Old
Testament Readings
Which are never read in a Roman
Catholic Mass
Biblical
Verses Omitted From Roman Catholic Mass Readings
Chapter 1
- verses
1-18 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] Now it came to pass after the death of Moses the servant of the
Lord, that the Lord spoke to Josue the son of Nun, the minister of
Moses, and said to him:
[2] Moses my servant is dead: arise, and pass over this Jordan, thou
and thy people with thee, into the land which I will give to the
children of Israel. [3] I will deliver to you every place that the sole
of your foot shall tread upon, as I have said to Moses. [4] From the
desert and from Libanus unto the great river Euphrates, all the land of
the Hethites unto the great sea toward the going; down of the sun,
shall be your border. [5] No man shall be able to resist you all the
days of thy life: as I have been with Moses, so will I be with thee: I
will not leave thee, nor forsake thee. [6] Take courage, and be strong:
for thou shalt divide by lot to this people the land, for which I swore
to their fathers, that I would deliver it to them. [7] Take courage
therefore, and be very valiant: that thou mayst observe and do all the
law, which Moses my servant hath commanded thee: turn not from it to
the right hand or to the left, that thou mayst understand all things
which thou dost. [8] Let not the book of this law depart from thy
mouth: but thou shalt meditate on it day and night, that thou mayst
observe and do all things that are written in it: then shalt thou
direct thy way, and understand it. [9] Behold I command thee, take
courage, and be strong. Fear not and be not dismayed: because the Lord
thy God is with thee in all things whatsoever thou shalt go to.
[10] And Josue commanded the princes of the people, saying: Pass
through the midst of the camp, and command the people, and say:
[11] Prepare you victuals: for after the third day you shall pass over
the Jordan and shall go in to possess the land, which the Lord your God
will give you.
[12] And he said to the Rubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe
of Manasses:
[13] Remember the word, which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded
you, saying: The Lord your God hath given you rest, and all this land.
[14] Your wives, and children, and cattle shall remain in the land
which Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan: but pass you over
armed before your brethren, all of you that are strong of hand, and
fight for them, [15] Until the Lord give rest to your brethren as he
hath given you, and they also possess the land which the Lord your God
will give them: and so you shall return into the land of your
possession, and you shall dwell in it, which Moses the servant of the
Lord gave you beyond the Jordan, toward the rising of the sun.
[16] And they made answer to Josue, and said:
All that thou hast commanded us we will do; and whithersoever thou
shalt send us, we will go. [17] As we obeyed Moses in all things, so
will we obey thee also: only be the Lord thy God with thee, as he was
with Moses. [18] He that shall gainsay thy mouth, and not obey all thy
words, that thou shalt command him, let him die: only take thou
courage, and do manfully.
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Chapter 2
- verses
1-24 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] And Josue the son of Nun sent from Setim two men, to spy secretly:
and said to them:
Go, and view the land and the city of Jericho.
They went and entered into the house of a woman that was a harlot named
Rahab, and lodged with her. [2] And it was told the king of Jericho,
and was said:
Behold there are men come in hither, by night, of the children of
Israel, to spy the land.
[3] And the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying:
Bring forth the men that came to thee, and are entered into thy house:
for they are spies, and are come to view all the land.
[4] And the woman taking the men, hid them, and said:
I confess they came to me, but I knew not whence they were: [5] And at
the time of shutting the gate in the dark, they also went out together.
I know not whither they are gone: pursue after them quickly, and you
will overtake them.
[6] But she made the men go up to the top of her house, and covered
them with the stalks of flax, which was there. [7] Now they that were
sent, pursued after them, by the way that leadeth to the fords of the
Jordan: and as soon as they were gone out, the gate was presently shut.
[8] The men that were hidden were not yet asleep, when behold the woman
went up to them, and said:
[9] I know that the Lord hath given this land to you: for the dread of
you is fallen upon us, and all the inhabitants of the land have lost
all strength. [10] We have heard that the Lord dried up the water of
the Red Sea at your going in, when you came out of Egypt: and what
things you did to the two kings of the Amorrhites, that were beyond the
Jordan: Sehon and Og whom you slew. [11] And hearing these things we
were affrighted, and our heart fainted away, neither did there remain
any spirit in us at your coming in: for the Lord your God he is God in
heaven above, and in the earth beneath. [12] Now therefore swear ye to
me by the Lord, that as I have shewn mercy to you, so you also will
shew mercy to my father's house: and give me a true token, [13] That
you will save my father and mother, my brethren and sisters, and all
things that are theirs, and deliver our souls from death.
[14] They answered her:
Be our lives for you unto death, only if thou betray us not. And when
the Lord shall have delivered us the land, we will shew thee mercy and
truth.
[15] Then she let them down with a cord out of a window: for her house
joined close to the wall. [16] And she said to them:
Get ye up to the mountains, lest perhaps they meet you as they return:
and there lie ye hid three days, till they come back, and so you shall
go on your way.
[17] And they said to her:
We shall be blameless of this oath, which thou hast made us swear: [18]
If when we come into the land, this scarlet cord be a sign, and thou
tie it in the window, by which thou hast let us down: and gather
together thy father and mother, and brethren and all thy kindred into
thy house. [19] Whosoever shall go out of the door of thy house, his
blood shall be upon his own head, and we shall be quit. But the blood
of all that shall be with thee in the house, shall light upon our head,
if any man touch them. [20] But if thou wilt betray us, and utter this
word abroad, we shall be quit of this oath which thou hast made us
swear.
[21] And she answered:
As you have spoken, so be it done.
And sending them on their way, she hung the scarlet cord in the window.
[22] But they went and came to the mountains, and stayed there three
days till they that pursued them were returned. For having sought them
through all the way, they found them not. [23] And when they were gone
back into the city, the spies returned, and came down from the
mountain: and passing over the Jordan, they came to Josue the son of
Nun, and told him all that befel them. [24] And said:
The Lord hath delivered all this land into our hands, and all the
inhabitants thereof are overthrown with fear.
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Chapter 3
- verses
1-6, 10b and 12 have been omitted from the Mass
readings.
[1] And Josue rose before daylight, and removed the camp: and they
departed from Setim, and came to the Jordan, he, and all the children
of Israel, and they abode there for three days.
[2] After which, the heralds went through the midst of the camp, [3]
And began to proclaim:
When you shall see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and
the priests of the race of Levi carrying it, rise you up also, and
follow them as they go before: [4] And let there be between you and the
ark the space of two thousand cubits: that you may see it afar off, and
know which way you must go: for you have not gone this way before: and
take care you come not near the ark.
[5] And Josue said to the people:
Be ye sanctified: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.
[6] And he said to the priests:
Take up the ark of the covenant, and go before the people.
And they obeyed his commands, and took it up and walked before them.
[10] ... and that he shall destroy before your sight the Chanaanite and
the Hethite, the Hevite and the Pherezite, the Gergesite also and the
Jebusite, and the Amorrhite. … [12] Prepare ye twelve men of the tribes
of Israel, one of every tribe.
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Chapter 4
- verses
1-25 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] And when they were passed over, the Lord said to Josue:
[2] Choose twelve men, one of every tribe: [3] And command them to take
out of the midst of the Jordan, where the feet of the priests stood,
twelve very hard stones, which you shall set in the place of the camp,
where you shall pitch your tents this night.
[4] And Josue called twelve men, whom he had chosen out of the children
of Israel, one out of every tribe, [5] And he said to them:
Go before the ark of the Lord your God to the midst of the Jordan, and
carry from thence every man a stone on your shoulders, according to the
number of the children of Israel, [6] That it may be a sign among you
and when your children shall ask you tomorrow, saying: What mean these
stones? [7] You shall answer them: The waters of the Jordan ran off
before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, when it passed over the
same: therefore were these atones set for a monument of the children of
Israel for ever.
[8] The children of Israel therefore did as Josue commanded them,
carrying out of the channel of the Jordan twelve stones, as the Lord
had commanded him, according to the number of the children of Israel,
unto the place wherein they camped, and there they set them.
[9] And Josue put other twelve stones in the midst of the channel of
the Jordan, where the priests stood that carried the ark of the
covenant: and they are there until this present day.
[10] Now the priests that carried the ark, stood in the midst of the
Jordan till all things were accomplished which the Lord had commanded
Josue to speak to the people, and Moses had said to him. And the people
made haste and passed over. [11] And when they had all passed over, the
ark also of the Lord passed over, and the priests went before the
people. [12] The children of Ruben also and Gad, and half the tribe of
Manasses, went armed before the children of Israel as Moses had
commanded them. [13] And forty thousand fighting men by their troops,
and bands, marched through the plains and fields of the city of
Jericho. [14] In that day the Lord magnified Josue in the sight of all
Israel, that they should fear him, as they had feared Moses, while he
lived.
[15] And he said to him:
[16] Command the priests, that carry the ark of the covenant, to come
up out of the Jordan.
[17] And he commanded them, saying:
Come ye up out of the Jordan.
[18] And when they that carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord,
were come up, and began to tread on the dry ground, the waters returned
into the channel, and ran as they were wont before.
[19] And the people came up out of the Jordan, the tenth day of the
first month, and camped in Galgal, over against the east side of the
city of Jericho. [20] And the twelve stones which they had taken out of
the channel of the Jordan, Josue pitched in Galgal, [21] And said to
the children of Israel:
When your children shall ask their fathers, tomorrow, and shall say to
them: What mean these stones? [22] You shall teach them and say: Israel
passed over this Jordan through the dry channel. [23] The Lord your God
drying up the waters thereof in your sight, until you passed over: [24]
As he had done before in the Red Sea, which he dried up till we passed
through: [25] That all the people of the earth may learn the most
mighty hand of the Lord, that you also may fear the Lord your God for
ever.
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Chapter 5
- verses
1-8, 9b and 13-16 have been omitted from the Mass
readings.
[1] Now when all the kings of the Amorrhites, who dwelt beyond the
Jordan westward, and all the kings of Chanaan, who possessed the places
near the great sea, had heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of
the Jordan before the children of Israel, till they passed over, their
heart failed them, and there remained no spirit in them, fearing the
coming in of the children of Israel.
[2] At that time the Lord said to Josue:
Make thee knives of stone, and circumcise the second time the children
of Israel.
[3] He did what the Lord had commanded, and he circumcised the children
of Israel in the hill of the foreskins.
[4] Now this is the cause of the second circumcision: All the people
that came out of Egypt that were males, all the men fit for war, died
in the desert, during the time of the long going about in the way. [5]
Now these were all circumcised. But the people that were born in the
desert, [6] Luring the forty years of the journey in the wide
wilderness, were uncircumcised: till all they were consumed that had
not heard the voice of the Lord, and to whom he had sworn before, that
he would not shew them the land flowing with milk and honey. [7] The
children of these succeeded in the place of their fathers, and were
circumcised by Josue: for they were uncircumcised even as they were
born, and no one had circumcised them in the way.
[8] Now after they were all circumcised, they remained in the same
place of the camp, until they were healed. [9] ….
And the name of that place was called Galgal, until this present day.
[13] And when Josue was in the field of the city of Jericho, he lifted
up his eyes, and saw a man standing over against him: holding a drawn
sword, and he went to him, and said:
Art thou one of ours, or of our adversaries?
[14] And he answered:
No: but I am prince of the host of the Lord, and now I am come.
[15] Josue fell on his face to the ground. And worshipping, add:
What saith my lord to his servant?
[16] Loose, saith he, thy shoes from off thy feet: for the place
whereon thou standest is holy.
And Josue did as was commanded him.
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Chapter 6
- verses
1-27 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] Now Jericho was close shut up and fenced, for fear of the children
of Israel, and no man durst go out or come in.
[2] And the Lord said to Josue:
Behold I have given into thy hands Jericho, and the king thereof, and
all the valiant men. [3] Go round about the city, all ye fighting men,
once a day: so shall ye do for six days. [4] And on the seventh day the
priests shall take the seven trumpets, which are used in the jubilee,
and shall go before the ark of the covenant: and you shall go about the
city seven times, and the priests shall sound the trumpets. [5] And
when the voice of the trumpet shall give a longer and broken tune, and
shall sound in your ears, all the people shall shout together with a
very great shout, and the walls of the city shall fall to the ground,
and they shall enter in every one at the place against which they shall
stand.
[6] Then Josue the son of Nun called the priests, and said to them:
Take the ark of the covenant: and let seven other priests take the
seven trumpets of the jubilee, and march before the ark of the Lord.
[7] And he said to the people:
Go, and compass the city, armed, marching before the ark of the Lord.
[8] And when Josue had ended his words, and the seven priests blew the
seven trumpets before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, [9] And all
the armed men went before, the rest of the common people followed the
ark, and the sound of the trumpets was heard on all sides. [10] But
Josue had commanded the people, saying:
You shall not shout, nor shall your voice be heard, nor any word go out
of your mouth: until the day come wherein I shall say to you: Cry, and
shout.
[11] So the ark of the Lord went about the city once a day, and
returning into the camp, abode there. [12] And Josue rising before day,
the priests took the ark of the Lord, [13] And seven of them seven
trumpets, which are used in the jubilee: and they went before the ark
of the Lord walking and sounding the trumpets: and the armed men went
before them, and the rest of the common people followed the ark, and
they blew the trumpets. [14] And they went round about the city the
second day once, and returned into the camp. So they did six days. [15]
But the seventh day, rising up early, they went about the city, as it
was ordered, seven times. [16] And when in the seventh going about the
priests sounded with the trumpets, Josue said to all Israel:
Shout: for the Lord hath delivered the city to you: [17] And let this
city be an anathema, and all things that are in it, to the Lord. Let
only Rahab the harlot live, with all that are with her in the house:
for she hid the messengers whom we sent. [18] But beware ye lest you
touch ought of those things that are forbidden, and you be guilty of
transgression, and all the camp of Israel be under sin, and be
troubled. [19] But whatsoever gold or silver there shall be, or vessels
of brass and iron, let it be consecrated to the Lord, laid up in his
treasures.
[20] So all the people making a shout, and the trumpets sounding, when
the voice and the sound thundered in the ears of the multitude, the
walls forthwith fell down: and every man went up by the place that was
over against him: and they took the city, [21] And killed all that were
in it, man and woman, young and old. The oxen also and the sheep, and
the asses, they slew with the edge of the sword.
[22] But Josue said to the two men that had been sent for spies:
Go into the harlot's house, and bring her out, and all things that are
hers, as you assured her by oath.
[23] And the young men went in and brought out Rahab, and her parents,
her brethren also and all her goods and her kindred, and made them to
stay without the camp.
[24] But they burned the city, and all things that were therein; except
the gold and silver, and vessels of brass and iron, which they
consecrated into the treasury of the Lord.
[25] But Josue saved Rahab the harlot and her father's house, and all
she had, and they dwelt in the midst of Israel until this present day:
because she hid the messengers whom he had sent to spy out Jericho.
At that time, Josue made an imprecation, saying:
[26] Cursed be the man before the Lord, that shall raise up and build
the city of Jericho. In his firstborn may he lay the foundation
thereof, and in the last of his children set up its gates.
[27] And the Lord was with Josue, and his name was noised throughout
all the land.
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Chapter 7
- verses
1-26 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] But the children of Israel transgressed the commandment, and took
to their own use of the anathema. For Achan the son of Charmi, the son
of Zabdi, the son of Zare of the tribe of Juda, took something of the
anathema: and the Lord was angry against the children of Israel.
[2] And when Josue sent men from Jericho against Hai, which is beside
Bethaven, on the east side of the town of Bethel, he said to them:
Go up, and view the country:
and they fulfilled his command, and viewed Hai. [3] And returning they
said to him:
Let not all the people go up, but let two or three thousand men go and
destroy the city: why should all the people be troubled in vain against
enemies that are very few?
[4] There went up therefore three thousand fighting men: who
immediately turned their backs, [5] And were defeated by the men of the
city of Hai, and there fell of them six and thirty men: and the enemies
pursued them from the gate as far as Sabarim, and they slew them as
they fled by the descent: and the heart of the people was struck with
fear, and melted like water.
[6] But Josue rent his garments, and fell flat on the ground before the
ark of the Lord until the evening, both he and all the ancients of
Israel: and they put dust upon their heads. [7] And Josue said:
Alas, O Lord God, why wouldst thou bring this people over the river
Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorrhite, and to destroy
us? would God, we had stayed beyond the Jordan as we began. [8] My Lord
God, what shall I say, seeing Israel turning their backs to their
enemies? [9] The Chanaanites, and all the inhabitants of the land will
hear of it, and being gathered together will surround us and cut off
our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do to thy great name?
[10] And the Lord said to Josue:
Arise, why liest thou flat on the ground? [11] Israel hath sinned, and
transgressed my covenant: and they have taken of the anathema, and have
stolen and lied, and have hidden it among their goods. [12] Neither can
Israel stand before his enemies, but he shall flee from them: because
he is defiled with the anathema. I will be no more with you, till you
destroy him that is guilty of this wickedness. [13] Arise, sanctify the
people, and say to them: Be ye sanctified against tomorrow: for thus
saith the Lord God of Israel: The anathema is in the midst of thee, O
Israel: thou canst not stand before thy enemies, till he be destroyed
out of thee that is defiled with this wickedness. [14] And you shall
come in the morning every one by your tribes: and what tribe soever the
lot shall find, it shall come by its kindreds and the kindred by its
houses, and the house by the men. [15] And whosoever he be that shall
be found guilty of this fact, he shall be burnt with fire with all his
substance, because he hath transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and
hath done wickedness in Israel.
[16] Josue, therefore, when he rose in the morning, made Israel to come
by their tribes, and the tribe of Juda was found, [17] Which being
brought by its families, it was found to be the family of Zare.
Bringing that also by the houses, he found it to be Zabdi. [18] And
bringing his house man by man, he found Achan the son of Charmi, the
son of Zabdi, the son of Zare of the tribe of Juda.
[19] And Josue said to Achan:
My son, give glory to the Lord God of Israel, and confess, and tell me
what thou hast done, hide it not.
[20] And Achan answered Josue, and said to him:
Indeed I have sinned against the Lord the God of Israel, and thus and
thus have I done. [21] For I saw among the spoils a scarlet garment
exceeding good, and two hundred sides of silver, and a golden rule of
fifty sides: and I coveted them, and I took them away, and hid them in
the ground is the midst of my tent, and the silver I covered with the
earth that I dug up.
[22] Josue therefore sent ministers: who running to his tent, found all
hidden in the same place, together with the silver. [23] And taking
them away out of the tent, they brought them to Josue, and to all the
children of Israel, and threw them down before the Lord.
[24] Then Josue and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zare, and
the silver and the garments, and the golden rule, his sons also and his
daughters, his oxen and asses and sheep, the tent also, and all the
goods: and brought them to the valley of Achor: [25] Where Josue said:
Because thou hast troubled us, the Lord trouble thee this day.
And all Israel stoned him: and all things that were his, were consumed
with fire. [26] And they gathered together upon him a great heap of
stones, which remaineth until this present day. And the wrath of the
Lord was turned away from them. And the name of that place was called
the Valley of Achor, until this day.
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Chapter 8
- verses
1-35 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] And the Lord said to Josue:
Fear not, nor be thou dismayed: take with thee all the multitude of
fighting men, arise and go up to the town of Hai. Behold I have
delivered into thy hand the king thereof, and the people, and the city,
and the land. [2] And thou shalt do to the city of Hai, and to the king
thereof, as thou hast done to Jericho, and to the king thereof: but the
spoils and all the cattle you shall take for a prey to yourselves: lay
an ambush for the city behind it.
[3] And Josue arose, and all the army of the fighting men with him, to
go up against Hai: and he sent thirty thousand chosen valiant men in
the night, [4] And commanded them, saying:
Lay an ambush behind the city: and go not very far from it: and be ye
all ready. [5] But I and the rest of the multitude which is with me;
will approach on the contrary side against the city. And when they
shall come out against us, we will flee, and turn our backs, as we did
before: [6] Till they pursuing us be drawn farther from the city: for
they will think that we flee as before. [7] And whilst we are fleeing,
and they pursuing, you shall arise out of the ambush, and shall destroy
the city: and the Lord your God will deliver it into our hands. [8] And
when you shall have taken it, set it on fire, and you shall do all
things so as I have commanded.
[9] And he sent them away, and they went on to the place of the ambush,
and abode between Bethel and Hai, on the west side of the city of Hai.
But Josue stayed that night in the midst of the people, [10] And rising
early in the morning, he mustered his soldiers, and went up with the
ancients in the front of the army environed with the aid of the
fighting men. [11] And when they were come, and were gone up over
against the city, they stood on the north side of the city, between
which and them there was a valley in the midst. [12] And he had chosen
five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and
Hai, on the west side of the same city: [13] But all the rest of the
army went in battle array on the north side, so that the last of that
multitude reached to the west side of the city. So Josue went that
night, and stood in the midst of the valley.
[14] And when the king of Hai saw this, he made haste in the morning,
and went out with all the army of the city, and set it in battle array
toward the desert, not knowing that there lay an ambush behind his
back. [15] But Josue, and all Israel gave back, making as if they were
afraid, and fleeing by the way of the wilderness. [16] But they
shouting together, and encouraging one another, pursued them. And when
they were come from the city, [17] And not one remained in the city of
Hai and of Bethel, that did not pursue after Israel, leaving the towns
open as they had rushed out,
[18] The Lord said to Josue:
Lift up the shield that is in thy hand, towards the city of Hai, for I
will deliver it to thee.
[19] And when he had lifted up his shield towards the city, the ambush
that lay hid, rose up immediately: and going to the city, took it and
set it on fire. [20] And the men of the city, that pursued after Josue,
looking back and seeing the smoke of the city rise up to heaven, had no
more power to flee this way or that way: especially as they that had
counterfeited flight, and were going toward the wilderness, turned back
most valiantly against them that pursued. [21] So Josue and all Israel
seeing that the city was taken, and that the smoke of the city rose up,
returned and slew the men of Hai. [22] And they also that had taken and
set the city on fire, issuing out of the city to meet their own men,
began to cut off the enemies who were surrounded by them. So that the
enemies being cut off on both sides, not one of so great a multitude
was saved. [23] And they took the king of the city of Hai alive, and
brought him to Josue.
[24] So all being slain that had pursued after Israel in his flight to
the wilderness, and tailing by the sword in the same place, the
children of Israel returned and laid waste the city. [25] And the
number of them that fell that day, both of men and women, was twelve
thousand persons all of the city of Hai. [26] But Josue drew not back
his hand, which he had stretched out on high, holding the shield, till
all the inhabitants of Hai were slain.
[27] And the children of Israel divided among them the cattle and the
prey of the city, as the Lord had commanded Josue. [28] And he burned
the city, and made it a heap for ever: [29] And he hung the king
thereof on a gibbet until the evening and the going down of the sun.
Then Josue commanded, and they took down his carcass from the gibbet:
and threw it in the very entrance of the city, heaping upon it a great
heap of stones, which remaineth until this present day.
[30] Then Josue built an altar to the Lord the God of Israel in mount
Hebal, [31] As Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the children
of Israel, and it is written in the book of the law of Moses: an altar
of unhewn stones which iron had not touched: and he offered upon it
holocausts to the Lord, and immolated victims of peace offerings.
[32] And he wrote upon stones the Deuteronomy of the law of Moses,
which he had ordered before the children of Israel. [33] And all the
people, and the ancients, and the princes and judges stood on both
sides of the ark, before the priests that carried the ark of the
covenant of the Lord, both the stranger and he that was born among
them, half of them by mount Garizim, and half by mount Hebal, as Moses
the servant of the Lord had commanded. And first he blessed the people
of Israel.
[34] After this he read all the words of the blessing and the cursing
and all things that were written in the hook of the law. [35] He left
out nothing of those things which Moses had commanded, but he repeated
all before all the people of Israel, with the women and children and
strangers that dwelt among them.
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Chapter 9
- verses
1-27 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] Now When these things were heard of, all the kings beyond the
Jordan, that dwelt in the mountains and in the plains, in the places
near the sea, and on the coasts of the great sea, they also that dwell
by Libanus, the Hethite and the Amorrhite, the Chanaanite, the
Pherezite, and the Hevite, and the Jebusite, [2] Gathered themselves
together, to fight against Josue and Israel with one mind, and one
resolution.
[3] But they that dwelt in Gabaon, hearing all that Josue had done to
Jericho and Hai: [4] Cunningly devising took for themselves provisions,
laying old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles rent and sewed up
again, [5] And very old shoes, which for a shew of age were clouted
with patches, and old garments upon them: the leaves also, which they
carried for provisions by the way, were hard, and broken into pieces:
[6] And they went to Josue, who then abode in the camp at Galgal, and
said to him, and to all Israel with him:
We are come from a far country, desiring to make peace with you.
And the children of Israel answered them, and said:
[7] Perhaps you dwell in the land which falls to our lot; if so, we can
make no league with you.
[8] But they said to Josue:
We are thy servants.
Josue said to them:
Who are you? and whence came you?
[9] They answered:
From a very far country thy servants are come in the name of the Lord
thy God. For we have heard the fame of his power, all the things that
he did in Egypt. [10] And to the two kings of the Amorrhites that were
beyond the Jordan, Sehon king of Hesebon, and Og king of Basan, that
was in Astaroth: [11] And our ancients, and all the inhabitants of our
country said to us: Take with you victuals for a long way, and go meet
them, and say: We are your servants, make ye a league with us. [12]
Behold, these leaves we took hot, when we set out from our houses to
come to you, now they are become dry, and broken in pieces, by being
exceeding old. [13] These bottles of wine when we filled them were new,
now they are rent and burst. These garments we have on, and the shoes
we have on our feet, by reason of the very long journey are worn out,
and almost consumed.
[14] They took therefore of their victuals, and consulted not the mouth
of the Lord. [15] And Josue made peace with them, and entering into a
league promised that they should not be slain: the princes also of the
multitude swore to them.
[16] Now three days after the league was made, they heard that they
dwelt nigh, and they should be among them. [17] And the children of
Israel removed the camp, and came into their cities on the third day,
the names of which are Gabaon, and Caphira, and Beroth, and
Cariathiarim. [18] And they slew them not, because the princes of the
multitude had sworn in the name of the Lord the God of Israel. Then all
the common people murmured against the princes.
[19] And they answered them:
We have sworn to them in the name of the Lord the God of Israel, and
therefore we may not touch them. [20] But this we mill do to them: Let
their lives be saved, lest the wrath of the Lord be stirred up against
us, if we should be forsworn. [21] But so let them live, as to serve
the whole multitude in hewing wood, and bringing in water.
As they were speaking these things, [22] Josue called the Gabaonites
and said to them:
Why would you impose upon us, saying: We dwell far off from you,
whereas you are in the midst of us? [23] Therefore you shall be under a
curse, and your race shall always be hewers of wood, and carriers of
water unto the house of my God.
[24] They answered:
It was told us thy servants, that the Lord thy God had promised his
servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the
inhabitants thereof. Therefore we feared exceedingly and provided for
our lives. compelled by the dread we had of you and we took this
counsel. [25] And now we are in thy hand: deal with us as it seemeth
good and right unto thee.
[26] So Josue did as he had said, and delivered them from the hand of
the children of Israel, that they should not be slain. [27] And he gave
orders in that day that they should be in the service of all the
people, and of the altar of the Lord, hewing wood and carrying water,
until this present time, in the place which the Lord hath chosen.
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Chapter 10
- verses
1-43 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] When Adonisedec king of Jerusalem had heard these things, to wit,
that Josue had taken Hai, and had destroyed it, (for as he had done to
Jericho and the king thereof, so did he to Hai, and its king,) and that
the Gabaonites were gone over to Israel, and were their confederates,
[2] He was exceedingly afraid. For Gabaon was a great city, and one of
the royal cities, and greater than the town of Hai, and all its
fighting men were most valiant.
[3] Therefore Adonisedec king of Jerusalem sent to Oham king of Hebron,
and to Pharam king of Jerimoth, and to Japhia king of Lachis, and to
Dabir king of Eglon, saying:
[4] Come up to me, and bring help, that we may take Gabaon, because it
hath gone over to Josue, and to the children of Israel.
[5] So the five kings of the Amorrhites being assembled together went
up: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jerimoth,
the king of Lachis, the king of Eglon, they and their armies, and
camped about Gabaon, laying siege to it.
[6] But the inhabitants of the city of Gabaon which was besieged, sent
to Josue, who then abode in the camp at Galgal, and said to him:
Withdraw not thy hands from helping thy servants: come up quickly and
save us, and bring us succour: for all the kings of the Amorrhites, who
dwell in the mountains, are gathered together against us.
[7] And Josue went up from Galgal, and all the army of the warriors
with him, most valiant men. [8] And the Lord said to Josue:
Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thy hands: none of them
shall be able to stand against thee.
[9] So Josue going up from Galgal all the night, came upon them
suddenly. [10] And the Lord troubled them at the sight of Israel: and
he slew them with a great slaughter in Gabaon, and pursued them by the
way of the ascent to Beth-horon, and cut them off all the way to Azeca
and Maceda. [11] And when they were fleeing from the children of
Israel, and were in the descent of Beth-horon, the Lord cast down upon
them great stones from heaven as far as Azeca: and many more were
killed with the hailstones than were slain by the swords of the
children of Israel.
[12] Then Josue spoke to the Lord, in the day that he delivered the
Amorrhite in the sight of the children of Israel, and he said before
them:
Move not, O sun, toward Gabaon, nor thou, O moon, toward the valley of
Ajalon.
[13] And the sun and the moon stood still, till the people revenged
themselves of their enemies.
Is not this written in the book of the just?
So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go
down the space of one day. [14] There was not before nor after so long
a day, the Lord obeying the voice of a man, and fighting for Israel.
[15] And Josue returned with all Israel into the camp of Galgal. [16]
For the five kings were fled, and had hidden themselves in a cave of
the city of Maceda.
[17] And it was told Josue that the five kings were found hidden in a
cave of the city of Maceda.
[18] And he commanded them that were with him, saying:
Roll great stones to the mouth of the cave, and set careful men, to
keep them shut up: [19] And stay you not, but pursue after the enemies,
and kill all the hindermost of them as they flee, and do not suffer
them whom the Lord God hath delivered into your hands to shelter
themselves in their cities.
[20] So the enemies being slain with a great slaughter, and almost
utterly consumed, they that were able to escape from Israel, entered
into fenced cities. [21] And all the army returned to Josue in Maceda,
where the camp then was, in good health and without the loss of any
one: and no man durst move his tongue against the children of Israel.
[22] And Josue gave orders, saying:
Open the mouth of the cave, and bring forth to me the five kings that
lie hid therein.
[23] And the ministers did as they were commanded: and they brought out
to him the five kings out of the cave: the king of Jerusalem, the king
of Hebron, the king of Jerimoth, the king of Lachis, the king of Eglon.
[24] And when they were Drought out to him, he called all the men of
Israel, and said to the chiefs of the army that were with him:
Go, and set your feet on the necks of these kings.
And when they had gone, and put their feet upon the necks of them lying
under them, [25] He said again to them:
Fear not, neither be ye dismayed, take courage and be strong: for so
will the Lord do to all your enemies, against whom you fight.
[26] And Josue struck, and slew them, and hanged them upon five
gibbets, and they hung until the evening. [27] And when the sun was
down, he commanded the soldiers to take them down from the gibbets. And
after they were taken down, they cast them into the cave where they had
lain hid, and put great stones at the mouth thereof, which remain until
this day.
[28] The same day Josue took Maceda and destroyed it, with the edge of
the sword, and killed the king and all the inhabitants thereof: he left
not in it the least remains. And he did to the king of Maceda, as he
had done to the king of Jericho.
[29] And he passed from Maceda with all Israel to Lebna, and fought
against it: [30] And the Lord delivered it with the king thereof into
the hands of Israel: and they destroyed the city with the edge of the
sword, and all the inhabitants thereof. They left not in it any
remains. And they did to the king of Lebna, as they had done to the
king of Jericho.
[31] From Lebna he passed unto Lachis, with all Israel: and investing
it with his army, besieged it. [32] And the Lord delivered Lachis into
the hands of Israel, and he took it the following day, and put it to
the sword, and every soul that was in it, as he had done to Lebna. [33]
At that time Horam king of Gazer, came up to succour Lachis: and Josue
slew him with all his people, so as to leave none alive.
[34] And he passed from Lachis to Eglon, and surrounded it, [35] And
took it the same day: and put to the sword all the souls that were in
it, according to all that he had done to Lachis.
[36] He went up also with all Israel from Eglon to Hebron, and fought
against it: [37] Took it, and destroyed it with the edge of the sword:
the king also thereof, and all the towns of that country, and all the
souls that dwelt in it: he left not therein any remains: as he had done
to Eglon, so did he also to Hebron, putting to the sword all that he
found in it.
[38] Returning from thence to Dabir, [39] He took it and destroyed it:
the king also thereof and all the towns round about he destroyed with
the edge of the sword: he left not in it any remains: as he had done to
Hebron and Lebna and to their kings, so did he to Dabir and to the king
thereof.
[40] So Josue conquered all the country of the hills and of the south
and of the plain, and of Asedoth, with their kings: he left not any
remains therein, but slew all that breathed, as the Lord the God of
Israel had commanded him, [41] From Cadesbarne even to Gaza. All the
land of Gosen even to Gabaon, [42] And all their kings, and their lands
he took and wasted at one onset: for the Lord the God of Israel fought
for him. [43] And he returned with all Israel to the place of the camp
in Galgal.
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Chapter 11
- verses
1-23 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] And when Jabin king of Asor had heard these things, he sent to
Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Semeron, and to the king of
Achsaph: [2] And to the kings of the north, that dwelt in the mountains
and in the plains over against the south side of Ceneroth, and in the
levels and the countries of Dor by the sea side: [3] To the Chanaanites
also on the ease and on the west, and the Amorrhite, and the Hethite,
and the Pherezite, and the Jebusite in the mountains: to the Hevite
also who dwelt at the foot of Hermon in the land of Maspha. [4] And
they all came out with their troops, a people exceeding numerous as the
sand that is on the sea shore, their horses also and chariots a very
great multitude, [5] And all these kings assembled together at the
waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.
[6] And the Lord said to Josue:
Fear them not: for tomorrow at this same hour I will deliver all these
to be slain in the sight of Israel: thou shalt hamstring their horses,
and thou shalt burn their chariots with fire.
[7] And Josue came, and all the army with him, against them to the
waters of Merom on a sudden, and fell upon them. [8] And the Lord
delivered them into the hands of Israel. And they defeated them, and
chased them as far as the great Sidon, and the waters of Maserophot,
and the field of Masphe, which is on the east side thereof. He slew
them all, so as to leave no remains of them:
[9] And he did as the Lord had commanded him, he hamstringed their
horses and burned their chariots. [10] And presently turning back he
took Asor: and slew the king thereof with the sword. Now Asor of old
was the head of all these kingdoms. [11] And he cut off all the souls
that abode there: he left not in it any remains, but utterly destroyed
all, and burned the city itself with fire.
[12] And he took and put to the sword and destroyed all the cities
round about, and their kings, as Moses the servant of God had commanded
him. [13] Except the cities that were on hills and high places, the
rest Israel burned: only Asor that was very strong he consumed with
fire. [14] And the children of Israel divided among themselves all the
spoil of these cities and the cattle, killing all the men.
[15] As the Lord had commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command
Josue, and he accomplished all: he left not one thing undone of all the
commandments which the Lord had commanded Moses.
[16] So Josue took all the country of the hills, and of the south, and
the land of Gosen, and the plains and the west country, and the
mountain of Israel, and the plains thereof: [17] And part of the
mountain that goeth up to Seir as far as Baalgad, by the plain of
Libanus under mount Hermon: all their kings he took, smote and slew.
[18] Josue made war a long time against these kings. [19] There was hot
a city that delivered itself to the children of Israel, except the
Hevite, who dwelt in Gabaon: for he took all by fight. [20] For it was
the sentence of the Lord, that their hearts should be hardened, and
they should fight against Israel, and fall, and should not deserve any
clemency, and should be destroyed as the Lord had commanded Moses.
[21] At that time Josue came and cut off the Enacims from the
mountains, from Hebron, and Dabir, and Anab, and from all the mountain
of Juda and Israel, and destroyed their cities. [22] He left not any of
the stock of the Enacims, in the land of the children of Israel: except
the cities of Gaza, and Geth, and Azotus, in which alone they were left.
[23] So Josue took all the land, as the Lord spoke to Moses, and
delivered it in possession to the children of Israel, according to
their divisions and tribes. And the land rested from wars.
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Chapter 12
- verses
1-24 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] These are the kings, whom the children of Israel slew and possessed
their land beyond the Jordan towards the rising of the sun, from the
torrent Arnon unto mount Hermon, and all the east country that looketh
towards the wilderness.
[2] Sehon king of the Amorrhites, who dwelt in Hesebon, and had
dominion from Aroer, which is seated upon the bank of the torrent
Arnon, and of the middle part in the valley, and of half Galaad, as far
as the torrent Jaboc, which is the border of the children of Ammon. [3]
And from the wilderness, to the sea of Ceneroth towards the east, and
to the sea of the wilderness, which is the most salt sea, on the east
side by the way that leadeth to Bethsimoth: and on the south side that
lieth under Asedoth, Phasga.
[4] The border of Og the king of Basan, of the remnant of the Raphaims
who dwelt in Astaroth, and in Edrai, and had dominion in mount Hermon,
and in Salecha, and in all Basan, unto the borders [5] Of Gessuri and
Machati, and of half Galaad: the borders of Sehon the king of Hesebon.
[6] Moses the servant of the Lord, and the children of Israel slew
them, and Moses delivered their land in possession to the Rubenites,
and Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasses.
[7] These are the kings of the land, whom Josue and the children of
Israel slew beyond the Jordan on the west side from Baalgad in the held
of Libanus, unto the mount, part of which goeth up into Seir: and Josue
delivered it in possession to the tribes of Israel, to every one their
divisions, [8] As well in the mountains as in the plains and the
champaign countries. In Asedoth, and in the wilderness, and in the
south was the Hethite and the Amorrhite, the Chanaanite and the
Pherezite, the Hevite and the Jebusite. [9] The king of Jericho one:
the king of Hai, which is on the side of Bethel, one: [10] The king of
Jerusalem one, the king of Hebron one. [11] The king of Jerimoth one,
the king of Lachis one, [12] The king of Eglon one, the king of Gazer
one, [13] The king of Dabir one, the king of Gader one, [14] The king
of Herma one, the king of Hered one, [15] The king of Lebna one, the
king of Odullam one, [16] The king of Maceda one, the king of Bethel
one, [17] The king of Taphua one, the king of Opher one, [18] The king
of Aphec one, the king of Saron one, [19] The king of Madon one, the
king of Asor one, [20] The king of Semeron one, the king of Achsaph
one, [21] The king of Thenac one, the king of Megeddo one, [22] The
king of Cades one, the king of Jachanan of Carmel one, [23] The king of
Dor, and of the province of Dor one, the king of the nations of Galgal
one, [24] The king of Thersa one: all the kings thirty and one.
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Chapter 13
- verses
1-33 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] Josue was old, and far advanced in years, and the Lord said to him:
Thou art grown old, and advanced in age, and there is a very large
country left, which is not yet divided by lot: [2] To wit, all Galilee,
Philistia, and all Gessuri. [3] From the troubled river, that watereth
Egypt, unto the borders of Accaron northward: the land of Chanaan,
which is divided among the lords of the Philistines, the Gazites, the
Azotians, the Ascalonites, the Gethites, and the Accronites. [4] And on
the south side are the Hevites, all the land of Chanaan, and Maara of
the Sidonians as far as Apheca, and the borders of the Amorrhite, [5]
And his confines. The country also of Libanus towards the east from
Baalgad under mount Hermon to the entering into Emath. [6] Of all that
dwell in the mountains from Libanus, to the waters of Maserephoth, and
all the Sidonians. I am he that will cut them off from before the face
of the children of Israel. So let their land come in as a part of the
inheritance of Israel, as I have commanded thee. [7] And now divide the
land in possession to the nine tribes, and to the half tribe of
Manasses,
[8] With whom Ruben and Gad have possessed the land, which Moses the
servant of the Lord delivered to them beyond the river Jordan, on the
east side. [9] From Aroer, which is upon the bank of the torrent Amen,
and in the midst of the valley and all the plains of Medaba, as far as
Dibon: [10] And all the cities of Sehon, king of the Amorrhites, who
reigned in Hesebon, unto the borders of the children of Ammon. [11] And
Galaad, and the borders of Gessuri and Machati, and all mount Hermon,
and all Basan as far as Salecha, [12] All the kingdom of Og in Basan,
who reigned in Astaroth and Edrai, he was of the remains of the
Raphaims: and Moses overthrew and destroyed them. [13] And the children
of Israel would not destroy Gessuri and Machati: and they have dwelt in
the midst of Israel, until this present day.
[14] But to the tribe of Levi he gave no possession: but the sacrifices
and victims of the Lord God of Israel, are his inheritance, as he spoke
to him.
[15] And Moses gave a possession to the children of Ruben according to
their kindreds. [16] And their border was from Aroer, which is on the
bank of the torrent Arnon, and in the midst of the valley of the same
torrent: all the plain, that leadeth to Medaba, [17] And Hesebon, and
all their villages, which are in the plains. Dibon also, and
Bamothbaal, and the town of Baalmaon, [18] And Jassa, and Cidimoth, and
Mephaath, [19] And Cariathaim, and Sabama, and Sarathasar in the
mountain of the valley. [20] Bethphogor and Asedoth, Phasga and
Bethiesimoth, [21] And all the cities of the plain, and all the
kingdoms of Sehon king of the Amorrhites, that reigned in Hesebon, whom
Moses slew with the princes of Madian: Hevi, and Recem, and Sur and
Hur, and Rebe, dukes of Sehon inhabitants of the land. [22] Balaam also
the son of Beer the soothsayer, the children of Israel slew with the
sword among the rest that were slain. [23] And the river Jordan was the
herder of the children of Ruben. This is the possession of the
Rubenites, by their kindreds, of cities and villages.
[24] And Moses gave to the tribe of Gad and to his children by their
kindreds a possession, of which this is the division. [25] The border
of Jaser, and all the cities of Galaad, and half the land of the
children of Ammon: as far as Aroer which is over against Rabba: [26]
And from Hesebon unto Ramoth, Masphe and Betonim: and from Manaim unto
the borders of Dabir. [27] And in the valley Betharan and Bethnemra,
and Socoth, and Saphon the other part of the kingdom of Sehon king of
Hesebon: the limit of this also is the Jordan, as far as the uttermost
part of the sea of Cenereth beyond the Jordan on the east side. [28]
This is the possession of the children of Gad by their families, their
cities, and villages.
[29] He gave also to the half tribe of Manasses and his children
possession according to their kindreds, [30] The beginning whereof is
this: from Manaim all Basan, and all the kingdoms of Og king of Basan,
and all the villages of Jair, which are in Basan, threescore towns.
[31] And half Galaad, and Astaroth, and Edrai, cities of the kingdom of
Og in Basan: to the children of Machir, the son of Manasses, to one?
half of the children of Machir according to their kindreds. [32] This
possession Moses divided in the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan, over
against Jericho on the east side. [33] But to the tribe of Levi he gave
no possession: because the Lord the God of Israel himself is their
possession, as he spoke to them.
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Chapter 14
- verses
1-15 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] This is what the children of Israel possessed in the land of
Chanaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Josue the son of Nun, and the
princes of the families by the tribes of Israel gave to them: [2]
Dividing all by lot, as the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses, to
the nine tribes, and the half tribe. [3] For to two tribes and a half
Moses had given possession beyond the Jordan: besides the Levites, who
received no land among their brethren: [4] But in their place succeeded
the children of Joseph divided into two tribes, of Manasses and
Ephraim: neither did the Levites receive other portion of land, but
cities to dwell in, and their suburbs to feed their beasts and flocks.
[5] As the Lord had commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel, and
they divided the land.
[6] Then the children of Juda came to Josue in Galgal, and Caleb the
son of Jephone the Cenezite spoke to him:
Thou knowest what the Lord spoke to Moses the man of God concerning me
and thee in Cadesbarne. [7] I was forty Bears old when Moses the
servant of the Lord sent me from Cadesbarne, to view the land, and I
brought him word again as to me seemed true. [8] But my brethren, that
had gone up with me, discouraged the heart of the people: and I
nevertheless followed the Lord my God. [9] And Moses swore in that day,
saying: The land which thy foot hath trodden upon shall be thy
possession, and thy children's for ever, because thou hast followed the
Lord my God. [10] The Lord therefore hath granted me life, as he
promised until this present day. It is forty and five years since the
Lord spoke this word to Moses, when Israel journeyed through the
wilderness: this day I am eighty-five years old, [11] As strong as I
was at that time when I was sent to view the land: the strength of that
time continueth in me until this day, as well to fight as to march.
[12] Give me therefore this mountain, which the Lord promised, in thy
hearing also, wherein are the Enacims, and cities great and strong: if
so be the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to destroy them, as
he promised me.
[13] And Josue blessed him, and gave him Hebron in possession. [14] And
from that time Hebron belonged to Caleb the son of Jephone the
Cenezite, until this present day: because he followed the Lord the God
of Israel. [15] The name of Hebron before was called Cariath-Arbe: Adam
the greatest among the Enacims was laid there:
and the land rested from wars.
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Chapter 15
- verses
1-63 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] Now the lot of the children of Juda by their kindreds was this:
From the frontier of Edom, to the desert of Sin southward, and to the
uttermost part of the south coast. [2] Its beginning was from the top
of the most salt sea, and from the bay thereof, that looketh to the
south. [3] And it goeth out towards the ascent of the Scorpion, and
passeth on to Sina: and ascendeth into Cadesbarne, and reacheth into
Esron, going up to Addar, and compassing Carcaa. [4] And from thence
passing along into Asemona, and reaching the torrent of Egypt: and the
bounds thereof shall be the great sea, this shall be the limit of the
south coast.
[5] But on the east side the beginning shall be the most salt sea even
to the end of the Jordan:
and towards the north, from the bay of the sea unto the same river
Jordan. [6] And the border goeth up into Beth-Hagla, and passeth by the
north into Beth-Araba: going up to the stone of Boen the son of Ruben.
[7] And reaching as far as the borders of Debara from the valley of
Achor, and so northward looking towards Galgal, which is opposite to
the ascent of Adommin, on the south side of the torrent: and the border
passeth the waters that are called the fountain of the sun: and the
goings out thereof shall be at the fountain Rogel. [8] And it goeth up
by the valley of the son of Ennom on the side of the Jebusite towards
the south, the same is Jerusalem: and thence ascending to the top of
the mountain, which is over against Geennom to the west in the end of
the valley of Raphaim, northward. [9] And it passeth on from the top of
the mountain to the fountain of the water of Nephtoa: and reacheth to
the towns of mount Ephron: and it bendeth towards Baala, which is
Cariathiarim, that is to say, the city of the woods. [10] And it
compasseth from Baala westward unto mount Seir: and passeth by the side
of mount Jarim to the north into Cheslon: and goeth down into
Bethsames, and passeth into Thamna. [11] And it reacheth northward to a
part of Accaron at the side: and bendeth to Sechrona, and passeth mount
Baala: and cometh into Jebneel, and is bounded westward with the great
sea. [12] These are the borders round about of the children of Juda in
their kindreds.
[13] But to Caleb the son of Jephone he gave a portion in the midst of
the children of Juda, as the Lord had commanded him: Cariath-Arbe the
father of Enac. which is Hebron. [14] And Caleb destroyed out of it the
three sons of Ehac, Sesai and Ahiman. and Tholmai of the race of Enac.
[15] And going up from thence he came to the inhabitants of Dabir,
which before was called Cariath-Sepher, that is to say, the city of
letters. [16] And Caleb said:
He that shall smite Cariath-Sepher, and take it, I will give him Axa my
daughter to wife.
[17] And Othoniel the son of Cenez, the younger brother of Caleb, took
it: and he gave him Axa his daughter to wife. [18] And as they were
going together, she was moved by her husband to ask a field of her
father, and she sighed as she sat on her ass. And Caleb said to her:
What aileth thee?
[19] But she answered:
Give me a blessing: thou hast given me a southern and dry land, give me
also a land that is watered.
And Caleb gave her the upper and the nether watery ground.
[20] This is the possession of the tribe of the children of Juda by
their kindreds.
[21] And the cities from the uttermost parts of the children of Juda by
the borders of Edom to the south, were Cabseel and Eder and Jagur, [22]
And Cina and Dimona and Adada, [23] And Cades and Asor and Jethnam,
[24] Ziph and Telem and Baloth, [25] New Asor and Carioth, Hesron,
which is Asor. [26] Amam, Sama and Molada, [27] And Asergadda and
Hassemon and Bethphelet, [28] And Hasersual and Bersabee and Baziothia,
[29] And Baala and Jim and Esem, [30] And Eltholad and Cesil and Harma,
[31] And Siceleg and Medemena and Sensenna, [32] Lebaoth and Selim and
Aen and Remmon: all the cities twenty-nine, and their villages.
[33] But in the plains: Estaol and Sarea and Asena, [34] And Zanoe and
Engannim and Taphua and Enaim, [35] And Jerimoth and Adullam, Socho and
Azeca, [36] And Saraim and Adithaim and Gedera and Gederothaim:
fourteen cities, and their villages.
[37] Sanan and Hadassa and Magdalgad, [38] Delean and Masepha and
Jecthel, [39] Lachis and Bascath and Eglon, [40] Chebbon and Leheman
and Cethlis, [41] And Gideroth and Bethdagon and Naama and Maceda:
sixteen cities, and their villages.
[42] Labana and Ether and Asan, [43] Jephtha and Esna and Nesib, [44]
And Ceila and Achzib and Maresa: nine cities, and their villages. [45]
Accaron with the towns and villages thereof. [46] From Accaron even to
the sea: all places that lie towards Azotus and the villages thereof.
[47] Azotus with its towns and villages. Gaza with its towns and
villages, even to the torrent of Egypt, and the great sea that is the
border thereof.
[48] And in the mountain Samir and Jether and Socoth, [49] And Danna
and Cariath-senna, this is Dabir: [50] Anab and Istemo and Anim, [51]
Gosen and Olon and Gilo: eleven cities and their villages.
[52] Arab and Ruma and Esaan, [53] And Janum and Beththaphua and
Apheca, [54] Athmatha and Cariath-Arbe, this is Hebron and Sior: nine
cities and their villages.
[55] Maon and Carmel and Ziph and Jota, [56] Jezrael and Jucadam and
Zanoe, [57] Accain, Gabaa and Thamna: ten cities and their villages.
[58] Halhul, and Bessur, and Gedor, [59] Mareth, and Bethanoth, and
Eltecon: six cities and their villages.
[60] Cariathbaal, the same is Cariathiarim, the city of woods, and
Arebba: two cities and their villages.
[61] In the desert Betharaba, Meddin and Sachacha, [62] And Nebsan, and
the city of salt, and Engaddi: six cities and their villages.
[63] But the children of Juda could not destroy the Jebusite that dwelt
in Jerusalem: and the Jebusite dwelt with the children of Juda in
Jerusalem until this present day.
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Chapter 16
- verses
1-10 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] And the lot of the sons of Joseph fell from the Jordan over against
Jericho and the waters thereof, on the east: the wilderness which goeth
up from Jericho to the mountain of Bethel: [2] And goeth out from
Bethel to Luza: and passeth the border of Archi, to Ataroth, [3] And
goeth down westward, by the border of Jephleti, unto the borders of
Beth-horon the nether, and to Gazer: and the countries of it are ended
by the great sea: [4] And Manasses and Ephraim the children of Joseph
possessed it.
[5] And the border of the children of Ephraim was according to their
kindreds: and their possession towards the east was Ataroth-addar unto
Beth-horon the upper. [6] And the confines go out unto the sea: but
Machmethath looketh to the north, and it goeth round the borders
eastward into Thanath-selo: and passeth along on the east side to
Janoe. [7] And it goeth down from Janoe into Ataroth and Naaratha: and
it cometh to Jericho, and goeth out to the Jordan. [8] From Taphua it
passeth on towards the sea into the valley of reeds, and the goings out
thereof are at the most salt sea. This is the possession of the tribe
of the children of Ephraim by their families. [9] And there were cities
with their villages separated for the children of Ephraim in the midst
of the possession of the children of Manasses. [10] And the children of
Ephraim slew not the Chanaanite, who dwelt in Gazer: and the Chanaanite
dwelt in the midst of Ephraim until this day, paying tribute.
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Chapter 17
- verses
1-18 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] And this lot fell to the tribe of Manasses (for he is the firstborn
of Joseph) to Machir the firstborn of Manasses the father of Galaad,
who was a warlike man, and had for possession Galaad and Basan. [2] And
to the rest of the children of Manasses according to their families: to
the children of Abiezer, and to the children of Helec, and to the
children of Esriel, and to the children of Sechem, and to the children
of Hepher, and to the children of Semida: these are the male children
of Manasses the son of Joseph, by their kindreds. [3] But Salphaad the
son of Hepher the son of Galaad the son of Machir the son of Manasses
had no sons, but only daughters: whose names are these, Maala and Noa
and Hegla and Melcha and Thersa. [4] And they came in the presence of
Eleazar the priest and of Josue the son of Nun, and of the princes,
saying:
The Lord commanded by the hand of Moses, that a possession should be
given us in the midst of our brethren.
And he gave them according to the commandment of the Lord a possession
amongst the brethren of their father. [5] And there fell ten portions
to Manasses, beside the land of Galaad and Basan beyond the Jordan. [6]
For the daughters of Manasses possessed inheritance in the midst of his
sons. And the land of Galaad fell to the lot of the rest of the
children of Manasses.
[7] And the border of Manasses was from Aser, Machmethath which looketh
towards Sichem: and it goeth out on the right hand by the inhabitants
of the fountain of Taphua. [8] For the lot of Manasses took in the land
of Taphua, which is on the borders of Manasses, and belongs to the
children of Ephraim. [9] And the border goeth down to the valley of the
reeds, to the south of the torrent of the cities of Ephraim, which are
in the midst of the cities of Manasses: the border of Manasses is on
the north side of the torrent, and the outgoings of it are at the sea:
[10] So that the possession of Ephraim is on the south, and on the
north that of Manasses, and the sea is the border of both, and they are
joined together in the tribe of Aser on the north, and in the tribe of
Issachar on the east. [11] And the inheritance of Manasses in Issachar
and in Aser, was Bethsan and its villages, and Jeblaam with its
villages, and the inhabitants of Dor, with the towns thereof: the
inhabitants also of Endor with the villages thereof: and in like manner
the inhabitants of Thenac with the villages thereof: and the
inhabitants of Mageddo with their villages, and the third part of the
city of Nopheth.
[12] Neither could the children of Manasses overthrow these cities, but
the Chanaanite began to dwell in his land. [13] But after that the
children of Israel were grown strong, they subdued the Chanaanites, and
made them their tributaries, and they did not kill them.
[14] And the children of Joseph spoke to Josue, and said:
Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to possess, whereas
I am of so great a multitude, and the Lord hath blessed me?
[15] And Josue said to them:
If thou be a great people, go up into the woodland, and cut down room
for thyself in the land of the Pherezite and the Raphaims: because the
possession of mount Ephraim is too narrow for thee.
[16] And the children of Joseph answered him:
We cannot go up to the mountains, for the Chanaanites that dwell in the
low lands, wherein are situate Bethsan with its towns, and Jezrael in
the midst of the valley, have chariots of iron.
[17] And Josue said to the house of Joseph, to Ephraim and Manasses:
Thou art a great people, and of great strength, thou shalt not have one
lot only: [18] But thou shalt pass to the mountain, and shalt cut down
the wood, and make thyself room to dwell in: and mayst proceed farther,
when thou hast destroyed the Chanaanites, who as thou sayest have iron
chariots, and are very strong.
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Chapter 18
- verses
1-28 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] And all the children of Israel assembled together in Silo, and
there they set up the tabernacle of the testimony, and the land was
subdued before them. [2] But there remained seven tribes of the
children of Israel, which as yet had not received their possessions.
[3] And Josue said to them:
How long are you indolent and slack, and go not in to possess the land
which the Lord the God of your fathers hath given you? [4] Choose of
every tribe three men, that I may send them, and they may go and
compass the land, and mark it out according to the number of each
multitude: and bring back to me what they have marked out. [5] Divide
to yourselves the land into seven parts: let Juda be in his bounds on
the south side, and the house of Joseph on the north. [6] The land in
the midst between these mark ye out into seven parts; and you shall
come hither to me, that I may cast lots for you before the Lord your
God. [7] For the Levites have no part among you, but the priesthood of
the Lord is their inheritance. And Gad and Ruben, and the half tribe of
Manasses have already received their possessions beyond the Jordan
eastward: which Moses the servant of the Lord gave them.
[8] And when the men were risen up, to go to mark out the land, Josue
commanded them, saying:
Go round the land and mark it out, and return to me: that I may cast
lots for you before the Lord in Silo.
[9] So they went: and surveying it divided it into seven parts, writing
them down in a book. And they returned to Josue, to the camp in Silo.
[10] And he cast lots before the Lord in Silo, and divided the land to
the children of Israel into seven parts.
[11] And first came up the lot of the children of Benjamin by their
families, to possess the land between the children of Juda, and the
children of Joseph. [12] And their border northward was from the
Jordan: going along by the side of Jericho on the north side, and
thence going up westward to the mountains, and reaching to the
wilderness of Bethaven, [13] And passing along southward by Luza, the
same is Bethel: and it goeth down into Ataroth-addar to the mountain,
that is on the south of the nether Beth-horon. [14] And it bendeth
thence going round towards the sea, south of the mountain that looketh
towards Beth-horon to the southwest: and the outgoings thereof are into
Cariathbaal, which is called also Cariathiarim, a city of the children
of Juda. This is their coast towards the sea, westward.
[15] But on the south side the border goeth out from part of
Cariathiarim towards the sea, and cometh to the fountain of the waters
of Nephtoa. [16] And it goeth down to that part of the mountain that
looketh on the valley of the children of Ennom: and is over against the
north quarter in the furthermost part of the valley of Raphaim, and it
goeth down into Geennom (that is the valley of Ennom) by the side of
the Jebusite to the south: and cometh to the fountain of Rogel, [17]
Passing thence to the north, and going out to Ensemes, that is to say,
the fountain of the sue: [18] And it passeth along to the hills that
are over against the ascent of Adommim: and it goeth down to Abenboen,
that is, the stone of Been the son of Ruben: and it passeth on the
north side to the champaign countries; and goeth down into the plain,
[19] And it passeth by Bethhagla northward: and the outgoings thereof
are towards the north of the most salt sea at the south end of the
Jordan:
[20] Which is the border of it on the east side.
This is the possession of the children of Benjamin by their borders
round about, and their families.
[21] And their cities were, Jericho and Bethhagla and Vale-Casis, [22]
Betharaba and Samaraim and Bethel, [23] And Avim and Aphara and Ophera,
[24] The town Emona and Ophni and Gabee: twelve cities, and their
villages.
[25] Gabam and Rama and Beroth, [26] And Mesphe, and Caphara, and
Amosa, [27] And Recem, Jarephel and Tharela, [28] And Sela, Eleph and
Jebus, which is Jerusalem, Gabaath and Cariath: fourteen cities, and
their villages.
This is the possession of the children of Benjamin by their families.
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Chapter 19
- verses
1-51 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] And the second lot came forth for the children of Simeon by their
kindreds: and their inheritance was
[2] In the midst of the possession of the children of Juda: Bersabee
and Sabee and Molada, [3] And Hasersual, Bala and Asem, [4] And
Eltholad, Bethul and Harma, [5] And Siceleg and Bethmarchaboth and
Hasersusa, [6] And Bethlebaoth and Sarohen: thirteen cities, and their
villages.
[7] Ain and Remmon and Athor and Asan: four cities, and their villages.
[8] And all the villages round about these cities to Baalath Beer
Ramath to the south quarter.
This is the inheritance of the children of Simeon according to their
kindreds,
[9] In the possession and lot of the children of Juda: because it was
too great, and therefore the children of Simeon had their possession in
the midst of their inheritance.
[10] And the third lot fell to the children of Zabulon by their
kindreds: and the border of their possession was unto Sarid. [11] And
it went up from the sea and from Merala, and came to Debbaseth: as far
as the torrent, which is over against Jeconam. [12] And it returneth
from Sarid eastward to the borders of Ceseleththabor: and it goeth out
to Dabereth, and ascendeth towards Japhie. [13] And it passeth along
from thence to the east side of Gethhepher and Thacasin: and goeth out
to Remmon, Amthar and Noa. [14] And it turneth about to the north of
Hanathon: and the outgoings thereof are the valley of Jephtahel, [15]
And Cateth and Naalol and Semeron and Jedala and Bethlehem: twelve
cities and their villages.
[16] This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Zabulon by
their kindreds, the cities and their villages.
[17] The fourth lot came out to Issachar by their kindreds. [18] And
his inheritance was Jezrael and Casaloth and Sunem, [19] And Hapharaim
and Seen and Anaharath, [20] And Rabboth and Cesion, Abes, [21] And
Rameth and Engannim and Enhadda and Bethpheses. [22] And the border
thereof cometh to Thabor and Sehesima and Bethsames: and the outgoings
thereof shall be at the Jordan: sixteen cities, and their villages.
[23] This is the possession of the sons of Issachar by their kindreds,
the cities and their villages.
[24] And the fifth lot fell to the tribe of the children of Aser by
their kindreds: [25] And their border was Halcath and Chali and Beten
and Axaph, [26] And Elmelech and Amaad and Messal: and it reacheth to
Carmel by the sea and Sihor and Labanath, [27] And it returneth towards
the east to Bethdagon: and passeth along to Zabulon and to the valley
of Jephthael towards the north to Bethemec and Nehiel. And it goeth out
to the left side of Cabul, [28] And to Abaran and Rohob and Hamon and
Cana, as far as the great Sidon. [29] And it returneth to Horma to the
strong city of Tyre, and to Hosa: and the outgoings thereof shall be at
the sea from the portion of Achziba: [30] And Amma and Aphec and Rohob:
twenty-two cities, and their villages.
[31] This is the possession of the children of Aser by their kindreds,
and the cities and their villages.
[32] The sixth lot came out to the sons of Nephtali by their families:
[33] And the border began from Heleph and Elon to Saananim, and Adami,
which is Neceb, and Jebnael even to Lecum: and their outgoings unto the
Jordan: [34] And the border returneth westward to Azanotthabor, and
goeth out from thence to Hucuca, and passeth along to Zabulon
southward, and to Aser westward, and to Juda upon the Jordan towards
the rising of the sun. [35] And the strong cities are Assedim, Ser, and
Emath, and Reccath and Cenereth, [36] And Edema and Arama, Asor, [37]
And Cedes and Edri, Enhasor, [38] And Jeron and Magdalel, Herem, and
Bethanath and Bethsames: nineteen cities, and their villages.
[39] This is the possession of the tribe of the children of Nephtali by
their kindreds, the cities and their villages.
[40] The seventh lot came out to the tribe of the children of Dan by
their families: [41] And the border of their possession was Saraa and
Esthaol, and Hirsemes, that is, the city of the sun. [42] Selebin and
Aialon and Jethela, [43] Elon and Themna and Acron, [44] Elthece,
Gebbethon and Balaath, [45] And Jud and Bane and Barach and Gethremmon:
[46] And Mejarcon and Arecon, with the border that looketh towards
Joppe, [47] And is terminated there. And the children of Dan went up
and fought against Lesem, and took it: and they put it to the sword,
and possessed it, and dwelt in it, calling the name of it Lesem Dan, by
the name of Dan their father.
[48] This is the possession of the tribe of the sons of Dan, by their
kindreds, the cities and their villages.
[49] And when he had made an end of dividing the land by lot to each
one by their tribes, the children of Israel gave a possession to Josue
the son of Nun in the midst of them, [50] According to the commandment
of the Lord, the city which he asked for, Thamnath Saraa, in mount
Ephraim: and he built up the city, and dwelt in it.
[51] These are the possessions which Eleazar the priest, and Josue the
son of Nun, and the princes of the families, and of the tribes of the
children of Israel, distributed by lot in Silo, before the Lord at the
door of the tabernacle of the testimony, and they divided the land.
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Chapter 20
- verses
1-9 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] And the Lord spoke to Josue, saying:
Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: [2] Appoint cities of
refuge, a of which I spoke to you by the hand of Moses: [3] That
whosoever shall kill a person unawares may flee to them: and may escape
the wrath of the kinsman, who is the avenger of blood: [4] And when he
shall flee to one of these cities: he shall stand before the gate of
the city, and shall speak to the ancients of that city, such things as
prove him innocent: and so shall they receive him, and give him a place
to dwell in. [5] And when the avenger of blood shall pursue him, they
shall not deliver him into his hands, because he slew his neighbour
unawares, and is not proved to have been his enemy two or three days
before. [6] And he shall dwell in that city, till he stand before
judgment to give an account of his fact, and till the death of the high
priest, who shall be at that time: then shall the manslayer return, and
go into his own city and house from whence he fled.
[7] And they appointed Cedes in Galilee of mount Nephtali, and Sichem
in mount Ephraim, and Cariath-Arbe, the same is Hebron in the mountain
of Juda. [8] And beyond the Jordan to the east of Jericho, they
appointed Bosor, which is upon the plain of the wilderness of the tribe
of Ruben, and Ramoth in Galaad of the tribe of Cad, and Gaulon in Basan
of the tribe of Manasses.
[9] These cities were appointed for all the children of Israel, and for
the strangers, that dwelt among them: that whosoever had killed a
person unawares might flee to them, and not die by the hand of the
kinsman, coveting to revenge the blood that was shed, until he should
stand before the people to lay open his cause.
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Chapter 21
- verses
1-43 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] Then the princes of the families of Levi came to Eleazar the
priest, and to Josue the son of Nun, and to the princes of the kindreds
of all the tribes of the children of Israel: [2] And they spoke to them
in Silo in the land of Chanaan, and said:
The Lord commanded by the hand of Moses, that cities should be given us
to dwell in, and their suburbs to feed our cattle.
[3] And the children of Israel gave out of their possessions according
to the commandment of the Lord, cities and their suburbs.
[4] And the lot came out for the family of Caath of the children of
Aaron the priest out of the tribes of Juda, and of Simeon, and of
Benjamin, thirteen cities. [5] And to the rest of the children of
Caath, that is, to the Levites, who remained, out of the tribes of
Ephraim, and of Dan, and the half tribe of Manasses, ten cities. [6]
And the lot came out to the children of Gerson, that they should take
of the tribes of Issachar and of Aser and of Nephtali, and of the half
tribe of Manasses in Basan, thirteen cities. [7] And to the sons of
Merari by their kindreds, of the tribes of Ruben and or Cad and of
Zabulon, twelve cities. [8] And the children of Israel gave to the
Levites the cities and their suburbs, as the Lord commanded by the hand
of Moses, giving to every one by lot.
[9] Of the tribes of the children of Juda and of Simeon Josue gave
cities: whose names are these, [10] To the sons of Aaron, of the
families of Caath of the race of Levi (for the first lot came out for
them) [11] The city of Arbe the father of Enac, which is called Hebron,
in the mountain of Juda, and the suburbs thereof round about. [12] But
the fields and the villages thereof he had given to Caleb the son of
Jephone for his possession. [13] He gave therefore to the children of
Aaron the priest, Hebron a city of refuge, and the suburbs thereof: and
Lobna with the suburbs thereof, [14] And Jether and Estemo, [15] And
Holon, and Dabir, [16] And Ain, and Jeta, and Bethsames, with their
suburbs: nine cities out of the two tribes, as hath been said.
[17] And out of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, Gabaon, and
Gabae, [18] And Anathoth and Almon, with their suburbs: four cities.
[19] All the cities together of the children of Aaron the priest, were
thirteen, with their suburbs.
[20] And to the rest of the families of the children of Caath of the
race of Levi was given this possession. [21] Of the tribe of Ephraim,
Sichem one of the cities of refuge, with the suburbs thereof in mount
Ephraim, and Cater, [22] And Cibsaim, and Beth-horon, with their
suburbs, four cities. [23] And of the tribe of Dan, Eltheco and
Gabathon, [24] And Aialon and Gethremmon, with their suburbs, four
cities. [25] And of the half tribe of Manasses, Thanac and Gethremmon,
with their suburbs, two cities.
[26] All the cities were ten, with their suburbs, which were given to
the children of Caath, of the inferior degree.
[27] To the children of Gerson also of the race of Levi out of the half
tribe of Manasses, Gaulon in Basan, one of the cities of refuge, and
Bosra, with their suburbs, two cities. [28] And of the tribe of
Issachar, Cesion, and Dabereth, [29] And Jaramoth, and Engannim, with
their suburbs, four cities. [30] And of the tribe of Aser, Masal and
Abdon, [31] And Helcath, and Rohob, with their suburbs, four cities.
[32] Of the tribe also of Nephtali, Cedes in Galilee, one of the cities
of refuge: and Hammoth Dor, and Carthan, with their suburbs, three
cities.
[33] All the cities of the families of Gerson, were thirteen, with
their suburbs.
[34] And to the children of Merari, Levites of the inferior degree, by
their families were given of the tribe of Zabulon, Jecnam and Cartha,
[35] And Damna and Naalol, four cities with their suburbs; [36] Of the
tribe of Ruben beyond the Jordan over against Jericho, Bosor in the
wilderness, one of the cities of refuge, Miser and Jaser and Jethson
and Mephaath, four cities with their suburbs. [37] Of the tribe of Gad,
Ramoth in Galaad, one of the cities of refuge, and Manaim and Hesebon
and Jaser, four cities with their suburbs.
[38] All the cities of the children of Merari by their families and
kindreds, were twelve.
[39] So all the cities of the Levites within the possession of the
children of Israel were forty-eight, [40] With their suburbs, each
distributed by the families.
[41] And the Lord God gave to Israel all the land that he had sworn to
give to their fathers: and they possessed it and dwelt in it. [42] And
he gave them peace from all nations round about: and none of their
enemies durst stand against them, but were brought under their
dominion.[43] Not so much as one word, which he had promised to perform
unto them, was made void, but all came to pass.
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Chapter 22
- verses
1-34 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] At the same time Josue called the Rubenites, and the Gadites, and
the half tribe of Manasses, [2] And said to them:
You have done all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you: you
have also obeyed me in all things, [3] Neither have you left your
brethren this long time, until this present day, keeping the
commandment of the Lord your God. [4] Therefore as the Lord your God
hath given your brethren rest and peace, as he promised: return, and go
to your dwellings, and to the land of your possession, which Moses the
servant of the Lord gave you beyond the Jordan: [5] Yet so that you
observe attentively, and in work fulfill the commandment and the law
which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you: that you love the
Lord your God, and walk in all his ways, and keep all his commandments,
and cleave to him, and serve him with all your heart, and with all your
soul.
[6] And Josue blessed them, and sent them away, and they returned to
their dwellings.
[7] Now to half the tribe of Manasses, Moses had given a possession in
Basan: and therefore to the half that remained, Josue gave a lot among
the rest of their brethren beyond the Jordan to the west. And when he
sent them away to their dwellings and had blessed them,
[8] He said to them: With much substance and riches, you return to your
settlements, with silver and gold, brass and iron, and variety of
raiment: divide the prey of your enemies with your brethren.
[9] So the children of Ruben, and the children of Gad, and the half
tribe of Manasses returned, and parted from the children of Israel in
Silo, which is in Chanaan, to go into Galaad the land of their
possession, which they had obtained according to the commandment of the
Lord by the hand of Moses. [10] And when they were come to the banks of
the Jordan, in the land of Chanaan, they built an altar immensely great
near the Jordan.
[11] And when the children of Israel had heard of it, and certain
messengers had brought them an account that the children of Ruben, and
of Cad, and the half tribe of Manasses had built an altar in the land
of Chanaan, upon the banks of the Jordan, over against the children of
Israel: [12] They all assembled in Silo, to go up and fight against
them.
[13] And in the mean time they sent to them into the land of Galaad,
Phinees the son of Eleazar the priest, [14] And ten princes with him,
one of every tribe. [15] Who came to the children of Ruben, and of Gad,
and the half tribe of Manasses, into the land of Galaad, and said to
them:
[16] Thus saith all the people of the Lord: What meaneth this
transgression? Why have you forsaken the Lord the God of Israel,
building a sacrilegious altar, and revolting from the worship of him?
[17] Is it a small thing to you that you sinned with Beelphegor, and
the stain of that crime remaineth in us to this day? and many of the
people perished. [18] And you have forsaken the Lord today, and
tomorrow his wrath will rage against all Israel. [19] But if you think
the land of your possession to be unclean, pass over to the land
wherein is the tabernacle of the Lord, and dwell among us: only depart
not from the Lord, and from our society, by building an altar beside
the altar of the Lord our God. [20] Did not Achan the son of Zare
transgress the commandment of the Lord, and his wrath lay upon all the
people of Israel? And he was but one man, and would to God he alone had
perished in his wickedness.
[21] And the children of Ruben, and of Gad, and of the half tribe of
Manasses answered the princes of the embassage of Israel:
[22] The Lord the most mighty God, the Lord the most mighty God, he
knoweth, and Israel also shall understand: If with the design of
transgression we have set up this altar, let him not save us, but
punish us immediately: [23] And if we did it with that mind, that we
might lay upon it holocausts, and sacrifice, and victims of peace
offerings, let him require and judge: [24] And not rather with this
thought and design, that we should say: Tomorrow your children will say
to our children: What have you to do with the Lord the God of Israel?
[25] The Lord hath put the river Jordan for a border between us and
you, O ye children of Ruben, and ye children of Gad: and therefore you
have no part in the Lord. And by this occasion you children shall turn
away our children from the fear of the Lord. We therefore thought, it
best, [26] And said: Let us build us an altar, not for holocausts, nor
to offer victims, [27] But for a testimony between us and you, and our
posterity and yours, that we may serve the Lord, and that we may have a
right to offer both holocausts, and victims and sacrifices of peace
offerings: and that your children tomorrow may not say to our children:
You have no part in the Lord. [28] And if they will say so, they shall
answer them: Behold the altar of the Lord, which our fathers made, not
for holocausts, nor for sacrifice, but for a testimony between us and
you. [29] God keep us from any such wickedness that we should revolt
from the Lord, and leave off following his steps, by building an altar
to offer holocausts, and sacrifices, and victims, beside the altar of
the Lord our God, which is erected before his tabernacle.
[30] And when Phinees the priest, and the princes of the embassage, who
were with him, had heard this, they were satisfied: and they admitted
most willingly the words of the children of Ruben, and Gad, and of the
half tribe of Manasses. [31] And Phinees the priest the son of Eleazar
said to them:
Now we know that the Lord is with us, because you are not guilty of
this revolt, and you have delivered the children of Israel from the
hand of the Lord.
[32] And he returned with the princes from the children of Ruben and
Gad, out of the land of Galaad, into the land of Chanaan, to the
children of Israel, and brought them word again. [33] And the saying
pleased all that heard it. And the children of Israel praised God, and
they no longer said that they would go up against them, and fight, and
destroy the land of their possession.
[34] And the children of Ruben, and the children of Cad called the
altar which they had built,
Our testimony, that the Lord is God.
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Chapter 23
- verses
1-16 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[1] And when a long time was passed, after that the Lord had given
peace to Israel, all the nations round about being subdued, and Josue
being now old, and far advanced in years: [2] Josue called for all
Israel, and for the elders, and for the princes, and for the judges,
and for the masters, and said to them:
I am old, and far advanced in years: [3] And you see all that the Lord
your God hath done to all the nations round about, how he himself hath
fought for you:
[4] And now since he hath divided to you by lot all the land, from the
east of the Jordan unto the great sea, and many nations yet remain: [5]
The Lord your God will destroy them, and take them away from before
your face, and you shall possess the land as he hath promised you.
[6] Only take courage, and be careful to observe all things that are
written in the book of the law of Moses: and turn not aside from them
neither to the right hand nor to the left: [7] Lest after that you are
come in among the Gentiles, who will remain among you, you should swear
by the name of their gods, and serve them, and adore them: [8] But
cleave ye unto the Lord your God: as you have done until this day.
[9] And then the Lord God will take away before your eyes nations that
are great and very strong, and no man shall be able to resist you. [10]
One of you shall chase a thousand men of the enemies: because the Lord
your God himself will fight for you, as he hath promised.
[11] This only take care of with all diligence, that you love the Lord
your God. [12] But if you will embrace the errors of these nations that
dwell among you, and make marriages with them, and join friendships:
[13] Know ye for a certainty that the Lord your God will not destroy
them before your face, but they shall be a pit and a snare in your way,
and a stumblingblock at your side, and stakes in your eyes, till he
take you away and destroy you from off this excellent land, which he
hath given you.
[14] Behold this day I am going into the way of all the earth, and you
shall know with all your mind that of all the words which the Lord
promised to perform for you, not one hath failed. [15] Therefore as he
hath fulfilled in deed, what he promised, and all things prosperous
have come: so Will he bring upon you all the evils he hath threatened,
till he take you away and destroy you from off this excellent land,
which he hath given you,
[16] When you shall have transgressed the covenant of the Lord your
God, which he hath made with you, and shall have served strange gods,
and adored them: then shall the indignation of the Lord rise up quickly
and speedily against you, and you shall be taken away from this
excellent land, which he hath delivered to you.
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Chapter 24
- verses
30-33 have been omitted from the Mass readings.
[30] And they buried him in the border of his possession in
Thamnathsare, which is situate in mount Ephraim, on the north side of
mount Gaas.
[31] And Israel served the Lord all the days of Josue, and of the
ancients that lived a long time after Josue, and that had known all the
works of the Lord which he had done in Israel.
[32] And the bones of Joseph which the children of Israel had taken out
of Egypt, they buried in Sichem, in that part of the field which Jacob
had bought of the sons of Hemor the father of Sichem, for a hundred
young ewes, and it was in the possession of the sons of Joseph.
[33] Eleazar also the son of Aaron died: and they buried him in Gabaath
that belongeth to Phinees his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.
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Texts Researched and Digitally
Processed by
Mrs. R.M., Puerto Rico
Published on September 9th, 2014
Format improved in July 2022
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