Joshua
1:1 Following the demise of Moses, the LORD’s servant, it came to pass that the LORD spoke to Joshua, son of Nun, Moses’ aide, saying,
1:2 Moses, My servant, has passed away; now then, arise, cross over this Jordan, you and all the people, to the land that I am bestowing upon them, the children of Israel.
1:3 Each place upon which the sole of your foot treads, I have granted to you, as I promised Moses.
1:4 Your territory will stretch from the wilderness and Lebanon to the great river, the Euphrates, encompassing all Hittite lands, as far as the Great Sea westward.
1:5 No one shall be able to stand against you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, I will also be with you. I will not abandon you or fail you.
1:6 Be courageous and strong, for you shall allocate this land to these people as an inheritance, the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.
1:7 Only be exceedingly brave and resolute to act in accordance with the entire law that Moses, My servant, commanded you. Do not deviate from it to the right or to the left, so you may succeed wherever you go.
1:8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so you may act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then, you will prosper and achieve success.
1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and strong. Do not be frightened or dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
1:10 Joshua then instructed the officers of the people, stating,
1:11 Traverse the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare provisions, for within three days you shall cross over this Jordan to enter and possess the land the LORD your God is giving you.’
1:12 To the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said,
1:13 Remember the command that Moses, the servant of the LORD, gave you: ‘The LORD your God grants you rest and will provide you this land.’
1:14 Your wives, young ones, and livestock shall remain in the land that Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. However, your warriors, fully armed, must cross over ahead of your fellow Israelites to assist them,
1:15 until the LORD grants them rest, as He has done for you, and they too possess the land the LORD your God is giving them. Afterwards, you may return to your own land, which Moses, the LORD’s servant, assigned to you east of the Jordan, toward the sunrise.”
1:16 They responded to Joshua, “Whatever you command us, we will do, and wherever you send us, we will go.
1:17 Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so shall we obey you. Only may the LORD your God be with you, as He was with Moses.
1:18 Anyone who rebels against your orders and does not heed your words in all you command them, shall be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.”
2:1 Then Joshua, son of Nun, sent two spies covertly from Shittim, instructing them, “Go, examine the land, especially Jericho.” They went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab, where they lodged.
2:2 It was reported to the king of Jericho, “Behold, men from the children of Israel have come here tonight to explore the land.”
2:3 The king of Jericho sent a message to Rahab, “Bring out the men who came to you, who entered your house, for they have come to survey the entire land.”
2:4 However, the woman took the two men and hid them. She said, “True, men came to me, but I did not know where they were from.
2:5 And it happened at the time of the closing of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out. I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you may catch them.”
2:6 But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had arranged there.
2:7 The men pursued them on the road to the Jordan, to the fords. As soon as those pursuing them had left, the gate was shut.
2:8 Before the spies lay down, she went up to them on the roof
2:9 and said to the men, “I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that dread of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are faint-hearted because of you.
2:10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed.
2:11 When we heard these things, our hearts melted; no courage remained in anyone because of you, for the LORD your God is the God in heaven above and on earth below.
2:12 Now then, please swear to me by the LORD, since I have shown you kindness, that you will also show kindness to my father’s house, and give me a true token,
2:13 and spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.”
2:14 The men said to her, “Our life for yours if you do not disclose our mission. And when the LORD gives us the land, we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.”
2:15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall, so she lived on the wall.
2:16 And she said to them, “Go to the mountain, lest the pursuers encounter you. Hide there for three days until the pursuers return. Afterward, you may go your way.”
2:17 The men said to her, “We will be guiltless of this oath you have made us swear.
2:18 Behold, when we come into the land, you shall tie this line of scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and gather your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household into your house.
2:19 If anyone goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we will be innocent. But if anyone is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him.
2:20 But if you divulge our business, then we will be released from the oath you made us swear.”
2:21 She said, “According to your words, so be it.” She sent them away, and they departed. She tied the scarlet cord in the window.
2:22 They departed and reached the mountain, where they stayed for three days until the pursuers returned. The pursuers searched all along the way but did not find them.
2:23 The two men then returned, descended from the mountain, crossed over, and came to Joshua, son of Nun. They recounted to him all that had befallen them.
2:24 They said to Joshua, “Truly the LORD has delivered all the land into our hands, for all the inhabitants of the country are faint-hearted because of us.”
3:1 Joshua rose early in the morning; they left Shittim and came to the Jordan, he and all the Israelites, and lodged there before they crossed over.
3:2 After three days, the officers went through the camp;
3:3 they commanded the people, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the Levitical priests bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and follow it.
3:4 However, there shall be a distance between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.”
3:5 Joshua then said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will perform wonders among you.”
3:6 Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass over before the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.
3:7 The LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, that they may know that I will be with you just as I was with Moses.
3:8 Command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand in the Jordan.'”
3:9 Joshua then said to the Israelites, “Come here and hear the words of the LORD your God.”
3:10 Joshua continued, “By this, you shall know that the living God is among you and will assuredly dispossess the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites from before you.
3:11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the LORD of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan.
3:12 Now therefore, take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from every tribe.
3:13 As soon as the priests who carry the Ark of the LORD—the Sovereign over all the earth—set their feet in the Jordan’s waters, the flow shall be severed from the waters descending from above; they shall stand in a single heap.
3:14 And so it occurred, when the people decamped to cross the Jordan, and the priests bearing the Ark of the Covenant led them,
3:15 and as those bearing the Ark reached the Jordan, their feet barely touching the water’s edge (for the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the harvest season),
3:16 the waters descending from above stood still, rising up in a great heap a considerable distance at Adam, the city near Zarethan. Meanwhile, the waters flowing towards the Sea of the Arabah—the Salt Sea—were completely cut off. Thus, the people crossed opposite Jericho.
3:17 The priests bearing the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until the entire nation had finished crossing Jordan.
4:1 After the entire nation had finished crossing Jordan, the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,
4:2 “Select twelve men from the people, one from each tribe,
4:3 and instruct them to take from the middle of Jordan, from the very place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones. Carry these stones with you and leave them at the first place you camp tonight.”
4:4 Joshua called the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe,
4:5 and said to them, “Cross over before the Ark of the LORD your God into the middle of Jordan, and each of you lift a stone on your shoulder, according to the number of tribes of the Israelites,
4:6 so that this may be a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’
4:7 you shall tell them, ‘The waters of Jordan were cut off before the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD; when it crossed Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off.’ These stones shall serve as a perpetual memorial to the Israelites.”
4:8 The Israelites did as Joshua commanded. They took twelve stones from the middle of Jordan, as the LORD had spoken to Joshua, corresponding to the number of the tribes of the Israelites. They carried them to the campsite and set them down there.
4:9 Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of Jordan, at the spot where the priests who bore the Ark of the Covenant had stood; and they are there to this day.
4:10 The priests who bore the Ark remained in the middle of Jordan until all that the LORD had commanded Joshua to tell the people was accomplished, in accordance with everything that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people hurried across.
4:11 When everyone had finished crossing, the Ark of the LORD and the priests came up in front of the people.
4:12 The Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh crossed over, ready for battle, before the Israelites, as Moses had instructed them.
4:13 About forty thousand armed for war crossed over before the LORD to the plains of Jericho for battle.
4:14 On that day, the LORD exalted Joshua in the eyes of all Israel; and they revered him, just as they had revered Moses throughout his life.
4:15 The LORD then spoke to Joshua, saying,
4:16 “Command the priests who bear the Ark of the Testimony to come up out of Jordan.”
4:17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, “Come up out of Jordan.”
4:18 And it came to pass, when the priests who bore the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD came up from the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet touched dry land, the waters of Jordan returned to their place and flowed over all its banks as before.
4:19 The people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month and encamped in Gilgal, on the eastern border of Jericho.
4:20 Joshua erected in Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken from Jordan.
4:21 He spoke to the Israelites, saying, “In the future, when your children ask their fathers, ‘What do these stones mean?’
4:22 explain to your children, ‘Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.’
4:23 For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed,
4:24 so that all the peoples of the earth might know the strength of the LORD’s hand, that you might always revere the LORD your God.”
5:1 When all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the sea heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed, their hearts melted and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites.
5:2 At that time, the LORD said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again.”
5:3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth.
5:4 This is why Joshua circumcised them: All the males of the people who had come out of Egypt—all the men of war—had died in the wilderness on the way after leaving Egypt.
5:5 All the people who came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness during the journey from Egypt had not.
5:6 The Israelites had moved about in the wilderness for forty years until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the LORD. For the LORD had sworn to them that they would not see the land He had solemnly promised their ancestors to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
5:7 So he raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised on the way.
5:8 And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed.
5:9 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” Therefore the place has been called Gilgal to this day.
5:10 On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover.
5:11 The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain.
5:12 The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate the produce of Canaan.
5:13 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua approached him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”
5:14 “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” Then Joshua fell face down to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”
5:15 The commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.
6:1 Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.
6:2 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.
6:3 March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days.
6:4 Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets.
6:5 When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in.”
6:6 So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant of the LORD and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.” And he ordered the people, “Advance! March around the city, with the armed guard going ahead of the ark of the LORD.”
6:7 And he said to the people, “March around the city, with the armed men going ahead of the ark of the LORD.”
6:8 When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the LORD went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the LORD’s covenant followed them.
6:9 The armed men marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding.
6:10 But Joshua had commanded the people, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!”
6:11 So he had the ark of the LORD carried around the city, circling it once. Then they returned to camp and spent the night there.
6:12 Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the LORD.
6:13 The seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns marched before the Ark of the LORD, blowing the trumpets continually. The armed men led the way, while the rear guard followed the Ark, with the priests continuing to blow the trumpets.
6:14 On the second day, they circled the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.
6:15 On the seventh day, they rose at dawn and circled the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times.
6:16 The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the city.
6:17 The city and all within it shall be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent.
6:18 But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise, you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it.
6:19 All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the LORD and must go into his treasury.”
6:20 When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city.
6:21 They devoted the city to the LORD and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, and donkeys.
6:22 Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring her out and all who belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her.”
6:23 So the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and all who belonged to her. They brought out all her relatives and placed them outside the camp of Israel.
6:24 They burned the whole city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the LORD’s house.
6:25 But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day.
6:26 At that time, Joshua pronounced this solemn oath: “Cursed before the LORD is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho: At the cost of his firstborn son will he lay its foundations; at the cost of his youngest will he set up its gates.”
6:27 So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land.
7:1 But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the LORD’s anger burned against Israel.
7:2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.
7:3 When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it, and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.”
7:4 So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai,
7:5 who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this, the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water.
7:6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell face down to the ground before the Ark of the LORD, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads.
7:7 And Joshua said, “Alas, Sovereign LORD, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan!
7:8 Pardon your servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies?
7:9 The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?”
7:10 The LORD said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face?
7:11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions.
7:12 That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.
7:13 “Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: There are devoted things among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.
7:14 “In the morning, present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe the LORD chooses shall come forward clan by clan; the clan the LORD chooses shall come forward family by family; and the family the LORD chooses shall come forward man by man.
7:15 Whoever is caught with the devoted things shall be destroyed by fire, along with all that belongs to him. He has violated the covenant of the LORD and has done an outrageous thing in Israel!'”
7:16 Early the next morning Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes, and Judah was chosen.
7:17 The clans of Judah came forward, and the Zerahites were chosen. He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward by families, and Zimri was chosen.
7:18 Joshua had his family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was chosen.
7:19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and honor him. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”
7:20 Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I have done:
7:21 When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”
7:22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath.
7:23 They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the LORD.
7:24 Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold bar, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor.
7:25 Joshua said, “Why have you brought this trouble on us? The LORD will bring trouble on you today.” Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them.
7:26 Over Achan they heaped up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from his fierce anger. Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor ever since.
8:1 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land.
8:2 You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the city.”
8:3 So Joshua and the whole army moved out to attack Ai. He chose thirty thousand of his best fighting men and sent them out at night
8:4 with these orders: “Listen carefully. You are to set an ambush behind the city. Don’t go very far from it. All of you be on the alert.
8:5 I and all those with me will advance on the city, and when the men come out against us, as they did before, we will flee from them.
8:6 They will pursue us until we have lured them away from the city, for they will say, ‘They are running away from us as they did before.’ So when we flee from them,
8:7 you are to rise from ambush and take the city. The LORD your God will give it into your hand.
8:8 When you have taken the city, set it on fire. Do what the LORD has commanded. See to it; you have my orders.”
8:9 Joshua dispatched them, and they set an ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai. Joshua spent that night among the people.
8:10 Early the next morning, Joshua mustered the people and he and the elders of Israel led them to Ai.
8:11 The entire army, the warriors with Joshua, advanced and approached the city, setting up their camp north of Ai, with a valley between them and the city.
8:12 Joshua deployed about five thousand men to set an ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.
8:13 With the main force positioned north of the city and the ambush to the west, Joshua himself spent that night in the valley.
8:14 When the king of Ai saw this, he and his men hurried out early in the morning to engage Israel in battle, unaware of the ambush behind the city.
8:15 Joshua and all Israel pretended to be beaten and fled towards the wilderness.
8:16 All the men of Ai were called to pursue them, and they chased Joshua, leaving the city unprotected.
8:17 Not a single man remained in Ai or Bethel; they all pursued Israel, leaving the city open.
8:18 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Stretch out the javelin in your hand towards Ai, for I will give it into your hand.” Joshua did so.
8:19 As soon as Joshua stretched out his hand, the ambush sprang up from their position. They rushed into the city, captured it, and quickly set it on fire.
8:20 The men of Ai looked back and saw the smoke of their city rising to the sky, with no chance to escape either way. The fleeing Israelites turned back on the pursuers.
8:21 When Joshua and Israel saw the ambush had captured the city and the smoke rising, they turned back and attacked the men of Ai.
8:22 Those from the city came out against them, so they were surrounded by Israelites, some on one side and some on the other. They struck them down, leaving none alive or escaping.
8:23 The king of Ai was captured and brought to Joshua.
8:24 When Israel had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the open fields and in the wilderness where they had pursued them, all of them to the last man were struck down by the sword. Then all Israel returned to Ai and struck it down with the sword.
8:25 Twelve thousand men and women fell that day—all the people of Ai.
8:26 Joshua did not draw back the hand holding the javelin until he had destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.
8:27 Only the livestock and the plunder of that city Israel took as their booty, according to the word of the LORD that He had commanded Joshua.
8:28 Joshua burned Ai, making it a permanent heap of ruins, desolate to this day.
8:29 The king of Ai he hanged on a tree until evening. At sunset, Joshua ordered his body taken down from the tree and thrown down at the entrance of the city gate. A large pile of stones was raised over it, which remains to this day.
8:30 Joshua then built an altar to the LORD, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal,
8:31 as Moses, the servant of the LORD, had commanded the Israelites. He built it of uncut stones on which no iron tool had been used. On it, they offered burnt offerings to the LORD and sacrificed fellowship offerings.
8:32 There, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua wrote on the stones a copy of the Law of Moses.
8:33 All Israel, with their elders, officials, and judges, stood on both sides of the ark, facing the Levitical priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD. Half stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses, the servant of the LORD, had formerly commanded to bless the people of Israel.
8:34 Afterwards, Joshua read all the words of the law—the blessings and the curses—just as it is written in the Book of the Law.
8:35 There was not a word of all that Moses commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women, the children, and the foreigners who lived among them.
9:1 When all the kings west of the Jordan, in the hills, in the valleys, and along the entire coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—heard about this,
9:2 they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.
9:3 However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,
9:4 they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended.
9:5 They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy.
9:6 Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.”
9:7 The Israelites said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live near us. How then can we make a treaty with you?”
9:8 “We are your servants,” they said to Joshua. But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?”
9:9 They answered, “Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the LORD your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt,
9:10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.
9:11 Our elders and all those living in our country said to us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, “We are your servants; make a treaty with us.”‘
9:12 This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is.
9:13 And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long journey.”
9:14 The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the LORD.
9:15 Then Joshua made a peace treaty with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.
9:16 Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living among them.
9:17 So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.
9:18 But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders,
9:19 but all the leaders answered, “We have given them our oath by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them.
9:20 This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that God’s wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to them.”
9:21 They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers in the service of the whole assembly.” So the leaders’ promise to them was kept.
9:22 Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by saying, ‘We live a long way from you,’ while actually you live among us?
9:23 You are now under a curse: You will never be freed from service as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”
9:24 They answered Joshua, “Your servants were clearly told how the LORD your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this.
9:25 We are now in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.”
9:26 So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them.
9:27 That day he made the Gibeonites woodcutters and water carriers for the assembly, to provide for the needs of the altar of the LORD at the place the LORD would choose. And that is what they are to this day.
10:1 Now Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai and totally destroyed it, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and that the people of Gibeon had made a treaty of peace with Israel and were living among them.
10:2 He and his people were very much alarmed at this because Gibeon was an important city, like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were good fighters.
10:3 So Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem appealed to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon.
10:4 “Come up and help me attack Gibeon,” he said, “because it has made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.”
10:5 The five Amorite kings—the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon—joined forces, moved up with all their troops, and took up positions against Gibeon, laying siege to it.
10:6 The Gibeonites sent word to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal: “Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, for all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us.”
10:7 So Joshua and his entire army, including all the best warriors, came from Gilgal.
10:8 The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.”
10:9 After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise.
10:10 The LORD threw them into confusion before Israel, who defeated them in a great victory at Gibeon. Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah.
10:11 As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the LORD hurled large hailstones down on them, and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.
10:12 On the day the LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua spoke to the LORD in the presence of Israel: “O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.”
10:13 So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.
10:14 There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the LORD listened to a human being. Surely the LORD was fighting for Israel!
10:15 Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.
10:16 Now the five kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah.
10:17 When Joshua was told that the five kings had been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah,
10:18 he said, “Roll large rocks up to the mouth of the cave, and post some men there to guard it.
10:19 But don’t stop; pursue your enemies! Attack them from the rear and don’t let them reach their cities, for the LORD your God has given them into your hand.”
10:20 So Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely, but a few survivors managed to reach their fortified cities.
10:21 The whole army then returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah, and no one uttered a word against the Israelites.
10:22 Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me.”
10:23 They brought the five kings out of the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon.
10:24 When they had brought these kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had come with him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came forward and placed their feet on their necks.
10:25 Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the LORD will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.”
10:26 Then Joshua put the kings to death and exposed their bodies on five poles, and they were left hanging on the poles until evening.
10:27 At sunset, Joshua gave the order and they took them down from the poles and threw them into the cave where they had been hiding. At the mouth of the cave, they placed large rocks, which are there to this day.
10:28 That day Joshua captured Makkedah. He put the city and its king to the sword and totally destroyed everyone in it. He left no survivors. And he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.
10:29 Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Makkedah to Libnah and attacked it.
10:30 The LORD also gave that city and its king into Israel’s hand. The city and everyone in it Joshua put to the sword. He left no survivors there. And he did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.
10:31 Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Libnah to Lachish; he took up positions against it and attacked it.
10:32 The LORD gave Lachish into Israel’s hands, and Joshua took it on the second day. He and all Israel put it and its king to the sword, just as they had done to Libnah.
10:33 Meanwhile, Horam king of Gezer had come up to help Lachish, but Joshua defeated him and his army—until no survivors were left.
10:34 Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Lachish to Eglon; they took up positions against it and attacked it.
10:35 They captured it that same day and put it to the sword and totally destroyed everyone in it, just as they had done to Lachish.
10:36 Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron and attacked it.
10:37 They took the city and put it to the sword along with its king, its villages, and everyone in it. He left no survivors. Just as he had done at Eglon, he totally destroyed it and everyone in it.
10:38 Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned around and attacked Debir.
10:39 They took the city, its king, and its villages, and put them to the sword. Everyone in it they totally destroyed. They left no survivors. As he had done at Hebron, so Joshua did to Debir and its king, as he had done also to Libnah and its king.
10:40 So Joshua subdued the whole region, including the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills, and the mountain slopes, together with all their kings. He left no survivors. He totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded.
10:41 Joshua subdued them from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and from the whole region of Goshen to Gibeon.
10:42 All these kings and their lands Joshua conquered in one campaign, because the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.
10:43 Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.
11:1 When Jabin king of Hazor heard of this, he sent word to Jobab king of Madon, to the king of Shimron, to the king of Achshaph,
11:2 and to the northern kings who were in the mountains, in the Arabah south of Kinnereth, in the western foothills, and in Naphoth Dor on the west;
11:3 to the Canaanites in the east and the west; to the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, and the Jebusites in the hill country; and to the Hivites below Hermon in the region of Mizpah.
11:4 They came out with all their troops and a large number of horses and chariots—a huge army, as numerous as the sand on the seashore.
11:5 All these kings joined forces and made camp together at the Waters of Merom to fight against Israel.
11:6 The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, because by this time tomorrow I will hand all of them, slain, over to Israel. You are to hamstring their horses and burn their chariots.”
11:7 So Joshua and his whole army came against them suddenly at the Waters of Merom and attacked them,
11:8 and the LORD gave them into the hand of Israel. They defeated them and pursued them all the way to Greater Sidon, to Misrephoth Maim, and to the Valley of Mizpah on the east, until no survivors were left.
11:9 Joshua did to them as the LORD had directed: He hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots.
11:10 At that time Joshua turned back and captured Hazor and put its king to the sword. (Hazor had been the head of all these kingdoms.)
11:11 Everyone in it they put to the sword. They totally destroyed them, not sparing anyone that breathed, and he burned Hazor itself.
11:12 Joshua took all these royal cities and their kings and put them to the sword. He totally destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded.
11:13 Yet Israel did not burn any of the cities built on their mounds—except Hazor, which Joshua burned.
11:14 The Israelites carried off for themselves all the plunder and livestock of these cities, but they put all the people to the sword until they completely destroyed them, not sparing anyone that breathed.
11:15 As the LORD commanded his servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua, and Joshua did it; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses.
11:16 So Joshua took this entire land: the hill country, all the Negev, the whole region of Goshen, the western foothills, the Arabah, and the mountains of Israel with their foothills,
11:17 Joshua conquered the land from Mount Halak, rising towards Seir, to Baalgad in the Valley of Lebanon below Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings, struck them down, and put them to death.
11:18 Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long time.
11:19 Except for the Hivites living in Gibeon, not one city made a treaty of peace with the Israelites, who took them all in battle.
11:20 For it was the LORD’s doing to harden their hearts so that they would come against Israel in battle, in order that they might be destroyed completely and without mercy, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
11:21 At that time, Joshua went and destroyed the Anakites from the hill country: from Hebron, Debir, Anab, and from all the hill country of Judah and Israel. Joshua totally destroyed them and their cities.
11:22 No Anakites were left in Israelite territory; only in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod did any survive.
11:23 So Joshua took the entire land, just as the LORD had directed Moses, and he gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal divisions. Then the land had rest from war.
12:1 These are the kings of the land whom the Israelites had defeated and whose territory they took over east of the Jordan, from the Arnon Gorge to Mount Hermon, including all the eastern side of the Arabah:
12:2 Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon. He ruled from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge—from the middle of the gorge—to the Jabbok River, which is the border of the Ammonites. This included half of Gilead.
12:3 He also ruled over the eastern Arabah from the Sea of Kinnereth to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea), to Beth Jeshimoth, and then southward below the slopes of Pisgah.
12:4 And the territory of Og king of Bashan, one of the last of the Rephaites, who reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei.
12:5 He ruled over Mount Hermon, Salekah, all of Bashan to the border of the Geshurites and Maakah, and half of Gilead to the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.
12:6 Moses, the servant of the LORD, and the Israelites conquered them. And Moses the servant of the LORD gave their land to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh as their possession.
12:7 Here is a list of the kings of the land that Joshua and the Israelites conquered on the west side of the Jordan, from Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon to Mount Halak, which rises towards Seir (Joshua gave their lands as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel according to their tribal divisions—
12:8 the hill country, the western foothills, the Arabah, the mountain slopes, the desert, and the Negev—the lands of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites):
12:9 the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai (near Bethel), one;
12:10 the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one;
12:11 the king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one;
12:12 the king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one;
12:13 the king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;
12:14 the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
12:15 the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;
12:16 the king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one;
12:17 the king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one;
12:18 the king of Aphek, one; the king of Lasharon, one;
12:19 the king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one;
12:20 the king of Shimron Meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;
12:21 the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one;
12:22 the king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam in Carmel, one;
12:23 the king of Dor (in Naphoth Dor), one; the king of Goyim in Gilgal, one;
12:24 the king of Tirzah, one; thirty-one kings in all.
13:1 When Joshua was old and well advanced in years, the LORD said to him, “You are very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.
13:2 This is the land that remains: all the regions of the Philistines and Geshurites,
13:3 from the Shihor River on the east of Egypt to the territory of Ekron on the north, all of it counted as Canaanite (the territory of the five Philistine rulers in Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron—as well as the Avvites);
13:4 from the south, all the land of the Canaanites, from Arah of the Sidonians as far as Aphek, the region of the Amorites,
13:5 the area of the Gebalites; and all Lebanon to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo Hamath.
13:6 “As for all the inhabitants of the mountain regions from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, that is, all the Sidonians, I myself will drive them out before the Israelites. Be sure to allocate this land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have instructed you,
13:7 and divide it as an inheritance among the nine tribes and half of the tribe of Manasseh.”
13:8 The other half of Manasseh, the Reubenites, and the Gadites had received the inheritance that Moses had given them east of the Jordan, as he, the servant of the LORD, had assigned it to them.
13:9 It extended from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the middle of the gorge, and included the whole plateau of Medeba as far as Dibon,
13:10 and all the towns of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon, out to the border of the Ammonites.
13:11 It also included Gilead, the territory of the people of Geshur and Maakah, all of Mount Hermon, and all Bashan as far as Salekah—
13:12 that is, the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who had reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei and had survived as one of the last of the Rephaites. Moses had defeated them and taken over their land.
13:13 But the Israelites did not drive out the people of Geshur and Maakah, so they continue to live among the Israelites to this day.
13:14 But to the tribe of Levi, Moses had given no inheritance; the LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he promised them.
13:15 This is what Moses had given to the tribe of Reuben, clan by clan:
13:16 The territory from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the middle of the gorge, and the whole plateau past Medeba to Heshbon and all its towns on the plateau, including Dibon, Bamoth Baal, Beth Baal Meon,
13:17 Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath,
13:18 Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar on the hill in the valley,
13:19 Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth—
13:20 all the towns on the plateau and the entire realm of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled at Heshbon. Moses had defeated him and the Midianite chiefs, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, princes allied with Sihon, who lived in that country.
13:21 In addition to those slain in battle, the Israelites had put to the sword Balaam son of Beor, who practiced divination.
13:22 The boundary of the Reubenites was the Jordan and its vicinity. This was the inheritance of the Reubenites, clan by clan, including the towns and their villages.
13:23 Moses gave to the tribe of Gad, clan by clan, their inheritance,
13:24 which included Jazer, all the towns of Gilead, and half the Ammonite country as far as Aroer, near Rabbah;
13:25 and from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the territory of Debir;
13:26 and in the valley, Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon, with the rest of the realm of Sihon king of Heshbon (the east side of the Jordan, the territory up to the end of the Sea of Kinnereth).
13:27 These are the inheritances Moses distributed in the plains of Moab, east of the Jordan, across from Jericho.
13:28 This was the inheritance of the Gadites by their families, which included the cities and their villages.
13:29 Moses also granted land to the half-tribe of Manasseh; this was their territory according to their families.
13:30 Their land included Mahanaim, all of Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair in Bashan, sixty cities in total.
13:31 The territory also comprised half of Gilead, and Ashtaroth and Edrei, cities of Og’s kingdom in Bashan. This area was for the descendants of Machir, the son of Manasseh, for half of Machir’s descendants by their families.
13:32 These are the territories Moses had distributed as inheritances in the plains of Moab, on the east side of the Jordan, by Jericho, eastward.
13:33 However, Moses did not give any inheritance to the tribe of Levi; the Lord, the God of Israel, was their inheritance, as He had told them.
14:1 Now these are the territories the Israelites received as an inheritance in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the tribal families of Israel allotted to them.
14:2 Their inheritances were assigned by lot, as the Lord had commanded through Moses, for the nine and a half tribes.
14:3 Moses had given the inheritance of the other two and a half tribes on the east side of the Jordan, but he had given no inheritance among them to the Levites.
14:4 The children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. The Levites received no share of the land except cities to live in, along with pasturelands for their flocks and herds.
14:5 The Israelites followed the Lord’s command to Moses and divided the land.
14:6 The people of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said to Moses, the man of God, about you and me at Kadesh Barnea.
14:7 I was forty years old when Moses, the servant of the Lord, sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions.
14:8 My fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear, but I wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God.
14:9 So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.’
14:10 Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old!
14:11 I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then.
14:12 Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.”
14:13 Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance.
14:14 So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.
14:15 (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba after Arba, who was the greatest man among the Anakites.) Then the land had rest from war.
15:1 The allotment for the tribe of Judah, according to its clans, extended down to the territory of Edom, to the Desert of Zin in the extreme south.
15:2 Their southern boundary started from the bay at the southern end of the Dead Sea,
15:3 crossed south of Scorpion Pass, continued on to Zin and went over to the south of Kadesh Barnea. Then it ran past Hezron, up to Addar and curved around to Karka.
15:4 It then passed along to Azmon and joined the Wadi of Egypt, ending at the Mediterranean Sea. This is their southern boundary.
15:5 The eastern boundary is the Dead Sea as far as the mouth of the Jordan. The northern boundary started from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan,
15:6 went up to Beth Hoglah and continued north of Beth Arabah to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben.
15:7 The boundary ascended to Debir from the Valley of Achor, turning northward, facing Gilgal, adjacent to the ascent of Adummim, south of the river. The boundary extended to the waters of Enshemesh and concluded at Enrogel.
15:8 From the Valley of Hinnom, the boundary rose to the southern slope of the Jebusites (that is, Jerusalem), climbing to the peak facing the Valley of Hinnom to the west, at the northern end of the Valley of the Rephaim.
15:9 From the summit, the boundary proceeded to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, and out to the towns of Mount Ephron; from there it bent towards Baalah (that is, Kiriath Jearim).
15:10 The boundary circled west of Baalah to Mount Seir, passed along the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Chesalon), descended to Beth Shemesh, and crossed to Timnah.
15:11 The boundary went out to the north of Ekron, curved to Shikkeron, passed along to Mount Baalah, and reached Jabneel. The boundary ended at the sea.
15:12 The western boundary was the coastline of the Great Sea. These are the boundaries around the people of Judah according to their clans.
15:13 In accordance with the LORD’s command to him, Joshua gave to Caleb son of Jephunneh a portion in Judah—Kiriath Arba, that is, Hebron. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.)
15:14 From there Caleb drove out the three Anakites—Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai, descendants of Anak.
15:15 From there he marched against the people living in Debir (formerly called Kiriath Sepher).
15:16 And Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher.”
15:17 Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, took it; so Caleb gave his daughter Acsah to him in marriage.
15:18 One day when she came to Othniel, she urged him to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What can I do for you?”
15:19 She replied, “Do me a special favor. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me also springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.
15:20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of Judah, according to its clans.
15:21 The southernmost towns of the tribe of Judah in the Negev toward the boundary of Edom were Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur,
15:22 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,
15:23 Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan,
15:24 Ziph, Telem, Bealoth,
15:25 Hazor Hadattah, Kerioth Hezron (that is, Hazor),
15:26 Amam, Shema, Moladah,
15:27 Hazar Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth Pelet,
15:28 Hazar Shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah,
15:29 Baalah, Iim, Ezem,
15:30 Eltolad, Kesil, Hormah,
15:31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,
15:32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain and Rimmon—a total of twenty-nine towns and their villages.
15:33 In the western foothills: Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah,
15:34 Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam,
15:35 Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,
15:36 Shaaraim, Adithaim and Gederah (or Gederothaim)—fourteen towns and their villages.
15:37 Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad,
15:38 Dilean, Mizpah, Joktheel,
15:39 Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,
15:40 Kabbon, Lahmas, Kitlish,
15:41 Gederoth, Beth Dagon, Naamah and Makkedah—sixteen towns and their villages.
15:42 Libnah, Ether, Ashan,
15:43 Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,
15:44 Keilah, Aczib and Mareshah—nine towns and their villages.
15:45 Ekron, with its surrounding settlements and villages;
15:46 west of Ekron, all that were in the vicinity of Ashdod, together with their villages;
15:47 Ashdod, its surrounding settlements and villages; Gaza, its settlements and villages, as far as the Wadi of Egypt and the coastline of the Great Sea.
15:48 In the hill country: Shamir, Jattir, Socoh,
15:49 Dannah, Kiriath Sannah (that is, Debir),
15:50 Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,
15:51 Goshen, Holon and Giloh—eleven towns and their villages.
15:52 Arab, Dumah, Eshan,
15:53 Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah,
15:54 Humtah, Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) and Zior—nine towns and their villages.
15:55 Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah,
15:56 Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah,
15:57 Kain, Gibeah and Timnah—ten towns and their villages.
15:58 Halhul, Beth Zur, Gedor,
15:59 Maarath, Beth Anoth and Eltekon—six towns and their villages.
15:60 Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim) and Rabbah—two towns and their villages.
15:61 In the desert: Beth Arabah, Middin, Secacah,
15:62 Nibshan, the City of Salt and En Gedi—six towns and their villages.
15:63 Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah.
16:1 The allotment for the descendants of Joseph began at the Jordan, east of the waters of Jericho, and went up through the desert into the hill country of Bethel.
16:2 It went from Bethel (that is, Luz), passed along to the border of the Archites at Ataroth,
16:3 descended westward to the territory of the Japhletites as far as the region of Lower Beth Horon and to Gezer, ending at the sea.
16:4 So Manasseh and Ephraim, the descendants of Joseph, received their inheritance.
16:5 This was the territory of Ephraim, according to its clans: The boundary of their inheritance went from Ataroth Addar in the east to Upper Beth Horon
16:6 and continued to the sea. From Michmethath on the north, it curved eastward to Taanath Shiloh, passing by it to Janoah on the east.
16:7 Then it went down from Janoah to Ataroth and Naarah, touched Jericho and came out at the Jordan.
16:8 From Tappuah the border went west to the Kanah Ravine and ended at the sea. This was the inheritance of the tribe of Ephraim, according to its clans.
16:9 It also included all the towns and their villages that were set aside for Ephraim within the inheritance of Manasseh.
16:10 They did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer; to this day the Canaanites live among the people of Ephraim but are required to do forced labor.
17:1 This was the allotment for the tribe of Manasseh as Joseph’s firstborn, that is, for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead. Machir was a man of war and received Gilead and Bashan.
17:2 So this allotment was for the rest of the people of Manasseh—the clans of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher and Shemida. These are the other male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph by their clans.
17:3 Now Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons but only daughters. These are their names: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah.
17:4 They went to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders and said, “The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our male relatives.” So they gave them an inheritance among their father’s relatives, in accordance with the LORD’s command.
17:5 When the lots were cast for them, ten shares fell to Manasseh, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan,
17:6 because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance among his sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the descendants of Manasseh.
17:7 The border of Manasseh stretched from Asher to Michmethath, facing Shechem, and ran southward to the inhabitants of En Tappuah.
17:8 Manasseh possessed the land of Tappuah, but Tappuah, on the border of Manasseh, belonged to Ephraim.
17:9 The border descended to the Brook Kanah, south of the brook. These cities of Ephraim lay among the cities of Manasseh, with Manasseh’s border on the north of the brook and its terminus at the sea.
17:10 The land to the south was Ephraim’s and to the north was Manasseh’s, with the sea as its border; they touched Asher on the north and Issachar on the east.
17:11 In Issachar and Asher, Manasseh had Beth Shan and its towns, Ibleam and its towns, the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, the inhabitants of Endor and its towns, the inhabitants of Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns—three districts in all.
17:12 Yet the Manassites were unable to take possession of these cities, and the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that region.
17:13 When the Israelites grew stronger, they put the Canaanites to forced labor but did not drive them out completely.
17:14 The descendants of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people, and the LORD has blessed us abundantly.”
17:15 “If you are so numerous,” Joshua answered, “and the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go up into the forest and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaim.”
17:16 The descendants of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have iron chariots, both those in Beth Shan and its settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel.”
17:17 So Joshua said to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, the descendants of Joseph, “You are numerous and very powerful. You will not have just one allotment,
17:18 but the forested hill country as well. Clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours; though the Canaanites have iron chariots and though they are strong, you can drive them out.”
18:1 The whole assembly of the Israelites gathered at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting there. The country was brought under their control,
18:2 but there remained seven tribes who had not yet received their inheritance.
18:3 So Joshua said to the Israelites, “How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has given you?
18:4 Appoint three men from each tribe. I will send them out to make a survey of the land and to write a description of it, according to the inheritance of each. Then they will return to me.
18:5 You are to divide the land into seven parts. Judah is to remain in its territory on the south and the tribes of Joseph in their territory on the north.
18:6 After you have written descriptions of the seven parts of the land, bring them here to me, and I will cast lots for you in the presence of the LORD our God.
18:7 The Levites, however, do not get a portion among you, because the priestly service of the LORD is their inheritance. And Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have already received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan. Moses the servant of the LORD gave it to them.”
18:8 As the men were setting out to go, Joshua commanded them to go and make a survey of the land and write a description of it. “Then return to me,” he said, “and I will cast lots for you here at Shiloh in the presence of the LORD.”
18:9 So the men left and went through the land. They wrote its description on a scroll, town by town, in seven parts, and returned to Joshua in the camp at Shiloh.
18:10 Joshua then cast lots for them in Shiloh in the presence of the LORD, and there he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their tribal divisions.
18:11 The lot for the tribe of Benjamin came up according to its clans. Their allotted territory lay between the tribes of Judah and Joseph.
18:12 On the north side their border began at the Jordan, passed the northern slope of Jericho and headed west into the hill country, coming out at the wilderness of Beth Aven.
18:13 From there it crossed to the south slope of Luz (that is, Bethel) and went down to Ataroth Addar on the hill south of Lower Beth Horon.
18:14 From the hill facing Beth Horon on the south the border turned south along the western side and came out at Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim), a town of the people of Judah. This was the western side.
18:15 The southern side began at the outskirts of Kiriath Jearim on the west, and the boundary came out at the spring of the waters of Nephtoah.
18:16 The boundary went down to the foot of the hill facing the Valley of Ben Hinnom, north of the Valley of Rephaim. It continued down the Hinnom Valley along the southern slope of the Jebusite city and so to En Rogel.
18:17 It then curved north, went to En Shemesh, continued to Geliloth, which faces the Pass of Adummim, and ran down to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben.
18:18 It continued to the northern slope of Beth Arabah and on down into the Arabah.
18:19 It then went to the northern slope of Beth Hoglah and came out at the northern bay of the Dead Sea, at the mouth of the Jordan in the south. This was the southern boundary.
18:20 The Jordan formed the eastern border. These were the boundaries that marked out the inheritance of the clans of Benjamin on all sides.
18:21 The tribe of Benjamin, according to its clans, had the following towns: Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz,
18:22 Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,
18:23 Avvim, Parah, Ophrah,
18:24 Kephar Ammoni, Ophni and Gaba; twelve towns and their villages.
18:25 Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth,
18:26 Mizpah, Kephirah, Mozah,
18:27 Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah,
18:28 Zelah, Haeleph, the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah and Kiriath; fourteen towns and their villages. This was the inheritance of Benjamin for its clans.
19:1 The second lot came out for the tribe of Simeon according to its clans. Their inheritance lay within the territory of Judah.
19:2 It included: Beersheba (or Sheba), Moladah,
19:3 Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem,
19:4 Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah,
19:5 Ziklag, Beth Markaboth, Hazar Susah,
19:6 Beth Lebaoth and Sharuhen; thirteen towns and their villages;
19:7 Ain, Rimmon, Ether and Ashan; four towns and their villages—
19:8 and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath Beer (Ramah in the Negev). This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Simeonites, according to its clans.
19:9 The inheritance of the Simeonites was taken from the share of Judah, because Judah’s portion was more than they needed. So the Simeonites received their inheritance within the territory of Judah.
19:10 The third lot came up for Zebulun according to its clans. The boundary of their inheritance went as far as Sarid.
19:11 Going west it ran to Maralah, touched Dabbesheth, and extended to the ravine near Jokneam.
19:12 It turned from Sarid east toward the sunrise to the territory of Kisloth Tabor and went on to Daberath and up to Japhia.
19:13 Then it continued eastward to Gath Hepher and Eth Kazin; it came out at Rimmon and turned toward Neah.
19:14 There the boundary went around on the north to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah El.
19:15 Included were Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah and Bethlehem. There were twelve towns and their villages.
19:16 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of Zebulun, according to its clans.
19:17 The fourth lot came out for Issachar according to its clans.
19:18 Their territory included: Jezreel, Kesulloth, Shunem,
19:19 Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath,
19:20 Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez,
19:21 Remeth, En Gannim, En Haddah and Beth Pazzez.
19:22 And the boundary extended to Tabor, Shahazimah, and Bethshemesh; ending at Jordan, encompassing sixteen cities with their villages.
19:23 These cities and villages formed the inheritance of the Issachar tribe, divided among their families.
19:24 The tribe of Asher received the fifth allotment, as per their family divisions.
19:25 Their territory included Helkath, Hali, Beten, and Achshaph,
19:26 extending to Alammelech, Amad, and Misheal; reaching westward to Carmel and Shihorlibnath;
19:27 turning eastward to Bethdagon, encompassing Zebulun, and heading north to the valley of Jiphthahel, beside Bethemek and Neiel, and extending leftwards to Cabul,
19:28 including Hebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, up to greater Zidon;
19:29 then the boundary turned towards Ramah and the fortified city of Tyre; the boundary then turned to Hosah, with its terminus at the sea, from the region of Achzib;
19:30 encompassing Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob: a total of twenty-two cities with their villages.
19:31 These, including their cities and villages, were the inheritance of the Asher tribe, as per their family divisions.
19:32 The sixth allotment fell to the Naphtali tribe, according to their family divisions.
19:33 Their territory spanned from Heleph, from Allon to Zaanannim, and Adami, Nekeb, and Jabneel, extending to Lakum; with its end at Jordan:
19:34 turning west to Aznothtabor, then departing to Hukkok, reaching south to Zebulun, west to Asher, and east to Judah along the Jordan.
19:35 The fortified cities included Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, and Chinnereth,
19:36 along with Adamah, Ramah, Hazor,
19:37 Kedesh, Edrei, Enhazor,
19:38 Iron, Migdalel, Horem, Bethanath, and Bethshemesh; a total of nineteen cities with their villages.
19:39 These were the inheritance of the Naphtali tribe, including their cities and villages, as per their family divisions.
19:40 The seventh lot fell to the Dan tribe, according to their family divisions.
19:41 The territory of their inheritance included Zorah, Eshtaol, and Irshemesh,
19:42 extending to Shaalabbin, Ajalon, and Jethlah,
19:43 Elon, Thimnathah, and Ekron,
19:44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon, and Baalath,
19:45 Jehud, Beneberak, and Gathrimmon,
19:46 as well as Mejarkon, and Rakkon, with the boundary reaching before Japho.
19:47 The territory of the Dan tribe proved insufficient; thus, they fought against Leshem, captured it, put it to the sword, and settled there, renaming Leshem as Dan, after their ancestor.
19:48 These, including their cities and villages, were the inheritance of the Dan tribe, as per their family divisions.
19:49 Upon completing the division of the land into inheritances, the Israelites granted Joshua, son of Nun, an inheritance:
19:50 as ordained by the LORD, they gave him Timnathserah in Ephraim’s mountains, where he built a city and resided.
19:51 These inheritances were allotted by Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the tribal heads, distributed by lot in Shiloh before the LORD, at the tabernacle’s entrance. Thus, they completed the division of the land.
20:1 The LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,
20:2 “Instruct the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I directed through Moses:
20:3 where anyone who unintentionally kills a person may seek asylum. These cities shall protect them from the blood avenger.
20:4 When a fugitive reaches a city, they must state their case at the city gate to the elders. The city shall then grant them refuge, allowing them to live among them.
20:5 If the blood avenger pursues, the city must not hand over the fugitive, since the killing was accidental, without prior animosity.
20:6 The fugitive shall reside in that city until they stand trial before the assembly and until the high priest’s death. Thereafter, they may return to their own city and house, from which they fled.
20:7 They designated Kedesh in Galilee in Naphtali, Shechem in Ephraim, and Kirjatharba (Hebron) in Judah’s mountains,
20:8 and beyond Jordan east of Jericho, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness on Reuben’s plateau, Ramoth in Gilead of Gad, and Golan in Manasseh’s Bashan.
20:9 These cities were designated for all Israelites and foreigners residing among them. Anyone who killed a person unintentionally could flee there, avoiding death by the blood avenger, until they stood trial before the assembly.
21:1 The heads of the Levite families approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the tribal heads at Shiloh in Canaan, saying,
21:2 “The LORD commanded through Moses to grant us cities to inhabit, with their surrounding pasturelands for our livestock.”
21:3 Accordingly, the Israelites gave the Levites cities and their pasturelands from their inheritance, as the LORD had instructed.
21:4 The Kohathite family clans received their allotment first. The Aaronic priests among the Levites were allocated thirteen cities from Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin’s tribes.
21:5 The remaining Kohathites received ten cities by lot from the Ephraim, Dan, and Manasseh’s half-tribe.
21:6 The Gershonites received thirteen cities from Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Manasseh’s half-tribe in Bashan.
21:7 The Merarites, according to their clans, received twelve cities from Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.
21:8 Thus, the Israelites allocated these cities with their pasturelands to the Levites, as the LORD had commanded through Moses.
21:9 They gave from the tribes of Judah and Simeon the cities listed by name.
21:10 These cities were assigned to the Aaronic priests, the Kohathite clan descendants of Levi, since theirs was the first lot.
21:11 They were granted Hebron in Judah’s hill country (the city of Arba, Anak’s father), with its surrounding pasturelands.
21:12 However, the fields and villages around the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.
21:13 Thus, the Aaronic priests received Hebron (a city of refuge for killers), Libnah,
21:14 Jattir, Eshtemoa,
21:15 Holon, Debir,
21:16 Ain, Juttah, and Bethshemesh; nine cities from those two tribes.
21:17 From Benjamin, they received Gibeon, Geba,
21:18 Anathoth, and Almon; four cities.
21:19 The total cities for the Aaronic priests were thirteen, with their pasturelands.
21:20 The remaining Kohathite Levite families received cities from Ephraim’s tribe.
21:21 They were given Shechem (a city of refuge for killers) in Ephraim’s mountains, Gezer,
21:22 Kibzaim, and Bethhoron; four cities.
21:23 From Dan’s tribe, they received Eltekeh, Gibbethon,
21:24 Aijalon, and Gathrimmon; four cities.
21:25 From Manasseh’s half-tribe, they received Tanach and Gathrimmon; two cities.
21:26 All ten cities with their pasturelands were allocated to the remaining Kohathite families.
21:27 To the Gershonite Levites, from Manasseh’s other half-tribe, they gave Golan in Bashan (a city of refuge for killers) and Beeshterah; two cities.
21:28 From Issachar, they received Kishon, Dabareh,
21:29 Jarmuth, and Engannim; four cities.
21:30 From Asher, they received Mishal, Abdon,
21:31 Helkath, and Rehob; four cities.
21:32 From Naphtali, they received Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for killers), Hammothdor, and Kartan; three cities.
21:33 All thirteen cities with their pasturelands were for the Gershonite families.
21:34 To the Merarite Levite families, from Zebulun, they gave Jokneam, Kartah,
21:35 Dimnah, and Nahalal; four cities.
21:36 From Reuben, they received Bezer, Jahazah,
21:37 Kedemoth, and Mephaath; four cities.
21:38 From Gad, they received Ramoth in Gilead (a city of refuge for killers), Mahanaim,
21:39 Heshbon and her surrounding lands, Jazer and her surrounding lands; a total of four cities.
21:40 Thus, the cities allotted to the descendants of Merari, remaining among the Levite families, amounted to twelve cities by their lot.
21:41 In total, forty-eight cities, along with their surrounding lands, belonged to the Levites within the territories of the children of Israel.
21:42 Each of these cities was encircled by its own suburbs; this was the case for all these cities.
21:43 The LORD fulfilled His promise to Israel, granting them all the land He had sworn to give their forefathers; they took possession and settled there.
21:44 The LORD provided them peace on all sides, as He had sworn to their fathers. None of their enemies could withstand them; the LORD delivered all enemies into their hands.
21:45 Not one of the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; all were fulfilled.
22:1 Joshua then summoned the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh,
22:2 and said to them, “You have observed all that Moses, the servant of the LORD, commanded you and have followed my instructions in everything I commanded.
22:3 You have not abandoned your brethren throughout these many days, up to this day, and have kept the charge of the commandment of the LORD your God.
22:4 Now, the LORD your God has granted your brethren rest, as He promised them. Therefore, return to your tents in the land of your possession, which Moses, the servant of the LORD, gave you on the other side of the Jordan.
22:5 But be very vigilant to perform the commandment and the law that Moses, the servant of the LORD, charged you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to cling to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and soul.”
22:6 So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents.
22:7 To the half-tribe of Manasseh, Moses had given land in Bashan, and to the other half, Joshua gave land among their brethren on the west side of Jordan. When Joshua sent them away to their tents, he blessed them,
22:8 saying, “Return to your tents with great riches, much livestock, silver, gold, bronze, iron, and a great quantity of clothing. Share the spoils of your enemies with your brethren.”
22:9 The children of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh left the children of Israel at Shiloh in Canaan to return to Gilead, their land of possession, which they had obtained according to the command of the LORD through Moses.
22:10 When they came to the region of the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an altar by the Jordan, a great altar to see.
22:11 The children of Israel heard and said, “Behold, the children of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar opposite the land of Canaan, in the region of the Jordan, on the side belonging to the children of Israel.”
22:12 Upon hearing this, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered at Shiloh to prepare for war against them.
22:13 The children of Israel sent Phinehas, son of Eleazar the priest, to the children of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead,
22:14 along with ten princes, one from each chief house of all the tribes of Israel; each was a head of their family among the thousands of Israel.
22:15 They came to the children of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead and spoke with them, saying,
22:16 “Thus says the whole congregation of the LORD, ‘What treachery is this that you have committed against the God of Israel by turning away this day from following the LORD, in building yourselves an altar, that you might rebel against the LORD today?
22:17 Was the iniquity of Peor not enough for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day, although a plague came upon the congregation of the LORD,
22:18 that you must turn away today from following the LORD? And if you rebel against the LORD today, He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel tomorrow.
22:19 However, if your land is unclean, pass over to the land of the LORD’s possession where the LORD’s Tabernacle stands, and take possession among us. But do not rebel against the LORD, nor rebel against us, by building an altar besides the altar of the LORD our God.
22:20 Did not Achan, son of Zerah, commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell upon all the congregation of Israel? And he was not the only one who perished because of his iniquity.'”
22:21 The children of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh replied to the heads of the thousands of Israel,
22:22 “The LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, He knows, and let Israel itself know—if it is in rebellion or in transgression against the LORD, do not spare us this day.
22:23 If we have built ourselves an altar to turn away from following the LORD, or if to offer burnt offerings or grain offerings on it, or if to make sacrifices of peace offerings on it, let the LORD Himself require an account.
22:24 But in fact, we have done this out of concern, thinking, ‘In the future, your children might speak to our children, saying, “What do you have to do with the LORD God of Israel?
22:25 For the LORD has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you, you children of Reuben and children of Gad. You have no portion in the LORD.”‘ So your children might make our children cease fearing the LORD.
22:26 Therefore, we said, ‘Let us now prepare to build ourselves an altar, not for burnt offerings nor for sacrifices,
22:27 but as a witness between us and you and our generations after us, that we may perform the service of the LORD in His presence with our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and peace offerings, so that your children may not say to our children in the future, “You have no portion in the LORD.”‘
22:28 And we thought, if they say this to us or to our generations in the future, we shall say, ‘Look at the replica of the altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices, but it is a witness between us and you.’
22:29 Far be it from us to rebel against the LORD and turn away from following the LORD this day, by building an altar for burnt offerings, for grain offerings, or for sacrifices, besides the altar of the LORD our God that is before His Tabernacle.”
22:30 When Phinehas the priest, the princes of the congregation, and the heads of the thousands of Israel with him heard the words spoken by the children of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, it pleased them.
22:31 Phinehas, son of Eleazar the priest, said to the children of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, “Today we know that the LORD is among us because you have not committed this treachery against the LORD. Now you have delivered the children of Israel from the hand of the LORD.”
22:32 Phinehas, son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben and Gad, out of the land of Gilead, to the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again.
22:33 The report pleased the children of Israel, and the children of Israel blessed God and did not intend to go up against them in battle, to destroy the land where the children of Reuben and Gad dwelled.
22:34 The children of Reuben and Gad named the altar Ed, for it shall be a witness between us that the LORD is God.
23:1 A considerable time after the LORD had given Israel rest from all their enemies around them, Joshua became old and advanced in years.
23:2 Joshua summoned all Israel, their elders, heads, judges, and officers, and said to them, “I am old and advanced in age.
23:3 You have witnessed all that the LORD your God has done to all these nations for your sake; for it is the LORD your God who has fought for you.
23:4 See, I have apportioned to you these remaining nations as an inheritance for your tribes, from the Jordan, with all the nations I have cut off, to the great sea westward.
23:5 The LORD your God will push them away from before you and remove them from your sight, and you shall possess their land as the LORD your God promised you.
23:6 Therefore, be exceedingly strong to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you do not turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left,
23:7 and that you do not associate with these nations remaining among you. Do not invoke the names of their gods, nor swear by them, neither serve them nor bow down to them.
23:8 But you shall cling to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day.
23:9 For the LORD has expelled formidable nations before you; and to this day, no man has been able to stand against you.
23:10 A single one of you can put a thousand to flight, because the LORD your God is He who fights for you, as He promised.
23:11 Therefore, take great care to love the LORD your God.
23:12 But if you turn back and cling to the remnants of these nations among you, and enter into marriage with them, going in to them and they to you,
23:13 know for certain that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations from before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps to you, whips on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land which the LORD your God has given you.
23:14 Behold, today I am going the way of all the earth. And you know with all your heart and soul that not one word has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed.
23:15 Therefore, as all the good things which the LORD your God promised concerning you have been fulfilled, so the LORD will bring upon you all the adverse things, until He has destroyed you from this good land which the LORD your God has given you.
23:16 When you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land He has given you.
24:1 Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and summoned the elders, heads, judges, and officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God.
24:2 Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Your ancestors lived beyond the River in old times—Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor—and they served other gods.
24:3 But I 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.
24:4 To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I gave Mount Seir to possess it, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt.
24:5 I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt with what I did there, and afterward, I brought you out.
24:6 I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea; and the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea.
24:7 But when they cried out to the LORD, He put darkness between you and the Egyptians, brought the sea upon them and covered them; your eyes saw what I did in Egypt. Then you lived in the wilderness for a long time.
24:8 I brought you into the land of the Amorites who lived beyond the Jordan, and they fought with you. But I gave them into your hand, that you might possess their land, and I destroyed them from before you.
24:9 Then 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,
24:10 but I would not listen to Balaam. Therefore, he continued to bless you. So I delivered you out of his hand.
24:11 You crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho. The men of Jericho fought against you, also the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites, and Jebusites, but I delivered them into your hand.
24:12 I sent the hornet before you which drove them out from before you, the two kings of the Amorites, but not with your sword or with your bow.
24:13 I have given you a land for which you did not labor, and cities which you did not build, and you dwell in them; you eat of the vineyards and olive orchards which you did not plant.’
24:14 Now therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.
24:15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
24:16 And the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods;
24:17 For it is the LORD our God who led us and our ancestors from Egypt, from the realm of enslavement, showing us formidable signs, safeguarding us on every path we traversed, and through every nation we encountered.
24:18 And the LORD expelled before us all the inhabitants, including the Amorites who lived in the land. Thus, we too shall serve the LORD, for He is our God.
24:19 Joshua, however, told the people, “You cannot serve the LORD, for He is a holy God; a God of jealousy. He will not absolve your transgressions or your sins.
24:20 If you abandon the LORD to serve foreign deities, then He will reverse His course and harm you, destroying you after having bestowed His blessings upon you.”
24:21 But the people responded to Joshua, “No, we shall serve the LORD.”
24:22 Joshua then declared, “You are your own witnesses that you have chosen the LORD to serve Him.” And they replied, “We are witnesses.”
24:23 “Now, therefore,” he urged, “discard the alien gods that are among you and turn your hearts towards the LORD, the God of Israel.”
24:24 And the people assured Joshua, “We will serve the LORD our God and listen to His voice.”
24:25 On that day, Joshua forged a covenant with the people and established for them a decree and a law in Shechem.
24:26 Joshua inscribed these words in the book of God’s law. He took a substantial stone and erected it beneath the oak tree near the sanctuary of the LORD.
24:27 And Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall bear witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the LORD which He spoke to us. It shall, therefore, be a witness against you, lest you deny your God.”
24:28 Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to their own inheritance.
24:29 After these events, Joshua, the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, passed away at the age of one hundred and ten years.
24:30 They buried him within the confines of his inheritance at Timnath-serah, in the hills of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.
24:31 And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and during the lifetimes of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had witnessed all the works of the LORD that He had done for Israel.
24:32 The bones of Joseph, which the Israelites had brought from Egypt, were buried in Shechem, in a tract of land that Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for one hundred pieces of silver. It became the heritage of Joseph’s descendants.
24:33 Eleazar, son of Aaron, also passed away, and they buried him on a hill belonging to his son Phinehas, which had been allotted to him in the hills of Ephraim.
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