JOSHUA 9:3-10:43
LUKE 16:19-17:10
PSALM 83:1-18
PROVERBS 13:4
JOSHUA 9:3-10:43
But when the people of Gibeon heard what had happened to Jericho and Ai, 4 they resorted to deception to save themselves. They sent ambassadors to Joshua, loading their donkeys with weathered saddlebags and old patched wineskins. 5 They put on ragged clothes and worn-out, patched sandals. And they took along dry, moldy bread for provisions. 6 When they arrived at the camp of Israel at Gilgal, they told Joshua and the men of Israel, " We have come from a distant land to ask you to make a peace treaty with us." 7 The Israelites replied to these Hivites, " How do we know you don't live nearby? For if you do, we cannot make a treaty with you." 8 They replied, " We will be your servants." " But who are you?" Joshua demanded. " Where do you come from?"9 They answered, " We are from a very distant country. We have heard of the might of the LORD your God and of all he did in Egypt. 10 We have also heard what he did to the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River--King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan (who lived in Ashtaroth). 11 So our leaders and our people instructed us, ` Prepare for a long journey. Go meet with the people of Israel and declare our people to be their servants, and ask for peace.' 12 " This bread was hot from the ovens when we left. But now, as you can see, it is dry and moldy. 13 These wineskins were new when we filled them, but now they are old and cracked. And our clothing and sandals are worn out from our long, hard trip." 14 So the Israelite leaders examined their bread, but they did not consult the LORD. 15 Then Joshua went ahead and signed a peace treaty with them, and the leaders of Israel ratified their agreement with a binding oath. 16 Three days later, the facts came out--these people of Gibeon lived nearby! 17 The Israelites set out at once to investigate and reached their towns in three days. The names of these towns were Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. 18 But the Israelites did not attack the towns, for their leaders had made a vow to the LORD, the God of Israel.The people of Israel grumbled against their leaders because of the treaty. 19 But the leaders replied, " We have sworn an oath in the presence of the LORD, the God of Israel. We cannot touch them. 20 We must let them live, for God would be angry with us if we broke our oath. 21 Let them live. But we will make them chop the wood and carry the water for the entire community." So the Israelites kept their promise to the Gibeonites. 22 But Joshua called together the Gibeonite leaders and said, " Why did you lie to us? Why did you say that you live in a distant land when you live right here among us? 23 May you be cursed! From now on you will chop wood and carry water for the house of my God."24 They replied, " We did it because we were told that the LORD your God instructed his servant Moses to conquer this entire land and destroy all the people living in it. So we feared for our lives because of you. That is why we have done it. 25 Now we are at your mercy--do whatever you think is right." 26 Joshua did not allow the people of Israel to kill them. 27 But that day he made the Gibeonites the woodchoppers and water carriers for the people of Israel and for the altar of the LORD--wherever the LORD would choose to build it. That arrangement continues to this day.10:1 NOW Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard that Joshua had captured and completely destroyed Ai and killed its king, just as he had destroyed the city of Jericho and killed its king. He also learned that the Gibeonites had made peace with Israel and were now their allies. 2 He and his people became very afraid when they heard all this because Gibeon was a large city--as large as the royal cities and larger than Ai. And the Gibeonite men were mighty warriors. 3 So King Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem sent messengers to several other kings: Hoham of Hebron, Piram of Jarmuth, Japhia of Lachish, and Debir of Eglon. 4 " Come and help me destroy Gibeon," he urged them, " for they have made peace with Joshua and the people of Israel." 5 So these five Amorite kings combined their armies for a united attack. They moved all their troops into place and attacked Gibeon. 6 The men of Gibeon quickly sent messengers to Joshua at Gilgal, " Don't abandon your servants now!" they pleaded. " Come quickly and save us! For all the Amorite kings who live in the hill country have come out against us with their armies." 7 So Joshua and the entire Israelite army left Gilgal and set out to rescue Gibeon. 8 " Do not be afraid of them," the LORD said to Joshua, " for I will give you victory over them. Not a single one of them will be able to stand up to you." 9 Joshua traveled all night from Gilgal and took the Amorite armies by surprise. 10 The LORD threw them into a panic, and the Israelites slaughtered them in great numbers at Gibeon. Then the Israelites chased the enemy along the road to Beth-horon and attacked them at Azekah and Makkedah, killing them along the way. 11 As the Amorites retreated down the road from Beth-horon, the LORD destroyed them with a terrible hailstorm that continued until they reached Azekah. The hail killed more of the enemy than the Israelites killed with the sword. 12 On the day the LORD gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites, Joshua prayed to the LORD in front of all the people of Israel. He said, " Let the sun stand still over Gibeon,
and the moon over the valley of Aijalon."
13 So the sun and moon stood still until the Israelites had defeated their enemies. Is this event not recorded in The Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the middle of the sky, and it did not set as on a normal day. 14 The LORD fought for Israel that day. Never before or since has there been a day like that one, when the LORD answered such a request from a human being. 15 Then Joshua and the Israelite army returned to their camp at Gilgal. 16 During the battle, the five kings escaped and hid in a cave at Makkedah. 17 When Joshua heard that they had been found, 18 he issued this command: " Cover the opening of the cave with large rocks and place guards at the entrance to keep the kings inside. 19 The rest of you continue chasing the enemy and cut them down from the rear. Don't let them get back to their cities, for the LORD your God has given you victory over them." 20 So Joshua and the Israelite army continued the slaughter and wiped out the five armies except for a tiny remnant that managed to reach their fortified cities. 21 Then the Israelites returned safely to their camp at Makkedah. After that, no one dared to speak a word against Israel. 22 Then Joshua said, " Remove the rocks covering the opening of the cave and bring the five kings to me." 23 So they brought the five kings out of the cave--the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon. 24 Joshua told the captains of his army, " Come and put your feet on the kings' necks." And they did as they were told. 25 " Don't ever be afraid or discouraged," Joshua told his men. " Be strong and courageous, for the LORD is going to do this to all of your enemies." 26 Then Joshua killed each of the five kings and hung them on five trees until evening. 27 As the sun was going down, Joshua gave instructions for the bodies of the kings to be taken down from the trees and thrown into the cave where they had been hiding. Then they covered the opening of the cave with a large pile of stones, which remains to this very day. 28 That same day Joshua completely destroyed the city of Makkedah, killing everyone in it, including the king. Not one person in the city was left alive. He killed the king of Makkedah as he had killed the king of Jericho. 29 Then Joshua and the Israelites went to Libnah and attacked it. 30 There, too, the LORD gave them the city and its king. They slaughtered everyone in the city and left no survivors. Then Joshua killed the king of Libnah just as he had killed the king of Jericho. 31 From Libnah, Joshua and the Israelites went to Lachish and attacked it. 32 And the LORD gave it to them on the second day. Here, too, the entire population was slaughtered, just as at Libnah. 33 During the attack on Lachish, King Horam of Gezer had arrived with his army to help defend the city. But Joshua's men killed him and destroyed his entire army. 34 Then Joshua and the Israelite army went to Eglon and attacked it. 35 They captured it in one day, and as at Lachish, they completely destroyed everyone in the city. 36 After leaving Eglon, they attacked Hebron, 37 capturing it and all of its surrounding towns. And just as they had done at Eglon, they completely destroyed the entire population. Not one person was left alive. 38 Then they turned back and attacked Debir. 39 They captured the city, its king, and all of its surrounding villages. And they killed everyone in it, leaving no survivors. They completely destroyed Debir just as they had destroyed Libnah and Hebron.40 So Joshua conquered the whole region--the kings and people of the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills, and the mountain slopes. He completely destroyed everyone in the land, leaving no survivors, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded. 41 Joshua slaughtered them from Kadesh-barnea to Gaza and from Goshen to Gibeon. 42 In a single campaign Joshua conquered all these kings and their land, for the LORD, the God of Israel, was fighting for his people. 43 Then Joshua and the Israelite army returned to their camp at Gilgal.
LUKE 16:19-17:10
Jesus said, " There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed and who lived each day in luxury. 20 At his door lay a diseased beggar named Lazarus. 21 As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man's table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores. 22 Finally, the beggar died and was carried by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and his soul went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Lazarus in the far distance with Abraham. 24 " The rich man shouted, ` Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish in these flames.' 25 " But Abraham said to him, ` Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. Anyone who wanted to cross over to you from here is stopped at its edge, and no one there can cross over to us.' 27 " Then the rich man said, ` Please, Father Abraham, send him to my father's home. 28 For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them about this place of torment so they won't have to come here when they die.' 29 " But Abraham said, ` Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read their writings anytime they want to.' 30 " The rich man replied, ` No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will turn from their sins.' 31 " But Abraham said, ` If they won't listen to Moses and the prophets, they won't listen even if someone rises from the dead.' "17:1 ONE day Jesus said to his disciples, " There will always be temptations to sin, but how terrible it will be for the person who does the tempting. 2 It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around the neck than to face the punishment in store for harming one of these little ones. 3 I am warning you! If another believer* sins, rebuke him; then if he repents, forgive him. 4 Even if he wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, forgive him." 5 One day the apostles said to the Lord, " We need more faith; tell us how to get it." 6 " Even if you had faith as small as a mustard seed," the Lord answered, " you could say to this mulberry tree, ` May God uproot you and throw you into the sea,' and it would obey you! 7 " When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, he doesn't just sit down and eat. 8 He must first prepare his master's meal and serve him his supper before eating his own. 9 And the servant is not even thanked, because he is merely doing what he is supposed to do. 10 In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ` We are not worthy of praise. We are servants who have simply done our duty.' "
PSALM 83:1-18
A psalm of Asaph. A song.
1 O God, don't sit idly by,
silent and inactive!
2 Don't you hear the tumult of your enemies?
Don't you see what your arrogant enemies are doing?
3 They devise crafty schemes against your people,
laying plans against your precious ones.
4 " Come," they say, " let us wipe out Israel as a nation.
We will destroy the very memory of its existence."
5 This was their unanimous decision.
They signed a treaty as allies against you--
6 these Edomites and Ishmaelites,
Moabites and Hagrites,
7 Gebalites, Ammonites, and Amalekites,
and people from Philistia and Tyre.
8 Assyria has joined them, too,
and is allied with the descendants of Lot.
Interlude9 Do to them as you did to the Midianites
or as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River.
10 They were destroyed at Endor,
and their decaying corpses fertilized the soil.
11 Let their mighty nobles die as Oreb and Zeeb did.
Let all their princes die like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 for they said, " Let us seize for our own use
these pasturelands of God!"
13 O my God, blow them away like whirling dust,
like chaff before the wind!
14 As a fire roars through a forest
and as a flame sets mountains ablaze,
15 chase them with your fierce storms;
terrify them with your tempests.
16 Utterly disgrace them
until they submit to your name, O LORD.
17 Let them be ashamed and terrified forever.
Make them failures in everything they do,
18 until they learn that you alone are called the LORD,
that you alone are the Most High, supreme over all the earth.
PROVERBS 13:4
Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper and be satisfied.
