1 When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked Israel and captured some prisoners. 2So Israel made a vow to the Lord: “If You will deliver this people into our hands, we will devote their cities to destruction.”

3 And the Lord heard Israel’s plea and delivered up the Canaanites. Israel devoted them and their cities to destruction; so they named the place Hormah.

4 Then they set out from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, in order to bypass the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient on the journey 5and spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you led us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread or water, and we detest this wretched food!”

6 So the Lord sent venomous snakes among the people, and many of the Israelites were bitten and died.

7 Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Intercede with the Lord so He will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses interceded for the people.

8 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.” 9So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. If anyone who was bitten looked at the bronze snake, he would live.

10 Then the Israelites set out and camped at Oboth. 11They journeyed from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim in the wilderness opposite Moab to the east. 12From there they set out and camped in the Valley of Zered. 13From there they moved on and camped on the other side of the Arnon, in the wilderness that extends into the Amorite territory.

Now the Arnon is the border between the Moabites and the Amorites. 14Therefore it is stated in the Book of the Wars of the Lord:

16 From there they went on to Beer, the well where the Lord said to Moses, “Gather the people so that I may give them water.” 17Then Israel sang this song:

From the wilderness the Israelites went on to Mattanah, 19and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth, 20and from Bamoth to the valley in Moab where the top of Pisgah overlooks the wasteland.

21 Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, 22“Let us pass through your land. We will not turn aside into any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will stay on the King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.”

23 But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. Instead, he gathered his whole army and went out to confront Israel in the wilderness. When he came to Jahaz, he fought against Israel. 24And Israel put him to the sword and took possession of his land, from the Arnon to the Jabbok — but only up to the border of the Ammonites, because it was fortified.

25 Israel captured all the cities of the Amorites and occupied them, including Heshbon and all its villages. 26Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and taken all his land as far as the Arnon. 27That is why the poets say:

31 So Israel lived in the land of the Amorites. 32After Moses had sent spies to Jazer, Israel captured its villages and drove out the Amorites who were there.

33 Then they turned and went up the road to Bashan, and Og king of Bashan and his whole army came out to meet them in battle at Edrei.

34 But the Lord said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand, along with all his people and his land. Do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon.”

35 So they struck down Og, along with his sons and his whole army, until no remnant was left. And they took possession of his land.

1 Then the Israelites traveled on and camped in the plains of Moab near the Jordan, across from Jericho.

2 Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, 3and Moab was terrified of the people because they were numerous. Indeed, Moab dreaded the Israelites. 4So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will devour everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.”

Since Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time, 5he sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people.

“Behold, a people has come out of Egypt,” said Balak. “They cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. 6So please come now and put a curse on this people, because they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land; for I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed.”

7 The elders of Moab and Midian departed with the fees for divination in hand. They came to Balaam and relayed to him the words of Balak.

8“Spend the night here,” Balaam replied, “and I will give you the answer that the Lord speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

9 Then God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”

10 And Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: 11‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps I may be able to fight against them and drive them away.’”

12 But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse this people, for they are blessed.”

13 So Balaam got up the next morning and said to Balak’s princes, “Go back to your homeland, because the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”

14 And the princes of Moab arose, returned to Balak, and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

15 Then Balak sent other princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first messengers. 16They came to Balaam and said, “This is what Balak son of Zippor says: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me, 17for I will honor you richly and do whatever you say. So please come and put a curse on this people for me!’”

18 But Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything small or great to go beyond the command of the Lord my God. 19So now, please stay here overnight as the others did, that I may find out what else the Lord has to tell me.”

20 That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but you must only do what I tell you.”

26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. 32He 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, 33and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!”

34“How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God. 36Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month. 37For no word from God will ever fail.”

38“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.

39 In those days Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah, 40where she entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42In a loud voice she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43And why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord’s word to her will be fulfilled.”

46 Then Mary said:

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.