JUDGES 1:1-2:9
LUKE 21:29-22:13
PSALM 90:1-91:16
PROVERBS 13:24-25
JUDGES 1:1-2:9
After Joshua died, the Israelites asked the LORD, " Which tribe should attack the Canaanites first?" 2 The LORD answered, " Judah, for I have given them victory over the land." 3 The leaders of Judah said to their relatives from the tribe of Simeon, " Join with us to fight against the Canaanites living in the territory allotted to us. Then we will help you conquer your territory." So the men of Simeon went with Judah.4 When the men of Judah attacked, the LORD gave them victory over the Canaanites and Perizzites, and they killed ten thousand enemy warriors at the town of Bezek. 5 While at Bezek they encountered King Adoni-bezek and fought against him, and the Canaanites and Perizzites were defeated. 6 Adoni-bezek escaped, but the Israelites soon captured him and cut off his thumbs and big toes. 7 Adoni-bezek said, " I once had seventy kings with thumbs and big toes cut off, eating scraps from under my table. Now God has paid me back for what I did to them." They took him to Jerusalem, and he died there. 8 The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem and captured it, killing all its people and setting the city on fire. 9 Then they turned south to fight the Canaanites living in the hill country, the Negev, and the western foothills. 10 Judah marched against the Canaanites in Hebron (formerly called Kiriath-arba), defeating the forces of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. 11 From there they marched against the people living in the town of Debir (formerly called Kiriath-sepher). 12 Then Caleb said, " I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage to the one who attacks and captures Kiriath-sepher." 13 Othniel, the son of Caleb's younger brother Kenaz, was the one who conquered it, so Acsah became Othniel's wife. 14 When Acsah married Othniel, she urged him to ask her father for an additional field. As she got down off her donkey, Caleb asked her, " What is it? What can I do for you?" 15 She said, " Give me a further blessing. You have been kind enough to give me land in the Negev; please give me springs as well." So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs. 16 When the tribe of Judah left Jericho, the Kenites, who were descendants of Moses' father-in-law, traveled with them into the wilderness of Judah. They settled among the people there, near the town of Arad in the Negev.17 Then Judah joined with Simeon to fight against the Canaanites living in Zephath, and they completely destroyed the town. So the town was named Hormah. 18 In addition, Judah captured the cities of Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron, along with their surrounding territories. 19 The LORD was with the people of Judah, and they took possession of the hill country. But they failed to drive out the people living in the plains because the people there had iron chariots. 20 The city of Hebron was given to Caleb as Moses had promised. And Caleb drove out the people living there, who were descendants of the three sons of Anak. 21 The tribe of Benjamin, however, failed to drive out the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem. So to this day the Jebusites live in Jerusalem among the people of Benjamin. 22 The descendants of Joseph attacked the town of Bethel, and the LORD was with them. 23 They sent spies to Bethel (formerly known as Luz), 24 who confronted a man coming out of the city. They said to him, " Show us a way into the city, and we will have mercy on you." 25 So he showed them a way in, and they killed everyone in the city except for this man and his family. 26 Later the man moved to the land of the Hittites, where he built a city. He named the city Luz, and it is known by that name to this day. 27 The tribe of Manasseh failed to drive out the people living in Beth-shan, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, Megiddo, and their surrounding villages, because the Canaanites were determined to stay in that region. 28 When the Israelites grew stronger, they forced the Canaanites to work as slaves, but they never did drive them out of the land. 29 The tribe of Ephraim also failed to drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer, and so the Canaanites continued to live there among them. 30 The tribe of Zebulun also failed to drive out the Canaanites living in Kitron and Nahalol, who continued to live among them. But they forced them to work as slaves. 31 The tribe of Asher also failed to drive out the residents of Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Aczib, Helbah, Aphik, and Rehob. 32 In fact, because they did not drive them out, the Canaanites dominated the land where the people of Asher lived.33 The tribe of Naphtali also failed to drive out the residents of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath. Instead, the Canaanites dominated the land where they lived. Nevertheless, the people of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath were sometimes forced to work as slaves for the people of Naphtali. 34 As for the tribe of Dan, the Amorites forced them into the hill country and would not let them come down into the plains. 35 The Amorites were determined to stay in Mount Heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbim, but when the descendants of Joseph became stronger, they forced the Amorites to work as slaves. 36 The boundary of the Amorites ran from Scorpion Pass to Sela and continued upward from there. 2:1 THE angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bokim with a message for the Israelites. He told them, " I brought you out of Egypt into this land that I swore to give your ancestors, and I said I would never break my covenant with you. 2 For your part, you were not to make any covenants with the people living in this land; instead, you were to destroy their altars. Why, then, have you disobeyed my command? 3 Since you have done this, I will no longer drive out the people living in your land. They will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a constant temptation to you." 4 When the angel of the LORD finished speaking, the Israelites wept loudly. 5 So they called the place " Weeping," and they offered sacrifices to the LORD. 6 After Joshua sent the people away, each of the tribes left to take possession of the land allotted to them. 7 And the Israelites served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and the leaders who outlived him--those who had seen all the great things the LORD had done for Israel. 8 Then Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of 110. 9 They buried him in the land he had inherited, at Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.
LUKE 21:29-22:13
Then he [Jesus] gave them this illustration: " Notice the fig tree, or any other tree. 30 When the leaves come out, you know without being told that summer is near. 31 Just so, when you see the events I've described taking place, you can be sure that the Kingdom of God is near. 32 I assure you, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these events have taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will remain forever. 34 " Watch out! Don't let me find you living in careless ease and drunkenness, and filled with the worries of this life. Don't let that day catch you unaware, 35 as in a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. 36 Keep a constant watch. And pray that, if possible, you may escape these horrors and stand before the Son of Man." 37 Every day Jesus went to the Temple to teach, and each evening he returned to spend the night on the Mount of Olives. 38 The crowds gathered early each morning to hear him.22:1 THE Festival of Unleavened Bread, which begins with the Passover celebration, was drawing near. 2 The leading priests and teachers of religious law were actively plotting Jesus' murder. But they wanted to kill him without starting a riot, a possibility they greatly feared. 3 Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, 4 and he went over to the leading priests and captains of the Temple guard to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them. 5 They were delighted that he was ready to help them, and they promised him a reward. 6 So he began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus so they could arrest him quietly when the crowds weren't around. 7 Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread arrived, when the Passover lambs were sacrificed. 8 Jesus sent Peter and John ahead and said, " Go and prepare the Passover meal, so we can eat it together." 9 " Where do you want us to go?" they asked him. 10 He replied, " As soon as you enter Jerusalem, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him. At the house he enters, 11 say to the owner, ` The Teacher asks, Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?' 12 He will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up. That is the place. Go ahead and prepare our supper there." 13 They went off to the city and found everything just as Jesus had said, and they prepared the Passover supper there.
PSALM 90:1-91:16
A prayer of Moses, the man of God.
1 Lord, through all the generations
you have been our home!
2 Before the mountains were created,
before you made the earth and the world,
you are God, without beginning or end.
3 You turn people back to dust, saying,
" Return to dust!"
4 For you, a thousand years are as yesterday!
They are like a few hours!
5 You sweep people away like dreams that disappear
or like grass that springs up in the morning.
6 In the morning it blooms and flourishes,
but by evening it is dry and withered.
7 We wither beneath your anger;
we are overwhelmed by your fury.
8 You spread out our sins before you--
our secret sins--and you see them all.
9 We live our lives beneath your wrath.
We end our lives with a groan.
10 Seventy years are given to us!
Some may even reach eighty.
But even the best of these years are filled with pain and trouble;
soon they disappear, and we are gone.
11 Who can comprehend the power of your anger?
Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve.
12 Teach us to make the most of our time,
so that we may grow in wisdom.
13 O LORD, come back to us!
How long will you delay?
Take pity on your servants!
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.
15 Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery!
Replace the evil years with good.
16 Let us see your miracles again;
let our children see your glory at work.
17 And may the Lord our God show us his approval
and make our efforts successful.
Yes, make our efforts successful!
91:1 THOSE who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 This I declare of the LORD:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I am trusting him.
3 For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from the fatal plague.
4 He will shield you with his wings.
He will shelter you with his feathers.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor fear the dangers of the day,
6 nor dread the plague that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
7 Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
8 But you will see it with your eyes;
you will see how the wicked are punished.
9 If you make the LORD your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
10 no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your dwelling.
11 For he orders his angels
to protect you wherever you go.
12 They will hold you with their hands
to keep you from striking your foot on a stone.
13 You will trample down lions and poisonous snakes;
you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!
14 The LORD says, " I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
15 When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue them and honor them.
16 I will satisfy them with a long life
and give them my salvation."
PROVERBS 13:24-25
If you refuse to discipline your children, it proves you don't love them; if you love your children, you will be prompt to discipline them. The godly eat to their hearts' content, but the belly of the wicked goes hungry.
