The Daily Audio Bible

War with Amalek

⁸ Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim. ⁹ So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us. And go out and fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the special stick of God in my hand.” ¹⁰ Joshua did as Moses told him. He fought against Amalek. And Moses, Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the hill. ¹¹ When Moses held up his hand, Israel would be winning. But when he let his hand down, Amalek would win. ¹² Moses’ hands became tired. So they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Then Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on each side. His hands did not move until the sun went down. ¹³ So Joshua destroyed Amalek and his people with the sword.

¹⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this in a book, to be remembered, and tell Joshua that I will take away everything under heaven that would help you remember Amalek.” ¹⁵ Moses built an altar and gave it the name The Lord is My Banner. ¹⁶ And he said, “Because the Lord has promised to have war against Amalek through all time.”

Jethro Helps Moses

18 Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, the religious leader of Midian, heard about all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people. He heard about how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. ² Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, had taken Moses’ wife, Zipporah, after Moses had sent her away. ³ And he had taken her two sons. One was given the name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a stranger in a strange land.” ⁴ The other was given the name Eliezer, for he said, “The God of my father was my help. And He saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

⁵ Then Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, came to Moses with his sons and his wife to the desert by the mountain of God where he was staying. ⁶ He sent the news to Moses, “I, your father-in-law, Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.” ⁷ Then Moses went to meet his father-in-law. He bowed down and kissed him. They asked each other if all was well, and went into the tent. ⁸ Moses told his father-in-law all the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians because of Israel. He told him about how they had suffered on the way, and how the Lord had saved them. ⁹ Jethro was glad because of all the good things the Lord had done for Israel in saving them from the hand of the Egyptians. ¹⁰ So Jethro said, “Honor and thanks be to the Lord, Who saved you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and Who made you free from the power of Egypt. ¹¹ Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods. It was proven when they acted in their pride against the people.” ¹² Then Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, gave a burnt gift in worship to God. And Aaron came with all the leaders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

Men Who Judge

¹³ The next day Moses sat to judge the people. And the people stood around Moses from morning until evening. ¹⁴ When Moses’ father-in-law saw all he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you do for the people? Why do you sit alone and judge and all the people stand around you from morning until evening?” ¹⁵ Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to learn God’s will. ¹⁶ When they argue, they come to me. And I judge between a man and his neighbor. I teach them the Laws of God.” ¹⁷ Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. ¹⁸ You and the people with you will become tired and weak. For the work is too much for you. You cannot do it alone. ¹⁹ Now listen to me. I will tell you what you should do, and God be with you. You speak for the people before God. Bring the troubles to God. ²⁰ Then teach them the Laws. Make them know the way they must walk and the work they must do. ²¹ Also, you should choose from the people able men who fear God, men of truth who hate to get things by doing wrong. Have these men rule over the people, as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. ²² Let them judge the people at all times. Have all the big troubles brought to you. But have them judge the small troubles. So it will be easier for you. They will share the work with you. ²³ If you do this and God tells you to do it, then you will be able to keep your strength. And all these people will go to their place in peace.”

²⁴ Moses listened to his father-in-law, and did all that he had said. ²⁵ Moses chose able men out of all Israel. And he made them leaders over the people, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. ²⁶ They judged the people at all times. They would bring the big troubles to Moses. But they would judge every small trouble themselves. ²⁷ Then Moses let his father-in-law return to his own land.

Moses Meets God on Mount Sinai

19 In the third month after the people of Israel left Egypt, they came to the Sinai Desert on the same day. ² They had left Rephidim and had come to the Sinai Desert. There Israel set up their tents in front of the mountain. ³ And Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Say this to the house of Jacob and tell the people of Israel: ⁴ ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. ⁵ Now then, if you will obey My voice and keep My agreement, you will belong to Me from among all nations. For all the earth is Mine. ⁶ You will be to Me a nation of religious leaders, a holy nation.’ These are the words you will speak to the people of Israel.”

⁷ So Moses came and called the leaders of the people. He told them all these words which the Lord had told him. ⁸ And all the people answered together and said, “We will do all that the Lord has said!” Then Moses went to tell the Lord what the people had said. ⁹ The Lord said to Moses, “See, I will come to you in a thick cloud. So the people may hear when I speak with you, and may believe you forever.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said. ¹⁰ The Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people. Today and tomorrow set them apart to be holy. Have them wash their clothes. ¹¹ And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day people will see the Lord come down on Mount Sinai. ¹² Let the people know the places all around that they must not pass. Tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not go up on the mountain or touch any place around it. Whoever touches the mountain will be put to death. ¹³ No hand will touch him. But he will be killed with stones or arrows. If he be animal or man, he will not live.’ When a long sound from a horn is heard, they may come up to the mountain.”

¹⁴ So Moses went down from the mountain to the people. He set the people apart to be holy, and they washed their clothes. ¹⁵ He said to the people, “Be ready for the third day. Do not go near a woman.”

The Great Law ^(A)

³⁴ The proud religious law-keepers got together when they heard that the religious group of people who believe no one will be raised from the dead were not able to talk anymore to Jesus. ³⁵ A proud religious law-keeper who knew the Law tried to trap Jesus. He said, ³⁶ “Teacher, which one is the greatest of the Laws?” ³⁷ Jesus said to him, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest of the Laws. ³⁹ The second is like it, ‘You must love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ ⁴⁰ All the Laws and the writings of the early preachers depend on these two most important Laws.”

⁴¹ The proud religious law-keepers were gathered together. Then Jesus asked, ⁴² “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” They said to Him, “The Son of David.” ⁴³ Jesus said to them, “Then how is it that David, being led by the Holy Spirit, calls Him ‘Lord’? He said, ⁴⁴ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right side until I make those who hate You a place to rest Your feet.”’ ^{(B) 45} If David calls Him ‘Lord,’ then how can He be the Son of David?” ⁴⁶ No one could answer a word, and after that day no one asked Him anything.

The Teachers of the Law and the Proud Religious Law-Keepers ^(C)

23 Then Jesus talked to the many people and to His followers. ² He said, “The teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers have put themselves in Moses’ place as teachers. ³ Do what they tell you to do and keep on doing it. But do not follow what they do. They preach but do not obey their own preaching. ⁴ They make heavy loads and put them on the shoulders of men. But they will not help lift them with a finger. ⁵ Everything they do, they do to be seen of men. They have words from the Holy Writings written in large letters on their left arm and forehead and they make wide trimming for their clothes. ⁶ They like to have the important places at big suppers and the best seats in the Jewish places of worship. ⁷ They like to have people show respect to them as they stand in the center of town where people gather. They like to be called teacher.

⁸ “But you are not to be called teacher. There is only one Teacher, and all of you are brothers. ⁹ Do not call any man here on earth your father. There is only one Father and He is in heaven. ¹⁰ You are not to be called leader. There is only one Leader and He is Christ.

¹¹ “He who is greatest among you will be the one to care for you. ¹² The person who thinks he is important will find out how little he is worth. The person who is not trying to honor himself will be made important.

⁷ O Lord, listen to my cry. Show loving-kindness to me and answer me. ⁸ You have said, “Look for My face.” My heart said to You, “O Lord, Your face will I look for.” ⁹ Do not hide Your face from me. Do not turn Your servant away in anger. You have been my Helper. Do not turn away from me or leave me alone, O God Who saves me! ¹⁰ For my father and my mother have left me. But the Lord will take care of me.

¹¹ Teach me Your way, O Lord. Lead me in a straight path, because of those who fight against me. ¹² Do not give me over to the desire of those who hate me. For people who tell lies about me rise against me, and breathe a desire to hurt me. ¹³ I would have been without hope if I had not believed that I would see the loving-kindness of the Lord in the land of the living. ¹⁴ Wait for the Lord. Be strong. Let your heart be strong. Yes, wait for the Lord.

²⁷ Can a man carry fire in his arms, and his clothes not be burned? ²⁸ Can a man walk on hot coals, and his feet not be burned? ²⁹ So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife. Whoever touches her will be punished. ³⁰ Men do not hate a robber who steals food for himself when he is hungry. ³¹ But if he is caught, he must pay seven times what he took. He must give up all the things in his house. ³² He who does sex sins with a woman does not think well. He who does it is destroying himself. ³³ He will be hurt and ashamed, and his shame will not be taken away. ³⁴ Jealousy makes a man angry. He will show no pity for the wrong that was done to him. ³⁵ He will not take pay, and he will not be happy even if you give him many gifts.