The Daily Audio Bible
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21 And the sons of Reuben, and of Gad, and of half the lineage of Manasseh, answered to the princes of the message of Israel, (And the sons of Reuben, and of Gad, and of the eastern half of the tribe of Manasseh, answered to the leaders of the families of Israel, and said,)
22 The strongest Lord God himself of Israel knoweth, and Israel shall understand altogether; (The most strong Lord God of Israel himself knoweth, and Israel must also understand;)
23 if we builded this altar for intent of trespassing, that is, of idolatry, the Lord keep not us, but punish he us in this present time; and if we did by that mind, that we should put thereon burnt sacrifice[s], and sacrifice(s), and peaceable sacrifices, he seek, and deem; (that if we have built this altar with the intention of trespassing, that is, for idolatry, the Lord should not allow us to live, and he should punish us right now; yea, if we did it for this purpose, so that we could put on it burnt sacrifices, and sacrifices, and peace offerings, or grain offerings, let him seek it out, and judge us right now;)
24 and not more, rather, (that) we did it with this thinking and treating, that we should say thus, (If) Your sons hereafter shall say to our sons, What is to you and to the Lord God of Israel? or, What claim (have) ye to be of his people?
25 O! ye sons of Reuben, and ye sons of Gad, the Lord hath set a term, the flood Jordan, betwixt us and you; and therefore ye have no part in the Lord; and by this occasion your sons shall turn away our sons from the dread of the Lord. (and they say, O! ye sons of Reuben, and ye sons of Gad, the Lord hath set a border, the Jordan River, between us and you; and so ye have no part in the Lord; and in this way your sons and daughters shall turn away our sons and daughters from the fear of the Lord/from reverence for the Lord.)
26 Therefore we guessed (it) better, and we said, Build we an altar to us, not into burnt sacrifices, neither to sacrifices to be offered, (And so we thought about it, and we said to each other, Let us build an altar for ourselves, not for burnt sacrifices, nor for sacrifices to be offered,)
27 but into witnessing betwixt us and you, and betwixt our children and your generation, that we serve the Lord, and that it be of our right to offer burnt sacrifices, and sacrifices, and peaceable sacrifices; and that your sons say not tomorrow to our sons, No part in the Lord is to you. (but as a witness between us and you, and between our children and your children, that we serve the same Lord, and that it be our right to offer burnt sacrifices, and sacrifices, and peace offerings, or grain offerings; and so your children shall not be able to say to our children tomorrow, and the next day, There is no part for you in the Lord.)
28 And if your sons will say this, our sons shall answer (to) them, Lo! the altar of the Lord, which our fathers made, not into burnt sacrifices, neither into slain sacrifices, but into our and your witnessing everlasting (not for burnt sacrifices, nor for slain sacrifices, but for an everlasting witness between us and you).
29 Far be this trespass from us, that we go away from the Lord, and forsake his steps, by an altar builded to burnt sacrifices, and slain sacrifices, and sacrifices of praising to be offered thereon, besides the altar of the Lord our God, that is builded before his tabernacle. (So let this trespass be far from us, that we would ever go away from the Lord, and forsake to follow his steps, with an altar built for burnt sacrifices, and slain sacrifices, and grain offerings to be offered on it, in addition to the altar of the Lord our God, that standeth before his Tabernacle.)
30 And when these things were heard, Phinehas, [the] priest, and [the] princes of the message of Israel, that were with him, were pleased; and they received gladly the words of the sons of Reuben, and of Gad, and of the half lineage of Manasseh. (And when these words were heard, Phinehas, the priest, and the leaders of the families of Israel who were with him, were pleased; and they gladly received the words of the sons of Reuben, and of Gad, and of the eastern half of the tribe of Manasseh.)
31 And Phinehas, the priest, the son of Eleazar, said to them, Now we know, that the Lord is with you; for ye be alien, or guiltless, from this trespassing, and ye have delivered the sons of Israel from the hand, or punishing, of the Lord.
32 And Phinehas turned again with the princes from the sons of Reuben and of Gad, from the land of Gilead to the coast of Canaan, to the sons of Israel; and he told these things to them.
33 And the word pleased to all men hearing it; and the sons of Israel praised God, and said, that they would no more ascend against them, and fight, and do away the land of their possession. (And this word pleased all who heard it; and the Israelites praised God, and agreed that they would talk no more about going up against the sons of Reuben, and of Gad, and fighting them, and destroying the land of their possession.)
34 And the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad called the altar, which they had builded, Our Witnessing that the Lord Himself is God.
23 And when much time was passed after that the Lord had given peace to Israel, and when all nations about were subjected (and when all the nations about were made subject to them); and when Joshua was now of long life, and of full eld age,
2 Joshua called all Israel, and the greater men in birth, and the princes, and dukes, and masters, and he said to them, I have elded, and I am of full great age; (he called all Israel, and the men of great age, that is, the elders, and the leaders, and the judges, and the officers, and he said to them, I have now grown old, and I am of a very great age;)
3 and ye behold all things which your Lord God hath done to all nations about, how he hath fought for you. (and ye see all the things which the Lord your God hath done to all the nations about, yea, how he hath fought for you.)
4 And now for he hath parted to you by lot all the land, from the east part of (the) Jordan unto the great sea, and many nations be left yet, (And now, for I have divided up for you by lot, all the land of the nations that I have destroyed, as well as those that still be left, from the Jordan River in the east, unto the Mediterranean Sea in the west,)
5 your Lord God shall destroy them (and the Lord your God shall destroy all those who remain), and he shall take them away from your face; and ye shall wield their land, as he promised to you.
6 Only be ye comforted, and be ye busy, that ye keep all things that be written in the book of Moses’ law, and bow ye not away from those things, neither to the right side, neither to the left side, (So be ye strengthened/So be ye encouraged, and be ye busy, that ye obey all the things that be written in the Book of the Law by Moses, and turn ye not away from those things, neither to the right, nor to the left,)
7 lest after that ye have entered to the heathen men, that shall be among you, ye swear in the name of their gods, and serve those gods, and worship them. (lest that ye be mixed, or mingled, with the heathen, who be among you, and ye swear in the name of their gods, and serve those gods, and worship them.)
8 But cleave ye to your Lord God (So cleave ye only to the Lord your God), the which thing ye have done unto this day;
9 and then the Lord God shall do away in your sight great folks, and strongest; and none shall be able to against-stand you. (for the Lord God hath done away from before you great and strong nations, and none hath been able to stand against you.)
10 One of you shall pursue a thousand men of enemies, for your Lord God shall fight for you, as he hath promised. (Yea, one of you can pursue a thousand of the enemies, for the Lord your God fighteth for you, as he promised you that he would.)
11 Be ye ware before most diligently of this thing only, that ye love your Lord God. (But be ye ware, that ye do this thing most diligently, that ye love the Lord your God.)
12 That if ye will cleave to the errors of these folks that dwell among you, and will meddle marriages with them, and couple friendships, (But if ye cleave to the errors of these people who live among you, and will mix marriages with them, and couple friendships,)
13 know ye right now, that the Lord your God shall not do away them before your face, but they shall be to you into a ditch, and into a snare, and into hurting of your side, and into stakes in your eyes, till your Lord God take away you, and destroy you from this best land, which he gave to you. (then know ye right now, that the Lord your God shall not do them away from before your face, but they shall be for you a ditch, and a snare, and a hurting to your side, and stakes in your eyes, until the Lord your God shall take you away, and destroy you from off this best land, which he gave to you.)
14 Lo! I enter today into the way of all (the) earth, for soon I shall die, as each man shall; and ye shall know with all (your) soul, that of all [the] words which the Lord promised himself to give to you, not one passed (away) in vain. (Lo! I go today the way of all people upon the earth, for soon I shall die, as each person shall; and ye know with all your soul, that of all the things which the Lord promised to give you, not one thing hath been left void, or undone.)
15 Therefore as he [ful]filled in work that, that he promised, and all things befelled by prosperity, so he shall bring on you whatever thing of evils he menaced, till he take away you, and destroy (you) from this best land, which he gave to you. (And so as he hath fulfilled with deeds what he promised, and all things have befallen with prosperity, so he shall also bring upon you whatever evil things that he threatened, until he shall take you away, and destroy you from off this best land, which he gave to you.)
16 For ye brake the covenant of your Lord God, which he made with you, and served alien gods, and worshipped them, soon and swiftly the strong vengeance of the Lord shall rise onto you; and ye shall be taken away from this best land, which he gave to you. (For if ye break the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and serve foreign, or other, gods, and worship them, then the strong vengeance of the Lord shall soon rise up against you; and ye shall swiftly be taken away from off this best land, which he gave to you.)
27 Some of the Sadducees, that denied the again-rising from death to life [that deny resurrection for to be], came, and asked him,
28 and said, Master, Moses wrote to us, if the brother of any man have a wife, and he be dead, and he was without heirs [saying, Master, Moses wrote to us, if the brother of any man having a wife died, and he was without free children], that his brother take his wife, and raise seed to his brother.
29 And so there were seven brethren. The first took a wife, and is dead without heirs; [There were therefore seven brethren. The first took a wife, and is dead, without free children;]
30 and the brother following took her [and the second took her], and he is dead without son;
31 and the third took her; also and all seven, and they left not seed [and left no seed], but be dead;
32 and the last of all the woman is dead. [the last of all and the woman is dead.]
33 Therefore in the rising again, whose wife of them shall she be? for seven had her to wife.
34 And Jesus said to them, Sons of this world wed, and be given to weddings;
35 but they that shall be had worthy of that world, and of the rising again from death [forsooth they that shall be worthy to that world, and rising again from dead men], neither be wedded, nor wed wives,
36 neither they shall be able to die more; for they be even with angels, and be the sons of God, since they be the sons of the rising again from death [since they be the sons of rising again].
37 And that dead men rise again, also Moses showed beside the bush, as he saith, The Lord God of Abraham, and God of Isaac, and God of Jacob.
38 And God is not of dead men [Forsooth God is not of dead men], but of living men; for all men live to him.
39 And some of the scribes answering, said, Master, thou hast well-said.
40 And they durst no more ask him any thing.
41 But he said to them, How say men, Christ to be the son of David [How say men, that Christ is the son of David],
42 and David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right half,
43 till I put thine enemies a stool of thy feet?
44 Therefore David calleth him Lord, and how is he his son?
45 And in hearing of all the people, he said to his disciples,
46 Be ye ware of the scribes, that will wander in stoles, and love salutations in the market [and love salutations in the markets], and the first chairs in the synagogues, and the first sitting places in [the] feasts;
47 that devour the houses of widows, and feign long praying; these shall take the more damnation. [which devour the houses of widows, feigning long prayer; these shall take more damnation.]
14 rightfulness and doom is the making ready of thy seat. Mercy and truth shall go before thy face; (Righteousness and judgement be the foundations of thy throne; love and faithfulness go forth before thee.)
15 blessed is the people that know (a) hearty song. Lord, they shall go in the light of thy cheer; (Happy be the people who know a hearty song; Lord, they shall go forth by the light of thy face.)
16 and in thy name they shall make full out joy all day; and they shall be enhanced in thy rightfulness. (And in thy name, they shall make full out joy, or shall rejoice, all day long; and they shall be exalted, or shall be lifted up, by thy righteousness.)
17 For thou art the glory of the virtue of them; and in thy good pleasance our horn shall be enhanced. (For thou art the glory of their strength/For thou art the strength in which they have glory; and in thy good favour our horn shall be exalted.)
18 For our taking up is of the Lord; and of the holy of Israel our king. (For the Lord is our defender; yea, the Holy One of Israel is our King.)
19 Then thou spakest in revelation to thy saints, and saidest, I have set help in the mighty (man); and I have enhanced the chosen man of my people. (Then thou spokest in revelation to thy saints, and saidest, I have given help to the mighty man; yea, I have exalted, or lifted up, the chosen man of my people.)
20 I found David, my servant; I anointed him with mine holy oil. (I found my servant David; and I anointed him with my holy oil.)
21 For mine hand shall help him; and mine arm shall confirm him. (For my hand shall help him; and my arm, or my power, shall strengthen him.)
22 The enemy shall nothing profit in him (The enemy shall not gain any advantage over him); and the son of wickedness shall not lay to/shall not put to, for to harm him.
23 And I shall slay his enemies from his face; and I shall turn into flight them that hate him. (And I shall kill all his enemies before his face; and I shall turn to flight, or make to flee, those who hate him.)
24 And my truth and mercy shall be with him; and his horn shall be enhanced in my name. (And my faithfulness and love shall be with him; and in my name his horn shall be exalted/his head shall be lifted up on high.)
25 And I shall set his hand in the sea; and his right hand in floods. (And I shall extend his power unto the Mediterranean Sea; and his right hand unto the Euphrates River.)
26 He shall inwardly call me, (saying,) Thou art my father; my God, and the up-taker of mine health. (And he shall say to me, Thou art my father; yea, my God, and my defender, my saviour.)
27 And I shall set him the first begotten son; higher than the kings of earth. (And I shall make him my first-born son; higher than all the kings of the earth.)
28 [Into] Without end I shall keep my mercy to him; and my testament faithful to him. (I shall hold onto my love for him forever; and faithfully keep my covenant with him.)
29 And I shall set his seed into the world of world; and his throne as the days of heaven. (And I shall establish his descendants forever and ever; and his throne for as long as the days of the heavens, that is, for as long as the heavenly bodies endure.)
30 Forsooth if his sons forsake my law; and go not in my dooms. (But if his sons abandon my Law; and do not go in my judgements.)
31 If they make unholy my rightfulnesses; and keep not my commandments. (If they break my statutes; and do not obey my commandments.)
32 I shall visit in a rod the wickednesses of them; and in beatings the sins of them. (Then I shall punish their wickednesses with a rod; and their sins with beatings.)
33 But I shall not scatter my mercy from him; and in my truth I shall not harm him. (But I shall not take away my love from him; and I shall be faithful to him.)
34 Neither I shall make unholy my testament; and I shall not make void those things that come forth of my lips. (Nor shall I break my covenant; and I shall not make void those things which come forth from my lips, that is, I shall not break my promises.)
35 Once I swore in mine holiness, I shall not lie to David; (Once I swore by my holiness, that I would never lie to David;)
36 his seed shall dwell [into] without end. And his throne as [the] sun in my sight, (his children, that is, his descendants, shall live forever. And his throne shall be before me like the sun,)
37 and as a perfect moon without end; and a faithful witness in heaven. (and like the moon, which shall endure forever; yea, like a faithful witness in the heavens.)
17 The messenger of a wicked man shall fall into evil; a faithful messenger is health. (A wicked messenger shall fall into evil; but a faithful messenger bringeth health/victory/salvation, or deliverance.)
18 Neediness and shame is to him that forsaketh teaching; but he that assenteth to a blamer, shall be glorified. (Neediness and shame shall be for him who abandoneth his teaching, or his instruction; but he who assenteth to a rebuker, shall be honoured.)
19 Desire, if it is [ful]filled, delighteth the soul; fools loathe them that flee evils.
2001 by Terence P. Noble