Joshua 14:1-15

Hello and Good day to you... it's another beautiful day today...Let's see what the Lord wants to show us today shall we?

today I am reading Joshua 14:1-15. I am using the NASB version of the bible but you may change it if you like by clicking here.

Joshua 14

Caleb's Request

1Now these are the territories which the sons of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the households of the tribes of the sons of Israel apportioned to them for an inheritance,
2by the lot of their inheritance, as the LORD commanded through Moses, for the nine tribes and the half-tribe.

3For Moses had given the inheritance of the two tribes and the half-tribe beyond the Jordan; but he did not give an inheritance to the Levites among them.
4For the sons of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim, and they did not give a portion to the Levites in the land, except cities to live in, with their pasture lands for their livestock and for their property.

5Thus the sons of Israel did just as the LORD had commanded Moses, and they divided the land.
6Then the sons of Judah drew near to Joshua in Gilgal, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, "You know the word which the LORD spoke to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh-barnea.

7"I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought word back to him as it was in my heart.
8"Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt with fear; but I followed the LORD my God fully.

9"So Moses swore on that day, saying, 'Surely the land on which your foot has trodden will be an inheritance to you and to your children forever, because you have followed the LORD my God fully.'

10"Now behold, the LORD has let me live, just as He spoke, these forty-five years, from the time that the LORD spoke this word to Moses, when Israel walked in the wilderness; and now behold, I am eighty-five years old today.

11"I am still as strong today as I was in the day Moses sent me; as my strength was then, so my strength is now, for war and for going out and coming in.
12"Now then, give me this hill country about which the LORD spoke on that day, for you heard on that day that Anakim were there, with great fortified cities; perhaps the LORD will be with me, and I will drive them out as the LORD has spoken."

13So Joshua blessed him and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance.

14Therefore, Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite until this day, because he followed the LORD God of Israel fully.

15Now the name of Hebron was formerly Kiriath-arba; for Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim. Then the land had rest from war.

~~~~do you think we are supposed to trust in the Lord God fully???~~~~ short and sweet but very to the point...we need to know that God is God and to trust him fully in what ever he allows to happen to us. He does have us in mind. Every thing has a purpose.

please join me in reading Joshua 15:1-63

Joshua 13:1-33

Hello and welcome... what a beautiful warm day here...I hope you are having a great day...

Today I am reading through Joshua 13:1-33. I am using the NIV version of the bible but you may change it if you like by clicking here

Joshua 13

Land Still to Be Taken

1 When Joshua was old and well advanced in years, the LORD said to him, "You are very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.
2 "This is the land that remains: all the regions of the Philistines and Geshurites: 3 from the Shihor River on the east of Egypt to the territory of Ekron on the north, all of it counted as Canaanite (the territory of the five Philistine rulers in Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron—that of the Avvites 4 from the south, all the land of the Canaanites, from Arah of the Sidonians as far as Aphek, the region of the Amorites, 5 the area of the Gebalites [a] ; and all Lebanon to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo [b] Hamath.

6 "As for all the inhabitants of the mountain regions from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, that is, all the Sidonians, I myself will drive them out before the Israelites. Be sure to allocate this land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have instructed you, 7 and divide it as an inheritance among the nine tribes and half of the tribe of Manasseh."

Division of the Land East of the Jordan

8 The other half of Manasseh, [c] the Reubenites and the Gadites had received the inheritance that Moses had given them east of the Jordan, as he, the servant of the LORD, had assigned it to them.
9 It extended from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the middle of the gorge, and included the whole plateau of Medeba as far as Dibon, 10 and all the towns of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon, out to the border of the Ammonites. 11 It also included Gilead, the territory of the people of Geshur and Maacah, all of Mount Hermon and all Bashan as far as Salecah- 12 that is, the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who had reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei and had survived as one of the last of the Rephaites. Moses had defeated them and taken over their land. 13 But the Israelites did not drive out the people of Geshur and Maacah, so they continue to live among the Israelites to this day.

14 But to the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance, since the offerings made by fire to the LORD, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, as he promised them.
15 This is what Moses had given to the tribe of Reuben, clan by clan:

16 The territory from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the middle of the gorge, and the whole plateau past Medeba 17 to Heshbon and all its towns on the plateau, including Dibon, Bamoth Baal, Beth Baal Meon, 18 Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, 19 Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar on the hill in the valley, 20 Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth 21 —all the towns on the plateau and the entire realm of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled at Heshbon. Moses had defeated him and the Midianite chiefs, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba—princes allied with Sihon—who lived in that country.

22 In addition to those slain in battle, the Israelites had put to the sword Balaam son of Beor, who practiced divination. 23 The boundary of the Reubenites was the bank of the Jordan. These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the Reubenites, clan by clan.
24 This is what Moses had given to the tribe of Gad, clan by clan:

25 The territory of Jazer, all the towns of Gilead and half the Ammonite country as far as Aroer, near Rabbah; 26 and from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the territory of Debir; 27 and in the valley, Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Succoth and Zaphon with the rest of the realm of Sihon king of Heshbon (the east side of the Jordan, the territory up to the end of the Sea of Kinnereth [d] ). 28 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the Gadites, clan by clan.

29 This is what Moses had given to the half-tribe of Manasseh, that is, to half the family of the descendants of Manasseh, clan by clan:

30 The territory extending from Mahanaim and including all of Bashan, the entire realm of Og king of Bashan—all the settlements of Jair in Bashan, sixty towns, 31 half of Gilead, and Ashtaroth and Edrei (the royal cities of Og in Bashan). This was for the descendants of Makir son of Manasseh—for half of the sons of Makir, clan by clan.

32 This is the inheritance Moses had given when he was in the plains of Moab across the Jordan east of Jericho. 33 But to the tribe of Levi, Moses had given no inheritance; the LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he promised them.

Please join me in reading Joshua 14:1-15 (yup...it's sure is short)

Joshua 12:1-24

Hello and Good day to you :o) Today I am reading through Joshua 12:1-24. Won't you join me :o)

I am using the NASB version of the bible but you may change it if you like by clicking here.


Joshua 12

Kings Defeated by Israel

1Now these are the kings of the land whom the sons of Israel defeated, and whose land they possessed beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise, from the valley of the Arnon as far as Mount Hermon, and all the Arabah to the east:

2Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, both the middle of the valley and half of Gilead, even as far as the brook Jabbok, the border of the sons of Ammon;

3and the Arabah as far as the Sea of Chinneroth toward the east, and as far as the sea of the Arabah, even the Salt Sea, eastward toward Beth-jeshimoth, and on the south, at the foot of the slopes of Pisgah;

4and the territory of Og king of Bashan, one of the remnant of Rephaim, who lived at Ashtaroth and at Edrei,
5and ruled over Mount Hermon and Salecah and all Bashan, as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and half of Gilead, as far as the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.
6Moses the servant of the LORD and the sons of Israel defeated them; and Moses the servant of the LORD gave it to the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh as a possession.

7Now these are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the sons of Israel defeated beyond the Jordan toward the west, from Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon even as far as Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir; and Joshua gave it to the tribes of Israel as a possession according to their divisions,

8in the hill country, in the lowland, in the Arabah, on the slopes, and in the wilderness, and in the Negev; the Hittite, the Amorite and the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite:
9the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;
10the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one;
11the king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one;
12the king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one;
13the king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;
14the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
15the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;
16the king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one;
17the king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one;
18the king of Aphek, one; the king of Lasharon, one;
19the king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one;
20the king of Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;
21the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one;
22the king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam in Carmel, one;
23the king of Dor in the heights of Dor, one; the king of Goiim in Gilgal, one;
24the king of Tirzah, one: in all, thirty-one kings.

~~Chapter 11. In the battle of Bethoron, where the Sun Stood Still, Joshua had broken the power of the kings of the South. Now, his victory over the kings of the North, at Merom, gave him control of the whole land. Three stupendous miracles, mainly, did the job: Jourdan divided; Jericho's Fall; and staying of the Sun. God did it.

~~chapter 12 (list of destroyed kings)...31 are named. Generally speaking, the whole land was conquered., 10:40; 11:23; 21:43. However, small groups of Canaanites remained. 13:2-7; 15:63;23:4; Judg 1:2, 21, 27, 29, 30, 31, 33, 35. After Joshua's death, these made trouble for Israel, Also Philistine, Sidonian, and Lebanon country was still unconquered.

Joshua 11:1-23

hello and Welcome...Today we are reading through Joshua 11:1-23.



I am using the NASB version of the bible today but you may change it if you like by clicking here.





Joshua 11


Northern Palestine Taken


1Then it came about, when Jabin king of (A)Hazor heard of it, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon and to the king of Shimron and to the king of Achshaph,
2and to the kings who were of the north in the hill country, and in the (B)Arabah--south of [a]Chinneroth and in the lowland and on the heights of Dor on the west--
3to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and the Amorite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Jebusite in the hill country, and (C)the Hivite at the foot of (D)Hermon in the land of (E)Mizpeh.


4They came out, they and all their armies with them, (F)as many people as the sand that is on the seashore, with very many horses and chariots.
5So all of these kings having agreed to meet, came and encamped together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.


6Then the LORD said to Joshua, "(G)Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow at this time I will deliver all of them slain before Israel; you shall (H)hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire."


7So Joshua and all the people of war with him came upon them suddenly by the waters of Merom, and attacked them.
8The LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, so that they defeated them, and pursued them as far as Great Sidon and (I)Misrephoth-maim and the valley of (J)Mizpeh to the east; and they struck them until no survivor was left to them.
9Joshua did to them as the LORD had told him; he (K)hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire.


10Then Joshua turned back at that time, and captured (L)Hazor and struck its king with the sword; for Hazor formerly was the head of all these kingdoms.
11(M)They struck every person who was in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them; there was no one left who breathed. And he burned Hazor with fire.
12Joshua captured all the cities of these kings, and all their kings, and he struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed them; just (N)as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded.


13However, Israel did not burn any cities that stood on their mounds, except Hazor alone, which Joshua burned.
14(O)All the spoil of these cities and the cattle, the sons of Israel took as their plunder; but they struck every man with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them. They left no one who breathed.


15Just as the LORD had commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD had commanded Moses.
16Thus Joshua took all that land: (P)the hill country and all the Negev, all that land of Goshen, the lowland, (Q)the Arabah, the hill country of Israel and its lowland
17from (R)Mount Halak, that rises toward Seir, even as far as Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon at the foot of Mount Hermon And he captured (S)all their kings and struck them down and put them to death.


18Joshua waged war a long time with all these kings.
19There was not a city which made peace with the sons of Israel except (T)the Hivites living in Gibeon; they took them all in battle.
20(U)For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, to meet Israel in battle in order that he might (V)utterly destroy them, that they might receive no mercy, but that he might destroy them, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.


21Then Joshua came at that time and cut off (W)the Anakim from the hill country, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab and from all the hill country of Judah and from all the hill country of Israel. Joshua utterly destroyed them with their cities.
22There were no Anakim left in the land of the sons of Israel; only in Gaza, in (X)Gath, and in (Y)Ashdod some remained.


23So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD had spoken to Moses, and (Z)Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes (AA)Thus the land had rest from war.



Please join me in reading Joshua 12:1-24

Joshua 10:1-43

Welcome. I am so glad you are here ;o) Today we are reading through Joshua 10:1-43...So grab your coffee or tea and let's get to reading about what the Lord wants to show us today.

I am using the NIV version today but you may change it if you like by clicking here.

Joshua 10

The Sun Stands Still

1 Now Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai and totally destroyed [a] 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 were living near them. 2 He 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. 3 So 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 "Come up and help me attack Gibeon," he said, "because it has made peace with Joshua and the Israelites."

5 Then the five kings of the Amorites—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon—joined forces. They moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it.
6 The Gibeonites then sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: "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."

7 So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men. 8 The LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you."

9 After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise. 10 The LORD threw them into confusion before Israel, who defeated them in a great victory at Gibeon. Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. 11 As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the LORD hurled large hailstones down on them from the sky, and more of them died from the hailstones than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.

12 On the day the LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the LORD in the presence of Israel:
"O sun, stand still over Gibeon,
O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon."
13 So the sun stood still,
and the moon stopped,
till the nation avenged itself on [b] its enemies,
as it is written in the Book of Jashar.
The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. 14 There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the LORD listened to a man. Surely the LORD was fighting for Israel!

15 Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

Five Amorite Kings Killed

16 Now the five kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah. 17 When Joshua was told that the five kings had been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah, 18 he said, "Roll large rocks up to the mouth of the cave, and post some men there to guard it. 19 But don't stop! Pursue your enemies, attack them from the rear and don't let them reach their cities, for the LORD your God has given them into your hand."

20 So Joshua and the Israelites destroyed them completely—almost to a man—but the few who were left reached their fortified cities. 21 The whole army then returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah, and no one uttered a word against the Israelites.

22 Joshua said, "Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me." 23 So they brought the five kings out of the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon. 24 When 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, "Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings." So they came forward and placed their feet on their necks.

25 Joshua said to them, "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." 26 Then Joshua struck and killed the kings and hung them on five trees, and they were left hanging on the trees until evening.

27 At sunset Joshua gave the order and they took them down from the trees 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.

28 That 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.

Southern Cities Conquered

29 Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Makkedah to Libnah and attacked it. 30 The LORD also gave that city and its king into Israel'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.

31 Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Libnah to Lachish; he took up positions against it and attacked it. 32 The LORD handed Lachish over to Israel, 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. 33 Meanwhile, Horam king of Gezer had come up to help Lachish, but Joshua defeated him and his army—until no survivors were left.

34 Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Lachish to Eglon; they took up positions against it and attacked it. 35 They captured it that same day and put it to the sword and totally destroyed everyone in it, just as they had done to Lachish.
36 Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron and attacked it. 37 They 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.

38 Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned around and attacked Debir. 39 They 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.

40 So 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. 41 Joshua subdued them from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and from the whole region of Goshen to Gibeon. 42 All these kings and their lands Joshua conquered in one campaign, because the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.

43 Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

~~Please join me in reading Joshua 11:1-23

Joshua 8 and 9

Hello and Welcome back. I did not get on the computer yesterday so I am including both verses 8 and 9 in today's reading.

I am using the NASB version of the bible but you may change it by clicking here.

Joshua 8

The Conquest of Ai

1Now the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not fear or be dismayed Take all the people of war with you and arise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.

2"You shall do to Ai and its king just as you did to Jericho and its king; you shall take only its spoil and its cattle as plunder for yourselves. Set an ambush for the city behind it."
3So Joshua rose with all the people of war to go up to Ai; and Joshua chose 30,000 men, valiant warriors, and sent them out at night.

4He commanded them, saying, "See, you are going to ambush the city from behind it. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready.
5"Then I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. And when they come out to meet us as at the first, we will flee before them.

6"They will come out after us until we have drawn them away from the city, for they will say, 'They are fleeing before us as at the first.' So we will flee before them.
7"And you shall rise from your ambush and take possession of the city, for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.

8"Then it will be when you have seized the city, that you shall set the city on fire. You shall do it according to the word of the LORD. See, I have commanded you."
9So Joshua sent them away, and they went to the place of ambush and remained between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai; but Joshua spent that night among the people.
10Now Joshua rose early in the morning and mustered the people, and he went up with the elders of Israel before the people to Ai.

11Then all the people of war who were with him went up and drew near and arrived in front of the city, and camped on the north side of Ai. Now there was a valley between him and Ai.
12And he took about 5,000 men and set them in ambush between (H)Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.

13So they stationed the people, all the army that was on the north side of the city, and its rear guard on the west side of the city, and Joshua spent that night in the midst of the valley.
14It came about when the king of Ai saw it, that the men of the city hurried and rose up early and went out to meet Israel in battle, he and all his people at the appointed place before the desert plain. But he did not know that there was an ambush against him behind the city.
15Joshua and all Israel pretended to be beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.

16And all the people who were in the city were called together to pursue them, and they pursued Joshua and were drawn away from the city.
17So not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who had not gone out after Israel, and they left the city unguarded and pursued Israel.
18Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand." So Joshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand toward the city.

19The men in ambush rose quickly from their place, and when he had stretched out his hand, they ran and entered the city and captured it, and they quickly set the city on fire.
20When the men of Ai turned back and looked, behold, the smoke of the city ascended to the sky, and they had no place to flee this way or that, for the people who had been fleeing to the wilderness turned against the pursuers.

21When Joshua and all Israel saw that the men in ambush had captured the city and that the smoke of the city ascended, they turned back and slew the men of Ai.
22The others came out from the city to encounter them, so that they were trapped in the midst of Israel, some on this side and some on that side; and they slew them until no one was left of those who survived or escaped.

23But they took alive the king of Ai and brought him to Joshua.
24Now when Israel had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the field in the wilderness where they pursued them, and all of them were fallen by the edge of the sword until they were destroyed, then all Israel returned to Ai and struck it with the edge of the sword.
25All who fell that day, both men and women, were 12,000--all the people of Ai.
26For Joshua did not withdraw his hand with which he stretched out the javelin until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.

27Israel took only the cattle and the spoil of that city as plunder for themselves, according to the word of the LORD which He had commanded Joshua.
28So Joshua burned Ai and made it a heap forever, a desolation until this day.
29He hanged the king of Ai on a tree until evening; and at sunset Joshua gave command and they took his body down from the tree and threw it at the entrance of the city gate, and raised over it a great heap of stones that stands to this day.

30Then Joshua built an altar to the LORD, the God of Israel, in Mount Ebal,
31just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the sons of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of uncut stones on which no man had wielded an iron tool; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings.
32He wrote there on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written, in the presence of the sons of Israel.
33All Israel with their elders and officers and their judges were standing on both sides of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, the stranger as well as the native Half of them stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the LORD had given command at first to bless the people of Israel.

34Then afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the book of the law.
35There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel with the women and the little ones and the strangers who were living among them.

*********The mound of Bethel(beitan) was excavated by the Kyle Memorial Expedition under the joint auspices of the American Sheool at Jerusalem and Xania Theological Seminary of Pittsburgh, 1934, under the leadership of W. F. Albright. They found that it had been destroyed, at ta time coinciding with Joshua's invasion, by a "tremendous conflagration" which "raged with peculiar violence." There was a solid mass, 5ft thick, of "fallen brick, burned red, black ash-filled earth, charred and splintered debris." Albright said he had seen noshere in Palestine indication of a more destructive conflagration.*******************************(Halley's handbook)

Joshua 9

Guile of the Gibeonites

1Now it came about when all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country and in the lowland and on all the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, heard of it,
2that they gathered themselves together with one accord to fight with Joshua and with Israel.

3When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,
4they also acted craftily and set out as envoys, and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins worn-out and torn and mended,
5and 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.

6They went to Joshua to 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."
7The men of Israel said to the Hivites, "Perhaps you are living within our land; how then shall we make a covenant with you?"
8But they said to Joshua, "We are your servants." Then Joshua said to them, "Who are you and where do you come from?"

9They said to him, "Your servants have come from a very far country because of the fame of the LORD your God; for we have heard the report of Him and all that He did in Egypt,
10and 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, "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."
14So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and did not ask for the counsel of the LORD.

15Joshua 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.
16It 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 within their land.
17Then the sons of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim.

18The 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.
19But 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."
21The leaders said to them, "Let them live." So they became hewers of wood and drawers of water for the whole congregation, just as the leaders had spoken to them.
22Then Joshua called for them and spoke to them, saying, "Why have you deceived us, saying, 'We are very far from you,' when you are living within our land?
23"Now therefore, you are cursed, and you shall never cease being slaves, both hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God."

24So they answered Joshua and said, "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, we are in your hands; do as it seems good and right in your sight to do to us."
26Thus he did to them, and delivered them from the hands of the sons of Israel, and they did not kill them.

27But 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, in the place which He would choose.

Please join me in reading Joshua 10:1-43

Joshua 7:1-26

Hello and welcome...today we are reading through Joshua 7:1-26

I am using the NASB version of the bible but you may change it by clicking here.

Joshua 7

Israel Is Defeated at Ai

1(A)But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully in regard to the things under the ban, for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, took some of the things under the ban, therefore the anger of the LORD burned against the sons of Israel.

2Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, "Go up and spy out the land." So the men went up and spied out Ai.
3They returned to Joshua and said to him, "Do not let all the people go up; only about two or three thousand men need go up to Ai; do not make all the people toil up there, for they are few."
4So about three thousand men from the people went up there, but they fled from the men of Ai.

5The men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of their men, and pursued them from the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them down on the descent, so the hearts of the people melted and became as water.
6Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the LORD until the evening, both he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads.
7Joshua said, "Alas, O Lord GOD, why did You ever bring this people over the Jordan, only to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? If only we had been willing to dwell beyond the Jordan!

8"O Lord, what can I say since Israel has turned their back before their enemies?
9"For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and they will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will You do for Your great name?"
10So the LORD said to Joshua, "Rise up! Why is it that you have fallen on your face?
11"Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. And they have even taken some of the things under the ban and have both stolen and deceived. Moreover, they have also put them among their own things.

12"Therefore the sons of Israel cannot stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, for they have become accursed. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy the things under the ban from your midst.

13"Rise up! Consecrate the people and say, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for thus the LORD, the God of Israel, has said, "There are things under the ban in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you have removed the things under the ban from your midst."

14'In the morning then you shall come near by your tribes. And it shall be that the tribe which the LORD takes by lot shall come near by families, and the family which the LORD takes shall come near by households, and the household which the LORD takes shall come near man by man.
15'It shall be that the one who is taken with the things under the ban shall be burned with fire, he and all that belongs to him, because he has transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he has committed a disgraceful thing in Israel.'"

The Sin of Achan

16So Joshua arose early in the morning and brought Israel near by tribes, and the tribe of Judah was taken.
17He brought the family of Judah near, and he took the family of the Zerahites; and he brought the family of the Zerahites near man by man, and Zabdi was taken.
18He brought his household near man by man; and Achan, son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, was taken.

19Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, I implore you, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and give praise to Him; and tell me now what you have done. Do not hide it from me."
20So Achan answered Joshua and said, "Truly, I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel, and this is what I did:

21when I saw among the spoil a beautiful mantle from Shinar and two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold fifty shekels in weight, then I coveted them and took them; and behold, they are concealed in the earth inside my tent with the silver underneath it."
22So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was concealed in his tent with the silver underneath it.

23They took them from inside the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the sons of Israel, and they poured them out before the LORD.
24Then Joshua and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the mantle, the bar of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent and all that belonged to him; and they brought them up to the valley of Achor.

25Joshua said, "Why have you troubled us? The LORD will trouble you this day." And all Israel stoned them with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones.

26They raised over him a great heap of stones that stands to this day, and the LORD turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the valley of Achor to this day.

At Ai, Israel, at first, met with a dreadful reverse, due to Achan's trespass. Coming right after the miraculous crossing of the Jordan, and the miraculous fall of Jericho, it was a terrible shock to Israel. It was a disciplinary lesson. God was with them, but he meant them to understand that He expected Obedience.(Halley's handbook)

Please join me in reading Joshua 8:1-35 (Have a Happy Mother's Day :o)