Daily Readings for June 4

Daily Readings for June 4
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Joshua 22

1.Then Joshua called the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, 2.and said to them, "You have kept all that Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you, and have listened to my voice in all that I commanded you. 3.You have not left your brothers these many days to this day, but have performed the duty of the commandment of Yahweh your God. 4.Now Yahweh your God has given rest to your brothers, as he spoke to them. Therefore now return and go to your tents, to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of Yahweh gave you beyond the Jordan. 5.Only take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you, to love Yahweh your God, to walk in all his ways, to keep his commandments, to hold fast to him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul."

6.So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away; and they went to their tents. 7.Now to the one half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given inheritance in Bashan; but to the other half gave Joshua among their brothers beyond the Jordan westward. Moreover when Joshua sent them away to their tents, he blessed them, 8.and spoke to them, saying, "Return with much wealth to your tents, with very much livestock, with silver, with gold, with brass, with iron, and with very much clothing. Divide the spoil of your enemies with your brothers."

9.The children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the land of Gilead, to the land of their possession, which they owned, according to the commandment of Yahweh by Moses. 10.When they came to the region about the Jordan, that is in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, a great altar to look at. 11.The children of Israel heard this, "Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar in the forefront of the land of Canaan, in the region about the Jordan, on the side that pertains to the children of Israel." 12.When the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up against them to war. 13.The children of Israel sent to the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, 14.and with him ten princes, one prince of a fathers' house for each of the tribes of Israel; and they were everyone of them head of their fathers' houses among the thousands of Israel. 15.They came to the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying, 16."Thus says the whole congregation of Yahweh, 'What trespass is this that you have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following Yahweh, in that you have built yourselves an altar, to rebel this day against Yahweh? 17.Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day, although there came a plague on the congregation of Yahweh, 18.that you must turn away this day from following Yahweh? It will be, since you rebel today against Yahweh, that tomorrow he will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel. 19.However, if the land of your possession is unclean, then pass over to the land of the possession of Yahweh, in which Yahweh's tabernacle dwells, and take possession among us; but don't rebel against Yahweh, nor rebel against us, in building an altar other than the altar of Yahweh our God. 20.Didn't Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the devoted thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? That man didn't perish alone in his iniquity.'"

21.Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered, and spoke to the heads of the thousands of Israel, 22."The Mighty One, God, Yahweh, the Mighty One, God, Yahweh, he knows; and Israel shall know: if it was in rebellion, or if in trespass against Yahweh (don't save us this day), 23.that we have built us an altar to turn away from following Yahweh; or if to offer burnt offering or meal offering, or if to offer sacrifices of peace offerings, let Yahweh himself require it.

24."If we have not out of concern done this, and for a reason, saying, 'In time to come your children might speak to our children, saying, "What have you to do with Yahweh, the God of Israel? 25.For Yahweh has made the Jordan a border between us and you, you children of Reuben and children of Gad. You have no portion in Yahweh."' So your children might make our children cease from fearing Yahweh.

26."Therefore we said, 'Let's now prepare to build ourselves an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice; 27.but it will be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we may perform the service of Yahweh before him with our burnt offerings, with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings;' that your children may not tell our children in time to come, 'You have no portion in Yahweh.'

28."Therefore we said, 'It shall be, when they tell us or our generations this in time to come, that we shall say, "Behold the pattern of the altar of Yahweh, which our fathers made, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you."'

29."Far be it from us that we should rebel against Yahweh, and turn away this day from following Yahweh, to build an altar for burnt offering, for meal offering, or for sacrifice, besides the altar of Yahweh our God that is before his tabernacle!"

30.When Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation, even the heads of the thousands of Israel that were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them well. 31.Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the children of Reuben, to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, "Today we know that Yahweh is in the midst of us, because you have not committed this trespass against Yahweh. Now you have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of Yahweh." 32.Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, to the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again. 33.The thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and spoke no more of going up against them to war, to destroy the land in which the children of Reuben and the children of Gad lived. 34.The children of Reuben and the children of Gad named the altar "A Witness Between Us that Yahweh is God."

Isaiah 28

1.Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley of those who are overcome with wine! 2.Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one. Like a storm of hail, a destroying storm, and like a storm of mighty waters overflowing, he will cast them down to the earth with his hand. 3.The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim will be trodden under foot. 4.The fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley, shall be like the first-ripe fig before the summer; which someone picks and eats as soon as he sees it. 5.In that day, Yahweh of Armies will become a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, to the residue of his people; 6.and a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate. 7.They also reel with wine, and stagger with strong drink. The priest and the prophet reel with strong drink. They are swallowed up by wine. They stagger with strong drink. They err in vision. They stumble in judgment. 8.For all tables are completely full of filthy vomit and filthiness. 9.Whom will he teach knowledge? To whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts? 10.For it is precept on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little. 11.But he will speak to this nation with stammering lips and in another language; 12.to whom he said, "This is the resting place. Give rest to weary;" and "This is the refreshing;" yet they would not hear. 13.Therefore the word of Yahweh will be to them precept on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little; that they may go, fall backward, be broken, be snared, and be taken. 14.Therefore hear the word of Yahweh, you scoffers, that rule this people in Jerusalem: 15."Because you have said, 'We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol¹⁴ are we in agreement. When the overflowing scourge passes through, it won't come to us; for we have made lies our refuge, and we have hidden ourselves under falsehood.'" 16.Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh, "Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone of a sure foundation. He who believes shall not act hastily. 17.I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the plumb line. The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow the hiding place. 18.Your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol¹⁵ shall not stand. When the overflowing scourge passes through, then you will be trampled down by it. 19.As often as it passes through, it will seize you; for morning by morning it will pass through, by day and by night; and it will be nothing but terror to understand the message." 20.For the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket is too narrow to wrap oneself in. 21.For Yahweh will rise up as on Mount Perazim. He will be angry as in the valley of Gibeon; that he may do his work, his unusual work, and bring to pass his act, his extraordinary act. 22.Now therefore don't be scoffers, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard a decree of destruction from the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, on the whole earth.

23.Give ear, and hear my voice! Listen, and hear my speech! 24.Does he who plows to sow plow continually? Does he keep turning the soil and breaking the clods? 25.When he has leveled its surface, doesn't he plant the dill, and scatter the cumin seed, and put in the wheat in rows, the barley in the appointed place, and the spelt in its place? 26.For his God instructs him in right judgment, and teaches him. 27.For the dill are not threshed with a sharp instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned over the cumin; but the dill is beaten out with a stick, and the cumin with a rod. 28.Bread flour must be ground; so he will not always be threshing it. Although he drives the wheel of his threshing cart over it, his horses don't grind it. 29.This also comes forth from Yahweh of Armies, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in wisdom.

Hebrews 11

1.Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen. 2.For by this, the elders obtained testimony. 3.By faith, we understand that the universe has been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made out of things which are visible. 4.By faith, Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had testimony given to him that he was righteous, God testifying with respect to his gifts; and through it he, being dead, still speaks. 5.By faith, Enoch was taken away, so that he wouldn't see death, and he was not found, because God translated him. For he has had testimony given to him that before his translation he had been well pleasing to God. 6.Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him. 7.By faith, Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear,³⁶ prepared a ship for the saving of his house, through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. 8.By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he went. 9.By faith, he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. 10.For he looked for the city which has the foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 11.By faith, even Sarah herself received power to conceive, and she bore a child when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised. 12.Therefore as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as innumerable as the sand which is by the sea shore, were fathered by one man, and him as good as dead. 13.These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen³⁷ them and embraced them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14.For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. 15.If indeed they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had enough time to return. 16.But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

17.By faith, Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had gladly received the promises was offering up his one and only son; 18.even he to whom it was said, "In Isaac will your seed be called;"³⁸ 19.concluding that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Figuratively speaking, he also did receive him back from the dead. 20.By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come. 21.By faith, Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22.By faith, Joseph, when his end was near, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel; and gave instructions concerning his bones. 23.By faith, Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. 24.By faith, Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25.choosing rather to share ill treatment with God's people, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time; 26.accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward. 27.By faith, he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. 28.By faith, he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them. 29.By faith, they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land. When the Egyptians tried to do so, they were swallowed up. 30.By faith, the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been encircled for seven days. 31.By faith, Rahab the prostitute, didn't perish with those who were disobedient, having received the spies in peace. 32.What more shall I say? For the time would fail me if I told of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets; 33.who, through faith subdued kingdoms, worked out righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,³⁹ 34.quenched the power of fire,⁴⁰ escaped the edge of the sword,⁴¹ from weakness were made strong, grew mighty in war, and caused foreign armies to flee. 35.Women received their dead by resurrection.⁴² Others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36.Others were tried by mocking and scourging, yes, moreover by bonds and imprisonment. 37.They were stoned.⁴³ They were sawn apart. They were tempted. They were slain with the sword.⁴⁴ They went around in sheep skins and in goat skins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated 38.(of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts, mountains, caves, and the holes of the earth. 39.These all, having had testimony given to them through their faith, didn't receive the promise, 40.God having provided some better thing concerning us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.