The Daily Audio Bible
Today's audio is from the ESV. Switch to the ESV to read along with the audio.
21 So Balaam rose up early and saddled his donkey and went with the Princes of Moab.
22 And the wrath of God was kindled, because he went and the Angel of the LORD stood against him in the way as he rode upon his donkey. And his two servants were with him.
23 And when the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD stand in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, the donkey turned off the road and went into the field. But Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back on the road.
24 Again, the Angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall on one side and a wall on the other.
25 And when the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD, she thrust herself into the wall and hit Balaam’s foot against the wall. Therefore, he struck her again.
26 Then the Angel of the LORD went further and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn, to the right or the left.
27 And when the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam. Therefore, Balaam was very angry and struck the donkey with a staff.
28 Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me now three times?”
29 And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have mocked me! I wish there were a sword in my hand, for would I kill you now!”
30 And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey which you have ridden upon since your first time to this day? Have I ever done this to you?” Who said, “No.”
31 And the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam. And he saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand. Then he bowed himself and fell flat on his face.
32 And the Angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you now struck your donkey three times? Behold, I came out to oppose you because your way is not straight before me.
33 “But the donkey saw me and has turned from me now three times. Otherwise, if she had not turned from me, I would surely have killed you already and saved her life.”
34 Then Balaam said to the Angel of the LORD, “I have sinned. For I wish that you did not stand in the way against me. Now, therefore, if it displeases you, I will turn home again.”
35 But the Angel said to Balaam, “Go with the men. But what I say to you, that shall you speak.” So, Balaam went with the Princes of Balak.
36 And when Balak heard that Balaam came, he went out to meet him, to a city of Moab which is on the border of Arnon, on the outermost coast.
37 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send for you to call you? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I not indeed able to promote you to honor?”
38 And Balaam answered Balak, “Lo, I have come to you. And can I now say anything? The Word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.”
39 So Balaam went with Balak. And they came to the city of Huzoth.
40 Then Balak offered bullocks and sheep and sent some of them to Balaam and to the Princes who were with him.
41 And the next day, Balak took Balaam and brought him up into the high places of Baal, so that from there he might see the furthermost part of the people.
23 And Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars for me here, and prepare for me here seven bullocks and seven rams.”
2 And Balak did as Balaam said. And Balak and Balaam offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.
3 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stand by your Burnt Offering. And I will go, if the LORD will come meet me. And whatever He shows me, I will tell you.” So he went forth alone.
4 And God met Balaam. And Balaam said to him, “I have prepared seven altars and have offered a bullock and a ram upon every altar.”
5 And the LORD put an answer in Balaam’s mouth, and said, “Go back to Balak and say the same.”
6 So, when he turned to him, lo, he stood by his Burnt Offering (he and all the princes of Moab).
7 Then he uttered his parable, and said, “Balak the King of Moab has brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, ‘Come, curse Jacob for my sake. Come, and detest Israel.’
8 “How shall I curse where God has not cursed? Or how shall I detest where the LORD has not detested?
9 “For from the top of the rocks I saw him, and from the hills I beheld him. Lo, the people shall dwell by themselves and shall not be reckoned among the nations.
10 “Who can tell the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous. And let my last end be like his.”
11 Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies. And behold, you have blessed them altogether.”
12 And he answered, and said, “Must I not be careful to speak that which the LORD has put in my mouth?”
13 And Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place from where you may see them, and you shall see only the outer part of them and shall not see them all. Therefore, curse them out of that place, for my sake.”
14 And he brought him into Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.
15 Afterward, he said to Balak, “Stand here by your Burnt Offering, and I will meet the LORD yonder.”
16 And the LORD met Balaam, and put an answer in his mouth, and said, “Go again to Balak, and say this.”
17 And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his Burnt Offering, and the princes of Moab with him. So Balak said to him, “What has the LORD said?”
18 And he uttered his parable, and said, “Rise up Balak, and hear! Listen to me, you son of Zippor!
19 “God is not as man, that He should lie; nor as the son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and shall not do it? And has He spoken, and shall not accomplish it?
20 “Behold, I have received Commandment to bless. For He has blessed. And I cannot alter it.
21 “He sees no iniquity in Jacob or transgression in Israel. The LORD his God is with him, and the joyful shout of a King is among them.
22 “God brought them out of Egypt, their strength as a unicorn.
23 “For there is no sorcery in Jacob, nor soothsaying in Israel. According to this time it shall be said of Jacob, and of Israel, ‘What has God wrought?’
24 “Behold, the people shall rise up as a lion, and lift himself up as a young lion. He shall not lie down till he eats of the prey, and till he drinks the blood of the slain.”
25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse nor bless them at all.”
26 But Balaam answered, and said to Balak, “Did I not tell you, saying, ‘All that the LORD speaks, that must I do?’”
27 Again Balak said to Balaam, “Please come, I will bring you to another place if it pleases God that from there you may curse them for my sake.”
28 So Balak brought Balaam to the top of Peor, that looks toward Jeshimon.
29 Then Balaam said to Balak, “Make seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bullocks for me here, and seven rams.
30 And Balak did as Balaam had said and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.
57 Now, Elizabeth’s time came for her to be delivered. And she brought forth a Son.
58 And her neighbors and cousins heard tell how the Lord had showed His great mercy upon her. And they rejoiced with her.
59 And it was so that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the baby. And they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
60 But his mother answered, and said, “Not so. But he shall be called John.”
61 And they said to her, “There is no one in your family that is named with this name.”
62 Then they made signs to his father, asking how he would like him called.
63 So he asked for writing tablets, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” And they all marveled.
64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue. And he spoke and praised God.
65 Then fear came on all those who lived near them. And all these words were spread throughout all the hill country of Judea.
66 And all those who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What kind of child shall this be?” And the hand of the Lord was with him.
67 Then his father, Zacharias, was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because He has visited and redeemed His people!
69 “And He has raised up the Horn of Salvation unto us, in the House of His servant David,
70 “as He spoke by the mouth of His Holy Prophets. Who were, since the world began, saying,
71 ‘deliverance from our enemies, and from the hands of all that hate us.’
72 “So that He might show mercy towards our fathers, and remember His Holy Covenant -
73 “the oath, which He swore to our father, Abraham -
74 “that he would grant to us. So that we, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, should serve him without fear
75 “all the days of our life, in holiness and righteousness before him.
76 “And you, child, shall be called the Prophet of the Most High. For you shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
77 “to give knowledge of salvation to His people, by the remission of their sins
78 “through the tender mercy of our God (whereby the Dayspring from on high has visited us),
79 “to give light to those who sit in darkness (and in the shadow of death), and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit. And he was in the wilderness until the day came that he should show himself to Israel.
58 Is it true? O congregation, do you speak justly? O sons of men, do you judge uprightly?
2 Indeed, rather, you imagine mischief in your heart. Your hands execute cruelty upon the Earth.
3 The wicked are strangers from the womb. From the belly, they have erred and speak lies.
4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent; like the deaf adder that stops its ear
5 It does not hear the voice of the enchanter (though he is most expert in charming).
6 Break their teeth, O God, in their mouths. Break the jaws of the young lions, O LORD.
7 Let them melt like the waters. Let them pass away. When he shoots his arrows, let them be broken.
8 Let them proceed as a snail that melts, and like the stillborn child of a woman who has not seen the Sun.
9 Before your pots can feel the fire of thorns, let Him carry them away as green, with a whirlwind, in His wrath.
10 The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 And men shall say, “Truly, there is fruit for the righteous. Doubtless, there is a God Who judges on the Earth.” To him who excels: Do not destroy. A Psalm of David on Michtam, when Saul sent and they watched the house to kill him
12 He who despises his neighbor, is destitute of wisdom. But a man of understanding will keep silence.
13 He who goes about as a slanderer, discovers a secret. But he who is of a faithful heart, conceals a matter.
© 2019, 2024 by Five Talents Audio. All rights reserved.