The Daily Audio Bible
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22 Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years. 23 Then God sent a bad spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. The men of Shechem were not faithful to Abimelech. 24 God did this to punish Abimelech and the men of Shechem, because the seventy sons of Jerubbaal were killed by their brother Abimelech. And the men of Shechem gave him the strength to do it. 25 The men of Shechem went against Abimelech by hiding men on the mountain tops. They robbed all who passed by them on the road. Abimelech was told about it.
26 Now Gaal the son of Ebed moved with his family into Shechem. And the men of Shechem put their trust in him. 27 They went out into the field and gathered the grapes of their vines and crushed them. Then they had a special supper in the house of their god. They ate and drank and wished bad to come to Abimelech. 28 Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech? And who are we of Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal? Is not Zebul his leader? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem, but why should we serve Abimelech? 29 If only these people were under my rule! Then I would send Abimelech away. I would say to Abimelech, ‘Make your army strong, and come out.’”
30 When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, he was very angry. 31 He sent men to bring news to Abimelech in secret. They said, “See, Gaal the son of Ebed has come to Shechem with his family. They are turning the city against you. 32 So you and the people who are with you get up during the night and hide in the field. 33 Then get up early in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, and rush against the city. When Gaal and the people who are with him come out against you, do whatever you can to them.”
34 So Abimelech and all who were with him got up during the night. They hid and waited in four groups to fight against Shechem. 35 Gaal the son of Ebed came out and stood in the city gate. And Abimelech and the people who were with him came out of their hiding places. 36 When Gaal saw the men, he said to Zebul, “See, men are coming down from the mountain tops!” But Zebul said to him, “It is the shadow of the mountains that looks like men to you.” 37 Gaal spoke again, saying, “See, men are coming down from the highest part of the land. One group is coming on the way from the oak tree of those who tell the future.” 38 Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your proud talk now, you who said, ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Are these not the men whom you hated? Go out now and fight with them!” 39 So Gaal went out in front of the leaders of Shechem and fought with Abimelech. 40 Abimelech went after Gaal. And Gaal ran away from him. Many were hurt and fell all the way to the gate. 41 Abimelech stayed at Arumah. But Zebul drove out Gaal and his family so they could not stay in Shechem.
42 The men went out to the field the next day and told Abimelech. 43 So he took his men and divided them into three groups, and they waited in the field. When he saw Gaal’s people coming out of the city, Abimelech went against them and killed them. 44 Abimelech and the group with him rushed and stood in the city gate. The other two groups then rushed against all who were in the field and killed them. 45 Abimelech fought against the city all that day. He took the city and killed the people who were in it. Then he destroyed the city and covered it with salt.
46 All the leaders of the tower of Shechem heard about it. And they went into the inside room of the house of the god of El-berith. 47 Abimelech was told that all the leaders of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. 48 So Abimelech and all who were with him went up to Mount Zalmon. Abimelech took an ax in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees. Then he lifted it onto his shoulder. He said to the men who were with him, “Hurry and do what you have seen me do.” 49 So each of the men cut down his branch also, and followed Abimelech. They put the branches around the inside room and set it on fire. So all the men of the tower of Shechem died. There were about 1,000 men and women in all.
50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez. He fought against it and took it. 51 But there was a strong tower in the center of the city. All the men and women and leaders of the city ran to it and shut themselves in. And they went up on the roof of the tower. 52 Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it. He went near the door of the building to burn it with fire. 53 But a certain woman threw a grain-crushing stone on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull. 54 Abimelech was quick to call the young man who carried his heavy battle-clothes, saying, “Take your sword and kill me. Or else it will be said that a woman killed me.” So the young man killed him with a sword. 55 When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, each man went home. 56 So God punished Abimelech for the sin he had done against his father by killing his seventy brothers. 57 God punished the men of Shechem for all their sin. The words that Jotham the son of Jerubbaal spoke against them came true.
Tola
10 After Abimelech died, Tola the son of Puah, son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, came to save Israel. He lived in Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim. 2 He judged Israel for twenty-three years. Then he died and was buried in Shamir.
Jair
3 Jair the Gileadite came after him. He judged Israel for twenty-two years. 4 He had thirty sons who traveled on thirty donkeys. They had thirty cities in the land of Gilead that are called the towns of Jair to this day. 5 Jair died and was buried in Kamon.
Jephthah
6 Then the people of Israel sinned in the eyes of the Lord. They served the male and female gods of Canaan, and the gods of Syria, Sidon, Moab, the Ammonites and of the Philistines. They turned away from the Lord and did not serve Him. 7 The anger of the Lord was against Israel. So He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and the people of Ammon. 8 They made it very hard for the people of Israel that year. For eighteen years they made it very hard for all the people of Israel in Gilead in the land of the Amorites on the other side of the Jordan. 9 And the sons of Ammon crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah, Benjamin and the family of Ephraim. So Israel suffered much pain.
10 The people of Israel cried out to the Lord, saying, “We have sinned against You. We have turned away from our God and are serving the Baals.” 11 The Lord said to the people of Israel, “Did I not save you from the Egyptians, the Amorites, the people of Ammon and the Philistines? 12 When the Sidonians and Amalekites and Maonites made it hard for you, you cried out to Me. And I took you away from their hands. 13 Yet you have turned away from Me and served other gods. So I will not take you away again. 14 Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you in the time of your trouble.” 15 The people of Israel said to the Lord, “We have sinned. Do to us whatever You think is good. But we beg of You, take us out of this today.” 16 So they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the Lord. And the Lord cared as He saw the suffering of Israel.
17 The men of Ammon were gathered together for war. They set up their tents in Gilead. The men of Israel gathered together, and set up their tents in Mizpah. 18 The leaders of Gilead said to one another, “Who is the man who will be first to fight against the men of Ammon? He will be the head of all the people of Gilead.”
The Followers of Jesus Do Not Believe He Is Risen (A)
13 That same day two of His followers were going to the town of Emmaus. It was about a two-hour walk from Jerusalem. 14 They talked of all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking together, Jesus Himself came and walked along with them. 16 Something kept their eyes from seeing Who He was.
17 He said to them, “What are you talking about as you walk?” They stood still and looked sad. 18 One of them, whose name was Cleopas, said to Him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who has not heard of the things that have happened here these days?” 19 Jesus said to them, “What things?” They answered, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth. He was the great One Who spoke for God. He did powerful works and spoke powerful words in the sight of God and the people. 20 And the religious leaders and the leaders of the people gave Him over to be killed and nailed Him to a cross. 21 We were hoping He was the One Who was going to make the Jewish people free. But it was three days ago when these things happened.
22 “Some of the women of our group have surprised us and made us wonder. They went to the grave early this morning. 23 They did not find His body. They came back saying they had seen angels in a special dream who said that He was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the grave and found it as the women had said. But they did not see Him.”
25 Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish men. How slow you are to believe what the early preachers have said. 26 Did not Christ have to go through these hard things to come into His shining-greatness?” 27 Jesus kept on telling them what Moses and all the early preachers had said about Him in the Holy Writings.
28 When they came to the town where they were going, Jesus acted as if He were going farther. 29 But they said to Him, “Stay with us. It will soon be evening. The day is about over.” He went in to stay with them. 30 As He sat at the table with them, He took the bread and gave thanks and broke it. Then He gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened and they knew Him. Then He left them and could not be seen. 32 They said to each other, “Were not our hearts filled with joy when He talked to us on the road about what the Holy Writings said?”
33 Then they got up at once and went back to Jerusalem. They found the eleven followers together and others with them. 34 They said, “For sure the Lord is risen and was seen by Simon.” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road and how they came to know Him when He broke the bread.
Jesus Is Seen by the Other Ten Followers
36 As they talked, Jesus Himself stood among them. He said, “May you have peace.” 37 But they were afraid and full of fear. They thought they saw a spirit. 38 Jesus said to them, “Why are you afraid? Why do you have doubts in your hearts? 39 Look at My hands and My feet. See! It is I, Myself! Touch Me and see for yourself. A spirit does not have flesh and bones as I have.” 40 When Jesus had said this, He showed them His hands and feet.
41 They still wondered. It was hard for them to believe it and yet it made them happy. Then He said to them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave Jesus a piece of fish that had been cooked and some honey. 43 He took it and ate it in front of them.
Jesus Sends His Followers to Teach (B)
44 Jesus said to them, “These are the things I told you while I was yet with you. All things written about Me in the Law of Moses and in the Books of the early preachers and in the Psalms must happen as they said they would happen.” 45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Holy Writings. 46 He said to them, “It is written that Christ should suffer and be raised from the dead after three days. 47 It must be preached that men must be sorry for their sins and turn from them. Then they will be forgiven. This must be preached in His name to all nations beginning in Jerusalem. 48 You are to tell what you have seen. 49 See! I will send you what My Father promised. But you are to stay in Jerusalem until you have received power from above.”
Jesus Goes to Be Beside His Father (C)
50 Jesus led them out as far as Bethany. Then He lifted up His hands and prayed that good would come to them. 51 And while He was praying that good would come to them, He went from them (*and was taken up to heaven and 52 they worshiped Him). Then they went back to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 They spent all their time in the house of God honoring and giving thanks to God.
A Song of Praise
100 Call out with joy to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Be glad as you serve the Lord. Come before Him with songs of joy. 3 Know that the Lord is God. It is He Who made us, and not we ourselves. We are His people and the sheep of His field.
4 Go into His gates giving thanks and into His holy place with praise. Give thanks to Him. Honor His name. 5 For the Lord is good. His loving-kindness lasts forever. And He is faithful to all people and to all their children-to-come.
11 The house of the sinful will be destroyed, but all will go well in the tent of the faithful.
12 There is a way which looks right to a man, but its end is the way of death.
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