Joshua 5

• 1. When all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings who lived along the Mediterranean coast heard how the LORD had dried up the Jordan River so the people of Israel could cross, they lost heart and were paralyzed with fear.
• 2. At that time the LORD told Joshua, "Use knives of flint to make the Israelites a circumcised people again."
• 3. So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the entire male population of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth.
• 4. Joshua had to circumcise them because all the men who were old enough to bear arms when they left Egypt had died in the wilderness.
• 5. Those who left Egypt had all been circumcised, but none of those born after the Exodus, during the years in the wilderness, had been circumcised.
• 6. The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years until all the men who were old enough to bear arms when they left Egypt had died. For they had disobeyed the LORD, and the LORD vowed he would not let them enter the land he had sworn to give us--a land flowing with milk and honey.
• 7. So Joshua circumcised their sons who had not been circumcised on the way to the Promised Land--those who had grown up to take their fathers' places.
• 8. After all the males had been circumcised, they rested in the camp until they were healed.
• 9. Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the shame of your slavery in Egypt." So that place has been called Gilgal to this day.
• 10. While the Israelites were camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they celebrated Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month--the month that marked their exodus from Egypt.
• 11. The very next day they began to eat unleavened bread and roasted grain harvested from the land.
• 12. No manna appeared that day, and it was never seen again. So from that time on the Israelites ate from the crops of Canaan.
• 13. As Joshua approached the city of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man facing him with sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you friend or foe?"
• 14. "Neither one," he replied. "I am commander of the LORD's army." At this, Joshua fell with his face to the ground in reverence. "I am at your command," Joshua said. "What do you want your servant to do?"
• 15. The commander of the LORD's army replied, "Take off your sandals, for this is holy ground." And Joshua did as he was told.

Psalms 132

• 1. LORD, remember David and all that he suffered.
• 2. He took an oath before the LORD. He vowed to the Mighty One of Israel,
• 3. "I will not go home; I will not let myself rest.
• 4. I will not let my eyes sleep nor close my eyelids in slumber
• 5. until I find a place to build a house for the LORD, a sanctuary for the Mighty One of Israel."
• 6. We heard that the Ark was in Ephrathah; then we found it in the distant countryside of Jaar.
• 7. Let us go to the dwelling place of the LORD; let us bow low before him.
• 8. Arise, O LORD, and enter your sanctuary, along with the Ark, the symbol of your power.
• 9. Your priests will be agents of salvation; may your loyal servants sing for joy.
• 10. For the sake of your servant David, do not reject the king you chose for your people.
• 11. The LORD swore to David a promise he will never take back: "I will place one of your descendants on your throne.
• 12. If your descendants obey the terms of my covenant and follow the decrees that I teach them, then your royal line will never end."
• 13. For the LORD has chosen Jerusalem; he has desired it as his home.
• 14. "This is my home where I will live forever," he said. "I will live here, for this is the place I desired.
• 15. I will make this city prosperous and satisfy its poor with food.
• 16. I will make its priests the agents of salvation; its godly people will sing for joy.
• 17. Here I will increase the power of David; my anointed one will be a light for my people.
• 18. I will clothe his enemies with shame, but he will be a glorious king."

Psalms 133

• 1. How wonderful it is, how pleasant, when brothers live together in harmony!
• 2. For harmony is as precious as the fragrant anointing oil that was poured over Aaron's head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe.
• 3. Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And the LORD has pronounced his blessing, even life forevermore.

Psalms 134

• 1. Oh, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, you who serve as night watchmen in the house of the LORD.
• 2. Lift your hands in holiness, and bless the LORD.
• 3. May the LORD, who made heaven and earth, bless you from Jerusalem.

Isaiah 65

• 1. The LORD says, "People who never before inquired about me are now asking about me. I am being found by people who were not looking for me. To them I have said, `I am here!'
• 2. "I opened my arms to my own people all day long, but they have rebelled. They follow their own evil paths and thoughts.
• 3. All day long they insult me to my face by worshiping idols in their sacred gardens. They burn incense on the rooftops of their homes.
• 4. At night they go out among the graves and secret places to worship evil spirits. They also eat pork and other forbidden foods.
• 5. Yet they say to each other, `Don't come too close or you will defile me! I am holier than you!' They are a stench in my nostrils, an acrid smell that never goes away.
• 6. "Look, my decree is written out in front of me: I will not stand silent; I will repay them in full! Yes, I will repay them--
• 7. both for their own sins and for those of their ancestors," says the LORD. "For they also burned incense on the mountains and insulted me on the hills. I will pay them back in full!
• 8. "But I will not destroy them all," says the LORD. "For just as good grapes are found among a cluster of bad ones (and someone will say, `Don't throw them all away--there are some good grapes there!'), so I will not destroy all Israel. For I still have true servants there.
• 9. I will preserve a remnant of the people of Israel and of Judah to possess my land. Those I choose will inherit it and serve me there.
• 10. For my people who have searched for me, the plain of Sharon will again be filled with flocks, and the valley of Achor will be a place to pasture herds.
• 11. "But because the rest of you have forsaken the LORD and his Temple and worship the gods of Fate and Destiny,
• 12. I will `destine' you to the sword. All of you will bow before the executioner, for when I called, you did not answer. When I spoke, you did not listen. You deliberately sinned--before my very eyes--and chose to do what you know I despise."
• 13. Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "You will starve, but my servants will eat. You will be thirsty, but they will drink. You will be sad and ashamed, but they will rejoice.
• 14. You will cry in sorrow and despair, while my servants sing for joy.
• 15. Your name will be a curse word among my people, for the Sovereign LORD will destroy you and call his true servants by another name.
• 16. All who invoke a blessing or take an oath will do so by the God of truth. For I will put aside my anger and forget the evil of earlier days.
• 17. "Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth--so wonderful that no one will even think about the old ones anymore.
• 18. Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation! And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness. Her people will be a source of joy.
• 19. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and delight in my people. And the sound of weeping and crying will be heard no more.
• 20. "No longer will babies die when only a few days old. No longer will adults die before they have lived a full life. No longer will people be considered old at one hundred! Only sinners will die that young!
• 21. In those days, people will live in the houses they build and eat the fruit of their own vineyards.
• 22. It will not be like the past, when invaders took the houses and confiscated the vineyards. For my people will live as long as trees and will have time to enjoy their hard-won gains.
• 23. They will not work in vain, and their children will not be doomed to misfortune. For they are people blessed by the LORD, and their children, too, will be blessed.
• 24. I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking to me about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!
• 25. The wolf and lamb will feed together. The lion will eat straw like the ox. Poisonous snakes will strike no more. In those days, no one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain. I, the LORD, have spoken!"

New Living Translation: 184 of 365 days.