The Prophecy from Peor

1When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go as at other times to seek omens but he set his face toward the wilderness. 2And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe; and the Spirit of God came upon him. 3He took up his discourse and said,

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,

And the oracle of the man whose eye is opened;

4The oracle of him who hears the words of God,

Who sees the vision of the Almighty,

Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered,

5How fair are your tents, O Jacob,

Your dwellings, O Israel!

6Like valleys that stretch out,

Like gardens beside the river,

Like aloes planted by the Lord,

Like cedars beside the waters.

7Water will flow from his buckets,

And his seed will be by many waters,

And his king shall be higher than Agag,

And his kingdom shall be exalted.

8God brings him out of Egypt,

He is for him like the horns of the wild ox.

He will devour the nations who are his adversaries,

And will crush their bones in pieces,

And shatter them with his arrows.

9He couches, he lies down as a lion,

And as a lion, who dares rouse him?

Blessed is everyone who blesses you,

And cursed is everyone who curses you.”

10Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have persisted in blessing them these three times! 11Therefore, flee to your place now. I said I would honor you greatly, but behold, the Lord has held you back from honor.” 12Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you had sent to me, saying, 13‘Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything contrary to the command of the Lord, either good or bad, of my own accord. What the Lord speaks, that I will speak’? 14And now, behold, I am going to my people; come, and I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the days to come.”

15He took up his discourse and said,

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,

And the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,

16The oracle of him who hears the words of God,

And knows the knowledge of the Most High,

Who sees the vision of the Almighty,

Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered.

17I see him, but not now;

I behold him, but not near;

A star shall come forth from Jacob,

A scepter shall rise from Israel,

And shall crush through the forehead of Moab,

And tear down all the sons of Sheth.

18Edom shall be a possession,

Seir, its enemies, also will be a possession,

While Israel performs valiantly.

19One from Jacob shall have dominion,

And will destroy the remnant from the city.”

20And he looked at Amalek and took up his discourse and said,

“Amalek was the first of the nations,

But his end shall be destruction.”

21And he looked at the Kenite, and took up his discourse and said,

“Your dwelling place is enduring,

And your nest is set in the cliff.

22Nevertheless Kain will be consumed;

How long will Asshur keep you captive?”

23Then he took up his discourse and said,

“Alas, who can live except God has ordained it?

24But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim,

And they shall afflict Asshur and will afflict Eber;

So they also will come to destruction.”

25Then Balaam arose and departed and returned to his place, and Balak also went his way.

The Sin of Peor

1While Israel remained at Shittim, the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. 2For they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and the Lord was angry against Israel. 4The Lord said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before the Lord, so that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.” 5So Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you slay his men who have joined themselves to Baal of Peor.”

6Then behold, one of the sons of Israel came and brought to his relatives a Midianite woman, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, while they were weeping at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 7When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he arose from the midst of the congregation and took a spear in his hand, 8and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and pierced both of them through, the man of Israel and the woman, through the body. So the plague on the sons of Israel was checked. 9Those who died by the plague were 24,000.

The Zeal of Phinehas

10Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 11“Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned away My wrath from the sons of Israel in that he was jealous with My jealousy among them, so that I did not destroy the sons of Israel in My jealousy. 12Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give him My covenant of peace; 13and it shall be for him and his descendants after him, a covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the sons of Israel.’ ”

14Now the name of the slain man of Israel who was slain with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, a leader of a father’s household among the Simeonites. 15The name of the Midianite woman who was slain was Cozbi the daughter of Zur, who was head of the people of a father’s household in Midian.

16Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 17“Be hostile to the Midianites and strike them; 18for they have been hostile to you with their tricks, with which they have deceived you in the affair of Peor and in the affair of Cozbi, the daughter of the leader of Midian, their sister who was slain on the day of the plague because of Peor.”

Jesus’ Birth in Bethlehem

1Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. 2This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. 4Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. 6While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

8In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14“Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

15When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” 16So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. 17When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

Jesus Presented at the Temple

21And when eight days had passed, before His circumcision, His name was then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

22And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), 24and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

25And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, 28then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,

29“Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace,

According to Your word;

30For my eyes have seen Your salvation,

31Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

32A Light of revelation to the Gentiles,

And the glory of Your people Israel.”

33And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. 34And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed— 35and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

PSALM 59

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies.

For the choir director; set to Al-tashheth. A Mikhtam of David, when Saul sent men and they watched the house in order to kill him.

1Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;

Set me securely on high away from those who rise up against me.

2Deliver me from those who do iniquity

And save me from men of bloodshed.

3For behold, they have set an ambush for my life;

Fierce men launch an attack against me,

Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord,

4For no guilt of mine, they run and set themselves against me.

Arouse Yourself to help me, and see!

5You, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel,

Awake to punish all the nations;

Do not be gracious to any who are treacherous in iniquity. Selah.

6They return at evening, they howl like a dog,

And go around the city.

7Behold, they belch forth with their mouth;

Swords are in their lips,

For, they say, “Who hears?”

8But You, O Lord, laugh at them;

You scoff at all the nations.

9Because of his strength I will watch for You,

For God is my stronghold.

10My God in His lovingkindness will meet me;

God will let me look triumphantly upon my foes.

11Do not slay them, or my people will forget;

Scatter them by Your power, and bring them down,

O Lord, our shield.

12On account of the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips,

Let them even be caught in their pride,

And on account of curses and lies which they utter.

13Destroy them in wrath, destroy them that they may be no more;

That men may know that God rules in Jacob

To the ends of the earth. Selah.

14They return at evening, they howl like a dog,

And go around the city.

15They wander about for food

And growl if they are not satisfied.

16But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength;

Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning,

For You have been my stronghold

And a refuge in the day of my distress.

17O my strength, I will sing praises to You;

For God is my stronghold, the God who shows me lovingkindness.

14Where there is no guidance the people fall,

But in abundance of counselors there is victory.