Relentless Love: Reflections on the Book of Jonah

Two-Year Chronological Bible Reading Plan (First Year-August)

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How to Find Jesus for Yourself

Acts 20 | Encouragement in Goodbyes

The Spiritual Significance of KEYS in the Bible

When God Is Silent: Finding Faith in the Waiting

Spiritual Training: The Discipline of Fasting and Solitude

Wisdom: A Weapon of War

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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkJOS">
 <div class="chapter ch9" data-usfm="JOS.9">
 <div class="label">9</div><div class="s1">The Gibeonite Deception</div><div class="p"> 1Now when all the kings west of the Jordan heard about these things&#8212;the kings in the hill country, in the western foothills, and along the entire coast of the Mediterranean Sea as far as Lebanon (the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites)&#8212; 2they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.</div><div class="p"> 3However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded#9:4 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac (see also Septuagint) They prepared provisions and loaded their donkeys with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. 5They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. 6Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, &#8220;We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 7The Israelites said to the Hivites, &#8220;But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treaty with you?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 8&#8220;We are your servants,&#8221; they said to Joshua.</div><div class="p">But Joshua asked, &#8220;Who are you and where do you come from?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 9They answered: &#8220;Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the Lord your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt, 10and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan&#8212;Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. 11And our elders and all those living in our country said to us, &#8216;Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, &#8220;We are your servants; make a treaty with us.&#8221;&#8198;&#8217; 12This 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. 13And 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.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 14The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. 15Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.</div><div class="p"> 16Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near them. 17So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim. 18But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel.</div><div class="p">The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders, 19but all the leaders answered, &#8220;We have given them our oath by the Lord, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now. 20This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that God&#8217;s wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to them.&#8221; 21They continued, &#8220;Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers in the service of the whole assembly.&#8221; So the leaders&#8217; promise to them was kept.</div><div class="p"> 22Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, &#8220;Why did you deceive us by saying, &#8216;We live a long way from you,&#8217; while actually you live near us? 23You are now under a curse: You will never be released from service as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 24They answered Joshua, &#8220;Your servants were clearly told 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. 25We are now in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 26So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them. 27That day he made the Gibeonites woodcutters and water carriers for the assembly, to provide for the needs of the altar of the Lord at the place the Lord would choose. And that is what they are to this day.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkJOS">
 <div class="chapter ch10" data-usfm="JOS.10">
 <div class="label">10</div><div class="s1">The Sun Stands Still</div><div class="p"> 1Now Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai and totally destroyed#10:1 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verses 28, 35, 37, 39 and 40. it, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and that the people of Gibeon had made a treaty of peace with Israel and had become their allies. 2He 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. 3So Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem appealed to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish and Debir king of Eglon. 4&#8220;Come up and help me attack Gibeon,&#8221; he said, &#8220;because it has made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 5Then the five kings of the Amorites&#8212;the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon&#8212;joined forces. They moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it.</div><div class="p"> 6The Gibeonites then sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: &#8220;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.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 7So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men. 8The Lord said to Joshua, &#8220;Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 9After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise. 10The Lord threw them into confusion before Israel, so Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely at Gibeon. Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. 11As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the Lord hurled large hailstones down on them, and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.</div><div class="p"> 12On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;Sun, stand still over Gibeon,</div><div class="q2">and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.&#8221;</div><div class="q1"> 13So the sun stood still,</div><div class="q2">and the moon stopped,</div><div class="q2">till the nation avenged itself on#10:13 Or nation triumphed over its enemies,</div><div class="m">as it is written in the Book of Jashar.</div><div class="p">The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. 14There 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 for Israel!</div><div class="p"> 15Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.</div><div class="s1">Five Amorite Kings Killed</div><div class="p"> 16Now the five kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah. 17When Joshua was told that the five kings had been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah, 18he said, &#8220;Roll large rocks up to the mouth of the cave, and post some men there to guard it. 19But don&#8217;t stop; pursue your enemies! Attack them from the rear and don&#8217;t let them reach their cities, for the Lord your God has given them into your hand.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 20So Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely, but a few survivors managed to reach their fortified cities. 21The whole army then returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah, and no one uttered a word against the Israelites.</div><div class="p"> 22Joshua said, &#8220;Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me.&#8221; 23So they brought the five kings out of the cave&#8212;the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon. 24When they had brought these kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had come with him, &#8220;Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.&#8221; So they came forward and placed their feet on their necks.</div><div class="p"> 25Joshua said to them, &#8220;Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.&#8221; 26Then Joshua put the kings to death and exposed their bodies on five poles, and they were left hanging on the poles until evening.</div><div class="p"> 27At sunset 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.</div><div class="s1">Southern Cities Conquered</div><div class="p"> 28That day Joshua took Makkedah. He put the city and its king to the sword and totally destroyed everyone in it. He left no survivors. And he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.</div><div class="p"> 29Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Makkedah to Libnah and attacked it. 30The Lord also gave that city and its king into Israel&#8217;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.</div><div class="p"> 31Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Libnah to Lachish; he took up positions against it and attacked it. 32The Lord gave Lachish into Israel&#8217;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. 33Meanwhile, Horam king of Gezer had come up to help Lachish, but Joshua defeated him and his army&#8212;until no survivors were left.</div><div class="p"> 34Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Lachish to Eglon; they took up positions against it and attacked it. 35They captured it that same day and put it to the sword and totally destroyed everyone in it, just as they had done to Lachish.</div><div class="p"> 36Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron and attacked it. 37They took the city and put it to the sword, together with its king, its villages and everyone in it. They left no survivors. Just as at Eglon, they totally destroyed it and everyone in it.</div><div class="p"> 38Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned around and attacked Debir. 39They 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.</div><div class="p"> 40So Joshua subdued the whole region, including the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills and the mountain slopes, together with all their kings. He left no survivors. He totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded. 41Joshua subdued them from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and from the whole region of Goshen to Gibeon. 42All these kings and their lands Joshua conquered in one campaign, because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.</div><div class="p"> 43Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkJOS">
 <div class="chapter ch11" data-usfm="JOS.11">
 <div class="label">11</div><div class="s1">Northern Kings Defeated</div><div class="p"> 1When Jabin king of Hazor heard of this, he sent word to Jobab king of Madon, to the kings of Shimron and Akshaph, 2and to the northern kings who were in the mountains, in the Arabah south of Kinnereth, in the western foothills and in Naphoth Dor on the west; 3to the Canaanites in the east and west; to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites and Jebusites in the hill country; and to the Hivites below Hermon in the region of Mizpah. 4They came out with all their troops and a large number of horses and chariots&#8212;a huge army, as numerous as the sand on the seashore. 5All these kings joined forces and made camp together at the Waters of Merom to fight against Israel.</div><div class="p"> 6The Lord said to Joshua, &#8220;Do not be afraid of them, because by this time tomorrow I will hand all of them, slain, over to Israel. You are to hamstring their horses and burn their chariots.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 7So Joshua and his whole army came against them suddenly at the Waters of Merom and attacked them, 8and the Lord gave them into the hand of Israel. They defeated them and pursued them all the way to Greater Sidon, to Misrephoth Maim, and to the Valley of Mizpah on the east, until no survivors were left. 9Joshua did to them as the Lord had directed: He hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots.</div><div class="p"> 10At that time Joshua turned back and captured Hazor and put its king to the sword. (Hazor had been the head of all these kingdoms.) 11Everyone in it they put to the sword. They totally destroyed#11:11 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verses 12, 20 and 21. them, not sparing anyone that breathed, and he burned Hazor itself.</div><div class="p"> 12Joshua 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. 13Yet Israel did not burn any of the cities built on their mounds&#8212;except Hazor, which Joshua burned. 14The 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. 15As 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.</div><div class="p"> 16So Joshua took this entire land: the hill country, all the Negev, the whole region of Goshen, the western foothills, the Arabah and the mountains of Israel with their foothills, 17from Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir, to Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon below Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings and put them to death. 18Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long time. 19Except for the Hivites living in Gibeon, not one city made a treaty of peace with the Israelites, who took them all in battle. 20For it was the Lord himself who hardened their hearts to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the Lord had commanded Moses.</div><div class="p"> 21At that time Joshua went and destroyed the Anakites from the hill country: from Hebron, Debir and Anab, from all the hill country of Judah, and from all the hill country of Israel. Joshua totally destroyed them and their towns. 22No Anakites were left in Israelite territory; only in Gaza, Gath and Ashdod did any survive.</div><div class="p"> 23So Joshua took the entire land, just as the Lord had directed Moses, and he gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal divisions. Then the land had rest from war.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkJOS">
 <div class="chapter ch12" data-usfm="JOS.12">
 <div class="label">12</div><div class="s1">List of Defeated Kings</div><div class="p"> 1These are the kings of the land whom the Israelites had defeated and whose territory they took over east of the Jordan, from the Arnon Gorge to Mount Hermon, including all the eastern side of the Arabah:</div><div class="b"></div><div class="m"> 2Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon.</div><div class="mi">He ruled from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge&#8212;from the middle of the gorge&#8212;to the Jabbok River, which is the border of the Ammonites. This included half of Gilead. 3He also ruled over the eastern Arabah from the Sea of Galilee#12:3 Hebrew Kinnereth to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea), to Beth Jeshimoth, and then southward below the slopes of Pisgah.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="m"> 4And the territory of Og king of Bashan, one of the last of the Rephaites, who reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei.</div><div class="mi"> 5He ruled over Mount Hermon, Salekah, all of Bashan to the border of the people of Geshur and Maakah, and half of Gilead to the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 6Moses, the servant of the Lord, and the Israelites conquered them. 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.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"> 7Here 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 to Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir. Joshua gave their lands as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel according to their tribal divisions. 8The lands included the hill country, the western foothills, the Arabah, the mountain slopes, the wilderness and the Negev. These were the lands of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. These were the kings:</div><div class="b"></div><table class="table">
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">9the king of Jericho</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">the king of Ai (near Bethel)</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">10the king of Jerusalem</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">the king of Hebron</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">11the king of Jarmuth</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">the king of Lachish</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">12the king of Eglon</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">the king of Gezer</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">13the king of Debir</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">the king of Geder</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">14the king of Hormah</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">the king of Arad</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">15the king of Libnah</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">the king of Adullam</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">16the king of Makkedah</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">the king of Bethel</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">17the king of Tappuah</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">the king of Hepher</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">18the king of Aphek</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">the king of Lasharon</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">19the king of Madon</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">the king of Hazor</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">20the king of Shimron Meron</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">the king of Akshaph</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">21the king of Taanach</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">the king of Megiddo</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">22the king of Kedesh</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">the king of Jokneam in Carmel</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">23the king of Dor (in Naphoth Dor)</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">the king of Goyim in Gilgal</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell">24the king of Tirzah</td>
 <td class="cell">one</td>
</tr>
 <tr class="row">
 <td class="cell"></td>
 <td class="cell">thirty-one kings in all.</td>
</tr>
</table>
 </div>
 </div>
</div>

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