Joshua 8

• 1. And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:
• 2. And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.
• 3. So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by night.
• 4. And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:
• 5. And I, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them,
• 6. (For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we will flee before them.
• 7. Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.
• 8. And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that ye shall set the city on fire: according to the commandment of the LORD shall ye do. See, I have commanded you.
• 9. Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in ambush, and abode between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that night among the people.
• 10. And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.
• 11. And all the people, even the people of war that were with him, went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai: now there was a valley between them and Ai.
• 12. And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.
• 13. And when they had set the people, even all the host that was on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.
• 14. And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not that there were liers in ambush against him behind the city.
• 15. And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.
• 16. And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them: and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city.
• 17. And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.
• 18. And the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city.
• 19. And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city, and took it, and hasted and set the city on fire.
• 20. And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.
• 21. And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again, and slew the men of Ai.
• 22. And the other issued out of the city against them; so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side: and they smote them, so that they let none of them remain or escape.
• 23. And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.
• 24. And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword.
• 25. And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai.
• 26. For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.
• 27. Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto themselves, according unto the word of the LORD which he commanded Joshua.
• 28. And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a desolation unto this day.
• 29. And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day.
• 30. Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal,
• 31. As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings.
• 32. And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.
• 33. And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.
• 34. And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law.
• 35. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.

Psalms 139

• 1. O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.
• 2. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
• 3. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
• 4. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
• 5. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
• 6. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
• 7. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
• 8. If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
• 9. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
• 10. Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
• 11. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
• 12. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
• 13. For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
• 14. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
• 15. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
• 16. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
• 17. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
• 18. If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
• 19. Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
• 20. For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
• 21. Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
• 22. I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
• 23. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
• 24. And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalms 140

• 1. Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;
• 2. Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.
• 3. They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah.
• 4. Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.
• 5. The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.
• 6. I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.
• 7. O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.
• 8. Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah.
• 9. As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
• 10. Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.
• 11. Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
• 12. I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.
• 13. Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.

Jeremiah 2

• 1. Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
• 2. Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.
• 3. Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD.
• 4. Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:
• 5. Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?
• 6. Neither said they, Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?
• 7. And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.
• 8. The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.
• 9. Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your children's children will I plead.
• 10. For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing.
• 11. Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
• 12. Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD.
• 13. For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
• 14. Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he spoiled?
• 15. The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.
• 16. Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head.
• 17. Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way?
• 18. And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?
• 19. Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.
• 20. For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.
• 21. Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?
• 22. For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD.
• 23. How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways;
• 24. A wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.
• 25. Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.
• 26. As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets.
• 27. Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.
• 28. But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah.
• 29. Wherefore will ye plead with me? ye all have transgressed against me, saith the LORD.
• 30. In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.
• 31. O generation, see ye the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee?
• 32. Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.
• 33. Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love? therefore hast thou also taught the wicked ones thy ways.
• 34. Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents: I have not found it by secret search, but upon all these.
• 35. Yet thou sayest, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned.
• 36. Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou also shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.
• 37. Yea, thou shalt go forth from him, and thine hands upon thine head: for the LORD hath rejected thy confidences, and thou shalt not prosper in them.

King James Version

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