March 23 (Numbers 27–28; Psalm 76; John 18)

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Through the ESV Bible in a Year with Jackie Hill Perry

Episode Date: March 23, 2026
Readings: Numbers 27–28, Psalm 76, John 18

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Overview

This episode features scripture readings from the Old Testament (Numbers 27–28), Psalms (Psalm 76), and the New Testament (John 18). Listeners hear about the inheritance rights of Zelophehad’s daughters, the succession of Moses by Joshua, detailed laws of offerings, a worshipful psalm praising God’s power and judgment, and the arrest, interrogation, and trial of Jesus Christ.
The episode's purpose is to guide listeners through a rich tapestry of biblical themes: justice and inclusion, faithfulness in leadership, the seriousness of worship, the sovereignty of God, and the sacrificial mission of Jesus.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Daughters of Zelophehad and the Law of Inheritance

(Numbers 27:1–11, 00:04–01:21)

• The five daughters of Zelophehad appeal for the right to inherit their father’s property, as he died without male heirs.
• Moses brings their case before God, who affirms the justice of their request.
• An important moment of legal precedent for women in Israel:
  • “The daughters of Zelophehad are right. You shall give them possession of an inheritance among their father's brothers...” (Priest/Levitical Reader, 00:45)
• God details new succession laws to ensure family land remains within the tribe and is passed fairly (sons, then daughters, then brothers, etc.).

2. Leadership Transition: Moses and Joshua

(Numbers 27:12–23, 01:21–03:05)

• God instructs Moses to view the Promised Land, foretelling his death due to prior disobedience (the “waters of Meribah” incident).
  • “You shall be gathered to your people as your brother Aaron was, because you rebelled against my word...” (Priest/Levitical Reader, 01:40)
• Moses appeals that the people would not be “as sheep that have no shepherd” (02:01), showing his concern for Israel’s future leadership.
• God appoints Joshua:
  • “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand on him.” (Priest/Levitical Reader, 02:08)
• Joshua is publicly commissioned before Eleazar the priest and the congregation, symbolizing the orderly and divinely approved transition of authority.

3. Laws for Daily, Weekly, and Festival Offerings

(Numbers 28:1–31, 03:05–06:43)

• Detailed instructions about offerings to be made daily, on Sabbaths, monthly, and during special festivals (Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, Weeks).
  • “My offering, my food for my food offerings, my pleasing aroma, you shall be careful to offer to me at its appointed time.” (Assistant/Chant Leader, 03:05)
• Emphasis on regularity, order, and the need for unblemished sacrifices.
• Repeated motive: “a pleasing aroma to the Lord,” underlining the idea of worship pleasing God through careful obedience.

4. Psalm 76: God’s Judgment and Majesty

(Psalm 76:1–12, 06:46–07:54)

• Psalmist praises God’s awesome reputation and saving power, especially in Jerusalem.
  • “Glorious are you, more majestic than the mountains full of prey.” (Priest/Levitical Reader, 07:06)
• God’s judgment subdues warriors, instills fear, and ensures the salvation of the humble.
  • “Surely the wrath of man shall praise you; the remnant of wrath you will put on like a belt.” (Priest/Levitical Reader, 07:40)
• Ends with a call to honor vows and acknowledge God's supremacy.

5. John 18: Jesus’ Arrest, Peter’s Denial, and Jesus Before Pilate

(John 18:1–40, 08:01–end)

• Jesus is betrayed by Judas in the garden. He faces the armed crowd calmly:
  • “Whom do you seek?” ... “I am he.” (Jesus, Narrator & Assistant/Chant Leader, 08:27)
• The authority and composure of Jesus cause the crowd to draw back and fall (08:41).
• Peter defends Jesus but is rebuked:
  • “Put your sword into a sheath. Shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” (Jesus, 09:07)
• Jesus is brought before Annas and then Caiaphas; questioned about his disciples and teaching.
  • “I have spoken openly to the world … I have said nothing in secret.” (Jesus, 10:12)
• Peter, fearful for his life, denies Jesus three times as foretold, and a rooster crows (10:32–10:59).
• Jesus stands before Pilate; the question of kingship and truth is addressed:
  • “My kingdom is not of this world … For this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” (Jesus, 11:47)
  • Pilate’s reply: “What is truth?” (Pilate, 12:03)
• Pilate offers to release Jesus or Barabbas; the crowd chooses Barabbas (end).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Divine Justice and Inclusion:
  “The daughters of Zelophehad are right.” (Priest/Levitical Reader, 00:45)
  A rare and powerful biblical moment championing justice for women in ancient Israel.

• Moses’ Shepherd Heart:
  “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation ... that the congregation ... may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.” (Moses, 01:58–02:02)

• Jesus’ Authority in Crisis:
  “I am he.” (Jesus, 08:36)
  His words shock and awe his captors; a display of divine authority even in arrest.

• Jesus’ Mission and Identity:
  “If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting ... But my kingdom is not from the world.” (Jesus, 11:38)
  “For this purpose I was born ... to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” (Jesus, 11:54)

• Pilate’s Cynicism:
  “What is truth?” (Pilate, 12:03)
  A haunting, philosophical question at the heart of Jesus’ trial.

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Important Timestamps

• 00:04 — Inheritance rights for Zelophehad’s daughters (Numbers 27)
• 01:21 — Announcement of Moses’ death, transition to Joshua
• 03:05 — Offerings and worship laws (Numbers 28)
• 06:46 — Psalm 76: God's judgment and worship
• 08:01 — Jesus betrayed and arrested in the garden (John 18)
• 09:07 — Jesus rebukes Peter: “Shall I not drink the cup?”
• 10:12 — Jesus questioned by Annas and Caiaphas
• 10:32 — Peter’s denials and the rooster crows
• 11:38 — Jesus before Pilate: his kingdom and his purpose
• 12:03 — “What is truth?”

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Tone and Language

The tone is reverent and solemn, echoing the gravity of the scriptural events. The transitions between readings highlight key theological and moral themes, with a focus on both the continuity and distinctiveness of God’s dealings with his people across the Old and New Testaments.

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Conclusion

This episode intricately weaves together scenes of divine justice, leadership, worship, and the unfolding story of salvation in Christ. From the inheritance of the faithful daughters, through Moses’ last acts, to the darkest night of Jesus’ arrest, listeners are invited to witness the faithfulness of God and the fulfillment of his promises, culminating in the Messiah’s willing submission to the Father’s will “to bear witness to the truth.”

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Transcript

[Narrator]

A reading from the Book of Numbers

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

then drew near the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, from the clans of Manasseh, the son of Joseph. The names of his daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. And they stood before Moses and before Eleazar the priest, and before the chiefs and all the congregation at the entrance of the tent of meeting, saying, our

[Narrator]

father died in the wilderness. He was not among the company of

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

those who gathered themselves together against the Lord in the company of Korah, but died for his own sin and he had no sons.

[Narrator]

Why should the name of our father

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

be taken away from his clan because he had no son. Give to us a possession among our father's brothers. Moses brought their case before the Lord. And the Lord said to Moses, the daughters of Zelophehad are right. You shall give them possession of an inheritance among their father's brothers and transfer the inheritance of their father to them. And you shall speak to the people of Israel saying, if a man dies and has no son, then you shall transfer his inheritance to his daughter. And if he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. And if he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father's brothers. And if his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to the nearest kinsmen of his clan.

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

And.

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

And he shall possess it. And it shall be for the people of Israel a statute and rule, as the Lord commanded. Moses. The Lord said to Moses, go up into this mountain of Abiram and see the land that I have given to the people of Israel. When you have seen it, you also

[Narrator]

shall be gathered to your people as

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

your brother Aaron was, because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin. When the congregation quarreled, failing to uphold me as holy at the waters before their eyes. These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh. In the wilderness of Zin, Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, let the Lord,

[Narrator]

the God of the spirits of all

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

flesh, appoint a man over the congregation who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd. So the Lord said to Moses, take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand on him. Make him stand before Eliezer the priest and all the congregation, and you shall commission him in their sight. You shall Invest him with some of your authority that all the congregation of the people of Israel may obey. And he shall stand before Eliezer the priest, who shall inquire for him, by the judgment of the Urim, before the Lord. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in both he and all the people of Israel with him, the whole congregation. And Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and made him stand before Eliezer, the priest and the whole congregation. And he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the Lord directed through Moses. The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, command the people of Israel and say to

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

them, my offering, my food for my

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

food offerings, my pleasing aroma you shall

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

be careful to offer to me at its appointed time.

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

And you shall say to them, this

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

is the food offering that you shall

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

offer to the Lord. Two male lambs a year old, without blemish, day by day, as a regular offering.

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight.

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

Also a tenth of an ephah of

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

fine flour for a grain offering mixed

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

with a quarter of a hin of beaten oil.

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

It is a regular burnt offering which

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

was ordained at Mount Sinai for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord.

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

Its drink offering shall be a quarter of a hin for each lamb in

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

the holy place you shall pour out

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

a drink offering of strong drink to the Lord. The other lamb you shall offer at twilight, like the grain offering of the morning, and like its drink offering, you shall offer it as a food offering

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

with a pleasing aroma to the Lord

[Narrator]

on the Sabbath day.

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

Two male lambs a year old without blemish, and two tenths of an ephah

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

of fine flour for a grain offering mixed with oil and its drink offering. This is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, besides the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

At the beginnings of your months you

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

shall offer a burnt offering to the Lord. Two bulls from the herd, one ram,

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

seven male lambs a year old without blemish.

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

Also three tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering mixed with oil for each bull, and two tenths of fine flour for a grain offering mixed with oil for the one ram, and a tenth of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering for every lamb for a burnt offering with a pleasing aroma. A food offering to the Lord. Their drink offering shall be half a hen of wine for a bull, a third of a hin for a ram, and a quarter of a hen for a lamb. And this is the burnt offering of

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

each month throughout the months of the year.

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

Also one male goat for a sin offering to the Lord.

[Narrator]

It shall be offered besides the regular

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

burnt offering and its drink offering. On the 14th day of the first month is the Lord's passover.

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

And on the 15th day of this month is a feast. Seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten. On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work,

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

but offer a food offering, a burnt offering to the Lord. Two bulls from the herd, one ram,

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

and seven male lambs a year old.

[Narrator]

See that they are without blemish.

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

Also their grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil. 3/10 of an ephah shall you offer for a bull and two tenths for a ram. A tenth shall you offer for each

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

of the seven lambs.

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

Also one male goat for a sin offering. To make atonement for you. You shall offer these besides the burnt offering of the morning, and which is for a regular burnt offering.

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

In the same way you shall offer daily for seven days the food of a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

It shall be offered besides the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

And on the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work.

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

On the day of the first fruits, when you offer a grain offering of

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

new grain to the Lord. At your feast of weeks, you shall have a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

but offer a burnt offering with a

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

pleasing aroma to the Lord.

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

Two bulls from the herd, one ram,

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

seven male lambs a year old.

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

Also their grain offering of fine flour

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

mixed with oil, 3/10 of an ephah

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

for each bull, 2/10 for one ram,

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

a tenth for each of the seven lambs, with one male goat to make atonement for you.

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

Besides the regular burnt offering and its grain offering, you shall offer them in their drink offering.

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

See that they are without blemish.

[Narrator]

A reading from the book of Psalms to the choirmaster with stringed instruments.

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

A psalm of Asaph, a song.

[Narrator]

In Judah God is known, his name is great in Israel his abode has been established in Salem, his dwelling place in Zion.

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

There he broke the flashing arrows, the

[Narrator]

shield, the sword, and the weapons of war. Selah glorious. Are you more majestic than the mountains full of prey? The stout hearted were stripped of their spoil. They sank into sleep.

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

All the men of war were unable

[Narrator]

to use their hands. At your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both rider and horse lay stunned. But you, you are to Be feared. Who can stand before you.

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

When once your anger is roused from the heavens? You uttered judgment?

[Narrator]

The earth feared.

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

And was still when God arose to establish judgment.

[Narrator]

To save all the humble of the earth. Selah.

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

Surely the wrath of man shall praise you.

[Narrator]

The remnant of wrath you will put on like a belt. Make your vows to the Lord your God and perform them.

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

Let all around him bring gifts to

[Narrator]

him who is to be feared. Who cuts off the spirit of princes. Who is to be feared by the

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

kings of the earth.

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

A reading from the Gospel according to John.

[Narrator]

When Jesus had spoken these words. He went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron. Where there was a garden which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place. For Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers. And some officers. From the chief priests and the Pharisees. Went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him. And came forward and said to them, whom do you seek? They answered him, jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said to them, I am he. Judas who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, I am he. They drew back and fell to the ground. So he asked them again, whom do you seek? And they said, jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I told you that I am he. So if you seek me, let these men go. This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken. Of those whom you gave me, I

[Assistant/Chant Leader]

have lost not one.

[Narrator]

Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it. And struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. So Jesus said to Peter, put your sword into a sheath. Shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me? So the band of soldiers and their captain. And the officers of the Jews. Arrested Jesus and bound him. First they led him to Annas. For he was the father in law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews. That it would be expedient that one man should die for the people. Simon Peter followed Jesus and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest. He entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. But Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest. Went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door and brought Peter in. The servant girl at the door said to Peter, you also are not one of this man's disciples, are you? He said, I am not. Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire because it was cold and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself. The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered them, I. I have spoken

[Priest/Levitical Reader]

openly to the world.

[Narrator]

I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them. They know what I said. When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, is that how you answer the high priest? Jesus answered him, if what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong. But if what I said is right, why do you strike me? Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas. The high priest now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, you also are not one of his disciples, are you? He denied it and said, I am not one of the servants of the high priest. A relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off asked, did I not see you in the garden with him? Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed. Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. So Pilate went outside to them and said, what accusation do you bring against this man? They answered him, if this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you. Pilate said to them, take him yourselves and judge him by your own law. The Jews said to him, it is not lawful for us to put anyone to death. This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die. So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, are you the king of the Jews? Jesus answered, do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me? Pilate answered, am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done? Jesus answered, my kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world. Then Pilate said to him, so you are a king. Jesus answered, you say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born, and. And for this purpose I have come into the world to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice. Pilate said to him, what is truth? After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, I find no guilt in him. But you have a custom that I shall release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews? They cried out again, not this man, but Barabbas. Now, Barabbas was a robber.