1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,040 Hello, this is Father Paul and I'm glad we're taking this journey together to read the Bible 2 00:00:06,040 --> 00:00:07,040 in a year. 3 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:11,480 Today's reading is from Joshua chapters 6 through 8. 4 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:12,480 Chapter 6 5 00:00:12,480 --> 00:00:16,360 Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel. 6 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:18,760 None went out and none came in. 7 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:23,880 And the LORD said to Joshua, See I have given Jericho into your hand, its king and the mighty 8 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:24,960 men of valor. 9 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:28,040 You shall march around the city, all you men of war. 10 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:30,580 You shall go all around the city once. 11 00:00:30,580 --> 00:00:32,600 This you shall do six days. 12 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:36,840 And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of ram's horns before the ark. 13 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:41,600 But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall 14 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:43,000 blow the trumpets. 15 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:47,000 It shall come to pass when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear 16 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:51,000 the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout. 17 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:55,880 Then the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up every man straight 18 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:57,080 before him. 19 00:00:57,080 --> 00:01:01,920 When Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, Take up the ark of the covenant, 20 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:06,880 and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of ram's horns before the ark of the LORD. 21 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:11,720 And he said to the people, Proceed and march around the city, and let him who is armed 22 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:14,120 advance before the ark of the LORD. 23 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:18,920 So it was when Joshua had spoken to the people that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets 24 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:23,800 of ram's horns before the LORD advanced and blew the trumpets, and the ark of the covenant 25 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:25,740 of the LORD followed them. 26 00:01:25,740 --> 00:01:29,840 The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard came 27 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:33,460 after the ark, while the priests continued blowing the trumpets. 28 00:01:33,460 --> 00:01:37,700 Now Joshua had commanded the people saying, You shall not shout or make any noise with 29 00:01:37,700 --> 00:01:43,580 your voice, nor shall a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I say to you, Shout, 30 00:01:43,580 --> 00:01:45,280 then you shall shout. 31 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:49,440 So he had the ark of the LORD circle the city, going around at once. 32 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:52,200 Then they came into the camp and lodged in the camp. 33 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:56,240 Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. 34 00:01:56,240 --> 00:02:00,280 Then the seven priests bearing seven trumpets of ram's horns before the ark of the LORD 35 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:05,560 went on continually and blew with the trumpets, and the armed men went before them. 36 00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:09,520 But the rear guard came after the ark of the LORD, while the priests continued blowing 37 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:10,720 the trumpets. 38 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:14,440 And the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp, so they 39 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:16,360 did six days. 40 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:21,040 But it came to pass on the seventh day that they rose early, about the dawning of the 41 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:24,960 day, and marched around the city seven times in the same manner. 42 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:28,760 On that day only they marched around the city seven times. 43 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:32,080 And the seventh time it happened when the priests blew the trumpets that Joshua said 44 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:35,780 to the people, Shout, for the LORD has given you the city. 45 00:02:35,780 --> 00:02:38,780 Now the city shall be doomed by the LORD to destruction. 46 00:02:38,780 --> 00:02:44,120 It and all who are in it, only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in 47 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:47,740 the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. 48 00:02:47,740 --> 00:02:52,720 And you by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you 49 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:57,520 take off the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse and trouble it. 50 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:02,200 But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the LORD. 51 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:04,860 They shall come into the treasury of the LORD. 52 00:03:04,860 --> 00:03:08,800 So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets, and it happened when the people 53 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:13,080 heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout that the wall fell 54 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:14,080 down flat. 55 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:18,160 Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the 56 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:19,160 city. 57 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:23,560 And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, 58 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:27,040 ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword. 59 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:31,920 But Joshua had said to the two men who had spied out the country, Go into the harlot's 60 00:03:31,920 --> 00:03:37,040 house, and from there bring out the woman and all that she has, as you swore to her. 61 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:42,600 And the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, her 62 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:45,280 brother, her brothers, and all that she had. 63 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:49,240 So they brought out all her relatives and left them outside the camp of Israel. 64 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:52,320 But they burned the city and all that was in it with fire. 65 00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:56,680 Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury 66 00:03:56,680 --> 00:03:58,320 of the house of the LORD. 67 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:02,840 And Joshua spared Rahab the harlot, her father's household, and all that she had. 68 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:07,300 So she dwells in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to 69 00:04:07,300 --> 00:04:09,000 spy out Jericho. 70 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:13,800 Then Joshua charged them at that time saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, who rises 71 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:16,420 up and builds this city Jericho. 72 00:04:16,420 --> 00:04:21,040 He shall lay its foundation with his firstborn, and with his youngest he shall set up its 73 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:22,040 gates. 74 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:26,960 So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout all the country. 75 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:30,320 Chapter 7 But the children of Israel committed a trespass 76 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:32,120 regarding the accursed things. 77 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:37,400 For Akon the son of Karmé, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took 78 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:42,180 of the accursed things, so the anger of the LORD burned against the children of Israel. 79 00:04:42,180 --> 00:04:48,200 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-Avin, on the east side of Bethel, 80 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:51,360 and spoke to them, saying, Go up and spy out the country. 81 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:54,000 So the men went up and spied out Ai. 82 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:58,600 And they returned to Joshua and said to him, Do not let all the people go up, but let about 83 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:02,120 two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. 84 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:05,800 Do not worry all the people there, for the people of Ai are few. 85 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:09,960 So about three thousand men went up there from the people, but they fled before the 86 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:11,120 men of Ai. 87 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:15,640 And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased them from before the 88 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:20,360 gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent. 89 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:23,440 Therefore the hearts of the people melted and became like water. 90 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:27,120 Then Joshua tore his clothes and felt the earth on his face before the ark of the LORD 91 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:31,720 until evening, he and the elders of Israel, and they put dust on their heads. 92 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:36,040 And Joshua said, Alas, LORD GOD, why have you brought these people over the Jordan at 93 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:40,000 all, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? 94 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:43,720 O that we had been content and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan! 95 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:48,680 O LORD, what shall I say when Israel turns its back before its enemies? 96 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:52,160 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear it, and surround us 97 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:54,720 and cut off our name from the earth. 98 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,680 Then what will you do for your great name? 99 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:02,120 So the LORD said to Joshua, Get up, why do you lie thus on your face? 100 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:06,480 Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them, for they 101 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:11,240 have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived, and they 102 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:14,280 have also put it among their own stuff. 103 00:06:14,280 --> 00:06:17,480 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their 104 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:22,120 backs before their enemies because they have become doomed to destruction. 105 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:27,040 Neither will I be with you any more unless you destroy the accursed from among you. 106 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:32,040 Get up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says 107 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:35,880 the LORD God of Israel, there is an accursed thing in your midst. 108 00:06:35,880 --> 00:06:40,440 O Israel, you cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from 109 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:41,520 among you. 110 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:45,560 In the morning therefore you shall be brought according to your tribes, and it shall be 111 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:49,860 that the tribe which the LORD takes shall come according to families, and the family 112 00:06:49,860 --> 00:06:54,320 which the LORD takes shall come by households, and the household which the LORD takes shall 113 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:56,240 come man by man. 114 00:06:56,240 --> 00:07:00,840 And it shall be that he who is taken with the accursed thing shall be burned with fire, 115 00:07:00,840 --> 00:07:05,280 he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he has 116 00:07:05,280 --> 00:07:07,960 done a disgraceful thing in Israel. 117 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:12,320 So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel by their tribes, and the tribe of Judah 118 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:13,440 was taken. 119 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:17,520 He brought the clan of Judah, and he took the family of the Zareites, and he brought 120 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:21,120 the family of the Zareites man by man, and Zabdi was taken. 121 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:25,520 Then he brought his household man by man, and Akon the son of Karmie the son of Zabdi, 122 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:28,400 the son of Zareite of the tribe of Judah was taken. 123 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:33,120 Now Joshua said to Akon, My son, I beg you, give glory to the LORD God of Israel, and 124 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:38,200 make confession to him, and tell me now what you have done, do not hide it from me. 125 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:42,120 And Akon answered Joshua and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, 126 00:07:42,120 --> 00:07:43,840 and this is what I have done. 127 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:48,160 When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and 128 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:52,980 a wedge of gold, weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them, and took them. 129 00:07:52,980 --> 00:07:56,960 And there they are, hidden in the earth, in the midst of my tent, with the silver under 130 00:07:56,960 --> 00:07:57,960 it. 131 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:01,560 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his 132 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:03,560 tent with the silver under it. 133 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:07,080 And they took them from the midst of the tent, and brought them to Joshua and to all the 134 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:10,000 children of Israel, and laid them out before the LORD. 135 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:14,480 Then Joshua and all Israel with him took Akon the son of Zerah, the silver, the garment, 136 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:20,080 the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, 137 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:23,440 and all that he had, and they brought them to the valley of Akor. 138 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:25,480 And Joshua said, Why have you troubled us? 139 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:27,480 The LORD will trouble you this day. 140 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:31,280 So all Israel stoned him with stones, and they burned them with fire, after they had 141 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:33,420 stoned them with stones. 142 00:08:33,420 --> 00:08:37,560 Then they raised over him a great heap of stones, still there to this day. 143 00:08:37,560 --> 00:08:40,640 So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. 144 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:47,200 Therefore the name of that place has been called the valley of Akor to this day. 145 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:50,360 And the LORD said to Joshua, Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed. 146 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:54,360 Take all the people of war with you, and arise and go to Ai. 147 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:59,640 See I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land. 148 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:04,040 And you shall do to Ai and its king, as you did to Jericho and its king. 149 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:09,120 Only its spoil and its cattle you shall take as booty for yourselves, lay an ambush for 150 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:10,940 the city behind it. 151 00:09:10,940 --> 00:09:14,620 So Joshua arose and all the people of war to go up against Ai. 152 00:09:14,620 --> 00:09:19,280 And Joshua chose thirty thousand mighty men of valor and sent them away by night. 153 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:23,520 And he commanded them, saying, Behold you shall lay an ambush against the city, behind 154 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:24,520 the city. 155 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:27,800 Do not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready. 156 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:32,200 Then I and all the people who are with me will approach the city, and it will come about 157 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:36,840 when they come out against us as at the first, that we shall flee before them. 158 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:40,380 For they will come out after us till we have drawn them from the city. 159 00:09:40,380 --> 00:09:44,240 For they will say they are fleeing before us as at the first. 160 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:46,280 Therefore we will flee before them. 161 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:48,760 Then you shall rise from the ambush and seize the city. 162 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:51,640 For the Lord your God will deliver it into your hand. 163 00:09:51,640 --> 00:09:55,880 And it will be when you have taken the city, that you shall set the city on fire. 164 00:09:55,880 --> 00:09:59,960 According to the commandment of the Lord you shall do, see I have commanded you. 165 00:09:59,960 --> 00:10:01,640 Joshua therefore sent them out. 166 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:06,160 And they went to lie in ambush and stayed between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of 167 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:07,160 Ai. 168 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:09,480 But Joshua lodged that night among the people. 169 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:13,120 Then Joshua rose up early in the morning and mustered the people and went up. 170 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:16,360 He and the elders of Israel before the people to Ai. 171 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:19,760 And all the people of war who were with him went up and drew near. 172 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:23,400 And they came before the city and camped on the north side of Ai. 173 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:25,540 Now a valley lay between them and Ai. 174 00:10:25,540 --> 00:10:30,240 So he took about five thousand men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai on the 175 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:31,960 west side of the city. 176 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:35,960 And when they had set the people, all the army that was on the north side of the city 177 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:40,280 and its rear guard on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the 178 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:41,280 valley. 179 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:45,200 And what happened when the king of Ai saw it, that the men of the city hurried and rose 180 00:10:45,200 --> 00:10:50,200 early and went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at an appointed place 181 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:51,560 before the plain. 182 00:10:51,560 --> 00:10:55,540 But he did not know that there was an ambush against him behind the city. 183 00:10:55,540 --> 00:11:00,320 And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them and fled by the way 184 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:01,480 of the wilderness. 185 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:05,120 So all the people who were in Ai were called together to pursue them. 186 00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:08,000 And they pursued Joshua and were drawn away from the city. 187 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:12,280 There was not a man left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel. 188 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:15,160 So they left the city open and pursued Israel. 189 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:19,420 Then the Lord said to Joshua, stretch out the spear that is in your hand toward Ai, 190 00:11:19,420 --> 00:11:21,320 for I will give it into your hand. 191 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:24,760 And Joshua stretched out the spear that was in his hand toward the city. 192 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:28,000 So those in ambush arose quickly out of their place. 193 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:32,540 They ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand and they entered the city and took it, 194 00:11:32,540 --> 00:11:34,520 and hurried to set the city on fire. 195 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:37,960 And when the men of Ai looked behind them they saw, and behold the smoke of the city 196 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:39,420 ascended to heaven. 197 00:11:39,420 --> 00:11:42,240 So they had no power to flee this way or that way. 198 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:46,660 And the people who had fled to the wilderness turned back on the pursuers. 199 00:11:46,660 --> 00:11:50,200 Now when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city and that the smoke 200 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:54,240 of the city ascended, they turned back and struck down the men of Ai. 201 00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:57,880 Then the others came out of the city against them, so they were caught in the midst of 202 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:01,280 Israel, some on this side and some on that side. 203 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:05,600 And they struck them down so that they let none of them remain or escape. 204 00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:08,500 But the king of Ai they took alive and brought him to Joshua. 205 00:12:08,500 --> 00:12:12,640 And it came to pass when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in 206 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:17,240 the field, in the wilderness where they pursued them, and when they all had fallen by the 207 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:21,760 edge of the sword until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned to Ai and 208 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:24,020 struck it with the edge of the sword. 209 00:12:24,020 --> 00:12:28,720 So it was that all who fell that day, both men and women, were twelve thousand, all the 210 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:29,800 people of Ai. 211 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:33,880 For Joshua did not draw back his hand with which he stretched out the spear until he 212 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:37,320 had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. 213 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:41,800 Only the livestock and the spoil of that city Israel took as booty for themselves according 214 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:45,000 to the word of the Lord which he had commanded Joshua. 215 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:50,220 So Joshua burned Ai and made it a heap forever, a desolation to this day. 216 00:12:50,220 --> 00:12:52,960 And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until evening. 217 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:57,280 And as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his corpse down from 218 00:12:57,280 --> 00:13:02,040 the tree, cast it at the entrance of the gate of the city, and raise over it a great heap 219 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:04,720 of stones that remains to this day. 220 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:09,320 Now Joshua built an altar to the Lord God of Israel in Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant 221 00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:13,120 of the Lord had commanded the children of Israel as it is written in the book of the 222 00:13:13,120 --> 00:13:19,200 law of Moses, an altar of whole stones over which no man has yielded an iron tool. 223 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:23,360 And they offered on it burnt offerings to the Lord and sacrificed peace offerings. 224 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:27,560 And there in the presence of the children of Israel he wrote on the stones a copy of 225 00:13:27,560 --> 00:13:29,760 the law of Moses which he had written. 226 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:34,280 Then all Israel with their elders and officers and judges stood on either side of the ark 227 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:38,840 before the priests, the Levites who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord, the stranger 228 00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:41,520 as well as he who was born among them. 229 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:46,440 Half of them were in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as 230 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:50,920 Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded before that they should bless the people of 231 00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:52,000 Israel. 232 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:56,560 And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings according 233 00:13:56,560 --> 00:13:59,100 to all that is written in the book of the law. 234 00:13:59,100 --> 00:14:03,440 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before 235 00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:07,640 all the assembly of Israel, with the women, the little ones and the strangers who were 236 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:13,880 living among them. 237 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:17,520 I hope you enjoyed today's reading as much as I did and I look forward to seeing you 238 00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:19,640 again tomorrow to continue on our journey. 239 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:22,440 God bless you and have a great day.