The Daily Audio Bible

18 Priests and deacons, and all men that be of the same lineage, shall have no part and heritage with the tother people of Israel, for they shall eat the sacrifices of the Lord, and the offerings of him; (The levitical priests, and all the men who be of the tribe of Levi, shall have no part or inheritance with the other people of Israel, for they shall eat the burnt sacrifices, and the other offerings, to the Lord;)

² and they shall not take any other thing of the possession of their brethren; for the Lord himself is their heritage, as he spake to them. (and they shall have no possession among their brothers; for the Lord himself is their inheritance, as he promised them.)

³ This shall be the doom of (the) priests, that is, the thing justly given, either granted, of the people, and of them that offer sacrifices (This shall be the priest’s due, that is, the thing rightly given from the people, yea, from those who offer sacrifices); whether they offer an ox, either a sheep, they shall give to the priest the shoulder, and the paunch,

⁴ the first fruits of wheat, and of wine, and of oil, and a part of wools of the shearing of sheep. (the first fruits of thy corn, and of thy wine, and of thy oil, and a part of the wools from the shearing of thy sheep.)

⁵ For thy Lord God hath chosen him (out) of all thy lineages, that he stand and minister to the name of the Lord (that he stand to minister in the name of the Lord), he and his sons, [into] without end.

⁶ If a deacon goeth out of one of thy cities of all Israel, in which he dwelleth (If a Levite goeth out of any of thy cities in Israel, in which he liveth), and will come and desireth the place which the Lord (shall) choose,

⁷ he shall minister in the name of his Lord God, as all his brethren deacons, that shall stand in that time before the Lord. (then he shall minister in the name of the Lord his God, like all of his fellow Levites, who stand before the Lord at that time.)

⁸ He shall take the same part of meats, that also other deacons shall take; besides that that is due to him in his city, by succession, either heritage, of (his) father. (He shall receive the same portion of food, that other Levites receive; besides what is due to him in his own city, by succession, either inheritance, from his father.)

⁹ When thou hast entered into the land which thy Lord God shall give to thee, be thou ware lest thou wilt follow the abominations of those folks;

¹⁰ none be found in thee that cleanseth his son, either his daughter, and leadeth by the fire, either that asketh questions of diviners that divine about the altars, and that taketh heed to dreams, and (to) chittering of birds; neither any witch be (among you), (let none be found among thee who maketh his son, or his daughter, to pass through the fire, or who asketh questions of diviners who divine about the altars, or who taketh heed to dreams, or to the twittering of birds; and let there be no witch found among you,)

¹¹ neither any enchanter or tregetour, (that is, he who deceiveth men’s eyes so that a thing seem that which it is not); neither a man take counsel of them that have a fiend speaking within them, neither of false diviners, neither seek of dead men the truth (nor let anyone take counsel from them who have a fiend speaking within them, or from false diviners, nor seek they to learn the truth from the dead).

¹² For the Lord hath abomination of all these things, and for such wickednesses he shall do away them in thine entering. (For the Lord hath abomination for all these things, and for such wickednesses, he shall drive them all out before thee.)

¹³ Thou shalt be perfect, and without filth, with thy Lord God.

¹⁴ These heathen men, whose land thou shalt wield, hear them that work by chittering of birds, and false diviners; but thou art taught in other manner of thy Lord God. (These heathen, whose land thou shalt possess, listen to those who portend by the twittering of birds, and to false diviners; but thou art taught in another way, by the Lord thy God.)

¹⁵ Thy Lord God shall raise a prophet of thy folk, and of thy brethren, as me, to thee, (and) thou shalt hear him; (The Lord thy God shall raise up a prophet like me, for thee, from thy nation, or thy people, yea, one of thy brothers, or one of thy kinsmen, and thou shalt listen to him;)

¹⁶ as thou askedest of thy Lord God in Horeb, when the company was gathered together, and thou saidest, I shall no more hear the voice of my Lord God, and I shall no more see this greatest fire, lest I die. (as thou askedest of the Lord thy God at Mount Sinai, when the congregation was gathered together, and thou saidest, We shall not hear again the voice of the Lord our God, and we shall not see this great fire again, lest we die.)

¹⁷ And the Lord said to me, They have spoken well all things (They have spoken all things well).

¹⁸ I shall raise to them a prophet, like thee, of the midst of their brethren, and I shall put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all things, which I shall command to him. (I shall raise up for them a prophet, like thee, from the midst of their brothers, or of their kinsmen, and I shall put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all the things, that I shall command to him.)

¹⁹ And I shall be venger of him, that will not hear his words, which he shall speak in my name. (And I shall take vengeance upon anyone, who shall not obey the words, which he shall speak in my name.)

²⁰ Soothly a prophet shall be slain, which is depraved with pride, and will speak in my name those things, which I commanded not to him, that he should say, either by the name of alien gods. (And the prophet who is depraved with pride, and shall speak in my name those things, which I did not command him to say, or shall speak in the name of foreign, or other, gods, that prophet must be put to death.)

²¹ That if thou answerest by privy thought, How may I understand the word, which the Lord spake not? (And if thou ask within thyselves, How can we know that the Lord did not speak this word?)

²² thou shalt have this sign, or token, (to know a false prophet from a true prophet,) if that that that prophet saith before in the name of the Lord, cometh not, the Lord spake it not, but he feigned it through (the) pride of his soul, and therefore thou shalt not dread him. (thou shalt have this sign, to know a false prophet from a true prophet; If what that prophet saith beforehand in the name of the Lord, cometh not, then the Lord did not speak it, but the false prophet feigned his prophecy through the pride of his soul, and so thou shalt not fear him.)

19 When thy Lord God hath destroyed the folks, whose land he shall give to thee, and thou hast wielded it, and hast dwelled in the cities, and in [the] houses thereof;

² thou shalt separate three cities to thee in the midst of the land, which thy Lord God shall give to thee into possession. (thou shalt set apart three cities for thee in the midst of the land, which the Lord thy God shall give thee for a possession.)

³ Thou shalt make ready diligently the way, and thou shalt part evenly into three parts all the province(s) of thy land, that he that is exiled for manslaying, have nigh (at) hand whither he may escape. (Thou shalt diligently make ready the way, and thou shalt evenly divide all the provinces of thy land into three parts, so that anyone who is exiled for manslaughter, shall have a place close at hand to which they can escape.)

⁴ This shall be the law of a manslayer fleeing, whose life shall be kept. If a man smiteth unwittingly his neighbour, and which is proved to have not had any hatred against him yesterday, and the third day ago, (This shall be the law for anyone fleeing manslaughter, whose life shall be saved. If anyone unwittingly, or unintentionally, striketh down his neighbour, and is proved to have not had any hatred against him yesterday, and the third day ago,)

⁵ but to have gone simply with him into the wood to hew down trees, and in the felling down of trees the ax flieth from his hand, and the iron slideth from the helve, and smiteth, and slayeth his friend; this man shall flee to one of the foresaid cities, and shall live; (but simply to have gone into the woods with him to cut down some trees, and in the felling down of the trees, the ax flieth out of his hand, and the iron slideth from the helve, and striketh, and killeth his friend; this person shall flee to one of the foresaid cities, and shall be safe there;)

⁶ lest peradventure the next kinsman of him, whose blood is shed out, be pricked with sorrow, and pursue, and (over)take him, if the way is longer, and slay his life, that is not guilty of death; for it is showed that he had not any hatred before against him that is slain. (lest the next of kin of him whose blood is shed out, be pricked with sorrow, and he pursue the killer, and overtake him, because the way is long, and then take the life of him who is truly not guilty of murder; for it was shown that he had no hatred before against that person who was killed.)

⁷ Therefore I command to thee, that thou separate three cities of even space betwixt themselves. (And so I command thee to set apart three cities with even space between them.)

⁸ Forsooth when thy Lord God hath alarged thy terms, as he swore to thy fathers, and hath given to thee all the land which he promised to them;

⁹ if nevertheless thou keepest his commandments, and doest those things which I command to thee today, that thou love thy Lord God, and go in his ways in all time (so that thou love the Lord thy God, and go in his ways at all times), (then) thou shalt add to thee three other cities, and (so) thou shalt double the number of the foresaid cities,

¹⁰ that guiltless blood be not shed out in the midst of the land which thy Lord God shall give to thee to have in possession, lest thou be guilty of blood. (so that innocent blood be not shed out in the midst of the land which the Lord thy God shall give thee to have for a possession, and that thou be guilty of shedding that innocent blood.)

¹¹ Forsooth if any man hateth his neighbour, and setteth ambushes to his life, and riseth up against him privily, and smiteth him, and he is dead (and he dieth), and the manslayer fleeth to one of the foresaid cities,

¹² the elder men of that city shall send (for), and take him from the place of refuge; and they shall betake him into the hand of the next kinsman of him, whose blood is shed out, and he shall die, (the elders of that city shall send for him, and shall bring him back from the place of refuge; and they shall deliver him into the hands of the next of kin of him whose blood was shed out, and he shall die/and he shall be put to death,)

¹³ and thou shalt not have mercy upon him; and thou shalt do away guilty blood from Israel, that it be well to thee. (and thou shalt not give him any mercy; and so thou shalt do away from Israel the guilt for innocent blood, so that it be well with thee.)

¹⁴ Thou shalt not take, and turn over, the terms of thy neighbour, which the former men set in thy possession, which thy Lord God shall give to thee in the land, which land thou shalt take to be wielded. (Thou shalt not take away, or turn over, thy neighbour’s boundary stones, which the people in former times put there in thy possession, which the Lord thy God shall give thee, in the land which thou shalt take for thyselves.)

¹⁵ One witness shall not stand against any man, whatever thing it is of sin, and of wickedness; but each word shall stand in the mouth of twain, either of three witnesses. (One witness shall not convict anyone, whatever his sin, or wickedness; but each charge must be established by the testimony of two, or three, witnesses.)

¹⁶ If a false witness standeth against a man, and accuseth him of breaking of the law,

¹⁷ both they, of whom the cause is, shall stand before the Lord, in the sight of priests, and of judges, that be in those days. (then both of the people who be in dispute, shall stand before the Lord, in the sight of the priests, and the judges, who then be in office.)

¹⁸ And when they seeking the cause most diligently (And if, after they have studied the case most diligently), (they) have found that the false witness said a lie against his brother,

¹⁹ they shall yield to him, as he thought to have done to his brother; and (so) thou shalt do away evil from the midst of thee,

²⁰ that other men hear, and have dread, and be no more hardy to do such things (so that other people can hear, and have fear, and no more be so fool-hardy to do such things). Thou shalt not have mercy on him,

²¹ but thou shalt ask life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

20 If thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and thou seest a multitude of knights, and of chariots, and a greater multitude of the adversary(’s) host than (what) thou hast, thou shalt not dread them; for thy Lord God is with thee, that led thee out of the land of Egypt. (If thou goest out to battle against thy enemies, and thou seest a multitude of horsemen, and of chariots, and a greater multitude of the adversary’s army than what thou hast, thou shalt not fear them; for the Lord thy God is with thee, who led thee out of the land of Egypt.)

² Soothly when the battle nigheth now, the priest shall stand before the battle array, and thus he shall speak to the people (and he shall speak to the people thus),

³ Thou, Israel, hear today, ye have battle against your enemies; your heart dread not, be ye not afeared; do not ye give stead, dread ye not them; (Hear, O Israel, today ye shall do battle against your enemies; but do not let your heart fear, and do not be afraid; do not ye give place to panic, and do not ye fear them;)

⁴ for your Lord God is in the midst of you, and he shall fight for you against your adversaries, that he deliver you from peril. (for the Lord your God is in your midst, and he shall fight for you against your adversaries, so that he can save you from peril.)

⁵ But the leaders shall cry by all the companies, while the host shall hear, (and shall say,) Who is the man that hath builded a new house, and hath hallowed not it? go he and turn again into his house, lest peradventure he die in battle, and another man hallow it. (Then the leaders of the army shall say, in the hearing of all the people, Who is the man who hath built a new house, and hath not yet dedicated it? go he back, and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.)

⁶ Who is the man that (hath) planted a vinery, and hath not yet made it to be common, and of which it is leaveful to all men to eat? go he, and turn again into his house, lest peradventure he die in battle, and another man be set in his office. (Who is the man who hath planted a vineyard, and hath not yet made it to be common, and therefore lawful for all men to eat of it? go he back, and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man enjoy its fruits.)

⁷ Who is the man that hath espoused a wife, and hath not (yet) taken her by fleshly knowing? go he, and turn again into his house, lest peradventure he die in battle, and another man take her. (Who is the man who hath espoused a wife, and hath not yet taken her in fleshly knowing? go he back, and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.)

⁸ When these things be said, the leaders of the host shall add to (them) other things, and they shall speak to the people, and say, Who is a fearful man, and of dreadful heart? go he, and turn again into his house, lest he make his brethren’s hearts to dread, as he is aghast by dread. (When these things be said, the leaders of the army shall add other things, and they shall say to the people, Who is fearful, and hath a heart full of dread? go he back, and return to his house, lest he make his kinsmen’s hearts to fear, just like his is filled with fear.)

⁹ And when the dukes of the host be still, and have made (an) end of speaking, each chieftain of thy host shall make ready his companies to battle. (And when the leaders of the army have finished speaking, they shall appoint a leader, or a chief man, for each company.)

¹⁰ If any time thou shalt go to a city to overcome it, first thou shalt proffer peace to it. (Now anytime that thou shalt go to attack a city, thou shalt first make an offer of peace to them, that is, thou shalt give them a chance to surrender.)

¹¹ If the city receiveth thy (offer of) peace, and openeth to thee the gates, all the people that is therein shall be saved, and it shall serve thee under tribute. (If the city accepteth thy offer of peace, and they surrender, and they open the gates to thee, then all the people who be there shall become your slaves, and shall serve thee.)

¹² But if they will not make bond of peace with thee, and begin battle against thee, thou shalt fight against it. (But if they will not make peace with thee, but begin battle against thee, then thou shalt fight against them.)

¹³ And when thy Lord God hath betaken it in(to) thine hands, thou shalt smite by the sharpness of sword all thing of male kind that is therein, (And when the Lord thy God hath delivered them into thy hands, thou shalt strike down, or shalt kill, with the sharpness of the sword, all the males who be there,)

¹⁴ without women, and young children, beasts, and other things that be in the city. Thou shalt part all the prey to the host, and thou shalt eat of the spoils of thine enemies, which spoils thy Lord God hath given to thee. (but not the women, and the young children, and the beasts, and the other things that be in the city. Thou shalt divide all the prey among the army, and thou shalt eat the spoils of thy enemies, which spoils the Lord thy God hath given thee.)

¹⁵ Thus thou shalt do to all the cities, that be full far from thee, and be not of these (nigh) cities which thou shalt take into possession. (Thus thou shalt do, to all the cities that be far away from thee, but not to the cities that be near, which thou shalt take for a possession.)

¹⁶ But of these cities that shall be given to thee, thou shalt not suffer any to live, but thou shalt slay by the sharpness of sword; (But in these cities that shall be given to thee by the Lord, thou shalt not allow anyone to remain alive, but thou shalt kill them all by the sharpness of the sword;)

¹⁷ that is to say, Hittites, and Amorites, and Canaanites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites, as thy Lord God hath commanded to thee;

¹⁸ lest peradventure they teach you to do all the abominations, which they have wrought (un)to their gods, and ye do sin against your Lord God (and then ye sin against the Lord your God).

¹⁹ When thou hast besieged a city by long time, and thou hast compassed it with strongholds that thou overcome it, thou shalt not cut down the trees, of which men may eat/of which fruit may be eaten, neither thou shalt waste the country(side) about with axes; for it is a tree, and not a man, neither it may increase the number of fighters against thee. (When thou hast besieged a city for a long time, and thou hast surrounded it with strongholds so that thou can overcome it, thou shalt not cut down the trees, from which men can eat/whose fruit can be eaten, nor shalt thou destroy all the countryside about with axes; for it is a tree, and not a man, and it cannot increase the number of fighters against thee.)

²⁰ And if any of them be not apple trees, but be wild, and able into other uses, cut them down, and make of them engines, till thou take the city that fighteth against thee. (But if any of them be not apple trees, or other kinds of fruit trees, but be wild, and good for other uses, then cut them down, and make engines, or bulwarks, out of them, until thou take the city that fighteth against thee.)

²⁸ And it was done after these words almost eight days, and he took Peter and James and John, and he ascended into an hill, to pray.

²⁹ And while he prayed, the likeness of his face was changed, and his clothing was white shining. [And the while he prayed, the likeness of his cheer was made other manner, and his clothing white shining.]

³⁰ And lo! two men spake with him, and Moses and Elias

³¹ were seen in majesty; and they said his going out, which he should fulfill in Jerusalem.

³² And Peter, and they that were with him, were heavy of sleep [were grieved, or heavied, with sleep], and they waking saw his majesty, and the two men that stood with him.

³³ And it was done, when they departed from him, Peter said to Jesus, Commander, it is good that we be here, and make we here three tabernacles, one to thee, and one to Moses, and one to Elias. And he knew not what he should say. [And it was done, when they departed from him, Peter saith to Jesus, Commander, it is good to us for to be here, and make we here three tabernacles, one to thee, and one to Moses, and one to Elias; not witting what he should say.]

³⁴ But while he spake these things, a cloud was made, and overshadowed them; and they dreaded, when they entered into the cloud.

³⁵ And a voice was made out of the cloud, and said [saying], This is my dear-worthy Son, hear ye him.

³⁶ And while the voice was made, Jesus was found alone. And they were still, and to no man said in those days any of those things, that they had seen [And they held peace, and said to no man in those days aught of those things, which they had seen].

³⁷ But it was done in the day following, when they came down of the hill, much people met them.

³⁸ And lo! a man of the company cried, and said [saying], Master, I beseech thee, behold [into] my son, for I have no more [for he is only to me];

³⁹ and lo! a spirit taketh him, and suddenly he crieth, and hurtleth [him] down, and draweth him with foam, and scarcely he goeth away drawing him all to pieces.

⁴⁰ And I prayed thy disciples, that they should cast him out, and they might not.

⁴¹ And Jesus answered and said to them, A! unfaithful generation and wayward [Soothly Jesus answering said to them, O! unfaithful generation and wayward], how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? bring hither thy son.

⁴² And when he came nigh, the devil hurtled him down [the devil hurled him down], and wrenched him. And Jesus blamed the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and yielded him to his father.

⁴³ And all men wondered greatly in the greatness of God. And when all men wondered in all things that he did [And all men wondering in all things which he did], he said to his disciples,

⁴⁴ Put ye these words in your hearts [Put ye these words in your heart], for it is to come, that man's Son be betrayed into the hands of men.

⁴⁵ And they knew not this word, and it was hid before them, that they feeled it not; and they dreaded to ask him of this word.

⁴⁶ But a thought entered into them, who of them should be greatest.

⁴⁷ And Jesus, seeing the thoughts of the heart of them, took a child, and setted [set] him beside him;

⁴⁸ and said to them, Whoever receiveth this child in my name, receiveth me; and whoever receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me; for he that is least among you all, is the greatest. [and said to them, Whoever shall receive this child in my name, receiveth me; and whoever shall receive me, receiveth him that sent me; for why he that is less among you all, this is the more.]

⁴⁹ And John answered and said, Commander, we saw a man casting out fiends in thy name, and we have forbidden him, for he followeth not thee with us.

⁵⁰ And Jesus said to him, Do not ye forbid, for he that is not against us, is for us.

73 The psalm of Asaph. God of Israel is full good; to them that be of rightful heart. (The song of Asaph. The God of Israel is very good; to those who have an upright heart.)

² But my feet were moved almost; my steps were shed out almost. (But my feet almost stumbled; my steps almost slipped.)

³ For I loved fervently on wicked men; seeing the peace of sinners. (For I envied the wicked; when I saw the prosperity of the sinners.)

⁴ For beholding is not to the death of them; and steadfastness in the sickness of them. (For it seemed that they never die; yea, they always be strong, and never get sick.)

⁵ They be not in travail of (other) men; and they shall not be beaten with men. (They do not have trouble, or tribulation, like other people do; and they be not beaten down like others be.)

⁶ Therefore pride hath held them; they were covered with their wickedness and unfaithfulness.

⁷ The wickedness of them came forth as of fatness; they went into desire of heart. (Their wickedness came forth like fatness; and they went forth in the desire of their hearts.)

⁸ They thought and spake waywardness; they spake wickedness on high (they spoke wickedness out loud).

⁹ They putted their mouth into heaven; and their tongue passed in earth. (They put their mouths against heaven; and their tongues went about over all the earth.)

¹⁰ Therefore my people shall be turned again here; and full days shall be found in them. (And so my people followed them; and found nothing to condemn them for.)

¹¹ And they said, How knoweth God; and whether knowing is on high? (And they said, How could God know? how can the Most High have any knowledge of this?)

¹² Lo! those sinners and having abundance in the world; (they) held riches.

¹³ And I said, Therefore without cause I justified mine heart; and washed mine hands among innocents. (And I said, And so I have keep my heart pure, and I have kept my hands clean, all for nothing/all in vain.)

¹⁴ And I was beaten all day; and my chastising was in morrowtides. (Yea, all day long I am beaten down; and I am punished every morning.)

¹⁵ If I said, I shall tell thus; lo! I [have] reproved the nation of thy sons. (If I had said, I shall talk as they do; lo! I would have brought reproach upon the nation of thy children.)

¹⁶ I guessed, that I should know this; (but too much) travail is before me. (I tried to work through all of this; but it was too much for me.)

¹⁷ Till I enter into the saintuary of God; and understand in the last things of them. (Until I entered into the sanctuary of God; and there I understood their last things, that is, their end.)

¹⁸ Nevertheless for guiles thou hast put to them; thou castedest them down, while they were raised. (For thou shalt put them in slippery places; thou shalt throw them down, after they be raised up.)

¹⁹ How be they made into desolation; they failed suddenly, they perished for their wickedness/for their waywardness. (How they shall go into desolation! they shall suddenly fail, and they shall perish for all their wickedness/for all their wayward ways.)

²⁰ As the dream of men that (a)rise; Lord, thou shalt drive their image to nought, in thy city. (Like a dream when one awaketh, and it vanisheth; so, Lord, thou shalt drive them down into nothing/until they completely disappear.)

²¹ For mine heart is enflamed, and my reins be changed; (When my heart was enflamed, and my feelings were hurt;)

²² and I am driven to nought, and I knew not. As a work beast I am made with thee; (and I was driven down into nothing, and I knew nothing; yea, I was made like a work beast before thee;)

²³ and I am ever with thee. Thou heldest my right hand, (but still I am ever with thee. Thou holdest my right hand,)

²⁴ and in thy will thou leddest me forth; and with glory thou tookest me up. (and by thy counsel, or thy instruction, thou leadest me forth; and afterward thou shalt receive me with honour.)

²⁵ For why what is to me in heaven; and what would I of thee on earth? (For what is there for me in heaven, but thee? and what else do I desire here on earth, but thee?)

²⁶ My flesh and mine heart failed; God of mine heart, and my part is God [into] without end. (Though my flesh and my heart fail; but God is my strength, and my portion forever.)

²⁷ For lo! they that draw away far themselves from thee shall perish; thou hast lost all men that do fornication from thee. (For lo! they who take themselves far away from thee, shall perish; thou shalt destroy all those who wantonly abandon thee.)

²⁸ But it is good to me to cleave to God; and to set mine hope in the Lord God. That I tell all thy preachings, in the gates of the daughter of Zion. (But it is good for me to cleave to God; and to trust in the Lord God. And that I tell out all thy works, or all of thy deeds.)

¹⁰ A just man knoweth the lives of his work beasts; but the entrails of wicked men be cruel. (A righteous person careth for the lives of his work beasts; but the hearts of the wicked be cruel.)