Contemplative Bible Reading

1 Samuel 16:7, 12 (New Living Translation) 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 12 So Jesse sent for him. He […]

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1 Samuel 15:22-23 (New Living Translation) 22 But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. 23 Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad […]

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Exodus 23:33 (New Living Translation) 33 They must not live in your land, or they will cause you to sin against me. If you serve their gods, you will be trapped by the contemptible customs of their worship. God is speaking to the people. When the people enter the land promised to them by God, […]

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Exodus 14:16 (New Living Translation) 16 Pick up your staff and raise it over the sea. Divide the water so the Israelites can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground. This is part of the (hi)story of Moses leading the people out of Egypt on a 40-year journey to the land promised […]

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Obadiah 1:15-16 (NLT) 1:15 “The day is near when I, the Lord, will judge all godless nations! As you have done to Israel, so it will be done to you. All your evil deeds will fall back on your own heads. 16 Just as you swallowed up my people on my holy mountain, so you […]

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Exodus 1:11-12 (New Living Translation) 11 So the Egyptians made the Israelites their slaves. They appointed brutal slave drivers over them, hoping to wear them down with crushing labor. They forced them to build the cities of Pithom and Rameses as supply centers for the king. 12 But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the […]

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Haggai 1:14 (New Living Translation) 1:14 So the Lord sparked the enthusiasm of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the enthusiasm of Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the enthusiasm of the whole remnant of the people. They began to work on the house of their God, the Lord of Heaven’s […]

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Genesis 47:22 (New Living Translation) 47:22 The only land he did not buy was the land belonging to the priests. They received a regular allotment of food from Pharaoh, so they did not need to sell their land to buy food. This is part of the (hi)story of the seven-year famine in Egypt and how […]

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Numbers 10:13-16 (New Living Translation) 13 When the people set out for the first time, following the instructions the Lord had given through Moses, 14 Judah’s troops led the way. They marched behind their banner, and their leader was Nahshon son of Amminadab. 15 They were joined by the troops of the tribe of Issachar, […]

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Genesis 43:18 (New Living Translation) The brothers were terrified when they saw that they were being taken into Joseph’s house. ‘It’s because of the money we found in our sacks last time,’ they said. ‘He plans to pretend that we stole it. Then he will seize us, make us slaves, and take our donkeys.’ This […]

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