Numbers 21:10-22:41
“The War of the Lord:
He set on fire Zoob and the brooks of the Arnon,
15 And He established the brooks
For Er to inhabit near the borders of Moab.”
16 Then from there they went to the Well, which is the well where the Lord said to Moses, “Gather the people together, and I will give them water to drink.” 17 Then Israel sang this song about the well:
“Begin the song—
18 As for the well, rulers dug it;
Kings of nations hewed it in stone,
In their kingly rule, when they were the lords.”
Then from the Well they went to Mattanah, 19 and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, from Nahaliel to Bamoth, 20 and from Bamoth to the valley, that is, the plain of Moab, which, from the top of the quarried rock, looks out over against the desert.
Defeat of King Sihon and King Og
21 Then Moses sent ambassadors to Sihon king of the Amorites with peaceful words, saying, 22 “Let us pass through your land. We will journey on the road, and not turn aside either into a field or a vineyard; we will not drink water from your well. We will journey on the King’s Highway until we pass beyond your borders.” 23 But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his borders. So Sihon gathered all his people together and went out to engage Israel in battle in the desert; so he came to Jahaz and engaged Israel in battle. 24 Then Israel struck him with slaughter by the sword and gained dominion over his land, from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as the sons of Ammon; for Jazer is the border of the sons of Ammon. 25 So Israel took all these cities, and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon and in all its villages. 26 For Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who fought against the former king of Moab and took all his land from Aroer to the Arnon. 27 Therefore those who speak in riddles say:
“Come to Heshbon,
So the city of Sihon may be built and made ready.
28 For fire went out from Heshbon,
A flame from the city of Sihon;
It consumed as far as Moab,
And swallowed up the pillars of the Arnon.
29 Woe to you, Moab! You were destroyed,
O people of Chemosh!
Their sons were sold to be kept alive,
And their daughters are captives to Sihon king of the Amorites.
30 Their seed shall perish from Heshbon to Dibon,
And their women again stirred up fire over Moab.”
31 Now Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites. 32 Then Moses sent to spy out Jazer; and they took it and its villages, and cast out the Amorites dwelling there. 33 After this, they turned and went up the road to Bashan. So Og king of Bashan and all his people came to meet them in battle at Edrei. 34 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand, with all his people and his land; and you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon.” 35 So they struck him, his sons, and all his people until there was no survivor left him; and they inherited their land.
Balak Seeks Out Balaam
1 Now the children of Israel broke camp and camped west of Moab, by the Jordan across from Jericho. 2 So when Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel did to the Amorites, 3 and Moab was exceedingly afraid of the people, because they were many, and Moab was irritated because of the children of Israel, 4 then Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this congregation will lick up everything around us, as a young bull licks up the grass of the field.” Now Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time. 5 Then he sent ambassadors to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the river in the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying, “Look, a people came from Egypt. See, they cover the face of the earth and are settling next to me. 6 Therefore, come at once, and curse this people for me, for they are stronger than we. If we would be able to strike some of them, then I could drive them out of the land, for I know he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”
7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with their divinations in their hand; and they came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak. 8 Then he said to them, “Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back to you whatever words the Lord may speak to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. 9 God then came to Balaam and said to him, “Who are these men with you?” 10 So Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent to me, saying, 11 ‘Look, a people came out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the earth and are settling next to me. Therefore, come at once, and curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to strike them and drive them from the land.’ ” 12 Then God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; neither shall you curse the people, for they are blessed.” 13 So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the rulers of Balak, “Return to your lord, for God is not allowing me to go with you.” 14 Therefore, the rulers of Moab rose and went to Balak and said, “Balaam is unwilling to come with us.”
15 Balak yet again sent rulers, more numerous and more honorable than these. 16 When they came to Balaam, they said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor, ‘I beg of you not to hesitate in coming to me; 17 for I will certainly honor you greatly, and I will do whatever you say. Therefore come and curse this people for me.’ ” 18 Then Balaam answered and said to the rulers of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the word of the Lord God, to make it little or great in my mind. 19 Now therefore, stay here tonight, so I may know what more the Lord will say to me.”
Balaam and His Donkey
20 Thus God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If these men are present to summon you, rise and follow them; but the word I speak to you—that you shall do.” 21 So Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the rulers of Moab. 22 Then God was very angry because he went, and the Angel of God stationed Himself to divert him from his purpose. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 When the donkey saw the Angel of God standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, the donkey turned aside out of the way, and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey with his staff to turn her back onto the road. 24 Then the Angel of God stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. 25 Now when the donkey saw the Angel of God, she pushed herself against the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot; so he struck her again. 26 Then the Angel of God went and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. 27 So when the donkey saw the Angel of God, she lay down under Balaam; and Balaam became angry, and struck the donkey with his staff. 28 Then God opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you struck me this third time?”
29 Balaam then said to the donkey, “Because you abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you!” 30 So the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you rode from your youth to this very day? Did I ever show such utter disregard for you?” He replied, “No.”
31 Then God opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed and worshiped. 32 The Angel of God then said to him, “Why did you strike your donkey a third time? Behold, I came out as your adversary, because your way was not acceptable before Me. 33 So when the donkey saw Me, she turned aside from Me this third time. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would have killed you by now, and let her live.” 34 Then Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, “I sinned, for I did not know You met me as an adversary on the road. Now therefore, if my way is not acceptable to You, I will turn back.” 35 The Angel of God then said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but only the word I may speak to you, this you must be careful to speak.” So Balaam went with the rulers of Balak.
Balak Receives Balaam
36 Now when Balak heard Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, which is on the borders of the Arnon, the boundaries of his territory. 37 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not earnestly send to summon you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not actually able to honor you?” 38 Balaam then said to Balak, “Look, I did come to you. Shall I now be able to say anything? Whatever word God may put in my mouth, this I must speak.” 39 So Balaam went with Balak, and they came to unwalled encampments. 40 Then Balak sacrificed sheep and young bulls, and he sent some to Balaam and to the rulers with him.
Balaam’s First Prophecy
41 When morning came, Balak took Balaam and brought him up to the pillar of Baal; and he showed him part of the people from there.
Psalm 48:1–10
1 For the End; a psalm for the sons of Korah.
2 Hear this, all you nations;
Give ear, all you inhabitants of the world,
3 Both earthborn and the sons of men,
Rich and poor together.
4 My mouth shall speak wisdom,
And the meditation of my heart, understanding;
5 I will incline my ear to a parable;
I will open my riddle on the harp.
6 What should I fear in an evil day?
The lawlessness at my heel surrounds me.
7 Those who trusted in their power
And those who boast in the abundance of their wealth,
8 A brother does not redeem; shall a man redeem?
He will not give his ransom to God
9 And the price of his soul’s redemption.
10 And he rested forever, and shall live to the end,
Because he will not see decay when he sees wise men die.
Proverbs 10:1–6
1 A wise son makes his father glad,
But a son without discernment is a grief to his mother.
2 Treasures do not benefit lawless men,
But righteousness delivers from death.
3 The Lord will not let the soul of the righteous man starve,
But He overthrows the life of the ungodly.
4 Poverty humbles a man,
But the hands of courageous men enrich others.
5 A son who is instructed will be wise,
And he will use a man without discernment as a servant.
6 A son with understanding is kept safe from the heat,
But a lawless son is blasted by the wind at harvest time.
Mark 3:20–35
20 Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.
21 But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”
22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebub,” and, “By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.”
23 So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables: “How can Satan cast out Satan?
24 “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
25 “And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
26 “And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end.
27 “No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house.
The Unpardonable Sin
28 “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter;
29 “but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation”—
30 because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
Jesus’ Mother and Brothers Send for Him
31 Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him.
32 And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You.”
33 But He answered them, saying, “Who is My mother, or My brothers?”
34 And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers!35 “For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.”