Bible Readings for April 19, 2019

Today our passages are Joshua 19:1–20:9; Luke 19:28-48; Psalm 88:1-18; and Proverbs 13:12-14. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below.

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Joshua 19-20:9 (Contemporary English Version)

Joshua 19

Simeon's Land

 ¹Simeon was the second tribe chosen to receive land, and the region for its clans was inside Judah's borders. ^2-6In one region of Simeon's tribal land there were the following thirteen towns with their surrounding villages:    Beersheba, Shema, ^[a] Moladah, Hazar-Shual, Balah, Ezem, Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, Ziklag, Beth-Marcaboth, Hazar-Susah, Beth-Lebaoth, and Sharuhen. ⁷In another region, Simeon had the following four towns with their surrounding villages:
   Enrimmon, ^[b] Tachan, ^[c] Ether, and Ashan. ⁸Simeon's land also included all the other towns and villages as far south as Baalath-Beer, which is also called Ramah of the South.
    ⁹Simeon's tribal land was actually inside Judah's territory. Judah had received too much land for the number of people in its tribe, so part of Judah's land was given to Simeon.     

Zebulun's Land

 ^10-12Zebulun was the third tribe chosen to receive land. The southern border for its clans started in the west at the edge of the gorge near Jokneam. It went east to the edge of the land that belongs to the town of Dabbesheth, and continued on to Maralah and Sarid. It took in the land that belongs to Chislothtabor, then ended at Daberath.    The eastern border went up to Japhia ¹³and continued north to Gath-Hepher, Ethkazin, and Rimmonah, ^[d] where it curved ^[e] toward Neah ¹⁴and became the northern border. Then it curved south around Hannathon and went as far west as Iphtahel Valley. ¹⁵Zebulun had twelve towns with their surrounding villages. Some of these were Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Jiralah, ^[f] and Bethlehem. ^[g] ¹⁶This is the tribal land, and these are the towns and villages of the Zebulun clans.     

Issachar's Land

 ^17-23Issachar was the fourth tribe chosen to receive land. The northern border for its clans went from Mount Tabor east to the Jordan River. Their land included the following sixteen towns with their surrounding villages:    Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem, Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, Debirath, ^[h] Kishion, Ebez, Remeth, En-Gannim, Enhaddah, Beth-Pazzez, Tabor, ^[i] Shahazumah and Beth-Shemesh. ^[j] 

Asher's Land

 ^24-26Asher was the fifth tribe chosen to receive land, and the region for its clans included the following towns:   Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph, Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal.
   Asher's southern border ran from the Mediterranean Sea southeast along the Shihor-Libnath River at the foot of Mount Carmel, ²⁷then east to Beth-Dagon. On the southeast, Asher shared a border with Zebulun along the Iphtahel Valley. On the eastern side their border ran north to Beth-Emek, went east of Cabul, and then on to Neiel, ²⁸Abdon, ^[k]Rehob, Hammon, Kanah, and as far north as the city of Sidon. ^29-31Then it turned west to become the northern border and went to Ramah ^[l] and the fortress-city of Tyre. ^[m] Near Tyre it turned toward Hosah and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. Asher had a total of twenty-two towns with their surrounding villages, including Mahalab, ^[n] Achzib, Acco, ^[o] Aphek, and Rehob. 

Naphtali's Land

 ^32-34Naphtali was the sixth tribe chosen to receive land. The southern border for its clans started in the west, where the tribal lands of Asher and Zebulun meet near Hukkok. From that point it ran east and southeast along the border with Zebulun as far as Aznoth-Tabor. From there the border went east to Heleph, Adami-Nekeb, Jabneel, ^[p] then to the town called Oak in Zaanannim, ^[q] and Lakkum. The southern border ended at the Jordan River, at the edge of the town named Jehudah. ^[r] Naphtali shared a border with Asher on the west. ^35-39The Naphtali clans received this region as their tribal land, and it included nineteen towns with their surrounding villages. The following towns had walls around them:    Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth, Adamah, Ramah, ^[s] Hazor, Kedesh, Edrei, ^[t] Enhazor, Iron, Migdalel, Horem, Beth-Anath, and Beth-Shemesh. ^[u] 

Dan's Land

 ^40-46Dan was the seventh tribe chosen to receive land, and the region for its clans included the following towns:   Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir-Shemesh, ^[v] Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, Elon, Timnah, Ekron, Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, Jehud, Azor, ^[w] Beneberak, Gath-Rimmon, Mejarkon, and Rakkon. Dan's tribal land ^[x] went almost as far as Joppa. ^47-48Its clans received this land and these towns with their surrounding villages. Later, when enemies ^[y] forced them to leave their tribal land, they went to the town of Leshem. They attacked the town, captured it, and killed the people who lived there. Then they settled there themselves and renamed the town Dan after their ancestor. 

Joshua's Land

 ^49-51The Israelites were still gathered in Shiloh in front of the sacred tent, ^[z] when Eleazar the priest, Joshua, and the family leaders of Israel finished giving out the land to the tribes. The LORD had told the people to give Joshua whatever town he wanted. So Joshua chose Timnath-Serah in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people gave it to him. Joshua went to Timnath-Serah, rebuilt it, and lived there. 

Joshua 20

The Safe Towns

(Numbers 35.9-15; Deuteronomy 19.1-13)

 ¹One day the LORD told Joshua:     ²When Moses was still alive, I had him tell the Israelites about the Safe Towns. Now you tell them that it is time to set up these towns. ^3-4If a person accidentally kills someone and the victim's relatives say it was murder, they might try to take revenge. ^[aa] Anyone accused of murder can run to one of the Safe Towns and be safe from the victim's relatives. The one needing protection will stand at the entrance to the town gate and explain to the town leaders what happened. Then the leaders will bring that person in and provide a place to live in their town. ⁵One of the victim's relatives might come to the town, looking for revenge. But the town leaders must not simply hand over the person accused of murder. After all, the accused and the victim had been neighbors, not enemies. ⁶The citizens of that Safe Town must come together and hold a trial. They may decide that the victim was killed accidentally and that the accused is not guilty of murder.
   Everyone found not guilty ^[ab] must still live in the Safe Town until the high priest dies. Then they can go back to their own towns and their homes that they had to leave behind. ⁷The Israelites decided that the following three towns west of the Jordan River would be Safe Towns:
   Kedesh in Galilee in Naphtali's hill country, Shechem in Ephraim's hill country, and Kiriath-Arba in Judah's hill country. Kiriath-Arba is now called Hebron.
    ⁸The Israelites had already decided on the following three towns east of the Jordan River:
   Bezer in the desert flatlands of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead, which was a town that belonged to Gad, and Golan in Bashan, which belonged to Manasseh.
    ⁹These Safe Towns were set up, so that if Israelites or even foreigners who lived in Israel accidentally killed someone, they could run to one of these towns. There they would be safe until a trial could be held, even if one of the victim's relatives came looking for revenge.
    

Footnotes:

1. Joshua 19:2 Shema: One ancient translation and some manuscripts of another ancient translation (see also the list at 15.21-32); Hebrew and some manuscripts of one ancient translation " Sheba." The list in 1 Chronicles 4.28 does not have either " Shema" or " Sheba."
2. Joshua 19:7 Enrimmon: Some Hebrew manuscripts and one ancient translation; most Hebrew manuscripts " Ain, Rimmon."
3. Joshua 19:7 Tachan: Some manuscripts of one ancient translation; the Hebrew text does not have this word.
4. Joshua 19:13 Rimmonah: Or " Rimmon."
5. Joshua 19:13 Rimmonah. . . curved: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
6. Joshua 19:15 Jiralah: Some Hebrew manuscripts and two ancient translations; most Hebrew manuscripts " Idalah."
7. Joshua 19:15 Bethlehem: This town is different from the Bethlehem in 15.58,59.
8. Joshua 19:17 Debirath: One ancient translation; Hebrew " Rabbith." Debirath is probably the same place as Daberath in verse 12.
9. Joshua 19:17 Mount Tabor. . . Tabor: In Hebrew the name " Tabor" is used only once. It was probably intended as the name of a town located at the foot of Mount Tabor and which formed one point on the northern border of Issachar.
10. Joshua 19:17 Beth-Shemesh: Not the same Beth-Shemesh as in 15.10 or 19.35-39.
11. Joshua 19:28 Abdon: A few Hebrew manuscripts and one ancient translation; most Hebrew manuscripts " Ebron."
12. Joshua 19:29 Ramah: Not the same " Ramah" as in 18.25-28 or 19.35-39.
13. Joshua 19:29 fortress-city of Tyre: Tyre was a walled city built on an island about half a mile from shore.
14. Joshua 19:29 Mahalab: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
15. Joshua 19:29 Acco: One ancient translation; Hebrew " Ummah."
16. Joshua 19:32 Jabneel: This town is not the same Jabneel as in 15.11.
17. Joshua 19:32 the town. . . Zaanannim: Or " the oak tree in the town of Zaanannim."
18. Joshua 19:32 at. . . Jehudah: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
19. Joshua 19:35 Ramah: Not the same " Ramah" as in 18.25-28 or 19.29-31.
20. Joshua 19:35 Edrei: Not the same Edrei as the town in Bashan east of the Jordan River where King Og had lived (see 12.4; 13.11,12,30,31).
21. Joshua 19:35 Beth-Shemesh: Not the same Beth-Shemesh as in 15.10 or 19.17-23.
22. Joshua 19:40 Ir-Shemesh: Possibly the same town as the Beth-Shemesh of 15.10.
23. Joshua 19:40 Azor: Some manuscripts of one ancient translation; the Hebrew text does not have this word.
24. Joshua 19:40 Gath-Rimmon, Mejarkon, and Rakkon. Dan's tribal land: Or "Gath-Rimmon, and Rakkon. Dan's tribal land also included the Yarkon River and."
25. Joshua 19:47 enemies: Probably the Philistines.
26. Joshua 19:49 sacred tent: Or " meeting tent."
27. Joshua 20:3 revenge: At this time in Israel's history, the clan could appoint a close male relative to find and kill a person who had killed a member of their clan.
28. Joshua 20:6 not guilty: If the person was found to be guilty of murder, the citizens of the Safe Town were to let the victim's relatives kill the murderer (see Deuteronomy 19.11-13).

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Luke 19:28-48 (Contemporary English Version)

Jesus Enters Jerusalem

(Matthew 21.1-11; Mark 11.1-11; John 12.12-19)

 ²⁸When Jesus had finished saying all this, he went on toward Jerusalem. ²⁹As he was getting near Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples on ahead. ³⁰He told them, "Go into the next village, where you will find a young donkey that has never been ridden. Untie the donkey and bring it here. ³¹If anyone asks why you are doing that, just say, `The Lord ^[a] needs it.' " ³²They went off and found everything just as Jesus had said. ³³While they were untying the donkey, its owners asked, "Why are you doing that?"     ³⁴They answered, "The Lord ^[b] needs it."
    ³⁵Then they led the donkey to Jesus. They put some of their clothes on its back and helped Jesus get on. ³⁶And as he rode along, the people spread clothes on the road in front of him. ³⁷When Jesus was starting down the Mount of Olives, his large crowd of disciples were happy and praised God because of all the miracles they had seen. ³⁸They shouted,
   "Blessed is the king who comes
   in the name of the Lord!
   Peace in heaven
   and glory to God."
    ³⁹Some Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, make your disciples stop shouting!"
    ⁴⁰But Jesus answered, "If they keep quiet, these stones will start shouting."
    ⁴¹When Jesus came closer and could see Jerusalem, he cried ⁴²and said:
   It is too bad that today your people don't know what will bring them peace! Now it is hidden from them. ⁴³Jerusalem, the time will come when your enemies will build walls around you to attack you. Armies will surround you and close in on you from every side. ⁴⁴They will level you to the ground and kill your people. Not one stone in your buildings will be left on top of another. This will happen because you did not see that God had come to save you. ^[c] 

Jesus in the Temple

(Matthew 21.12-17; Mark 11.15-19; John 2.13-22)

 ⁴⁵When Jesus entered the temple, he started chasing out the people who were selling things. ⁴⁶He told them, "The Scriptures say, `My house should be a place of worship.' But you have made it a place where robbers hide!"     ⁴⁷Each day, Jesus kept on teaching in the temple. So the chief priests, the teachers of the Law of Moses, and some other important people tried to have him killed. ⁴⁸But they could not find a way to do it, because everyone else was eager to listen to him.
    

Footnotes:

1. Luke 19:31 The Lord: Or " The master of the donkey."
2. Luke 19:34 spread clothes on the road: This was one way that the Jewish people welcomed a famous person.
3. Luke 19:44 that God had come to save you: The Jewish people looked for the time when God would come and rescue them from their enemies. But when Jesus came, many of them refused to obey him.

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Psalm 88:1-18 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 88

(A song and a psalm by the people of Korah for the music leader. To the tune "Mahalath Leannoth." (Psalm 88 To. . . Leannoth: Or " For the flutes," one possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.) A special psalm by Heman the Ezrahite.)

A Prayer When You Can't Find the Way

 ¹You keep me safe, LORD God.    So when I pray at night,
    ²please listen carefully
   to each of my concerns.
    ³I am deeply troubled
   and close to death;
    ⁴I am as good as dead
   and completely helpless.
    ⁵I am no better off
   than those in the grave,
   those you have forgotten
   and no longer help.
    ⁶You have put me in the deepest
   and darkest grave;
    ⁷your anger rolls over me
   like ocean waves.
    ⁸You have made my friends turn
   in horror from me.
   I am a prisoner
   who cannot escape,
    ⁹and I am almost blind
   because of my sorrow.
   Each day I lift my hands
   in prayer to you, LORD.
    ¹⁰Do you work miracles
   for the dead?
   Do they stand up
   and praise you?
    ¹¹Are your love and loyalty
   announced
   in the world
   of the dead?
    ¹²Do they know of your miracles
   or your saving power
   in the dark world below
   where all is forgotten?
    ¹³Each morning I pray
   to you, LORD.
    ¹⁴Why do you reject me?
   Why do you turn from me?
    ¹⁵Ever since I was a child,
   I have been sick
   and close to death.
   You have terrified me
   and made me helpless. ^[a] ¹⁶Your anger is like a flood!
   And I am shattered
   by your furious attacks
    ¹⁷that strike each day
   and from every side.
    ¹⁸My friends and neighbors
   have turned against me
   because of you,
   and now darkness
   is my only companion.
    

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 88:15 and made me helpless: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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Proverbs 13:12-14 (Contemporary English Version)

¹²Not getting what you want
   can make you feel sick,
   but a wish that comes true
   is a life-giving tree.
    ¹³If you reject God's teaching,
   you will pay the price;
   if you obey his commands,
   you will be rewarded.
    ¹⁴Sensible instruction
   is a life-giving fountain
   that helps you escape
   all deadly traps.

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Verse of the Day

“But Christ has been raised to life! And he makes us certain that others will also be raised to life. Just as we will die because of Adam, we will be raised to life because of Christ. Adam brought death to all of us, and Christ will bring life to all of us.” - 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day  

American Prohibition agent, famous for his efforts to bring down Al Capone and enforce Prohibition in Chicago, Illinois, and the leader of a famous team of law enforcement agents from Chicago, nicknamed The Untouchables, Eliot Ness wrote, “Doubts raced through my mind as I considered the feasibility of enforcing a law which the majority of honest citizens didn't seem to want.”

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A Joke for Today

On his way out of church after service, Frank stopped at the door to speak to the minister. "Would it be right," he asked, "for a person to profit from the mistakes of another?"

"Absolutely not!" replied the pastor, disappointed that Frank would even ask such a question.

"In that case," said the young man, "I wonder if you'd consider returning the hundred dollars I paid you to marry my wife and me last July."