Reading for January 8th

 Read Judges 16.23--31. In 16.23.31: Samson's retaliation. In verse 23: Dagon was a Canaanite grain god adopted by the Philistines (1 Sam 5.1-5). In verse 26: The house is ether Dagon's temple or a large hall. In verse 28: This one act will avenge two wrongs. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 7th

 Read Judges 16.1-22. In 16.1-22: Delilah betrays Samson. In verses 1-3: Gaza was one of the five Philistine cities. Hebron is about forty miles (sixty kilometers) uphill from Gaza. In verse 4: Because she lives in the valley of Sorek, she is probably a Philistine. In verse 7: Bowstrings were made of animal tendons. They are to be fresh because new things were thought to have magical powers. In verse 11: Specifying new ropes again points to magical notions. In verse 13: The web and the pin were parts of a loom (v. 14). Perhaps to entangle Samson in something so domestic as weaving would magically drain his warrior powers. By involving his hair, Samson has revealed part of his secret. In verse 20: The loss of his nazirite status (13.5) means the Lord had left him so that the spirit would no longer empower his mighty feats (14.6, 19; 15.14). In verse 21: Samson grinds grain with a hand mill, a menial task performed by women and slaves (compare Lam 5.13). Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 6th

 Read Judges 15.9-20. In 15.9-20: Samson retaliates at Lehi. In verse 11: The dispatch of three thousand men to capture a single individual is humorous. In verse 13: That these are two new ropes adds to the wonder of his escape. In verse 14: Shouting (Heb., "yelling a war cry") conveys their triumph and jubilation. Two vivid images communicate the strength infused by the Spirit of the Lord. In verse 16: The words for donkey and heap are the same in Hebrew. In verse 17: The story of Samson's exploit was preserved by its attachment to two landmarks. In verse 19: His spirit returned, that is his vigor and positive attitude. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 5th

 Read Judges 15.1-8. In 15.1-8: Samson's revenge. In verse 1: This may have been a form of marriage in which the woman continued to live with her parents. In verse 2; That he had rejected her (divorced her) was a reasonable conclusion in light of 14.19. Ancient readers would have seen the offer of her younger sister as a sensible  compromise. In verse 4: The foxes are a way of spreading the fire widely and quickly. In verse 6: This was precisely the fate Samson's wife had hoped to avoid (14.15). In verse 8: The meaning of hip and thigh is uncertain, but implies ferocious physical combat. Comments or  Questions..

Reading for January 4th

 Read Judges 14.1-20. In 14.1-20: Samson's riddle. In verse 3: Their hesitation is fitting for intermarriage often leads to apostasy (Deut 7.3-4). In verse 4: God works behind ordinary human events (compare 9.24). In verse 5: The first trip to Timnah is for parental negotiations and a  meeting of the couple (v. 7). In verse 6: The Spirit of the Lord gave other judges the ability to serve as military leaders (3.10; 6.34; 11.29) but infuses Samson with physical strength (v. 19). In verses 8-9: Samson's second trip was to marry her. Does he discover the honey on his way back from Timnah? In verse 10: Now his father arrives in Timnah, and Samson gives a feast. In verse 11: Companions were a standard feature of marriage celebrations (Ps 45.14). In verse 14: Proposing and solving riddles was a favorite intellectual exercise in the ancient world. In verses 16-17: Her persistence is akin to Deliah's (16.6-17; compare you do not really love me with 16.15). In verse 18: Their solution sounds like a riddle itself. Is "love" a more profound answer to their question? Samson's response also occurs in riddle form. By exploiting his wife, they have plowed with his heifer. In verse 19: The people of Ashketon were also Philistines. Samson can pay off his wager and still not lose love. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 3rd

 Read Judges 13.8-25. In 13.8-25: The angel reappears. In verses 13-14: Manoah discovers nothing new from the second appearance for which he has prayed. In verses 15-16: Manoah offers the customary hospitality for important victors (6.19; Gen 18.3-5). He still has no idea who this is. In verse 18: Wonderful implies that the name is beyond human understanding. In verses 19-20: Gideon's experience was similar (6.20-21). In verse 22: This is the standard reaction after experiencing a visible manifestation of God 9.6, 22). In verse 23: Throughout the narrative, she is more perceptive than her husband. In verse 25: At this point, the spirit of the Lord is only a latent stirring or agitation (Contrast 14.6) Comments or Questions...

Reading for January 2nd

 Read Judges 13.1-7. In 13.1-7: Samson's birth foretold. In verse 3: The angel of the Lord represents the Lord's visible presence. In verse 4: Wine or strong drink (Num 6.3) were forbidden to a nazirite. She is to keep away from these because her unborn son must be untouched by them. In verse 5: A nazirite lived a special lifestyle dedicated to God's purpose (Num 6.1-21; 1 Sam 1.11). Normally nazirites took a temporary vow of dedication, Samson was to be a permanent nazirite from birth. In verse 6: She supposes she has encountered a man of God, that is a prophet, but from his striking appearance she comes close to sensing the actual truth-that he was a divine messenger. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 1st

 Read Judges 12.1-15. In 12.1-7: War between Ephraim and Gilead. In verses 1-3: The reader does not know which side to believe. No such appeal to Ephraim by Jephthah has been reported. In verse 4; Ephraim insults Gilead as being nothing that Gilead is really only a part of Ephraim and Manasseh. In verse 5: Gilead blocks the way back across the Jordan and uses a difference in local dialect as a password. The phrase fugitives of Ephraim grimly echoes their earlier taunt (v. 4). In verse 7: This information seems to derive frim the list of minor judges (10.1-5; 12.8-15). In verse 8-15: Minor judges: Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon. In verse 12 Elon is remembered as a clan ancestor in Zebulun (Gen 48.14). Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 31st

 Read Judges 11.29-40. In 11.29-40: Jephthah's vow. In verse 29: Only now the spirit of the Lord empowers Jephthah, perhaps reflecting the Lord's earlier reluctance to deliver Israel (10.13-16). In verse 30: Another example of a war vow can be found in Num21.2. In verse 31: His vow is rash, careless, and egocentric. The language does not necessarily specify that this will be a human sacrifice (NRSV whoever could also be "whatever"). Israelites shared their houses with farm animals. Burnt offerings suggest an animal, although human sacrifice was not unknown in Israel. In verse 34: She is doing an expected and predictable thing. Israelite women customarily celebrated victories with tumbrels and with dancing (Ex 15.20-21; 1 Sam 18.6-7). In verse 35: He is distraught (tore his clothes), but also sounds as though he is blaming her. Every ancient reader would agree that his vow was irrevocable. In verses 36-37: She is courageous and suitably devout, but also seizes control of she will spend the last months of her life. Bewail my virginity; To die without the possibility of motherhood was a dreadful tragedy in Israelite culture. (re-emphasized in v. 39). Jephthah too is now childless (v. 34). In verse 40: This annual commemoration may have preserved her story for later generations. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 30th

 Read Judges 11.12-28. In 11.12-28: Jephthah's diplomacy fails. In verse 13: The king asserts that Israel has unlawfully occupied land north of the Amon River and south of the Jabbok, directly west of the Ammonites homeland. Later statements indicate that Ammon is claiming this territory on the basis that it once belonged to Moab. In verse 15: Jephthah's position is that Israel did not take this territory from either Moab or the Ammonites, but rather obtained it 300 years ago (v. 26) by conquering the Amorite king Sihon (vv. 21-22). In verse 18: He emphasizes that Israel did not go into Moab, Even at the time the Amon was the boundary of Moab. In verse 24: Early Israel believed that the gods of other nations existed and legitimately guarded the interests of their own people. Chemosh, the god of Moab, was associated with the territory under dispute. Comments or Question...

Reading for December 29th

 Read Judges 11.1-11. In 11.1-11: Jephthah becomes leader of Gilead. In verse 3: Jephthah's career as a brigand parallel David's early history (1 Sam 22.2). In verse 6: The elders first offer the apparently temporary position of military commander. In verse 8: Jephthah holds out for a better offer: permanent head or ruler over all the inhabitants of  Gilead (10.18). In verse 11: He validates the agreement by reciting it in the witnessing presence of the lord at the shrine at Mizpah. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 28th

 Read Judges 10.1-18. In verses 1-5: Minor judges: Tola and Jair. In verses 1-2: Tola is the only minor judge credited with military role (rose to deliver Israel). Tradition preserves the names Tola and Puah (as Puvah) as clans of Issachar (Gen 46.13). In verses 3-5: Jair remembered as a pioneer in the voth-jair means "tent villages of Jair." In verses 6-18: Oppression by Ammon. In verse 6: A long catalog of gods emphasizes the magnitude of Israel's infidelity. In verses 7-8: The Ammonites lived to the east and south of Israel's territory in Gilead. In verses 12: Traditions of deliverance from the Sidonians or the otherwise unknown Maoonites are not preserved elsewhere. In verse 13: The Lord has fulfilled the threat made in 2.3. In verse 16: To put away the foreign gods may reflect an established ceremony (Gen 35,2-4; Josh 24.23) The Lord's relationship to Israel is described as an emotional attachment. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 27th

 Read Judges 9.50-57. In 9.50-57: The death of Abimelech. In verse 51-52: This narrative begins as a replay of his assault on Shechem.. In verse 53: An upper millstone was commonly used by women. It was of a size to be picked up in two hands and thrown. In verse 54: Although Abimelech seeks to avoid the notoriety of being killed by a woman (compare 4.9), he became a proverbial example of such a death (2 Sam 11.21). In verses 56-57; God's retributive justice (v. 24) and Jotham's curse (v. 20) have worked together to achieve a satisfying conclusion. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 26th

 Read Judges 9.34- 49. In 9.34-49: Abimelech defeats Shechem. In verse 34: By dividing his troops into four companies, Abimelech improves their chance of approaching unobserved. In verse 39: Gaal leads out Shechem's aristocrats (the lords of Shechem), who are driven back into the city with heavy losses. In verse 41: Although Abimelech does not storm the city at this point, Zebul is able to expel Gaal and his supporters. In verse 42: The ordinary farmers go out to work in the fields, perhaps to harvest (v. 27). In verse 44: The detachment under Abimelech's direct command blocks escape back into Shechem, while the other two contingents trap and slaughter the common folk. In verse 45: This is total war. Abimelech. pulls down buildings and blocks resettlement by sowing Shechem with salt as a symbolic curse. In verse 46: Although the identity of the lords of the Tower of Shechem is unclear, they are an aristocratic group who seek safety in the city's last citadel. Ancient temples were often constructed as strongholds. Comments or Questions...

Reading for December 25th

 Read Judges 9.22--33. In 9.22-33: The plot against Abimelech. In verse 23: An evil spirit creates a relationship of mutual distrust (1 Sam 16.14). In verse 24: Israel believed that evil deeds spontaneously brought on their own appropriate penalty. Violence brought on their own appropriate penalty. Violence and blood (bloodshed) would naturally rebound on the culprits. In verse 25: A breakdown in civil order (compare 5.6) undermines Abimelech's authority and diminishes the collection of royal tolls. In     verse26: Gaal and his relatives relocate to Shechem, but his nationalistic rhetoric (vv. 28-29) indicates that he has ethnic ties there. In verse 27: Talk would be loose and emotions would run high at this celebration of the wine harvest. In verse28: Gaal's argument appeals to ethnic pride: Abimelech is an upstart outsider. Both Jerubbaal and Zebul (Abimelech's deputy, v. 30) once served the authentic native leadership of Shechem, the men Hamor. Hamor was a renowned character for Shechem's past (Gen 33.19). In verse 33: Zebul intends to make sure that Gaal and his troops come out against Abimelech (v. 38). Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 24th

 Read Judges 9.7--21. In 9.7-21: Jotham's fable. In verses 8-13: This fable displays cynicism about kingship similar to 1 Samuel 8. The useful plants (representing Gideon 8.22-21) refuse kingship as a waste of their valuable aptitudes. In verses 14-15: The worthless bramble (Abimelech) accepts. But beware! The bramble's shade is prickly and meager, and its potential for fire threatens danger. In verse 16: The rest of Jotham's speech is an extended curse that culminates in 19-20. In verses 17-18: The curse is interrupted to demonstrate that the leaders of Shechem have not acted fairly. In verse 20: Fire represents the dissension that is soon to unfold. Jotham's curse reaches fulfillment in 56-57. Comments or  Questions..

Reading for December 23rd

 Read Judges 9.1-6. In 9.1-6: Abimelech seizes royal power. In verses 1-3: Abimelech's mother belonged to a clan of Shechem (8.31). In verse 5: On one stone may indicate a parody of sacrifice (1 Sam 14.33-34), but clearly communicates that the killing was deliberate and cold-blooded. In verse 6: Beth-millo indicates a building (literally "house on Filled-Up Ground"), but here must refer to a group on Shechem's system of government (v. 20 compare "white House"). Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 22nd

 Read Judges 8.22-35. In 8.22-35: Israel offers Gideon hereditary rule. In verse 23: The Lord will rule over you expresses the traditional notion that choosing human kings violates the Lord's kingship (1 Sam 8.7). In verse 24: Ishmaelites were similar in culture to the Midianites, but these were distinct nationalities (Gen 16; 25.1-4). In verse 27: Ephod usually describes a priestly vestment, which could be used for divination. perhaps this gold ephod was used to robe an idol. In verse 31: A concubine was a subordinate wife with lower legal status. In verse 33: Baal-berith (Baal of the Covenant; 9.4) was a god worshipped in Shechem, possibly the same as El-berith (9.46). Comments or Questions... 

Reading for December 21st

 Read Judges 8.4-21. In 8.4-21: Pursuit and vengeance. In verse 5: Zebah and Zalmunna represent a different story-telling tradition from that featuring Oreb and Zeeb (.25). In verse 6: The hands of the enemy could be cut off to serve as evidence of their capture or death. In verse 19: Gideon demands personal blood vengeance. Sons of my mother indicates these were his full brothers, an important consideration in a polygamous society. In verses 20-21: To have a mere boy kill them would be a grave insult. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 20th

Read Judges 17.15-8.3. In 7.15-8.3: Victory over Midian. In 7.16: The torches remain inside the jars to preserve the element of surprise. In verse 19: The beginning of the middle watch is a psychologically appropriate moment to attack. In verses 21-22: The result is panic, the classic weapon of the divine warrior (4.15). This victory became a proverbial example (Ps 83.9-11; Isa 9.4). In 8.1-2: The Ephraimites resent being left out of the original summons (6.35; 7.23), but Gideon responds wisely with a soothing compliment; The dregs of Ephraim are better than the very best my clan has to offer. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 19th

 Read Judges 7.1-14. In 7.1-14: Preparing for battle.  In verse 2: In holy war, the Lord alone wins the victory. In verse 3: Sending home the fearful accords with Deut 20.8. In verses 4-6: The Hebrew text of the second test is perplexing and the point of preferring those who lap over those who kneel (v. 5) is baffling. Few Israelites lap water, so that only a tiny fraction of the original ten thousand remain. In verse 8: Those who stay take the provisions of those who are leaving (retaining the Hebrew text). In verse 10: That Gideon would still fear to attack after the Lord's word of assurance in v. 9 typifies his character. In verses 13-14: Dreams were regarded as premonitions of the future. The symbols are appropriate: a tent for Midianites nomads and barley bread for Israelite farmers. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 18th

 Read Judges 6.33-40. In 6.33-40: Assembling troops and seeking a sign. In verses 34-35: The dynamic power of the spirit of the Lord inspires an unexpected act of leadership. Beginning with his own clan, the Abiezrites, Gideon attracts his own tribe and three neighboring ones. In verses 36-40: Gideon's repeated quest for certainty corresponds to his ambivalent character (6.15, 17, 27),but is not actually condemned in the narrative. Assurance of victory was an important element in holy war tradition. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 17th

 Read Judges 6.25-32. In 6.25-32: Gideon pulls down Baal's altar. In verse 25-26: The sacred pole was a symbol of the goddess Asherah. Using it as firewood would be a calculated desecration. In verse 27: Gideon is an ambivalent hero (v. 15, 17); he prefers to act by night.. In verse 31: If he is a god: a god unable to defend its own interests is not really a god at all. In verse 32: Gideon's other name, Jerubbaal (let "Baal contend"); would have been offensive to later believers. Here it receives an orthodox interpretation as a reminder of Baal's humiliation. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 16th

 Read Judges 6.11- In 6.11-24: The call of Gideon. In verse 11: The angel of the Lord is a visible manifestation of the Lord's presence (compare v. 14). Wheat would normally be beaten or threshed on a windy hilltop, not in the confined space of a wine press. In verse 15 Objections are a standard element of a call stories (ex 3.10-1. In verse 24: One purpose of this traditional story was to authenticate a local altar of sacrifice. Comments or Questions...

Reading for December 15th

 Read Judges 6.1-10. In 6.1-10: Oppression by Midian. In verses 3-4: Nomadic raiders are divesting the local food supply. In verses 7-10: These accusation reflect the indictment delivered at Bochim  (2.1-5). To give heed to the Lord's voice (v.10) means to obey. Comments or Questions.

Reading for december 14th

 Read Judges 5.28-30. In 5.28-30: With delicious sarcasm, the poet describes Sisera's mother waiting in vain. Her reference to hoofbeats (v. 28) is ironic in light of 22. Her son is not ravishing captive women (v. 30), but has been ravished himself. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 13th

 Read Judges 5.19-27. In verses 20-21: The heavenly forces of the divine warrior fight, and  the Kishon River overwhelms the enemy. In verse 22: The escaping chariot horses are vividly described. In verse 23: Both the town Meroz and the incident cited are otherwise unknown. In verses 26-27: In this version Sisera seems to be standing when attacked (contrast 4.21). The penetrating tent peg and his fall "between her feet" (NRSV: at her feet) probably have sexual implications. This scene may be a reversal of the customary rape alluded to in v. 30. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 12th

 Read Judges 5.10-18. In 5.10-18: Everyone is to celebrate, both aristocrats who ride and sit on rich carpets and ordinary folk who walk. Watering places were customary spots for social interaction.. In verses 14-18: Reflecting a stage of tribal affinity earlier than conventional twelve-tribe system, the poem alludes to ten groups and censures four of them for not participating. Machar (v. 14) and Gilead (v. 17) appear in place of Manasseh and Gad. Judah, Simeon, and Levi are not mentioned at all. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 11th

Read Judges 5.1-9. In 5.1-31: The song of Deborah. In verse 2: Archaic language makes this poem difficult to interpret. Locks are long may refer to vows of military dedication similar to Samson's long hair. In verse 4-5: The poetic format of a "theophany" describes the awe-inspiring approach of the divine warrior (compare Deut 33.2-3). In verses 6-8: Israel's precarious situation before the victory (vv. 6, 8), is contrasted with the good fortune that followed (v. 7). Mother in Israel (v. 7) is an honorific title signifying authority and leadership. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 10th

 Read Judges 4.12-24. In 4.12-24: Sisera's defeat and Jael's exploit.  In verse 13.: The battle takes place in the plain of the Wadi Kishon, west of Mount Tabor. In verse 15: Panic is a standard weapon of the divine warrior (Josh 10.10). The circumstances behind this panic are not described (but see 5.20-21). In verse 16: Barak pursued the chariots, but Sisera has abandoned his and run off ( vv. 15, 17). In verse 17: This peace explains why Sisera feels comfortable seeking refuge with Jael. In verses 18-19: Jael takes the initiative, going out to invite him in. The rug and milk sound like the courteous hospitality, but by encouraging sleep Jeal is setting him up for the kill. In verse 20: Sisera's request reveals both his unmanly fear and his misplaced confidence in Jeal. In verse 21: Hammering tent pegs would have been a routine task for a woman in this culture. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 9th

 Read Judges 4.1-11. In 4.1-11: Deborah and Barak prepare for battle. In verse 2: Jabin is also named as king of Hazor in Josh 11.1-11. In verse 3: Chariots with iron fittings gave a decisive tactical advantage. In verse 4: Here judging refers to settling disputes, but the verb also means to serve as military leader (3.10). As a prophetess Deborah delivers messages from the Lord (vv. 6-7, 14). In verses 6-7: In accord with holy war tradition, the Lord dictates tactics and gives an assurance of victory. The territories of Naphtali and Zebulun touched at Mount Tabor. In verse 9: Barak is penalized for his fainthearted response. The reader who assumes that the hand of a woman refers to Deborah is in for a surprise. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 8th

 Read 3.12-31. In 3.12--30 Ehud. In verse 13: The city of palms is Jericho. In verses 15-16: That Ehud was left-handed lets him hide his short sword (with two edges for stabbing) in an unexpected place on his right thigh. In verse 20:Eglon rose from his seat, expecting to hear a divine oracle. In verse 24: Readers would enjoy rough humor at the expense of their enemies. The delay gives Ehud time to escape and raise a rebellion. In verse 28: Holding the fords of the Jordan prevented the enemy from escaping back across to Moab. In verse 31: Shamgar. Since 4.1 refers to Ehud, this mysterious figure (compare 5.6) is not part of the book system of judges. since son of indicates membership in a group or class and Anath was a war goddess, Shamgar may have been a mercenary. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 7th

 Read Judges 3.7-11. In 3.7-11: Othniel. In verse 7: Apostasy begins the cyclical pattern set forth in 2.11-19. The plural Baals and Asherahs denotes the worship of these divinities at multiple local shrines. Asherah was worshipped as the consort of Baal or Yahweh and represented by a wooden pole (6.25). In verse 8: Subjugation follows. Cushanrishathaim is otherwise unknown and sounds like a feature of folklore rather than history (Cushan of Double Wickedness). Aram-naharaim refers to northwestern Mesopotamia. In verse 9: The pattern is completed by Israel's cry to the Lord and deliverance. In verse 10: The spirit of the Lord is a force that empowers chosen heroes to perform extraordinary deeds of strength and leadership. In verse 11: The individual judges are unified by a chronological structure (see also v. 8) that reaches to 1 Kings 6.1. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 6th

 Read Judges 2.20-3.6. In 2.20-3.6: The nations left in the land. In 2.20-23: Israel's failure to complete the conquest was both a punishment (vv. 20-21) and a test of obedience (vv. 22-23; 3.1, 4). In 3.2: Another explanation is offered: they remined to train Israel for war. In 3.6: Intermarriage unavoidably entangled Israel in idolatry (Deut 7.3-4). Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 5th

 Read Judges 2.6-19. In 2.6-19: The cyclical pattern.  In verses 6-9: This statement is duplicated in Josh 24.28-31. The dismissal seems to close the assembly described in Josh 24.1-27, thereby skipping back over Judg 1.1-2.5. In verse 10: In contrast to the elders of v. 7, the ignorance of another generation sets in motion a repeated pattern of events. In verses 11-13: First Israel would abandon the Lord for other gods. Baals (vv.11, 13) and Astartes (v. 13) represents Canaanite religion as a whole (10.6). In verses 14-15: This would in turn lead to the Lord's anger and oppression by enemies. In verses 16-18: The Lord would then send judges (military leaders) to deliver Israel. In verse 19: But each time, the people would revert to the worship of other gods, and begin the cycle again. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 4th

 Read Judges 2.1-6. In 2.1-5: The angel of the Lord appears. In verse 1: The angel of the Lord is a manifestation by which the Lord appears directly to humans (6.11; 13.3). The Hebrew word "mal'ak" can also be translated "messenger." Gilgal, Joshua's former headquarters, abruptly reappears without explanation. In verses 2-3: because Israel has failed to keep aloof from native population (Ex 34.12-13; Deut 7.2, 5), the Lord has implemented the punishment anticipated in Josh 23.13. In verse 5: This tradition originally explained the name of a sanctuary. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 3rd

 Read Judges 1.22-36. In 1.22-36: Failures of the northern tribes. In verses 22-36: The capture of Bethel is the only success reported. In verses 27-29: This information is duplicated in Josh 16.10; 17.11-13. These cities did not become part of Israel until the reigns of David and Solomon. In verse 34: For the saga of the Danites, see Judg 18. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 2nd

Read Judges 1.1-21. In 1.1-21: Successful conquests by Judah and Simeon. In verse 1: In contrast to the complete conquest described in Joshua (Jos 11.23; 21.43-45), Judges 1 portrays an on gong conquest that continued after the death of Joshua. In verse 2: Judah's success contrast with the comparative failures of the northern tribes (vv. 22-36). Divine guidance in tactics and an assurance of victory were elements of holy war tradition. In verse 3: The tribes Judah and Simeone are personified as individuals. In verse 8: This assertion is in tension with v. 21. Jerusalem first becomes Israelite under David (2 Sam 5.6-9). In verse 10: These accomplishments are credited to Caleb in v. 20 (and Josh 15.14). In verses 11-15: The story of Achsah is duplicated in Josh 15.13-19. She argues that she needs pools because she has received and land (metaphorically, land of Negeb). In verse 16: The Kenites were a foreign group associated with Israel (5.24; 1 Sam 15.6).  They settled with the "people" Israel. In verse 17: Hormah is a wordplay on the Hebrew word "herem," the holy war ban inflicted on it when Judah and Simeon devoted it to destruction. In verse 19: Chariots with iron fittings gave battlefield superiority outside the broken terrain of the hill country. In verse 21: Native Jebusites remained a distinct group in Jerusalem even after David's capture of the city (2 Sam 24.18). Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 1st

 Read James 12-20. In 12-18: More on speech. In verse 12:This simplification of oaths resembles Jesus' curtailment of them (Mt 5.34-37; 2 Cor 1.19-20). In verses 13-14: While some speech is controlled, other speech is urged at all times, such as prayer and praise. prayer for the sick entails anointing by elders. In verses 15-16: The author may understand illness here as caused by sinfulness, because he encourages confession of sins and mutual prayer for healing. In verses 16-18: Elijah illustrates the claim about the effective prayer of the righteous. His first prayer stopped all rain (1 Kings 17.1), whereas his second prayer started it again (1 Kings 18.1). In 19-20: Saving others. In a world of social and geographical immobility, wandering suggested deviance. But good shepherding of the lost yields great rewards for both the lost sheep and the shepherd. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 30th

Read  James 5.7-11. In 5.7-11: Patience unto Judgment. The exhortation to patience comes in two parts: vv. 7-8 and 10-11. Patience, moreover, awaits the greater judgment, both its coming (vv. 7-8) and the appearance of the great Judge. In verse 7: James reflects agricultural patterns in the Middle East with the winter and the spring rains. In verse 9: The warning against judgments connects with similar remarks in 4.11-12 and echoes Mt 7.1-5. In Rev 3.20 Jesus the Judge stands at the door, although the Judge here is more likely God. In verses 10-11: Like the examples in 2.21-26, the prophets exemplify endurance and faithfulness in difficult times. The premier example is Job. This is the only mention of Job in the New Testament. Comments or  Questions..

Reading for November 29th

 Read James 4.13-5.6. In 4.13-5.6: Pride of the rich. The criticism of the rich in 1.10-11 and 2.1-4 returns. In 4.13-15: Evil speech expresses arrogance focused on getting rich. In contrast virtuous entrusts one's life and prosperity to God. In verses 16-17: Boasting another form of evil speech, expresses pride in a repeat of "faith and works" (2.14-26), wholeness is lost when someone knows the right thing to do but fails to do it. In 5.1-14: Continuing his censure of the rich, James firsts devalues clothing and jewelry as corruptible (Mt 6. 19-21). Then, echoing the popular saying that the wealthy are all thieves, he notes that they withhold wages from laborers. In verses 5-6: Finally, the fruits of injustice simply make the wealthy fat for judgment's slaughter, James' next topic . Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 28th

 Read James 4.11-12. In 4.11-12: Evil speech again. Continuing 1.19 and 3.1-12, James resumes his censure of internal division (3.14-18; 4.1-2). Again, James focuses on wrong speech; speak evil against one another and speak evil against the law and the judges. Such people lack wholeness, judging the law but not doing it. This concludes with a reference to God, who both gave the law and will be its judge; see 2.8-15. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 27th

 Read James 4.1-10. In 4.1-10: Friendship with the world, hatred of God. In verses 1-3: The question and answer format, James describes the genesis of evil. Conflicts that spring up from envy (3.13, 16) and lead either to murder or covetousness. In verse 4: Using contrasts, he juxtaposes friendship with enmity, humility with pride, and God with the devil. friends of the world are God's enemies, and God friendship means enmity with the world. In verses 5-6: God's jealousy refers to God's desire to protect what is God's; it is the opposite of the "envy" in 3.16, which seeks to hurt another. Prov 3.34 proves that God resists the proud and enriches the humble, a theme found frequently in James. In verses 7-8: Using spiritual metaphors, James urges his addressees to flee from the devil and draw near to God. The path to purity means cleansing one's hands and purifying one's heart, being wholly in God's service. Impurity lies inbeing double-minded, or mixing contradictory things. In verses 9-10: A return to the theme of humility (v.6) now with a strong call to repentance. Comments or Questions.

Reading for November 26th

 Read James 3.13-18. In 3.13-18: Evil envy. Continuing his juxta position of evil and good, James contrasts two types of wisdom: True wisdom from above is both practical and pure; it yields meekness, peace, and mercy, which are manifested in the practice of a good life. In contrast, false wisdom is earthly, unspiritual, and devilish; it manifests itself in highly aggressive behavior, such as envy, ambition, and disorder. One is reminded of the description of lowliness in 2.5. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 25th

 Read James 3.1-12. In 3.1-12: Unbridled tongue equals pollution. Echoing 1.19, James again urges control of bodily orifices. In verses 2-4: Perfection comes from making no mistakes with the tongue. He refers here to strong control of the mouth, noting how a mere bridle guides the horse, as a rudder does a ship. In verses 5-6: The destruction of a large forest by a tiny fire illustrates the power of an uncontrollable tongue. In the world of purity concerns, something so small as a tongue can stain the whole body, the way yeast was thought to corrupts flour. In verses 7-8: He likens the tongue to the one animal never tamed, the snake. Both contain poison in their mouths. In verses 9-12: Since holiness is curing; one cannot bless God and curse others. Wholeness applies to natural examples. Springs cannot yield both pure and brackish water; fig trees produce figs, not olives, and grapevines yield grapes, not figs. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 24th

 Read James 2.14-26. In 2.14-26: Perfection of active faith. James performs here like a teacher, anticipating objections and answering them. In verses 14-17: Some object that faith alone counts: James counters that faith which does not feed the hungry and clothe the naked is dead or unclean. perfection then, means wholeness: both faith and works. In verses 18-20: To those who boast of their works, James counters that faith can be manifested only by works, but without works it is useless. mere understanding of God's supremacy counts for nothing, unless faithful obedience follows. In verses 21-26: As proof, James cites from the Bible male and female examples of perfect faith. Abraham, a righteous believer (Gen 15.6) showed perfect faithfulness by offering Isaac as a sacrifice (Gen 22); obedient actions brought faith to completion. Rahab, who extended hospitality to Israelite spies (Jos 1.12), is considered holy in spite of being a prostitute. In conclusion, James labels the position of faith without works as the ultimate pollution, death. Comments or Questions.. 

Reading for November 23rd

Read James 2.1-13. In verses 1-7: Rich and poor again. Developing 1.9-11, James contrasts the group's reception of poor and rich. In verses 1-4: Favoritism to the wealthy cancels faith in the risen Lord, because it ignores the fact that Jesus, humbled and brought low, was exalted by God. In verse 5: God obviously does not evaluate as we do, for God chooses the poor to be rich (1 Cor 1.26-30). In verses 6-7: In James' world of opposites, the rich are the oppressors and the poor the victims; by siding with the rich, they dishonor members of the group and thus blaspheme God's holy name. In verses 8-13: Wholeness as purity. In verses 8-9: James presents two laws: the general law of love (Mk 12.28-33) and some specific commandments. Love means impartiality (2.1-8; Rom 10.12-13; Acts 10.34) and mercy, In verses 10-11: Twice he emphasizes the seriousness of failing to keep even one commandment: Perfection means being accountable for all. He interprets this in terms of Jewish purity. Failure is like pollution, corrupting what is good. In verses 12-13: Fearing lawlessness, he emphasizes God's law of liberty. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 22nd

 Read James 1.19-21. In 1.19-21: Ears and mouths. James introduces a topic that will receive detailed treatment in 3.5-12.Since holiness and anger cannot both abide in a pure heart, believers must uproot the weeds to make room for the word of God. In verses 22-27: Ears, eyes, hands, mouth. Continuing the  body metaphor, James encourages bodily wholeness, a basic Jewish purity concept. In verses 22-23: Wholeness requires ears that hear God's word to connect with hands acting on it. In verse 25: God's law does not constrain us, but is a perfect guide bringing liberty, not slavery to passion. In verses 26-27: James contrasts good and bad religion in terms of holiness. An uncontrolled tongue corrupts the whole person, but hands care for the needy indicate pure and undefiled faith. True believers, moreover, keep themselves pure, unstained by the world. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 21st

 Read James 1.1-18. In 1.1-8: Faith and faithfulness. James announces one of the letter's main themes, faith or faithfulness. In verses 3-4: Faithfulness or endurance in trials leads to maturity; thus adult faith is pure and whole; complete, lacking in nothing. In verses 5-7: Next faith means petitioning God with wholeness of mind. Jewish purity concerns affirm what is whole, but shun what is of two kinds (doubt and faith; see Lev 19.19; Deut 22.9-11). This theme will be developed in 5.13-18. In verses 9-11: Rise of poor, fall of rich. James repeats the tradition that the rich will fail and the lowly rise (Lk 1.51-52; 1 Cor 1.18-29). He likens the fate of the rich to that of desert flowers which quickly wither, thus echoing Jesus' parables (Mk 4.5-6; 1 Pet 1.24-25). In verses 12-18: Temptation and benefaction. In verse 12: James honors with a victor's crown those who faithfully endure trials (2 Tim 4.8). In verses 13-15 Whence come  temptations? Not from God, but from human passions; the human life cycle (conception, birth, fully grown) demonstrates how even a small pollution grows into total depravity. In verse 17: Again God's person and gifts are pure: with God there is no variations, God, who does not tempt, is our best benefactor, whose gift of birth comes through the preaching of the gospel. This is contrasted to the birth of evil in 1.15. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 20th

 Read Joshua 24.29-33.In 24.29-33: Burial traditions. In verses 29-30: Great age is a sign of exceptional faithfulness (Gen 50.26; Deut 34.7).Timnath-serah was granted to Joshua in 19.49-50. In verse 31: This looks forward to the book of Judges (compare Judg 2.9). In verse 32: These traditions are reported in Gen 33.18-20; 50.24-25; Ex 13.19. In verse 33: Eleazar has played an important role in Joshua (14.1; 17.4; 19.51; 21.1). Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 19th

 Read Joshua 24.14-28. In 24.14-28: Joshua insists on religious fidelity. In verses 14-15: Three types of gods had proven to be ineffective. Abraham was taken away from the territory of the gods beyond the River (v. 3), and the the gods of Egypt and of the Amorites could not protect their worshippers (vv. 5-7 and 8-13). In verses 19-20: With a rhetorical jolt, Joshua warns Israel of the difficulties and dangers implicit in their commitment: You cannot serve the Lord. The obstacle is God's basic nature as a jealous God, one who is passionately determined to be Israel's only God. In verse 23: Incline your heart calls for personal conviction, not just outward conformity (1 Kings 8.58). The demand to put away the foreign gods may reflect a ceremony of burying idols at Shechem (compare Gen 35.2-4). In verses 25-26: Joshua performed three actions to give structure and effectiveness to Israel's commitment. He made a covenant, wrote down its rules in the book of the law, and set up a witness stone under the oak (see Judg 9.6). In verse 27: The stone is a witness in the sense of being a visible public reminder (compare 22.27, 34), but also because it was present when all the words of the Lord (that is, vv. 2-13) were proclaimed. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 18th

 Read Joshua 24.1-13. In 23.1-13: The saving acts of God. In verse 1: A long list of participants emphasizes that all the tribes of Israel appeared before God, that is, at the the sanctuary of Shechem. In verse 2; Thus says the Lord indicates that Joshua is speaking as a prophet. In verse 3: The River is the Euphrates. In verse 7: This protective darkness is mentioned in Ex 14.20. In verses 9-10: The story of Balaam is reported in Num 22-24. In verse 11; The detail that the citizens of Jericho fought relies on a tradition different from that of Joshua 6. In verse 12: Hornet (Deut 7.20) may be a metaphor for panic (compare 10.10), In verse 13: This description of the land reflect Deut 6.10-11. Comments or Questions.. 

Reading for November 17th

 Read Joshua 23.1-//16. In 23.1-16: Joshua's farewell. Joshua's great age (13.1) motivates an exhortation to faithfulness and a warning about the future. Rest signals the end of the conquest (21.44; 22.4). In verse 1: In spite of many victories, some enemy nations still remain. They represent both opportunities to further success (v. 5) and dangerous enticements to infidelity (vv. 7, 12-13). In verse 6: Future success requires that the whole nation show the same undeviating obedience to the book of the law (Deuteronomy) that was enjoined on Joshua in 1.7-8. In verse 12: Intermarriage would establish complex relationships between families resulting in religious disloyalty (Deut 7.3-4). In verse 13: The metaphors of a snare and a trap signify loss of freedom, and scourge communicates political oppression (1 Kings 12.11). Exile from this good land is threatened three times (vv. 13, 15, 16). In verses 14-15: The Lord has been trustworthy in keeping past promises (see 21.45), but this means that the Lord's threatened punishment's are equally certain to take place. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 16th

 Read Joshua 22.10-34. In 22.10-34: The altar of witness. In verse 10: The story presupposes that only one altar for sacrifice is permissible. Dissension focuses on whether this altar by the Jordan is evidence of apostasy (vv. 16-20) or actually a token of loyalty (vv. 22-29). Its great size relates to its intended function as a visible witness (vv. 27-28, 34). In verse 12: The story is told from the perspective of the western tribes, describing them as the Israelites to the exclusion of the eastern tribes (also vv. 12, 33). In verse 17: the incident at Peor is reported in Num 25. In verse 18; The principle of collective responsibility means the whole nation is endangered by the rebellion of some (compare v. 20). In verse 19: Territory outside Canaan might be ritually unclean, a place where loyalty to the Lord would be impossible. In verse 22: The eastern tribes begin with a confessional exclamation (compare 1 Kings 18.39) and a hypothetical self-condemnation that asserts their fidelity in the strongest terms. In verse 27: The eastern tribes repeatedly cite lists of sacrifices (vv. 23, 26, 29) to deny that they intend to offer them at the newly built altar. In verse 28: The altar's purpose is finally revealed. It is only a copy, a replica pointing to loyal service at the legitimate altar at Shiloh. In verse 34: The altar's name does not appear in the Hebrew text. What is important is its function as a witness between us, that is, between the eastern and western tribes. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 15th

 Read Joshua 22.1-9. In 22.1-9: The eastern tribes return home. In verse 4: Because rest has been achieved (21.44), the commitments made in 1.13, 15 can now be fulfilled. Go to your tents reflects traditional language for the dispersal of the national assembly (1 Kings 12.16) or tribal militia. In verse 7: Manasseh's situation is unique, with territory both east  and west of the Jordan. In verse 8: Sharing out the spoil of conquest corresponds to Israel's traditional custom (1 Sam 30.21-25). Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 14th

 Read Joshua 21.20-42. In verse 32: because the source list (vv. 13-19) contained thirteen towns, Naphtali contributes only three towns instead of the usual four in order to achieve the ideal total of forty-eight (v. 41): All has been achieved (v. 43) and all promises fulfilled (v. 45). Rest on every side (v. 44) means war has been replaced by peace (1.13, 15; 22.4) Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 13th

 Read Joshua 21.1-19: In 21.1-42: Cities for the Levites. In verse 2: Although Levi receives no allotment for agriculture, the tribe is assigned residence towns and grazing land. For this command, see Num 35.2-8. Inverse 4-7: The Levitical cities appear in four divisions. Levi was divided into three clans, and the Kohathites were further subdivided into the descendants of Aaron (v. 4; the priests) and and those not of the priestly descent. In verses 13-19: The thirteen towns for the descendants of Aaron reflect an older source list. The other three lists were created by collecting names from Joshua 13.16-17, 19, and 20. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 12th

 Read Joshua 20.1-9. In 20.1-9: Cities of refuge. In verses 2-3: Murders were avenged by a near relative of the victim, the avenger of blood (see v. 50). Easily accessible cities of refuge prevented any miscarriage of justice in cases of unintentional manslaughter (Num 35.13-28; Deut 19.1-13). In verses 7-8: Cities are designated for six regions, three on each side of the Jordan. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 11th

 Read Joshua 19.24-51. In verses 24-31: The boundary description for Asher is confusingly mingled with items from a town list. In verse 32-39: The boundary description for Naphtali (vv. 33-34) is followed by a town list (vv. 35-38). In verses 40-48: Dan is described on the basis of a town list (vv. 41-46). Dan's move north to anew home is reported in Judges 18. In verse 51: The priest Eleazar cast the lot at the tent of meeting which emphasizes that all was done in accordance with God's will. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 10th

 Read Joshua 19.1-23. In 19.1-51: The other six lots. In verses 1-9: Because its territory lies inside that of Judah (vv.1, 9). Simeon has no boundary description. Its towns are listed in two districts (vv. 2-6 and 7). In verses 10-16: For Zebulun, a detailed boundary description (vv. 10-14) is followed by a town list (v. 15). The south border is traced westward from Sarid (vv, 10-11), the eastward from the same town (v, 12). The east border is given in v. 13 and the north border in v. 14. In verses 17-23: Issachar is described by a town list (vv. 18-21) followed by a small portion of north boundary (v. 22). Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 9th

 Read Joshua 18.11-28. In 18.11-28: The lot of Benjamin. In verses 12-13: Its boundaries are described in a counter-clockwise direction (vv. 11-20). The north border parallels that of Ephraim (16.1-3). In verses 15-19: The south border parallels 15.5-9 (Judah's north border) but is given in the reverse direction (west to east). In verses 21-24: Benjamin's two districts came from the same source as those of Judah (15.21-62). Benjamin was split by the breakup of Israel after Solomon's death (1 Kings 12). This district describes towns located in the northwestern kingdom. In verses 25-28: This district consists of towns located in the kingdom of Judah. Comments  or Questions..

Reading for November 8th

 Read Joshua 18.1-10. In 18.1-10: Dividing the land into seven portions. In verse 1: So far the process of dividing the land has taken place at Gilgal (14.6). Now it abruptly moves to the sanctuary of Shiloh, where the Lord is present in the tent of meeting. In verses 4-5: The remaining seven tribes will engage in a lottery for territory. In preparation, the land is divided into equitable allotments by a representative commission. In verse 6: The division is conducted fairly by sacred lot under the Lord's supervision (compare v. 10). In verse 9: The result of the delineating the divisions by town. This seems to describe the source used to create chs. 18-19, in which town lists play an important part.. Comments or Questions.

Reading for November 7th

 Read Joshua 17.14-18. In 17.14-18: More territory for Joseph. In verses 14-15: Ephraim and Manasseh together as the tribe of Joseph complain that they have too little land. Joshua points out  that their size gives the the resources to clear the highland forests. In verse 16: Unsatisfied, they go on to lament that the military strength of the Canaanites keeps them from settling in the plains. In verses 17-18: The large population of Ephraim and Manasseh is actually not a problem, but an opportunity for an expansive future. In addition to clearing the forests, they will eventually drive out the Canaanites. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 6th

 Read Joshua 17.1-13. In 17.1-13: Manasseh. In verse 1: Elements of Manasseh tracing descent from Machir occupied territory east of the Jordan. In verse 2: Six clans traced descent through Manasseh's male heirs. In verses 3-6; Five other clans descended from the female heirs of Manasseh, the daughters of Zelophehad. In verses 7-9: The south boundary parallels Ephraim's north boundary (16.6, 8). In verses 11-12; Idealized boundaries did not always match the reality of tribal affiliation (compare 16.9). Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 5th

 Read Joshua 16.1-10. In 16.1-10: Ephraim. In verses 1-3: As sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh together make up the Josephites. Their south boundary is also the north boundary of Benjamin (18.12-13). In verses 5-9: Ephraim's north boundary is traced from its center point, first eastward and southward from Michmethath (vv. 6-7), then westward from nearby Tappuah (v. 8). In verse 10: Gezer remained Canaanite until the reign of Solomon (1 Kings 9.16-17). Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 4th

 Read Joshua 15.20-63. In 15.20-63: The towns of Judah. In verse 20: This description was taken from an authentic source cataloging the administrative districts of the kingdom of Judah. The remainder of this list was used to portray Benhaman (18.21-28). In verse 21-32: Districts are grouped and labeled geographically. This first district is in the south (v. 21; Heb., "the Negeb"). Each district concludes with an enumeration of towns, with their villages (v. 32). In verses 33-44: Three districts are in the lowland (Heb., "Shephelah"). In verse 45-47: This district of Philistine towns does not follow the pattern and was not part of the original source document. In verses 48-60: Other districts are in the hill country. In verses 61-62: One district is in the wilderness. In verse 63: Jerusalem became part of Israel only under David (2 Sam 5.6-9). Comments or or Questions.

Reading for November 3rd

 Read Joshua 15.13-19. In 15.13-19: A land grant for Achsah. In verse 13-15: This parallels the account given in 14.6-15. In verses 17-18: Although Achsah prods her husband to ask for a field, nothing of this sort apparently happens. In verse 19: Instead she herself goes on to request springs of water from he father. because her land is and she calls it land of the Negeb (the Negeb is arid territory). Achsah's story (paralleled in Judg 1.10-15) explains why the Othniel clan controlled both Debr and two springs associated with Hebron. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 2nd

 Read Joshua 15.1-12. In 15.1-12: The boundaries of Judah. In verse 1-4; Judah's south border (running east to west is similar to Num 34.3-6; 5-11: The north border with Benjamin is reported in great detail from east to west and coincides with 18.15-19. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 1st

 Read Joshua 14.1-15. In 14.1-15: Prelude to land distribution. In verse 1: Joshua is joined by the priest Eleazar because casting the sacred lot was a priestly monopoly (Deut 33.8). In verse 2: Distribution by lot confirms that the results are in accordance with divine will. In verse 4: The total number of allotments comes out out to twelve because Joseph gave rise to two tribes and Levi received no territory. In verses 6-12: Caleb claims a special grant of territory based on his honest and loyal behavior as a spy (vv.7-8; Num 13) and the promise of Moses (v. 9). He supports his case by reference to his great age and warlike vigor (vv. 10-11). It was Israel's fear of all the Anakim (vv. 12, 15) that had caused the original problem (Num 11.28). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 31st

 Read  Joshua 13.8-33. In 13.8-33: East of the Jordan. In verses 8-14: A general outline moves from south to north. Aroer on the edge of the Wadi Amon (v.9) forms the boundary with Moab on the south. Mount Hermon and the former kingdom of Og in Bashan mark off the north (vv. 11-12), There are two exceptions: Geshur and Maacath remain as alien enclaves (v. 13) and the tribe of Levi receives no allotment (vv. 14, 33). In verses 15-23: Reuben's territory is described by a line extent drawn north from Aroer (v. 16) and a list of towns (vv. 17-20). In verses 24-26: Gad lies to the north of Reuben. two boundary lines run northward from Heshbon and from Mahanaim (v. 26). There is a short list of four towns in the first part of v. 27. In verses 29-31; The clans of Manasseh east of the Jordan occupy territory north and east of Gad. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 30th

 Read Joshua 13.1-7. In 13.1-7: The land that remains. In verse 1: Joshua's advanced age prompts the distribution of territory west of the Jordan 9V. 7) Inverse 2-6: A parenthetical digression describes Philistine territory and areas to the north in Phoenicia and Lebanon as land yet to be conquered. The Lord will eventually drive these people out, but for now Joshua is to allot the land already conquered (v. 6). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 29th

 Read Joshua 12.1-24. In 12.1-24: A list of defeated kings. In verse 1-6: Moses defeated two kings, east of the Jordan. The territories seized from Sihon are delineated in vv. 2-3 and those taken from Og in vv. 4-5. In verses 7-8: Joshua seized territory from thirty-one kings (v. 24). This description mirrors 11.16-17. In verses 9-24: Jericho and Ai naturally come first (v. 9). The five cities of 10.3 are listed in vv. 10-12a. The four cities of 11.1 are listed in vv. 19-20. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 28th

 Read Joshua 11.16-23. In 11.16-23: Culmination of the conquest. In verse 16: The description parallels 10.40, In verse 17: A line of territorial extent reaches from Mount Halak in the south near the border with Edom to Baal-gad somewhere near Mount Hermon on Israel's north (12.7; 13.5-6). In verse 20: The stubborn hostility and incessant attacks of the enemy were the Lord's doing, part of a divine plan to wipe them out. On verses 21-22: In Israel folklore, the Anakim were an ancient indigenous race of unusual statue. In verse 23: The Lord has kept the promise made in 1.3-5, and Joshua has the task assigned in 1.6.With the words the land had rest from war, the conquest draws to a close. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 27th

 Read Joshua 11.1-15. In 11.1-15: Conquests in the north. In verses 1-3: Deborah and Barak also confront a King Jabin of Hazor in Judg 4-5. Jabin may have been a dynastic name for Hazor's kings. Separate folk traditions about Hazor simply used this well-known name. Jabin's response parallels the pattern of 10.1-5. In verse 4 Israel's enemies had the advantage of horses and chariots, a sophisticated and expensive weapons system. In verse 6: To hamstring a horse means to cut its rear leg tendons so that is could no longer be used in war (2 Sam 8.4). Israel was unable to support and use chariots until the reign of Solomon. In verse 8: The Lord is always the real victor in holy war tradition. In verse 11: The language for the holy war ban, no one left who breathed (also v. 14), is taken from Deut 20.16. In verse 13: Israel did not destroy most captured cities, but took them over in accordance with the principles of Deut 6.10-11. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 26th

 Read Joshua 10.28-43. In 10.28-43: Capturing five cities. In verse 31: Three cities (Lachish, Eglon, and Hebron) were part of the earlier coalition, but Jerusalem and Jarmuth (v. 3) are not attacked. No mention is made of the kings of Lachish or Eglon; they have already been killed (vv. 23, 26). In verse 33: Gezer is not captured. It did not ever come part of Israel until the reign of Solomon (1 Kings 9.16-17). In verse 37: mention of a king of Hebron seems to contradict vv. 23, 26. In verse 41: This describes the land conquered so far. The south boundary runs east to west from Kadesh-barrnea to Gaza. Northward it, extends as far as Gibeon. The extent of the country of Goshen (11.16; perhaps 15.51) is unknown. Comments or Questions..

Readng for October 25th

 Read  Joshua 10.16-27. In 10.16-27: Executing the five kings. In verse 16: Makkedah was the southernmost limit of the enemy's flight (v. 10) and the starting point for the final phase of the campaign (v. 28), In verse 20: In spite of Joshua's energetic pursuit (v. 19), survivors do escape to the fortified towns, thus setting up the need for attacks on Lachish, Eglon, and Hebron (vv. 31,34, 36), In verse 24: Feet on the necks of enemy, long symbolizes total victory (Ps 110.1). In verses 26-27:Exposing enemy bodies was a humiliating insult (1 Sam 31.10; 2 Sam 4.12). Joshua obeys Deut 21.22-23. These large stones were presumably a well-known landmark (compare 7.26, 8.29). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 24th

 Read Joshua 10.12-15. In 10.12-15: The sun stands still. In verses 12-13: A prose framework encloses and interprets an older poetic text from the Book of Jashar (see 2 Sam 1.18). According to the framework, Joshua requests to the Lord (v. 12) for extended daylight causes the sun to stop in its noon position (in midheaven, v. 13) and delay its setting. The poem itself actually addresses the moon and sun, not God. The poet calls upon them to freeze in stunned amazement at the scope of Israel's victory (compare Ex 15.16; Hab 3.11). In verse 14: That the Lord fought for Israel perfectly summarizes the divine warrior tradition. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 23rd

 Read Joshua 10.1-11. In 10.1-11: Victory at Gibeon. In verse 1: News of Israel's success motivates enemy action (compare 5.1; 9.1-2; 11.1-3). In verse 2: Israel's treaty with Gibeon threatened Jerusalem's northern approaches. In verse 3: These four cities are south and west of Jerusalem. In verse 6: All the kings of the Amorites is an exaggeration to motivate Israel's response. In verse 10: Panic is a standard weapon of the divine warrior (Ex 14.24; Jug 3.21-22). The pursuit extends westward from Gibeon,  down through the pass at the ascent of Beth-horon, then southward. In verse 11: Whether phenomena are also weapons of the  divine warrior (Isa 30.30). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 22nd

 Read  Joshua 9.16-27. In 9.16-27: Discovery and punishment. In verse 16: The fears of v. 7 are realized; the Gibeonites indeed are living among them. In verses 20-21: The sanctity of the oath must be preserved, but this deception has  endangered the community and must be punished. The expression hewers of wood and drawers of water indicates a subservient servant class (Deut 29.11). In verse 22: Joshua summaries their deceit by contrasting very far (see vv. 6, 9). with living among us (see vv. 7, 16). In verse 23: Some Gibeonites are to be servants of the house of my God, that is the Temple. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 21st

 Read Joshua 9.1-15. In 9.1-15: The Gibeonite deception. In verses 1-4; There are two contrasting reactions to the news about Israel's victories. The kings of the various peoples gathered ... to fight (v. 20). But the citizens of Gibeon acted with cunning (v. 4). In verse 6; Their argument rests on being from a far country (also v. 9), exempting them from the extermination required by Deut 20.16-18. In verse 7: In reality they are Hivites, one of the nations to be destroyed (9.1; Deut 20.17). A Treaty with any who live among Israel was forbidden (Deut 7.2). In verse 8: Their language about being servants is respectful but it also ironic in light of vv. 21, 23, 27. In verses 9-10: Their speech is similar to Rahab's confession (2.10-11), but is hypocritical. In verse 15: All three Israelite parties fall for the ruse. The ordinary Israelite of vv. 6 and 7 ("men" is the better reading) taste the evidence. Joshua makes peace. The leaders of the congregation swear an oath. Gibeonites retained their special status as a foreign enclave down to the reign of David (2 Sam 21.1-6). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 20th

 Read Joshua 8.30-35. In 8.30-35: Building an altar, reading the law. In verses 3-31 Joshua obeys Mosaic ordinance (Deut 11.29-30: 27.2-13) by building an altar for sacrifice, writing on the stones (v. 32), and arranging the people for blessing and cursing (v. 33), Deuteronomy 27.5 is quoted directly. In verse 32: These are not the altar stones, but others set up in accordance with Deut 27.4. In verses 34-35: In obedience to Deut 31.10-12, Joshua reads the book of the law (Deuteronomy), including the blessings and curses of Deut 28. These is an emphasis on  blessing and curses on Deut 28. There is a, emphasis the blessings and curses of Deut 28. There is an emphasis on totality; As the words and all that is written are read to all the assembly. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 19th

 Read Joshua 8.14-29. In verses 14-29: Victory at Ai. In verses 14-15: The sight of Israel's main army draws the forces of Ai out to the north. Israel's withdrawal pulls them further away from the city in the direction of the wilderness, that is, eastward away from the ambush on the west (vv. 12-13). In verse 19: Joshua's extended sword signals the ambush to overrun the undefended (v. 17) city. In verses 20-21: The smoke of the city both disheartens the defenders and signals the Israelite main body to turn and attack. Biblical narratives are not always in strict chronological order.: v. 21 overlaps with the last part of v. 20. On verse 22: The Israelite ambush comes out of Ai to attack the enemy's rear, so they were surrounded by Israelites. In verses 25-27: Devoting the enemy population to destruction (utterly destroyed; v. 26) but sparing the booty follows the pattern set by v. 2. In verse 28: Joshua's action explains the name of Ai, which means "the ruin." In verse 29: Exposing an enemy's body was a grand insult (1 Sam 31.10). Joshua is careful not to violate Deut 21.22-23. This great heap of stones was presumably a well-known landmark (compare 7.26; 10.27). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 18th

 Read Joshua 8.1-13. In 8.1-13: Setting the trap at Ai. In verse 2: From now on, Israel is to follow the more usual pattern of killing all potential slaves, but keeping the other spoils of war. Even though ultimate victory is given by the Lord (vv. 1, 7, 18), human strategy (an ambush) is still required. In verse 3: Here the ambush is thirty thousand strong in v. 12. It will number only five thousand. Such irregularities resulted when different narrative versions where blended together. In verse 8; The tactical purpose of setting the city on fire is not revealed until v. 20. Unanswered questions boost reader interest. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 17th

 Read Joshua 7.16-26. In 7.16-26: Discovery and punishment. In verses 16-18: That Joshua rose early in the morning signals obedient zeal (3.1;6.12). the sacred lot gave only a yes or no answer, so the discovery process moves down through smaller and smaller social unit: tribe, clan, family, (household). In verse 19: because of confession acknowledges God's justice, it is the equivalent of giving glory to the Lord. In verse 21: Cloth, sliver, and gold are typically items of plunder (2 Kings 7.8). the mantle from Shinar would be a costly outer robe imported from Babylon.  In verse 22: Discovery of the sliver underneath (v. 21) communications the complete accuracy of Achan's confession. In verses 25-26: The trouble (better; "state of ritual isolation"; 6.18) brought on by Achan connects the the valley of Achor where later generations could view the stone pile that marked his grave. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 16th

 Read Joshua 7.1-15. In 7.1-15: The consequence of Achan's sin. In verse 1: Achan, a man of impeccable ancestry, has ignored Joshua's explicate warning concerning the ban (6.18). He acted alone, but the principle of corporate responsibility means that all the Israelites broke faith (also v. 11). Thus the anger of the Lord is directed against the entire nation. In verse 2; Sending spies was a typical first step in a campaign (2.1; Judg 1.23). In verse 5: Such a great panic associated with only thirty-six deaths indicates something is seriously amiss. Israel experiences the fear their enemies have felt: The hearts of the people melted (contrast 2.11; 5.1). In verses 7-9: Joshua follows the pattern of typical lament prayers such as Psalm 44 or 74. He questions the Lord's motives and seeks to provoke a response by highlighting the potential damage to the covenant. (also v. 15). Achan's crime endangers Israel's relationship with the Lord in a fundamental way. In verse 12: The contagious effect of items devoted for destruction (compare 6.18) means that the entire nation has fallen under the ban. In verse 13: The people must engage in a ceremony to make themselves holy in order to prepare for contact with God's action (compare 3.5). In verse 14: The procedure for discovering the culprit involves the use of the sacred lot (1 Sam 14.40-42). In verse 15: An outrageous thing in Israel means a heinous crime against society that endangers the whole nation. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 15th

 Read Joshua 6.22-27. In 6.22-27: The aftermath of Jericho's fall. In verse 23: Rahab's family stays outside the camp because the holy war encampment must remain ritually clean (Deut 23.9-14). In verse 25; The Rahab story explains and justifies the existence of a foreign group still living in Israel. In verse 26: Joshua caps Jericho's state of being banned (devoted to destructions; v. 21) with a curse blocking its reconstruction (compare Deut 13,16). 1 Kings 16.34 reports the consequences of this curse. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 14th

 Read Joshua 6.1-21. In 6.1-21: The capture of Jericho. In verse 1: The problem facing Israel is Jericho's impregnable defensive wall. In verse 2: An assurance of victory was part of holy war tradition (8.1; 10.8). In verse 3: Israel is to engage in a ceremonial siege. In verse 5: A long blast on a trumpet will signal the attack, and a great shout will initiate it (vv. 16, 20). Both are part of holy war tradition. In verses 8-9: The order of march is; armed men followed by seven priests with trumpets, then the ark, and finally the rear guard. In verse 18: To take any of the devoted things would put Israel itself under the ban (an object for destruction) by the principle of contagion. This will be Achan's crime (7.21). In verse 20: Israel makes an assault from all sides at once. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 13th

 Read Joshua 5.13-15. In 5.13-15: The commander of the Lord's army. By Jericho must be understood as "in the general vicinity of Jericho." The drawn sword indicates that war is immanent, Apparently assuming that the man is a human soldier, Joshua challenges him. In verse 14; The commander is not part of either human army, but a visible sign that the Lord's supernatural forces will be fighting for Israel. In verse 15: A quotation from Ex 3.5 draws a parallel between Joshua and Moses. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 12th

 Read Joshua 5.1-12. In 5.1-12: A new start in anew land. In verse 1; Enemy fear repeats Rahab's observations (2.9-11) and will motivate enemy strategy (9.1-2; 10.1-5; 11.1-5). In verse 2: The use of flint knives demonstrates the conservatism of ritual. Israel's circumcised generation had died in the wilderness. Circumcision a second time applies to the men of the post Exodus generation. In verse 3: Apparently this explains the name of a hill near Gilgal. In verse 9: The disgrace of Egypt may refer to Israel's former status as slaves or insults suffered from the Egyptians. Probably Gilgal originally referred to a circle of stones, but here it is explained by reference to Joshua's circumcision. In verses 11-12: The end of manna coordinates with the first Passover in the land, it signifies that Israel has moved from wilderness into an agriculturally productive land. Unleavened cakes and parched grain could be prepared quickly and would be appropriate foods for the first day of this new situation. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 11th

 Read Joshua 4.10-24. In 4.10-24: The crossing completed. In verse 11: The action of crossing is picked up again from v. 1:. In verses 12-13: Particular mention of the eastern tribes emphasizes that all Israel engaged in the conquest together a motif also present in Deut 3.18-20. In verse 14: This exaltation fulfills the pledge of 3.7. In verse 18: The events of 3.15-16 are reversed item by item. In verse 19: The date points forward to Passover in 5.10. In verses 22-24: This answer (in contrast to vv. 6-7) focuses on similarities to crossing the Red Sea on dry ground (Ex 14.22). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 10th

 Read Joshua 4.1-9. Commemorative stones. In verse 1: Verse 11 repeats words from this verse and 3.17 to indicate that vv. 2-10 happened while the crossing was still going on. In verse 3: The stones are temporarily deposited in the camp, but will be set up permanently at Gilgal (v. 20). In verses 6-7: The stones memorializes the crossing for future generations (compare Deut 6.20-25). This answer highlights the role of the ark and that the water was cut off (in contrast to vv. 22-24). In verse 9: What is apparently a second group of stones is installed in the river itself. Comments or Questions...

Reading for October 9th

 Read Joshua 3.1-17. In 3.1-17: Crossing the Jordan. In verse 3: The crossing is described as a religious procession led by the ark. In verse 4: Because the ark is dangerously holy (compare 2 Sam 6.6-7), the people must keep their distance. In verse 5: To be ready for a miraculous event, the people are to perform a ceremony to make themselves holy. In verse 7: The concern raised by 1.17 is resolved here and in 6.27; The Lord is indeed with Joshua. In verse 10: As the living God, the Lord will be alive and active in the upcoming conquest. In verse 12: The selection of twelve men anticipates 4.2. In verse 15: That the Jordan overflows all its banks increases the wonder of the miracle and makes possible for the priests' feet to touch the edge of the water. In verse 16: Because the flow stood still sixteen miles (twenty-five kilometers) upstream at Adam, the water that would have flowed downstream was cut off. Comments or Questions.. 

Reading for October 8th

 Read Joshua 2.15-24. In 2.15-24: The spies renegotiate. In verse 15: it is difficult to reconcile the location of Rahab's house with the collapse of Jericho's wall in Jos 6. In verse 16: She is still in charge. These three days are difficult to correlate with the three days of 1.11 and 3,2. In verses 17-20: Once they are safely out of Rahab's trap, the spies seek to clarify their obligations in order to avoid violating them unintentionally. They must insist on a conspicuous means of identification, strict concentration of Rahab's family in one place, and that their secret be kept. In verse 24; The spies report only what Rahab has told (vv. 9, 11). Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 7th

 Read Joshua 2.1-14. In 2.1-14: Rahab outsmarts the spies. In verse 1: Rahab is a legally independent woman with her own house, where the presence of strangers would not be questioned. The spies apparently think this is a good place to gather information. In verse 3: Come to you (also v. 4) has a double meaning. Understood as as "come into you" it can imply sexual intercourse. In verses 6-7: Although she saves them from the king, they find themselves  trapped on her roof with the city gate shut. Their situation gives her leverage to negotiate an agreement. The pursuers block their route back, deepening their predicament. In verse 8: Rahab take the initiative in the negotiations. In verses 9-11: She provides the content of the spies' eventual report (v. 24) and confesses that the Lord is the universal God (Echoing Deut 4.39). Sihon and Og were utterly destroyed (v. 10), that is devoted to destruction in holy war. This is the fate Rahab seeks to avoid. In verses 12-14: She suggests a pact of reciprocal protection, and the spies agree. She has dealt kindly (v. 12) by showing faithfulness to the relationship between host and guest. In return they are to deal kindly by honoring an agreement to protect her extended family. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 6th

 Read Joshua 1.10-18. In 1.10-18: Joshua commands the people. In verse 11: These three days are concluded by 3.2. In verses 12-15: These tribes have already occupied land east of the Jordan. The command of Moses is reported in Deut 3.18-20. Rest (vv. 13, 15) is security in the land established by defeat of the enemy (21.44;23.1), In verses 17-18: The eastern tribes agree with enthusiasm, but their double use of only introduces some tension into the plot. Will the Lord be with Joshua? Will Joshua be strong and courageous. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 5th

 Read Joshua 1.1-9. In 1.1-9: The Lord commissions Joshua. Joshua is to move westward across the river in  order to give Israel possession of the land (v. 6), In verse 3: To walk over land was a way of legally claiming it. In verse 4: The idea that the land of promise extends to the river Euphrates reflects Deut 11,24 and royal ideology (Ps 72.8. In verse 5: The Lord as divine warrior promises Joshua military success (see v. 3) and a supportive presence (v. 9). In verses 7-8: The theology reflects Deuteronomy: Undeviating obedience to the book of the law produces prosperity and success. Joshua is to be like the ideal king of Deut 17.18-20. Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 4th

 Read Philemon verses 17-25. In verses 17-25: Request and closing. The letter opened in both private and public spheres and closes in the same way, with the greetings in vv. 24 and 25. In verse 17: So, a transitional word marking the start of the final section. In verse 19: My own hand, Paul probably dictated his letters to a scribe (1 Cor 16.2; Gal 6.11) but here he writes himself. In verse 20: Benefit; Greek "onaimen," similar to Onesimus. In verse 21: More that I say, perhaps "more than I say obliquely"; Philemon must decide freely. In verses 23-24: Epaphras, see Col 1.7; 4.12. The others are mentioned in Col 4.1--17, which includes Jesus Justus as well. In verse 25: A similar benediction is found in Phil 4.23; Gal 6.18 Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 3rd

 Read Philemon 8-16. In verse 8-16: Paul's appeal. In verse 8: For this reason, a transition marks a new section. In verse 9: Old man could mean "ambassador,' but likely refers to Paul's age. In verse 10: My child, a metaphor for a convert. See 1 Cor 4.14, 17; Gal 4.19. In verse 11: Useless ... useful, see introduction and not 1. In verse 15: he was separated, is a passive form, possibly suggesting God as the cause, underlining the point that the delay was benefical. Comments or Question...

Reading for October 2nd

 Read Philemon verse 1-7. In verses 1-7: Opening and thanksgiving. Paul praises Philemon but does not mention Onesimus. He wants Philemon to act out of good will, so he establishes Philemon's good will at the start. Because he wants Philemon to accept Onesimus, Paul very heart (v.12), he praises Philemon's love. In verse 1: Timothy, see 1 Thess 3.1-6; 1 Cor 4.17; Phil.= 2.29-24. Dear, the Greek is the same as "beloved," used for Onesimus in vv. 5, 7, 9, 16. In verse 2: Apphia or sister, in the Lord. Archippus, see Col 4.17. Fellow soldier, see Phil 2.25. Church in your house, early Christians worshipped in private homes (Rom 16.5;1 Cor 16.19; Col 4.15). In verse 5: Love for all the saints, extravagant praise so the Philemon will love the new saint, Onesimus, In verse 6: The good, see Rom 10.15; Phil 1.6; 1 Thess 5.15; Gal 6,10. On verse 7: Hearts, literally "inward parts." Comments or Questions..

Reading for October 1st

 Read Titus 3.12-15. In 3.12-15: Epistolary closing. In verse 12: Artemas, Tychicus, those coming top Crete to replace Titus, see Acts 20.4, Eph 6.21; Col 4.7-9; 2 Tim 4.2. Necropolis possibly a city in Epirus on the western coast of Greece. In verse 13; Apollos, see Acts 18.24-28; 19.1; 1 Cor 1.12; 3.4-9; 4.6; 6.12. In verse 15: Though the letter is addressed to Titus, its use of the second person plural form (all of you) here suggests that it was intended for a wider audience. Comments or Questions.

Reading for September 30th

 Read Titus 3.1-11. In 3.1-11: Public behavior. An explanation of expected behavior toward the authorities and other outsiders, its motivation, and a more extended reminder of Titus' authority. In verse 1: Be subject to see 2.5, 9, where the word (or a related term) is translated "be submissive." See 1 Tim 2.11; 3.4. Authorities, see Rom 13. 1-7; 1 Pet 2.13-17. In verse 8: The saying is sure, see 1 Tim 1.15; 3.1; 4.9; 2 Tim 2.11. In verse 10: Divisions, Greek "hairetikon," the word from which we get "heretic," is perhaps only a reference to 1.11, not to an unorthodox group as in later church history. Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 29th

 Read Titus 2..1-15. In 2.1-3.11: teachings on appropriate behavior. In verse 15: Private behavior. The letter explains appropriate behavior and its motivation and gives a general reminder of Titus' authority. In verses 2-10: A domestic code: admonitions to older men (v. 2), older women (v. 3), younger women (vv. 4-5), younger men, including Titus (vv. 6-8), and slave (vv. 9-10). Absent is any admonition to masters. In verse 2: Prudent is related linguistically to words that are translated self-controlled in vv. 5, 6, 12. In verse 12: Worldly passions, see 3.3. In verse 13: The writer speaks not about the "coming" of Jesus but about his manifestation or "appearing," words used to describe the appearance of an earthly ruler. In verse 15: Let no one look down on you (perhaps because of age, vv. 6, 7), see 1 Tim 4.12. Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 28th

 Read Titus 1.5-16. In 1.5-16: The instruction on church order. The letter contrasts the elders and the false teachers: The false teachers are motivated by sordid gain (v. 11); the elders must not be greedy for gain (v. 7). The false teachers upset whole families (v. 11); the elders must be able to control their own families (v. 6). In verse 5: Paul, while captive, spent time at Crete (Acts 27.7-15), but neither Acts nor his own letters says he started a mission there. Furthermore, after Crete Paul is taken on to Malta, not Nicopolos (Acts 28.1). In verses 5-7: Elders and bishops seem to be the same. In verse 9: The determination of ops seem to be the same. In verse 9: The determination of sound (healthy or correct) doctrine is based on the reasoning of a community; see 1.13; 2.1, 2, 8: 1 Tim 1.10; 6.3; 2 Tim 1.13; 4.3, In verse 12: A stereotype attributed by some early christens (Clement of Alexandria, Chrysostom, and Jerome) to Epimenides, a Cretan poet from the sixth century BCE. In verse 16: Work, (see 1.16; 2.7, 14; 3.1, 8).Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 27th

 Read  Titus 1.1-4. In 1.1-4: Epistolary opening. The longest opening in the Pastoral names the writer, the recipient, and God as agents of truth, preparing for the attack on the false teachers (1.12-14). In verse 1; Servant, literally "slave" of God, form the roots of his expression in the Hebrew Scriptures, see 2 Sam 7.5; Jer 7.25. In the undisputed letters Paul uses "servant of Christ" (Rom 1.1; Gal 1.10; Phil 1.1).  In verse 3; Command, literally "order upon." The Greek word is related to other terms in the letter: "directed" (v.15); "submissive (2.5, 9); "authority" (2.15); "subjected" (3.1). Savior, see 1.1;2.10, 13, 3.4, 6; see also 2.11; 1 Tim 2.3; 4.10. In verse 4; Loyal, child, see 1 Time 1.2; 2 Tim 1.2; 2.1. Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 26th

 Read Exodus 40.34--38. In 40.34-38; The glory and cloud of God's presence fill the tabernacle. In verses 34-35: The presence of God in the form of the Lord's "glory" and the "cloud" had "covered" and "settled on" Mount Sinai in 24.15-18. The same divine glory and cloud covered and settled upon the tent of meeting and the tabernacle. In verse 36: Each stage of their journey looks forward to Israel's continuing trek though the wilderness toward the land of Canaan. The departure from Mount Sinai will actually begin in Num 10.11-36. In verse 38: On the cloud by day and the fire by night, see comment on 13.21. Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 25th

 Read Exodus 40.1-33. In 40.1-33: Moses completes the work by erecting the tabernacle and arranging its furnishings. In verse 2: The establishment of the tabernacle on the first day of the first month marks the beginning of the rhythms, seasons, and festivals of the new cultic year. The construction of the universe (Gen 1.1-24) had provided order and structure out of chaos that enabled the beginning of time and of life. In a similar way, Israel's construction of time and of life. In a similar way, Israel's construction of the tabernacle out of the chaos of the golden calf (ch 32) provides order and structure for the beginning of Israel's worship and cultic life as it journeys through the wilderness. The text again brings together the tent meeting (39.32, 40; 40.6, 22, 24, 29, 35): see comment in 33.7. In verse 17: Israel has arrived at Mont Sinai in third month of the first year after going out of Egypt (10.1). Moses sets up the tabernacle nine months later in the first month in the second year. Comments or Questions.. 

Reading for September 24th

 Read Exodus 39.32-43. No Comments...

Reading for September 23rd

 Read Exodus 39.1-31. This section recounts the making of Aaron's priestly vestments or clothing. The refrain as the Lord had commanded Moses recurs seven times throughout the chapter (vv. 1, 5, 7, 21, 26, 29, 31), This sevenfold refrain mirrors the sevenfold refrain and structure of the seven days of creation in Gen 1.-2.4. Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 22nd

 Read Exodus 38.1-31. In verse 26: The census and its total count of 603,550 men reflects the results of the census in Num 1.45-46. The law concerning payment during a census occurs in 30.12-14. Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 21st

 Read Exodus 37.1-29. No Comments...

Reading for September 20th

 Read Exodus 36.8-38. No Comments..

Reading for September 19th

Read Exodus 36.1-7. In 36.5-7 Pharaoh's oppressive complaint about the laziness of Israelite slaves workers at the beginning of the book (5.4-9) contrasts sharply with Israel's eagerness and enthusiasm in working on the tabernacle here at the end of the book. Comments or Questions.. 

Reading for September 18th

 Moses prepares to construct the tabernacle. In 35.1-36.7: This section begins an extensive unit dealing with the actual construction of the tabernacle (chs. 35-40). The tabernacle is the tangible and mobile sign of God's presence in the midst of the Israelites as they leave Mount Sinai and travel through the wilderness of Canaan. The instruction for building the tabernacle were first given in chs. 25-31. The golden calf crisis (ch 32) had endangered the tabernacle project. However, the resolution and the new covenant is  chs. 33-34 enabled the tabernacle construction to move forward. The construction obediently follows the instructions that were previously given. The detailed nature of the instructions and process for building the tabernacle resembles the detailed account of the building of Solomon's Temple (1 Kings 6-8) and the detailed character of Ezekiel's promise of a new Temple in Jerusalem (Ezek 40-43). 

Read 35/1-35. In verse 2-3; Just as the sabbath law had concluded the instructions for building the tabernacle (31.12-17). The sabbath law now introduces the actual work of construction. In verses 22-29: he people offer willingly what they have for the tabernacle. Presumably some of it included the gold, silver, and clothing that the Egyptians gave to them when they fled Egypt (12.35-36). In verses 35-36: The passage about Bezalel and Oholiah elaborates 31.1-5, the divine spirit gives them knowledge in every kind of craft (v. 31) as in 31.3. Additionally, the spirit of the God inspired them to teach others their skills (v. 34). Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 17th

 Read Exodus 34.17-35. In verses 19-20: On redeeming the firstborn, see comment on 13.13. In verse 24: To covet refers to the inner yearning and strong desire to take something that rightfully belongs to others, especially the poor and less powerful. In verse 29: Moses' unique and close relationship with God caused some of God's divine radiance or light to pass onto Moses. Thus, the skin of his face shone. In verse 33: Just as the cloud veiled the deity's fiery radiance or glory (24.15-18), so Moses put a veil on his face to shield the people from his own shinning radiance. Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 16th

God reveals the divine character and makes a new covenant. In 34.1-35: This chapter represents a significant turning point in Exodus. Worship of the golden calf threatened Israel's relationship with God. However, Moses urges God to provide a deeper revelation of God's character. This deeper revelation (vv. 6-7) enabled a new covenant to be restored (vv. 10-11, 27-28). The new covenant repeats a number of laws given earlier in Exodus with an emphasis on not worshipping other gods and laws relating to the Exodus and the sabbath (vv. 12-26). 

 Read Exodus  34.1-16. In verse 4: Moses had broken the former tablets of stone when Israel worshipped the idol of the golden calf. Their idolatry threatened to destroy their relationship with God (32.19). In verses 6-7: These verses reflect important differences in the description of God's character when compared to a similar description in 20.5-6. The changes place more emphasis on God's mercy, grace, and forgiveness while still retaining the element of God's punishment for disobedience. In verse 13: Pillars of stone and sacred poles ("asherim") of wood were used in native Canaanite fertility religion in worshipping the god Baal and Asherah (Judg 6.25). . Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 15th

 Read Exodus 33.1-23. In 33.1-23: Moses seeks assurance of God's presence with Israel.  In verses 2-3: The Lord promises to send an angel, a subordinate divine messenger. However, God's own presence cannot go with Israel lest God's own holiness come in contact with and consume the stiff-necked people of Israel. In verses 5-6: The stripping of Israel's ornaments involves letting go of the jewelry Israel had stripped from the Egyptians (12.35-36). In verse 7: The tent of meeting reflects an older tradition of a tent or shrine in which the deity delivers oracles. Although the tent of meeting probably preceded the tabernacle tradition, the two came to be associated with one another (27.19-21). Moses pitches the tent of meeting far off from the camp rather than at its center in this interim time while God decides what to do with Israel (v. 5).The tent will eventually be located in the middle of the Israelite camp (Num 2.2). In verse14: God's words in Hebrew are literally "My presence will go" (not "with you"). God will go to Canaan but not "with" or "in the midst of" Israel because of its sin. In verse 16: Moses asks that God not only go to Canaan (v. 14), but Moses insists that God go with us or "in our midst." In v. 17, God relents and agrees to Moses' request. In verse 19: On the divine name Lord, see comment on 3.13-15. This verse and God's character revealed to Moses in 34.6-7 add new dimensions by accenting God's compassion and mercy. In 3.13-15, The Lord's name is "I will be who I will be." Here the name is I will be gracious to who I will be be gracious. In verses 20-23: A human could not look directly into the deity's face, for it would cause death (v. 20; see 3.6; Isa 6.5). However, Moses will see more of God than before, he will see God's back ((v.23). Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 14th

 Read Exodus 32.15-35. In verse 15: On the two tablets of the covenant, see comment on 31.18. In verse 17: Joshua is Moses' young assistant (23.13). In verse 19: Moses broke the stone tablets on which God had written the Ten Commandments (vv. 15-16). The act dramatized Israel's severe disobedience, which broke the formal relationship between God and the people. In verses 21-23; In contrasts to Moses, who takes responsibility and pleads with God on behalf of the people, Aaron blames the  people in order to escape his own responsibility for the rebellion. In verse 24: Aaron's version of the story suggests that the golden calf emerged by itself miraculously out of the fire. The earlier account clearly tells the real story: Aaron himself was the one responsible for making the golden calf (v. 4; see vv. 25, 35). In verses 26-29: the members of the tribe of Levi obey Moses. Thus Moses ordained or set them apart for the service of the Lord as priests. The ordination of the Levites occurs in Num 8. Numbers 16-18 suggests that the Levites will be subordinate to Aaron and the priests in his line. In verse 34: The Lord promises to send my angel, a subordinate divine messenger and commander, to lead Israel to Canaan (23.20, 23). This question will become whether, in addition to the angel, God's own divine presence will go in the midst of Israel to lead them (33.2-3). Comments or  Questions..

Reading for September 13th

 Israel worships a golden calf . In 32.1-35: Israel makes an idol in the form of a golden calf and worships it. This indeed violates the important prohibition in the Ten Commandments against worshipping other gods and making idols (20.3-4). The story has a parallel in a later account about King Jeroboam, who sets up golden calves at two worship sites in northern Israel (1 Kings 12.25-33). 

Read Exodus 32.1-14. In verses 2-3 The gulden rings presumably come from their gold jewelry given to the Israelites by the Egyptians when they fled Egypt (12.35-36). In verse 4: The calf of young bull was a common image for certain Canaanite gods. In verse 7: The Lord tells Moses that now the Israelites are your people. They are no longer God's people. In verse 10: The Lord plans to consume or completely destroy the Israelites for their disobedience. The Lord with then take Moses alone and make of him a great nation. That is the same promise God first made to Abraham (Gen 12.2). In verses 13-14: Moses pleads with God on behalf of the Israelites. Moses reminds God that they are your people (vv. 11, 12; see 33.13). To destroy Israel would to do harm to the Lord's international reputation (v. 12). it would also violate God's promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (v. 13; see 6.2-8). God swore or made a promise to each of the ancestors in Genesis: Abraham (Gen 13.14-15), Isaac (Gen 26.3), and Jacob/Israel (Gen 28.13). Remarkably, Moses succeeds. The Lord changed his mind about destroying Israel. Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 12th

 Read Exodus 31.12-18. In 31.12-18: God gives a concluding reminder of the sabbath commandment. Reference to the work on the tabernacle in the preceding section (31.1-11) occasions the reminder about the regular need to rest from work on the sabbath day (20.8-11). Like the tabernacle that sets apart a sacred time in the community, the sabbath sets apart sacred time in the ongoing life of the community. In verse 18: This action fulfills the promise God made to Moses in 24.12. The two tablets of stone will figure prominently in the next story of the golden calf. They will become signs of the breaking of the old covenant (32.15-16, 19) and the making of a new covenant (34.1, 4). Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 11th

 Read Exodus 30.1-31.11. In 30.1-31.11: The Lord gives instructions for other matters related to the priests and the worship sanctuary. In 30.10: Once a year would be the day of Atonement as specified in greater detail in Lev 16. In verses 11-13: The act of taking a census or counting the people for military or administrative purposes was believed to arouse the deity's anger, there by bringing on a plague (2 Sam 24.10). Thus each person had to pay a ransom or fee of half shekel in order to ward off the plague. Numbers 1.17-47records the first census taken of the Israelites in the wilderness In 31.2-6: The divine spirit (v. 3) fills the two skilled workers, Bezalel (v. 2) and Oholiab (v. 6), with ability, intelligence, and knowledge in their particular skills of artistry and construction. Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 10th

 Instructions for the ordination of priests. In 29.1-46: These instructions for ordination are carried out when Aaron and his sons are formally set apart as priests in Lev 8-9. Blood is considered a sacred substance with power to purify and make holy (Lev 17.11) Thus, blood plays an important role in purifying the priests and altar throughout this section.

Read Exodus 29.1-46. In verses 33-37: To consecrate the priests means to set them apart in a formal ceremony for special service. In verse 40: A measure is an ephah, which is equivalent to about 20 liters. A hin is one-sixth of an ephah about 3 liters. Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 9th

 Read Exodus 28.1-43. In 28.1-43: The Lord gives guidelines for making the priestly garments. In verse 6: The ephod is a long priestly robe; it was sometimes used to obtain an oracle or message from the deity (1 Sam 23.9-12). In verses 15-30: The breast piece of judgment as a means to obtain divine messages and guidance . It was a pouch containing the Urim and Thummim, light and dark stones used to determine the deity's will in a given situation (v. 30). Comments or Questions...

Reading for September 8th

 Constructing the altar, the court, and the lamps. In 27.1-21: The instructions pertain to items and areas outside and surrounding the tabernacle itself. Comments or Questions..

Read Exodus 27.1-21. No Comments..

Reading for September 7th

 Instructions concerning the tabernacle's frame and curtains. In 26.1-37: The decryption of the tabernacle includes some parallels tot he description of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 6) and the vision of the Temple in Ezek 40-43. 

Read Exodus 26.1-37. No Comments.

Reading for September 6th

 Read Exodus 25.31-40. No comments..

Reading for September 5th

Furnishings for the Tabernacle. In 25.1-40: This unit begins an extended section of instructions for building and furbishing the portable sanctuary or shrine called the tabernacle (25.1-31.18). The tabernacle is to be the vehicle of God's presence as they leave God's dwelling place of Mount Sinai and set off on the journey through the wilderness to the promised land. The tabernacle will not be built until after the golden calf rebellion (ch.32) and the renewal of the covenant (chs. 33-34). 

 Read Exodus 25.1- 30. In verse 3: The gold and silver and other finery derive presumably from the Egyptians gave to the Israelites as they fled Egypt (12.35-36). In verse 7: On the ephod, see comment on 28.6. In verse 10: The wooden ark is as a container that functions "throne or footstool for the divine presence." In verse 16: The two tablets of stone that contained the Ten Commandments are the covenant that will be carried in the ark. In verses 17-22: Cherubim are half-human  and half-animal creatures with wings. The head is human and the body usually a lion a or bull. They guard holy areas as well as kings. The mercy seat is the throne for the deity's presence. In verse 21: On the covenant, see comment on v. 16. In verse 30: The bread of the Presence is set out on table as a sign of hospitality to the deity, but the priests actually eat the bread (Lev 24.5-9). Comments or Questions...

Reading for September 4th

 Read Exodus 24.1-18. In 24.1-18: The Lord, Moses and the people formally enter into a covenant relationship. In verse 1: Nadah and Abihu and two sons of Aaron who serve as priests (see 6.23). In verses 6-8: The altar represents God's presence (v. 6). Sprinkling blood on the altar and then the people signifies their binding together in relationship. The book of the covenant is presumably some form of the laws and commandments in chs. 20-23. In verse 9: On Nadah and Abihu, see comment on v. 1. In verse 14: Hur is a leader from the Israelite tribe of Judah (17.10; 31.2), Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 3rd

 Read Exodus 23.20-33. In 23.20-33: God promises and instructions regarding Israel's future entry into Canaan. In verse 20: The Lord promises to send an angel as a divine representative to protect and fight for the Israelites (see v. 23 and 14.19) Discussion about the angel will reappear in Josh 5.13-15 and Judg 2.1-5. In verse 31: The sea of the Philistines is the Mediterranean Sea to the west of Canaan. The wilderness is probably the Negev region south of Canaan. The boundaries correspond roughly to the size of Israel under King Solomon (1 Kings 4.21). Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 2nd

 Read Exodus 22.31-23.19. In verse 15: On the festival of unleavened bread see. 13.3-10. In verse 19: The probations against boiling a young goat or kid in its mother's milk involves  the ritual impurity of crossing the boundary between life  and death. The mother's milk gives life, but using it to boil meat mixes it with death. Comments or Questions..

Reading for September 1st

 Read Exodus 22.21-30. In verses 21-24: Israel's experience of being aliens in the land of Egypt motivated these laws against oppressing a resident alien or other marginal people in the community (see 23.9). Israel also knew firsthand the power of the oppressed who cry out to arose God's saving action (see 2.23-25). In verse 30: The seven days of waiting is the time required for the mother and the baby to become ritually clean after the birth (Lev 12.2-3). Comments or Questions..

Reading for August 31st

 Read Exodus 21.1-20. No Comments.....

Reading for August 30th

 Read Exodus 21.15-36. The principle for life seeks to limit the extent of any revenge. The principle who means that simply paying money to a victim or victim's family cannot compensate for the loss of a of a priceless life or limb. In verse 28: The ox, shall be stoned and not eaten because it has become ritually impure by causing the death of a human. Comments or Questions..

Reading for August 29th

Additional laws in the Book of the Covenant. 20.22-23.19: Most scholars consider this group of laws to be the oldest of all legal collections of the Bible. These Biblical laws have several parallels in subject matter and form to ancient Babylonian law codes. The laws alternate between religious concerns and criminal, social, and economic matters.

 Read Exodus 20.22-21.14. In 20.26: the concern for stairs and the exposure of nakedness implies that those doing the sacrificing at the altar wore robes that were open at the bottom. In 21.6: The blood on the door post from the pierced ear was a sign of the permanent attachment of the slave to the household . Inverse 8: The case deals with a husband's taking a slave as a wife or  concubine through whom he might have children (Gen 21.10-13). In verse 13-14: Accidental killers could flee to designated "cities of refuge" where they could live protected from family members of the victim who seek revenge (Num 35.9-28). Comments or Questions..

Reading for August 28th

The Ten Commandments In 20.1-21: These ten rules form the core of Israel's obligation in its relationship with God. Moses repeats these ten commandments in a slightly altered form to a new generation in Deut 5.6-21. God is the one who writes the Ten Commandments on two stone tablets (31.18). The commandments are a central element of the faith of Judaism and Christianity. 

 Read Exodus 20.1-21. In verse 4; The description assumes a three-level universe: heaven above, earth beneath, and water under the earth. See Gen 1.6-10. In verse 7: The probation against the wrongful use of the name of the Lord is aimed particularly at violating oaths made in the deity's name (Lev 19.12). In verse 8: the root meaning of the sabbath is "to stop to rest." To keep it holy signifies setting the seventh day apart as different from all other days of the week. In verse 11: In the creation story in Gen 1, God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh (Gen 2.1-3). In verse 12: The commandment concerning parents may have originally been aimed especially at the care of elderly parents. In verse 13: Murder refers to any killing not sanctioned by  the community, including personal acts of revenge. In verse 16: The prohibition of false witness involves false testimony in judicial cases and disputes. In verse 17: To covet refers to the inner yearning and strong desire to take something that rightfully belongs to others, especially the poor and less powerful. Comments or Questions..