The Daily Audio Bible
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Deborah and Barak
4 After Ehud died, the people of Israel sinned in the eyes of the Lord again. 2 So the Lord let them be taken by Jabin king of Canaan, who ruled in Hazor. The head of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. 3 The people of Israel cried to the Lord, for Jabin had 900 iron war-wagons. He made it very hard for the people of Israel for twenty years.
4 Now Lappidoth’s wife Deborah, a woman who spoke for God, was judging Israel at that time. 5 She would sit under the tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim. And the people of Israel came to her to find out what was right or wrong. 6 She sent for Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedeshnaphtali, and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘Go to Mount Tabor. Take with you 10,000 men from the sons of Naphtali and Zebulun. 7 I will have Sisera, the head of Jabin’s army, meet you at the river Kishon. He will have his war-wagons and his many soldiers with him. But I will give him into your hand.’” 8 Then Barak said to her, “I will go if you go with me. But if you do not go with me, I will not go.” 9 And she said, “For sure I will go with you. But the honor will not be yours as you go on your way. For the Lord will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman.” Then Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to come to Kedesh. He went up with 10,000 men. And Deborah went up with him.
11 Now Heber the Kenite had gone away from the Kenites, from the sons of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses. He had put up his tent as far away as the big tree in Zaanannim, near Kedesh.
12 They told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor. 13 Sisera gathered together all his 900 iron war-wagons. He gathered together all the people who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon. 14 Deborah said to Barak, “Get up! For this is the day the Lord has given Sisera into your hands. See, the Lord has gone out before you.” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor, and 10,000 men followed him. 15 The Lord brought trouble upon Sisera and all his war-wagons and all his army in front of Barak with the sword. Sisera got down from his war-wagon and ran away on foot. 16 But Barak went after the war-wagons and the army as far as Harosheth-hagoyim. All of Sisera’s army fell by the sword. Not one was left.
17 Sisera ran away on foot to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite. For there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the family of Heber the Kenite. 18 Jael went out to meet Sisera, saying, “Come in, my lord. Come in to me. Do not be afraid.” So he went into her tent, and she put a cover over him. 19 He said to her, “Give me a little water to drink. For I am thirsty.” So she opened a skin bag of milk and gave him a drink. Then she covered him. 20 He said to her, “Stand in the door of the tent. If anyone comes and asks you, ‘Is there anyone here?’ you say, ‘No.’” 21 But Heber’s wife Jael took a big tent nail in her hand and a tool to hit it with. Because Sisera was very tired, he went into a deep sleep. She went to him in secret and hit the big nail into the side of his head. It went through and into the ground. So he died. 22 As Barak came after Sisera, Jael came out to meet him. She said to him, “Come. I will show you the man you are looking for.” So Barak went in with her, and he saw Sisera lying dead with the big tent nail in his head.
23 God put Jabin the king of Canaan under the power of the people of Israel on that day. 24 The people of Israel made it harder and harder for Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed him.
The Song of Deborah
5 That day Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang this song: 2 “The leaders led in Israel. The people were willing to help them. For this we give thanks to the Lord! 3 Hear, O kings! Listen, O rulers! I will sing to the Lord. I will sing praise to the Lord, the God of Israel. 4 Lord, You went out from Seir. You walked from the field of Edom. And the earth shook. Water fell from the heavens. Yes, water fell from the clouds. 5 The mountains shook before the Lord. Mount Sinai shook before the Lord, the God of Israel.
6 “In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the wide roads were empty. Travelers walked on the side roads. 7 Country towns were empty. They were no more in Israel, until I, Deborah, came. I came as a mother in Israel. 8 New gods were chosen. Then war was in the gates. No battle-covering or sword was seen among 40,000 in Israel. 9 My heart is with the leaders of Israel, who were willing to help among the people. Thanks be to the Lord! 10 Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys and you who sit on rich floor coverings. Tell of it, you who travel on the road. 11 They will tell of the right and good acts of the Lord at the sound of music beside the wells of water. They will tell of His right and good acts toward His towns people in Israel. Then the people of the Lord went down to the gates.
12 “Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Get up, Barak! Lead away the people you took in war, O son of Abinoam. 13 Those who were left came down to the rulers. The people of the Lord came down to me as soldiers. 14 The children of Amalek came down from Ephraim. They followed you, Benjamin, with your people. Leaders came down from Machir. Leaders came from Zebulun. 15 The rulers of Issachar came with Deborah. Issachar was faithful to Barak. They ran behind him into the valley. There was much thinking done among the families of Reuben. 16 Why did you sit among the sheep, to hear the horns blow for the flocks? There was much thought among the families of Reuben. 17 Gilead stayed on the other side of the Jordan. Why did Dan stay in ships? Asher sat beside the sea. He stayed by its rivers. 18 Zebulun is a people who put their lives in danger even to death. Naphtali did this also, on the high places of the field.
19 “The kings came and fought. The kings of Canaan fought at Taanach near the waters of Megiddo. They did not get any silver. 20 The stars fought from heaven. From their paths they fought against Sisera. 21 The fast river of Kishon took them away, the rushing river, the river Kishon. O my soul, walk on with strength. 22 The beating of the feet of horses was loud, because the strong horses went fast. 23 ’Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of the Lord. ‘Curse its people, because they did not come to the help of the Lord. They did not help the Lord against the powerful soldiers.’
24 “The most respected of women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. She is the most respected of women in the tent. 25 Sisera asked for water and she gave him milk. She brought him milk in a fine pot. 26 She put out her hand to the big tent nail. And she put out her right hand for the servant’s heavy object. Then she hit Sisera. She crushed his head. She broke and cut through the side of his head. 27 He went down. He fell and lay without moving at her feet. He fell dead where he went down.
28 “The mother of Sisera looked out of the window. She looked through the window and cried in sorrow, ‘Why is his war-wagon so long in coming? Why do the steps of his horses wait?’ 29 Her wise ladies answered her. But she asked herself again and again, 30 ’Are they not finding and dividing the riches? Is there not a girl or two for every man? Is there not colored cloth for Sisera to take? Is there not colored cloth with beautiful sewing on it? Are there not two pieces of colored cloth with beautiful sewing on them for the neck of the one who takes them?’ 31 So let all those who hate You die, O Lord. But let those who love Him be like the sun as he rises in his power.” And the land had peace for forty years.
The Followers Are Told of Trouble to Come
35 Jesus said to them, “I sent you without money or bag or shoes. Did you need anything?” They said, “Nothing.” 36 Then He said to them, “But now whoever has a money-bag and a bag for food should take it. Whoever does not have a sword should sell his coat and buy one. 37 I tell you, that what has been written about Me must happen. It says, ‘They thought of Him as One Who broke the Law.’ (A) What is told about Me must happen.”
38 They said, “Lord, look, we have two swords.” He answered, “That is enough.”
Jesus Prays in the Garden (B)
39 Jesus came out of the room. Then He went to the Mount of Olives as He had been doing. The followers went with Him. 40 When He got there, He said to them, “Pray that you will not be tempted.” 41 He walked away from them about as far as a stone can be thrown. There He got down with His face on the ground and prayed. 42 He said, “Father, if it can be done, take away what must happen to Me. Even so, not what I want, but what You want.” 43 An angel from heaven came and gave Him strength. 44 His heart was much troubled and He prayed all the more. Water ran from His face like blood and fell to the ground.
45 When Jesus got up after praying, He went back to the followers. He found them sleeping because of so much sorrow. 46 He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you will not be tempted.”
Jesus Is Handed Over to Sinners (C)
47 While Jesus was speaking, Judas came walking ahead of many people. He was one of the twelve followers. He came near to Jesus to kiss Him. 48 But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you handing over the Son of Man with a kiss?” 49 Those around Jesus saw what was going to happen and asked, “Lord, should we fight with our swords?” 50 One of them hit a servant who was owned by the head religious leader and cut off his right ear. 51 Jesus said, “Stop! This is enough.” And He put His hand on his ear and healed him.
Jesus Stands in Front of the Religious Leaders (D)
52 Jesus said to the religious leaders and the leaders of the house of God and the other leaders who came to Him, “Have you come with swords and sticks to take Me, as if I were a robber? 53 While I was with you everyday in the house of God, you never took hold of Me. But now is the time you are to come and you have come in the dark.”
God Judges
94 O Lord, the God Who punishes, God Who punishes, let Your light shine! 2 Rise up, You Judge of the earth. Pay what is owed to the proud. 3 How long will the sinful, O Lord, how long will the sinful be full of joy? 4 They pour out proud words. All those who do wrong, talk about themselves as if they are great people. 5 They crush Your people, O Lord. They bring trouble upon Your chosen nation. 6 They kill the woman whose husband has died and the stranger. They kill the children who have no parents. 7 And they say, “The Lord does not see. The God of Jacob does not care.”
8 Listen, you foolish ones among the people. You fools, when will you understand? 9 He Who made the ear, does He not hear? He Who made the eye, does He not see? 10 He Who punishes nations so they might give up sin, will He not speak strong words to them? Is He not the One Who teaches man all he knows? 11 The Lord knows the thoughts of man. He knows that they are empty.
12 Happy is the man who is punished until he gives up sin, O Lord, and whom You teach from Your Law. 13 You give him rest from days of trouble, until a hole is dug for the sinful. 14 For the Lord will not turn away from His people. He will not leave His chosen nation. 15 For what is decided will be right and good. And all those whose hearts are right will follow it. 16 Who will rise up for me against the sinful? Who will take a stand for me against those who do wrong?
17 If the Lord had not been my help, my soul would soon have been among the dead. 18 When I said, “My foot is going out from under me,” Your loving-kindness held me up, O Lord. 19 When my worry is great within me, Your comfort brings joy to my soul. 20 Can a sinful throne that brings trouble by its laws be a friend to You? 21 They join together against the life of those who are right and good. They send those who are not guilty to their death. 22 But the Lord has been my strong place, my God, and the rock where I am safe. 23 He has brought back their own sin upon them and will destroy them for their wrong-doing. The Lord our God will destroy them.
3 A foolish man’s talk brings a stick to his back, but the lips of the wise will keep them safe.
4 There is no grain where there are no oxen, but much grain comes by the strength of the ox.
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