Day 79 of 365

Num 21:1–35

1 The Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard tell that Israel came by the way of Atharim; and he fought against Israel, and took some of them captive.

2 Israel vowed a vow to the Lord, and said, "If you will indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities."

3 The Lord listened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and the name of the place was called Hormah.

4 They traveled from Mount Hor by the way to the Red Sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.

5 The people spoke against God, and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, and there is no water; and our soul loathes this light bread."

6 The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many people of Israel died.

7 The people came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord, and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us." Moses prayed for the people.

8 The Lord said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a standard: and it shall happen, that everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live."

9 Moses made a serpent of brass, and set it on the standard: and it happened, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked to the serpent of brass, he lived.

10 The children of Israel traveled, and encamped in Oboth.

11 They traveled from Oboth, and encamped at Iyeabarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sunrise.

12 From there they traveled, and encamped in the valley of Zered.

13 From there they traveled, and encamped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the wilderness, that comes out of the border of the Amorites: for the Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.

14 Therefore it is said in the book of the Wars of the Lord, "Vaheb in Suphah, the valleys of the Arnon,

15 the slope of the valleys that incline toward the dwelling of Ar, leans on the border of Moab."

16 From there they traveled to Beer: that is the well of which the Lord said to Moses, "Gather the people together, and I will give them water."

17 Then sang Israel this song: "Spring up, well; sing to it:

18 the well, which the princes dug, which the nobles of the people dug, with the scepter, and with their poles." From the wilderness they traveled to Mattanah;

19 and from Mattanah to Nahaliel; and from Nahaliel to Bamoth;

20 and from Bamoth to the valley that is in the field of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looks down on the desert.

21 Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying,

22 "Let me pass through your land: we will not turn aside into field, or into vineyard; we will not drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king's highway, until we have passed your border."

23 Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his border: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the wilderness, and came to Jahaz; and he fought against Israel.

24 Israel struck him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, even to the children of Ammon; for the border of the children of Ammon was strong.

25 Israel took all these cities: and Israel lived in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all its towns.

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 to the Arnon.

27 Therefore those who speak in proverbs say, "Come to Heshbon. Let the city of Sihon be built and established;

28 for a fire has gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon. It has devoured Ar of Moab, The lords of the high places of the Arnon.

29 Woe to you, Moab! You are undone, people of Chemosh! He has given his sons as fugitives, and his daughters into captivity, to Sihon king of the Amorites.

30 We have shot at them. Heshbon has perished even to Dibon. We have laid waste even to Nophah, Which reaches to Medeba."

31 Thus Israel lived in the land of the Amorites.

32 Moses sent to spy out Jazer; and they took its towns, and drove out the Amorites who were there.

33 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 battle at Edrei.

34 The Lord said to Moses, "Do not fear him: for I have delivered him into your hand, and all his people, and his land; and you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon."

35 So they struck him, and his sons and all his people, until there was none left him remaining: and they possessed his land.

Luke 1:26–55

26 Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary.

28 Having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you!"

29 But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be.

30 The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and will call his name 'Jesus.'

32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David,

33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom."

34 Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?"

35 The angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born will be called the Son of God.

36 Behold, Elisabeth, your relative, also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.

37 For everything spoken by God is possible."

38 Mary said, "Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to your word." The angel departed from her.

39 Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah,

40 and entered into the house of Zechariah and greeted Elisabeth.

41 It happened, when Elisabeth heard Mary's greeting, that the baby leaped in her womb, and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42 She called out with a loud voice, and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

43 Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44 For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy!

45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!"

46 Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord.

47 My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,

48 for he has looked at the humble state of his handmaid. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.

49 For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name.

50 His mercy is for generations of generations on those who fear him.

51 He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

52 He has put down princes from their thrones. And has exalted the lowly.

53 He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty.

54 He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,

55 As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his seed forever."

Ps 35:1–28

1 Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me.

2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help.

3 Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me. Tell my soul, "I am your salvation."

4 Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded.

5 Let them be as chaff before the wind, The Lord's angel driving them on.

6 Let their way be dark and slippery, The Lord's angel pursuing them.

7 For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me. Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul.

8 Let destruction come on him unawares. Let his net that he has hidden catch himself. Let him fall into that destruction.

9 My soul shall be joyful in the Lord. It shall rejoice in his salvation.

10 All my bones shall say, "Lord, who is like you, who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him; yes, the poor and the needy from him who robs him?"

11 Unrighteous witnesses rise up. They ask me about things that I do not know about.

12 They reward me evil for good, to the bereaving of my soul.

13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into my own bosom.

14 I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother. I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother.

15 But in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together. The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I did not know it. They tore at me, and did not cease.

16 Like the profane mockers in feasts, they gnashed their teeth at me.

17 Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destruction, my precious life from the lions.

18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly. I will praise you among many people.

19 Do not let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those who hate me without a cause and wink their eyes.

20 For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.

21 Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, "Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!"

22 You have seen it, Lord. Do not keep silent. Lord, do not be far from me.

23 Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God! My Lord, contend for me!

24 Vindicate me, Lord my God, according to your righteousness. Do not let them gloat over me.

25 Do not let them say in their heart, "Aha! That's the way we want it!" Do not let them say, "We have swallowed him up!"

26 Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me.

27 Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause. Yes, let them say continually, "The Lord be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant!"

28 My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long.