddiel son of Sodi 11 from Manasseh (a Joseph tribe): Gaddi son of Susi 12 from Dan: Ammiel son of Gemalli 13 from Asher: Sethur son of Michael 14 from Naphtali: Nahbi son of Vophsi 15 from Gad: Geuel son of Maki
16 These are the names of the men Moses sent to scout out the land. Moses gave Hoshea (Salvation) son of Nun a new name — Joshua (GOD-Saves).
17 When Moses sent them off to scout out Canaan, he said, "Go up through the Negev and then into the hill country. 18 Look the land over, see what it is like. Assess the people: Are they strong or weak? Are there few or many? 19 Observe the land: Is it pleasant or harsh? Describe the towns where they live: Are they open camps or fortified with walls? 20 And the soil: Is it fertile or barren? Are there forests? And try to bring back a sample of the produce that grows there — this is the season for the first ripe grapes."
21 With that they were on their way. They scouted out the land from the Wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob toward Lebo Hamath. 22 Their route went through the Negev Desert to the town of Hebron. Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, descendants of the giant Anak, lived there. Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt. 23 When they arrived at the Eshcol Valley they cut off a branch with a single cluster of grapes — it took two men to carry it — slung on a pole. They also picked some pomegranates and figs. 24 They named the place Eshcol Valley (Grape-Cluster-Valley) because of the huge cluster of grapes they had cut down there. 25 After forty days of scouting out the land, they returned home.
26 They presented themselves before Moses and Aaron and the whole congregation of the People of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran at Kadesh. They reported to the whole congregation and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 Then they told the story of their trip:
"We went to the land to which you sent us and, oh! It does flow with milk and honey! Just look at this fruit! 28 The only thing is that the people who live there are fierce, their cities are huge and well fortified. Worse yet, we saw descendants of the giant Anak. 29 Amalekites are spread out in the Negev; Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites hold the hill country; and the Canaanites are established on the Mediterranean Sea and along the Jordan."
30 Caleb interrupted, called for silence before Moses and said, "Let's go up and take the land — now. We can do it."
31 But the others said, "We can't attack those people; they're way stronger than we are." 32 They spread scary rumors among the People of Israel. They said, "We scouted out the land from one end to the other — it's a land that swallows people whole. Everybody we saw was huge. 33 Why, we even saw the Nephilim giants (the Anak giants come from the Nephilim). Alongside them we felt like grasshoppers. And they looked down on us as if we were grasshoppers."
Numbers 14
14:1 The whole community was in an uproar, wailing all night long. 2 All the People of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The entire community was in on it: "Why didn't we die in Egypt? Or in this wilderness? 3 Why has GOD brought us to this country to kill us? Our wives and children are about to become plunder. Why don't we just head back to Egypt? And right now!"
4 Soon they were all saying it to one another: "Let's pick a new leader; let's head back to Egypt."
5 Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in front of the entire community, gathered in emergency session.
6 Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, members of the scouting party, ripped their clothes 7 and addressed the assembled People of Israel: "The land we walked through and scouted out is a very good land — very good indeed. 8 If GOD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land that flows, as they say, with milk and honey. And he'll give it to us. 9 Just don't rebel against GOD! And don't be afraid of those people. Why, we'll have them for lunch! They have no protection and GOD is on our side. Don't be afraid of them!"
10 But, up in arms now, the entire community was talking of hurling stones at them.
Just then the bright Glory of GOD appeared at the Tent of Meeting. Every Israelite saw it. 11 GOD said to Moses, "How long will these people treat me like dirt? How long refuse to trust me? And with all these signs I've done among them! 12 I've had enough — I'm going to hit them with a plague and kill them. But I'll make you into a nation bigger and stronger than they ever were."
13 But Moses said to GOD, "The Egyptians are going to hear about this! You delivered this people from Egypt with a great show of strength, and now this? 14 The Egyptians will tell everyone. They've already heard that you are GOD, that you are on the side of this people, that you are present among them, that they see you with their own eyes in your Cloud that hovers over them, in the Pillar of Cloud that leads them by day and the Pillar of Fire at night. 15 If you kill this entire people in one stroke, all the nations that have heard what has been going on will say, 16'Since GOD couldn't get these people into the land which he had promised to give them, he slaughtered them out in the wilderness.'
17 "Now, please, let the power of the Master expand, enlarge itself greatly, along the lines you have laid out earlier when you said,
18 GOD, slow to get angry and huge in loyal love,forgiving iniquity and rebellion and sin; Still, never just whitewashing sin.But extending the fallout of parents' sins to children into the third, even the fourth generation.
19 "Please forgive the wrongdoing of this people out of the extravagance of your loyal love just as all along, from the time they left Egypt, you have been forgiving this people."
20 GOD said, "I forgive them, honoring your words. 21 But as I live and as the Glory of GOD fills the whole Earth — 22 not a single person of those who saw my Glory, saw the miracle signs I did in Egypt and the wilderness, and who have tested me over and over and over again, turning a deaf ear to me — 23 not one of them will set eyes on the land I so solemnly promised to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with such repeated contempt will see it.
24 "But my servant Caleb — this is a different story. He has a different spirit; he follows me passionately. I'll bring him into the land that he scouted and his children will inherit it.
25 "Since the Amalekites and Canaanites are so well established in the valleys, for right now change course and head back into the wilderness following the route to the Red Sea."
26 GOD spoke to Moses and Aaron: 27 "How long is this going to go on, all this grumbling against me by this evil-infested community? I've had my fill of complaints from these grumbling Israelites. 28 Tell them, As I live — GOD's decree — here's what I'm going to do: 29 Your corpses are going to litter the wilderness — every one of you twenty years and older who was counted in the census, this whole generation of grumblers and grousers. 30 Not one of you will enter the land and make your home there, the firmly and solemnly promised land, except for Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.
31 "Your children, the very ones that you said would be taken for plunder, I'll bring in to enjoy the land you rejected 32 while your corpses will be rotting in the wilderness. 33 These children of yours will live as shepherds in the wilderness for forty years, living with the fallout of your whoring unfaithfulness until the last of your generation lies a corpse in the wilderness. 34 You scouted out the land for forty days; your punishment will be a year for each day, a forty-year sentence to serve for your sins — a long schooling in my displeasure.
35 "I, GOD, have spoken. I will most certainly carry out these things against this entire evil-infested community which has banded together against me. In this wilderness they will come to their end. There they will die."
Num 12:1-16
Miriam and Aaron talked against Moses behind his back because of his Cushite wife (he had married a Cushite woman). 2 They said, "Is it only through Moses that GOD speaks? Doesn't he also speak through us?"
GOD overheard their talk.
3 Now the man Moses was a quietly humble man, more so than anyone living on Earth. 4 GOD broke in suddenly on Moses and Aaron and Miriam saying, "Come out, you three, to the Tent of Meeting." The three went out. 5 GOD descended in a Pillar of Cloud and stood at the entrance to the Tent. He called Aaron and Miriam to him. When they stepped out, 6 he said,
Listen carefully to what I'm telling you. If there is a prophet of GOD among you,I make myself known to him in visions,I speak to him in dreams. 7 But I don't do it that way with my servant Moses;he has the run of my entire house; 8 I speak to him intimately, in person,in plain talk without riddles:He ponders the very form of GOD.So why did you show no reverence or respect in speaking against my servant, against Moses?
9 The anger of GOD blazed out against them. And then he left.
10 When the Cloud moved off from the Tent, oh! Miriam had turned leprous, her skin like snow. Aaron took one look at Miriam — a leper!
11 He said to Moses, "Please, my master, please don't come down so hard on us for this foolish and thoughtless sin. 12 Please don't make her like a stillborn baby coming out of its mother's womb with half its body decomposed."
13 And Moses prayed to GOD:
Please, God, heal her,please heal her.
14 GOD answered Moses, "If her father had spat in her face, wouldn't she be ostracized for seven days? Quarantine her outside the camp for seven days. Then she can be readmitted to the camp." 15 So Miriam was in quarantine outside the camp for seven days. The people didn't march on until she was readmitted. 16 Only then did the people march from Hazeroth and set up camp in the Wilderness of Paran.
Num 11:4-23
The riff-raff among the people had a craving and soon they had the People of Israel whining, "Why can't we have meat? 5 We ate fish in Egypt — and got it free! — to say nothing of the cucumbers and melons, the leeks and onions and garlic. 6 But nothing tastes good out here; all we get is manna, manna, manna."
7 Manna was a seedlike substance with a shiny appearance like resin. 8 The people went around collecting it and ground it between stones or pounded it fine in a mortar. Then they boiled it in a pot and shaped it into cakes. It tasted like a delicacy cooked in olive oil. 9 When the dew fell on the camp at night, the manna was right there with it.
10 Moses heard the whining, all those families whining in front of their tents. GOD's anger blazed up. Moses saw that things were in a bad way.
11 Moses said to GOD, "Why are you treating me this way? What did I ever do to you to deserve this? Did I conceive them? Was I their mother? So why dump the responsibility of this people on me? 12 Why tell me to carry them around like a nursing mother, carry them all the way to the land you promised to their ancestors? 13 Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people who are whining to me, 'Give us meat; we want meat.' 14 I can't do this by myself — it's too much, all these people. 15 If this is how you intend to treat me, do me a favor and kill me. I've seen enough; I've had enough. Let me out of here."
16 GOD said to Moses, "Gather together seventy men from among the leaders of Israel, men whom you know to be respected and responsible. Take them to the Tent of Meeting. I'll meet you there. 17 I'll come down and speak with you. I'll take some of the Spirit that is on you and place it on them; they'll then be able to take some of the load of this people — you won't have to carry the whole thing alone.
18 "Tell the people, Consecrate yourselves. Get ready for tomorrow when you're going to eat meat. You've been whining to GOD, 'We want meat; give us meat. We had a better life in Egypt.' GOD has heard your whining and he's going to give you meat. You're going to eat meat. 19 And it's not just for a day that you'll eat meat, and not two days, or five or ten or twenty, 20 but for a whole month. You're going to eat meat until its coming out your nostrils. You're going to be so sick of meat that you'll throw up at the mere mention of it. And here's why: Because you have rejected GOD who is right here among you, whining to his face, 'Oh, why did we ever have to leave Egypt?'"
21 Moses said, "I'm standing here surrounded by 600,000 men on foot and you say, 'I'll give them meat, meat every day for a month.' 22 So where's it coming from? Even if all the flocks and herds were butchered, would that be enough? Even if all the fish in the sea were caught, would that be enough?"
23 GOD answered Moses, "So, do you think I can't take care of you? You'll see soon enough whether what I say happens for you or not."
Friday, October 3, 2014
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Ex 31:1-11
GOD spoke to Moses: 2 "See what I've done; I've personally chosen Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur of the tribe of Judah. 3 I've filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him skill and know-how and expertise in every kind of craft 4 to create designs and work in gold, silver, and bronze; 5 to cut and set gemstones; to carve wood — he's an all-around craftsman.
6 "Not only that, but I've given him Oholiab, son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan, to work with him. And to all who have an aptitude for crafts I've given the skills to make all the things I've commanded you: 7 the Tent of Meeting, the Chest of The Testimony and its Atonement-Cover, all the implements for the Tent, 8 the Table and its implements, the pure Lampstand and all its implements, the Altar of Incense, 9 the Altar of Whole-Burnt-Offering and all its implements, the Washbasin and its base, 10 the official vestments, the holy vestments for Aaron the priest and his sons in their priestly duties, 11 the anointing oil, and the aromatic incense for the Holy Place — they'll make everything just the way I've commanded you."
God gave them skills!
Ex 18:7-11
7 Moses went out to welcome his father-in-law. He bowed to him and kissed him. Each asked the other how things had been with him. Then they went into the tent. 8 Moses told his father-in-law the story of all that GOD had done to Pharaoh and Egypt in helping Israel, all the trouble they had experienced on the journey, and how GOD had delivered them.
9 Jethro was delighted in all the good that GOD had done for Israel in delivering them from Egyptian oppression. 10 Jethro said, "Blessed be GOD who has delivered you from the power of Egypt and Pharaoh, who has delivered his people from the oppression of Egypt. 11 Now I know that GOD is greater than all gods because he's done this to all those who treated Israel arrogantly
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Ex 14:8-31
8 GOD made Pharaoh king of Egypt stubborn, determined to chase the Israelites as they walked out on him without even looking back. 9 The Egyptians gave chase and caught up with them where they had made camp by the sea — all Pharaoh's horse-drawn chariots and their riders, all his foot soldiers there at Pi Hahiroth opposite Baal Zephon.
10 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up and saw them — Egyptians! Coming at them!
They were totally afraid. They cried out in terror to GOD. 11 They told Moses, "Weren't the cemeteries large enough in Egypt so that you had to take us out here in the wilderness to die? What have you done to us, taking us out of Egypt? 12 Back in Egypt didn't we tell you this would happen? Didn't we tell you, 'Leave us alone here in Egypt — we're better off as slaves in Egypt than as corpses in the wilderness.'"
13 Moses spoke to the people: "Don't be afraid. Stand firm and watch GOD do his work of salvation for you today. Take a good look at the Egyptians today for you're never going to see them again.
14 GOD will fight the battle for you.And you? You keep your mouths shut!"
15 GOD said to Moses: "Why cry out to me? Speak to the Israelites. Order them to get moving. 16 Hold your staff high and stretch your hand out over the sea: Split the sea! The Israelites will walk through the sea on dry ground.
17 "Meanwhile I'll make sure the Egyptians keep up their stubborn chase — I'll use Pharaoh and his entire army, his chariots and horsemen, 18 to put my Glory on display so that the Egyptians will realize that I am GOD."
19 The angel of GOD that had been leading the camp of Israel now shifted and got behind them. And the Pillar of Cloud that had been in front also shifted to the rear. 20 The Cloud was now between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. The Cloud enshrouded one camp in darkness and flooded the other with light. The two camps didn't come near each other all night.
21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea and GOD, with a terrific east wind all night long, made the sea go back. He made the sea dry ground. The seawaters split.
22 The Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground with the waters a wall to the right and to the left. 23 The Egyptians came after them in full pursuit, every horse and chariot and driver of Pharaoh racing into the middle of the sea. 24 It was now the morning watch. GOD looked down from the Pillar of Fire and Cloud on the Egyptian army and threw them into a panic. 25 He clogged the wheels of their chariots; they were stuck in the mud.
The Egyptians said, "Run from Israel! GOD is fighting on their side and against Egypt!"
26 GOD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea and the waters will come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots, over their horsemen."
27 Moses stretched his hand out over the sea: As the day broke and the Egyptians were running, the sea returned to its place as before. GOD dumped the Egyptians in the middle of the sea. 28 The waters returned, drowning the chariots and riders of Pharaoh's army that had chased after Israel into the sea. Not one of them survived.
29 But the Israelites walked right through the middle of the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall to the right and to the left. 30 GOD delivered Israel that day from the oppression of the Egyptians. And Israel looked at the Egyptian dead, washed up on the shore of the sea, 31 and realized the tremendous power that GOD brought against the Egyptians. The people were in reverent awe before GOD and trusted in GOD and his servant Moses.
Ex 14:1-4
GOD spoke to Moses: 2 "Tell the Israelites to turn around and make camp at Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. Camp on the shore of the sea opposite Baal Zephon.
3 "Pharaoh will think, 'The Israelites are lost; they're confused. The wilderness has closed in on them.' 4 Then I'll make Pharaoh's heart stubborn again and he'll chase after them. And I'll use Pharaoh and his army to put my Glory on display. Then the Egyptians will realize that I am GOD."
Ex 13:1-18
13:1 GOD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 "Consecrate every firstborn to me — the first one to come from the womb among the Israelites, whether person or animal, is mine."
3 Moses said to the people, "Always remember this day. This is the day when you came out of Egypt from a house of slavery. GOD brought you out of here with a powerful hand. Don't eat any raised bread.
4 "You are leaving in the spring month of Abib. 5 When GOD brings you into the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which he promised to your fathers to give you, a land lavish with milk and honey, you are to observe this service during this month:
6 "You are to eat unraised bread for seven days; on the seventh day there is a festival celebration to GOD.
7 "Only unraised bread is to be eaten for seven days. There is not to be a trace of anything fermented — no yeast anywhere.
8 "Tell your child on that day: 'This is because of what GOD did for me when I came out of Egypt.'
9 "The day of observance will be like a sign on your hand, a memorial between your eyes, and the teaching of GOD in your mouth. It was with a powerful hand that GOD brought you out of Egypt. 10 Follow these instructions at the set time, year after year after year.
11 "When GOD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he promised you and your fathers, and turns it over to you, 12 you are to set aside the first birth out of every womb to GOD. Every first birth from your livestock belongs to GOD. 13 You can redeem every first birth of a donkey if you want to by substituting a lamb; if you decide not to redeem it, you must break its neck.
"Redeem every firstborn child among your sons. 14 When the time comes and your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' you tell him, 'GOD brought us out of Egypt, out of a house of slavery, with a powerful hand. 15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, GOD killed every firstborn in Egypt, the firstborn of both humans and animals. That's why I make a sacrifice for every first male birth from the womb to GOD and redeem every firstborn son.' 16 The observance functions like a sign on your hands or a symbol on the middle of your forehead: GOD brought us out of Egypt with a powerful hand."
17 It so happened that after Pharaoh released the people, God didn't lead them by the road through the land of the Philistines, which was the shortest route, for God thought, "If the people encounter war, they'll change their minds and go back to Egypt."
18 So God led the people on the wilderness road, looping around to the Red Sea. The Israelites left Egypt in military formation.
Monday, September 29, 2014
Gen 1:1 - Ex 12:42
God said to Moses: "I'm going to hit Pharaoh and Egypt one final time, and then he'll let you go. When he releases you, that will be the end of Egypt for you; he won't be able to get rid of you fast enough.
2 "So here's what you do. Tell the people to ask, each man from his neighbor and each woman from her neighbor, for things made of silver and gold." 3 GOD saw to it that the Egyptians liked the people. Also, Moses was greatly admired by the Egyptians, a respected public figure among both Pharaoh's servants and the people at large.
4 Then Moses confronted Pharaoh: "GOD's Message: 'At midnight I will go through Egypt 5 and every firstborn child in Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sits on his throne, to the firstborn of the slave girl working at her hand mill. Also the firstborn of animals. 6 Widespread wailing will erupt all over the country, lament such as has never been and never will be again. 7 But against the Israelites — man, woman, or animal — there won't be so much as a dog's bark, so that you'll know that GOD makes a clear distinction between Egypt and Israel.'
8 "Then all these servants of yours will go to their knees, begging me to leave, 'Leave! You and all the people who follow you!' And I will most certainly leave."
Moses, seething with anger, left Pharaoh.
9 GOD said to Moses, "Pharaoh's not going to listen to a thing you say so that the signs of my presence and work are going to multiply in the land of Egypt."
10 Moses and Aaron had performed all these signs in Pharaoh's presence, but GOD turned Pharaoh more stubborn than ever — yet again he refused to release the Israelites from his land.
Exodus 12
12:1 GOD said to Moses and Aaron while still in Egypt, 2 "This month is to be the first month of the year for you. 3 Address the whole community of Israel; tell them that on the tenth of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one lamb to a house. 4 If the family is too small for a lamb, then share it with a close neighbor, depending on the number of persons involved. Be mindful of how much each person will eat. 5 Your lamb must be a healthy male, one year old; you can select it from either the sheep or the goats. 6 Keep it penned until the fourteenth day of this month and then slaughter it — the entire community of Israel will do this — at dusk. 7 Then take some of the blood and smear it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which you will eat it. 8 You are to eat the meat, roasted in the fire, that night, along with bread, made without yeast, and bitter herbs. 9 Don't eat any of it raw or boiled in water; make sure it's roasted — the whole animal, head, legs, and innards. 10 Don't leave any of it until morning; if there are leftovers, burn them in the fire.
11 "And here is how you are to eat it: Be fully dressed with your sandals on and your stick in your hand. Eat in a hurry; it's the Passover to GOD.
12 "I will go through the land of Egypt on this night and strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, whether human or animal, and bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am GOD. 13 The blood will serve as a sign on the houses where you live. When I see the blood I will pass over you — no disaster will touch you when I strike the land of Egypt.
14 "This will be a memorial day for you; you will celebrate it as a festival to GOD down through the generations, a fixed festival celebration to be observed always. 15 You will eat unraised bread (matzoth) for seven days: On the first day get rid of all yeast from your houses — anyone who eats anything with yeast from the first day to the seventh day will be cut off from Israel. 16 The first and the seventh days are set aside as holy; do no work on those days. Only what you have to do for meals; each person can do that.
17 "Keep the Festival of Unraised Bread! This marks the exact day I brought you out in force from the land of Egypt. Honor the day down through your generations, a fixed festival to be observed always. 18 In the first month, beginning on the fourteenth day at evening until the twenty-first day at evening, you are to eat unraised bread. 19 For those seven days not a trace of yeast is to be found in your houses. Anyone, whether a visitor or a native of the land, who eats anything raised shall be cut off from the community of Israel. 20 Don't eat anything raised. Only matzoth."
21 Moses assembled all the elders of Israel. He said, "Select a lamb for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb. 22 Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the bowl of blood and smear it on the lintel and on the two doorposts. No one is to leave the house until morning. 23 GOD will pass through to strike Egypt down. When he sees the blood on the lintel and the two door posts, GOD will pass over the doorway; he won't let the destroyer enter your house to strike you down with ruin.
24 "Keep this word. It's the law for you and your children, forever. 25 When you enter the land which GOD will give you as he promised, keep doing this. 26 And when your children say to you, 'Why are we doing this?' 27 tell them: 'It's the Passover-sacrifice to GOD who passed over the homes of the Israelites in Egypt when he hit Egypt with death but rescued us.'"
The people bowed and worshiped.
28 The Israelites then went and did what GOD had commanded Moses and Aaron. They did it all.
29 At midnight GOD struck every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sits on his throne, right down to the firstborn of the prisoner locked up in jail. Also the firstborn of the animals.
30 Pharaoh got up that night, he and all his servants and everyone else in Egypt — what wild wailing and lament in Egypt! There wasn't a house in which someone wasn't dead.
31 Pharaoh called in Moses and Aaron that very night and said, "Get out of here and be done with you — you and your Israelites! Go worship GOD on your own terms. 32 And yes, take your sheep and cattle as you've insisted, but go. And bless me."
33 The Egyptians couldn't wait to get rid of them; they pushed them to hurry up, saying, "We're all as good as dead."
34 The people grabbed their bread dough before it had risen, bundled their bread bowls in their cloaks and threw them over their shoulders. 35 The Israelites had already done what Moses had told them; they had asked the Egyptians for silver and gold things and clothing. 36 GOD saw to it that the Egyptians liked the people and so readily gave them what they asked for. Oh yes! They picked those Egyptians clean.
37 The Israelites moved on from Rameses to Succoth, about 600,000 on foot, besides their dependents. 38 There was also a crowd of riffraff tagging along, not to mention the large flocks and herds of livestock. 39 They baked unraised cakes with the bread dough they had brought out of Egypt; it hadn't raised — they'd been rushed out of Egypt and hadn't time to fix food for the journey.
40 The Passover
The Israelites had lived in Egypt 430 years. 41 At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, GOD's entire army left Egypt. 42 GOD kept watch all night, watching over the Israelites as he brought them out of Egypt. Because GOD kept watch, all Israel for all generations will honor GOD by keeping watch this night — a watchnight.
Ex 10:21-29
GOD said to Moses: "Stretch your hand to the skies. Let darkness descend on the land of Egypt — a darkness so dark you can touch it."
22 Moses stretched out his hand to the skies. Thick darkness descended on the land of Egypt for three days. 23 Nobody could see anybody. For three days no one could so much as move. Except for the Israelites: they had light where they were living.
24 Pharaoh called in Moses: "Go and worship GOD. Leave your flocks and herds behind. But go ahead and take your children."
25 But Moses said, "You have to let us take our sacrificial animals and offerings with us so we can sacrifice them in worship to our GOD. 26 Our livestock has to go with us with not a hoof left behind; they are part of the worship of our GOD. And we don't know just what will be needed until we get there."
27 But GOD kept Pharaoh stubborn as ever. He wouldn't agree to release them.
28 Pharaoh said to Moses: "Get out of my sight! And watch your step. I don't want to ever see you again. If I lay eyes on you again, you're dead."
29 Moses said, "Have it your way. You won't see my face again."
Ex 10:1-20
GOD said to Moses: "Go to Pharaoh. I've made him stubborn, him and his servants, so that I can force him to look at these signs 2 and so you'll be able to tell your children and grandchildren how I toyed with the Egyptians, like a cat with a mouse; you'll tell them the stories of the signs that I brought down on them, so that you'll all know that I am GOD."
3 Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, "GOD, the God of the Hebrews, says, 'How long are you going to refuse to knuckle under? Release my people so that they can worship me. 4 If you refuse to release my people, watch out; tomorrow I'm bringing locusts into your country. 5 They'll cover every square inch of ground; no one will be able to see the ground. They'll devour everything left over from the hailstorm, even the saplings out in the fields — they'll clear-cut the trees. 6 And they'll invade your houses, filling the houses of your servants, filling every house in Egypt. Nobody will have ever seen anything like this, from the time your ancestors first set foot on this soil until today.'"
Then he turned on his heel and left Pharaoh.
7 Pharaoh's servants said to him, "How long are you going to let this man harass us? Let these people go and worship their GOD. Can't you see that Egypt is on its last legs?"
8 So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. He said to them, "Go ahead then. Go worship your GOD. But just who exactly is going with you?"
9 Moses said, "We're taking young and old, sons and daughters, flocks and herds — this is our worship-celebration of GOD."
10 He said, "I'd sooner send you off with GOD's blessings than let you go with your children. Look, you're up to no good — it's written all over your faces. 11 Nothing doing. Just the men are going — go ahead and worship GOD. That's what you want so badly." And they were thrown out of Pharaoh's presence.
12 GOD said to Moses: "Stretch your hand over Egypt and signal the locusts to cover the land of Egypt, devouring every blade of grass in the country, everything that the hail didn't get."
13 Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt. GOD let loose an east wind. It blew that day and night. By morning the east wind had brought in the locusts.
14 The locusts covered the country of Egypt, settling over every square inch of Egypt; the place was thick with locusts. There never was an invasion of locusts like it in the past, and never will be again. 15 The ground was completely covered, black with locusts. They ate everything, every blade of grass, every piece of fruit, anything that the hail didn't get. Nothing left but bare trees and bare fields — not a sign of green in the whole land of Egypt.
16 Pharaoh had Moses and Aaron back in no time. He said, "I've sinned against your GOD and against you. 17 Overlook my sin one more time. Pray to your GOD to get me out of this — get death out of here!"
18 Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to GOD. 19 GOD reversed the wind — a powerful west wind took the locusts and dumped them into the Red Sea. There wasn't a single locust left in the whole country of Egypt.
20 But GOD made Pharaoh stubborn as ever. He still didn't release the Israelites.
Ex 9:13-35
GOD said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning and confront Pharaoh. Tell him, 'GOD, the God of the Hebrews, says: Release my people so they can worship me. 14 This time I am going to strike you and your servants and your people with the full force of my power so you'll get it into your head that there's no one like me anywhere in all the Earth. 15 You know that by now I could have struck you and your people with deadly disease and there would be nothing left of you, not a trace. 16 But for one reason only I've kept you on your feet: To make you recognize my power so that my reputation spreads in all the Earth. 17 You are still building yourself up at my people's expense. You are not letting them go. 18 So here's what's going to happen: At this time tomorrow I'm sending a terrific hailstorm — there's never been a storm like this in Egypt from the day of its founding until now. 19 So get your livestock under roof — everything exposed in the open fields, people and animals, will die when the hail comes down.'"
20 All of Pharaoh's servants who had respect for GOD's word got their workers and animals under cover as fast as they could, 21 but those who didn't take GOD's word seriously left their workers and animals out in the field.
22 GOD said to Moses: "Stretch your hands to the skies. Signal the hail to fall all over Egypt on people and animals and crops exposed in the fields of Egypt."
23 Moses lifted his staff to the skies and GOD sent peals of thunder and hail shot through with lightning strikes. GOD rained hail down on the land of Egypt. 24 The hail came, hail and lightning — a fierce hailstorm. There had been nothing like it in Egypt in its entire history. 25 The hail hit hard all over Egypt. Everything exposed out in the fields, people and animals and crops, was smashed. Even the trees in the fields were shattered. 26 Except for Goshen where the Israelites lived; there was no hail in Goshen.
27 Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. He said, "I've sinned for sure this time — GOD is in the right and I and my people are in the wrong. 28 Pray to GOD. We've had enough of GOD's thunder and hail. I'll let you go. The sooner you're out of here the better."
29 Moses said, "As soon as I'm out of the city, I'll stretch out my arms to GOD. The thunder will stop and the hail end so you'll know that the land is GOD's land. 30 Still, I know that you and your servants have no respect for GOD."
31(The flax and the barley were ruined, for they were just ripening, 32 but the wheat and spelt weren't hurt — they ripen later.)
33 Moses left Pharaoh and the city and stretched out his arms to GOD. The thunder and hail stopped; the storm cleared.
34 But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he kept right on sinning, stubborn as ever, both he and his servants. 35 Pharaoh's heart turned rock-hard. He refused to release the Israelites, as GOD had ordered through Moses.
Ex 9:8-12
GOD said to Moses and Aaron, "Take fistfuls of soot from a furnace and have Moses throw it into the air right before Pharaoh's eyes; 9 it will become a film of fine dust all over Egypt and cause sores, an eruption of boils on people and animals throughout Egypt." 10 So they took soot from a furnace, stood in front of Pharaoh, and threw it up into the air. It caused boils to erupt on people and animals. 11 The magicians weren't able to compete with Moses this time because of the boils — they were covered with boils just like everyone else in Egypt.
12 GOD hardened Pharaoh in his stubbornness. He wouldn't listen, just as GOD had said to Moses.
Ex 9:1-7
GOD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and tell him, 'GOD, the God of the Hebrews, says: Release my people so they can worship me. 2 If you refuse to release them and continue to hold on to them, 3 I'm giving you fair warning: GOD will come down hard on your livestock out in the fields — horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, sheep — striking them with a severe disease. 4 GOD will draw a sharp line between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt. Not one animal that belongs to the Israelites will die.'"
5 Then GOD set the time: "Tomorrow GOD will do this thing."
6 And the next day GOD did it. All the livestock of Egypt died, but not one animal of the Israelites died. 7 Pharaoh sent men to find out what had happened and there it was: none of the livestock of the Israelites had died — not one death. But Pharaoh stayed stubborn. He wouldn't release the people.
Ex 8:20-32
GOD said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning and confront Pharaoh as he goes down to the water. Tell him, 'GOD's Message: Release my people so they can worship me. 21 If you don't release my people, I'll release swarms of flies on you, your servants, your people, and your homes. The houses of the Egyptians and even the ground under their feet will be thick with flies. 22 But when it happens, I'll set Goshen where my people live aside as a sanctuary — no flies in Goshen. That will show you that I am GOD in this land. 23 I'll make a sharp distinction between your people and mine. This sign will occur tomorrow.'"
24 And GOD did just that. Thick swarms of flies in Pharaoh's palace and the houses of his servants. All over Egypt, the country ruined by flies.
25 Pharaoh called in Moses and Aaron and said, "Go ahead. Sacrifice to your God — but do it here in this country."
26 Moses said, "That would not be wise. What we sacrifice to our GOD would give great offense to Egyptians. If we openly sacrifice what is so deeply offensive to Egyptians, they'll kill us. 27 Let us go three days' journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to our GOD, just as he instructed us."
28 Pharaoh said, "All right. I'll release you to go and sacrifice to your GOD in the wilderness. Only don't go too far. Now pray for me."
29 Moses said, "As soon as I leave here, I will pray to GOD that tomorrow the flies will leave Pharaoh, his servants, and his people. But don't play games with us and change your mind about releasing us to sacrifice to GOD."
30 Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to GOD. 31 GOD did what Moses asked. He got rid of the flies from Pharaoh and his servants and his people. There wasn't a fly left. 32 But Pharaoh became stubborn once again and wouldn't release the people.
Ex 8:16-19
GOD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Take your staff and strike the dust. The dust will turn into gnats all over Egypt.'"
17 He did it. Aaron grabbed his staff and struck the dust of the Earth; it turned into gnats, gnats all over people and animals. All the dust of the Earth turned into gnats, gnats everywhere in Egypt.
18 The magicians tried to produce gnats with their incantations but this time they couldn't do it. There were gnats everywhere, all over people and animals.
19 The magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is God's doing." But Pharaoh was stubborn and wouldn't listen. Just as GOD had said.
Ex 8:1-15
GOD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and tell him, 'GOD's Message: Release my people so they can worship me. 2 If you refuse to release them, I'm warning you, I'll hit the whole country with frogs. 3 The Nile will swarm with frogs — they'll come up into your houses, into your bedrooms and into your beds, into your servants' quarters, among the people, into your ovens and pots and pans. 4 They'll be all over you, all over everyone — frogs everywhere, on and in everything!'"
5 GOD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Wave your staff over the rivers and canals and ponds. Bring up frogs on the land of Egypt.'"
6 Aaron stretched his staff over the waters of Egypt and a mob of frogs came up and covered the country.
7 But again the magicians did the same thing using their incantations — they also produced frogs in Egypt.
8 Pharaoh called in Moses and Aaron and said, "Pray to GOD to rid us of these frogs. I'll release the people so that they can make their sacrifices and worship GOD."
9 Moses said to Pharaoh, "Certainly. Set the time. When do you want the frogs out of here, away from your servants and people and out of your houses? You'll be rid of frogs except for those in the Nile."
10 "Make it tomorrow."
Moses said, "Tomorrow it is — so you'll realize that there is no God like our GOD. 11 The frogs will be gone. You and your houses and your servants and your people, free of frogs. The only frogs left will be the ones in the Nile."
12 Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh, and Moses prayed to GOD about the frogs he had brought on Pharaoh. 13 GOD responded to Moses' prayer: The frogs died off — houses, courtyards, fields, all free of frogs. 14 They piled the frogs in heaps. The country reeked of dead frogs.
15 But when Pharaoh saw that he had some breathing room, he got stubborn again and wouldn't listen to Moses and Aaron. Just as GOD had said.
Ex 7:14-25
GOD said to Moses: "Pharaoh is a stubborn man. He refuses to release the people. 15 First thing in the morning, go and meet Pharaoh as he goes down to the river. At the shore of the Nile take the staff that turned into a snake 16 and say to him, 'GOD, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you with this message, "Release my people so that they can worship me in the wilderness." So far you haven't listened. 17 This is how you'll know that I am GOD. I am going to take this staff that I'm holding and strike this Nile River water: The water will turn to blood; 18 the fish in the Nile will die; the Nile will stink; and the Egyptians won't be able to drink the Nile water.'"
19 GOD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Take your staff and wave it over the waters of Egypt — over its rivers, its canals, its ponds, all its bodies of water — so that they turn to blood.' There'll be blood everywhere in Egypt — even in the pots and pans."
20 Moses and Aaron did exactly as GOD commanded them. Aaron raised his staff and hit the water in the Nile with Pharaoh and his servants watching. All the water in the Nile turned into blood. 21 The fish in the Nile died; the Nile stank; and the Egyptians couldn't drink the Nile water. The blood was everywhere in Egypt.
22 But the magicians of Egypt did the same thing with their incantations. Still Pharaoh remained stubborn. He wouldn't listen to them as GOD had said. 23 He turned on his heel and went home, never giving it a second thought. 24 But all the Egyptians had to dig inland from the river for water because they couldn't drink the Nile water. 25 Seven days went by after GOD had struck the Nile.
Ex 7:8-13
8 Then GOD spoke to Moses and Aaron. He said, 9 "When Pharaoh speaks to you and says, 'Prove yourselves. Perform a miracle,' then tell Aaron, 'Take your staff and throw it down in front of Pharaoh: It will turn into a snake.'"
10 Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did what GOD commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his servants, and it turned into a snake.
11 Pharaoh called in his wise men and sorcerers. The magicians of Egypt did the same thing by their incantations: 12 each man threw down his staff and they all turned into snakes. But then Aaron's staff swallowed their staffs.
13 Yet Pharaoh was as stubborn as ever — he wouldn't listen to them, just as GOD had said.
Ex 3:1-4:23
3:1 Moses was shepherding the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the west end of the wilderness and came to the mountain of God, Horeb. 2 The angel of GOD appeared to him in flames of fire blazing out of the middle of a bush. He looked. The bush was blazing away but it didn't burn up.
3 Moses said, "What's going on here? I can't believe this! Amazing! Why doesn't the bush burn up?"
4 GOD saw that he had stopped to look. God called to him from out of the bush, "Moses! Moses!"
He said, "Yes? I'm right here!"
5 God said, "Don't come any closer. Remove your sandals from your feet. You're standing on holy ground."
6 Then he said, "I am the God of your father: The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob."
Moses hid his face, afraid to look at God.
7 GOD said, "I've taken a good, long look at the affliction of my people in Egypt. I've heard their cries for deliverance from their slave masters; I know all about their pain. 8 And now I have come down to help them, pry them loose from the grip of Egypt, get them out of that country and bring them to a good land with wide-open spaces, a land lush with milk and honey, the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
9 "The Israelite cry for help has come to me, and I've seen for myself how cruelly they're being treated by the Egyptians. 10 It's time for you to go back: I'm sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the People of Israel, out of Egypt."
11 Moses answered God, "But why me? What makes you think that I could ever go to Pharaoh and lead the children of Israel out of Egypt?"
12 "I'll be with you," God said. "And this will be the proof that I am the one who sent you: When you have brought my people out of Egypt, you will worship God right here at this very mountain."
13 Then Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the People of Israel and I tell them, 'The God of your fathers sent me to you'; and they ask me, 'What is his name?' What do I tell them?"
14 God said to Moses, "I-AM-WHO-I-AM. Tell the People of Israel, 'I-AM sent me to you.'"
15 God continued with Moses: "This is what you're to say to the Israelites: 'GOD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob sent me to you.' This has always been my name, and this is how I always will be known.
16 "Now be on your way. Gather the leaders of Israel. Tell them, 'GOD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, appeared to me, saying, "I've looked into what's being done to you in Egypt, 17 and I've determined to get you out of the affliction of Egypt and take you to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, a land brimming over with milk and honey."'
18 "Believe me, they will listen to you. Then you and the leaders of Israel will go to the king of Egypt and say to him: 'GOD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness where we will worship GOD — our God.'
19 "I know that the king of Egypt won't let you go unless forced to, 20 so I'll intervene and hit Egypt where it hurts — oh, my miracles will send them reeling! — after which they'll be glad to send you off. 21 I'll see to it that this people get a hearty send-off by the Egyptians — when you leave, you won't leave empty-handed! 22 Each woman will ask her neighbor and any guests in her house for objects of silver and gold, for jewelry and extra clothes; you'll put them on your sons and daughters. Oh, you'll clean the Egyptians out!"
Exodus 4
4:1 Moses objected, "They won't trust me. They won't listen to a word I say. They're going to say, 'GOD? Appear to him? Hardly!'"
2 So GOD said, "What's that in your hand?"
"A staff."
3 "Throw it on the ground." He threw it. It became a snake; Moses jumped back — fast!
4 GOD said to Moses, "Reach out and grab it by the tail." He reached out and grabbed it — and he was holding his staff again. 5 "That's so they will trust that GOD appeared to you, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."
6 GOD then said, "Put your hand inside your shirt." He slipped his hand under his shirt, then took it out. His hand had turned leprous, like snow.
7 He said, "Put your hand back under your shirt." He did it, then took it back out — as healthy as before.
8 "So if they don't trust you and aren't convinced by the first sign, the second sign should do it. 9 But if it doesn't, if even after these two signs they don't trust you and listen to your message, take some water out of the Nile and pour it out on the dry land; the Nile water that you pour out will turn to blood when it hits the ground."
10 Moses raised another objection to GOD: "Master, please, I don't talk well. I've never been good with words, neither before nor after you spoke to me. I stutter and stammer."
11 GOD said, "And who do you think made the human mouth? And who makes some mute, some deaf, some sighted, some blind? Isn't it I, GOD? 12 So, get going. I'll be right there with you — with your mouth! I'll be right there to teach you what to say."
13 He said, "Oh, Master, please! Send somebody else!"
14 GOD got angry with Moses: "Don't you have a brother, Aaron the Levite? He's good with words, I know he is. He speaks very well. In fact, at this very moment he's on his way to meet you. When he sees you he's going to be glad. 15 You'll speak to him and tell him what to say. I'll be right there with you as you speak and with him as he speaks, teaching you step by step. 16 He will speak to the people for you. He'll act as your mouth, but you'll decide what comes out of it. 17 Now take this staff in your hand; you'll use it to do the signs."
18 Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said, "I need to return to my relatives who are in Egypt. I want to see if they're still alive."
Jethro said, "Go. And peace be with you."
19 GOD said to Moses in Midian: "Go. Return to Egypt. All the men who wanted to kill you are dead."
20 So Moses took his wife and sons and put them on a donkey for the return trip to Egypt. He had a firm grip on the staff of God.
21 GOD said to Moses, "When you get back to Egypt, be prepared: All the wonders that I will do through you, you'll do before Pharaoh. But I will make him stubborn so that he will refuse to let the people go. 22 Then you are to tell Pharaoh, 'GOD's Message: Israel is my son, my firstborn! 23 I told you, "Free my son so that he can serve me." But you refused to free him. So now I'm going to kill your son, your firstborn.'"
Ex 2:23-25
23 Many years later the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned under their slavery and cried out. Their cries for relief from their hard labor ascended to God:
24 God listened to their groanings.
God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
25 God saw what was going on with Israel.
God understood.
Gen 46:1-4
46:1 So Israel set out on the journey with everything he owned. He arrived at Beersheba and worshiped, offering sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
2 God spoke to Israel in a vision that night: "Jacob! Jacob!"
"Yes?" he said. "I'm listening."
3 God said, "I am the God of your father. Don't be afraid of going down to Egypt. I'm going to make you a great nation there. 4 I'll go with you down to Egypt; I'll also bring you back here. And when you die, Joseph will be with you; with his own hand he'll close your eyes."
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Gen 41:18-21
18 Seven cows, shimmering with health, came up out of the river and grazed on the marsh grass. 19 On their heels seven more cows, all skin and bones, came up. I've never seen uglier cows anywhere in Egypt. 20 Then the seven skinny, ugly cows ate up the first seven healthy cows. 21 But you couldn't tell by looking — after eating them up they were just as skinny and ugly as before
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Friday, September 26, 2014
Gen 32:9-12
Jacob prayed, "God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, GOD who told me, 'Go back to your parents' homeland and I'll treat you well.' 10 I don't deserve all the love and loyalty you've shown me. When I left here and crossed the Jordan I only had the clothes on my back, and now look at me — two camps! 11 Save me, please, from the violence of my brother, my angry brother! I'm afraid he'll come and attack us all, me, the mothers and the children. 12 You yourself said, 'I will treat you well; I'll make your descendants like the sands of the sea, far too many to count.'"
Gen 26:1-6
26:1 There was a famine in the land, as bad as the famine during the time of Abraham. And Isaac went down to Abimelech, king of the Philistines, in Gerar.
2 GOD appeared to him and said, "Don't go down to Egypt; stay where I tell you. 3 Stay here in this land and I'll be with you and bless you. I'm giving you and your children all these lands, fulfilling the oath that I swore to your father Abraham. 4 I'll make your descendants as many as the stars in the sky and give them all these lands. All the nations of the Earth will get a blessing for themselves through your descendants. 5 And why? Because Abraham obeyed my summons and kept my charge — my commands, my guidelines, my teachings."
6 So Isaac stayed put in Gerar.
Gen 25:22-24
She went to GOD to find out what was going on. 23 GOD told her,
Two nations are in your womb,
two peoples butting heads while still in your body.
One people will overpower the other,
and the older will serve the younger.
24 When her time to give birth came, sure enough, there were twins in her womb.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Gen 21:1-22:19
21:1 GOD visited Sarah exactly as he said he would; GOD did to Sarah what he promised: 2 Sarah became pregnant and gave Abraham a son in his old age, and at the very time God had set. 3 Abraham named him Isaac. 4 When his son was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him just as God had commanded.
5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born.
6 Sarah said,
God has blessed me with laughter and all who get the news will laugh with me!
7 She also said,
Whoever would have suggested to Abraham that Sarah would one day nurse a baby!Yet here I am! I've given the old man a son!
8 The baby grew and was weaned. Abraham threw a big party on the day Isaac was weaned.
9 One day Sarah saw the son that Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham, poking fun at her son Isaac. 10 She told Abraham, "Get rid of this slave woman and her son. No child of this slave is going to share inheritance with my son Isaac!"
11 The matter gave great pain to Abraham — after all, Ishmael was his son. 12 But God spoke to Abraham, "Don't feel badly about the boy and your maid. Do whatever Sarah tells you. Your descendants will come through Isaac. 13 Regarding your maid's son, be assured that I'll also develop a great nation from him — he's your son too."
14 Abraham got up early the next morning, got some food together and a canteen of water for Hagar, put them on her back and sent her away with the child. She wandered off into the desert of Beersheba. 15 When the water was gone, she left the child under a shrub 16 and went off, fifty yards or so. She said, "I can't watch my son die." As she sat, she broke into sobs.
17 Meanwhile, God heard the boy crying. The angel of God called from Heaven to Hagar, "What's wrong, Hagar? Don't be afraid. God has heard the boy and knows the fix he's in. 18 Up now; go get the boy. Hold him tight. I'm going to make of him a great nation."
19 Just then God opened her eyes. She looked. She saw a well of water. She went to it and filled her canteen and gave the boy a long, cool drink.
20 God was on the boy's side as he grew up. He lived out in the desert and became a skilled archer. 21 He lived in the Paran wilderness. And his mother got him a wife from Egypt.
22 At about that same time, Abimelech and the captain of his troops, Phicol, spoke to Abraham: "No matter what you do, God is on your side. 23 So swear to me that you won't do anything underhanded to me or any of my family. For as long as you live here, swear that you'll treat me and my land as well as I've treated you."
24 Abraham said, "I swear it."
25 At the same time, Abraham confronted Abimelech over the matter of a well of water that Abimelech's servants had taken. 26 Abimelech said, "I have no idea who did this; you never told me about it; this is the first I've heard of it."
27 So the two of them made a covenant. Abraham took sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech. 28 Abraham set aside seven sheep from his flock.
29 Abimelech said, "What does this mean? These seven sheep you've set aside."
30 Abraham said, "It means that when you accept these seven sheep, you take it as proof that I dug this well, that it's my well."
31 That's how the place got named Beersheba (the Oath-Well), because the two of them swore a covenant oath there. 32 After they had made the covenant at Beersheba, Abimelech and his commander, Phicol, left and went back to Philistine territory.
33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and worshiped GOD there, praying to the Eternal God. 34 Abraham lived in Philistine country for a long time.
Genesis 22
22:1 After all this, God tested Abraham. God said, "Abraham!"
"Yes?" answered Abraham. "I'm listening."
2 He said, "Take your dear son Isaac whom you love and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I'll point out to you."
3 Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey. He took two of his young servants and his son Isaac. He had split wood for the burnt offering. He set out for the place God had directed him. 4 On the third day he looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 Abraham told his two young servants, "Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I are going over there to worship; then we'll come back to you."
6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and gave it to Isaac his son to carry. He carried the flint and the knife. The two of them went off together.
7 Isaac said to Abraham his father, "Father?"
"Yes, my son."
"We have flint and wood, but where's the sheep for the burnt offering?"
8 Abraham said, "Son, God will see to it that there's a sheep for the burnt offering." And they kept on walking together.
9 They arrived at the place to which God had directed him. Abraham built an altar. He laid out the wood. Then he tied up Isaac and laid him on the wood. 10 Abraham reached out and took the knife to kill his son.
11 Just then an angel of GOD called to him out of Heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"
"Yes, I'm listening."
12 "Don't lay a hand on that boy! Don't touch him! Now I know how fearlessly you fear God; you didn't hesitate to place your son, your dear son, on the altar for me."
13 Abraham looked up. He saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. Abraham took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.
14 Abraham named that place GOD-Yireh (GOD-Sees-to-It). That's where we get the saying, "On the mountain of GOD, he sees to it."
15 The angel of GOD spoke from Heaven a second time to Abraham: 16 "I swear — GOD's sure word! — because you have gone through with this, and have not refused to give me your son, your dear, dear son, 17 I'll bless you — oh, how I'll bless you! And I'll make sure that your children flourish — like stars in the sky! like sand on the beaches! And your descendants will defeat their enemies. 18 All nations on Earth will find themselves blessed through your descendants because you obeyed me."
19 Then Abraham went back to his young servants. They got things together and returned to Beersheba. Abraham settled down in Beersheba.
Gen 19:31-38
31 One day the older daughter said to the younger, "Our father is getting old and there's not a man left in the country by whom we can get pregnant. 32 Let's get our father drunk with wine and lie with him. We'll get children through our father — it's our only chance to keep our family alive."
33 They got their father drunk with wine that very night. The older daughter went and lay with him. He was oblivious, knowing nothing of what she did. 34 The next morning the older said to the younger, "Last night I slept with my father. Tonight, it's your turn. We'll get him drunk again and then you sleep with him. We'll both get a child through our father and keep our family alive." 35 So that night they got their father drunk again and the younger went in and slept with him. Again he was oblivious, knowing nothing of what she did.
36 Both daughters became pregnant by their father, Lot. 37 The older daughter had a son and named him Moab, the ancestor of the present-day Moabites. 38 The younger daughter had a son and named him Ben-Ammi, the ancestor of the present-day Ammonites.
YES they both had children during their lives on Earth BUT will they live well eternally?
Gen 19:1-26
19:1 The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening. Lot was sitting at the city gate. He saw them and got up to welcome them, bowing before them 2 and said, "Please, my friends, come to my house and stay the night. Wash up. You can rise early and be on your way refreshed."
They said, "No, we'll sleep in the street."
3 But he insisted, wouldn't take no for an answer; and they relented and went home with him. Lot fixed a hot meal for them and they ate.
4 Before they went to bed men from all over the city of Sodom, young and old, descended on the house from all sides and boxed them in. 5 They yelled to Lot, "Where are the men who are staying with you for the night? Bring them out so we can have our sport with them!"
6 Lot went out, barring the door behind him, 7 and said, "Brothers, please, don't be vile! 8 Look, I have two daughters, virgins; let me bring them out; you can take your pleasure with them, but don't touch these men — they're my guests."
9 They said, "Get lost! You drop in from nowhere and now you're going to tell us how to run our lives. We'll treat you worse than them!" And they charged past Lot to break down the door.
10 But the two men reached out and pulled Lot inside the house, locking the door. 11 Then they struck blind the men who were trying to break down the door, both leaders and followers, leaving them groping in the dark.
12 The two men said to Lot, "Do you have any other family here? Sons, daughters — anybody in the city? Get them out of here, and now! 13 We're going to destroy this place. The outcries of victims here to GOD are deafening; we've been sent to blast this place into oblivion."
14 Lot went out and warned the fiancés of his daughters, "Evacuate this place; GOD is about to destroy this city!" But his daughters' would-be husbands treated it as a joke.
15 At break of day, the angels pushed Lot to get going, "Hurry. Get your wife and two daughters out of here before it's too late and you're caught in the punishment of the city."
16 Lot was dragging his feet. The men grabbed Lot's arm, and the arms of his wife and daughters — GOD was so merciful to them! — and dragged them to safety outside the city. 17 When they had them outside, Lot was told, "Now run for your life! Don't look back! Don't stop anywhere on the plain — run for the hills or you'll be swept away."
18 But Lot protested, "No, masters, you can't mean it! 19 I know that you've taken a liking to me and have done me an immense favor in saving my life, but I can't run for the mountains — who knows what terrible thing might happen to me in the mountains and leave me for dead. 20 Look over there — that town is close enough to get to. It's a small town, hardly anything to it. Let me escape there and save my life — it's a mere wide place in the road."
21 He said to him, "All right. If you insist. I'll let you have your way. And I won't stamp out the town you've spotted. 22 But hurry up. Run for it! I can't do anything until you get there." That's why the town was called Zoar, that is, Smalltown.
23 The sun was high in the sky when Lot arrived at Zoar.
24 Then GOD rained brimstone and fire down on Sodom and Gomorrah — a river of lava from GOD out of the sky! — 25 and destroyed these cities and the entire plain and everyone who lived in the cities and everything that grew from the ground.
26 But Lot's wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt.
see what disobeying God will do?
Gen 12-18:33
GOD told Abram: "Leave your country, your family, and your father's home for a land that I will show you.
2 I'll make you a great nation and bless you. I'll make you famous; you'll be a blessing. 3 I'll bless those who bless you;those who curse you I'll curse.All the families of the Earth will be blessed through you."
4 So Abram left just as GOD said, and Lot left with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. 5 Abram took his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot with him, along with all the possessions and people they had gotten in Haran, and set out for the land of Canaan and arrived safe and sound.
6 Abram passed through the country as far as Shechem and the Oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites occupied the land.
7 GOD appeared to Abram and said, "I will give this land to your children." Abram built an altar at the place GOD had appeared to him.
8 He moved on from there to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent between Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. He built an altar there and prayed to GOD.
9 Abram kept moving, steadily making his way south, to the Negev.
10 Then a famine came to the land. Abram went down to Egypt to live; it was a hard famine. 11 As he drew near to Egypt, he said to his wife, Sarai, "Look. We both know that you're a beautiful woman. 12 When the Egyptians see you they're going to say, 'Aha! That's his wife!' and kill me. But they'll let you live. 13 Do me a favor: tell them you're my sister. Because of you, they'll welcome me and let me live."
14 When Abram arrived in Egypt, the Egyptians took one look and saw that his wife was stunningly beautiful. 15 Pharaoh's princes raved over her to Pharaoh. She was taken to live with Pharaoh.
16 Because of her, Abram got along very well: he accumulated sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, men and women servants, and camels. 17 But GOD hit Pharaoh hard because of Abram's wife Sarai; everybody in the palace got seriously sick.
18 Pharaoh called for Abram, "What's this that you've done to me? Why didn't you tell me that she's your wife? 19 Why did you say, 'She's my sister' so that I'd take her as my wife? Here's your wife back — take her and get out!"
20 Pharaoh ordered his men to get Abram out of the country. They sent him and his wife and everything he owned on their way.
Genesis 13
13:1 So Abram left Egypt and went back to the Negev, he and his wife and everything he owned, and Lot still with him. 2 By now Abram was very rich, loaded with cattle and silver and gold.
3 He moved on from the Negev, camping along the way, to Bethel, the place he had first set up his tent between Bethel and Ai 4 and built his first altar. Abram prayed there to GOD.
5 Lot, who was traveling with Abram, was also rich in sheep and cattle and tents. 6 But the land couldn't support both of them; they had too many possessions. They couldn't both live there — 7 quarrels broke out between Abram's shepherds and Lot's shepherds. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living on the land at the time.
8 Abram said to Lot, "Let's not have fighting between us, between your shepherds and my shepherds. After all, we're family. 9 Look around. Isn't there plenty of land out there? Let's separate. If you go left, I'll go right; if you go right, I'll go left."
10 Lot looked. He saw the whole plain of the Jordan spread out, well watered (this was before GOD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah), like GOD's garden, like Egypt, and stretching all the way to Zoar. 11 Lot took the whole plain of the Jordan. Lot set out to the east.
That's how they came to part company, uncle and nephew. 12 Abram settled in Canaan; Lot settled in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent near Sodom.
13 The people of Sodom were evil — flagrant sinners against GOD.
14 After Lot separated from him, GOD said to Abram, "Open your eyes, look around. Look north, south, east, and west. 15 Everything you see, the whole land spread out before you, I will give to you and your children forever. 16 I'll make your descendants like dust — counting your descendants will be as impossible as counting the dust of the Earth. 17 So — on your feet, get moving! Walk through the country, its length and breadth; I'm giving it all to you."
18 Abram moved his tent. He went and settled by the Oaks of Mamre in Hebron. There he built an altar to GOD.
Genesis 14
14:1 Then this: Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim 2 went off to war to fight Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, that is, Zoar.
3 This second group of kings, the attacked, came together at the Valley of Siddim, that is, the Salt Sea. 4 They had been under the thumb of Kedorlaomer for twelve years. In the thirteenth year, they revolted.
5 In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him set out and defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 6 and the Horites in their hill country of Seir as far as El Paran on the far edge of the desert. 7 On their way back they stopped at En Mishpat, that is, Kadesh, and conquered the whole region of the Amalekites as well as that of the Amorites who lived in Hazazon Tamar.
8 That's when the king of Sodom marched out with the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, that is, Zoar. They drew up in battle formation against their enemies in the Valley of Siddim — 9 against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, four kings against five.
10 The Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits. When the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, they fell into the tar pits, but the rest escaped into the mountains. 11 The four kings captured all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, all their food and equipment, and went on their way. 12 They captured Lot, Abram's nephew who was living in Sodom at the time, taking everything he owned with them.
13 A fugitive came and reported to Abram the Hebrew. Abram was living at the Oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and Aner. They were allies of Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his nephew had been taken prisoner, he lined up his servants, all of them born in his household — there were 318 of them — and chased after the captors all the way to Dan. 15 Abram and his men split into small groups and attacked by night. They chased them as far as Hobah, just north of Damascus. 16 They recovered all the plunder along with nephew Lot and his possessions, including the women and the people.
17 After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and his allied kings, the king of Sodom came out to greet him in the Valley of Shaveh, the King's Valley. 18 Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine — he was priest of The High God — 19 and blessed him:
Blessed be Abram by The High God, Creator of Heaven and Earth. 20 And blessed be The High God,who handed your enemies over to you.
Abram gave him a tenth of all the recovered plunder.
21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me back the people but keep all the plunder for yourself."
22 But Abram told the king of Sodom, "I swear to GOD, The High God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, this solemn oath, 23 that I'll take nothing from you, not so much as a thread or a shoestring. I'm not going to have you go around saying, 'I made Abram rich.' 24 Nothing for me other than what the young men ate and the share of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; they're to get their share of the plunder."
Genesis 15
15:1 After all these things, this word of GOD came to Abram in a vision: "Don't be afraid, Abram. I'm your shield. Your reward will be grand!"
2 Abram said, "GOD, Master, what use are your gifts as long as I'm childless and Eliezer of Damascus is going to inherit everything?" 3 Abram continued, "See, you've given me no children, and now a mere house servant is going to get it all."
4 Then GOD's Message came: "Don't worry, he won't be your heir; a son from your body will be your heir."
5 Then he took him outside and said, "Look at the sky. Count the stars. Can you do it? Count your descendants! You're going to have a big family, Abram!"
6 And he believed! Believed GOD! God declared him "Set-Right-with-God."
7 GOD continued, "I'm the same GOD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldees and gave you this land to own."
8 Abram said, "Master GOD, how am I to know this, that it will all be mine?"
9 GOD said, "Bring me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, and a dove and a young pigeon."
10 He brought all these animals to him, split them down the middle, and laid the halves opposite each other. But he didn't split the birds. 11 Vultures swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram scared them off. 12 As the sun went down a deep sleep overcame Abram and then a sense of dread, dark and heavy.
13 GOD said to Abram, "Know this: your descendants will live as outsiders in a land not theirs; they'll be enslaved and beaten down for 400 years. 14 Then I'll punish their slave masters; your offspring will march out of there loaded with plunder. 15 But not you; you'll have a long and full life and die a good and peaceful death. 16 Not until the fourth generation will your descendants return here; sin is still a thriving business among the Amorites."
17 When the sun was down and it was dark, a smoking firepot and a flaming torch moved between the split carcasses. 18 That's when GOD made a covenant with Abram: "I'm giving this land to your children, from the Nile River in Egypt to the River Euphrates in Assyria — 19 the country of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaim, 21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites."
16:1 Sarai, Abram's wife, hadn't yet produced a child.
She had an Egyptian maid named Hagar. 2 Sarai said to Abram, "GOD has not seen fit to let me have a child. Sleep with my maid. Maybe I can get a family from her." Abram agreed to do what Sarai said.
3 So Sarai, Abram's wife, took her Egyptian maid Hagar and gave her to her husband Abram as a wife. Abram had been living ten years in Canaan when this took place. 4 He slept with Hagar and she got pregnant. When she learned she was pregnant, she looked down on her mistress.
5 Sarai told Abram, "It's all your fault that I'm suffering this abuse. I put my maid in bed with you and the minute she knows she's pregnant, she treats me like I'm nothing. May GOD decide which of us is right."
6 "You decide," said Abram. "Your maid is your business."
Sarai was abusive to Hagar and she ran away.
7 An angel of GOD found her beside a spring in the desert; it was the spring on the road to Shur. 8 He said, "Hagar, maid of Sarai, what are you doing here?"
She said, "I'm running away from Sarai my mistress."
9 The angel of GOD said, "Go back to your mistress. Put up with her abuse." 10 He continued, "I'm going to give you a big family, children past counting.
11 From this pregnancy, you'll get a son: Name him Ishmael; for GOD heard you, GOD answered you. 12 He'll be a bucking bronco of a man, a real fighter, fighting and being fought, Always stirring up trouble, always at odds with his family."
13 She answered GOD by name, praying to the God who spoke to her,
"You're the God who sees me!"
"Yes! He saw me; and then I saw him!"
14 That's how that desert spring got named "God-Alive-Sees-Me Spring." That spring is still there, between Kadesh and Bered.
15 Hagar gave Abram a son. Abram named him Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar gave him his son, Ishmael.
Genesis 17
17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, GOD showed up and said to him, "I am The Strong God, live entirely before me, live to the hilt! 2 I'll make a covenant between us and I'll give you a huge family."
3 Overwhelmed, Abram fell flat on his face.
Then God said to him, 4 "This is my covenant with you: You'll be the father of many nations. 5 Your name will no longer be Abram, but Abraham, meaning that 'I'm making you the father of many nations.' 6 I'll make you a father of fathers — I'll make nations from you, kings will issue from you. 7 I'm establishing my covenant between me and you, a covenant that includes your descendants, a covenant that goes on and on and on, a covenant that commits me to be your God and the God of your descendants. 8 And I'm giving you and your descendants this land where you're now just camping, this whole country of Canaan, to own forever. And I'll be their God."
9 God continued to Abraham, "And you: You will honor my covenant, you and your descendants, generation after generation. 10 This is the covenant that you are to honor, the covenant that pulls in all your descendants: Circumcise every male. 11 Circumcise by cutting off the foreskin of the penis; it will be the sign of the covenant between us. 12 Every male baby will be circumcised when he is eight days old, generation after generation — this includes house-born slaves and slaves bought from outsiders who are not blood kin. 13 Make sure you circumcise both your own children and anyone brought in from the outside. That way my covenant will be cut into your body, a permanent mark of my permanent covenant. 14 An uncircumcised male, one who has not had the foreskin of his penis cut off, will be cut off from his people — he has broken my covenant."
15 God continued speaking to Abraham, "And Sarai your wife: Don't call her Sarai any longer; call her Sarah. 16 I'll bless her — yes! I'll give you a son by her! Oh, how I'll bless her! Nations will come from her; kings of nations will come from her."
17 Abraham fell flat on his face. And then he laughed, thinking, "Can a hundred-year-old man father a son? And can Sarah, at ninety years, have a baby?"
18 Recovering, Abraham said to God, "Oh, keep Ishmael alive and well before you!"
19 But God said, "That's not what I mean. Your wife, Sarah, will have a baby, a son. Name him Isaac (Laughter). I'll establish my covenant with him and his descendants, a covenant that lasts forever.
20 "And Ishmael? Yes, I heard your prayer for him. I'll also bless him; I'll make sure he has plenty of children — a huge family. He'll father twelve princes; I'll make him a great nation. 21 But I'll establish my covenant with Isaac whom Sarah will give you about this time next year."
22 God finished speaking with Abraham and left.
23 Then Abraham took his son Ishmael and all his servants, whether houseborn or purchased — every male in his household — and circumcised them, cutting off their foreskins that very day, just as God had told him.
24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised. 25 His son Ishmael was thirteen years old when he was circumcised. 26 Abraham and Ishmael were circumcised the same day 27 together with all the servants of his household, those born there and those purchased from outsiders — all were circumcised with him.
Genesis 18
18:1 GOD appeared to Abraham at the Oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent. It was the hottest part of the day. 2 He looked up and saw three men standing. He ran from his tent to greet them and bowed before them.
3 He said, "Master, if it please you, stop for a while with your servant. 4 I'll get some water so you can wash your feet. Rest under this tree. 5 I'll get some food to refresh you on your way, since your travels have brought you across my path."
They said, "Certainly. Go ahead."
6 Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. He said, "Hurry. Get three cups of our best flour; knead it and make bread."
7 Then Abraham ran to the cattle pen and picked out a nice plump calf and gave it to the servant who lost no time getting it ready. 8 Then he got curds and milk, brought them with the calf that had been roasted, set the meal before the men, and stood there under the tree while they ate.
9 The men said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?"
He said, "In the tent."
10 One of them said, "I'm coming back about this time next year. When I arrive, your wife Sarah will have a son." Sarah was listening at the tent opening, just behind the man.
11 Abraham and Sarah were old by this time, very old. Sarah was far past the age for having babies. 12 Sarah laughed within herself, "An old woman like me? Get pregnant? With this old man of a husband?"
13 GOD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh saying, 'Me? Have a baby? An old woman like me?' 14 Is anything too hard for GOD? I'll be back about this time next year and Sarah will have a baby."
15 Sarah lied. She said, "I didn't laugh," because she was afraid.
But he said, "Yes you did; you laughed."
16 When the men got up to leave, they set off for Sodom. Abraham walked with them to say good-bye.
17 Then GOD said, "Shall I keep back from Abraham what I'm about to do? 18 Abraham is going to become a large and strong nation; all the nations of the world are going to find themselves blessed through him. 19 Yes, I've settled on him as the one to train his children and future family to observe GOD's way of life, live kindly and generously and fairly, so that GOD can complete in Abraham what he promised him."
20 GOD continued, "The cries of the victims in Sodom and Gomorrah are deafening; the sin of those cities is immense. 21 I'm going down to see for myself, see if what they're doing is as bad as it sounds. Then I'll know."
22 The men set out for Sodom, but Abraham stood in GOD's path, blocking his way.
23 Abraham confronted him, "Are you serious? Are you planning on getting rid of the good people right along with the bad? 24 What if there are fifty decent people left in the city; will you lump the good with the bad and get rid of the lot? 25 Wouldn't you spare the city for the sake of those fifty innocents? I can't believe you'd do that, kill off the good and the bad alike as if there were no difference between them. Doesn't the Judge of all the Earth judge with justice?"
26 GOD said, "If I find fifty decent people in the city of Sodom, I'll spare the place just for them."
27 Abraham came back, "Do I, a mere mortal made from a handful of dirt, dare open my mouth again to my Master? 28 What if the fifty fall short by five — would you destroy the city because of those missing five?"
He said, "I won't destroy it if there are forty-five."
29 Abraham spoke up again, "What if you only find forty?"
"Neither will I destroy it if for forty."
30 He said, "Master, don't be irritated with me, but what if only thirty are found?"
"No, I won't do it if I find thirty."
31 He pushed on, "I know I'm trying your patience, Master, but how about for twenty?"
"I won't destroy it for twenty."
32 He wouldn't quit, "Don't get angry, Master — this is the last time. What if you only come up with ten?"
"For the sake of only ten, I won't destroy the city."
33 When GOD finished talking with Abraham, he left. And Abraham went home.
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