Acts 11:1-18; Joshua 11; Joshua 12; Job 26

Acts 11:1-18

1 The apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles had welcomed God's message also.

2 When Peter went up to Jerusalem, those who stressed circumcision argued with him,

3 saying, "You visited uncircumcised men and ate with them!"

4 Peter began to explain to them in an orderly sequence, saying:

5 "I was in the town of Joppa praying, and I saw, in a visionary state, an object coming down that resembled a large sheet being lowered from heaven by its four corners, and it came to me.

6 When I looked closely and considered it, I saw the four-footed animals of the earth, the wild beasts, the reptiles, and the birds of the sky.

7 Then I also heard a voice telling me, 'Get up, Peter; kill and eat!'

8 " 'No, Lord!' I said. 'For nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth!'

9 But a voice answered from heaven a second time, 'What God has made clean, you must not call common.'

10 "Now this happened three times, and then everything was drawn up again into heaven.

11 At that very moment, three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea arrived at the house where we were.

12 Then the Spirit told me to go with them with no doubts at all. These six brothers accompanied me, and we went into the man's house.

13 He reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, 'Send to Joppa, and call for Simon, who is also named Peter.

14 He will speak words to you by which you and all your household will be saved.'

15 "As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came down on them, just as on us at the beginning.

16 Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'

17 Therefore, if God gave them the same gift that He also gave to us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, how could I possibly hinder God?"

18 When they heard this they became silent. Then they glorified God, saying, "So God has granted repentance resulting in life to even the Gentiles!"

Joshua 11

1 When Jabin king of Hazor heard [this news], he sent [a message] to: Jobab king of Madon, the kings of Shimron and Achshaph,

2 and the kings of the north in the hill country, the plain south of Chinnereth, the Judean foothills, and the Slopes of Dor to the west,

3 the Canaanites in the east and west, the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, and Jebusites in the hill country, and the Hivites at the foot of Hermon in the land of Mizpah.

4 They went out with all their armies-a multitude as numerous as the sand on the seashore-along with a vast number of horses and chariots.

5 All these kings joined forces; they came together and camped at the waters of Merom to attack Israel.

6 The Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them, for at this time tomorrow I will hand all of them over dead to Israel. You are to hamstring their horses and burn up their chariots."

7 So Joshua and his whole military force surprised them at the waters of Merom and attacked them.

8 The Lord handed them over to Israel, and they struck them down, pursuing them as far as Great Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and to the east as far as the valley of Mizpeh. They struck them down, leaving no survivors.

9 Joshua treated them as the Lord had told him; he hamstrung their horses and burned up their chariots.

10 At that time Joshua turned back, captured Hazor, and struck down its king with the sword, because Hazor had formerly been the leader of all these kingdoms.

11 They struck down everyone in it with the sword, completely destroying them; he left no one alive. Then he burned down Hazor.

12 Joshua captured all these kings and their cities and struck them down with the sword. He completely destroyed them, as Moses the Lord's servant had commanded.

13 However, Israel did not burn any of the cities that stood on their mounds except Hazor, which Joshua burned.

14 The Israelites plundered all the spoils and cattle of these cities for themselves. But they struck down every person with the sword until they had annihilated them, leaving no one alive.

15 Just as the Lord had commanded His servant Moses, Moses commanded Joshua. That is what Joshua did, leaving nothing undone of all that the Lord had commanded Moses.

16 So Joshua took all this land-the hill country, all the Negev, all the land of Goshen, the Judean foothills, the plain, and the hill country of Israel with its Judean foothills-

17 from Mount Halak, which ascends to Seir, as far as Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon at the foot of Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings and struck them down, putting them to death.

18 Joshua waged war with all these kings for a long time.

19 No city made peace with the Israelites except the Hivites who inhabited Gibeon; all of them were taken in battle.

20 For it was the Lord's intention to harden their hearts, so that they would engage Israel in battle, be completely destroyed without mercy, and be annihilated, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

21 At that time Joshua proceeded to exterminate the Anakim from the hill country-Hebron, Debir, Anab-all the hill country of Judah and of Israel. Joshua completely destroyed them with their cities.

22 No Anakim were left in the land of the Israelites, except for some remaining in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod.

23 So Joshua took the entire land, in keeping with all that the Lord had told Moses. Joshua then gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal allotments. After this, the land had rest from war.

Joshua 12

1 The Israelites struck down the following kings of the land and took possession of their land beyond the Jordan to the east and from the Arnon Valley to Mount Hermon, including all the Arabah eastward:

2 Sihon king of the Amorites lived in Heshbon. He ruled [over the territory] from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along the middle of the valley, and half of Gilead up to the Jabbok River (the border of the Ammonites),

3 the Arabah east of the Sea of Chinnereth to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea), eastward through Beth-jeshimoth and southward below the slopes of Pisgah.

4 Og king of Bashan, of the remnant of the Rephaim, lived in Ashtaroth and Edrei.

5 He ruled over Mount Hermon, Salecah, all Bashan up to the Geshurite and Maacathite border, and half of Gilead to the border of Sihon, king of Heshbon.

6 Moses the Lord's servant and the Israelites struck them down. And Moses the Lord's servant gave their land as an inheritance to the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh.

7 Joshua and the Israelites struck down the following kings of the land beyond the Jordan to the west, from Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon to Mount Halak, which ascends toward Seir (Joshua gave their land as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel according to their allotments:

8 the hill country, the Judean foothills, the plain, the slopes, the desert, and the Negev of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites):

9 the king of Jericho one the king of Ai, which is next to Bethel one

10 the king of Jerusalem one the king of Hebron one

11 the king of Jarmuth one the king of Lachish one

12 the king of Eglon one the king of Gezer one

13 the king of Debir one the king of Geder one

14 the king of Hormah one the king of Arad one

15 the king of Libnah one the king of Adullam one

16 the king of Makkedah one the king of Bethel one

17 the king of Tappuah one the king of Hepher one

18 the king of Aphek one the king of Lasharon one

19 the king of Madon one the king of Hazor one

20 the king of Shimron-meron one the king of Achshaph one

21 the king of Taanach one the king of Megiddo one

22 the king of Kedesh one the king of Jokneam in Carmel one

23 the king of Dor in Naphoth-dor one the king of Goiim in Gilgal one

24 the king of Tirzah one [the total number of] all kings: 31

Job 26

1 Then Job answered:

2 How you have helped the powerless and delivered the arm that is weak!

3 How you have counseled the unwise and thoroughly explained [the path to] success!

4 Who did you speak these words to? Whose breath came out of your [mouth]?

5 The departed spirits tremble beneath the waters and [all] that inhabit them.

6 Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering.

7 He stretches the northern [skies] over empty space; He hangs the earth on nothing.

8 He enfolds the waters in His clouds, yet the clouds do not burst beneath their weight.

9 He obscures the view of [His] throne, spreading His cloud over it.

10 He laid out the horizon on the surface of the waters at the boundary between light and darkness.

11 The pillars [that hold up] the sky tremble, astounded at His rebuke.

12 By His power He stirred the sea, and by His understanding He crushed Rahab.

13 By His breath the heavens gained their beauty; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent.

14 These are but the fringes of His ways; how faint is the word we hear of Him! Who can understand His mighty thunder?