First ReadingJoshua 24:1-13
From the Book of Joshua
1Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem,and called for the elders of Israel,for their heads, for their judges,and for their officers;and they presented themselves before God.2Joshua said to all the people,“The Lord, the God of Israel,says, ‘Your fathers lived of old time beyond the River,even Terah, the father of Abraham,and the father of Nahor.They served other gods.3I took your father Abraham from beyond the River,and led him throughout all the land of Canaan,and multiplied his offspring,and gave him Isaac.4I gave to Isaac Jacob and Esau:and I gave to Esau Mount Seir, to possess it.Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.
5“‘I sent Moses and Aaron,and I plagued Egypt,according to that which I did among them:and afterward I brought you out.6I brought your fathers out of Egypt:and you came to the sea.The Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariotsand with horsemen to the Red Sea.7When they cried out to the Lord,he put darkness between you and the Egyptians,and brought the sea on them, and covered them;and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt.You lived in the wilderness many days.
8“‘I brought you into the land of the Amorites,that lived beyond the Jordan.They fought with you, and I gave them into your hand.You possessed their land,and I destroyed them from before you.9Then Balak the son of Zippor,king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel.He sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you,10but I would not listen to Balaam;therefore he blessed you still.So I delivered you out of his hand.
11“‘You went over the Jordan, and came to Jericho.The men of Jericho fought against you,the Amorite, the Perizzite,the Canaanite, the Hittite,the Girgashite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite;and I delivered them into your hand.12I sent the hornet before you,which drove them out from before you,even the two kings of the Amorites;not with your sword, nor with your bow.13I gave you a land on which you had not labored,and cities which you didn’t build,and you live in them.You eat of vineyards and olive groveswhich you didn’t plant.’