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

¹ 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, ² they gathered together in one accord to fight with Joshua and with Israel. ³ But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, ⁴ 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, ⁵ and old and patched sandals on their feet, and wore old garments. All the bread in their food supply was dry and moldy. ⁶ They went to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country. Now therefore make a covenant with us.”

⁷ The men of Israel said to the Hivites, “What if you live among us? How could we make a covenant with you?”

⁸ They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.”
Joshua said to them, “Who are you? Where do you come from?”

⁹ They said to him, “Your 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, ¹⁰ 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. ¹¹ Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take supplies in your hand for the journey and go to meet them. Tell them, “We are your servants. Now make a covenant with us.” ’ ¹² 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. ¹³ 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.”

¹⁴ The men sampled their provisions and did not ask counsel from the mouth of the Lord. ¹⁵ 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.

¹⁶ 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. ¹⁷ The Israelites traveled and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim. ¹⁸ 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. ¹⁹ But all of the leaders said to the entire congregation, “We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. Now therefore we may not touch them. ²⁰ We will do this to them and let them live, lest wrath be on us, because of the oath which we swore to them.” ²¹ The leaders said to them, “Let them live.” So they became wood cutters and water carriers for the whole congregation, as the leaders had spoken to them.

²² Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you live among us? ²³ 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.”

²⁴ They answered Joshua and said, “Because 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. ²⁵ Now, look, we are in your hand. Do to us as it seems good and right to you to do.”

²⁶ He did so to them and delivered them out of the hand of the Israelites, so that they did not kill them. ²⁷ 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

¹ 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, ² 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. ³ 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, ⁴ “Come up to me and help me. Let us strike Gibeon, for they have made peace with Joshua and with the Israelites.” ⁵ 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.

⁶ The men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do 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.”

⁷ So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and the whole army with him, including all the mighty men of valor. ⁸ The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hands. Not a man from among them will stand before you.”

⁹ Joshua therefore came to them suddenly. He marched from Gilgal all night. ¹⁰ 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. ¹¹ 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

¹² 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, “Sun, stand still on Gibeon! You, moon, stop in the valley of Aijalon!”

¹³ 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.

¹⁴ 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.

¹⁵ Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal.

Victory at Makkedah

¹⁶ These five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah. ¹⁷ Joshua was told, saying, “The five kings have been found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah.”

¹⁸ Joshua said, “Roll large stones to cover the cave’s entrance and set men by it to guard them, ¹⁹ 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.”

²⁰ 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, ²¹ all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. None moved his tongue against any of the Israelites.

²² Then Joshua said, “Open the cave entrance and bring those five kings out of the cave to me.”

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, “Come near. Put your feet on the necks of these kings.” They came near and put their feet on their necks.

²⁵ Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed. Be strong and courageous, for the Lord will do this to all your enemies against whom you fight.”

²⁶ Afterward Joshua struck them, put them to death, and hanged them on five trees. They were hanging on the trees until the evening. ²⁷ 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.

²⁸ 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

²⁹ Joshua passed from Makkedah and all Israel with him, to Libnah and fought against Libnah. ³⁰ 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.

³¹ Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish and encamped against it and fought against it. ³² 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. ³³ 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.

³⁴ Joshua passed from Lachish and all Israel with him, to Eglon, and they encamped against it and fought against it. ³⁵ 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.

³⁶ Joshua went up from Eglon and all Israel with him, to Hebron, and they fought against it. ³⁷ 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.

³⁸ Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir, and fought against it. ³⁹ 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.

⁴⁰ 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. ⁴¹ Joshua struck them from Kadesh Barnea even to Gaza and all the country of Goshen, all the way to Gibeon. ⁴² Joshua took all these kings and their land at one time because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel. ⁴³ 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

¹⁹ “Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day. ²⁰ A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was taken to his gate, full of sores, ²¹ and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores. ²² The beggar died, and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s 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. ²⁴ He cried and said, ‘Father 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.’

²⁵ “But Abraham said, ‘Son, 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. ²⁶ 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.’

²⁷ “He said, ‘I ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, ²⁸ for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, so they will not also come into this place of torment.’

²⁹ “But Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’

³⁰ “He said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’

³¹ “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, nor will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’ ”

Luke 17

Temptations and Trespasses

¹ Jesus said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no occasion for stumbling should come, but woe to him through whom they come! ² 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. ³ Be careful. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him. ⁴ If he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times returns, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

The Power of Faith

⁵ The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”

⁶ The Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you would tell this sycamore tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. ⁷ But who is there among you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say when he comes in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down at the table,’ ⁸ and will not rather tell him, ‘Prepare my supper, clothe yourself properly, and serve me while I eat and drink. Afterward you shall eat and drink’? ⁹ Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded? I think not. ¹⁰ So also, when you have done all the things that are commanded will you, say, ‘We are unworthy servants. We have done our duty.’ ”

Psalm 83

God, Do not Keep Silent

A song. A Psalm by Asaph.

¹ O God, do not keep silent.
Do not keep silent,
and do not be still, God.
² For your enemies are stirred up.
Those who hate you have lifted up their heads.
³ They conspire with cunning against your people.
They plot against your cherished ones.
⁴ “Come,” they say, “let’s destroy them as a nation,
that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”

⁵ For they have conspired together with one mind.
They form an alliance against you.
⁶ The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
Moab, and the Hagrites,
⁷ Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek,
Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre,
⁸ Assyria also is joined with them.
They have helped the children of Lot.

Selah.

⁹ Do to them as you did to Midian,
as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the river Kishon,
¹⁰ who perished at Endor,
who became as dung for the earth.
¹¹ Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
¹² who said, “Let’s take possession of God’s pasture lands.”

¹³ My God, make them like tumbleweed,
like chaff before the wind.
¹⁴ As the fire that burns the forest,
as the flame that sets the mountains on fire,
¹⁵ so pursue them with your tempest,
and terrify them with your storm.
¹⁶ Fill their faces with confusion,
that they may seek your name, O Lord.

¹⁷ Let them be disappointed and dismayed forever.
Yes, let them be confounded and perish,
¹⁸ that they may know that you alone, whose name is the Lord,
are the Most High over all the earth.

Proverbs 13:4

⁴ The sluggard desires and has nothing,
but the desire of the diligent shall be fully satisfied.

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