161 Then the lot for the sons of Joseph went from the Jordan at Jericho to the waters of Jericho on the east into the wilderness , going up from Jericho through the hill country to Bethel . 2 It went from Bethel to Luz , and continued to the border of the Archites at Ataroth . 3 It went down westward to the territory of the Japhletites , as far as the territory of lower Beth-horon even to Gezer , and it ended e at the sea . 4 The sons of Joseph , Manasseh and Ephraim , received their inheritance .
5 Now this was the territory of the sons of Ephraim according to their families : the border of their inheritance eastward was Ataroth-addar , as far as upper Beth-horon . 6 Then the border went westward at Michmethath on the north , and the border turned about eastward to Taanath-shiloh and continued beyond it to the east of Janoah . 7 It went down from Janoah to Ataroth and to Naarah , then reached Jericho and came out at the Jordan . 8 From Tappuah the border continued westward to the brook of Kanah , and it ended e at the sea . This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Ephraim according to their families , 9 together with the cities which were set apart for the sons of Ephraim in the midst of the inheritance of the sons of Manasseh , all the cities with their villages . 10 But they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer , so the Canaanites live in the midst of Ephraim to this day , and they became forced laborers e .
171 Now this was the lot for the tribe of Manasseh , for he was the firstborn of Joseph . To Machir the firstborn of Manasseh , the father of Gilead , were allotted Gilead and Bashan , because he was a man of war . 2 So the lot was made for the rest of the sons of Manasseh according to their families : for the sons of Abiezer and for the sons of Helek and for the sons of Asriel and for the sons of Shechem and for the sons of Hepher and for the sons of Shemida ; these were the male descendants of Manasseh the son of Joseph according to their families . 3 However, Zelophehad , the son of Hepher , the son of Gilead , the son of Machir , the son of Manasseh , had no sons , only e daughters ; and these are the names of his daughters : Mahlah and Noah , Hoglah , Milcah and Tirzah . 4 They came near before Eleazar the priest and before Joshua the son of Nun and before the leaders , saying , "The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers ." So according to the command of the Lord he gave them an inheritance among their father's brothers . 5 Thus there fell ten portions to Manasseh , besides e the land of Gilead and Bashan , which is beyond e the Jordan , 6 because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance among his sons . And the land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the sons of Manasseh .
7 The border of Manasseh ran from Asher to Michmethath which was east e of Shechem ; then the border went southward to the inhabitants of En-tappuah . 8 The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh , but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the sons of Ephraim . 9 The border went down to the brook of Kanah , southward of the brook (these cities belonged to Ephraim among the cities of Manasseh ), and the border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook and it ended e at the sea . 10 The south side belonged to Ephraim and the north side to Manasseh , and the sea was their border ; and they reached to Asher on the north and to Issachar on the east . 11 In Issachar and in Asher , Manasseh had Beth-shean and its towns and Ibleam and its towns , and the inhabitants of Dor and its towns , and the inhabitants of En-dor and its towns , and the inhabitants of Taanach and its towns , and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns , the third is Napheth . 12 But the sons of Manasseh could not take possession of these cities , because the Canaanites persisted in living in that land . 13 It came about when the sons of Israel became strong , they put the Canaanites to forced labor , but they did not drive them out completely .
14 Then the sons of Joseph spoke to Joshua , saying , "Why have you given me only one lot and one portion for an inheritance , since I am a numerous people whom the Lord has thus far blessed ?" 15 Joshua said to them, "If you are a numerous people , go up to the forest and clear a place for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the Rephaim , since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you." 16 The sons of Joseph said , "The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the valley land have chariots of iron , both those who are in Beth-shean and its towns and those who are in the valley of Jezreel ." 17 Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph , to Ephraim and Manasseh , saying , "You are a numerous people and have great power ; you shall not have one lot only, 18 but the hill country shall be yours. For though it is a forest , you shall clear it, and to its farthest borders it shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites , even though they have chariots of iron and though they are strong ."
181 Then the whole congregation of the sons of Israel assembled themselves at Shiloh , and set up the tent of meeting there ; and the land was subdued before them.
2 There remained among the sons of Israel seven tribes who had not divided their inheritance . 3 So Joshua said to the sons of Israel , " How long will you put off entering to take possession of the land which the Lord , the God of your fathers , has given you? 4 "Provide for yourselves three men from each tribe that I may send them, and that they may arise and walk through the land and write a description of it according to their inheritance ; then they shall return to me. 5 "They shall divide it into seven portions ; Judah shall stay in its territory on the south , and the house of Joseph shall stay in their territory on the north . 6 "You shall describe the land in seven divisions , and bring the description here to me. I will cast lots for you here before the Lord our God . 7 "For the Levites have no portion among you, because the priesthood of the Lord is their inheritance . Gad and Reuben and the half-tribe e of Manasseh also have received their inheritance eastward beyond e the Jordan , which Moses the servant of the Lord gave them." 8 Then the men arose and went , and Joshua commanded those who went to describe the land , saying , "Go and walk through the land and describe it, and return to me; then I will cast lots for you here before the Lord in Shiloh ." 9 So the men went and passed through the land , and described it by cities in seven divisions in a book ; and they came to Joshua to the camp at Shiloh . 10 And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord , and there Joshua divided the land to the sons of Israel according to their divisions .
11 Now the lot of the tribe of the sons of Benjamin came up according to their families , and the territory of their lot lay between the sons of Judah and the sons of Joseph . 12 Their border on the north side was from the Jordan , then the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north , and went up through the hill country westward , and it ended e at the wilderness of Beth-aven . 13 From there the border continued to Luz , to the side of Luz (that is, Bethel ) southward ; and the border went down to Ataroth-addar , near the hill which lies on the south of lower Beth-horon . 14 The border extended from there and turned round on the west side southward , from the hill which lies before e Beth-horon southward ; and it ended e at Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim ), a city of the sons of Judah . This was the west side . 15 Then the south side was from the edge of Kiriath-jearim , and the border went westward and went to the fountain of the waters of Nephtoah . 16 The border went down to the edge of the hill which is in the valley of Ben-hinnom e , which is in the valley of Rephaim northward ; and it went down to the valley of Hinnom , to the slope of the Jebusite southward , and went down to En-rogel . 17 It extended northward and went to En-shemesh and went to Geliloth , which is opposite the ascent of Adummim , and it went down to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben . 18 It continued to the side in front of the Arabah northward and went down to the Arabah . 19 The border continued to the side of Beth-hoglah northward ; and the border ended e at the north bay of the Salt Sea , at the south end of the Jordan . This was the south border . 20 Moreover, the Jordan was its border on the east side . This was the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin , according to their families and according to its borders all around . 21 Now the cities of the tribe of the sons of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho and Beth-hoglah and Emek-keziz e , 22 and Beth-arabah and Zemaraim and Bethel , 23 and Avvim and Parah and Ophrah , 24 and Chephar-ammoni and Ophni and Geba ; twelve e cities with their villages . 25 Gibeon and Ramah and Beeroth , 26 and Mizpeh and Chephirah and Mozah , 27 and Rekem and Irpeel and Taralah , 28 and Zelah , Haeleph and the Jebusite (that is, Jerusalem ), Gibeah , Kiriath ; fourteen e cities with their villages . This is the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin according to their families .
21 Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus , that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth . 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria . 3 And everyone was on his way to register for the census , each to his own city . 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee , from the city of Nazareth , to Judea , to the city of David which is called Bethlehem , because he was of the house and family of David , 5 in order to register along with Mary , who was engaged to him, and was with child . 6 While they were there , the days were completed for her to give birth . 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son ; and she wrapped Him in cloths , and laid Him in a manger , because there was no room for them in the inn .
8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night . 9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened . 10 But the angel said to them, " Do not be afraid ; for behold , I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people ; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior , who is Christ the Lord . 12 " This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger ." 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying , 14 " Glory to God in the highest , And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased ." 15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven , the shepherds began saying to one another , "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then , and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us." 16 So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph , and the baby as He lay in the manger . 17 When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child . 18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds . 19 But Mary treasured all these things , pondering them in her heart . 20 The shepherds went back , glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen , just as had been told them.
21 And when eight days had passed , before His circumcision , His name was then called Jesus , the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb . 22 And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed , they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord , " EVERY firstborn MALE THAT OPENS THE WOMB SHALL BE CALLED HOLY TO THE Lord "), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord , " A PAIR OF TURTLEDOVES OR TWO YOUNG PIGEONS ."
(Read Luke 2:1-7)
The fulness of time was now come, when God would send forth his Son, made of a woman, and made under the law. The circumstances of his birth were very mean. Christ was born at an inn; he came into the world to sojourn here for awhile, as at an inn, and to teach us to do likewise. We are become by sin like an outcast infant, helpless and forlorn; and such a one was Christ. He well knew how unwilling we are to be meanly lodged, clothed, or fed; how we desire to have our children decorated and indulged; how apt the poor are to envy the rich, and how prone the rich to disdain the poor. But when we by faith view the Son of God being made man and lying in a manger, our vanity, ambition, and envy are checked. We cannot, with this object rightly before us, seek great things for ourselves or our children.
(Read Luke 2:8-20)
Angels were heralds of the new-born Saviour, but they were only sent to some poor, humble, pious, industrious shepherds, who were in the business of their calling, keeping watch over their flock. We are not out of the way of Divine visits, when we are employed in an honest calling, and abide with God in it. Let God have the honour of this work; Glory to God in the highest. God's good-will to men, manifested in sending the Messiah, redounds to his praise. Other works of God are for his glory, but the redemption of the world is for his glory in the highest. God's goodwill in sending the Messiah, brought peace into this lower world. Peace is here put for all that good which flows to us from Christ's taking our nature upon him. This is a faithful saying, attested by an innumerable company of angels, and well worthy of all acceptation, That the good-will of God toward men, is glory to God in the highest, and peace on the earth. The shepherds lost no time, but came with haste to the place. They were satisfied, and made known abroad concerning this child, that he was the Saviour, even Christ the Lord. Mary carefully observed and thought upon all these things, which were so suited to enliven her holy affections. We should be more delivered from errors in judgment and practice, did we more fully ponder these things in our hearts. It is still proclaimed in our ears that to us is born a Saviour, Christ the Lord. These should be glad tidings to all.
(Read Luke 2:21-24)
Our Lord Jesus was not born in sin, and did not need that mortification of a corrupt nature, or that renewal unto holiness, which were signified by circumcision. This ordinance was, in his case, a pledge of his future perfect obedience to the whole law, in the midst of sufferings and temptations, even unto death for us. At the end of forty days, Mary went up to the temple to offer the appointed sacrifices for her purification. Joseph also presented the holy child Jesus, because, as a first-born son, he was to be presented to the Lord, and redeemed according to the law. Let us present our children to the Lord who gave them to us, beseeching him to redeem them from sin and death, and make them holy to himself.
