From: "FamilyNet" 

Bible Reading for March 19

Judges 1
[1] Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of
Israel asked the LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us against the
Canaanites first, to fight against them?
[2] And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land
into his hand.
[3] And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot,
that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee
into thy lot. So Simeon went with him. [4] And Judah went up; and the LORD
delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand: and they slew
of them in Bezek ten thousand men. [5] And they found Adoni-bezek in Bezek:
and they fought against him, and they slew the Canaanites and the
Perizzites. [6] But Adoni-bezek fled; and they pursued after him, and
caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes. [7] And Adoni-bezek
said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes
cut off, gathered their meat under my table: as I have done, so God hath
requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died.
[8] Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken
it, and smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire.
[9] And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the
Canaanites, that dwelt in the mountain, and in the south, and in the
valley. [10] And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron:
(now the name of Hebron before was Kirjath-arba:) and they slew Sheshai,
and Ahiman, and Talmai.
[11] And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir: and the name
of Debir before was Kirjath-sepher: [12] And Caleb said, He that smiteth
Kirjath-sepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to
wife. [13] And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it:
and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife. [14] And it came to pass, when
she came to him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she
lighted from off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wilt thou?
[15] And she said unto him, Give me a blessing: for thou hast given me a
south land; give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper
springs and the nether springs.
[16] And the children of the Kenite, Moses' father in law, went up out of
the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of
Judah, which lieth in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the
people.
[17] And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites
that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city
was called Hormah.
[18] Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the
coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof. [19] And the LORD was with
Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not
drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.
[20] And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled thence
the three sons of Anak.
[21] And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that
inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin
in Jerusalem unto this day.
[22] And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel: and the
LORD was with them.
[23] And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel. (Now the name of the
city before was Luz.)
[24] And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto
him, Shew us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and we will shew
thee mercy.
[25] And when he shewed them the entrance into the city, they smote the
city with the edge of the sword; but they let go the man and all his
family. [26] And the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a
city, and called the name thereof Luz: which is the name thereof unto this
day. [27] Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and
her towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and her
towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the inhabitants of
Megiddo and her towns: but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. [28]
And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites
to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out. [29] Neither did Ephraim
drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwelt in
Gezer among them. [30] Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of
Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites dwelt among
them, and became tributaries.
[31] Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the
inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of
Aphik, nor of Rehob:
[32] But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the
land: for they did not drive them out. [33] Neither did Naphtali drive out
the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth-anath; but he
dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the
inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became tributaries unto them.
[34] And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for
they would not suffer them to come down to the valley: [35] But the
Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim: yet the
hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became tributaries.
[36] And the coast of the Amorites was from the going up to Akrabbim, from
the rock, and upward.

Judges 2
[1] And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I
made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I
sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with
you. [2] And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye
shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye
done this?
[3] Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but
they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto
you.
[4] And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto
all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and
wept. [5] And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they
sacrificed there unto the LORD.
[6] And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went
every man unto his inheritance to possess the land. [7] And the people
served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that
outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did
for Israel.
[8] And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an
hundred and ten years old.
[9] And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-heres,
in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash. [10] And also
all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose
another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works
which he had done for Israel. [11] And the children of Israel did evil in
the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:
[12] And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out
of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people
that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked
the LORD to anger.
[13] And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. [14] And the
anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the
hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of
their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before
their enemies.
[15] Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for
evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they
were greatly distressed.
[16] Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of
the hand of those that spoiled them.
[17] And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a
whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned
quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the
commandments of the LORD; but they did not so. [18] And when the LORD
raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them
out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented
the LORD because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them
and vexed them. [19] And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that
they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in
following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased
not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way. [20] And the anger
of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people
hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not
hearkened unto my voice; [21] I also will not henceforth drive out any from
before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died: [22] That
through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD
to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not. [23] Therefore the
LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither
delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.

Judges 3
[1] Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them,
even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan; [2] Only
that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them
war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof; [3] Namely, five
lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and
the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon unto the
entering in of Hamath. [4] And they were to prove Israel by them, to know
whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he
commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
[5] And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and
Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites: [6] And they took
their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons,
and served their gods. [7] And the children of Israel did evil in the sight
of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the
groves. [8] Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he
sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the
children of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim eight years. [9] And when the
children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to
the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz,
Caleb's younger brother. [10] And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and
he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered
Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand
prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim.
[11] And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
[12] And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD:
and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because
they had done evil in the sight of the LORD. [13] And he gathered unto him
the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed
the city of palm trees. [14] So the children of Israel served Eglon the
king of Moab eighteen years. [15] But when the children of Israel cried
unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a
Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a
present unto Eglon the king of Moab.
[16] But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and
he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh. [17] And he brought
the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.
[18] And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the
people that bare the present.
[19] But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and
said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And
all that stood by him went out from him. [20] And Ehud came unto him; and
he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And
Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his
seat. [21] And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his
right thigh, and thrust it into his belly: [22] And the haft also went in
after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not
draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.
[23] Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the
parlour upon him, and locked them.
[24] When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that,
behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth
his feet in his summer chamber.
[25] And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not
the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and,
behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth. [26] And Ehud escaped
while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto
Seirath.
[27] And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the
mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the
mount, and he before them.
[28] And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered
your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and
took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.
[29] And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty,
and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man. [30] So Moab was
subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore
years.
[31] And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the
Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.

Judges 4
[1] And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD,
when Ehud was dead.
[2] And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that
reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in
Harosheth of the Gentiles.
[3] And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred
chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of
Israel.
[4] And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
[5] And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel
in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.
[6] And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of
Kedesh-naphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel
commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten
thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?
[7] And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of
Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him
into thine hand.
[8] And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but
if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go. [9] And she said, I will
surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not
be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a
woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.
[10] And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with
ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him. [11] Now Heber
the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses,
had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain
of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh. [12] And they shewed Sisera that Barak the
son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor.
[13] And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred
chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of
the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon. [14] And Deborah said unto Barak,
Up; for this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine
hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount
Tabor, and ten thousand men after him. [15] And the LORD discomfited
Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword
before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on
his feet. [16] But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host,
unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the
edge of the sword; and there was not a man left. [17] Howbeit Sisera fled
away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for
there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the
Kenite.
[18] And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord,
turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent,
she covered him with a mantle.
[19] And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink;
for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and
covered him.
[20] Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall
be, when any man doth come and inquire of thee, and say, Is there any man
here? that thou shalt say, No.
[21] Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in
her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples,
and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he
died. [22] And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him,
and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest.
And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was
in his temples.
[23] So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the
children of Israel.
[24] And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed
against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of
Canaan.

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