The Daily Audio Bible
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10 All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who (A)did not know the Lord, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel.
Israel Serves Baals
11 Then the sons of Israel did (B)evil in the sight of the Lord and [a]served the (C)Baals, 12 and (D)they forsook the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed themselves down to them; thus they provoked the Lord to anger. 13 So they forsook the Lord and (E)served Baal and the Ashtaroth. 14 (F)The anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and He gave them into the hands of plunderers who plundered them; and (G)He sold them into the hands of their enemies around them, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies. 15 Wherever they went, the hand of the Lord was against them for evil, as the Lord had spoken and (H)as the Lord had sworn to them, so that they were severely distressed.
16 (I)Then the Lord raised up judges [b]who delivered them from the hands of those who plundered them. 17 Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they played the harlot after other gods and bowed themselves down to them. They turned aside quickly from the way (J)in which their fathers had walked in obeying the commandments of the Lord; they did not do as their fathers. 18 When the Lord raised up judges for them, (K)the Lord was with the judge and delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lord was (L)moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed and afflicted them. 19 But it came about when the judge died, that they would turn back and act more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them and bow down to them; they did not abandon their practices or their stubborn ways. 20 (M)So the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and He said, “Because this nation has transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers and has not listened to My voice, 21 (N)I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died, 22 in order to (O)test Israel by them, whether they will keep the way of the Lord to walk in it as their fathers [c]did, or not.” 23 So the Lord allowed those nations to remain, not driving them out quickly; and He did not give them into the hand of Joshua.
Idolatry Leads to Servitude
3 (P)Now these are the nations which the Lord left, to test Israel by them (that is, all who had not [d]experienced any of the wars of Canaan; 2 only in order that the generations of the sons of Israel might [e]be taught war, [f]those who had not [g]experienced it formerly). 3 These nations are: the five lords of the Philistines and all the Canaanites and the Sidonians and (Q)the Hivites who lived in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as [h]Lebo-hamath. 4 They were for [i](R)testing Israel, to find out if they would [j]obey the commandments of the Lord, which He had commanded their fathers [k]through Moses. 5 (S)The sons of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; 6 and (T)they took their daughters for themselves as wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
7 The sons of Israel did (U)what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and (V)forgot the Lord their God and (W)served the Baals and the [l]Asheroth. 8 Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, so that He sold them into the hands of Cushan-rishathaim king of [m]Mesopotamia; and the sons of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.
The First Judge Delivers Israel
9 When the sons of Israel cried to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for the sons of Israel to deliver them, (X)Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. 10 (Y)The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel. When he went out to war, the Lord gave Cushan-rishathaim king of [n]Mesopotamia into his hand, so that [o]he prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim. 11 Then the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
12 Now the sons of Israel again (Z)did evil in the sight of the Lord. So (AA)the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord. 13 And he gathered to himself the sons of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and [p]defeated Israel, and they possessed (AB)the city of the palm trees. 14 The sons of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
Ehud Delivers from Moab
15 But when the sons of Israel (AC)cried to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for them, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. And the sons of Israel sent tribute by [q]him to Eglon the king of Moab. 16 Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length, and he bound it on his right thigh under his cloak. 17 He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man. 18 It came about when he had finished presenting the tribute, that he sent away the people who had carried the tribute. 19 But he himself turned back from the idols which were at Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” And he said, “Keep silence.” And all who attended him left him. 20 Ehud came to him while he was sitting alone in his cool roof chamber. And Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” And he arose from his seat. 21 Ehud stretched out his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh and thrust it into his belly. 22 The handle also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the sword out of his belly; and the refuse came out. 23 Then Ehud went out into the vestibule and shut the doors of the roof chamber behind him, and locked them.
24 When he had gone out, his servants came and looked, and behold, the doors of the roof chamber were locked; and they said, “(AD)He is only [r]relieving himself in the cool room.” 25 They waited until they [s]became anxious; but behold, he did not open the doors of the roof chamber. Therefore they took the key and opened them, and behold, their master had fallen to the [t]floor dead.
26 Now Ehud escaped while they were delaying, and he passed by the idols and escaped to Seirah. 27 It came about when he had arrived, that (AE)he blew the trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he was in front of them. 28 He said to them, “Pursue them, for the Lord has given your enemies the Moabites into your hands.” So they went down after him and seized (AF)the fords of the Jordan opposite Moab, and did not allow anyone to cross. 29 They struck down at that time about ten thousand Moabites, all robust and valiant men; and no one escaped. 30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land was undisturbed for eighty years.
Shamgar Delivers from Philistines
31 After him came (AG)Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad; and he also saved Israel.
The Lord’s Supper
14 (A)When the hour had come, He reclined at the table, and (B)the apostles with Him. 15 And He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I say to you, I shall never again eat it (C)until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 (D)And when He had taken a cup and (E)given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; 18 for (F)I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And when He had taken some bread and (G)given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 20 And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is (H)poured out for you is the (I)new covenant in My blood. 21 (J)But behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with [a]Mine on the table. 22 For indeed, the Son of Man is going (K)as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!” 23 And they began to discuss among themselves which one of them it might be who was going to do this thing.
Who Is Greatest
24 And there arose also (L)a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest. 25 (M)And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ 26 But it is not this way with you, (N)but the one who is the greatest among you must become like (O)the youngest, and the leader like the servant. 27 For (P)who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But (Q)I am among you as the one who serves.
28 “You are those who have stood by Me in My (R)trials; 29 and just as My Father has granted Me a (S)kingdom, I grant you 30 that you may (T)eat and drink at My table in My (U)kingdom, and (V)you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
31 “Simon, Simon, behold, (W)Satan has [b]demanded permission to (X)sift you like wheat; 32 but I (Y)have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, (Z)strengthen your brothers.” 33 (AA)But he said to Him, “Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!” 34 And He said, “I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.”
Praise for the Lord’s Goodness.
A Psalm, a Song for the Sabbath day.
92 It is (A)good to give thanks to the Lord
And to (B)sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
2 To (C)declare Your lovingkindness in the morning
And Your (D)faithfulness [a]by night,
3 [b]With the (E)ten-stringed lute and [c]with the (F)harp,
[d]With resounding music [e]upon the (G)lyre.
4 For You, O Lord, have made me glad by [f]what You (H)have done,
I will (I)sing for joy at the (J)works of Your hands.
5 How (K)great are Your works, O Lord!
Your [g](L)thoughts are very (M)deep.
6 A (N)senseless man has no knowledge,
Nor does a (O)stupid man understand this:
7 That when the wicked (P)sprouted up like grass
And all (Q)who did iniquity flourished,
It was only that they might be (R)destroyed forevermore.
8 But You, O Lord, are (S)on high forever.
9 For, behold, Your enemies, O Lord,
For, behold, (T)Your enemies will perish;
All who do iniquity will be (U)scattered.
10 But You have exalted my (V)horn like that of the wild ox;
I have [h]been (W)anointed with fresh oil.
11 And my eye has (X)looked exultantly upon [i]my foes,
My ears hear of the evildoers who rise up against me.
12 The (Y)righteous man will [j]flourish like the palm tree,
He will grow like a (Z)cedar in Lebanon.
13 (AA)Planted in the house of the Lord,
They will flourish (AB)in the courts of our God.
14 They will still [k](AC)yield fruit in old age;
They shall be [l]full of sap and very green,
15 To [m]declare that (AD)the Lord is upright;
He is my (AE)rock, and there is (AF)no unrighteousness in Him.
The Majesty of the Lord.
93 (AG)The Lord [n]reigns, He is (AH)clothed with majesty;
The Lord has (AI)clothed and girded Himself with strength;
Indeed, the (AJ)world is firmly established, it will not be moved.
2 Your (AK)throne is established from of old;
You (AL)are from everlasting.
3 The (AM)floods have lifted up, O Lord,
The floods have lifted up their voice,
The floods lift up their pounding waves.
4 More than the sounds of many waters,
Than the mighty breakers of the sea,
The Lord (AN)on high is mighty.
5 Your (AO)testimonies are fully confirmed;
(AP)Holiness befits Your house,
O Lord, [o]forevermore.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.