The Daily Audio Bible
The Downfall of Abimelech
22 Abimelech ruled over Israel three years. 23 (A)And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem (B)dealt treacherously with Abimelech, 24 (C)that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. 25 And the leaders of Shechem put men in ambush against him on the mountaintops, and they robbed all who passed by them along that way. And it was told to Abimelech.
26 And Gaal the son of Ebed moved into Shechem with his relatives, and the leaders of Shechem put confidence in him. 27 And they went out into the field and gathered the grapes from their vineyards and trod them and held a festival; and they went into (D)the house of their god and ate and drank and reviled Abimelech. 28 And Gaal the son of Ebed said, (E)“Who is Abimelech, and who are we of Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of (F)Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? 29 Would that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech. I would say[a] to Abimelech, ‘Increase your army, and come out.’”
30 When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled. 31 And he sent messengers to Abimelech secretly,[b] saying, “Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his relatives have come to Shechem, and they are stirring up[c] the city against you. 32 Now therefore, go by night, you and the people who are with you, and set an ambush in the field. 33 Then in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, rise early and rush upon the city. And when he and the people who are with him come out against you, you may do to them (G)as your hand finds to do.”
34 So Abimelech and all the men who were with him rose up by night and set an ambush against Shechem in four companies. 35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city, and Abimelech and the people who were with him rose from the ambush. 36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from (H)the mountaintops!” And Zebul said to him, “You mistake[d] the shadow of the mountains for men.” 37 Gaal spoke again and said, “Look, people are coming down from the center of the land, and one company is coming from the direction of the Diviners' Oak.” 38 Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your mouth now, you who said, (I)‘Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?’ Are not these the people whom you despised? Go out now and fight with them.” 39 And Gaal went out at the head of the leaders of Shechem and fought with Abimelech. 40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him. And many fell wounded, up to the entrance of the gate. 41 And Abimelech lived at Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his relatives, so that they could not dwell at Shechem.
42 On the following day, the people went out into the field, and Abimelech was told. 43 He took his people and divided them into three companies and set an ambush in the fields. And he looked and saw the people coming out of the city. So he rose against them and killed them. 44 Abimelech and the company that was with him (J)rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city, while the two companies rushed upon all who were in the field and killed them. 45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day. He captured the city and killed the people who were in it, and (K)he razed the city and (L)sowed it with salt.
46 When all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered (M)the stronghold of the house of (N)El-berith. 47 Abimelech was told that all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem were gathered together. 48 And Abimelech went up to Mount (O)Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him. And Abimelech took an axe in his hand and cut down a bundle of brushwood and took it up and laid it on his shoulder. And he said to the men who were with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry and do as I have done.” 49 So every one of the people cut down his bundle and following Abimelech put it against (P)the stronghold, and they set the stronghold on fire over them, so that all the people of the Tower of Shechem also died, about 1,000 men and women.
50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez and encamped against Thebez and captured it. 51 But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women and all the leaders of the city fled to it and shut themselves in, and they went up to the roof of the tower. 52 And Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it and drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire. 53 (Q)And a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech's head and crushed his skull. 54 (R)Then he called quickly to the young man his armor-bearer and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” And his young man thrust him through, and he died. 55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, everyone departed to his home. 56 (S)Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers. 57 And God also made all the evil of the men of Shechem return on their heads, and upon them came (T)the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
Tola and Jair
10 After Abimelech there arose to (U)save Israel Tola the son of Puah, son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, and he lived at Shamir in (V)the hill country of Ephraim. 2 And he judged Israel twenty-three years. Then he died and was buried at Shamir.
3 After him arose Jair the Gileadite, who judged Israel twenty-two years. 4 And he had thirty sons who (W)rode on thirty donkeys, and they had thirty cities, called Havvoth-jair to this day, (X)which are in the land of Gilead. 5 And Jair died and was buried in Kamon.
Further Disobedience and Oppression
6 (Y)The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord (Z)and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, (AA)the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. And they (AB)forsook the Lord and did not serve him. 7 So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and (AC)he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the Ammonites, 8 and they crushed and oppressed the people of Israel that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the people of Israel who were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. 9 And the Ammonites crossed the Jordan to fight also against Judah and against Benjamin and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was severely distressed.
10 And the people of Israel (AD)cried out to the Lord, saying, “We have sinned against you, because (AE)we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals.” 11 And the Lord said to the people of Israel, “Did I not save you (AF)from the Egyptians and (AG)from the Amorites, (AH)from the Ammonites and (AI)from the Philistines? 12 The Sidonians also, and (AJ)the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you, and you cried out to me, and I (AK)saved you out of their hand. 13 Yet you have (AL)forsaken me and served other gods; therefore I will save you no more. 14 Go and cry out (AM)to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.” 15 And the people of Israel said to the Lord, “We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to you. Only please deliver us this day.” 16 So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord, and (AN)he became impatient over the misery of Israel.
17 Then the Ammonites were called to arms, and they encamped in Gilead. And the people of Israel came together, and they encamped at (AO)Mizpah. 18 And the people, the leaders of Gilead, said one to another, “Who is the man who will begin to fight against the Ammonites? (AP)He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”
On the Road to Emmaus
13 That very day (A)two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 (B)But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was (C)a prophet (D)mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and (E)how our chief priests and (F)rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was (G)the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now (H)the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. (I)They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and (J)when they did not find his body, they came back saying that (K)they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 (L)Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” 25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 (M)Was it not necessary that (N)the Christ should suffer these things and enter into (O)his glory?” 27 And (P)beginning with (Q)Moses and (R)all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. (S)He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and (T)the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and (U)blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 (V)And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And (W)he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, (X)“Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he (Y)opened to us the Scriptures?” 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they (Z)found the eleven and (AA)those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and (AB)has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and (AC)how he was known to them in (AD)the breaking of the bread.
Jesus Appears to His Disciples
36 As they were talking about these things, (AE)Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” 37 But they were (AF)startled and (AG)frightened and (AH)thought they saw a spirit. 38 And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. (AI)Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when he had said this, (AJ)he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they still disbelieved (AK)for joy and were marveling, (AL)he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish,[b] 43 and he took it and ate before them.
44 Then he said to them, (AM)“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, (AN)that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then (AO)he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus (AP)it is written, (AQ)that the Christ should suffer and on the third day (AR)rise from the dead, 47 and that (AS)repentance for[c] the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed (AT)in his name (AU)to all nations, (AV)beginning from Jerusalem. 48 (AW)You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending (AX)the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you (AY)are clothed with (AZ)power (BA)from on high.”
The Ascension
50 And (BB)he led them out as far as (BC)Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. 51 While he blessed them, (BD)he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they (BE)worshiped him and (BF)returned to Jerusalem (BG)with great joy, 53 and (BH)were continually in the temple (BI)blessing God.
His Steadfast Love Endures Forever
A Psalm for (A)giving thanks.
100 (B)Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
2 (C)Serve the Lord with gladness!
(D)Come into his presence with singing!
3 Know that (E)the Lord, he is God!
It is he who (F)made us, and (G)we are his;[a]
we are his (H)people, and (I)the sheep of his pasture.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.