1 Samuel 28

Saul and the Spirit Medium

1 Now it came about in those days that the Philistines gathered their armed camps for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, “Know assuredly that you will go out with me in the camp, you and your men.”

2 David said to Achish, “Very well, you shall know what your servant can do.” So Achish said to David, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.”

3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed from the land those who were mediums and spiritists.

4 So the Philistines gathered together and came and camped in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together and they camped in Gilboa.

5 When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly.

6 When Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lorddid not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by prophets.

7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a woman who is a medium at En-dor.”

8 Then Saul disguised himself by putting on other clothes, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said, “Conjure up for me, please, and bring up for me whom I shall name to you.”

9 But the woman said to him, “Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who are mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you then laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?”

10 Saul vowed to her by the Lord, saying, “As the Lordlives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.”

11 Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.”

12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, “Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul.”

13 The king said to her, “Do not be afraid; but what do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a divine being coming up out of the earth.”

14 He said to her, “What is his form?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped with a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and did homage.

15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” And Saul answered, “I am greatly distressed; for the Philistines are waging war against me, and God has departed from me and no longer answers me, either through prophets or by dreams; therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I should do.”

16 Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the Lordhas departed from you and has become your adversary?

17 The Lordhas done accordingly as He spoke through me; for the Lordhas torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David.

18 As you did not obey the Lordand did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, so the Lordhas done this thing to you this day.

19 Moreover the Lordwill also give over Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines, therefore tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. Indeed the Lordwill give over the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines!”

20 Then Saul immediately fell full length upon the ground and was very afraid because of the words of Samuel; also there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food all day and all night.

21 The woman came to Saul and saw that he was terrified, and said to him, “Behold, your maidservant has obeyed you, and I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to your words which you spoke to me.

22 So now also, please listen to the voice of your maidservant, and let me set a piece of bread before you thatyou mayeat and have strength when you go onyourway.”

23 But he refused and said, “I will not eat.” However, his servants together with the woman urged him, and he listened to them. So he arose from the ground and sat on the bed.

24 The woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly slaughtered it; and she took flour, kneaded it and baked unleavened bread from it.

25 She broughtitbefore Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they arose and went away that night.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/80/32k/1SA/28-a5554c28946f34dbfde4aa502309b97a.mp3?version_id=100—

1 Samuel 29

The Philistines Mistrust David

1 Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek, while the Israelites were camping by the spring which is in Jezreel.

2 And the lords of the Philistines were proceeding on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were proceeding on in the rear with Achish.

3 Then the commanders of the Philistines said, “Whatarethese Hebrewsdoing here?” And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, orratherthese years, and I have found no fault in him from the day he desertedto meto this day?”

4 But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him, and the commanders of the Philistines said to him, “Make the man go back, that he may return to his place where you have assigned him, and do not let him go down to battle with us, or in the battle he may become an adversary to us. For with what could thismanmake himself acceptable to his lord?Would itnotbewith the heads of these men?

5 Is this not David, of whom they sing in the dances, saying,

‘Saul has slain his thousands,

And David his ten thousands’?”

6 Then Achish called David and said to him, “Asthe Lordlives, youhave beenupright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army are pleasing in my sight; for I have not found evil in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, you are not pleasing in the sight of the lords.

7 Now therefore return and go in peace, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.”

8 David said to Achish, “But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant from the day when I came before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”

9 But Achish replied to David, “I know that you are pleasing in my sight, like an angel of God; nevertheless the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go up with us to the battle.’

10 Now then arise early in the morning with the servants of your lord who have come with you, and as soon as you have arisen early in the morning and have light, depart.”

11 So David arose early, he and his men, to depart in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/80/32k/1SA/29-24b6cd2f74a8725007712f49cbf80f31.mp3?version_id=100—

1 Samuel 30

David’s Victory over the Amalekites

1 Then it happened when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negev and on Ziklag, and had overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire;

2 and they took captive the womenand allwho were in it, both small and great, without killing anyone, and carriedthemoff and went their way.

3 When David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters had been taken captive.

4 Then David and the people who were with him lifted their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep.

5 Now David’s two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.

6 Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lordhis God.

7 Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Please bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David.

8 David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this band? Shall I overtake them?” And He said to him, “Pursue, for you will surely overtake them, and you will surely rescueall.”

9 So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor,wherethose left behind remained.

10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men, for two hundred who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor remainedbehind.

11 Now they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David, and gave him bread and he ate, and they provided him water to drink.

12 They gave him a piece of fig cake and two clusters of raisins, and he ate; then his spirit revived. For he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights.

13 David said to him, “To whom do you belong? And where are you from?” And he said, “I am a young man of Egypt, a servant of an Amalekite; and my master left me behind when I fell sick three days ago.

14 We made a raid on the Negev of the Cherethites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on the Negev of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire.”

15 Then David said to him, “Will you bring me down to this band?” And he said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this band.”

16 When he had brought him down, behold, they were spread over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing because of all the great spoil that they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.

17 David slaughtered them from the twilight until the evening of the next day; and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled.

18 So David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and rescued his two wives.

19 But nothing of theirs was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that they had taken for themselves; David broughtitall back.

20 So David had captured all the sheep and the cattlewhich the peopledrove ahead of theotherlivestock, and they said, “This is David’s spoil.”

The Spoils Are Divided

21 When David came to the two hundred men who were too exhausted to follow David, who had also been left at the brook Besor, and they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him, then David approached the people and greeted them.

22 Then all the wicked and worthless men among those who went with David said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, that they may leadthemaway and depart.”

23 Then David said, “You must not do so, my brothers, with what the Lordhas given us, who has kept us and delivered into our hand the band that came against us.

24 And who will listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike.”

25 So it has been from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.

26 Now when David came to Ziklag, he sentsomeof the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, “Behold, a gift for you from the spoil of the enemies of the Lord:

27 to those who were in Bethel, and to those who were in Ramoth of the Negev, and to those who were in Jattir,

28 and to those who were in Aroer, and to those who were in Siphmoth, and to those who were in Eshtemoa,

29 and to those who were in Racal, and to those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those who were in the cities of the Kenites,

30 and to those who were in Hormah, and to those who were in Bor-ashan, and to those who were in Athach,

31 and to those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were accustomed to go.”

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/80/32k/1SA/30-a11a2152ae05066b2bd311772e83e311.mp3?version_id=100—

1 Samuel 31

Saul and His Sons Slain

1 Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa.

2 The Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua the sons of Saul.

3 The battle went heavily against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was badly wounded by the archers.

4 Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and pierce me through with it, otherwise these uncircumcised will come and pierce me through and make sport of me.” But his armor bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell on it.

5 When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him.

6 Thus Saul died with his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men on that day together.

7 When the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, with those who were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled; then the Philistines came and lived in them.

8 It came about on the next day when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.

9 They cut off his head and stripped off his weapons, and sentthemthroughout the land of the Philistines, to carry the good news to the house of their idols and to the people.

10 They put his weapons in the temple of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.

11 Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,

12 all the valiant men rose and walked all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh and burned them there.

13 They took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/80/32k/1SA/31-1c1d9e216ace8fa28f3f05b80aca9e8f.mp3?version_id=100—

Ruth 1

Naomi Widowed

1 Now it came about in the days when the judges governed, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the land of Moab with his wife and his two sons.

2 The name of the manwasElimelech, and the name of his wife, Naomi; and the names of his two sonswereMahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem in Judah. Now they entered the land of Moab and remained there.

3 Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons.

4 They took for themselves Moabite womenaswives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. And they lived there about ten years.

5 Then both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and the woman was bereft of her two children and her husband.

6 Then she arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the land of Moab, for she had heard in the land of Moab that the Lordhad visited His people in giving them food.

7 So she departed from the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return to the land of Judah.

8 And Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the Lorddeal kindly with you as you have dealt with the dead and with me.

9 May the Lordgrant that you may find rest, each in the house of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept.

10 And they said to her, “No,but we will surely return with you to your people.”

11 But Naomi said, “Return, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?

12 Return, my daughters! Go, for I am too old to have a husband. If I said I have hope, if I should even have a husband tonight and also bear sons,

13 would you therefore wait until they were grown? Would you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters; for it is harder for me than for you, for the hand of the Lordhas gone forth against me.”

Ruth’s Loyalty

14 And they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

15 Then she said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; return after your sister-in-law.”

16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave youorturn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your peopleshall bemy people, and your God, my God.

17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the Lorddo to me, and worse, ifanything butdeath parts you and me.”

18 When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.

19 So they both went until they came to Bethlehem. And when they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was stirred because of them, and the women said, “Is this Naomi?”

20 She said to them, “Do not call meNaomi; call meMara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.

21 I went out full, but the Lordhas brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lordhas witnessed against me and the Almighty has afflicted me?”

22 So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the land of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/80/32k/RUT/1-39c26ab7fbe5df5de94dc772903287d8.mp3?version_id=100—

Ruth 2

Ruth Gleans in Boaz’ Field

1 Now Naomi had a kinsman of her husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz.

2 And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after one in whose sight I may find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.”

3 So she departed and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

4 Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, “May the Lordbe with you.” And they said to him, “May the Lordbless you.”

5 Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?”

6 The servant in charge of the reapers replied, “She is the young Moabite woman who returned with Naomi from the land of Moab.

7 And she said, ‘Please let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves.’ Thus she came and has remained from the morning until now; she has been sitting in the house for a little while.”

8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen carefully, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field; furthermore, do not go on from this one, but stay here with my maids.

9 Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Indeed, I have commanded the servants not to touch you. When you are thirsty, go to the water jars and drink from what the servants draw.”

10 Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your sight that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?”

11 Boaz replied to her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband has been fully reported to me, and how you left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people that you did not previously know.

12 May the Lordreward your work, and your wages be full from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge.”

13 Then she said, “I have found favor in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted me and indeed have spoken kindly to your maidservant, though I am not like one of your maidservants.”

14 At mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here, that you may eat of the bread and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar.” So she sat beside the reapers; and he served her roasted grain, and she ate and was satisfied and had some left.

15 When she rose to glean, Boaz commanded his servants, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not insult her.

16 Also you shall purposely pull out for hersome grainfrom the bundles and leaveitthat she may glean, and do not rebuke her.”

17 So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley.

18 She tookitup and went into the city, and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also tookitout and gave Naomi what she had left after she was satisfied.

19 Her mother-in-law then said to her, “Where did you glean today and where did you work? May he who took notice of you be blessed.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, “The name of the man with whom I worked today is Boaz.”

20 Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed of the Lordwho has not withdrawn his kindness to the living and to the dead.” Again Naomi said to her, “The man is our relative, he is one of our closest relatives.”

21 Then Ruth the Moabitess said, “Furthermore, he said to me, ‘You should stay close to my servants until they have finished all my harvest.'”

22 Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his maids, so thatothersdo not fall upon you in another field.”

23 So she stayed close by the maids of Boaz in order to glean until the end of the barley harvest and the wheat harvest. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/80/32k/RUT/2-8e44eba23cc3b5056e6707f6e973f6f0.mp3?version_id=100—

Ruth 3

Boaz Will Redeem Ruth

1 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you?

2 Now is not Boaz our kinsman, with whose maids you were? Behold, he winnows barley at the threshing floor tonight.

3 Wash yourself therefore, and anoint yourself and put on yourbestclothes, and go down to the threshing floor;butdo not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.

4 It shall be when he lies down, that you shall notice the place where he lies, and you shall go and uncover his feet and lie down; then he will tell you what you shall do.”

5 She said to her, “All that you say I will do.”

6 So she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law had commanded her.

7 When Boaz had eaten and drunk and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came secretly, and uncovered his feet and lay down.

8 It happened in the middle of the night that the man was startled and bent forward; and behold, a woman was lying at his feet.

9 He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth your maid. So spread your covering over your maid, for you are aclose relative.”

10 Then he said, “May you be blessed of the Lord, my daughter. You have shown your last kindness to be better than the first by not going after young men, whether poor or rich.

11 Now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you whatever you ask, for all my people in the city know that you are a woman of excellence.

12 Now it is true I am a close relative; however, there is a relative closer than I.

13 Remain this night, and when morning comes, if he will redeem you, good; let him redeem you. But if he does not wish to redeem you, then I will redeem you, as the Lordlives. Lie down until morning.”

14 So she lay at his feet until morning and rose before one could recognize another; and he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.”

15 Again he said, “Give me the cloak that is on you and hold it.” So she held it, and he measured sixmeasuresof barley and laiditon her. Then she went into the city.

16 When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did it go, my daughter?” And she told her all that the man had done for her.

17 She said, “These sixmeasuresof barley he gave to me, for he said, ‘Do not go to your mother-in-law empty-handed.'”

18 Then she said, “Wait, my daughter, until you know how the matter turns out; for the man will not rest until he has settled it today.”

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/80/32k/RUT/3-7e6628fa327849823eb298f869c12817.mp3?version_id=100—

Ruth 4

The Marriage of Ruth

1 Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz spoke was passing by, so he said, “Turn aside, friend, sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down.

2 He took ten men of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down.

3 Then he said to the closest relative, “Naomi, who has come back from the land of Moab, has to sell the piece of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech.

4 So I thought to inform you, saying, ‘Buyitbefore those who are sittinghere,and before the elders of my people. If you will redeemit,redeemit;but if not, tell me that I may know; for there is no one but you to redeemit,and I am after you.'” And he said, “I will redeemit.”

5 Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also acquire Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of the deceased, in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance.”

6 The closest relative said, “I cannot redeemitfor myself, because I would jeopardize my own inheritance. Redeemitfor yourself; youmay havemy right of redemption, for I cannot redeemit.”

7 Now this wasthe customin former times in Israel concerning the redemption and the exchangeof landto confirm any matter: a man removed his sandal and gave it to another; and this was themanner ofattestation in Israel.

8 So the closest relative said to Boaz, “Buyitfor yourself.” And he removed his sandal.

9 Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, “You are witnesses today that I have bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon.

10 Moreover, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, the widow of Mahlon, to be my wife in order to raise up the name of the deceased on his inheritance, so that the name of the deceased will not be cut off from his brothers or from the court of hisbirthplace; you are witnesses today.”

11 All the people who were in the court, and the elders, said, “We arewitnesses. May the Lordmake the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built the house of Israel; and may you achieve wealth in Ephrathah and become famous in Bethlehem.

12 Moreover, may your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah, through the offspring which the Lordwill give you by this young woman.”

13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he went in to her. And the Lordenabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son.

14 Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed is the Lordwho has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name become famous in Israel.

15 May he also be to you a restorer of life and a sustainer of your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.”

The Line of David Began Here

16 Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her lap, and became his nurse.

17 The neighbor women gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi!” So they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

18 Now these are the generations of Perez: to Perez was born Hezron,

19 and to Hezron was born Ram, and to Ram, Amminadab,

20 and to Amminadab was born Nahshon, and to Nahshon, Salmon,

21 and to Salmon was born Boaz, and to Boaz, Obed,

22 and to Obed was born Jesse, and to Jesse, David.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/80/32k/RUT/4-98f76f5e4579a57838ff5727c1906fad.mp3?version_id=100—

Judges 1

Jerusalem Is Captured

1 Now it came about after the death of Joshua that the sons of Israel inquired of the Lord, saying, “Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?”

2 The Lordsaid, “Judah shall go up; behold, I have given the land into his hand.”

3 Then Judah said to Simeon his brother, “Come up with me into the territory allotted me, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I in turn will go with you into the territory allotted you.” So Simeon went with him.

4 Judah went up, and the Lordgave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hands, and they defeated ten thousand men at Bezek.

5 They found Adoni-bezek in Bezek and fought against him, and they defeated the Canaanites and the Perizzites.

6 But Adoni-bezek fled; and they pursued him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and big toes.

7 Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and their big toes cut off used to gather upscrapsunder my table; as I have done, so God has repaid me.” So they brought him to Jerusalem and he died there.

8 Then the sons of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it and struck it with the edge of the sword and set the city on fire.

9 Afterward the sons of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites living in the hill country and in theNegev and in the lowland.

10 So Judah went against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron (now the name of Hebron formerlywasKiriath-arba); and they struck Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai.

Capture of Other Cities

11 Then from there he went against the inhabitants of Debir (now the name of Debir formerlywasKiriath-sepher).

12 And Caleb said, “The one who attacks Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will even give him my daughter Achsah for a wife.”

13 Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, captured it; so he gave him his daughter Achsah for a wife.

14 Then it came about when she cameto him,that she persuaded him to ask her father for a field. Then she alighted from her donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What do you want?”

15 She said to him, “Give me a blessing, since you have given me the land of theNegev, give me also springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

16 The descendants of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up from the city of palms with the sons of Judah, to the wilderness of Judah which is in the south of Arad; and they went and lived with the people.

17 Then Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they struck the Canaanites living in Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. So the name of the city was called Hormah.

18 And Judah took Gaza with its territory and Ashkelon with its territory and Ekron with its territory.

19 Now the Lordwas with Judah, and they took possession of the hill country; but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had iron chariots.

20 Then they gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had promised; and he drove out from there the three sons of Anak.

21 But the sons of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem; so the Jebusites have lived with the sons of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.

22 Likewise the house of Joseph went up against Bethel, and the Lordwas with them.

23 The house of Joseph spied out Bethel (now the name of the city was formerly Luz).

24 The spies saw a man coming out of the city and they said to him, “Please show us the entrance to the city and we will treat you kindly.”

25 So he showed them the entrance to the city, and they struck the city with the edge of the sword, but they let the man and all his family go free.

26 The man went into the land of the Hittites and built a city and named it Luz which is its name to this day.

Places Not Conquered

27 But Manasseh did not take possession of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages; so the Canaanites persisted in living in that land.

28 It came about when Israel became strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but they did not drive them out completely.

29 Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who were living in Gezer; so the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them.

30 Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, or the inhabitants ofNahalol; so the Canaanites lived among them and became subject to forced labor.

31 Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants of Sidon, or of Ahlab, or of Achzib, or of Helbah, or of Aphik, or of Rehob.

32 So the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; for they did not drive them out.

33 Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, or the inhabitants of Beth-anath, but lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; and the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath became forced labor for them.

34 Then the Amorites forced the sons of Dan into the hill country, for they did not allow them to come down to the valley;

35 yet the Amorites persisted in living in Mount Heres, in Aijalon and in Shaalbim; but when the power of the house of Joseph grew strong, they became forced labor.

36 The border of the Amorites ran from the ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela and upward.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/80/32k/JDG/1-74cc967e94bea296b81c205af8be4aa5.mp3?version_id=100—

Judges 2

Israel Rebuked

1 Now the angel of the Lordcame up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land which I have sworn to your fathers; and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you,

2 and as for you, you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed Me; what is this you have done?

3 Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they willbecomeas thornsin your sides and their gods will be a snare to you.'”

4 When the angel of the Lordspoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people lifted up their voices and wept.

5 So they named that placeBochim; and there they sacrificed to the Lord.

Joshua Dies

6 When Joshua had dismissed the people, the sons of Israel went each to his inheritance to possess the land.

7 The people served the Lordall the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of the Lordwhich He had done for Israel.

8 Then Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of one hundred and ten.

9 And they buried him in the territory of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.

10 All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel.

Israel Serves Baals

11 Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lordandserved the Baals,

12 and they forsook the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods fromamongthe gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed themselves down to them; thus they provoked the Lordto anger.

13 So they forsook the Lordand served Baal and the Ashtaroth.

14 The anger of the Lordburned against Israel, and He gave them into the hands of plunderers who plundered them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies aroundthem,so that they could no longer stand before their enemies.

15 Wherever they went, the hand of the Lordwas against them for evil, as the Lordhad spoken and as the Lordhad sworn to them, so that they were severely distressed.

16 Then the Lordraised up judges who delivered them from the hands of those who plundered them.

17 Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they played the harlot after other gods and bowed themselves down to them. They turned aside quickly from the way in which their fathers had walked in obeying the commandments of the Lord; they did not do astheir fathers.

18 When the Lordraised up judges for them, the Lordwas with the judge and delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lordwas moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed and afflicted them.

19 But it came about when the judge died, that they would turn back and act more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them and bow down to them; they did not abandon their practices or their stubborn ways.

20 So the anger of the Lordburned against Israel, and He said, “Because this nation has transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers and has not listened to My voice,

21 I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died,

22 in order to test Israel by them, whether they will keep the way of the Lordto walk in it as their fathers did, or not.”

23 So the Lordallowed those nations to remain, not driving them out quickly; and He did not give them into the hand of Joshua.

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/80/32k/JDG/2-cebf12dd9c5dd5ea8deafa0563116e54.mp3?version_id=100—