The Daily Audio Bible
Today's audio is from the NIV. Switch to the NIV to read along with the audio.
3 Forsooth Joram[a], [the] son of Ahab, reigned on Israel, in Samaria, in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. And he reigned twelve years, (Now Joram, Ahab’s son, began to reign upon Israel, in Samaria, in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah. And he reigned for twelve years,)
2 and he did evil before the Lord, but not as his father and his mother (had done); for he took away the images of Baal, which his father had made,
3 nevertheless he cleaved to the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, that made Israel to do sin (who made Israel to do sin); and he went not away from them.
4 Forsooth Mesha, king of Moab, nourished many beasts, and paid to the king of Israel an hundred thousand of lambs, and an hundred thousand wethers, with their fleeces.
5 And when Ahab was dead, he brake the bond of peace, which he had with the king of Israel. (But when Ahab died, he broke the covenant which he had with the king of Israel.)
6 Therefore king Joram went out of Samaria in that day, and numbered all Israel. (And King Joram went out of Samaria that day, and gathered together Israel’s army.)
7 And he sent to Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and said, The king of Moab hath gone away from me; come thou with me against him to battle. And Jehoshaphat answered, I shall go up with thee; he that is mine, is thine (all that is mine, is thine); my people is thy people; and mine horses be thine horses.
8 And he said, By what way shall we ascend? And Joram answered, By the desert of Idumea (And Joram answered, Through the wilderness of Edom).
9 Therefore the king of Israel, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom, went forth, and compassed by the way of seven days; and (then) there was not water to the host, and to the beasts, that followed them. (And so the king of Israel, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom, went forth, and travelled on the way for seven days; and then there was no more water for the army, and for the beasts, that followed them.)
10 And the king of Israel said, Alas! alas! alas! the Lord hath gathered together us three kings to betake us in(to) the hand of Moab. (And the king of Israel said, Alas! alas! alas! the Lord hath gathered us three kings together to deliver us into the hands of the Moabites.)
11 And Jehoshaphat said, Whether any prophet of the Lord is here, (so) that we (can) beseech the Lord by him? And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered, Elisha, the son of Shaphat, is here, that poured water upon the hands of Elijah (Elisha, the son of Shaphat, is here, who poured water upon Elijah’s hands).
12 And Jehoshaphat said, Is the word of the Lord at him? Which said, Yea/It is (And Jehoshaphat said, And the word of the Lord is with him). And (so) the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and the king of Edom, went down to him.
13 And Elisha said to the king of Israel, What is to me and to thee, an idolater? Go thou to the prophets of thy father and of thy mother. And the king of Israel said to him, Why hath the Lord gathered together these three kings, to betake them into the hands of Moab? (But the king of Israel said to him, Nay! for the Lord hath gathered these three kings together, to deliver them into the hands of the Moabites.)
14 And Elisha said to him, The Lord of hosts liveth, in whose sight I stand, if I were not ashamed[b] of the cheer of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, truly I had not perceived, neither I had beheld thee. (And Elisha said to him, As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, if I did not have such great respect for Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, truly I would not have bothered to look upon thee, nor receive thee into my presence.)
15 Now forsooth bring ye to me a psalterer (But now bring ye to me a singer of psalms, or of songs). And when the psalterer sang, the hand of the Lord was made upon Elisha,
16 and he said, The Lord saith these things, Make ye the womb, either the depth, of this strand, ditches and ditches. (and he said, The Lord saith these things, Make ye the trough of this dry stream, or this dry river-bed, into ditches and ditches.)
17 For the Lord saith these things, Ye shall not see wind, neither rain, and this depth shall be filled with waters, and ye shall drink, and your families, and your beasts. (For the Lord saith these things, Though ye shall not see wind, or rain, yet this depth shall be filled with water, so that ye, and your families, and your beasts, shall have water to drink.)
18 And this is (but a) little thing in the sight of the Lord. Furthermore also he shall betake Moab into your hands (And furthermore he shall deliver the Moabites into your hands);
19 and ye shall smite each strengthened city, and each chosen city, and ye shall cut down each tree bearing fruit, and ye shall stop all the wells of waters, and ye shall cover with stones each noble field. (and ye shall strike down each fortified city, and each chosen city, and ye shall cut down each fruit-bearing tree, and ye shall stop, or close up, all the water wells, or all the springs, and ye shall cover each fertile field with stones.)
20 Therefore it was done early, when (the) sacrifice is wont to be offered, and, lo! waters came by the way of Edom, and the land was filled with waters.
21 Soothly all the men of Moab heard, that these kings had gone up to fight against them; and they called together all men, that were gird with a knight’s girdle above, and they stood in the terms. (And all the Moabites heard, that these kings had gone up to fight against them; and they called together all the men who were girded with a horseman’s girdle, and who were stationed at the border.)
22 And men of Moab rose full early, and when the sun was risen then even against the waters, they saw the waters (as) red as blood even against them. (And the men of Moab rose up very early, and when the sun rose up over the water, they saw that the water before them was as red as blood/was red like blood.)
23 And they said, It is the blood of (the) sword, that is, shed out by (the) sword; [the] kings have fought against themselves, and they be slain together (and they have killed one another); now go thou, Moab, to the prey.
24 And they went into the castles of Israel; forsooth Israel rose, and smote Moab, and they fled before the men of Israel. Then they that had over-come, came, and smote Moab, (And they went to the tents, or to the camp, of the Israelites; but Israel rose up, and struck down the Moabites, and they fled before the men of Israel. Then the Israelites came forth, and entered, and struck down the Moabites in their own land,)
25 and destroyed their cities; and all men sending stones filled each best field, and stopped all the wells of waters, and cut down all the trees bearing fruit, so that only [the] earthen walls were left; and the city was compassed of men setting engines, and it was smitten by great part thereof. (and destroyed their cities; and all the men threw stones, and filled up each best field, and they stopped, or closed up, all the water wells, or all the springs, and cut down all the fruit-bearing trees, so that only the walls in Kirhareseth were left; and the city was encompassed, or surrounded, with men setting up engines, or bulwarks, and a great part of it was struck down.)
26 And when the king of Moab had seen this, that is, that the enemies had the mastery, he took with him seven hundred men drawing out swords, that they should break (through) into the king of Edom; and they might not. (And when the king of Moab had seen this, that is, that the enemies had the mastery, he took with him seven hundred men drawing out swords, to try to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not do so.)
27 And he took his first engendered son, that should reign for him, and offered him (as) a burnt sacrifice on the wall; and great indignation was made in Israel; and anon they went away from him, and turned again into their land. (And so he took his first-born son, who would reign for him, and offered him as a burnt sacrifice on the wall; and great indignation was felt by all the Israelites; and at once they went away from him, and returned to their own land.)
4 Forsooth a woman of the wives of prophets cried to Elisha, and said, Thy servant, mine husband, is dead, and thou knowest that thy servant dreaded God; and lo! the creancer, that is, he to whom debt is owed, cometh to take my two sons to serve him. (And a woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, and said, Thy servant, my husband, is dead, and thou knowest that thy servant feared God/revered God; and lo! the creditor cometh to take away my two sons to serve him.)
2 To whom Elisha said, What wilt thou that I do to thee? (What wilt thou that I do for thee?) say thou to me, what hast thou in thine house? And she answered, I thine handmaid have not anything in mine house, no but a little of oil, with which I shall be anointed.
3 To whom he said, Go thou, and ask by borrowing of all thy neighbours void vessels, not a few. (To whom he said, Go thou, and ask to borrow empty vessels from all of thy neighbours, and borrow not just a few.)
4 And enter, and close thy door, when thou art within, thou and thy sons (And go inside, and when thou and thy sons be within, close the door); and put ye thereof into all these vessels; and when those shall be full, thou shalt take (them, and put them) away.
5 Therefore the woman went, and closed the door on herself and on her sons, (and) they brought the vessels, and she poured in(to them).
6 And when the vessels were full, she said to her son, Bring yet a vessel to me. And he answered, I have not. And then the oil stood, increasing no more. (And when all the vessels were full, she said to her son, Bring me another vessel. And he answered, I have no more. And then the oil stood still, or stopped, and increased no more.)
7 Forsooth she came, and showed it to the man of God; and he said, Go thou, sell the oil, and yield to thy creancer; and thou and thy children live ye off the remnant, or the residue. (And she came, and showed it to the man of God; and he said, Go thou, sell the oil, and yield what thou owest to thy creditor; and then thou and thy children live ye on the rest.)
8 Forsooth a day was made, and Elisha passed by a city, Shunem; and a great woman was there, which held him, that he should eat bread, that is, busily prayed (him to come) to meat. And when he passed oft thereby, he turned to her, that he would eat bread with her (And often when he passed by, he would turn in at her home, so he could share a meal with her).
9 And she said to her husband, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, that passeth oft by us (who often passeth by us);
10 therefore make we a little solar to him, and put we therein a little bed to him, and a board, and a chair, and a candlestick; that when he cometh to us, he dwell there. (and so let us make a solarium for him, and put we a bed in it, and a table, and a chair, and a candlestick for him; so that when he cometh to us, he can rest there.)
11 Therefore a day was made, and Elisha came, and turned in to the solar (and went up to the solarium), and rested there.
12 And he said to Gehazi, his servant, Call thou this Shunammite. And when he had called her, and she had stood before him,
13 he said to his servant, Speak thou to her, Lo! thou hast ministered to us busily in all things; what wilt thou that I do to thee? Whether thou hast a cause, and wilt that I speak to the king, either to the prince of the chivalry? And she answered, I dwell in the midst of my people. (And then she went away.) (he said to his servant, Speak thou to her, and say, Lo! thou hast busily served us in all things; what wilt thou that I do for thee? Hast thou a case, that I speak about to the king, or to the leader of the cavalry, or of the army? And she answered, All is well; I live here in the midst of my people. And then she went away.)
14 And he said, What then will she that I do to her? (And he said, What then desireth her that I should do for her?) [And] Gehazi said to him, Ask thou not (me), for she hath no son, and her husband is eld.
15 Therefore Elisha commanded, that he should call her (back). And when she was called, and stood before the door,
16 he said to her, In this time, as in (the) time of life (At this time, next year), thou shalt embrace a son.[c] And she answered, Do not thou, my lord, the man of God, I beseech (thee), do not thou lie to thine handmaid.
17 And the woman conceived, and childed a son in the time, and in the same hour, in which Elisha had said. (And the woman conceived, and bare a son at the time, and at the hour, in which Elisha had said.)
8 And a man at Lystra was sick in the feet, and had sat crooked from his mother's womb, which never had gone. [And some man at Lystra, sick in the feet, sat crooked from his mother's womb, the which never had gone.]
9 This heard Paul speaking; and Paul beheld him and saw that he had faith [the which beholding him, and seeing for he had faith], that he should be made safe,
10 and said with a great voice [said with great voice], Rise thou upright on thy feet. And he leaped, and walked.
11 And the people, when they had seen that that Paul did, reared their voice in Lycaonian tongue, and said [saying], Gods made like to men be come down to us.
12 And they called Barnabas Jupiter, and Paul Mercury, for he was leader of the word.
13 And the priest of Jupiter that was before the city, brought bulls and crowns before the gates, with peoples, and would have made sacrifice.
14 And when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this [Which thing, when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard], they rent their coats; and they skipped out among the people, and cried [crying],
15 and said [and saying], Men, what do ye this thing? and we be deadly men like [to] you, and show to you, that ye be converted from these vain things to the living God, that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that be in them;
16 which in generations passed suffered all folks to go into their own ways.
17 And yet he left not himself without witnessing in well-doing, for he gave rains from heaven, and times of bearing fruit, and full-filled your hearts with meat and gladness [full-filling with meat and gladness your hearts].
18 And they saying these things, scarcely assuaged the people, that they offered not to them.
19 But some Jews came over from Antioch and Iconium, and counseled the people, and stoned Paul, and drew him out of the city, and guessed that he was dead. [Forsooth some Jews came out from Antioch and Iconium, and, the companies sweetly stirred, they stoning Paul, drew out of the city, guessing him to be dead.]
20 But when [the] disciples were come about him, he rose, and went into the city; and in the day following he went forth with Barnabas into Derbe.[a]
21 And when they had preached to that city [And when they had evangelized to that city], and taught many, they turned again to Lystra, and Iconium, and to Antioch;
22 confirming the souls of the disciples, and admonishing, that they should dwell in the faith, and said [and saying], That by many tribulations it behooveth us to enter into the kingdom of heavens.
23 And when they had ordained priests to them by all cities, and had prayed with fastings, they betook them to the Lord, in whom they believed.
24 And they passed Pisidia, and came to Pamphylia; [And they passing Pisidia, came to Pamphylia;]
25 and they spake the word of the Lord in Perga, and came down into Italy. [and they speaking the word of the Lord in Perga, came down into Italy.]
26 And from thence they went by boat to Antioch, from whence they were taken to the grace of God, into the work that they filled [into the work that they fulfilled].
27 And when they were come, and had gathered the church, they told how great things God did with them [they told how many things God did with them], and that he had opened to heathen men the door of faith.
28 And they dwelled not a little time with the disciples. [Forsooth they dwelled a time not little with the disciples.]
140 To victory, the psalm of David. Lord, deliver thou me from an evil man; deliver thou me from a wicked man. (To victory, the song of David. Lord, save thou me from evil people; yea, save thou me from violent, or wicked, people.)
2 Which thought wickednesses in the heart; all day they ordained battles. (Who always think in their hearts about doing wicked things; who plan out battles all day long/day after day.)
3 They sharpened their tongues as serpents; the venom of snakes is under the lips of them. (Their tongues be sharp like the fangs of serpents; the venom of snakes is on their lips.)
4 Lord, keep thou me from the hand of the sinner; and deliver thou me from wicked men. Which thought to deceive my goings; (Lord, keep thou me safe from the power of the sinner; and save thou me from the wicked, from those who think out ways to thwart my progress.)
5 proud men hid a snare to me. And they laid forth cords into a snare; they setted (a) trap to me beside the way. (Proud people hid a snare for me, yea, they laid out cords for a snare; they set a trap for me along the way.)
6 I said to the Lord, Thou art my God; Lord, hear thou the voice of my beseeching (Lord, hear thou the words of my plea).
7 Lord, Lord, the virtue of mine health; thou madest shadow on mine head in the day of battle. (Lord, Lord, my strong salvation/my strong deliverance; thou madest a shadow upon my head on the day of battle.)
8 Lord, betake thou not me from my desire to the sinner; they thought against me, forsake thou not me, lest peradventure they be enhanced. (Lord, do not thou deliver me unto the desires of the sinners; they have planned to harm me, so abandon thou me not, lest they gain an advantage over me.)
9 The head of the compass of them; the travail of their lips shall cover them. (As for the leaders of those who surround me; let the treachery of their own lips ensnare them.)
10 Coals shall fall on them, thou shalt cast them down into fire; in(to) wretchednesses (where) they shall not (be able to) stand. (Let burning coals fall upon them, and be they thrown down into the fire; yea, into a wretchedness from which they shall never be able to escape.)
11 A man that is a great jangler shall not be (well-) directed in earth (A man who is a great gossip, or a slanderer, shall not be successful in the world); evils shall take an unjust man in(to) perishing.
12 I have known, that the Lord shall make doom of a needy man; and the vengeance of poor men. (I know, that the Lord shall make judgement in favour of the needy; and he shall take vengeance for the poor.)
13 Nevertheless just men shall acknowledge to thy name; and rightful men shall dwell with thy cheer. (Truly the righteous shall give thanks to thy name; and the upright shall live in thy presence./Truly the righteous shall praise thy name; and the upright shall worship before thee.)
22 A joyful soul maketh liking age (A joyful soul maketh a good life); a sorrowful spirit maketh dry bones.
2001 by Terence P. Noble