One Year Bible.

A Wife for Isaac

¹By now Abraham was old and well along in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way. ²So Abraham instructed the chief servant of his household, who managed all he owned, “Place your hand under my thigh, ³and I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling, ⁴but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac.”

⁵The servant asked him, “What if the woman is unwilling to follow me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the land from which you came?”

⁶Abraham replied, “Make sure that you do not take my son back there. ⁷The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me from my father’s house and my native land, who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land’— He will send His angel before you so that you can take a wife for my son from there. ⁸And if the woman is unwilling to follow you, then you are released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there.”

⁹So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.

¹⁰Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all manner of good things from his master in hand. And he set out for Nahor’s hometown in Aram-naharaim. ¹¹As evening approached, he made the camels kneel down near the well outside the town at the time when the women went out to draw water.

¹²“O LORD, God of my master Abraham,” he prayed, “please grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. ¹³Here I am, standing beside the spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. ¹⁴Now may it happen that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who responds, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well’— let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. By this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”

Rebekah Is Chosen

¹⁵Before the servant had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. ¹⁶Now the girl was very beautiful, a virgin who had not had relations with any man. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up again.

¹⁷So the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me have a little water from your jar.”

¹⁸“Drink, my lord,” she replied, and she quickly lowered her jar to her hands and gave him a drink.

¹⁹After she had given him a drink, she said, “I will also draw water for your camels, until they have had enough to drink.” ²⁰And she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran back to the well to draw water, until she had drawn water for all his camels.

²¹Meanwhile, the man watched her silently to see whether or not the LORD had made his journey a success.

²²And after the camels had finished drinking, he took out a gold ring weighing a beka, and two gold bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels. ²³“Whose daughter are you?” he asked. “Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”

²⁴She replied, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milcah bore to Nahor.” ²⁵Then she added, “We have plenty of straw and feed, as well as a place for you to spend the night.”

²⁶Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD, ²⁷saying, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not withheld His kindness and faithfulness from my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.”

²⁸The girl ran and told her mother’s household about these things. ²⁹Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he rushed out to the man at the spring. ³⁰As soon as he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and heard Rebekah’s words, “The man said this to me,” he went and found the man standing by the camels near the spring.

³¹“Come, you who are blessed by the LORD,” said Laban. “Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.” ³²So the man came to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and feed were brought to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of his companions.

³³Then a meal was set before the man, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I came to say.”

So Laban said, “Please speak.”

³⁴“I am Abraham’s servant,” he replied. ³⁵“The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become rich. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, camels and donkeys. ³⁶My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and my master has given him everything he owns.

³⁷My master made me swear an oath and said, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I dwell, ³⁸but you shall go to my father’s house and to my kindred to take a wife for my son.’

³⁹Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’

⁴⁰And he told me, ‘The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you may take a wife for my son from my kindred and from my father’s house. ⁴¹And when you go to my kindred, if they refuse to give her to you, then you will be released from my oath.’

⁴²So when I came to the spring today, I prayed: O LORD, God of my master Abraham, if only You would make my journey a success! ⁴³Here I am, standing beside this spring. Now if a maiden comes out to draw water and I say to her, ‘Please let me drink a little water from your jar,’ ⁴⁴and she replies, ‘Drink, and I will draw water for your camels as well,’ may she be the woman the LORD has appointed for my master’s son.

⁴⁵And before I had finished praying in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’

⁴⁶She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well.’ So I drank, and she also watered the camels.

⁴⁷Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’

She replied, ‘The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. ⁴⁸Then I bowed down and worshiped the LORD; and I blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who led me on the right road to take the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son.

⁴⁹Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; but if not, let me know, so that I may go elsewhere.”

⁵⁰Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the LORD; we have no choice in the matter. ⁵¹Rebekah is here before you. Take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, just as the LORD has decreed.”

⁵²When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD. ⁵³Then he brought out jewels of silver and gold, and articles of clothing, and he gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious gifts to her brother and her mother. ⁵⁴Then he and the men with him ate and drank and spent the night there.

When they got up the next morning, he said, “Send me on my way to my master.”

⁵⁵But her brother and mother said, “Let the girl remain with us ten days or so. After that, she may go.”

⁵⁶But he replied, “Do not delay me, since the LORD has made my journey a success. Send me on my way so that I may go to my master.”

⁵⁷So they said, “We will call the girl and ask her opinion.”

⁵⁸They called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?”

“I will go,” she replied.

⁵⁹So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men. ⁶⁰And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,

“Our sister, may you become the mother

of thousands upon thousands.

May your offspring possess

the gates of their enemies.”

⁶¹Then Rebekah and her servant girls got ready, mounted the camels, and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.

Isaac Marries Rebekah

⁶²Now Isaac had just returned from Beer-lahai-roi, for he was living in the Negev. ⁶³Early in the evening, Isaac went out to the field to meditate, and looking up, he saw the camels approaching.

⁶⁴And when Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac, she got down from her camel ⁶⁵and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?”

“It is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself. ⁶⁶Then the servant told Isaac all that he had done.

⁶⁷And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah as his wife. And Isaac loved her and was comforted after his mother’s death.

The Ministry of the Twelve

¹Then Jesus called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and power to cure diseases. ²And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. ³“Take nothing for the journey,” He told them, “no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no second tunic. ⁴Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that area. ⁵If anyone does not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that town, as a testimony against them.”

⁶So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere.

Herod Tries to See Jesus

⁷When Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, he was perplexed. For some were saying that John had risen from the dead, ⁸others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that a prophet of old had arisen.

⁹“I beheaded John,” Herod said, “but who is this man I hear such things about?” And he kept trying to see Jesus.

The Feeding of the Five Thousand

¹⁰Then the apostles returned and reported to Jesus all that they had done. Taking them away privately, He withdrew to a town called Bethsaida. ¹¹But the crowds found out and followed Him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and He healed those who needed healing.

¹²As the day neared its end, the Twelve came to Jesus and said, “Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside for lodging and provisions. For we are in a desolate place here.”

¹³But Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat.”

“We have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered, “unless we go and buy food for all these people.” ¹⁴(There were about five thousand men.)

He told His disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” ¹⁵They did so, and everyone was seated.

¹⁶Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus spoke a blessing and broke them. Then He gave them to the disciples to set before the people.

¹⁷They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

Peter’s Confession of Christ

¹⁸One day as Jesus was praying in private and the disciples were with Him, He questioned them: “Who do the crowds say I am?”

¹⁹They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that a prophet of old has arisen.”

²⁰“But what about you?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”

Christ’s Passion Foretold

²¹Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. ²²“The Son of Man must suffer many things,” He said. “He must be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

Take Up Your Cross

²³Then Jesus said to all of them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. ²⁴For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

²⁵What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet lose or forfeit his very self? ²⁶If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. ²⁷But I tell you truly, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”

The Transfiguration

²⁸About eight days after Jesus had said these things, He took with Him Peter, John, and James, and went up on a mountain to pray. ²⁹And as He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became radiantly white. ³⁰Suddenly two men, Moses and Elijah, began talking with Jesus. ³¹They appeared in glory and spoke about His departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

³²Meanwhile Peter and his companions were overcome by sleep, but when they awoke, they saw Jesus’ glory and the two men standing with Him. ³³As Moses and Elijah were leaving, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters— one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ( He did not know what he was saying.)

³⁴While Peter was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. ³⁵And a voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, whom I have chosen. Listen to Him!”

³⁶After the voice had spoken, only Jesus was present with them. The disciples kept this to themselves, and in those days they did not tell anyone what they had seen.

The Boy with an Evil Spirit

³⁷The next day, when they came down from the mountain, Jesus was met by a large crowd. ³⁸Suddenly a man in the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, for he is my only child. ³⁹A spirit keeps seizing him, and he screams abruptly. It throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It keeps mauling him and rarely departs from him. ⁴⁰I begged Your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable.”

⁴¹“O unbelieving and perverse generation!” Jesus replied. “How long must I remain with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”

⁴²Even while the boy was approaching, the demon slammed him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.

The Second Prediction of the Passion

⁴³And they were all astonished at the greatness of God.

While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus was doing, He said to His disciples, ⁴⁴“Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.” ⁴⁵But they did not understand this statement. It was veiled from them so that they could not comprehend it, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.

The Greatest in the Kingdom

⁴⁶Then an argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. ⁴⁷But Jesus, knowing the thoughts of their hearts, had a little child stand beside Him. ⁴⁸And He said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes the One who sent Me. For whoever is the least among all of you, he is the greatest.”

⁴⁹“Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not accompany us.”

⁵⁰“Do not stop him,” Jesus replied, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”

The Samaritans Reject Jesus

⁵¹As the day of His ascension approached, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. ⁵²He sent messengers on ahead, who went into a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Him. ⁵³But the people there refused to welcome Him, because He was heading for Jerusalem.

⁵⁴When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do You want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?”

⁵⁵But Jesus turned and rebuked them. ⁵⁶And He and His disciples went on to another village.

The Cost of Discipleship

⁵⁷As they were walking along the road, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow You wherever You go.”

⁵⁸Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.”

⁵⁹Then He said to another man, “Follow Me.”

The man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

⁶⁰But Jesus told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead. You, however, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

⁶¹Still another said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first let me bid farewell to my family.”

⁶²Then Jesus declared, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and then looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

The Burden against Moab

¹This is the burden against Moab:

Ar in Moab is ruined,

destroyed in a night!

Kir in Moab is devastated,

destroyed in a night!

²Dibon goes up to its temple

to weep at its high places.

Moab wails over Nebo,

as well as over Medeba.

Every head is shaved,

every beard is cut off.

³In its streets they wear sackcloth;

on the rooftops and in the public squares

they all wail, falling down weeping.

⁴Heshbon and Elealeh cry out;

their voices are heard as far as Jahaz.

Therefore the soldiers of Moab cry out;

their souls tremble within.

⁵My heart cries out over Moab;

her fugitives flee as far as Zoar,

as far as Eglath-shelishiyah.

With weeping they ascend the slope of Luhith;

they lament their destruction on the road to Horonaim.

⁶The waters of Nimrim are dried up,

and the grass is withered;

the vegetation is gone,

and the greenery is no more.

⁷So they carry their wealth and belongings

over the Brook of the Willows.

⁸For their outcry echoes to the border of Moab.

Their wailing reaches Eglaim;

it is heard in Beer-elim.

⁹The waters of Dimon are full of blood,

but I will bring more upon Dimon —

a lion upon the fugitives of Moab

and upon the remnant of the land.

Moab’s Destruction

¹Send the tribute lambs

to the ruler of the land,

from Sela in the desert

to the mount of Daughter Zion.

²Like fluttering birds

pushed out of the nest,

so are the daughters of Moab

at the fords of the Arnon:

³“Give us counsel;

render a decision.

Shelter us at noonday

with shade as dark as night.

Hide the refugees;

do not betray the one who flees.

⁴Let my fugitives stay with you;

be a refuge for Moab from the destroyer.”

When the oppressor has gone, destruction has ceased,

and the oppressors have vanished from the land,

⁵in loving devotion a throne will be established

in the tent of David.

A judge seeking justice and hastening righteousness

will sit on it in faithfulness.

⁶We have heard of Moab’s pomposity,

his exceeding pride and conceit,

his overflowing arrogance.

But his boasting is empty.

⁷Therefore let Moab wail;

let them wail together for Moab.

Moan for the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth,

you who are utterly stricken.

⁸For the fields of Heshbon have withered,

along with the grapevines of Sibmah.

The rulers of the nations

have trampled its choicest vines,

which had reached as far as Jazer

and spread toward the desert.

Their shoots had spread out

and passed over the sea.

⁹So I weep with Jazer

for the vines of Sibmah;

I drench Heshbon and Elealeh

with my tears.

Triumphant shouts have fallen silent

over your summer fruit and your harvest.

¹⁰Joy and gladness are removed from the orchard;

no one sings or shouts in the vineyards.

No one tramples the grapes in the winepresses;

I have put an end to the cheering.

¹¹Therefore my heart laments for Moab like a harp,

my inmost being for Kir-heres.

¹²When Moab appears on the high place,

when he wearies himself

and enters his sanctuary to pray,

it will do him no good.

¹³This is the message that the LORD spoke earlier concerning Moab. ¹⁴And now the LORD says, “In three years, as a hired worker counts the years, Moab’s splendor will become an object of contempt, with all her many people. And those who are left will be few and feeble.”

The Burden against Damascus

¹This is the burden against Damascus:

“Behold, Damascus is no longer a city;

it has become a heap of ruins.

²The cities of Aroer are forsaken;

they will be left to the flocks,

which will lie down with no one to fear.

³The fortress will disappear from Ephraim,

and the sovereignty from Damascus.

The remnant of Aram will be

like the splendor of the Israelites,”

declares the LORD of Hosts.

⁴“In that day the splendor of Jacob will fade,

and the fat of his body will waste away,

⁵as the reaper gathers the standing grain

and harvests the ears with his arm,

as one gleans heads of grain

in the Valley of Rephaim.

⁶Yet gleanings will remain,

like an olive tree that has been beaten—

two or three berries atop the tree,

four or five on its fruitful branches,”

declares the LORD, the God of Israel.

⁷In that day men will look to their Maker

and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel.

⁸They will not look to the altars

they have fashioned with their hands

or to the Asherahs and incense altars

they have made with their fingers.

⁹In that day their strong cities

will be like forsaken thickets and summits,

abandoned to the Israelites

and to utter desolation.

¹⁰For you have forgotten the God of your salvation

and failed to remember the Rock of your refuge.

Therefore, though you cultivate delightful plots

and set out cuttings from exotic vines —

¹¹though on the day you plant

you make them grow,

and on that morning

you help your seed sprout —

yet the harvest will vanish

on the day of disease and incurable pain.

¹²Alas, the tumult of many peoples;

they rage like the roaring seas and clamoring nations;

they rumble like the crashing of mighty waters.

¹³The nations rage like the rush of many waters.

He rebukes them, and they flee far away,

driven before the wind like chaff on the hills,

like tumbleweeds before a gale.

¹⁴In the evening, there is sudden terror!

Before morning, they are no more!

This is the portion of those who loot us

and the lot of those who plunder us.