Joshua 18-20
1 Now the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh and set up the tabernacle of testimony there; and they subdued the land. 2 But there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes which had not yet received their inheritance. 3 Then Joshua said to the children of Israel, “How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers has given you? 4 Pick out from among you three men for each tribe, and I will send them. They shall rise and go through the land, survey it according to their inheritance, and come back to me. 5 They shall divide it into seven parts. Judah shall remain in their territory on the south, and the house of Joseph shall remain in their territory on the north. 6 You shall therefore survey the land in seven parts, and bring the survey here to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the Lord our God. 7 But the Levites have no part among you, for the priesthood of the Lord is their inheritance; and Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave them.”
8 Then the men arose to go away, and Joshua charged those who went to survey the land, saying, “Go, walk through the land, survey it, and come back to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the Lord in Shiloh.” 9 So the men went, passed through the land, and wrote the survey in a book in seven parts by cities; and they came to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh. 10 Then Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord, and there Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions.
The Land of Benjamin
11 Now the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families, and the territory of their lot came out between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph. 12 Their border on the north side began at the Jordan, and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north, and went up through the mountains westward; it ended at the Desert of Beth Aven. 13 The border went over from there toward Luz, to the side of Luz (which is Bethel) southward; and the border descended to Ataroth Addar, near the hill that lies on the south side of Lower Beth Horon. 14 Then the border extended around the west side to the south, from the hill that lies before Beth Horon southward, and it ended at Kirjath Baal (which is Kirjath Jearim), a city of the children of Judah. This was the west side. 15 The south side began at the end of Kirjath Jearim, and the border extended on the west and went out to the spring of the waters of Jephtoah. 16 Then the border came down to the end of the mountain that lies before the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, which is in the Valley of the Rephaim on the north, descended to the Valley of Hinnom, to the side of the Jebusite city on the south, and descended to En Rogel. 17 It went around from the north, went out to En Shemesh, and extended toward Geliloth, which is before the Ascent of Adummim, and descended to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben. 18 Then it passed along toward the north side of Arabah, and went down to Arabah. 19 The border passed along to the north side of Beth Hoglah; then the border ended at the north bay at the Salt Sea, at the south end of the Jordan. This was the southern boundary. 20 The Jordan was its border on the east side. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, according to its boundaries all around, according to their families.
21 Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, according to their families, were Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz, 22 Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, 23 Avim, Parah, Ophrah, 24 Chephar Haammoni, Ophni, and Gaba: twelve cities with their villages; 25 Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, 26 Mizpah, Chephirah, Mozah, 27 Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, 28 Zelah, Eleph, Jebus (which is Jerusalem), Gibeath, and Kirjath, fourteen cities with their villages. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.
The Land of Simeon (with Judah)
1 The second lot came out for Simeon, for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families. Their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah. 2 They had in their inheritance Beersheba (Sheba), Moladah, 3 Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem, 4 Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, 5 Ziklag, Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susah, 6 Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen: thirteen cities and their villages; 7 Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan: four cities and their villages; 8 and all the villages around these cities as far as Baalath Beer, Ramah of the South. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families. 9 The inheritance of the children of Simeon was included in the share of the children of Judah, for the share of the children of Judah was too much for them. Therefore the children of Simeon had their inheritance within the inheritance of that people.
The Land of Zebulun
10 The third lot came out for the children of Zebulun according to their families, and the border of their inheritance was as far as Sarid. 11 Their border went toward the west and to Maralah, went to Dabbasheth, and extended along the brook east of Jokneam. 12 Then from Sarid it went eastward toward the sunrise along the border of Chisloth Tabor, and went out toward Daberath, bypassing Japhia. 13 From there it passes along on the east of Gath Hepher, toward Eth Kazin, and extended to Rimmon, which borders on Neah. 14 Then the border went around it on the north side of Hannathon, and it ended in the Valley of Jiphthah El. 15 Included were Kattath, Nahallal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem: twelve cities with their villages. 16 This was the inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages.
The Land of Issachar
17 The fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the children of Issachar according to their families. 18 Their territory went to Jezreel, and included Chesulloth, Shunem, 19 Haphraim, Shion, Anaharath, 20 Rabbith, Kishion, Abez, 21 Remeth, En Gannim, En Haddah, and Beth Pazzez. 22 The border reached to Tabor, Shahazimah, and Beth Shemesh; their border ended at the Jordan: sixteen cities with their villages. 23 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issachar according to their families, the cities and their villages.
The Land of Asher
24 The fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families. 25 Their territory included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph, 26 Alammelech, Amad, and Mishal; it reached to Mount Carmel westward, along the Brook Shihor Libnath. 27 It turned toward the sunrise to Beth Dagon; and reached to Zebulun and to the Valley of Jiphthah El, then northward beyond Beth Emek and Neiel, bypassing Cabul on the left, 28 including Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon. 29 The border turned to Ramah and to the fortified city of Tyre; then to Hosah, and ended at the sea by the region of Achzib. 30 Also Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob were included: twenty-two cities with their villages. 31 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families, the cities and their villages.
The Land of Naphtali
32 The sixth lot came out to the children of Naphtali, for the children of Naphtali according to their families. 33 Their border began at Heleph, enclosing the territory from the terebinth tree in Zaananim, Adami Nekeb, and Jabneel, as far as Lakkum; it ended at the Jordan. 34 From Heleph the border extended westward to Aznoth Tabor, and went out from there toward Hukkok; it adjoined Zebulun on the south side and Asher on the west side, and ended at Judah by the Jordan toward the sunrise. 35 The fortified cities are Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth, 36 Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, 37 Kedesh, Edrei, En Hazor, 38 Iron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath, and Beth Shemesh: nineteen cities with their villages. 39 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naphtali according to their families, the cities and their villages.
The Land of Dan
40 The seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families. 41 The territory of their inheritance was Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir Shemesh, 42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Jethlah, 43 Elon, Timnah, Ekron, 44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, 45 Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon, 46 Me Jarkon, and Rakkon, with the region near Joppa. 47 The border of the children of Dan went beyond these, because the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem and took it; and they struck it with the edge of the sword, took possession of it, and dwelt in it. They called Leshem Dan, after the name of Dan their father. 48 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families, the cities and their villages. 49 But the sons of Dan did not press the Amorites who afflicted them in the mountain; and the Amorites did not permit them to descend into the valley, but forcibly took from them the border of their possession.
The Land of Joshua
50 Now the sons of Judah marched and fought Lachish and laid hold of it. They struck it with the edge of the sword, settled in it, and called it Lasendak. 51 Now the Amorites continued to dwell in Elom and in Salamin; but the hand of Ephraim prevailed against them, and they paid tribute to them. 52 So they proceeded to take possession of the land according to their borders, and the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them, according to the ordinance of God. 53 They gave him the city he asked for, Timnath Serah, in the mountains of Ephraim. So he built the city and dwelt in it. 54 These were the inheritances which Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel divided as an inheritance by lot in Shiloh before the Lord, at the door of the tabernacle of testimony. So they made an end of dividing the country.
Cities of Refuge
1 Then the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 “Say to the sons of Israel, ‘Appoint the cities of refuge of which I spoke to you through Moses, 3 a place of refuge for a slayer who kills a soul involuntarily. The cities will be a refuge for you, and the slayer shall not die by the avenger of blood until he stands before the congregation for judgment.’ ” 4 So he appointed Kedesh in Galilee in the mountains of Naphtali, Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim, and Kirjath Arba (which is Hebron) in the mountains of Judah. 5 On the other side of the Jordan he appointed Bezer in the desert on the plain from the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh. 6 These were the cities appointed for the children of Israel and for the resident alien living among them, that whoever killed a soul involuntarily should take refuge there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stood before the congregation for judgment.
Psalm 70:1–13
1 By David; of the sons of Jonadab and the first ones taken captive.
O God, in You I hope; may I never be put to shame.
2 Deliver me in Your righteousness, and set me free;
Incline Your ear to me and save me.
3 Be to me a God for protection
And a strong place for salvation,
For You are my foundation and my refuge.
4 O my God, deliver me from the hand of the sinner,
From the hand of those who transgress the law and act unjustly;
5 For You are my patience, O Lord;
The Lord is my hope from my youth.
6 By You I have been supported from birth;
From my mother’s womb You have been my protector;
My song shall be always of You.
7 I am become as a wonder to many,
And You are my strong helper.
8 Let my mouth be filled with Your praise,
That I may sing of Your glory
And of Your magnificence all the day long.
9 Do not abandon me in the time of old age;
When my strength fails, do not forsake me.
10 For my enemies speak against me,
And those who watch for my soul plot together,
11 Saying, “God forsook him;
Pursue and lay hold of him,
For there is no deliverer.”
12 O God, do not stand far off from me;
O my God, give heed to help me.
13 Let those who falsely accuse my soul be shamed and forsaken;
Let those who seek evils for me be covered with shame and reproach.
Proverbs 14:21–25
21 He who dishonors the poor sins,
But he who has mercy on the poor is very blessed.
22 Deceivers devise evil things,
But good men devise mercy and truth.
23 Devisers of evil things do not understand mercy and faithfulness,
But mercies and faithfulness are with devisers of good things.
24 To everyone who is careful there is an abundance,
But he who is pleasure-taking and slothful shall be in want.
25 The crown of the wise is astuteness,
But the pastime of the undiscerning is evil.
Luke 1:1–25
1 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us,
2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us,
3 it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus,
4 that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.
John’s Birth Announced to Zacharias
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
8 So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division,
9 according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
10 And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.
11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
14 “And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
15 “For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.
16 “And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
17 “He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
18 And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
19 And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings.
20 “But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”
21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple.
22 But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.
23 So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.
24 Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying,
25 “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”