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)

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.

Psalm 84^[a]

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

Joshua Installed as Leader

1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord,^(A) the Lord said to Joshua^(B) son of Nun, Moses’ aide: ² “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River^(C) into the land^(D) I am about to give to them^(E)—to the Israelites. ³ I will give you every place where you set your foot,^(F) as I promised Moses.^{(G) 4} Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon,^(H) and from the great river, the Euphrates^(I)—all the Hittite^(J) country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.^{(K) 5} No one will be able to stand against you^(L) all the days of your life. As I was with^(M) Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake^(N) you. ⁶ Be strong^(O) and courageous,^(P) because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors^(Q) to give them.

⁷ “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey^(R) all the law^(S) my servant Moses^(T) gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left,^(U) that you may be successful wherever you go.^{(V) 8} Keep this Book of the Law^(W) always on your lips;^(X) meditate^(Y) on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.^{(Z) 9} Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid;^(AA) do not be discouraged,^(AB) for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”^(AC)

¹⁰ So Joshua ordered the officers of the people:^{(AD) 11} “Go through the camp^(AE) and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions^(AF) ready. Three days^(AG) from now you will cross the Jordan^(AH) here to go in and take possession^(AI) of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.’”

¹² But to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh,^(AJ) Joshua said, ¹³ “Remember the command that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you after he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest^(AK) by giving you this land.’ ¹⁴ Your wives,^(AL) your children and your livestock may stay in the land^(AM) that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but all your fighting men, ready for battle,^(AN) must cross over ahead of your fellow Israelites.^(AO) You are to help them ¹⁵ until the Lord gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the land the Lord your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you east of the Jordan toward the sunrise.”^(AP)

¹⁶ Then they answered Joshua, “Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.^{(AQ) 17} Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you.^(AR) Only may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses. ¹⁸ Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey^(AS) it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!^(AT)”

Rahab and the Spies

2 Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies^(AU) from Shittim.^(AV) “Go, look over^(AW) the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.^(AX)” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab^(AY) and stayed there.

² The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” ³ So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab:^(AZ) “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.”

⁴ But the woman had taken the two men^(BA) and hidden them.^(BB) She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. ⁵ At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate,^(BC) they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.”^{(BD) 6} (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax^(BE) she had laid out on the roof.)^{(BF) 7} So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan,^(BG) and as soon as the pursuers^(BH) had gone out, the gate was shut.

⁸ Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof^{(BI) 9} and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear^(BJ) of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. ¹⁰ We have heard how the Lord dried up^(BK) the water of the Red Sea^[a] for you when you came out of Egypt,^(BL) and what you did to Sihon and Og,^(BM) the two kings of the Amorites^(BN) east of the Jordan,^(BO) whom you completely destroyed.^{[b](BP) 11} When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear^(BQ) and everyone’s courage failed^(BR) because of you,^(BS) for the Lord your God^(BT) is God in heaven above and on the earth^(BU) below.

¹² “Now then, please swear to me^(BV) by the Lord that you will show kindness^(BW) to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign^{(BX) 13} that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them^(BY)—and that you will save us from death.”

¹⁴ “Our lives for your lives!”^(BZ) the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully^(CA) when the Lord gives us the land.”

¹⁵ So she let them down by a rope^(CB) through the window,^(CC) for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. ¹⁶ She said to them, “Go to the hills^(CD) so the pursuers^(CE) will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days^(CF) until they return, and then go on your way.”^(CG)

¹⁷ Now the men had said to her, “This oath^(CH) you made us swear will not be binding on us ¹⁸ unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord^(CI) in the window^(CJ) through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family^(CK) into your house. ¹⁹ If any of them go outside your house into the street, their blood will be on their own heads;^(CL) we will not be responsible. As for those who are in the house with you, their blood will be on our head^(CM) if a hand is laid on them. ²⁰ But if you tell what we are doing, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.^(CN)”

²¹ “Agreed,” she replied. “Let it be as you say.”

So she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord^(CO) in the window.^(CP)

²² When they left, they went into the hills and stayed there three days,^(CQ) until the pursuers^(CR) had searched all along the road and returned without finding them. ²³ Then the two men started back. They went down out of the hills, forded the river and came to Joshua son of Nun and told him everything that had happened to them. ²⁴ They said to Joshua, “The Lord has surely given the whole land into our hands;^(CS) all the people are melting in fear^(CT) because of us.”

The Narrow Door

²² Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem.^{(A) 23} Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”

He said to them, ²⁴ “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door,^(B) because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. ²⁵ Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’

“But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’^(C)

²⁶ “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’

²⁷ “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’^(D)

²⁸ “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth,^(E) when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. ²⁹ People will come from east and west^(F) and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. ³⁰ Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”^(G)

Jesus’ Sorrow for Jerusalem^(H)(I)

³¹ At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod^(J) wants to kill you.”

³² He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’^{(K) 33} In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet^(L) can die outside Jerusalem!

³⁴ “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,^(M) and you were not willing. ³⁵ Look, your house is left to you desolate.^(N) I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’^[a]”^(O)

Jesus at a Pharisee’s House^(P)

14 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee,^(Q) he was being carefully watched.^{(R) 2} There in front of him was a man suffering from abnormal swelling of his body. ³ Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law,^(S) “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?”^{(T) 4} But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him on his way.

⁵ Then he asked them, “If one of you has a child^[b] or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?”^{(U) 6} And they had nothing to say.

Psalm 79

A psalm of Asaph.