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Destruction of Canaanite Cities
21 Then the Canaanite, the king of (A)Arad, who lived in the [a]Negev, heard that Israel was coming by the way of [b]Atharim, and he fought against Israel and took some of them captive. 2 So (B)Israel made a vow to Yahweh and said, “If You will indeed give this people into my hand, then I will devote their cities to destruction.” 3 Then Yahweh heard the voice of Israel and gave the Canaanites over; so they devoted them and their cities to destruction. Thus the name of the place was called [c](C)Hormah.
4 Then they set out from Mount Hor by the way to the [d]Red Sea, to (D)go around the land of Edom; and the [e]people became impatient on the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “(E)Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no [f]food and no water, and [g](F)we loathe this miserable food.”
The Bronze Serpent
6 (G)So Yahweh sent fiery serpents among the people, and (H)they bit the people so that (I)many people of Israel died. 7 (J)Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned because we have spoken against Yahweh and against you; (K)pray to Yahweh, that He may remove the serpents from us.” And Moses prayed for the people. 8 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “[h]Make a (L)fiery serpent and set it on a standard; and it will be that everyone who is bitten and looks at it, will live.” 9 And Moses made a (M)bronze serpent and set it on the standard; and it happened, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived.
10 (N)Then the sons of Israel set out and camped in Oboth. 11 They then set out from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim, in the wilderness which is opposite Moab, east toward the sunrise. 12 (O)From there they set out and camped in [i]Wadi Zered. 13 From there they set out and camped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness that comes out of the border of the Amorites, (P)for the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. 14 Therefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of Yahweh,
“Waheb in Suphah,
And the wadis of the Arnon,
15 And the slope of the wadis
That extends to the site of (Q)Ar,
And leans to the border of Moab.”
16 (R)And from there they continued to [j]Beer, that is the well where Yahweh said to Moses, “Assemble the people, that I may give them water.”
17 (S)Then Israel sang this song:
“Spring up, O well! Sing to it!
18 The well, which the leaders dug,
Which the nobles of the people carved out,
With the scepter and with their staffs.”
And from the wilderness they continued to Mattanah, 19 and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth, 20 and from Bamoth to the valley that is in the land of Moab, at the top of Pisgah which overlooks the [k]wasteland.
Sihon and Og Struck Down
21 (T)Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, saying, 22 “(U)Let me pass through your land. We will not turn off into field or vineyard; we will not drink water from wells. We will go by the king’s highway until we have passed through your border.” 23 (V)But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his border. So Sihon gathered all his people and went out to meet Israel in the wilderness and came to (W)Jahaz and fought against Israel. 24 Then (X)Israel [l]struck him with the edge of the sword and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as the sons of Ammon; for the (Y)border of the sons of Ammon was [m]Jazer. 25 And Israel took all these cities, and (Z)Israel lived in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all her [n]towns. 26 For Heshbon was the city of Sihon, king of the Amorites. Now it was he who had fought against the former king of Moab and had taken all his land out of his hand, as far as the Arnon. 27 Therefore those who use proverbs say,
“Come to Heshbon! Let it be built!
So let the city of Sihon be established.
28 (AA)For a fire went forth from Heshbon,
A flame from the town of Sihon;
It devoured (AB)Ar of Moab,
The [o](AC)dominant [p]heights of the Arnon.
29 (AD)Woe to you, O Moab!
You perish, O people of (AE)Chemosh!
(AF)He has given his sons as fugitives,
(AG)And his daughters into captivity,
To an Amorite king, Sihon.
30 But we have cast them down,
Heshbon perishes as far as (AH)Dibon,
And we have made desolate even to Nophah,
Which reaches to Medeba.”
31 Thus Israel lived in the land of the Amorites. 32 And Moses sent to spy out (AI)Jazer, and they captured its towns and dispossessed the Amorites who were there.
33 (AJ)Then they turned and went up by the way of Bashan, and Og the king of Bashan went out to meet them, he and all his people for battle at (AK)Edrei. 34 But Yahweh said to Moses, “(AL)Do not fear him, for I have given him into your hand, and all his people and his land; and you shall do to him as you did to Sihon, king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.” 35 So (AM)they struck down him and his sons and all his people, until [q]there was no survivor remaining for him; and they possessed his land.
Balak Sends for Balaam
22 (AN)Then the sons of Israel set out and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan opposite Jericho.
2 And (AO)Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 3 (AP)So Moab was in great fear because of the people, for they were numerous; and Moab was in dread of the sons of Israel. 4 Then Moab said to the elders of (AQ)Midian, “Now this assembly will lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” And Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time. 5 So he sent messengers to (AR)Balaam the son of Beor, at (AS)Pethor, which is near the [r]River, in the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying, “Behold, a people came out of Egypt; behold, they cover the surface of the land, and they are settled opposite me. 6 (AT)So now, please come, (AU)curse this people for me since they are too [s]mighty for me; perhaps I may be able to strike them down and drive them out of the land. For I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”
7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went away with the fees for (AV)divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam and spoke Balak’s words to him. 8 And he said to them, “Spend the night here, and I will bring word back to you as Yahweh may speak to me.” And the leaders of Moab stayed with Balaam. 9 Then (AW)God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” 10 And Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent word to me, 11 ‘Behold, there is a people who came out of Egypt, and they cover the surface of the land; now come, curse them for me; perhaps I may be able to fight against them and drive them out.’” 12 And God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them; (AX)you shall not curse the people, for they (AY)are blessed.” 13 So Balaam arose in the morning and said to Balak’s leaders, “Go back to your land, for Yahweh has refused to allow me to go with you.” 14 And the leaders of Moab arose and came to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to go with us.”
15 Then Balak again sent leaders, more numerous and more [t]honorable than [u]the former. 16 And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, ‘Let nothing, I beg you, withhold you from coming to me; 17 for I will indeed honor you richly, and I will do whatever you say to me. (AZ)Please come then, curse this people for me.’” 18 And Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “(BA)Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, either small or great, to trespass the [v]command of Yahweh my God. 19 So now, please, you also stay here tonight, and I will know what else Yahweh will speak to me.” 20 And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise up and go with them; but (BB)only the word which I speak to you shall you do.”
Jesus’ Birth Foretold
26 Now in the sixth month the angel (A)Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called (B)Nazareth, 27 to (C)a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, (D)of the [a]house of David, and the virgin’s name was [b]Mary. 28 And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, [c]favored one! The Lord [d]is with you.” 29 But she (E)was very perplexed at this statement, and was pondering what kind of greeting this was. 30 And the angel said to her, “(F)Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you (G)shall name Him Jesus. 32 [e]He will be great and will be called the Son of (H)the Most High, and the [f]Lord God will give Him (I)the throne of His father David, 33 (J)and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, (K)and there will be no end of His kingdom.” 34 But Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I [g]am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered and said to her, “(L)The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of (M)the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason [h](N)the holy Child shall be called (O)the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For [i](P)nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, the slave of the [j]Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 Now [k]at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to (Q)the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it happened that when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was (R)filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And [l]how has it happened to me, that the mother of (S)my Lord would come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. 45 And (T)blessed is she who believed [m]that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her [n]by the [o]Lord.”
Mary Magnifies the Lord
46 And Mary said:
“(U)My soul (V)magnifies the [p]Lord,
47 And (W)my spirit has rejoiced in (X)God my Savior.
48 For (Y)He has looked upon the humble state of His slave,
For behold, from this time on, all generations will count me (Z)blessed.
49 For the Mighty One has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.
50 (AA)And His mercy is [q]upon generation after generation
Toward those who fear Him.
51 (AB)He has done a mighty deed with His arm;
He has scattered those who were proud in the [r]thoughts of their heart.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
And has (AC)exalted those who were humble.
53 (AD)He has filled the hungry with good things,
And sent away the rich empty-handed.
54 He has given help to Israel His servant,
[s]In remembrance of His mercy,
55 (AE)As He spoke to our fathers,
(AF)To Abraham and his seed forever.”
56 And Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home.
Let Your Glory Be Above All the Earth
For the choir director. [a]Al-tashheth. Of David. A [b]Mikhtam. [c]When he fled from Saul in the cave.
57 Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me,
For my soul (A)takes refuge in You;
And in the (B)shadow of Your wings I will take refuge
Until destruction (C)passes by.
2 I will call to God Most High,
To God who (D)accomplishes all things for me.
3 He will (E)send from heaven and save me;
He reproaches him who [d](F)tramples upon me. [e]Selah.
God will send His (G)lovingkindness and His [f]truth.
4 My soul is among (H)lions;
I am lying down among those who breathe forth fire,
Sons of men whose (I)teeth are spears and arrows
And their (J)tongue a sharp sword.
5 (K)Be exalted above the heavens, O God;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.
6 They have [g]set a (L)net for my steps;
My soul is (M)bowed down;
They (N)dug a pit before me;
They themselves have (O)fallen into the midst of it. Selah.
7 (P)My (Q)heart is set, O God, my heart is set;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises!
8 Awake, (R)my glory!
Awake, (S)harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
9 (T)I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to You among the [h]nations.
10 For Your (U)lovingkindness is great to the heavens
And Your [i]truth to the skies.
11 (V)Be exalted above the heavens, O God;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.
9 With his (A)mouth the godless man corrupts his neighbor,
But through knowledge the (B)righteous will be rescued.
10 When it (C)goes well with the righteous, the city exults,
And when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting.
11 By the blessing of the upright a city is raised up,
But by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.
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