From: "FamilyNet" 

Bible Reading for February 23

Numbers 21
[1] And when king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south, heard tell
that Israel came by the way of the spies; then he fought against Israel,
and took some of them prisoners.
[2] And Israel vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou wilt indeed
deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.
[3] And the LORD hearkened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the
Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and he called
the name of the place Hormah.
[4] And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass
the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because
of the way.
[5] And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye
brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread,
neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. [6] And
the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and
much people of Israel died. [7] Therefore the people came to Moses, and
said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against
thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses
prayed for the people. [8] And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery
serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one
that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
[9] And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came
to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent
of brass, he lived.
[10] And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in Oboth. [11] And
they journeyed from Oboth, and pitched at Ije-abarim, in the wilderness
which is before Moab, toward the sunrising. [12] From thence they removed,
and pitched in the valley of Zared. [13] From thence they removed, and
pitched on the other side of Arnon, which is in the wilderness that cometh
out of the coasts of the Amorites: for Arnon is the border of Moab, between
Moab and the Amorites. [14] Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of
the LORD, What he did in the Red sea, and in the brooks of Arnon, [15] And
at the stream of the brooks that goeth down to the dwelling of Ar, and
lieth upon the border of Moab.
[16] And from thence they went to Beer: that is the well whereof the LORD
spake unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water.
[17] Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it: [18]
The princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the
direction of the lawgiver, with their staves. And from the wilderness they
went to Mattanah:
[19] And from Mattanah to Nahaliel: and from Nahaliel to Bamoth: [20] And
from Bamoth in the valley, that is in the country of Moab, to the top of
Pisgah, which looketh toward Jeshimon. [21] And Israel sent messengers unto
Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, [22] Let me pass through thy land: we
will not turn into the fields, or into the vineyards; we will not drink of
the waters of the well: but we will go along by the king's high way, until
we be past thy borders. [23] And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass
through his border: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went
out against Israel into the wilderness: and he came to Jahaz, and fought
against Israel. [24] And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and
possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon:
for the border of the children of Ammon was strong.
[25] And Israel took all these cities: and Israel dwelt in all the cities
of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all the villages thereof. [26] For
Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought
against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand,
even unto Arnon.
[27] Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, Come into Heshbon, let the
city of Sihon be built and prepared: [28] For there is a fire gone out of
Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon: it hath consumed Ar of Moab, and
the lords of the high places of Arnon.
[29] Woe to thee, Moab! thou art undone, O people of Chemosh: he hath given
his sons that escaped, and his daughters, into captivity unto Sihon king of
the Amorites.
[30] We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon, and we have
laid them waste even unto Nophah, which reacheth unto Medeba. [31] Thus
Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites. [32] And Moses sent to spy out
Jaazer, and they took the villages thereof, and drove out the Amorites that
were there. [33] And they turned and went up by the way of Bashan: and Og
the king of Bashan went out against them, he, and all his people, to the
battle at Edrei.
[34] And the LORD said unto Moses, Fear him not: for I have delivered him
into thy hand, and all his people, and his land; and thou shalt do to him
as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon. [35]
So they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was none
left him alive: and they possessed his land.

Numbers 22
[1] And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of
Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho. [2] And Balak the son of Zippor saw
all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
[3] And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and
Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel. [4] And Moab said
unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are
round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the
son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time. [5] He sent messengers
therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of
the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there
is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth,
and they abide over against me: [6] Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse
me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall
prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land:
for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest
is cursed. [7] And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed
with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam,
and spake unto him the words of Balak.
[8] And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word
again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with
Balaam.
[9] And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee? [10]
And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent
unto me, saying,
[11] Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face
of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to
overcome them, and drive them out.
[12] And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not
curse the people: for they are blessed. [13] And Balaam rose up in the
morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for
the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you.
[14] And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said,
Balaam refuseth to come with us.
[15] And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.
[16] And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of
Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: [17] For
I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou
sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.
[18] And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak
would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the
word of the LORD my God, to do less or more. [19] Now therefore, I pray
you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say
unto me more. [20] And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If
the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word
which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.
[21] And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with
the princes of Moab.
[22] And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD
stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his
ass, and his two servants were with him. [23] And the ass saw the angel of
the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass
turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the
ass, to turn her into the way. [24] But the angel of the LORD stood in a
path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
[25] And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto
the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her
again. [26] And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow
place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
[27] And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under
Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.
[28] And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam,
What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
[29] And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would
there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee. [30] And the
ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever
since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he
said, Nay.
[31] Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the
LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed
down his head, and fell flat on his face. [32] And the angel of the LORD
said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times?
behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before
me:
[33] And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she
had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.
[34] And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew
not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it
displease thee, I will get me back again.
[35] And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only
the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam
went with the princes of Balak.
[36] And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him
unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the
utmost coast.
[37] And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call
thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote
thee to honour?
[38] And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any
power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that
shall I speak.
[39] And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjath-huzoth. [40]
And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes
that were with him.
[41] And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought
him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost
part of the people.

Numbers 23
[1] And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me
here seven oxen and seven rams.
[2] And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on
every altar a bullock and a ram.
[3] And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go:
peradventure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I
will tell thee. And he went to an high place. [4] And God met Balaam: and
he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon
every altar a bullock and a ram. [5] And the LORD put a word in Balaam's
mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.
[6] And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he,
and all the princes of Moab.
[7] And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath
brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse
me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.
[8] How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom
the LORD hath not defied?
[9] For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold
him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the
nations.
[10] Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of
Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like
his!
[11] And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee
to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether. [12]
And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD
hath put in my mouth?
[13] And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another
place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part
of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence. [14]
And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and
built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar. [15]
And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the
LORD yonder.
[16] And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go
again unto Balak, and say thus.
[17] And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and
the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the LORD
spoken?
[18] And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear;
hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:
[19] God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he
should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and
shall he not make it good?
[20] Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and
I cannot reverse it.
[21] He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen
perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a
king is among them.
[22] God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.
[23] Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any
divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob
and of Israel, What hath God wrought! [24] Behold, the people shall rise up
as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down
until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.
[25] And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.
[26] But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All
that the LORD speaketh, that I must do? [27] And Balak said unto Balaam,
Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another place; peradventure it
will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.
[28] And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon.
[29] And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me
here seven bullocks and seven rams. [30] And Balak did as Balaam had said,
and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.

Numbers 24
[1] And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went
not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face
toward the wilderness.
[2] And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents
according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him. [3] And he
took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the
man whose eyes are open hath said: [4] He hath said, which heard the words
of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but
having his eyes open: [5] How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy
tabernacles, O Israel! [6] As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens
by the river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath
planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.
[7] He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in
many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall
be exalted.
[8] God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of
an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their
bones, and pierce them through with his arrows. [9] He couched, he lay down
as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that
blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.
[10] And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands
together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies,
and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times. [11]
Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great
honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour. [12] And Balaam
said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto
me, saying,
[13] If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go
beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own
mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak? [14] And now, behold, I
go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this
people shall do to thy people in the latter days. [15] And he took up his
parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes
are open hath said: [16] He hath said, which heard the words of God, and
knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty,
falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
[17] I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there
shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and
shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
[18] And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for
his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly. [19] Out of Jacob shall come he
that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.
[20] And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek
was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish
for ever.
[21] And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said,
Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock. [22]
Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away
captive.
[23] And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!
[24] And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict
Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever. [25] And
Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his
way.

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