The soul of the sluggard desires and has nothing,
but the desire of the diligent shall be fully satisfied. Proverbs 13:4
Joshua 9-10
Joshua 9
The Deceit of the Gibeonites
1Â When all the kings heard of it, who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country, and in the lowland, and on all the coasts of the Mediterranean sea up to Lebanon, including the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, 2Â they gathered together in one accord to fight with Joshua and with Israel. 3Â But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, 4Â they also resorted to a ruse and went and sent ambassadors, taking old sacks on their donkeys, and old, torn-up and bound up wine skins, 5Â and old and patched sandals on their feet, and wore old garments. All the bread in their food supply was dry and moldy. 6Â They went to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, âWe have come from a far country. Now therefore make a covenant with us.â
7Â The men of Israel said to the Hivites, âWhat if you live among us? How could we make a covenant with you?â
8Â They said to Joshua, âWe are your servants.â
Joshua said to them, âWho are you? Where do you come from?â
9Â They said to him, âYour servants have come from a very far country because of the name of the Lord your God, for we have heard of his fame, all that he did in Egypt, 10Â and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth. 11Â Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, âTake supplies in your hand for the journey and go to meet them. Tell them, âWe are your servants. Now make a covenant with us.â â 12Â This our bread we took hot for our supplies out of our houses on the day we went out to go to you, but now look, it is dry and has become moldy. 13Â These wine skins which we filled, were new, and look they are torn. These our garments and our sandals have become old because of the very long journey.â
14Â The men sampled their provisions and did not ask counsel from the mouth of the Lord. 15Â Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live. The leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.
16Â At the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they lived among them. 17Â The Israelites traveled and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim. 18Â The Israelites did not strike them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. All the congregation murmured against the leaders. 19Â But all of the leaders said to the entire congregation, âWe have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. Now therefore we may not touch them. 20Â We will do this to them and let them live, lest wrath be on us, because of the oath which we swore to them.â 21Â The leaders said to them, âLet them live.â So they became wood cutters and water carriers for the whole congregation, as the leaders had spoken to them.
22Â Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, âWhy have you deceived us, saying, âWe are very far from you,â when you live among us? 23Â Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you will never fail to be slaves, both wood cutters and water carriers for the house of my God.â
24Â They answered Joshua and said, âBecause your servants were certainly told how the Lord your God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you. Therefore we were terrified for our lives because of you and have done this thing. 25Â Now, look, we are in your hand. Do to us as it seems good and right to you to do.â
26Â He did so to them and delivered them out of the hand of the Israelites, so that they did not kill them. 27Â That day Joshua made them wood cutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the alter of the Lord to this day, in the place which he should choose.
Joshua 10
Five Kings Wage War against Gibeon
1Â Now when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai and had utterly destroyed it, as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, 2Â they were terrified because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities and because it was greater than Ai and all its men were mighty. 3Â Therefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4Â âCome up to me and help me. Let us strike Gibeon, for they have made peace with Joshua and with the Israelites.â 5Â Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered together and went up, they and all their armies, and encamped against Gibeon and waged war against it.
6Â The men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, âDo not abandon your servants! Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the hill country have gathered together against us.â
7Â So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and the whole army with him, including all the mighty men of valor. 8Â The Lord said to Joshua, âDo not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hands. Not a man from among them will stand before you.â
9Â Joshua therefore came to them suddenly. He marched from Gilgal all night. 10Â The Lord confused them before Israel. He killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way of the ascent of Beth Horon, and struck them to Azekah and to Makkedah. 11Â As they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth Horon, the Lord hurled down great stones from the sky on them to Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than those whom the Israelites killed with the sword.
The Sun Stands Still
12Â Then Joshua spoke to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the Israelites. He said in the sight of Israel, âSun, stand still on Gibeon! You, moon, stop in the valley of Aijalon!â
13Â The sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the nation had avenged themselves of their enemies. Is this not written in the book of Jashar? The sun stayed in the middle of the sky and did not hurry to go down about a whole day.
14Â There was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord listened to the voice of a man, for the Lord fought for Israel.
15Â Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal.
Victory at Makkedah
16Â These five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah. 17Â Joshua was told, saying, âThe five kings have been found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah.â
18Â Joshua said, âRoll large stones to cover the caveâs entrance and set men by it to guard them, 19Â but do not stay there. Pursue your enemies and attack them from the rear. Do not allow them to enter into their cities, for the Lord your God has delivered them into your hand.â
20Â When Joshua and the Israelites had finished killing them with a very great slaughter until they were destroyed, and the remnant which remained of them had entered into the fortified cities, 21Â all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. None moved his tongue against any of the Israelites.
22Â Then Joshua said, âOpen the cave entrance and bring those five kings out of the cave to me.â
23 They did so and brought those five kings out of the cave to him: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. 24 When they brought those kings out to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel and said to the chiefs of the men of war who went with him, âCome near. Put your feet on the necks of these kings.â They came near and put their feet on their necks.
25Â Joshua said to them, âDo not be afraid, nor be dismayed. Be strong and courageous, for the Lord will do this to all your enemies against whom you fight.â
26Â Afterward Joshua struck them, put them to death, and hanged them on five trees. They were hanging on the trees until the evening. 27Â At the time of sunset, Joshua gave the command, and they took them down off the trees and threw them into the cave in which they had hidden themselves and laid great stones on the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.
28Â Joshua took Makkedah on that day and struck it with the edge of the sword, with its king. He utterly destroyed it and all the people who were in it. He left no one remaining. He did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.
Joshua Conquers Southern Palestine
29Â Joshua passed from Makkedah and all Israel with him, to Libnah and fought against Libnah. 30Â The Lord delivered it also, with its king, into the hand of Israel. He struck it with the edge of the sword and all the people who were in it. He left no one remaining in it. He did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.
31Â Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish and encamped against it and fought against it. 32Â The Lord delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel. He took it on the second day and struck it with the edge of the sword, with all the people who were in it, according to all that he had done to Libnah. 33Â Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish, and Joshua struck him and his people until he had left him no one remaining.
34Â Joshua passed from Lachish and all Israel with him, to Eglon, and they encamped against it and fought against it. 35Â They took it on that day and struck it with the edge of the sword. He utterly destroyed all the people who were in it that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish.
36Â Joshua went up from Eglon and all Israel with him, to Hebron, and they fought against it. 37Â They took it and struck it with the edge of the sword, with its king and all its cities, and all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon; but he utterly destroyed it and every soul in it.
38Â Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir, and fought against it. 39Â He took it, with its king and all its cities. They struck them with the edge of the sword and utterly destroyed all the people who were in it. He left no one remaining. As he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to its king, as he had done also to Libnah, and to its king.
40Â So Joshua struck the whole land, the hill country, the South, the lowland, the slopes, and all their kings. He left no one remaining, but he utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded. 41Â Joshua struck them from Kadesh Barnea even to Gaza and all the country of Goshen, all the way to Gibeon. 42Â Joshua took all these kings and their land at one time because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel. 43Â Joshua returned and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal.
Luke 16:19-17:10
Luke 16
The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus
19Â âNow there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day. 20Â A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was taken to his gate, full of sores, 21Â and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich manâs table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22Â The beggar died, and he was carried away by the angels to Abrahamâs bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried. 23 In Hades, he looked up, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom. 24Â He cried and said, âFather Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue! For I am in anguish in this flame.â
25Â âBut Abraham said, âSon, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in the same way, bad things. But here he is now comforted, and you are in anguish. 26Â Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that those who want to pass from here to you are not able, and that no one may cross over from there to us.â
27 âHe said, âI ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my fatherâs house, 28Â for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, so they will not also come into this place of torment.â
29Â âBut Abraham said to him, âThey have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.â
30Â âHe said, âNo, father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.â
31 âHe said to him, âIf they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, nor will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.â â
Luke 17
Temptations and Trespasses
1Â Jesus said to the disciples, âIt is impossible that no occasion for stumbling should come, but woe to him through whom they come! 2Â It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, rather than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble. 3Â Be careful. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him. 4Â If he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times returns, saying, âI repent,â you shall forgive him.â
The Power of Faith
5Â The apostles said to the Lord, âIncrease our faith.â
6Â The Lord said, âIf you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you would tell this sycamore tree, âBe uprooted and be planted in the sea,â and it would obey you. 7Â But who is there among you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say when he comes in from the field, âCome immediately and sit down at the table,â 8Â and will not rather tell him, âPrepare my supper, clothe yourself properly, and serve me while I eat and drink. Afterward you shall eat and drinkâ? 9Â Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded? I think not. 10Â So also, when you have done all the things that are commanded will you, say, âWe are unworthy servants. We have done our duty.â â
Psalm 83
God, Do not Keep Silent
A song. A Psalm by Asaph.
1Â O God, do not keep silent.
Do not keep silent,
and do not be still, God.
2Â For your enemies are stirred up.
Those who hate you have lifted up their heads.
3Â They conspire with cunning against your people.
They plot against your cherished ones.
4Â âCome,â they say, âletâs destroy them as a nation,
that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.â
5Â For they have conspired together with one mind.
They form an alliance against you.
6Â The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
Moab, and the Hagrites,
7Â Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek,
Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre,
8Â Assyria also is joined with them.
They have helped the children of Lot.
Selah.
9Â Do to them as you did to Midian,
as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the river Kishon,
10Â who perished at Endor,
who became as dung for the earth.
11Â Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12Â who said, âLetâs take possession of Godâs pasture lands.â
13Â My God, make them like tumbleweed,
like chaff before the wind.
14Â As the fire that burns the forest,
as the flame that sets the mountains on fire,
15Â so pursue them with your tempest,
and terrify them with your storm.
16Â Fill their faces with confusion,
that they may seek your name, O Lord.
17Â Let them be disappointed and dismayed forever.
Yes, let them be confounded and perish,
18Â that they may know that you alone, whose name is the Lord,
are the Most High over all the earth.
Proverbs 13:4
4Â The sluggard desires and has nothing,
but the desire of the diligent shall be fully satisfied.