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3 When the inhabitants of (A)Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, 4 they also acted craftily and [a]set out as envoys, and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins worn-out and torn and [b]mended, 5 and worn-out and patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and had become crumbled. 6 They went to Joshua to the (B)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 (C)Hivites, “Perhaps you are living [c]within our land; (D)how then shall we make a covenant with you?” 8 But they said to Joshua, “(E)We are your servants.” Then Joshua said to them, “Who are you and where do you come from?” 9 They said to him, “Your servants have come from (F)a very far country because of the [d]fame of the Lord your God; for (G)we have heard the report of Him and 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 So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them and say to them, “(H)We are your servants; now then, make a covenant with us.”’ 12 This our bread was warm when we took it for our provisions out of our houses on the day that we left to come to you; but now behold, it is dry and has become crumbled. 13 These wineskins which we filled were new, and behold, they are torn; and these our clothes and our sandals are worn out because of the very long journey.” 14 So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and (I)did not ask for the [e]counsel of the Lord. 15 (J)Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live; and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.
16 It came about at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were neighbors and that they were living [f]within their land. 17 Then the sons of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were (K)Gibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim. 18 The sons of Israel did not strike them because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders. 19 But all the leaders said to the whole congregation, “We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them. 20 This we will do to them, even let them live, so that wrath will not be upon us for the oath which we swore to them.” 21 The leaders said to them, “Let them live.” So they became (L)hewers of wood and drawers of water for the whole congregation, just as the leaders had spoken to them.
22 Then Joshua called for them and spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ (M)when you are living [g]within our land? 23 Now therefore, you are (N)cursed, and [h]you shall never cease being slaves, both hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.” 24 So they answered Joshua and said, “(O)Because it was certainly told your servants that the Lord your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you; therefore we feared greatly for our lives because of you, and have done this thing. 25 Now behold, (P)we are in your hands; do as it seems good and right in your sight to do to us.” 26 Thus he did to them, and delivered them from the hands of the sons of Israel, and they did not kill them. 27 But Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord, to this day, (Q)in the place which He would choose.
Five Kings Attack Gibeon
10 Now it came about when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had captured Ai, and had [i]utterly destroyed it (just (R)as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to Ai and its king), and that the inhabitants of Gibeon had (S)made peace with Israel and were [j]within their land, 2 that [k]he (T)feared greatly, 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 word (U)to Hoham king of Hebron and to Piram king of Jarmuth and to Japhia king of Lachish and to Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4 “Come up to me and help me, and let us [l]attack Gibeon, for it has (V)made peace with Joshua and with the sons of Israel.” 5 So the five kings of (W)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 with all their armies, and camped by Gibeon and fought against it.
6 Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not [m]abandon your servants; come up to us quickly and save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites that live in the hill country have assembled against us.” 7 So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and (X)all the people of war with him and all the valiant warriors. 8 The Lord said to Joshua, “(Y)Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands; not [n]one of them shall stand before you.” 9 So Joshua came upon them suddenly [o]by marching all night from Gilgal. 10 (Z)And the Lord confounded them before Israel, and He [p]slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and pursued them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah. 11 As they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, (AA)the Lord threw large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died; there were more who died [q]from the hailstones than those whom the sons of Israel killed with the sword.
12 Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel,
“O (AB)sun, stand still at Gibeon,
And O moon in the valley of Aijalon.”
13 (AC)So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped,
Until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies.
Is it not written in (AD)the book of Jashar? And (AE)the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. 14 There was no day like that before it or after it, when the Lord listened to the voice of a man; for (AF)the Lord fought for Israel.
15 Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp to Gilgal.
Victory at Makkedah
16 Now these (AG)five kings had fled and hidden themselves in the cave at Makkedah. 17 It was told Joshua, saying, “The five kings have been found hidden in the cave at Makkedah.” 18 Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and assign men by it to guard them, 19 but do not stay there yourselves; pursue your enemies and [r]attack them in the rear. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the Lord your God has delivered them into your hand.” 20 It came about when Joshua and the sons of Israel had finished [s]slaying them with a very great slaughter, (AH)until they were destroyed, and the survivors who remained of them [t]had entered the fortified cities, 21 that all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. No one [u]uttered a word against any of the sons of Israel.
22 Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring these five kings out to me from the cave.” 23 They did so, and (AI)brought these five kings out to him from the cave: 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 these kings out to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the men of war who had gone with him, “Come near, (AJ)put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came near and put their feet on their necks. 25 Joshua then said to them, “(AK)Do not fear or be dismayed! Be strong and courageous, for thus the Lord will do to all your enemies with whom you fight.” 26 So afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death, and he (AL)hanged them on five trees; and they hung on the trees until evening. 27 It came about at [v]sunset that Joshua gave a command, and (AM)they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves, and put large stones over the mouth of the cave, to this very day.
28 Now Joshua captured Makkedah on that day, and struck it and its king with the edge of the sword; (AN)he [w]utterly destroyed [x]it and every [y]person who was in it. He left no survivor. Thus he did to the king of Makkedah (AO)just as he had done to the king of Jericho.
Joshua’s Conquest of Southern Palestine
29 Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Makkedah to (AP)Libnah, and fought against Libnah. 30 The Lord gave it also with its king into the hands of Israel, and he struck it and every person who was in it with the edge of the sword. He left no survivor in it. Thus he did to its king just as he had done to the king of Jericho.
31 And Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Libnah to Lachish, and they camped by it and fought against it. 32 The Lord gave Lachish into the hands of Israel; and he captured it on the second day, and struck it and every person who was in it with the edge of the sword, according to all that he had done to Libnah.
33 Then Horam king of (AQ)Gezer came up to help Lachish, and Joshua [z]defeated him and his people until he had left him no survivor.
34 And Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Lachish to Eglon, and they camped by it and fought against it. 35 They captured it on that day and struck it with the edge of the sword; and he [aa]utterly destroyed that day every person who was in it, according to all that he had done to Lachish.
36 Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to (AR)Hebron, and they fought against it. 37 They captured it and struck it and its king and all its cities and all the persons who were in it with the edge of the sword. He left no survivor, according to all that he had done to Eglon. And he [ab]utterly destroyed it and every person who was in it.
38 Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to (AS)Debir, and they fought against it. 39 He captured it and its king and all its cities, and they struck them with the edge of the sword, and [ac]utterly destroyed every person who was in it. He left no survivor. Just as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir and its king, as he had also done to Libnah and its king.
40 Thus Joshua struck all the land, (AT)the hill country and the [ad]Negev and the lowland and the slopes and (AU)all their kings. He left no survivor, but (AV)he [ae]utterly destroyed all who breathed, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded. 41 Joshua struck them from Kadesh-barnea even as far as Gaza, and all the country of (AW)Goshen even as far as Gibeon. 42 Joshua captured all these kings and their lands at one time, because (AX)the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel. 43 So Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp at Gilgal.
The Rich Man and Lazarus
19 “Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. 20 And a poor man named Lazarus (A)was laid at his gate, covered with sores, 21 and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. 22 Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to (B)Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. 23 In (C)Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and *saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried out and said, ‘(D)Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in (E)this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that (F)during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. 26 And [a]besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’ 27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house— 28 for I have five brothers—in order that he may (G)warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham *said, ‘They have (H)Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 But he said, ‘No, (I)father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”
Instructions
17 He said to His disciples, “(J)It is inevitable that [b]stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come! 2 (K)It [c]would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble. 3 [d]Be on your guard! (L)If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you (M)seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ [e]forgive him.”
5 (N)The apostles said to (O)the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 And (P)the Lord said, “If you [f]had faith like (Q)a mustard seed, you would say to this (R)mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would [g]obey you.
7 “Which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come immediately and [h]sit down to eat’? 8 But will he not say to him, ‘(S)Prepare something for me to eat, and properly [i]clothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; and [j]afterward you [k]may eat and drink’? 9 He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he? 10 So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’”
God Implored to Confound His Enemies.
A Song, a Psalm of Asaph.
83 O God, (A)do not remain quiet;
(B)Do not be silent and, O God, do not be still.
2 For behold, Your enemies (C)make an uproar,
And (D)those who hate You have [a](E)exalted themselves.
3 They (F)make shrewd plans against Your people,
And [b]conspire together against (G)Your [c]treasured ones.
4 They have said, “Come, and (H)let us wipe them out [d]as a nation,
That the (I)name of Israel be remembered no more.”
5 For they have [e](J)conspired together with one mind;
Against You they make a covenant:
6 The tents of (K)Edom and the (L)Ishmaelites,
(M)Moab and the (N)Hagrites;
7 (O)Gebal and (P)Ammon and (Q)Amalek,
(R)Philistia with the inhabitants of (S)Tyre;
8 (T)Assyria also has joined with them;
They have become [f]a help to the (U)children of Lot. [g]Selah.
9 Deal with them (V)as with Midian,
As (W)with Sisera and Jabin at the torrent of Kishon,
10 Who were destroyed at En-dor,
Who (X)became as dung for the ground.
11 Make their nobles like (Y)Oreb and Zeeb
And all their princes like (Z)Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 Who said, “(AA)Let us possess for ourselves
The (AB)pastures of God.”
13 O my God, make them like the [h](AC)whirling dust,
Like (AD)chaff before the wind.
14 Like (AE)fire that burns the forest
And like a flame that (AF)sets the mountains on fire,
15 So pursue them (AG)with Your tempest
And terrify them with Your storm.
16 (AH)Fill their faces with dishonor,
That they may seek Your name, O Lord.
17 Let them be (AI)ashamed and dismayed forever,
And let them be humiliated and perish,
18 That they may (AJ)know that (AK)You alone, whose name is the Lord,
Are the (AL)Most High over all the earth.
4 The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
But the soul of the diligent is made fat.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.