Big Idea
This month's memory verse
7 "But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'"
When the Israelites grew stronger, they forced the Canaanites to work as slaves, but they never did drive them completely out of the land.
Israel Fails to Conquer the Land
19The Lord was with the people of Judah, and they took possession of the hill country. But they failed to drive out the people living in the plains, who had iron chariots. 20The town of Hebron was given to Caleb as Moses had promised. And Caleb drove out the people living there, who were descendants of the three sons of Anak.
21The tribe of Benjamin, however, failed to drive out the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem. So to this day the Jebusites live in Jerusalem among the people of Benjamin.
22The descendants of Joseph attacked the town of Bethel, and the Lord was with them. 23They sent men to scout out Bethel (formerly known as Luz). 24They confronted a man coming out of the town and said to him, “Show us a way into the town, and we will have mercy on you.” 25So he showed them a way in, and they killed everyone in the town except that man and his family.
28When the Israelites grew stronger, they forced the Canaanites to work as slaves, but they never did drive them completely out of the land.
The Death of Joshua
6After Joshua sent the people away, each of the tribes left to take possession of the land allotted to them. 7And the Israelites served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and the leaders who outlived him—those who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel.
8Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of 110. 9They buried him in the land he had been allocated, at Timnath-serah* in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.
Israel Disobeys the Lord
10After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the Lord or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel.
11The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight and served the images of Baal. 12They abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods, worshiping the gods of the people around them. And they angered the Lord. 13They abandoned the Lord to serve Baal and the images of Ashtoreth.