Through the Bible – Day 53

Bible text(s)

Numbers 22

King Balak of Moab hires Balaam to curse Israel

2-3When King Balak of Moab and his people heard how many Israelites there were and what they had done to the Amorites, he and the Moabites were terrified and panicked. 4They said to the Midianite leaders, “Those Israelites will wipe out everything in sight, like a bull eating grass in a field.”

So King Balak 5sent a message to Balaam son of Beor who lived among his relatives in the town of Pethor near the River Euphrates. It said:

I need your help. A huge group of people has come here from Egypt and settled near my territory. 6They are too powerful for us to defeat, so would you come and place a curse on them? Perhaps then we can drive them out. I know that anyone you bless will be successful, but anyone you curse will fail.

7The leaders of Moab and Midian left and took along money to pay Balaam for his work. When they got to his house, they gave him Balak's message.

8“Spend the night here,” Balaam replied, “and tomorrow I will tell you the LORD's answer.” So the officials stayed at his house.

9During the night, God asked Balaam, “Who are these people at your house?”

10“They are messengers from King Balak of Moab,” Balaam answered. “He sent them 11to ask me to go to Moab and place a curse on the people who have come there from Egypt. They have settled everywhere around him, and he wants to drive them out.”

12But God replied, “Don't go with Balak's messengers. I have blessed those people who have come from Egypt, so don't curse them.”

13The next morning, Balaam said to Balak's officials, “Go back home. The LORD says I cannot go with you.”

14The officials left and told Balak that Balaam refused to come.

15Then Balak sent a larger group of officials, who were even more important than the first ones. 16They went to Balaam and told him that Balak had said, “Balaam, if you come to Moab, 17I'll pay you very well and do whatever you ask. Just come and place a curse on these people.”

18Balaam answered, “Even if Balak offered me a palace full of silver or gold, I wouldn't do anything to disobey the LORD my God. 19You are welcome to spend the night here, just as the others did. I will find out if the LORD has something else to say about this.”

20That night, God said, “Balaam, I'll let you go to Moab with Balak's messengers, but do only what I say.”

21So Balaam got up the next morning and saddled his donkey, then left with the Moabite officials.

Balaam and his donkey meet an angel

22Balaam was riding his donkey to Moab, and two of his servants were with him. But God was angry that Balaam had gone, so one of the LORD's angels stood in the road to stop him. 23When Balaam's donkey saw the angel standing there with a sword, it walked off the road and into an open field. Balaam had to beat the donkey to get it back on the road.

24Then the angel stood between two vineyards, in a narrow path with a stone wall on each side. 25When the donkey saw the angel, it walked so close to one of the walls that Balaam's foot scraped against the wall. Balaam beat the donkey again.

26The angel moved once more and stood in a spot so narrow that there was no room for the donkey to go around. 27So it just lay down. Balaam lost his temper, then picked up a stick and hit the donkey.

28When that happened, the LORD told the donkey to speak, and it asked Balaam, “What have I done to you that made you beat me three times?”

29“You made me look stupid!” Balaam answered. “If I had a sword, I'd kill you here and now!”

30“But you're my owner,” replied the donkey, “and you've ridden me many times. Have I ever done anything like this before?”

“No,” Balaam admitted.

31Just then, the LORD let Balaam see the angel standing in the road, holding a sword, and Balaam bowed down.

32The angel said, “You had no right to treat your donkey like that! I was the one who blocked your way, because I don't think you should go to Moab. 33If your donkey had not seen me and stopped those three times, I would have killed you and let the donkey live.”

34Balaam replied, “I was wrong. I didn't know you were trying to stop me. If you don't think I should go, I'll return home at once.”

35“It's all right for you to go,” the LORD's angel answered. “But you must say only what I tell you.” So Balaam went on with Balak's officials.

King Balak meets Balaam

36When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went to meet him at the town of Ir, which is on the northern border of Moab. 37Balak asked, “Why didn't you come when I invited you the first time? Did you think I wasn't going to pay you?”

38“I'm here now,” Balaam answered. “But I will say only what God tells me to say.”

39They left and went to the town of Kiriath-Huzoth, 40where Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep and gave some of the meat to Balaam and the officials who were with him.

41The next morning, Balak took Balaam to the town of Bamoth-Baal. From there, Balaam could see some of the Israelites.

Numbers 23

Balaam's first message

1Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars here, then bring seven bulls and seven rams.”

2After Balak had done this, they sacrificed a bull and a ram on each altar. 3Then Balaam said, “Wait here beside your offerings, and I'll go somewhere to be alone. Perhaps the LORD will appear to me. If he does, I will tell you everything he says.” And he left.

4When God appeared to him, Balaam said, “I have built seven altars and have sacrificed a bull and a ram on each one.”

5The LORD gave Balaam a message, then sent him back to tell Balak. 6When Balaam returned, he found Balak and his officials standing beside the offerings.

7Balaam said:

“King Balak of Moab brought me

from the hills of Syria

to curse Israel

and announce its doom.

8But I can't go against God!

He did not curse

or condemn Israel.

9“From the mountain peaks,

I look down and see Israel,

the obedient people of God.

10They are living alone in peace.

And though they are many,

they don't bother

the other nations.

“I hope to obey God

for as long as I live

and to die in such peace.”

11Balak said, “What are you doing? I asked you to come and place a curse on my enemies. But you have blessed them instead!”

12Balaam answered, “I can say only what the LORD tells me.”

Balaam's second message

13Balak said to Balaam, “Let's go somewhere else. Perhaps if you see a smaller part of the Israelites, you will be able to curse them for me.” 14So he took Balaam to a field on top of Mount Pisgah where lookouts were stationed. Then he built seven altars there and sacrificed a bull and a ram on each one.

15“Wait here beside your offerings,” Balaam said. “The LORD will appear to me over there.”

16The LORD appeared to Balaam and gave him another message, then he told him to go and tell Balak. 17Balaam went back and saw him and his officials standing beside the offerings.

Balak asked, “What did the LORD say?”

18Balaam answered:

“Pay close attention

to my words—

19God is no mere human!

He doesn't tell lies

or change his mind.

God always keeps his promises.

20“My command from God

was to bless these people,

and there's nothing I can do

to change what he has done.

21Israel's king is the LORD God.

He lives there with them

and intends them no harm.

22With the strength of a wild ox,

God led Israel out of Egypt.

23No magic charms can work

against them—

just look what God has done

for his people.

24They are like angry lions

ready to attack;

and they won't rest

until their victim

is gobbled up.”

25Balak shouted, “If you're not going to curse Israel, then at least don't bless them.”

26“I've already told you,” Balaam answered. “I will say only what the LORD tells me.”

Balaam's third message

27Balak said to Balaam, “Come on, let's try another place. Perhaps God will let you curse Israel from there.” 28So he took Balaam to Mount Peor overlooking the desert north of the Dead Sea.

29Balaam said, “Build seven altars here, then bring me seven bulls and seven rams.”

30After Balak had done what Balaam asked, he sacrificed a bull and a ram on each altar.

Numbers 24

1Balaam was sure that the LORD would tell him to bless Israel again. So he did not use any magic to find out what the LORD wanted him to do, as he had the first two times. Instead, he looked out towards the desert 2and saw the tribes of Israel camped below. Just then, God's Spirit took control of him, 3and Balaam said:

“I am the son of Beor,

and my words are true,

so listen to my message!

4It comes from the LORD,

the God All-Powerful.

I bowed down to him

and saw a vision of Israel.

5“People of Israel,

your camp is lovely.

6It's like a grove of palm trees

or a garden beside a river.

You are like tall aloe trees

that the LORD has planted,

or like cedars

growing near water.

7You and your descendants

will prosper like an orchard

beside a stream.

Your king will rule with power

and be a greater king

than Agag the Amalekite.

8With the strength of a wild ox,

God led you out of Egypt.

You will defeat your enemies,

shooting them with arrows

and crushing their bones.

9Like a lion you lie down,

resting after an attack.

Who would dare disturb you?

“Anyone who blesses you

will be blessed;

anyone who curses you

will be cursed.”

10When Balak heard this, he was so furious that he pounded his fist against his hand and said, “I called you here to place a curse on my enemies, and you've blessed them three times. 11Leave now and go home! I told you I would pay you well, but since the LORD didn't let you do what I asked, you won't be paid.”

12Balaam answered, “I told your messengers 13that even if you offered me a palace full of silver or gold, I would still obey the LORD. And I explained that I would say only what he told me. 14So I'm going back home, but I'm leaving you with a warning about what the Israelites will some day do to your nation.”

Balaam's fourth message

15Balaam said:

“I am the son of Beor,

and my words are true,

so listen to my message!

16My knowledge comes

from God Most High,

the LORD All-Powerful.

I bowed down to him

and saw a vision of Israel.

17“What I saw in my vision

hasn't happened yet.

But some day, a king of Israel

will appear like a star.

He will wipe out you Moabites

and destroy those tribes

who live in the desert.

18Israel will conquer Edom

and capture the land

of that enemy nation.

19The king of Israel will rule

and destroy the survivors

of every town there.

20“And I saw this vision

about the Amalekites:

Their nation is now great,

but it will some day

disappear for ever.

21“And this is what I saw

about the Kenites:

They think they're safe,

living among the rocks,

22but they will be wiped out

when Assyria conquers them.

23“No one can survive

if God plans destruction.

24Ships will come from Cyprus,

bringing people who will invade

the lands of Assyria and Eber.

But finally, Cyprus itself

will be ruined.”

25After Balaam finished, he started home, and Balak also left.

Numbers 22:2-24:25CEVOpen in Bible reader

Mark 2

A question about the Sabbath

23One Sabbath Jesus and his disciples were walking through some wheat fields. His disciples were picking grains of wheat as they went along. 24Some Pharisees asked Jesus, “Why are your disciples picking grain on the Sabbath? They are not supposed to do that!”

25Jesus answered, “Haven't you read what David did when he and his followers were hungry and in need? 26It was during the time of Abiathar the high priest. David went into the house of God and ate the sacred loaves of bread that only priests are allowed to eat. He also gave some to his followers.”

27Jesus finished by saying, “People were not made for the good of the Sabbath. The Sabbath was made for the good of people. 28So the Son of Man is Lord over the Sabbath.”

Mark 3

A man with a crippled hand

1The next time that Jesus went into the meeting place, a man with a crippled hand was there. 2The Pharisees wanted to accuse Jesus of doing something wrong, and they kept watching to see if Jesus would heal him on the Sabbath.

3Jesus told the man to stand up where everyone could see him. 4Then he asked, “On the Sabbath should we do good deeds or evil deeds? Should we save someone's life or destroy it?” But no one said a word.

5Jesus was angry as he looked around at the people. Yet he felt sorry for them because they were so stubborn. Then he told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did, and his bad hand was healed.

6The Pharisees left. And straight away they started making plans with Herod's followers to kill Jesus.

Large crowds come to Jesus

7Jesus led his disciples down to the shore of the lake. Large crowds followed him from Galilee, Judea, 8and Jerusalem. People came from Idumea, as well as other places east of the River Jordan. They also came from the region around the cities of Tyre and Sidon. All these crowds came because they had heard what Jesus was doing. 9He even had to tell his disciples to get a boat ready to keep him from being crushed by the crowds.

10After Jesus had healed many people, the other sick people begged him to let them touch him. 11And whenever any evil spirits saw Jesus, they would fall to the ground and shout, “You are the Son of God!” 12But Jesus warned the spirits not to tell who he was.

Mark 2:23-3:12CEVOpen in Bible reader
Canadian Bible Societyv.4.25.3
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