Contemplative Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 30:18-19 (New Living Translation) 18 Most of those who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not purified themselves. But King Hezekiah prayed for them, and they were allowed to eat the Passover meal anyway, even though this was contrary to the requirements of the Law. For Hezekiah said, “May the Lord, […]

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2 Chronicles 2:6-7 (New Living Translation) 6 But who can really build him a worthy home? Not even the highest heavens can contain him! So who am I to consider building a Temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices to him? 7 “So send me a master craftsman who can work with […]

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Psalm 23:4 (King James Version) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. This is one of those well-known sentences from the 23rd Psalm or The Lord is My Shepherd. I go back […]

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1 Chronicles 18:14 (New Living Translation) So David reigned over all Israel and did what was just and right for all his people. This is part of the (hi)story of King David as he began to reign over God’s people. The preceding paragraphs describe how David conquered this and that group of people and took […]

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1 Kings 21:25-26 (New Living Translation) 25 (No one else so completely sold himself to what was evil in the Lord’s sight as Ahab did under the influence of his wife Jezebel. 26 His worst outrage was worshiping idols just as the Amorites had done—the people whom the Lord had driven out from the land […]

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2 Chronicles 30:27 (New Living Translation) Then the priests and Levites stood and blessed the people, and God heard their prayer from his holy dwelling in heaven. God dwells in heaven in a holy place. Perhaps there is something lost in translation in the above sentence. Perhaps this is some poetic structure for which a […]

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Exodus 5:22-23 (New Living Translation) 22 Then Moses went back to the Lord and protested, “Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people, Lord? Why did you send me? 23 Ever since I came to Pharaoh as your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to your people. And you have done […]

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Genesis 6:9 (New Living Translation) This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God. This begins the (hi)story of Noah, the flood, and the ark full of animals. The earth is full […]

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Daniel 4:16 (New English Translation) Let his mind be altered from that of a human being,and let an animal’s mind be given to him,and let seven periods of time go by for him. This is part of the (hi)story of Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Daniel is telling Nebuchadnezzar what will come of him for the next […]

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Daniel 3:28 (New Living Translation) Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.” This is part of the […]

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