Acts 11:19-30; Joshua 13; Joshua 14; Job 27

Acts 11:19-30

19 Those who had been scattered as a result of the persecution that started because of Stephen made their way as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message to no one except Jews.

20 But there were some of them, Cypriot and Cyrenian men, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Hellenists, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus.

21 The Lord's hand was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.

22 Then the report about them reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to travel as far as Antioch.

23 When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he encouraged all of them to remain true to the Lord with a firm resolve of the heart-

24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith-and large numbers of people were added to the Lord.

25 Then he went to Tarsus to search for Saul,

26 and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught large numbers, and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

27 In those days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.

28 Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine throughout the Roman world. This took place during the time of Claudius. 41-54; there was a famine a.d. 47-48.

29 So each of the disciples, according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea.

30 This they did, sending it to the elders by means of Barnabas and Saul.

Joshua 13

1 Joshua was now old, advanced in years, and the Lord said to him, "You have become old, advanced in years, but a great deal of the land remains to be possessed.

2 This is the land that remains: All the districts of the Philistines and the Geshurites:

3 from the Shihor east of Egypt to the border of Ekron on the north (considered to be Canaanite territory)-the five Philistine rulers of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, as well as the Avvites

4 in the south; all the land of the Canaanites: from Arah of the Sidonians to Aphek and as far as the border of the Amorites;

5 the land of the Gebalites; and all Lebanon east from Baal-gad below Mount Hermon to the entrance of Hamath-

6 all the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth-maim, all the Sidonians. I will drive them out before the Israelites, only distribute the land as an inheritance for Israel, as I have commanded you.

7 Therefore, divide this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes and half the tribe of Manasseh."

8 With the other half of the tribe, the Reubenites and Gadites had received the inheritance Moses gave them beyond the Jordan to the east, just as Moses the Lord's servant had given them:

9 From Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along with the city in the middle of the valley, all the Medeba plateau as far as Dibon,

10 and all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, to the border of the Ammonites;

11 also Gilead and the territory of the Geshurites and Maacathites, all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan to Salecah-

12 the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei; he was one of the remaining Rephaim. Moses struck them down and drove them out,

13 but the Israelites did not drive out the Geshurites and Maacathites. So Geshur and Maacath live in Israel to this day.

14 He did not give any inheritance to the tribe of Levi. This was its inheritance, just as He had promised: the offerings made by fire to the Lord, the God of Israel.

15 To the tribe of the Reubenites by their clans, Moses gave

16 this as their territory: From Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along with the city in the middle of the valley, to the whole plateau as far as Medeba,

17 with Heshbon and all its cities on the plateau-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 cities of the plateau, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon. Moses had killed him and the chiefs of Midian-Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba-the princes of Sihon who lived in the land.

22 Along with those the Israelites put to death, they also killed the diviner, Balaam son of Beor, with the sword.

23 The border of the Reubenites was the Jordan and its plain. This was the inheritance of the Reubenites by their clans, with the cities and their villages.

24 To the tribe of the Gadites by their clans, Moses gave

25 this as their territory: Jazer and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the Ammonites to Aroer, near Rabbah;

26 from Heshbon to Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the border of Debir;

27 in the valley: Beth-haram, Beth-nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon-the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon. [Their land also included] the Jordan and its territory as far as the edge of the Sea of Chinnereth on the east side of the Jordan.

28 This was the inheritance of the Gadites by their clans, with the cities and their villages.

29 And to half the tribe of Manasseh, that is, to half the tribe of Manasseh's descendants by their clans, Moses gave

30 this as their territory: From Mahanaim through all Bashan-all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, including all of Jair's Villagesthat are in Bashan-60 cities.

31 But half of Gilead, and Og's royal cities in Bashan-Ashtaroth and Edrei-are for the descendants of Machir son of Manasseh, that is, half the descendants of Machir by their clans.

32 These were the portions Moses gave [them] on the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan east of Jericho.

33 But Moses did not give a portion to the tribe of Levi. The Lord, the God of Israel, was their inheritance, just as He had promised them.

Joshua 14

1 The Israelites received these portions that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families of the Israelite tribes gave them in the land of Canaan.

2 Their inheritance was by lot as the Lord commanded through Moses for the nine and a half tribes,

3 because Moses had given the inheritance to the two and a half tribes beyond the Jordan. But he gave no inheritance among them to the Levites.

4 The descendants of Joseph became two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. No portion of the land was given to the Levites except cities to live in, along with pasturelands for their cattle and livestock.

5 So the Israelites did as the Lord commanded Moses, and they divided the land.

6 The descendants of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, "You know what the Lord promised Moses the man of God at Kadesh-barnea about you and me.

7 I was 40 years old when Moses the Lord's servant sent me from Kadesh-barnea to scout the land, and I brought back an honest report.

8 My brothers who went with me caused the people's hearts to melt with fear, but I remained loyal to the Lord my God.

9 On that day Moses promised me, 'The land where you have set foot will be an inheritance for you and your descendants forever, because you have remained loyal to the Lord my God.'

10 "As you see, the Lord has kept me alive [these] 45 years as He promised, since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel was journeying in the wilderness. Here I am today, 85 years old.

11 I am still as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me out. My strength for battle and for daily tasks is now as it was then.

12 Now give me this hill country the Lord promised [me] on that day, because you heard then that the Anakim are there, as well as large fortified cities. Perhaps the Lord will be with me and I will drive them out as the Lord promised."

13 Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as an inheritance.

14 Therefore, Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite as an inheritance to this day, because he remained loyal to the Lord, the God of Israel.

15 Hebron's name used to be Kiriath-arba; Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim. After this, the land had rest from war.

Job 27

1 Job continued his discourse, saying:

2 As God lives, who has deprived me of justice, and the Almighty who has made me bitter,

3 as long as my breath is still in me and the breath from God remains in my nostrils,

4 my lips will not speak unjustly, and my tongue will not utter deceit.

5 I will never affirm that you are right. I will maintain my integrity until I die.

6 I will cling to my righteousness and never let it go. My conscience will not accuse [me] as long as I live!

7 May my enemy be like the wicked and my opponent like the unjust.

8 For what hope does the godless man have when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?

9 Will God hear his cry when distress comes on him?

10 Will he delight in the Almighty? Will he call on God at all times?

11 I will teach you about God's power. I will not conceal what the Almighty has planned.

12 All of you have seen [this] for yourselves, why do you keep up this empty talk?

13 This is a wicked man's lot from God, the inheritance the ruthless receive from the Almighty.

14 Even if his children increase, they are destined for the sword; his descendants will never have enough food.

15 Those who survive him will be buried by the plague, yet their widows will not weep [for them].

16 Though he piles up silver like dust and heaps up a wardrobe like clay-

17 he may heap [it] up, but the righteous will wear [it], and the innocent will divide up his silver.

18 The house he built is like a moth's [cocoon] or a booth set up by a watchman.

19 He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more; when he opens his eyes, it is gone.

20 Terrors overtake him like a flood; a storm wind sweeps him away at night.

21 An east wind picks him up, and he is gone; it carries him away from his place.

22 It blasts at him without mercy, while he flees desperately from its grasp.

23 It claps its hands at him and scorns him from its place.