Contemplative Bible Reading

Judges 9:22-23 (New Living Translation) 22 After Abimelech had ruled over Israel for three years, 23 God sent a spirit that stirred up trouble between Abimelech and the leading citizens of Shechem, and they revolted. This is part of the (hi)story of the Judges who ruled Israel before the kings. The fellow named Abimelech ruled […]

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Deuteronomy 26:5 (New Living Translation) 5 “You must then say in the presence of the Lord your God, ‘My ancestor Jacob was a wandering Aramean who went to live as a foreigner in Egypt. His family arrived few in number, but in Egypt they became a large and mighty nation. God is speaking to the […]

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Judges 10:11-12 (New Living Translation) 11 The Lord replied, “Did I not rescue you from the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, 12 the Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the Maonites? When they oppressed you, you cried out to me for help, and I rescued you.” This is a long list of rescues. God is […]

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Deuteronomy 24:5 (New Living Translation) 5 “A newly married man must not be drafted into the army or be given any other official responsibilities. He must be free to spend one year at home, bringing happiness to the wife he has married.” These are the regulations to people were to follow. From time to time, […]

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Deuteronomy 21:18-21 (New Living Translation) 18 “Suppose a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father or mother, even though they discipline him. 19 In such a case, the father and mother must take the son to the elders as they hold court at the town gate. 20 The parents […]

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1 Samuel 16:18 (New Living Translation) 18 One of the servants said to Saul, “One of Jesse’s sons from Bethlehem is a talented harp player. Not only that—he is a brave warrior, a man of war, and has good judgment. He is also a fine-looking young man, and the Lord is with him.” And so […]

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2 Samuel 8:2 (New Living Translation) 2 David also conquered the land of Moab. He made the people lie down on the ground in a row, and he measured them off in groups with a length of rope. He measured off two groups to be executed for every one group to be spared. The Moabites […]

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1 Samuel 7:10 (New Living Translation) 10 Just as Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines arrived to attack Israel. But the Lord spoke with a mighty voice of thunder from heaven that day, and the Philistines were thrown into such confusion that the Israelites defeated them. The dreaded Philistines arrive with an army […]

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1 Samuel 6:5-6 (New Living Translation) 5 Make these things to show honor to the God of Israel. Perhaps then he will stop afflicting you, your gods, and your land. 6 Don’t be stubborn and rebellious as Pharaoh and the Egyptians were. By the time God was finished with them, they were eager to let […]

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1 Samuel 17:46 (New Living Translation) 46 Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! This is […]

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