FIRST READING “I took your father across the Euphrates; I brought you out of Egypt; I brought you into the land ” Reading the Book of Joshua 24, 1-13

13 August 2021, General Week 19th - Friday 

MASS READINGS 

FIRST READING 

“I took your father across the Euphrates; I brought you out of Egypt; I brought you into the land ” 

Reading the Book of Joshua 24, 1-13 

In those days

    Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel at Shechem;

then he called the elders of Israel,

with the rulers, the judges, and the scribes;

they presented themselves before God.

    Joshua then said to all the people:

“Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel:

Your ancestors lived beyond the Euphrates for all time,

until Terah, father of Abraham and Nahor,

and they served as 'other gods.

    So I took your father Abraham beyond the Euphrates,

and took him through all the land of Canaan;

I multiplied his descendants, and gave him Isaac.

    To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau.

To Esau I gave mountain Seir for possession.

Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt. 

    Then I sent Moses and Aaron,

and I smote Egypt

with all that I did in the midst of it.

Then I got you out of it.

    So I brought your fathers out of Egypt,

and you came to the sea;

the Egyptians pursued your fathers

with chariots and warriors

to the Red Sea.

    Your fathers cried out to the Lord,

who spread a thick fog between you and the Egyptians,

and caused the sea to come back upon them, which covered them.

You saw with your own eyes what I did in Egypt,

then you spent a long time in the desert. 

    I then brought you into the land of the Amorites

who lived beyond the Jordan.

They made war against you,

and I delivered them into your hand:

you have taken possession of their land,

for I have destroyed them before you.

     Then Balak the son of Cippor king of Moab

rose up to make war against Israel,

and he sent for Balaam the son of Beor

to curse you.

    But I did not want to listen to Balaam:

he even had to bless you,

and I saved you from the hand of Balaq. 

Then you crossed the Jordan to reach Jericho;

the rulers of Jericho fought against you

and many peoples,

but I delivered them into your hand.

    I sent hornets before you,

which drove out the two Amorite kings;

it was neither by your sword nor by your bow.

    I gave you a land that cost you no trouble,

towns in which you settled

without having built them,

vineyards and olive groves which you enjoy today

without having planted them. " 

            - Word of the Lord.