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Take a breath, find your place, and read deeply. Discover the joy of reading God’s word with the Immerse New Living Translation (NLT) Bible.
This daily Bible podcast will take you through the Bible in a year following the Immerse Bible Reading Experience. So grab your family and small group and go through the Bible in a year together with Immerse. Each of the 6 volumes is available online or at your favorite Christian bookstore.
Malcom: Welcome to Immerse: the
Daily Bible reading Experience.
Day 100 and 41
Then the people of Israel traveled to
the plains of Moab and camped east of
the Jordan River across from Jericho.
Baek sent a zipper.
The Moabite King had seen everything the
Israelites did to the Amorites, and when
the people of Moab saw how many Israelites
there were, they were terrified.
The King of Moab said to the
elders of Midian, this mob will
devour everything in sight like
an ox devours grass in the field.
So Baek King of Moab sent messengers
to call Balaam son of bor, who
was living in his native land of
Petor near the Euphrates River.
His message said, look, a vast hoard
of people has arrived from Egypt.
They cover the face of the
earth and are threatening me.
Please come and curse these people for
me because they are too powerful for me.
Then perhaps I will be able to conquer
them and drive them from the land.
I know that blessings fall on
any people you bless and curses
fall on people you curse.
Beeks Messengers who were elders of Moab
and Midian set out with money to pay
Balaam to place a curse upon Israel.
They went to Balaam and
delivered Beeks message to him.
Stay here overnight.
Baam said in the morning, I will tell
you whatever the Lord directs me to say.
So the officials from Moab stayed
there with Baam that night.
God came to Baam and asked him,
who were these men visiting you?
Baam said to God, Baek son of zippo,
king of Moab, has sent me this message.
Look, a vast hoard of people
has arrived from Egypt and they
cover the face of the earth.
Come and curse these people for me.
Then perhaps I will be able to stand up
to them and drive them from the land.
But God told Balaam, do not go with them.
You are not to curse these people
for they have been blessed.
The next morning, Baalam got up and
told Beeks officials, go on home.
The Lord will not let me go with you.
So the Moabite officials returned
to King Baek and reported
Balaam refused to come with us.
Then Baek tried again this time, he
sent a larger number of even more
distinguished officials than those he
had sent the first time they went to
Balaam and delivered this message to him.
This is what Baek son of zipper says.
Please don't let anything stop
you from coming to help me.
I will pay you very well
and do whatever you tell me.
Just come and curse these people for me.
But Beam responded to Beeks messengers.
Even if beek were to give me his
palace filled with silver and gold, I
would be powerless to do any anything
against the will of the Lord, my God.
But stay here one more night
and I will see if the Lord has
anything else to say to me.
That night, God came to Baam and
told him, since these men have come
for you, get up and go with them,
but do only what I tell you to do.
So the next morning, Balaam got
up, saddled his donkey and started
off with the Moabite officials.
But God was angry that Baam was going.
So he sent the angel of the Lord to
stand in the road to block his way.
As Balaam and two servants were
riding along, Balaam's donkey saw
the angel of the Lord standing in the
road with a drawn sword in his hand.
The donkey bolted off the road
into a field, but Balaam beat it
and turned it back onto the road.
Then the angel of the Lord stood
at a place where the road narrowed
between two vineyard walls.
When the donkey saw the angel of
the Lord, it tried to squeeze by and
crushed balaam's foot against the wall.
So Balaam beat the donkey again.
Then the angel of the Lord moved
farther down the road and stood in
a place too narrow for the donkey
to get by at all this time, when
the donkey saw the angel, it laid
down under Balaam in a fit of rage.
Balaam beat the animal
again with his staff.
Then the Lord gave the
donkey the ability to speak.
What have I done to you that
deserves your beating me?
Three times it asked Balaam, you
have made me look like a fool.
Balaam shouted.
If I had a sword with
me, I would kill you.
But I am the same donkey.
You have ridden all your life.
The donkey answered.
Have I ever done anything
like this before?
No.
Baam admitted.
Then the Lord opened Balaam's eyes.
He saw the angel of the Lord
standing in the roadway with
a drawn sword in his hand.
Balaam bowed his head and fell
face down on the ground before him.
Why did you beat your
donkey those three times?
The angel of the Lord demanded, look, I
have come to block your way because you
are stubbornly resisting me three times.
The donkey saw me and shied away.
Otherwise, I would certainly have
killed you by now and spared the donkey.
Then Balaam confessed to the
angel of the Lord, I have sinned.
I didn't realize you were standing
in the road to block my way.
I will return home if
you are against my going.
But the angel of the Lord told
Balaam, go with these men, but
say only what I tell you to say.
So Balaam went on with Baek officials.
When King Baek heard that Balaam was
on the way, he went out to meet him
at a Moabite town on the Arnon River
at the farthest border of his land.
Didn't I send you an urgent invitation?
Why didn't you come right away?
Baek asked Balaam, didn't you believe me
when I said I would reward you richly?
Balen replied, look, now I have come, but
I have no power to say whatever I want.
I will speak only the message
that God puts in my mouth.
Then Balaam accompanied Baek
to Kiya Soff where the king
sacrificed cattle and sheep.
He sent portions of the meat to Balaam
and the officials who were with him.
The next morning, Baek took
Balaam up to Baath, Baal.
From there he could see some of the
people of Israel spread out below him.
Then Balaam said to King Beak, Build me
seven altars here and prepare seven young
bulls and seven rams for me to sacrifice.
Baek followed his instructions
and the two of them sacrificed a
young bull and a ram on each altar.
Then Baalam said to Baek, stand here
by your burnt offerings, and I will go
to see if the Lord will respond to me.
Then I will tell you
whatever he reveals to me.
So Balaam went alone to the top of
a bear hill and God met him there.
Balaam said to him, I have prepared
seven altars and have sacrificed a
young bull and a ram on each altar.
The Lord gave Balaam a
message for King Baek.
Then he said, go back to
Baek and give him my message.
So Baam returned and found the king
standing beside his burnt offerings
with all the officials of Moab.
This was the message Baam delivered.
Baek summoned me to come from Arum.
The King of Moab brought
me from the eastern hills.
Come.
He said, curse Jacob for me.
Come and announce Israel's doom.
But how can I curse those
whom God has not cursed?
How can I condemn those whom
the Lord has not condemned?
I see them from the clifftops.
I watch them from the hills.
I see a people who live by themselves set
apart from other nations, who can count
Jacob's descendants as numerous as dust.
Who can count?
Even a fourth of Israel's people
Let me die like the righteous,
let my life end like theirs.
Then King Baek demanded of Balaam.
What have you done to me?
I brought you to curse my enemies instead.
You have blessed them.
But Balaam replied, I will speak only the
message that the Lord puts in my mouth.
Then King Baek told him, come
with me to another place.
There you'll see another part of
the nation of Israel, but not all
of them curse at least that many.
So Baek took Balaam to the
plateau of Zophim on Pisco Peak.
He built seven altars there and offered
a young bull and a ram on each altar.
Then Balaam said to the king, stand
here by your burnt offerings while
I go over there to meet the Lord.
The Lord met Balaam
and gave him a message.
Then he said, go back to
Baek and give him my message.
So Balaam returned and found the king
standing beside his burnt offerings
with all the officials of Moab.
What did the Lord say?
Baek asked eagerly.
This was the message.
Balaam delivered.
Rise up Baek and listen.
Hear me, son of zipper.
God is not a man, so he does not lie.
He is not human, so he
does not change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and failed to act?
Has he ever promised and
not carried it through?
Listen, I received a command to bless
God has blessed and I cannot reverse it.
No misfortune is in his plan for Jacob.
No trouble is in store for Israel.
For the Lord.
There God is with them.
He has been proclaimed their king.
God brought them out of Egypt for them.
He is as strong as a wild ox.
No curse can touch Jacob.
No magic has any power against Israel.
For now, it will be said of Jacob,
what wonders God has done for Israel.
These people rise up like a lion is
like a majestic lion, rousing itself.
They refuse to rest until they
have feasted on prey drinking
the blood of the slaughtered.
Then Baek said to Balaam, fine,
but if you won't curse them,
at least don't bless them.
But Balaam replied to Baek,
didn't I tell you that I can
do only what the Lord tells me?
Then King Baek said to Balaam, come,
I will take you to one more place.
Perhaps it will please God to
let you curse them from there.
So Baek took Baalam to the top of
Mount Peor overlooking the wasteland.
Baam again told Baek, build me seven
altars and prepare seven young bulls
and seven rams for me to sacrifice.
So Baek did as Balaam ordered and offered
a young bull and a ram on each altar.
By now, Balaam realized that the Lord
was determined to bless Israel, so he
did not resort to divination is before.
Instead, he turned and looked out
toward the wilderness where he saw the
people of Israel camped tribe by tribe.
Then the spirit of God came upon him,
and this is the message he delivered.
This is the message of Balaam son
of bor, the message of the man whose
eyes see clearly the message of
one who hears the words of God, who
sees a vision from the Almighty,
who bows down with eyes wide open.
Beautiful are your tent.
So Jacob, how lovely are your homes?
Oh, Israel, they spread before me.
Like palm groves, like
gardens by the riverside.
They're like tall trees
planted by the Lord.
Like cedars beside the waters,
water will flow from their buckets.
Their offspring have all they need.
Their king will be greater than aag.
Their kingdom will be exalted.
God brought them out of Egypt for them.
He is as strong as a wild ox.
He devours all the nations that
oppose him, breaking their bones in
pieces, shooting them with arrows.
Like a Lion Israel CROs and lies down
like a lion is who dares to arouse her.
Blessed is everyone who blesses you.
Oh, Israel and cursed is
everyone who curses you.
King Baek flew into a rage against Balaam.
He angrily clapped his hands and shouted.
I called you to curse my enemies instead.
You have blessed them three times.
Now, get out of here.
Go back home.
I promise to reward you richly, but
the Lord has kept you from your reward.
Balaam told Baek, don't you remember
what I told your messengers?
I said, even if Baek were to give
me his palace filled with silver
and gold, I would be powerless to do
anything against the will of the Lord.
I told you that I could say
only what the Lord says.
Now I am returning to my own people.
First, let me tell you what the Israelites
will do to your people in the future.
This is the message Balaam delivered.
This is the message of Balaam son
of bor, the message of the man whose
eyes see clearly the message of one
who hears the words of God, who has
knowledge from the most high, who
sees a vision from the Almighty,
who bows down with eyes wide open.
I see him, but not here,
and now I perceive him.
But far in the distant future,
a star will rise from Jacob.
A scepter will emerge from Israel.
It will crush the heads of moabs people.
Cracking the skulls of the people
of Sha Edam will be taken over and
seer its enemy will be conquered
while Israel marches on in triumph.
A ruler will rise in Jacob, who
will destroy the survivors of ear.
Then Balaam looked over toward the people
of Amalek and delivered this message.
Amalek was the greatest of nations,
but its destiny is destruction.
Then he looked over toward the Ken
Heights and delivered this message.
Your home is secure.
Your nest is set in the rocks.
But the can Knights will be destroyed
when Assyria takes you captive.
Balaam concluded his messages
by saying, alas, who can survive
unless God has willed it?
Ships will come from the coasts of Cyprus.
They will oppress Assyria, a afflict eber,
but they too will be utterly destroyed.
Then Balaam left and returned home,
and Balak also went on his way.
This concludes today's
Immerse Reading experience.
Thank you for joining us.