Judges 1; Judges 2; Judges 3; Luke 4:1-30

Judges 1

1 After Joshua's death the Israelites asked the LORD, "Who will go first to fight the Canaanites for us?"

2 The LORD answered, "Judah's troops will go first. I am about to hand the Canaanites over to you."

3 The tribe of Judah said to the tribe of Simeon, "Come with us into the territory given to us when we drew lots, and together we will fight the people of Canaan. Then we'll go with you into your territory." So the tribe of Simeon went along with Judah.

4 Judah's troops went into battle, and the LORD handed the Canaanites and Perizzites over to them. They defeated 10,000 men at Bezek.

5 At Bezek they also caught up with Adoni Bezek. They fought him and defeated the Canaanites and Perizzites.

6 Adoni Bezek fled. Judah's troops chased him, caught him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes.

7 Adoni Bezek said, "Seventy kings who had their thumbs and big toes cut off used to pick up food under my table. God has paid me back for what I did to them." Judah's troops brought Adoni Bezek to Jerusalem, where he died.

8 The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem and captured it. They killed everyone there and set the city on fire.

9 After that, the men of Judah went to fight the Canaanites who lived in the mountains, the Negev, and the foothills.

10 Then they went to fight the Canaanites who lived at Hebron. (In the past Hebron was called Kiriath Arba.) There they killed Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.

11 From there Judah's troops went to fight the people living at Debir. (In the past Debir was called Kiriath Sepher.)

12 Caleb said, "I will give my daughter Achsah as a wife to whoever defeats Kiriath Sepher and captures it."

13 Then Othniel, son of Caleb's younger brother Kenaz, captured it. So Caleb gave him his daughter Achsah as a wife.

14 When she came to Othniel, she persuaded him to ask her father for a field. When she got down from her donkey, Caleb asked her, "What do you want?"

15 She answered, "Give me a blessing. Since you've given me some dry land, also give me some springs." So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.

16 The descendants of Moses' father-in-law, the Kenite, went with the people of Judah from the City of Palms into the desert of Judah. There they lived with the people of Judah in the Negev near Arad.

17 The tribe of Judah went to fight along with the tribe of Simeon, their close relatives. They defeated the Canaanites who lived in Zephath and claimed it for the LORD by destroying it. So the city was called Hormah [Claimed for Destruction].

18 Judah also captured Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron with their territories.

19 The LORD was with the men of Judah so that they were able to take possession of the mountains. But they could not force out the people living in the valley who had chariots made of iron.

20 As Moses had promised, Hebron was given to Caleb, who forced out the three sons of Anak.

21 The men of Benjamin did not force out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem. The Jebusites still live with the tribe of Benjamin in Jerusalem today.

22 The descendants of Joseph also went into battle against Bethel, and the LORD was with them.

23 They sent men to spy on Bethel. (In the past the city was called Luz.)

24 The spies saw a man coming out of the city. They told him, "Show us how we can get into the city, and we'll treat you kindly."

25 He showed them. So they got into the city and killed everyone there. But they let that man and his whole family go free.

26 The man went to the land of the Hittites. There he built a city and called it Luz. The city still has that name today.

27 Now, the tribe of Manasseh did not force out the people of Beth Shean, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, and Megiddo or their villages. The Canaanites were determined to live in this land.

28 When the Israelites were strong enough, they made the Canaanites do forced labor. But they did not force all of them out.

29 The tribe of Ephraim did not force out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer. So the Canaanites continued to live with them in Gezer.

30 The tribe of Zebulun did not force out those who lived at Kitron or Nahalol. So the Canaanites continued to live with them and were made to do forced labor.

31 The tribe of Asher did not force out those who lived at Acco or Sidon, Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphek, or Rehob.

32 So the tribe of Asher continued to live with the Canaanites because they did not force them out.

33 The tribe of Naphtali did not force out those who lived at Beth Shemesh or Beth Anath. So they continued to live with the Canaanites. But the people of Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath were made to do forced labor.

34 The Amorites forced the tribe of Dan into the mountains and would not let them come down into the valley.

35 The Amorites were determined to live at Har Heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbim. But when the tribes of Joseph became stronger, they made the Amorites do forced labor.

36 The territory of the Amorites extended from the Akrabbim Pass--from Selah northward.

Judges 2

1 The Messenger of the LORD went from Gilgal to Bochim. He said, "I brought you out of Egypt into the land that I swore to give to your ancestors. I said, 'I will never break my promise to you.

2 You must never make a treaty with the people who live in this land. You must tear down their altars.' But you didn't obey me. What do you think you're doing?

3 So I have this to say, 'I will not force them out of your way. They will be like thorns in your sides, and their gods will become a trap for you.'"

4 While the Messenger of the LORD was saying this to all the people of Israel, they began to cry loudly.

5 So they called that place Bochim [Those Who Cry]. They offered sacrifices there to the LORD.

6 Now, Joshua sent the people of Israel home. So each family went to take possession of the territory they had inherited.

7 The people served the LORD throughout Joshua's lifetime and throughout the lifetimes of the leaders who had outlived him and who had seen all the spectacular works the LORD had done for Israel.

8 The LORD's servant Joshua, son of Nun, died at the age of 110.

9 He was buried at Timnath Heres within the territory he had inherited. This was in the mountains of Ephraim north of Mount Gaash.

10 That whole generation had joined their ancestors in death. So another generation grew up after them. They had no personal experience with the LORD or with what he had done for Israel.

11 The people of Israel did what the LORD considered evil. They began to serve other gods--the Baals.

12 The Israelites abandoned the LORD God of their ancestors, the God who brought them out of Egypt. They followed the other gods of the people around them. They worshiped these gods, and that made the LORD angry.

13 They abandoned the LORD to serve the god Baal and the goddess Astarte.

14 So the LORD became angry with the people of Israel. He handed them over to people who robbed them. He also used their enemies around them to defeat them. They could no longer stand up against their enemies.

15 Whenever the Israelites went to war, the power of the LORD brought disaster on them. This was what the LORD said he would do in an oath. So he made them suffer a great deal.

16 Then the LORD would send judges to rescue them from those who robbed them.

17 But the people wouldn't listen to the judges. The Israelites chased after other gods as though they were prostitutes and worshiped them. They quickly turned from the ways of their ancestors who had obeyed the LORD's commands. They refused to be like their ancestors.

18 But when the LORD appointed judges for the Israelites, he was with each judge. The LORD rescued them from their enemies as long as that judge was alive. The LORD was moved by the groaning of those who were tormented and oppressed.

19 But after each judge died, the people went back to their old ways and acted more corruptly than their parents. They followed, served, and worshiped other gods. They never gave up their evil practices and stubborn ways.

20 The LORD became angry with Israel. He said, "Because the people of this nation have rejected the promise I gave their ancestors and have not obeyed me,

21 I will no longer force out the nations Joshua left behind when he died.

22 I will test the people of Israel with these nations to see whether or not they will carefully follow the LORD's ways as their ancestors did."

23 So the LORD let these nations stay. He had not handed them over to Joshua or forced them out quickly.

Judges 3

1 These are the nations the LORD left behind to test all the Israelites who had not experienced any war in Canaan.

2 The LORD left them to teach Israel's descendants about war, at least those who had known nothing about it in the past.

3 He left the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon from Mount Baal Hermon to the border of Hamath.

4 These nations were left to test the Israelites, to find out if they would obey the commands the LORD had given their ancestors through Moses.

5 So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

6 The Israelites allowed their sons and daughters to marry these people. Israel also served their gods.

7 The people of Israel did what the LORD considered evil. They forgot the LORD their God and served other gods and goddesses--the Baals and the Asherahs.

8 The LORD became angry with the people of Israel. He used King Cushan Rishathaim of Aram Naharaim to defeat them. So Israel served Cushan Rishathaim for eight years.

9 Then the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help. The LORD sent a savior to rescue them. It was Othniel, son of Caleb's younger brother Kenaz.

10 When the LORD's Spirit came over him, he became the judge of Israel. He went out to war. The LORD handed King Cushan Rishathaim of Aram Naharaim over to him, and Othniel overpowered him.

11 So there was finally peace in the land for 40 years. Then Othniel, son of Kenaz, died.

12 Once again, the people of Israel did what the LORD considered evil. So the LORD made King Eglon of Moab stronger than Israel, because Israel did what the LORD considered evil.

13 Eglon got the Ammonites and the Amalekites to help him, and they defeated the Israelites and occupied the City of Palms.

14 The Israelites served King Eglon of Moab for 18 years.

15 Then the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help. The LORD sent a savior to rescue them. It was Ehud, a left-handed man from the tribe of Benjamin. (Ehud was the son of Gera.) The people sent him with their tax payment to King Eglon of Moab.

16 Ehud made a two-edged dagger for himself. He fastened it to his right side under his clothes.

17 Then he brought the tax payment to King Eglon. (Eglon was a very fat man.)

18 When Ehud had finished delivering the payment, he sent back the men who had carried it.

19 However, Ehud turned around at the stone idols near Gilgal [and returned to Eglon]. He said, "Your Majesty, I have a secret message for you." The king replied, "Keep quiet!" Then all his advisers left the room.

20 Ehud came up to him as he sat alone in his room on the roof. He said to the king, "I have a message from God for you." As the king rose from his throne,

21 Ehud reached with his left hand, took the dagger from his right side, and plunged it into Eglon's belly.

22 Even the handle went in after the blade. Eglon's fat covered the blade because Ehud didn't pull the dagger out. The blade stuck out in back.

23 Ehud left the room. (He had closed and locked the doors of the room before he left.)

24 After Ehud went out, Eglon's advisers came in. They were surprised that the doors were locked. "He must be using the toilet," they said.

25 They waited and waited, but Eglon didn't open the doors. So they took the key and opened the door. They were shocked to see their ruler lying on the floor, dead.

26 While they had been waiting, Ehud escaped. He went past the stone idols and escaped to Seirah.

27 When he arrived there, he blew a ram's horn in the mountains of Ephraim [to summon the troops]. So the troops of Israel came down from the mountains with him, and he led them.

28 He told them, "Follow me! The LORD will hand your enemy Moab over to you." They followed him and captured the shallow crossings of the Jordan River that led to Moab and refused to let anyone cross.

29 At that time they killed about ten thousand of Moab's best fighting men. Not one of them escaped.

30 The power of Moab was crushed by Israel that day. So there was finally peace in the land for 80 years.

31 After Ehud came Shamgar, son of Anath. He killed 600 Philistines with a sharp stick used for herding oxen. So he, too, rescued Israel.

Luke 4:1-30

1 Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit as he left the Jordan River. The Spirit led him while he was in the desert,

2 where he was tempted by the devil for 40 days. During those days Jesus ate nothing, so when they were over, he was hungry.

3 The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread."

4 Jesus answered him, "Scripture says, 'A person cannot live on bread alone.'"

5 The devil took him to a high place and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in an instant.

6 The devil said to him, "I will give you all the power and glory of these kingdoms. All of it has been given to me, and I give it to anyone I please.

7 So if you will worship me, all this will be yours."

8 Jesus answered him, "Scripture says, 'Worship the Lord your God and serve only him.'"

9 Then the devil took him into Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest part of the temple. He said to Jesus, "If you are the Son of God, jump from here!

10 Scripture says, 'He will put his angels in charge of you to watch over you carefully.

11 They will carry you in their hands so that you never hit your foot against a rock.'"

12 Jesus answered him, "It has been said, 'Never tempt the Lord your God.'"

13 After the devil had finished tempting Jesus in every possible way, the devil left him until another time.

14 Jesus returned to Galilee. The power of the Spirit was with him, and the news about him spread throughout the surrounding country.

15 He taught in the synagogues, and everyone praised him.

16 Then Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. As usual he went into the synagogue on the day of worship. He stood up to read the lesson.

17 The attendant gave him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened it and found the place where it read:

18 "The Spirit of the Lord is with me. He has anointed me to tell the Good News to the poor. He has sent me to announce forgiveness to the prisoners of sin and the restoring of sight to the blind, to forgive those who have been shattered by sin,

19 to announce the year of the Lord's favor."

20 Jesus closed the book, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. Everyone in the synagogue watched him closely.

21 Then he said to them, "This passage came true today when you heard me read it."

22 All the people spoke well of him. They were amazed to hear the gracious words flowing from his lips. They said, "Isn't this Joseph's son?"

23 So he said to them, "You'll probably quote this proverb to me, 'Doctor, cure yourself!' and then say to me, 'Do all the things in your hometown that we've heard you've done in Capernaum.'"

24 Then Jesus added, "I can guarantee this truth: A prophet isn't accepted in his hometown.

25 "I can guarantee this truth: There were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time. It had not rained for three-and-a-half years, and the famine was severe everywhere in the country.

26 But God didn't send Elijah to anyone except a widow at Zarephath in the territory of Sidon.

27 There were also many people with skin diseases in Israel in the prophet Elisha's time. But God cured no one except Naaman from Syria."

28 Everyone in the synagogue became furious when they heard this.

29 Their city was built on a hill with a cliff. So they got up, forced Jesus out of the city, and led him to the cliff. They intended to throw him off of it.

30 But Jesus walked right by them and went away.