Category: DAB Readings

Allotment for Simeon^(A)

19 The second lot came out for the tribe of Simeon according to its clans. Their inheritance lay within the territory of Judah.^{(B) 2} It included:

This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Simeonites, according to its clans. ⁹ The inheritance of the Simeonites was taken from the share of Judah,^(M) because Judah’s portion was more than they needed. So the Simeonites received their inheritance within the territory of Judah.^(N)

Allotment for Zebulun

¹⁰ The third lot came up for Zebulun^(O) according to its clans:

¹⁶ These towns and their villages were the inheritance of Zebulun,^(Z) according to its clans.^(AA)

Allotment for Issachar

¹⁷ The fourth lot came out for Issachar^(AB) according to its clans. ¹⁸ Their territory included:

²³ These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Issachar,^(AI) according to its clans.^(AJ)

Allotment for Asher

²⁴ The fifth lot came out for the tribe of Asher^(AK) according to its clans. ²⁵ Their territory included:

³¹ These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Asher,^(BD) according to its clans.

Allotment for Naphtali

³² The sixth lot came out for Naphtali according to its clans:

³⁹ These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Naphtali, according to its clans.^(BQ)

Allotment for Dan

⁴⁰ The seventh lot came out for the tribe of Dan according to its clans. ⁴¹ The territory of their inheritance included:

⁴⁷ (When the territory of the Danites was lost to them,^(BZ) they went up and attacked Leshem^(CA), took it, put it to the sword and occupied it. They settled in Leshem and named^(CB) it Dan after their ancestor.)^(CC)

⁴⁸ These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Dan,^(CD) according to its clans.

Allotment for Joshua

⁴⁹ When they had finished dividing the land into its allotted portions, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun an inheritance among them, ⁵⁰ as the Lord had commanded. They gave him the town he asked for—Timnath Serah^[d](CE) in the hill country of Ephraim. And he built up the town and settled there.

⁵¹ These are the territories that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel assigned by lot at Shiloh in the presence of the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. And so they finished dividing^(CF) the land.^(CG)

Cities of Refuge^(CH)

20 Then the Lord said to Joshua: ² “Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, ³ so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally^(CI) may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood.^{(CJ) 4} When they flee to one of these cities, they are to stand in the entrance of the city gate^(CK) and state their case before the elders^(CL) of that city. Then the elders are to admit the fugitive into their city and provide a place to live among them. ⁵ If the avenger of blood comes in pursuit, the elders must not surrender the fugitive, because the fugitive killed their neighbor unintentionally and without malice aforethought. ⁶ They are to stay in that city until they have stood trial before the assembly^(CM) and until the death of the high priest who is serving at that time. Then they may go back to their own home in the town from which they fled.”

⁷ So they set apart Kedesh^(CN) in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem^(CO) in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba^(CP) (that is, Hebron^(CQ)) in the hill country of Judah.^{(CR) 8} East of the Jordan (on the other side from Jericho) they designated Bezer^(CS) in the wilderness on the plateau in the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead^(CT) in the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan^(CU) in the tribe of Manasseh. ⁹ Any of the Israelites or any foreigner residing among them who killed someone accidentally^(CV) could flee to these designated cities and not be killed by the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.^(CW)

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King^(A)(B)

²⁸ After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.^{(C) 29} As he approached Bethphage and Bethany^(D) at the hill called the Mount of Olives,^(E) he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ³⁰ “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹ If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

³² Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them.^{(F) 33} As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

³⁴ They replied, “The Lord needs it.”

³⁵ They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. ³⁶ As he went along, people spread their cloaks^(G) on the road.

³⁷ When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives,^(H) the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

³⁹ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”^(K)

⁴⁰ “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”^(L)

⁴¹ As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it^{(M) 42} and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side.^{(N) 44} They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls.^(O) They will not leave one stone on another,^(P) because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming^(Q) to you.”

Jesus at the Temple^(R)

⁴⁵ When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. ⁴⁶ “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer’^[b];^(S) but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’^[c]”^(T)

⁴⁷ Every day he was teaching at the temple.^(U) But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him.^{(V) 48} Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.

Psalm 88^[a]

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth.^[b] A maskil^[c] of Heman the Ezrahite.

Allotment for Ephraim and Manasseh

⁴ So Manasseh and Ephraim, the descendants of Joseph, received their inheritance.^(H)

⁵ This was the territory of Ephraim, according to its clans:

¹⁰ They did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer; to this day the Canaanites live among the people of Ephraim but are required to do forced labor.^(R)

17 This was the allotment for the tribe of Manasseh^(S) as Joseph’s firstborn,^(T) that is, for Makir,^(U) Manasseh’s firstborn. Makir was the ancestor of the Gileadites, who had received Gilead^(V) and Bashan^(W) because the Makirites were great soldiers. ² So this allotment was for the rest of the people of Manasseh^(X)—the clans of Abiezer,^(Y) Helek, Asriel,^(Z) Shechem, Hepher^(AA) and Shemida.^(AB) These are the other male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph by their clans.

³ Now Zelophehad son of Hepher,^(AC) the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons but only daughters,^(AD) whose names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. ⁴ They went to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders and said, “The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our relatives.” So Joshua gave them an inheritance along with the brothers of their father, according to the Lord’s command.^{(AE) 5} Manasseh’s share consisted of ten tracts of land besides Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan,^{(AF) 6} because the daughters of the tribe of Manasseh received an inheritance among the sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the descendants of Manasseh.

¹² Yet the Manassites were not able^(AW) to occupy these towns, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that region. ¹³ However, when the Israelites grew stronger, they subjected the Canaanites to forced labor but did not drive them out completely.^(AX)

¹⁴ The people of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people, and the Lord has blessed us abundantly.”^(AY)

¹⁵ “If you are so numerous,” Joshua answered, “and if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go up into the forest^(AZ) and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites^(BA) and Rephaites.^(BB)”

¹⁶ The people of Joseph replied, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have chariots fitted with iron,^(BC) both those in Beth Shan^(BD) and its settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel.”^(BE)

¹⁷ But Joshua said to the tribes of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—“You are numerous and very powerful. You will have not only one allotment^{(BF) 18} but the forested hill country^(BG) as well. Clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours; though the Canaanites have chariots fitted with iron^(BH) and though they are strong, you can drive them out.”

Division of the Rest of the Land

18 The whole assembly of the Israelites gathered at Shiloh^(BI) and set up the tent of meeting^(BJ) there. The country was brought under their control, ² but there were still seven Israelite tribes who had not yet received their inheritance.

³ So Joshua said to the Israelites: “How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you? ⁴ Appoint three men from each tribe. I will send them out to make a survey of the land and to write a description of it,^(BK) according to the inheritance of each.^(BL) Then they will return to me. ⁵ You are to divide the land into seven parts. Judah is to remain in its territory on the south^(BM) and the tribes of Joseph in their territory on the north.^{(BN) 6} After you have written descriptions of the seven parts of the land, bring them here to me and I will cast lots^(BO) for you in the presence of the Lord our God. ⁷ The Levites, however, do not get a portion among you, because the priestly service of the Lord is their inheritance.^(BP) And Gad, Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh have already received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan. Moses the servant of the Lord gave it to them.^(BQ)”

⁸ As the men started on their way to map out the land, Joshua instructed them, “Go and make a survey of the land and write a description of it.^(BR) Then return to me, and I will cast lots for you here at Shiloh^(BS) in the presence of the Lord.” ⁹ So the men left and went through the land. They wrote its description on a scroll, town by town, in seven parts, and returned to Joshua in the camp at Shiloh. ¹⁰ Joshua then cast lots^(BT) for them in Shiloh in the presence^(BU) of the Lord, and there he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their tribal divisions.^(BV)

Allotment for Benjamin

¹¹ The first lot came up for the tribe of Benjamin according to its clans. Their allotted territory lay between the tribes of Judah and Joseph:

These were the boundaries that marked out the inheritance of the clans of Benjamin on all sides.^(CO)

²¹ The tribe of Benjamin, according to its clans, had the following towns:

This was the inheritance of Benjamin for its clans.^(DG)

Zacchaeus the Tax Collector

19 Jesus entered Jericho^(A) and was passing through. ² A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. ³ He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. ⁴ So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig^(B) tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.^(C)

⁵ When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” ⁶ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

⁷ All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”^(D)

⁸ But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord,^(E) “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything,^(F) I will pay back four times the amount.”^(G)

⁹ Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.^{(H) 10} For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”^(I)

The Parable of the Ten Minas^(J)

¹¹ While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God^(K) was going to appear at once.^{(L) 12} He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. ¹³ So he called ten of his servants^(M) and gave them ten minas.^[a] ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’

¹⁴ “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’

¹⁵ “He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.

¹⁶ “The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’

¹⁷ “‘Well done, my good servant!’^(N) his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’^(O)

¹⁸ “The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’

¹⁹ “His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’

²⁰ “Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. ²¹ I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’^(P)

²² “His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words,^(Q) you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow?^{(R) 23} Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’

²⁴ “Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’

²⁵ “‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’

²⁶ “He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away.^{(S) 27} But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’”

Psalm 87

Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. A song.

Allotment for Judah^(A)

15 The allotment for the tribe of Judah, according to its clans, extended down to the territory of Edom,^(B) to the Desert of Zin^(C) in the extreme south.^(D)

These are the boundaries around the people of Judah by their clans.

¹³ In accordance with the Lord’s command to him, Joshua gave to Caleb^(AK) son of Jephunneh a portion in Judah—Kiriath Arba^(AL), that is, Hebron.^(AM) (Arba was the forefather of Anak.)^{(AN) 14} From Hebron Caleb drove out the three Anakites^(AO)—Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai,^(AP) the sons of Anak.^{(AQ) 15} From there he marched against the people living in Debir (formerly called Kiriath Sepher). ¹⁶ And Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Aksah^(AR) in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher.” ¹⁷ Othniel^(AS) son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother, took it; so Caleb gave his daughter Aksah to him in marriage.

¹⁸ One day when she came to Othniel, she urged him^[b] to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What can I do for you?”

¹⁹ She replied, “Do me a special favor. Since you have given me land in the Negev,^(AT) give me also springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.^(AU)

²⁰ This is the inheritance of the tribe of Judah, according to its clans:

²¹ The southernmost towns of the tribe of Judah in the Negev^(AV) toward the boundary of Edom were:

³³ In the western foothills:

⁴⁸ In the hill country:

⁶¹ In the wilderness:^(DQ)

⁶³ Judah could not^(DT) dislodge the Jebusites^(DU), who were living in Jerusalem;^(DV) to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah.^(DW)

The Rich and the Kingdom of God^(A)

¹⁸ A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”^(B)

¹⁹ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. ²⁰ You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’^[a]”^(C)

²¹ “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.

²² When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor,^(D) and you will have treasure in heaven.^(E) Then come, follow me.”

²³ When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. ²⁴ Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!^{(F) 25} Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

²⁶ Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”

²⁷ Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”^(G)

²⁸ Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”^(H)

²⁹ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God ³⁰ will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come^(I) eternal life.”^(J)

Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time^(K)

³¹ Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem,^(L) and everything that is written by the prophets^(M) about the Son of Man^(N) will be fulfilled. ³² He will be delivered over to the Gentiles.^(O) They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; ³³ they will flog him^(P) and kill him.^(Q) On the third day^(R) he will rise again.”^(S)

³⁴ The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.^(T)

A Blind Beggar Receives His Sight^(U)

³⁵ As Jesus approached Jericho,^(V) a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. ³⁶ When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. ³⁷ They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”^(W)

³⁸ He called out, “Jesus, Son of David,^(X) have mercy^(Y) on me!”

³⁹ Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”^(Z)

⁴⁰ Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, ⁴¹ “What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.

⁴² Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.”^{(AA) 43} Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.^(AB)

Psalm 86

A prayer of David.

The Land Still to Be Taken

13 Joshua was now very old. The Lord said to him, “You are very old, but there is still much land to be taken: ² all the territory of Philistia and Geshur, ³ as well as all the territory of the Avvim to the south. (The land from the stream Shihor, at the Egyptian border, as far north as the border of Ekron was considered Canaanite; the kings of the Philistines lived at Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron.) ⁴ There is still all the Canaanite country, and Mearah (which belonged to the Sidonians), as far as Aphek, at the Amorite border; ⁵ the land of the Gebalites; all of Lebanon to the east, from Baalgad, which is south of Mount Hermon, to Hamath Pass. ^6 (A)This includes all the territory of the Sidonians, who live in the hill country between the Lebanon Mountains and Misrephoth Maim. I will drive all these peoples out as the people of Israel advance. You must divide the land among the Israelites, just as I have commanded you to do. ⁷ Now then, divide this land among the other nine tribes and half of the tribe of Manasseh, for them to possess as their own.”

The Division of the Territory East of the Jordan

^8 (B)The tribes of Reuben and Gad and the other half of the tribe of Manasseh had already received the land that Moses, the Lord's servant, had given them; it was on the east side of the Jordan River. ⁹ Their territory extended to Aroer (on the edge of the Arnon Valley) and the city in the middle of that valley and included all of the plateau from Medeba to Dibon. ¹⁰ It went as far as the border of Ammon and included all the cities that had been ruled by the Amorite king Sihon, who had ruled at Heshbon. ¹¹ It included Gilead, the regions of Geshur and Maacah, all of Mount Hermon, and all of Bashan as far as Salecah. ¹² It included the kingdom of Og, the last of the Rephaim, who had ruled at Ashtaroth and Edrei. Moses had defeated these people and driven them out. ¹³ However, the Israelites did not drive out the people of Geshur and Maacah; they still live in Israel.

^14 (C)Moses had given no land to the tribe of Levi. As the Lord had told Moses, they were to receive as their possession a share of the sacrifices burned on the altar to the Lord God of Israel.

The Territory Assigned to Reuben

¹⁵ Moses had given a part of the land to the families of the tribe of Reuben as their possession. ¹⁶ Their territory extended to Aroer (on the edge of the Arnon Valley) and the city in the middle of that valley and included all the plateau around Medeba. ¹⁷ It included Heshbon and all the cities on the plateau: Dibon, Bamoth Baal, Beth Baalmeon, ¹⁸ Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, ¹⁹ Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar on the hill in the valley, ²⁰ Bethpeor, the slopes of Mount Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth. ²¹ It included all the cities of the plateau and the whole kingdom of the Amorite king Sihon, who had ruled at Heshbon. Moses defeated him, as well as the rulers of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. All of them had ruled the land for King Sihon. ²² Among those whom the people of Israel killed was the fortune teller Balaam son of Beor. ²³ The Jordan was the western border of the tribe of Reuben. These were the cities and towns given to the families of the tribe of Reuben as their possession.

The Territory Assigned to Gad

²⁴ Moses had also given a part of the land to the families of the tribe of Gad as their possession. ²⁵ Their territory included Jazer and all the cities of Gilead, half the land of Ammon as far as Aroer, which is east of Rabbah; ²⁶ their land extended from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpeh and Betonim, from Mahanaim to the border of Lodebar. ²⁷ In the Jordan Valley it included Beth Haram, Bethnimrah, Sukkoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of King Sihon of Heshbon. Their western border was the Jordan River as far north as Lake Galilee. ²⁸ These were the cities and towns given to the families of the tribe of Gad as their possession.

The Territory Assigned to East Manasseh

²⁹ Moses had given a part of the land to the families of half the tribe of Manasseh as their possession. ³⁰ Their territory extended to Mahanaim and included all of Bashan—the whole kingdom of Og, the king of Bashan, as well as all sixty of the villages of Jair in Bashan. ³¹ It included half of Gilead, as well as Ashtaroth and Edrei, the capital cities of Og's kingdom in Bashan. All this was given to half the families descended from Machir son of Manasseh.

³² This is how Moses divided the land east of Jericho and the Jordan when he was in the plains of Moab. ^33 (D)But Moses did not assign any land to the tribe of Levi. He told them that their possession was to be a share of the offerings to the Lord God of Israel.

The Division of the Territory West of the Jordan

14 What follows is an account of how the land of Canaan west of the Jordan was divided among the people of Israel. Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders of the families of the Israelite tribes divided it among the population. ^2 (E)As the Lord had commanded Moses, the territories of the nine and one-half tribes west of the Jordan were determined by drawing lots.^{[a] 3-4 (F)}Moses had already assigned the land east of the Jordan to the other two and one-half tribes. (The descendants of Joseph were divided into two tribes: Manasseh and Ephraim.) However, Moses gave the Levites no portion of the territory. Instead, they received cities to live in, with fields for their cattle and flocks. ⁵ The people of Israel divided the land as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Hebron Is Given to Caleb

^6 (G)One day some people from the tribe of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal. One of them, Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, said to him, “You know what the Lord said in Kadesh Barnea about you and me to Moses, the man of God. ^7 (H)I was forty years old when the Lord's servant Moses sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out this land. I brought an honest report back to him. ⁸ The men who went with me, however, made our people afraid. But I faithfully obeyed the Lord my God. ^9 (I)Because I did, Moses promised me that my children and I would certainly receive as our possession the land which I walked over. ¹⁰ But now, look. It has been forty-five years since the Lord said that to Moses. That was when Israel was going through the desert, and the Lord, as he promised, has kept me alive ever since. Look at me! I am eighty-five years old ¹¹ and am just as strong today as I was when Moses sent me out. I am still strong enough for war or for anything else. ¹² Now then, give me the hill country that the Lord promised me on that day when my men and I reported. We told you then that the race of giants called the Anakim were there in large walled cities. Maybe the Lord will be with me, and I will drive them out, just as the Lord said.”

¹³ Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him the city of Hebron as his possession. ¹⁴ Hebron still belongs to the descendants of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, because he faithfully obeyed the Lord, the God of Israel. ¹⁵ Before this, Hebron was called the city of Arba. (Arba had been the greatest of the Anakim.)

There was now peace in the land.

The Parable of the Widow and the Judge

18 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to teach them that they should always pray and never become discouraged. ² “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected people. ³ And there was a widow in that same town who kept coming to him and pleading for her rights, saying, ‘Help me against my opponent!’ ⁴ For a long time the judge refused to act, but at last he said to himself, ‘Even though I don't fear God or respect people, ⁵ yet because of all the trouble this widow is giving me, I will see to it that she gets her rights. If I don't, she will keep on coming and finally wear me out!’”

⁶ And the Lord continued, “Listen to what that corrupt judge said. ^7 (A)Now, will God not judge in favor of his own people who cry to him day and night for help? Will he be slow to help them? ⁸ I tell you, he will judge in their favor and do it quickly. But will the Son of Man find faith on earth when he comes?”

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

⁹ Jesus also told this parable to people who were sure of their own goodness and despised everybody else. ¹⁰ “Once there were two men who went up to the Temple to pray: one was a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood apart by himself and prayed,^[a] ‘I thank you, God, that I am not greedy, dishonest, or an adulterer, like everybody else. I thank you that I am not like that tax collector over there. ¹² I fast two days a week, and I give you one tenth of all my income.’ ^13 (B)But the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even raise his face to heaven, but beat on his breast and said, ‘God, have pity on me, a sinner!’ ^14 (C)I tell you,” said Jesus, “the tax collector, and not the Pharisee, was in the right with God when he went home. For those who make themselves great will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be made great.”

Jesus Blesses Little Children^(D)

¹⁵ Some people brought their babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. The disciples saw them and scolded them for doing so, ¹⁶ but Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the children come to me and do not stop them, because the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁷ Remember this! Whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”

A Prayer for the Nation's Welfare^[a]

⁷ Some people pretend to be rich, but have nothing. Others pretend to be poor, but own a fortune.

⁸ The rich have to use their money to save their lives, but no one threatens the poor.

Northern Kings Defeated

11 When Jabin^(A) king of Hazor^(B) heard of this, he sent word to Jobab king of Madon, to the kings of Shimron^(C) and Akshaph,^{(D) 2} and to the northern kings who were in the mountains, in the Arabah^(E) south of Kinnereth,^(F) in the western foothills and in Naphoth Dor^(G) on the west; ³ to the Canaanites in the east and west; to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites^(H) and Jebusites in the hill country;^(I) and to the Hivites^(J) below Hermon^(K) in the region of Mizpah.^{(L) 4} They came out with all their troops and a large number of horses and chariots—a huge army, as numerous as the sand on the seashore.^{(M) 5} All these kings joined forces^(N) and made camp together at the Waters of Merom^(O) to fight against Israel.

⁶ The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, because by this time tomorrow I will hand^(P) all of them, slain, over to Israel. You are to hamstring^(Q) their horses and burn their chariots.”^(R)

⁷ So Joshua and his whole army came against them suddenly at the Waters of Merom and attacked them, ⁸ and the Lord gave them into the hand of Israel. They defeated them and pursued them all the way to Greater Sidon,^(S) to Misrephoth Maim,^(T) and to the Valley of Mizpah on the east, until no survivors were left. ⁹ Joshua did to them as the Lord had directed: He hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots.

¹⁰ At that time Joshua turned back and captured Hazor and put its king to the sword.^(U) (Hazor had been the head of all these kingdoms.) ¹¹ Everyone in it they put to the sword. They totally destroyed^[a] them,^(V) not sparing anyone that breathed,^(W) and he burned^(X) Hazor itself.

¹² Joshua took all these royal cities and their kings and put them to the sword. He totally destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded.^{(Y) 13} Yet Israel did not burn any of the cities built on their mounds—except Hazor, which Joshua burned. ¹⁴ The Israelites carried off for themselves all the plunder and livestock of these cities, but all the people they put to the sword until they completely destroyed them, not sparing anyone that breathed.^{(Z) 15} As the Lord commanded his servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua, and Joshua did it; he left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses.^(AA)

¹⁶ So Joshua took this entire land: the hill country,^(AB) all the Negev,^(AC) the whole region of Goshen, the western foothills,^(AD) the Arabah and the mountains of Israel with their foothills, ¹⁷ from Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir,^(AE) to Baal Gad^(AF) in the Valley of Lebanon^(AG) below Mount Hermon.^(AH) He captured all their kings and put them to death.^{(AI) 18} Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long time. ¹⁹ Except for the Hivites^(AJ) living in Gibeon,^(AK) not one city made a treaty of peace^(AL) with the Israelites, who took them all in battle. ²⁰ For it was the Lord himself who hardened their hearts^(AM) to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the Lord had commanded Moses.^(AN)

²¹ At that time Joshua went and destroyed the Anakites^(AO) from the hill country: from Hebron, Debir^(AP) and Anab,^(AQ) from all the hill country of Judah, and from all the hill country of Israel. Joshua totally destroyed them and their towns. ²² No Anakites were left in Israelite territory; only in Gaza,^(AR) Gath^(AS) and Ashdod^(AT) did any survive.

²³ So Joshua took the entire land,^(AU) just as the Lord had directed Moses, and he gave it as an inheritance^(AV) to Israel according to their tribal divisions.^(AW) Then the land had rest^(AX) from war.^(AY)

List of Defeated Kings

12 These are the kings of the land whom the Israelites had defeated and whose territory they took^(AZ) over east of the Jordan,^(BA) from the Arnon^(BB) Gorge to Mount Hermon,^(BC) including all the eastern side of the Arabah:^(BD)

⁶ Moses, the servant of the Lord, and the Israelites conquered them.^(BV) And Moses the servant of the Lord gave their land to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh to be their possession.^(BW)

⁷ Here is a list of the kings of the land that Joshua and the Israelites conquered on the west side of the Jordan, from Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon^(BX) to Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir. Joshua gave their lands as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel according to their tribal divisions. ⁸ The lands included the hill country, the western foothills, the Arabah, the mountain slopes, the wilderness and the Negev.^(BY) These were the lands of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. These were the kings:^(BZ)

9 the king of Jericho(CA)	one
the king of Ai(CB) (near Bethel(CC))	one
10 the king of Jerusalem(CD)	one
the king of Hebron	one
11 the king of Jarmuth	one
the king of Lachish(CE)	one
12 the king of Eglon(CF)	one
the king of Gezer(CG)	one
13 the king of Debir(CH)	one
the king of Geder	one
14 the king of Hormah(CI)	one
the king of Arad(CJ)	one
15 the king of Libnah(CK)	one
the king of Adullam(CL)	one
16 the king of Makkedah(CM)	one
the king of Bethel(CN)	one
17 the king of Tappuah(CO)	one
the king of Hepher(CP)	one
18 the king of Aphek(CQ)	one
the king of Lasharon	one
19 the king of Madon	one
the king of Hazor(CR)	one
20 the king of Shimron Meron	one
the king of Akshaph(CS)	one
21 the king of Taanach(CT)	one
the king of Megiddo(CU)	one
22 the king of Kedesh(CV)	one
the king of Jokneam(CW) in Carmel(CX)	one
23 the king of Dor (in Naphoth Dor(CY))	one
the king of Goyim in Gilgal	one
24 the king of Tirzah(CZ)	one
thirty-one kings in all.(DA)

Jesus Heals Ten Men With Leprosy

¹¹ Now on his way to Jerusalem,^(A) Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.^{(B) 12} As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy^[a](C) met him. They stood at a distance^{(D) 13} and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master,^(E) have pity on us!”

¹⁴ When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.”^(F) And as they went, they were cleansed.

¹⁵ One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God^(G) in a loud voice. ¹⁶ He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.^(H)

¹⁷ Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸ Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹ Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”^(I)

The Coming of the Kingdom of God^(J)

²⁰ Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come,^(K) Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, ²¹ nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’^(L) because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”^[b]

²² Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man,^(M) but you will not see it.^{(N) 23} People will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them.^{(O) 24} For the Son of Man in his day^[c] will be like the lightning,^(P) which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. ²⁵ But first he must suffer many things^(Q) and be rejected^(R) by this generation.^(S)

²⁶ “Just as it was in the days of Noah,^(T) so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. ²⁷ People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

²⁸ “It was the same in the days of Lot.^(U) People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. ²⁹ But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.

³⁰ “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed.^{(V) 31} On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything.^{(W) 32} Remember Lot’s wife!^{(X) 33} Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it.^{(Y) 34} I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. ³⁵ Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.”^{(Z) [36] [d]}

³⁷ “Where, Lord?” they asked.

He replied, “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.”^(AA)

Psalm 84^[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.^[b] Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

³ However, when the people of Gibeon^(A) heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,^{(B) 4} they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded^[a] with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. ⁵ They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. ⁶ Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal^(C) and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country;^(D) make a treaty^(E) with us.”

⁷ The Israelites said to the Hivites,^(F) “But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treaty^(G) with you?”

⁸ “We are your servants,^(H)” they said to Joshua.

But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?”

⁹ They answered: “Your servants have come from a very distant country^(I) because of the fame of the Lord your God. For we have heard reports^(J) of him: all that he did in Egypt,^{(K) 10} and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon,^(L) and Og king of Bashan,^(M) who reigned in Ashtaroth.^{(N) 11} And our elders and all those living in our country said to us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, “We are your servants; make a treaty with us.”’ ¹² This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is. ¹³ And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long journey.”

¹⁴ The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire^(O) of the Lord. ¹⁵ Then Joshua made a treaty of peace^(P) with them to let them live,^(Q) and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.

¹⁶ Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near^(R) them. ¹⁷ So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth^(S) and Kiriath Jearim.^{(T) 18} But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath^(U) to them by the Lord, the God of Israel.

The whole assembly grumbled^(V) against the leaders, ¹⁹ but all the leaders answered, “We have given them our oath by the Lord, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now. ²⁰ This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that God’s wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath^(W) we swore to them.” ²¹ They continued, “Let them live,^(X) but let them be woodcutters and water carriers^(Y) in the service of the whole assembly.” So the leaders’ promise to them was kept.

²² Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by saying, ‘We live a long way^(Z) from you,’ while actually you live near^(AA) us? ²³ You are now under a curse:^(AB) You will never be released from service as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”

²⁴ They answered Joshua, “Your servants were clearly told^(AC) how the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this. ²⁵ We are now in your hands.^(AD) Do to us whatever seems good and right^(AE) to you.”

²⁶ So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them. ²⁷ That day he made the Gibeonites^(AF) woodcutters and water carriers^(AG) for the assembly, to provide for the needs of the altar of the Lord at the place the Lord would choose.^(AH) And that is what they are to this day.

The Sun Stands Still

10 Now Adoni-Zedek^(AI) king of Jerusalem^(AJ) heard that Joshua had taken Ai^(AK) and totally destroyed^[b](AL) it, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and that the people of Gibeon^(AM) had made a treaty of peace^(AN) with Israel and had become their allies. ² He and his people were very much alarmed at this, because Gibeon was an important city, like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were good fighters. ³ So Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem appealed to Hoham king of Hebron,^(AO) Piram king of Jarmuth,^(AP) Japhia king of Lachish^(AQ) and Debir^(AR) king of Eglon.^{(AS) 4} “Come up and help me attack Gibeon,” he said, “because it has made peace^(AT) with Joshua and the Israelites.”

⁵ Then the five kings^(AU) of the Amorites^(AV)—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon—joined forces. They moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it.

⁶ The Gibeonites then sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal:^(AW) “Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us.”

⁷ So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army,^(AX) including all the best fighting men. ⁸ The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid^(AY) of them; I have given them into your hand.^(AZ) Not one of them will be able to withstand you.”^(BA)

⁹ After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise. ¹⁰ The Lord threw them into confusion^(BB) before Israel,^(BC) so Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely at Gibeon.^(BD) Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon^(BE) and cut them down all the way to Azekah^(BF) and Makkedah.^{(BG) 11} As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the Lord hurled large hailstones^(BH) down on them,^(BI) and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.

¹² On the day the Lord gave the Amorites^(BJ) over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel:

as it is written in the Book of Jashar.^(BM)

The sun stopped^(BN) in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. ¹⁴ There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a human being. Surely the Lord was fighting^(BO) for Israel!

¹⁵ Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.^(BP)

Five Amorite Kings Killed

¹⁶ Now the five kings had fled^(BQ) and hidden in the cave at Makkedah. ¹⁷ When Joshua was told that the five kings had been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah, ¹⁸ he said, “Roll large rocks up to the mouth of the cave, and post some men there to guard it. ¹⁹ But don’t stop; pursue your enemies! Attack them from the rear and don’t let them reach their cities, for the Lord your God has given them into your hand.”

²⁰ So Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely,^(BR) but a few survivors managed to reach their fortified cities.^{(BS) 21} The whole army then returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah, and no one uttered a word against the Israelites.

²² Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me.” ²³ So they brought the five kings out of the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon. ²⁴ When they had brought these kings^(BT) to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had come with him, “Come here and put your feet^(BU) on the necks of these kings.” So they came forward and placed their feet^(BV) on their necks.

²⁵ Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous.^(BW) This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.” ²⁶ Then Joshua put the kings to death and exposed their bodies on five poles, and they were left hanging on the poles until evening.

²⁷ At sunset^(BX) Joshua gave the order and they took them down from the poles and threw them into the cave where they had been hiding. At the mouth of the cave they placed large rocks, which are there to this day.^(BY)

Southern Cities Conquered

²⁸ That day Joshua took Makkedah. He put the city and its king to the sword and totally destroyed everyone in it. He left no survivors.^(BZ) And he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.^(CA)

²⁹ Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Makkedah to Libnah^(CB) and attacked it. ³⁰ The Lord also gave that city and its king into Israel’s hand. The city and everyone in it Joshua put to the sword. He left no survivors there. And he did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.

³¹ Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Libnah to Lachish;^(CC) he took up positions against it and attacked it. ³² The Lord gave Lachish into Israel’s hands, and Joshua took it on the second day. The city and everyone in it he put to the sword, just as he had done to Libnah. ³³ Meanwhile, Horam king of Gezer^(CD) had come up to help Lachish, but Joshua defeated him and his army—until no survivors were left.

³⁴ Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Lachish to Eglon;^(CE) they took up positions against it and attacked it. ³⁵ They captured it that same day and put it to the sword and totally destroyed everyone in it, just as they had done to Lachish.

³⁶ Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron^(CF) and attacked it. ³⁷ They took the city and put it to the sword, together with its king, its villages and everyone^(CG) in it. They left no survivors. Just as at Eglon, they totally destroyed it and everyone in it.

³⁸ Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned around and attacked Debir.^{(CH) 39} They took the city, its king and its villages, and put them to the sword. Everyone in it they totally destroyed. They left no survivors. They did to Debir and its king as they had done to Libnah and its king and to Hebron.^(CI)

⁴⁰ So Joshua subdued the whole region, including the hill country, the Negev,^(CJ) the western foothills and the mountain slopes,^(CK) together with all their kings.^(CL) He left no survivors. He totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded.^{(CM) 41} Joshua subdued them from Kadesh Barnea^(CN) to Gaza^(CO) and from the whole region of Goshen^(CP) to Gibeon. ⁴² All these kings and their lands Joshua conquered in one campaign, because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought^(CQ) for Israel.

⁴³ Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.^(CR)

The Rich Man and Lazarus

¹⁹ “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.^{(A) 20} At his gate was laid a beggar^(B) named Lazarus, covered with sores ²¹ and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table.^(C) Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

²² “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³ In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. ²⁴ So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham,^(D) have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’^(E)

²⁵ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things,^(F) but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.^{(G) 26} And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

²⁷ “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, ²⁸ for I have five brothers. Let him warn them,^(H) so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

²⁹ “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses^(I) and the Prophets;^(J) let them listen to them.’

³⁰ “‘No, father Abraham,’^(K) he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

³¹ “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Sin, Faith, Duty

17 Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble^(L) are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come.^{(M) 2} It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones^(N) to stumble.^{(O) 3} So watch yourselves.

“If your brother or sister^[a] sins against you, rebuke them;^(P) and if they repent, forgive them.^{(Q) 4} Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”^(R)

⁵ The apostles^(S) said to the Lord,^(T) “Increase our faith!”

⁶ He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed,^(U) you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.^(V)

⁷ “Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? ⁸ Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me^(W) while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? ⁹ Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? ¹⁰ So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”^(X)

Psalm 83^[a]

A song. A psalm of Asaph.

Achan’s Sin

¹⁶ Early the next morning Joshua brought the tribes of Israel before the Lord, and the tribe of Judah was singled out. ¹⁷ Then the clans of Judah came forward, and the clan of Zerah was singled out. Then the families of Zerah came forward, and the family of Zimri was singled out. ¹⁸ Every member of Zimri’s family was brought forward person by person, and Achan was singled out.

¹⁹ Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, by telling the truth. Make your confession and tell me what you have done. Don’t hide it from me.”

²⁰ Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. ²¹ Among the plunder I saw a beautiful robe from Babylon,^[a] 200 silver coins,^[b] and a bar of gold weighing more than a pound.^[c] I wanted them so much that I took them. They are hidden in the ground beneath my tent, with the silver buried deeper than the rest.”

²² So Joshua sent some men to make a search. They ran to the tent and found the stolen goods hidden there, just as Achan had said, with the silver buried beneath the rest. ²³ They took the things from the tent and brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites. Then they laid them on the ground in the presence of the Lord.

²⁴ Then Joshua and all the Israelites took Achan, the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, daughters, cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, tent, and everything he had, and they brought them to the valley of Achor. ²⁵ Then Joshua said to Achan, “Why have you brought trouble on us? The Lord will now bring trouble on you.” And all the Israelites stoned Achan and his family and burned their bodies. ²⁶ They piled a great heap of stones over Achan, which remains to this day. That is why the place has been called the Valley of Trouble^[d] ever since. So the Lord was no longer angry.

The Israelites Defeat Ai

8 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take all your fighting men and attack Ai, for I have given you the king of Ai, his people, his town, and his land. ² You will destroy them as you destroyed Jericho and its king. But this time you may keep the plunder and the livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the town.”

³ So Joshua and all the fighting men set out to attack Ai. Joshua chose 30,000 of his best warriors and sent them out at night ⁴ with these orders: “Hide in ambush close behind the town and be ready for action. ⁵ When our main army attacks, the men of Ai will come out to fight as they did before, and we will run away from them. ⁶ We will let them chase us until we have drawn them away from the town. For they will say, ‘The Israelites are running away from us as they did before.’ Then, while we are running from them, ⁷ you will jump up from your ambush and take possession of the town, for the Lord your God will give it to you. ⁸ Set the town on fire, as the Lord has commanded. You have your orders.”

⁹ So they left and went to the place of ambush between Bethel and the west side of Ai. But Joshua remained among the people in the camp that night. ¹⁰ Early the next morning Joshua roused his men and started toward Ai, accompanied by the elders of Israel. ¹¹ All the fighting men who were with Joshua marched in front of the town and camped on the north side of Ai, with a valley between them and the town. ¹² That night Joshua sent about 5,000 men to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the town. ¹³ So they stationed the main army north of the town and the ambush west of the town. Joshua himself spent that night in the valley.

¹⁴ When the king of Ai saw the Israelites across the valley, he and all his army hurried out early in the morning and attacked the Israelites at a place overlooking the Jordan Valley.^[e] But he didn’t realize there was an ambush behind the town. ¹⁵ Joshua and the Israelite army fled toward the wilderness as though they were badly beaten. ¹⁶ Then all the men in the town were called out to chase after them. In this way, they were lured away from the town. ¹⁷ There was not a man left in Ai or Bethel^[f] who did not chase after the Israelites, and the town was left wide open.

¹⁸ Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Point the spear in your hand toward Ai, for I will hand the town over to you.” Joshua did as he was commanded. ¹⁹ As soon as Joshua gave this signal, all the men in ambush jumped up from their position and poured into the town. They quickly captured it and set it on fire.

²⁰ When the men of Ai looked behind them, smoke from the town was filling the sky, and they had nowhere to go. For the Israelites who had fled in the direction of the wilderness now turned on their pursuers. ²¹ When Joshua and all the other Israelites saw that the ambush had succeeded and that smoke was rising from the town, they turned and attacked the men of Ai. ²² Meanwhile, the Israelites who were inside the town came out and attacked the enemy from the rear. So the men of Ai were caught in the middle, with Israelite fighters on both sides. Israel attacked them, and not a single person survived or escaped. ²³ Only the king of Ai was taken alive and brought to Joshua.

²⁴ When the Israelite army finished chasing and killing all the men of Ai in the open fields, they went back and finished off everyone inside. ²⁵ So the entire population of Ai, including men and women, was wiped out that day—12,000 in all. ²⁶ For Joshua kept holding out his spear until everyone who had lived in Ai was completely destroyed.^{[g] 27} Only the livestock and the treasures of the town were not destroyed, for the Israelites kept these as plunder for themselves, as the Lord had commanded Joshua. ²⁸ So Joshua burned the town of Ai,^[h] and it became a permanent mound of ruins, desolate to this very day.

²⁹ Joshua impaled the king of Ai on a sharpened pole and left him there until evening. At sunset the Israelites took down the body, as Joshua commanded, and threw it in front of the town gate. They piled a great heap of stones over him that can still be seen today.

The Lord’s Covenant Renewed

³⁰ Then Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal. ³¹ He followed the commands that Moses the Lord’s servant had written in the Book of Instruction: “Make me an altar from stones that are uncut and have not been shaped with iron tools.”^[i] Then on the altar they presented burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord. ³² And as the Israelites watched, Joshua copied onto the stones of the altar^[j] the instructions Moses had given them.

³³ Then all the Israelites—foreigners and native-born alike—along with the elders, officers, and judges, were divided into two groups. One group stood in front of Mount Gerizim, the other in front of Mount Ebal. Each group faced the other, and between them stood the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant. This was all done according to the commands that Moses, the servant of the Lord, had previously given for blessing the people of Israel.

³⁴ Joshua then read to them all the blessings and curses Moses had written in the Book of Instruction. ³⁵ Every word of every command that Moses had ever given was read to the entire assembly of Israel, including the women and children and the foreigners who lived among them.

The Gibeonites Deceive Israel

9 Now all the kings west of the Jordan River heard about what had happened. These were the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who lived in the hill country, in the western foothills,^[k] and along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea^[l] as far north as the Lebanon mountains. ² These kings combined their armies to fight as one against Joshua and the Israelites.

Parable of the Shrewd Manager

16 Jesus told this story to his disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a manager handling his affairs. One day a report came that the manager was wasting his employer’s money. ² So the employer called him in and said, ‘What’s this I hear about you? Get your report in order, because you are going to be fired.’

³ “The manager thought to himself, ‘Now what? My boss has fired me. I don’t have the strength to dig ditches, and I’m too proud to beg. ⁴ Ah, I know how to ensure that I’ll have plenty of friends who will give me a home when I am fired.’

⁵ “So he invited each person who owed money to his employer to come and discuss the situation. He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe him?’ ⁶ The man replied, ‘I owe him 800 gallons of olive oil.’ So the manager told him, ‘Take the bill and quickly change it to 400 gallons.^[a]’

⁷ “‘And how much do you owe my employer?’ he asked the next man. ‘I owe him 1,000 bushels of wheat,’ was the reply. ‘Here,’ the manager said, ‘take the bill and change it to 800 bushels.^[b]’

⁸ “The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light. ⁹ Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.^[c]

¹⁰ “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. ¹¹ And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? ¹² And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?

¹³ “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”

¹⁴ The Pharisees, who dearly loved their money, heard all this and scoffed at him. ¹⁵ Then he said to them, “You like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts. What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God.

¹⁶ “Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in.^{[d] 17} But that doesn’t mean that the law has lost its force. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest point of God’s law to be overturned.

¹⁸ “For example, a man who divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery. And anyone who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.”

Psalm 82

A psalm of Asaph.

5 When all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings who lived along the Mediterranean coast^[a] heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan River so the people of Israel could cross, they lost heart and were paralyzed with fear because of them.

Israel Reestablishes Covenant Ceremonies

² At that time the Lord told Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise this second generation of Israelites.^[b]” ³ So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the entire male population of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth.^[c]

⁴ Joshua had to circumcise them because all the men who were old enough to fight in battle when they left Egypt had died in the wilderness. ⁵ Those who left Egypt had all been circumcised, but none of those born after the Exodus, during the years in the wilderness, had been circumcised. ⁶ The Israelites had traveled in the wilderness for forty years until all the men who were old enough to fight in battle when they left Egypt had died. For they had disobeyed the Lord, and the Lord vowed he would not let them enter the land he had sworn to give us—a land flowing with milk and honey. ⁷ So Joshua circumcised their sons—those who had grown up to take their fathers’ places—for they had not been circumcised on the way to the Promised Land. ⁸ After all the males had been circumcised, they rested in the camp until they were healed.

⁹ Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the shame of your slavery in Egypt.” So that place has been called Gilgal^[d] to this day.

¹⁰ While the Israelites were camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they celebrated Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month.^{[e] 11} The very next day they began to eat unleavened bread and roasted grain harvested from the land. ¹² No manna appeared on the day they first ate from the crops of the land, and it was never seen again. So from that time on the Israelites ate from the crops of Canaan.

The Lord’s Commander Confronts Joshua

¹³ When Joshua was near the town of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and demanded, “Are you friend or foe?”

¹⁴ “Neither one,” he replied. “I am the commander of the Lord’s army.”

At this, Joshua fell with his face to the ground in reverence. “I am at your command,” Joshua said. “What do you want your servant to do?”

¹⁵ The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did as he was told.

The Fall of Jericho

6 Now the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in. ² But the Lord said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors. ³ You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days. ⁴ Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram’s horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns. ⁵ When you hear the priests give one long blast on the rams’ horns, have all the people shout as loud as they can. Then the walls of the town will collapse, and the people can charge straight into the town.”

⁶ So Joshua called together the priests and said, “Take up the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant, and assign seven priests to walk in front of it, each carrying a ram’s horn.” ⁷ Then he gave orders to the people: “March around the town, and the armed men will lead the way in front of the Ark of the Lord.”

⁸ After Joshua spoke to the people, the seven priests with the rams’ horns started marching in the presence of the Lord, blowing the horns as they marched. And the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant followed behind them. ⁹ Some of the armed men marched in front of the priests with the horns and some behind the Ark, with the priests continually blowing the horns. ¹⁰ “Do not shout; do not even talk,” Joshua commanded. “Not a single word from any of you until I tell you to shout. Then shout!” ¹¹ So the Ark of the Lord was carried around the town once that day, and then everyone returned to spend the night in the camp.

¹² Joshua got up early the next morning, and the priests again carried the Ark of the Lord. ¹³ The seven priests with the rams’ horns marched in front of the Ark of the Lord, blowing their horns. Again the armed men marched both in front of the priests with the horns and behind the Ark of the Lord. All this time the priests were blowing their horns. ¹⁴ On the second day they again marched around the town once and returned to the camp. They followed this pattern for six days.

¹⁵ On the seventh day the Israelites got up at dawn and marched around the town as they had done before. But this time they went around the town seven times. ¹⁶ The seventh time around, as the priests sounded the long blast on their horns, Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the town! ¹⁷ Jericho and everything in it must be completely destroyed^[f] as an offering to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and the others in her house will be spared, for she protected our spies.

¹⁸ “Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you yourselves will be completely destroyed, and you will bring trouble on the camp of Israel. ¹⁹ Everything made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron is sacred to the Lord and must be brought into his treasury.”

²⁰ When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it. ²¹ They completely destroyed everything in it with their swords—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, goats, and donkeys.

²² Meanwhile, Joshua said to the two spies, “Keep your promise. Go to the prostitute’s house and bring her out, along with all her family.”

²³ The men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, mother, brothers, and all the other relatives who were with her. They moved her whole family to a safe place near the camp of Israel.

²⁴ Then the Israelites burned the town and everything in it. Only the things made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron were kept for the treasury of the Lord’s house. ²⁵ So Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute and her relatives who were with her in the house, because she had hidden the spies Joshua sent to Jericho. And she lives among the Israelites to this day.

²⁶ At that time Joshua invoked this curse:

²⁷ So the Lord was with Joshua, and his reputation spread throughout the land.

Ai Defeats the Israelites

7 But Israel violated the instructions about the things set apart for the Lord.^[g] A man named Achan had stolen some of these dedicated things, so the Lord was very angry with the Israelites. Achan was the son of Carmi, a descendant of Zimri^[h] son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah.

² Joshua sent some of his men from Jericho to spy out the town of Ai, east of Bethel, near Beth-aven. ³ When they returned, they told Joshua, “There’s no need for all of us to go up there; it won’t take more than two or three thousand men to attack Ai. Since there are so few of them, don’t make all our people struggle to go up there.”

⁴ So approximately 3,000 warriors were sent, but they were soundly defeated. The men of Ai ⁵ chased the Israelites from the town gate as far as the quarries,^[i] and they killed about thirty-six who were retreating down the slope. The Israelites were paralyzed with fear at this turn of events, and their courage melted away.

⁶ Joshua and the elders of Israel tore their clothing in dismay, threw dust on their heads, and bowed face down to the ground before the Ark of the Lord until evening. ⁷ Then Joshua cried out, “Oh, Sovereign Lord, why did you bring us across the Jordan River if you are going to let the Amorites kill us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side! ⁸ Lord, what can I say now that Israel has fled from its enemies? ⁹ For when the Canaanites and all the other people living in the land hear about it, they will surround us and wipe our name off the face of the earth. And then what will happen to the honor of your great name?”

¹⁰ But the Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! Why are you lying on your face like this? ¹¹ Israel has sinned and broken my covenant! They have stolen some of the things that I commanded must be set apart for me. And they have not only stolen them but have lied about it and hidden the things among their own belongings. ¹² That is why the Israelites are running from their enemies in defeat. For now Israel itself has been set apart for destruction. I will not remain with you any longer unless you destroy the things among you that were set apart for destruction.

¹³ “Get up! Command the people to purify themselves in preparation for tomorrow. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the Lord. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you.

¹⁴ “In the morning you must present yourselves by tribes, and the Lord will point out the tribe to which the guilty man belongs. That tribe must come forward with its clans, and the Lord will point out the guilty clan. That clan will then come forward, and the Lord will point out the guilty family. Finally, each member of the guilty family must come forward one by one. ¹⁵ The one who has stolen what was set apart for destruction will himself be burned with fire, along with everything he has, for he has broken the covenant of the Lord and has done a horrible thing in Israel.”