One Year Bible.

The Conquest of Canaan Proceeds

¹After the death of Joshua, the Israelites inquired of the LORD, “Who will be the first to go up and fight for us against the Canaanites?”

²“Judah shall go up,” answered the LORD. “Indeed, I have delivered the land into their hands.”

³Then the men of Judah said to their brothers the Simeonites, “Come up with us to our allotted territory, and let us fight against the Canaanites. And we likewise will go with you to your territory.” So the Simeonites went with them.

⁴When Judah attacked, the LORD delivered the Canaanites and Perizzites into their hands, and they struck down ten thousand men at Bezek. ⁵And there they found Adoni-bezek and fought against him, striking down the Canaanites and Perizzites. ⁶As Adoni-bezek

fled, they pursued him, seized him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes. ⁷Then Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off have gathered the scraps under my table. As I have done to them, so God has repaid me.” And they brought him to Jerusalem, where he died.

The Capture of Jerusalem and Hebron

⁸Then the men of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it. They put the city to the sword and set it on fire. ⁹Afterward, the men of Judah marched down to fight against the Canaanites living in the hill country, in the Negev, and in the foothills.

¹⁰Judah also marched against the Canaanites who were living in Hebron (formerly known as Kiriath-arba), and they struck down Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.

¹¹From there they marched against the inhabitants of Debir (formerly known as Kiriath-sepher). ¹²And Caleb said, “To the man who strikes down Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage.” ¹³So Othniel son of Caleb’s younger brother Kenaz captured the city, and Caleb gave his daughter Acsah to him in marriage.

¹⁴One day Acsah came to Othniel and urged him to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What do you desire?”

¹⁵“Give me a blessing,” she answered. “Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me springs of water as well.”

So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs.

¹⁶Now the descendants of Moses’ father-in-law, the Kenite, went up with the men of Judah from the City of Palms to the Wilderness of Judah in the Negev near Arad. They went to live among the people.

¹⁷Then the men of Judah went with their brothers the Simeonites, attacked the Canaanites living in Zephath, and devoted the city to destruction. So it was called Hormah. ¹⁸And Judah also captured Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron — each with its territory. ¹⁹The LORD was with Judah, and they took possession of the hill country; but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the plains because they had chariots of iron.

²⁰Just as Moses had promised, Judah gave Hebron to Caleb, who drove out the descendants of the three sons of Anak.

²¹The Benjamites, however, failed to drive out the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. So to this day the Jebusites live there among the Benjamites.

²²The house of Joseph also attacked Bethel, and the LORD was with them. ²³They sent spies to Bethel (formerly known as Luz), ²⁴and when the spies saw a man coming out of the city, they said to him, “Please show us how to get into the city, and we will treat you kindly.”

²⁵So the man showed them the entrance to the city, and they put the city to the sword but released that man and all his family. ²⁶And the man went to the land of the Hittites, built a city, and called it Luz, which is its name to this day.

The Failure to Complete the Conquest

²⁷At that time Manasseh failed to drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, Megiddo, and their villages; for the Canaanites were determined to dwell in that land. ²⁸When Israel became stronger, they pressed the Canaanites into forced labor, but they never drove them out completely.

²⁹Ephraim also failed to drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer; so the Canaanites continued to dwell among them in Gezer.

³⁰Zebulun failed to drive out the inhabitants of Kitron and Nahalol; so the Canaanites lived among them and served as forced laborers.

³¹Asher failed to drive out the inhabitants of Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, and Rehob. ³²So the Asherites lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land, because they did not drive them out.

³³Naphtali failed to drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath. So the Naphtalites also lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land, but the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath served them as forced laborers.

³⁴The Amorites forced the Danites into the hill country and did not allow them to come down into the plain. ³⁵And the Amorites were determined to dwell in Mount Heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbim. But when the house of Joseph grew in strength, they pressed the Amorites into forced labor. ³⁶And the border of the Amorites extended from the Ascent of Akrabbim to Sela and beyond.

Israel Rebuked at Bochim

¹Now the angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bochim and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land that I had promised to your fathers, and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you, ²and you are not to make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall tear down their altars.’

Yet you have not obeyed My voice. What is this you have done? ³So now I tell you that I will not drive out these people before you; they will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.”

⁴When the angel of the LORD had spoken these words to all the Israelites, the people lifted up their voices and wept. ⁵So they called that place Bochim and offered sacrifices there to the LORD.

Joshua’s Death and Burial

⁶After Joshua had dismissed the people, the Israelites went out to take possession of the land, each to his own inheritance. ⁷And the people served the LORD throughout the days of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him, who had seen all the great works that the LORD had done for Israel.

⁸And Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of 110. ⁹They buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath-heres in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.

Israel’s Unfaithfulness

¹⁰After that whole generation had also been gathered to their fathers, another generation rose up who did not know the LORD or the works that He had done for Israel. ¹¹And the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals.

¹²Thus they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they followed after various gods of the peoples around them. They bowed down to them and provoked the LORD to anger, ¹³for they forsook Him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.

¹⁴Then the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He delivered them into the hands of those who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. ¹⁵Wherever Israel marched out, the hand of the LORD was against them to bring calamity, just as He had sworn to them. So they were greatly distressed.

Judges Raised Up

¹⁶Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them from the hands of those who plundered them.

¹⁷Israel, however, did not listen to their judges. Instead, they prostituted themselves with other gods and bowed down to them. They quickly turned from the way of their fathers, who had walked in obedience to the LORD’s commandments; they did not do as their fathers had done.

¹⁸Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for the Israelites, He was with that judge and saved them from the hands of their enemies while the judge was still alive; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning under those who oppressed them and afflicted them. ¹⁹But when the judge died, the Israelites became even more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods to serve them and bow down to them. They would not give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.

²⁰So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He said, “Because this nation has transgressed the covenant I laid down for their fathers and has not heeded My voice, ²¹I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died. ²²In this way I will test whether Israel will keep the way of the LORD by walking in it as their fathers did.”

²³That is why the LORD had left those nations in place and had not driven them out immediately by delivering them into the hand of Joshua.

It Is Good to Sing Praises

¹Hallelujah!

How good it is to sing praises to our God,

how pleasant and lovely to praise Him!

²The LORD builds up Jerusalem;

He gathers the exiles of Israel.

³He heals the brokenhearted

and binds up their wounds.

⁴He determines the number of the stars;

He calls them each by name.

⁵Great is our Lord, and mighty in power;

His understanding has no limit.

⁶The LORD sustains the humble,

but casts the wicked to the ground.

⁷Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;

make music on the harp to our God,

⁸who covers the sky with clouds,

who prepares rain for the earth,

who makes grass to grow on the hills.

⁹He provides food for the animals,

and for the young ravens when they call.

¹⁰He does not delight in the strength of the horse;

He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.

¹¹The LORD is pleased with those who fear Him,

who hope in His loving devotion.

¹²Exalt the LORD, O Jerusalem;

praise your God, O Zion!

¹³For He strengthens the bars of your gates

and blesses the children within you.

¹⁴He makes peace at your borders;

He fills you with the finest wheat.

¹⁵He sends forth His command to the earth;

His word runs swiftly.

¹⁶He spreads the snow like wool;

He scatters the frost like ashes;

¹⁷He casts forth His hail like pebbles.

Who can withstand His icy blast?

¹⁸He sends forth His word and melts them;

He unleashes His winds, and the waters flow.

¹⁹He declares His word to Jacob,

His statutes and judgments to Israel.

²⁰He has done this for no other nation;

they do not know His judgments.

Hallelujah!

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

¹Now all the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around to listen to Jesus. ²So the Pharisees and scribes began to grumble: “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

³Then Jesus told them this parable: ⁴“What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? ⁵And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, ⁶comes home, and calls together his friends and neighbors to tell them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep!’ ⁷I tell you that in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent.

The Parable of the Lost Coin

⁸Or what woman who has ten silver coins and loses one of them does not light a lamp, sweep her house, and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹And when she finds it, she calls together her friends and neighbors to say, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost coin.’ ¹⁰In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”

The Parable of the Prodigal Son

¹¹Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. ¹²The younger son said to him, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

¹³After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living.

¹⁴After he had spent all he had, a severe famine swept through that country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. ¹⁶He longed to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him a thing.

¹⁷Finally he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food, but here I am, starving to death! ¹⁸I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’

²⁰So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.

²¹The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

²²But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate. ²⁴For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.

²⁵Meanwhile the older son was in the field, and as he approached the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶So he called one of the servants and asked what was going on.

²⁷‘Your brother has returned,’ he said, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has him back safe and sound.’

²⁸The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him.

²⁹But he answered his father, ‘Look, all these years I have served you and never disobeyed a commandment of yours. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰But when this son of yours returns from squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

³¹‘Son, you are always with me,’ the father said, ‘and all that is mine is yours. ³²But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”