Day 111 of 365

Josh 7:1–26

1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the devoted things; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. Therefore the Lord's anger burned against the children of Israel.

2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, "Go up and spy out the land." The men went up and spied out Ai.

3 They returned to Joshua, and said to him, "Do not let all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and strike Ai. Do not make all the people to toil there, for there are only a few of them."

4 So about three thousand men of the people went up there, and they fled before the men of Ai.

5 The men of Ai struck about thirty-six men of them, and they chased them from before the gate even to Shebarim, and struck them at the descent. The hearts of the people melted, and became like water.

6 Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads.

7 Joshua said, "Alas, Lord God, why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to cause us to perish? I wish that we had been content and lived beyond the Jordan!

8 Oh, Lord, what shall I say, after that Israel has turned their backs before their enemies!

9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and will surround us, and cut off our name from the earth. What will you do for your great name?"

10 The Lord said to Joshua, "Get up! Why are you fallen on your face like that?

11 Israel has sinned. Yes, they have even transgressed my covenant which I commanded them. Yes, they have even taken of the devoted things, and have also stolen, and also deceived. They have even put it among their own stuff.

12 Therefore the children of Israel can't stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will not be with you any more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you.

13 Get up! Sanctify the people, and say, 'Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, for the Lord, the God of Israel, says, "There is a devoted thing in the midst of you, Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted thing from among you."

14 In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. It shall be that the tribe which the Lord selects shall come near by families. The family which the Lord selects shall come near by households. The household which the Lord selects shall come near man by man.

15 It shall be, that he who is taken with the devoted thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he has done a disgraceful thing in Israel.'"

16 So Joshua rose up early in the morning and brought Israel near by their tribes. The tribe of Judah was selected.

17 He brought near the family of Judah; and he selected the family of the Zerahites. He brought near the family of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was selected.

18 He brought near his household man by man, and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected.

19 Joshua said to Achan, "My son, please give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and make confession to him. Tell me now what you have done! Do not hide it from me!"

20 Achan answered Joshua, and said, "I have truly sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel, and this is what I have done.

21 When I saw among the spoil a beautiful Babylonian robe, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, then I coveted them and took them. Behold, they are hidden in the ground in the middle of my tent, with the silver under it."

22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent. Behold, it was hidden in his tent, with the silver under it.

23 They took them from the middle of the tent, and brought them to Joshua and to all the children of Israel. They laid them down before the Lord.

24 Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his cattle, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had; and they brought them up to the valley of Achor.

25 Joshua said, "Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day." All Israel stoned him with stones, and they burned them with fire and stoned them with stones.

26 They raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. The Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger. Therefore the name of that place was called "The valley of Achor" to this day.

Luke 16:1–19

1 He also said to his disciples, "There was a certain rich man who had a manager. An accusation was made to him that this man was wasting his possessions.

2 He called him, and said to him, 'What is this that I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management, for you can no longer be manager.'

3 "The manager said within himself, 'What will I do, seeing that my lord is taking away the management position from me? I do not have strength to dig. I am ashamed to beg.

4 I know what I will do, so that when I am removed from management, they may receive me into their houses.'

5 Calling each one of his lord's debtors to him, he said to the first, 'How much do you owe to my lord?'

6 He said, 'A hundred batos of oil.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'

7 Then said he to another, 'How much do you owe?' He said, 'A hundred cors of wheat.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.'

8 "His lord commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness, for the sons of this world are, in their own generation, more shrewd than the sons of light.

9 I tell you, make for yourselves friends by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when it fails, they may receive you into the eternal tents.

10 He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much. He who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.

11 If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

12 If you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?

13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You are not able to serve God and wealth."

14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they scoffed at him.

15 He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts. For that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

16 The Law and the Prophets were until John. From that time the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.

17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one tiny stroke of a pen in the Law to become void.

18 Everyone who divorces his wife, and marries another, commits adultery. He who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery.

19 "Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day.

Prov 25:9–17

9 Debate your case with your neighbor, and do not betray the confidence of another;

10 lest one who hears it put you to shame, and your bad reputation never depart.

11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

12 As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover to an obedient ear.

13 As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him; for he refreshes the soul of his masters.

14 As clouds and wind without rain, so is he who boasts of gifts deceptively.

15 By patience a ruler is persuaded. A soft tongue breaks the bone.

16 Have you found honey? Eat as much as is sufficient for you, lest you eat too much, and vomit it.

17 Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor's house, lest he be weary of you, and hate you.