Joshua Installed as Leader
1After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD,a the LORD said to Joshuab son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2“Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan Riverc into the landd I am about to give to theme—to the Israelites. 3I will give you every place where you set your foot,f as I promised Moses.g 4Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon,h and from the great river, the Euphratesi—all the Hittitej country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.k 5No one will be able to stand against youl all the days of your life. As I was withm Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsaken you. 6Be strongo and courageous,p because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestorsq to give them. Land Grants
7“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obeyr all the laws my servant Mosest gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left,u that you may be successful wherever you go.v 8Keep this Book of the Laww always on your lips;x meditatey on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.z 9Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid;a do not be discouraged,b for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”c
10So Joshua ordered the officers of the people:d 11“Go through the campe and tell the people, ‘Get your provisionsf ready. Three daysg from now you will cross the Jordanh here to go in and take possessioni of the land the LORD your God is giving you for your own.’ ”
12But to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh,j Joshua said, 13“Remember the command that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you after he said, ‘The LORD your God will give you restk by giving you this land.’ 14Your wives,l your children and your livestock may stay in the landm that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but all your fighting men, ready for battle,n must cross over ahead of your fellow Israelites.o You are to help them 15until the LORD gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the land the LORD your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you east of the Jordan toward the sunrise.”p
16Then they answered Joshua, “Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.q 17Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you.r Only may the LORD your God be with you as he was with Moses. 18Whoever rebels against your word and does not obeys it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!t”
Rahab and the Spies
1Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spiesa from Shittim.b “Go, look overc the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.d” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahabe and stayed there.
2The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” 3So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab:f “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.”
4But the woman had taken the two meng and hidden them.h She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. 5At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate,i they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.”j 6(But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flaxk she had laid out on the roof.)l 7So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan,m and as soon as the pursuersn had gone out, the gate was shut.
8Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roofo 9and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that a great fearp of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. 10We have heard how the LORD dried upq the water of the Red Sea1 for you when you came out of Egypt,r and what you did to Sihon and Og,s the two kings of the Amoritest east of the Jordan,u whom you completely destroyed.2,v 11When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fearw and everyone’s courage failedx because of you,y for the LORD your Godz is God in heaven above and on the eartha below.
12“Now then, please swear to meb by the LORD that you will show kindnessc to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure signd 13that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to theme—and that you will save us from death.”
14“Our lives for your lives!”f the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfullyg when the LORD gives us the land.”
15So she let them down by a ropeh through the window,i for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. 16She said to them, “Go to the hillsj so the pursuersk will not find you. Hide yourselves there three daysl until they return, and then go on your way.”m
17Now the men had said to her, “This oathn you made us swear will not be binding on us 18unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cordo in the windowp through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your familyq into your house. 19If any of them go outside your house into the street, their blood will be on their own heads;r we will not be responsible. As for those who are in the house with you, their blood will be on our heads if a hand is laid on them. 20But if you tell what we are doing, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.t”
21“Agreed,” she replied. “Let it be as you say.”
So she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cordu in the window.v
22When they left, they went into the hills and stayed there three days,w until the pursuersx had searched all along the road and returned without finding them. 23Then the two men started back. They went down out of the hills, forded the river and came to Joshua son of Nun and told him everything that had happened to them. 24They said to Joshua, “The LORD has surely given the whole land into our hands;y all the people are melting in fearz because of us.”
Crossing the Jordan
1Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittima and went to the Jordan,b where they camped before crossing over. 2After three daysc the officersd went throughout the camp,e 3giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenantf of the LORD your God, and the Leviticalg priestsh carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. 4Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits1,i between you and the ark; do not go near it.”
5Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves,j for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing thingsk among you.”
6Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them.
7And the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt youl in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.m 8Tell the priestsn who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’ ”
9Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God. 10This is how you will know that the living Godo is among youp and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites,q Hivites, Perizzites,r Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites.s 11See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the eartht will go into the Jordan ahead of you.u 12Now then, choose twelve menv from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. 13And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the LORD—the Lord of all the earthw—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstreamx will be cut offy and stand up in a heap.z”
14So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenanta went aheadb of them. 15Now the Jordanc is at flood staged all during harvest.e Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, 16the water from upstream stopped flowing.f It piled up in a heapg a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan,h while the water flowing downi to the Sea of the Arabahj (that is, the Dead Seak) was completely cut off.l So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.m 17The priestsn who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground,o while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.p Divine Warfare
1When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan,a the LORD said to Joshua, 2“Choose twelve menb from among the people, one from each tribe, 3and tell them to take up twelve stonesc from the middle of the Jordan,d from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.e”
4So Joshua called together the twelve menf he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, 5and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan.g Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, 6to serve as a signh among you. In the future, when your childreni ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’j 7tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut offk before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memoriall to the people of Israel forever.”
8So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stonesm from the middle of the Jordan,n according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the LORD had told Joshua;o and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. 9Joshua set up the twelve stonesp that had been1 in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day.q
10Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the LORD had commanded Joshua was done by the people, just as Moses had directed Joshua. The people hurried over, 11and as soon as all of them had crossed, the ark of the LORD and the priests came to the other side while the people watched. 12The men of Reuben,r Gads and the half-tribe of Manasseht crossed over, ready for battle, in front of the Israelites,u as Moses had directed them.v 13About forty thousand armed for battlew crossed overx before the LORD to the plains of Jericho for war.
14That day the LORD exaltedy Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they stood in awe of him all the days of his life, just as they had stood in awe of Moses.
15Then the LORD said to Joshua, 16“Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant lawz to come up out of the Jordan.”
17So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.”
18And the priests came up out of the river carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD. No sooner had they set their feet on the dry ground than the waters of the Jordan returned to their placea and ran at flood stageb as before.
19On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgalc on the eastern border of Jericho. 20And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stonesd they had taken out of the Jordan. 21He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’e 22tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’f 23For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The LORD your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea2 when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over.g 24He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might knowh that the hand of the LORD is powerfuli and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.j”
1Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coasta heard how the LORD had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until they1 had crossed over, their hearts melted in fearb and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites.
Circumcision and Passover at Gilgal
2At that time the LORD said to Joshua, “Make flint knivesc and circumcised the Israelites again.” 3So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth.2
4Now this is why he did so: All those who came out of Egypt—all the men of military agee—died in the wilderness on the way after leaving Egypt.f 5All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness during the journey from Egypt had not. 6The Israelites had moved about in the wildernessg forty yearsh 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,i a land flowing with milk and honey.j 7So 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. 8And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed.k
9Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So the place has been called Gilgal3,l to this day.
10On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month,m while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover.n 11The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land:o unleavened breadp and roasted grain.q 12The manna stopped the day after4 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.r Image
The Fall of Jericho
13Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a mans standing in front of him with a drawn swordt in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” The Fall of Jericho
14“Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedownu to the groundv in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord5 have for his servant?”
15The commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.”w And Joshua did so.
1Now the gates of Jerichoa were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.
2Then the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have deliveredb Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. 3March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. 4Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ hornsc in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets.d 5When you hear them sound a long blaste on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout;f then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”
6So 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.”g 7And he ordered the army, “Advanceh! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the arki of the LORD.”
8When 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. 9The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guardj followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding. 10But Joshua had commanded the army, “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!k” 11So he had the ark of the LORD carried around the city, circling it once. Then the army returned to camp and spent the night there.
12Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. 13The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the ark of the LORD and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the LORD, while the trumpets kept sounding. 14So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.
15On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times.l 16The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the city!m 17The city and all that is in it are to be devoted1,n to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostituteo and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hidp the spies we sent. 18But keep away from the devoted things,q 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 destructionr and bring troubles on it. 19All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iront are sacred to the LORD and must go into his treasury.”
20When the trumpets sounded,u the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout,v the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.w 21They devotedx the city to the LORD and destroyedy with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.
22Joshua said to the two menz who had spied outa 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.b” 23So the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother, her brothers and sisters and all who belonged to her.c They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel.
24Then they burned the whole cityd and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and irone into the treasury of the LORD’s house.f 25But Joshua sparedg Rahab the prostitute,h with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jerichoi—and she lives among the Israelites to this day.
26At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath:j “Cursedk before the LORD is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho:
“At the cost of his firstborn son
he will lay its foundations;
at the cost of his youngest
he will set up its gates.”l
27So the LORD was with Joshua,m and his fame spreadn throughout the land.
Achan’s Sin
1But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things1;a Achanb son of Karmi, the son of Zimri,2 the son of Zerah,c of the tribe of Judah,d took some of them. So the LORD’s anger burnede against Israel.f
2Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai,g which is near Beth Avenh to the east of Bethel,i and told them, “Go up and spy outj the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.
3When 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.” 4So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai,k 5who killed about thirty-sixl 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 fearm and became like water.
6Then Joshua tore his clothesn and fell facedowno to the ground before the ark of the LORD, remaining there till evening.p The elders of Israelq did the same, and sprinkled dustr on their heads. 7And Joshua said, “Alas, Sovereign LORD, whys did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us?t If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! 8Pardon your servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? 9The 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.u What then will you do for your own great name?v”
10The LORD said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? 11Israel has sinned;w they have violated my covenant,x which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied,y they have put them with their own possessions.z 12That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies;a they turn their backsb and runc because they have been made liable to destruction.d I will not be with you anymoree unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.
13“Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselvesf 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.
14“ ‘In the morning, presentg yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe the LORD choosesh 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. 15Whoever is caught with the devoted thingsi shall be destroyed by fire,j along with all that belongs to him.k He has violated the covenantl of the LORD and has done an outrageous thing in Israel!’ ”m
16Early the next morning Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes, and Judah was chosen. 17The clans of Judah came forward, and the Zerahites were chosen.n He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward by families, and Zimri was chosen. 18Joshua had his family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah,o was chosen.p
19Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give gloryq to the LORD, the God of Israel, and honor him. Tellr me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”
20Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: 21When I saw in the plunders a beautiful robe from Babylonia,3 two hundred shekels4 of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels,5 I covetedt them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”
22So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. 23They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the LORD.
24Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold bar, his sonsu and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor.v 25Joshua said, “Why have you brought this troublew on us? The LORD will bring trouble on you today.”
Then all Israel stoned him,x and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them.y 26Over Achan they heapedz up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day.a Then the LORD turned from his fierce anger.b Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor6,c ever since.
Ai Destroyed
1Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid;a do not be discouraged.b Take the whole armyc with you, and go up and attack Ai.d For I have deliverede into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land. 2You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunderf and livestock for yourselves.g Set an ambushh behind the city.”
3So 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 4with 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. 5I 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. 6They 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, 7you are to rise up from ambush and take the city. The LORD your God will give it into your hand.i 8When you have taken the city, set it on fire.j Do what the LORD has commanded.k See to it; you have my orders.”
9Then Joshua sent them off, and they went to the place of ambushl and lay in wait between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai—but Joshua spent that night with the people.
10Early the next morningm Joshua mustered his army, and he and the leaders of Israeln marched before them to Ai. 11The entire force that was with him marched up and approached the city and arrived in front of it. They set up camp north of Ai, with the valley between them and the city. 12Joshua had taken about five thousand men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the city. 13So the soldiers took up their positions—with the main camp to the north of the city and the ambush to the west of it. That night Joshua went into the valley.
14When the king of Ai saw this, he and all the men of the city hurried out early in the morning to meet Israel in battle at a certain place overlooking the Arabah.o But he did not knowp that an ambush had been set against him behind the city. 15Joshua and all Israel let themselves be driven backq before them, and they fled toward the wilderness.r 16All the men of Ai were called to pursue them, and they pursued Joshua and were lured aways from the city. 17Not a man remained in Ai or Bethel who did not go after Israel. They left the city open and went in pursuit of Israel.
18Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Hold out toward Ai the javelint that is in your hand,u for into your hand I will deliver the city.” So Joshua held out toward the city the javelin that was in his hand.v 19As soon as he did this, the men in the ambush rose quicklyw from their position and rushed forward. They entered the city and captured it and quickly set it on fire.x
20The men of Ai looked back and saw the smoke of the city rising up into the sky,y but they had no chance to escape in any direction; the Israelites who had been fleeing toward the wilderness had turned back against their pursuers. 21For when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city and that smoke was going up from it, they turned aroundz and attacked the men of Ai. 22Those in the ambush also came out of the city against them, so that they were caught in the middle, with Israelites on both sides. Israel cut them down, leaving them neither survivors nor fugitives.a 23But they took the king of Ai aliveb and brought him to Joshua.
24When Israel had finished killing all the men of Ai in the fields and in the wilderness where they had chased them, and when every one of them had been put to the sword, all the Israelites returned to Ai and killed those who were in it. 25Twelve thousand men and women fell that day—all the people of Ai.c 26For Joshua did not draw back the hand that held out his javelind until he had destroyed1,e all who lived in Ai.f 27But Israel did carry off for themselves the livestock and plunder of this city, as the LORD had instructed Joshua.g
28So Joshua burnedh Ai2,i and made it a permanent heap of ruins,j a desolate place to this day.k 29He impaled the body of the king of Ai on a pole and left it there until evening. At sunset,l Joshua ordered them to take the body from the pole and throw it down at the entrance of the city gate. And they raised a large pile of rocksm over it, which remains to this day. Image
The Covenant Renewed at Mount Ebal
30Then Joshua built on Mount Ebaln an altaro to the LORD, the God of Israel, 31as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses—an altar of uncut stones, on which no iron toolp had been used. On it they offered to the LORD burnt offerings and sacrificed fellowship offerings.q 32There, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua wrote on stones a copy of the law of Moses.r 33All the Israelites, with their elders, officials and judges, were standing on both sides of the ark of the covenant of the LORD, facing the Leviticals priests who carried it. Both the foreigners living among them and the native-bornt were there. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal,u as Moses the servant of the LORD had formerly commanded when he gave instructions to bless the people of Israel. Altar on Mount Ebal
34Afterward, Joshua read all the words of the law—the blessings and the curses—just as it is written in the Book of the Law.v 35There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the foreigners who lived among them.w
The Gibeonite Deception
1Now when all the kings west of the Jordan heard about these things—the kings in the hill country,a in the western foothills, and along the entire coast of the Mediterranean Seab as far as Lebanonc (the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites,d Hivitese and Jebusites)f— 2they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.
3However, when the people of Gibeong heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,h 4they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded1 with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. 5They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. 6Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgali and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country;j make a treatyk with us.”
7The Israelites said to the Hivites,l “But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treatym with you?”
8“We are your servants,n” they said to Joshua.
But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?”
9They answered: “Your servants have come from a very distant countryo because of the fame of the LORD your God. For we have heard reportsp of him: all that he did in Egypt,q 10and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon,r and Og king of Bashan,s who reigned in Ashtaroth.t 11And 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.” ’ 12This 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. 13And 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.”
14The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquireu of the LORD. 15Then Joshua made a treaty of peacev with them to let them live,w and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.
16Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living nearx them. 17So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beerothy and Kiriath Jearim.z 18But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oatha to them by the LORD, the God of Israel.
The whole assembly grumbledb against the leaders, 19but all the leaders answered, “We have given them our oath by the LORD, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now. 20This 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 oathc we swore to them.” 21They continued, “Let them live,d but let them be woodcutters and water carrierse in the service of the whole assembly.” So the leaders’ promise to them was kept.
22Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by saying, ‘We live a long wayf from you,’ while actually you live nearg us? 23You are now under a curse:h You will never be released from service as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”
24They answered Joshua, “Your servants were clearly toldi 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. 25We are now in your hands.j Do to us whatever seems good and rightk to you.”
26So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them. 27That day he made the Gibeonitesl woodcutters and water carriersm for the assembly, to provide for the needs of the altar of the LORD at the place the LORD would choose.n And that is what they are to this day.
The Sun Stands Still
1Now Adoni-Zedeka king of Jerusalemb heard that Joshua had taken Aic and totally destroyed1,d it, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and that the people of Gibeone had made a treaty of peacef with Israel and had become their allies. 2He 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. 3So Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem appealed to Hoham king of Hebron,g Piram king of Jarmuth,h Japhia king of Lachishi and Debirj king of Eglon.k 4“Come up and help me attack Gibeon,” he said, “because it has made peacel with Joshua and the Israelites.”
5Then the five kingsm of the Amoritesn—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon—joined forces. They moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it.
6The Gibeonites then sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal:o “Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us.”
7So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army,p including all the best fighting men. 8The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraidq of them; I have given them into your hand.r Not one of them will be able to withstand you.”s
9After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise. 10The LORD threw them into confusiont before Israel,u so Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely at Gibeon.v Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horonw and cut them down all the way to Azekahx and Makkedah.y 11As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the LORD hurled large hailstonesz down on them,a and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.
12On the day the LORD gave the Amoritesb over to Israel, Joshua said to the LORD in the presence of Israel:
“Sun, stand still over Gibeon,
and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.c” The Sun Stands Still and the Moon Stops
13So the sun stood still,d
and the moon stopped,
till the nation avenged itself on2 its enemies,
as it is written in the Book of Jashar.e
The sun stoppedf in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. 14There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the LORD listened to a human being. Surely the LORD was fightingg for Israel!
15Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.h
Five Amorite Kings Killed
16Now the five kings had fledi and hidden in the cave at Makkedah. 17When Joshua was told that the five kings had been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah, 18he said, “Roll large rocks up to the mouth of the cave, and post some men there to guard it. 19But 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.”
20So Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely,j but a few survivors managed to reach their fortified cities.k 21The whole army then returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah, and no one uttered a word against the Israelites.
22Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me.” 23So they brought the five kings out of the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon. 24When they had brought these kingsl 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 feetm on the necks of these kings.” So they came forward and placed their feetn on their necks.
25Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous.o This is what the LORD will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.” 26Then Joshua put the kings to death and exposed their bodies on five poles, and they were left hanging on the poles until evening.
27At sunsetp 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.q
Southern Cities Conquered
28That day Joshua took Makkedah. He put the city and its king to the sword and totally destroyed everyone in it. He left no survivors.r And he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.s
29Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Makkedah to Libnaht and attacked it. 30The 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.
31Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Libnah to Lachish;u he took up positions against it and attacked it. 32The LORD gave Lachish into Israel’s hands, and Joshua took it on the second day. The city and everyone in it he put to the sword, just as he had done to Libnah. 33Meanwhile, Horam king of Gezerv had come up to help Lachish, but Joshua defeated him and his army—until no survivors were left.
34Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Lachish to Eglon;w they took up positions against it and attacked it. 35They captured it that same day and put it to the sword and totally destroyed everyone in it, just as they had done to Lachish.
36Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebronx and attacked it. 37They took the city and put it to the sword, together with its king, its villages and everyoney in it. They left no survivors. Just as at Eglon, they totally destroyed it and everyone in it.
38Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned around and attacked Debir.z 39They took the city, its king and its villages, and put them to the sword. Everyone in it they totally destroyed. They left no survivors. They did to Debir and its king as they had done to Libnah and its king and to Hebron.a
40So Joshua subdued the whole region, including the hill country, the Negev,b the western foothills and the mountain slopes,c together with all their kings.d He left no survivors. He totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded.e 41Joshua subdued them from Kadesh Barneaf to Gazag and from the whole region of Goshenh to Gibeon. 42All these kings and their lands Joshua conquered in one campaign, because the LORD, the God of Israel, foughti for Israel.
43Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.j
Northern Kings Defeated
1When Jabina king of Hazorb heard of this, he sent word to Jobab king of Madon, to the kings of Shimronc and Akshaph,d 2and to the northern kings who were in the mountains, in the Arabahe south of Kinnereth,f in the western foothills and in Naphoth Dorg on the west; 3to the Canaanites in the east and west; to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzitesh and Jebusites in the hill country;i and to the Hivitesj below Hermonk in the region of Mizpah.l 4They 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.m 5All these kings joined forcesn and made camp together at the Waters of Meromo to fight against Israel. Image
6The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, because by this time tomorrow I will handp all of them, slain, over to Israel. You are to hamstringq their horses and burn their chariots.”r
7So Joshua and his whole army came against them suddenly at the Waters of Merom and attacked them, 8and the LORD gave them into the hand of Israel. They defeated them and pursued them all the way to Greater Sidon,s to Misrephoth Maim,t and to the Valley of Mizpah on the east, until no survivors were left. 9Joshua did to them as the LORD had directed: He hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots.
10At that time Joshua turned back and captured Hazor and put its king to the sword.u (Hazor had been the head of all these kingdoms.) 11Everyone in it they put to the sword. They totally destroyed1 them,v not sparing anyone that breathed,w and he burnedx Hazor itself.
12Joshua 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.y 13Yet Israel did not burn any of the cities built on their mounds—except Hazor, which Joshua burned. 14The Israelites carried off for themselves all the plunder and livestock of these cities, but all the people they put to the sword until they completely destroyed them, not sparing anyone that breathed.z 15As 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.a
16So Joshua took this entire land: the hill country,b all the Negev,c the whole region of Goshen, the western foothills,d the Arabah and the mountains of Israel with their foothills, 17from Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir,e to Baal Gadf in the Valley of Lebanong below Mount Hermon.h He captured all their kings and put them to death.i 18Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long time. 19Except for the Hivitesj living in Gibeon,k not one city made a treaty of peacel with the Israelites, who took them all in battle. 20For it was the LORD himself who hardened their heartsm to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the LORD had commanded Moses.n
21At that time Joshua went and destroyed the Anakiteso from the hill country: from Hebron, Debirp and Anab,q from all the hill country of Judah, and from all the hill country of Israel. Joshua totally destroyed them and their towns. 22No Anakites were left in Israelite territory; only in Gaza,r Gaths and Ashdodt did any survive. The Northern Campaign
23So Joshua took the entire land,u just as the LORD had directed Moses, and he gave it as an inheritancev to Israel according to their tribal divisions.w Then the land had restx from war.y
List of Defeated Kings
1These are the kings of the land whom the Israelites had defeated and whose territory they tooka over east of the Jordan,b from the Arnonc Gorge to Mount Hermon,d including all the eastern side of the Arabah:e
2Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon.f
He ruled from Aroerg on the rim of the Arnon Gorge—from the middle of the gorge—to the Jabbok River,h which is the border of the Ammonites.i This included half of Gilead.j 3He also ruled over the eastern Arabah from the Sea of Galilee1,k to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Seal), to Beth Jeshimoth,m and then southward below the slopes of Pisgah.n
4And the territory of Og king of Bashan,o one of the last of the Rephaites,p who reigned in Ashtarothq and Edrei.
5He ruled over Mount Hermon, Salekah,r all of Bashans to the border of the people of Geshurt and Maakah,u and half of Gileadv to the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.
6Moses, the servant of the LORD, and the Israelites conquered them.w And Moses the servant of the LORD gave their land to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh to be their possession.x
7Here 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 Lebanony to Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir. Joshua gave their lands as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel according to their tribal divisions. 8The lands included the hill country, the western foothills, the Arabah, the mountain slopes, the wilderness and the Negev.z These were the lands of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. These were the kings:a
9the king of Jerichob one
the king of Aic (near Betheld) one
10the king of Jerusaleme one
the king of Hebron one
11the king of Jarmuth one
the king of Lachishf one
12the king of Eglong one
the king of Gezerh one
13the king of Debiri one
the king of Geder one
14the king of Hormahj one
the king of Aradk one
15the king of Libnahl one
the king of Adullamm one
16the king of Makkedahn one
the king of Bethelo one
17the king of Tappuahp one
the king of Hepherq one
18the king of Aphekr one
the king of Lasharon one
19the king of Madon one
the king of Hazors one
20the king of Shimron Meron one
the king of Akshapht one
the king of Megiddov one
the king of Jokneamx in Carmely one
23the king of Dor (in Naphoth Dorz) one
the king of Goyim in Gilgal one
24the king of Tirzaha one
thirty-one kings in all.b
Land Still to Be Taken
1When Joshua had grown old,a the LORD said to him, “You are now very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.
2“This is the land that remains: all the regions of the Philistinesb and Geshurites,c 3from the Shihor Riverd on the east of Egypt to the territory of Ekrone on the north, all of it counted as Canaanite though held by the five Philistine rulersf in Gaza, Ashdod,g Ashkelon,h Gath and Ekron; the territory of the Avvitesi 4on the south; all the land of the Canaanites, from Arah of the Sidonians as far as Aphekj and the border of the Amorites;k 5the area of Byblos;l and all Lebanonm to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermonn to Lebo Hamath.o
6“As for all the inhabitants of the mountain regions from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim,p that is, all the Sidonians, I myself will drive them outq before the Israelites. Be sure to allocate this land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have instructed you,r 7and divide it as an inheritances among the nine tribes and half of the tribe of Manasseh.”
Division of the Land East of the Jordan
8The other half of Manasseh,1 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 assignedt it to them.u
9It extended from Aroerv on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the middle of the gorge, and included the whole plateauw of Medeba as far as Dibon,x 10and all the towns of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon,y out to the border of the Ammonites.z 11It also included Gilead,a the territory of the people of Geshur and Maakah, all of Mount Hermon and all Bashan as far as Salekahb— 12that is, the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan,c who had reigned in Ashtarothd and Edrei.e (He was the last of the Rephaites.f) Moses had defeated them and taken over their land.g 13But the Israelites did not drive out the people of Geshurh and Maakah,i so they continue to live among the Israelites to this day.j
14But to the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance, since the food offerings presented to the LORD, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, as he promised them.k
15This is what Moses had given to the tribe of Reuben, according to its clans:
16The territory from Aroerl on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the middle of the gorge, and the whole plateau past Medebam 17to Heshbon and all its towns on the plateau,n including Dibon,o Bamoth Baal,p Beth Baal Meon,q 18Jahaz,r Kedemoth,s Mephaath,t 19Kiriathaim,u Sibmah,v Zereth Shahar on the hill in the valley, 20Beth Peor,w the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth— 21all the towns on the plateaux and the entire realm of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled at Heshbon. Moses had defeated him and the Midianite chiefs,y Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Rebaz—princes allied with Sihon—who lived in that country. 22In addition to those slain in battle, the Israelites had put to the sword Balaam son of Beor,a who practiced divination.b 23The boundary of the Reubenites was the bank of the Jordan. These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the Reubenites, according to their clans.c
24This is what Moses had given to the tribe of Gad, according to its clans:
25The territory of Jazer,d all the towns of Gileade and half the Ammonite country as far as Aroer, near Rabbah;f 26and from Heshbong to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaimh to the territory of Debir;i 27and in the valley, Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah,j Sukkothk and Zaphonl 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 Galilee2,m). 28These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the Gadites,n according to their clans.
29This is what Moses had given to the half-tribe of Manasseh, that is, to half the family of the descendants of Manasseh, according to its clans:
30The territory extending from Mahanaimo and including all of Bashan,p the entire realm of Og king of Bashanq—all the settlements of Jairr in Bashan, sixty towns, 31half of Gilead, and Ashtaroth and Edrei (the royal cities of Og in Bashan).s This was for the descendants of Makirt son of Manasseh—for half of the sons of Makir, according to their clans.u
32This is the inheritance Moses had given when he was in the plains of Moabv across the Jordan east of Jericho.w 33But to the tribe of Levi, Moses had given no inheritance;x the LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance,y as he promised them.z
Division of the Land West of the Jordan
1Now these are the areas the Israelites received as an inheritancea in the land of Canaan, which Eleazarb the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israelc allottedd to them.e 2Their inheritances were assigned by lotf to the nine and a half tribes,g as the LORD had commanded through Moses. 3Moses had granted the two and a half tribes their inheritance east of the Jordanh but had not granted the Levites an inheritance among the rest,i 4for Joseph’s descendants had become two tribes—Manasseh and Ephraim.j The Levites received no share of the land but only towns to live in, with pasturelands for their flocks and herds.k 5So the Israelites divided the land, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.l
Allotment for Caleb
6Now the people of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal,m and Caleb son of Jephunnehn the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the LORD said to Moses the man of Godo at Kadesh Barneap about you and me.q 7I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh Barnear to explore the land.s And I brought him back a report according to my convictions,t 8but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear.u I, however, followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.v 9So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritancew and that of your childrenx forever, because you have followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.’1
10“Now then, just as the LORD promised,y he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel movedz about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old!a 11I am still as strongb today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorousc to go out to battle now as I was then. 12Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day.d You yourself heard then that the Anakitese were there and their cities were large and fortified,f but, the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.”
13Then Joshua blessedg Caleb son of Jephunnehh and gave him Hebroni as his inheritance.j 14So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the LORD, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.k 15(Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arbal after Arba,m who was the greatest man among the Anakites.)
Then the land had restn from war.
Allotment for Judah
15:15-19pp — Jdg 1:11–15
1The allotment for the tribe of Judah, according to its clans, extended down to the territory of Edom,a to the Desert of Zinb in the extreme south.c
2Their southern boundary started from the bay at the southern end of the Dead Sea,d 3crossed south of Scorpion Pass,e continued on to Zin and went over to the south of Kadesh Barnea.f Then it ran past Hezron up to Addar and curved around to Karka. 4It then passed along to Azmong and joined the Wadi of Egypt,h ending at the Mediterranean Sea. This is their1 southern boundary.
5The eastern boundaryi is the Dead Seaj as far as the mouth of the Jordan.
The northern boundaryk started from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan, 6went up to Beth Hoglahl and continued north of Beth Arabahm to the Stone of Bohann son of Reuben. 7The boundary then went up to Debiro from the Valley of Achorp and turned north to Gilgal,q which faces the Pass of Adummim south of the gorge. It continued along to the waters of En Shemeshr and came out at En Rogel.s 8Then it ran up the Valley of Ben Hinnomt along the southern slope of the Jebusiteu city (that is, Jerusalemv). From there it climbed to the top of the hill west of the Hinnom Valleyw at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim.x 9From the hilltop the boundary headed toward the spring of the waters of Nephtoah,y came out at the towns of Mount Ephron and went down toward Baalahz (that is, Kiriath Jearim).a 10Then it curved westward from Baalahb to Mount Seir,c ran along the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Kesalon), continued down to Beth Shemeshd and crossed to Timnah.e 11It went to the northern slope of Ekron,f turned toward Shikkeron, passed along to Mount Baalahg and reached Jabneel.h The boundary ended at the sea.
12The western boundary is the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea.i
These are the boundaries around the people of Judah by their clans.
13In accordance with the LORD’s command to him, Joshua gave to Calebj son of Jephunneh a portion in Judah—Kiriath Arbak, that is, Hebron.l (Arba was the forefather of Anak.)m 14From Hebron Caleb drove out the three Anakitesn—Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai,o the sons of Anak.p 15From there he marched against the people living in Debir (formerly called Kiriath Sepher). 16And Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Aksahq in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher.” 17Othnielr son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother, took it; so Caleb gave his daughter Aksah to him in marriage.
18One day when she came to Othniel, she urged him2 to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What can I do for you?”
19She replied, “Do me a special favor. Since you have given me land in the Negev,s give me also springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.t
20This is the inheritance of the tribe of Judah, according to its clans:
21The southernmost towns of the tribe of Judah in the Negevu toward the boundary of Edom were:
Kabzeel,v Eder,w Jagur, 22Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, 23Kedesh,x Hazor,y Ithnan, 24Ziph,z Telem, Bealoth, 25Hazor Hadattah, Kerioth Hezron (that is, Hazor),a 26Amam, Shema, Moladah,b 27Hazar Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth Pelet, 28Hazar Shual,c Beersheba,d Biziothiah, 29Baalah,e Iyim, Ezem,f 30Eltolad,g Kesil, Hormah,h 31Ziklag,i Madmannah,j Sansannah, 32Lebaoth, Shilhim, Aink and Rimmonl—a total of twenty-nine towns and their villages.
33In the western foothills:
Eshtaol,m Zorah,n Ashnah,o 34Zanoah,p En Gannim,q Tappuah,r Enam, 35Jarmuth,s Adullam,t Sokoh,u Azekah,v 36Shaaraim,w Adithaim and Gederahx (or Gederothaim)3—fourteen towns and their villages.
37Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad, 38Dilean, Mizpah,y Joktheel,z 39Lachish,a Bozkath,b Eglon,c 40Kabbon, Lahmas, Kitlish, 41Gederoth,d Beth Dagon,e Naamah and Makkedahf—sixteen towns and their villages.
42Libnah,g Ether, Ashan,h 43Iphtah, Ashnah,i Nezib, 44Keilah,j Akzibk and Mareshahl—nine towns and their villages.
45Ekron,m with its surrounding settlements and villages; 46west of Ekron, all that were in the vicinity of Ashdod,n together with their villages; 47Ashdod,o its surrounding settlements and villages; and Gaza, its settlements and villages, as far as the Wadi of Egyptp and the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea.q
48In the hill country:
Shamir,r Jattir,s Sokoh,t 49Dannah, Kiriath Sannah (that is, Debiru), 50Anab,v Eshtemoh,w Anim, 51Goshen,x Holony and Gilohz—eleven towns and their villages.
52Arab, Dumah,a Eshan, 53Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah, 54Humtah, Kiriath Arbab (that is, Hebron) and Zior—nine towns and their villages.
55Maon,c Carmel,d Ziph,e Juttah,f 56Jezreel,g Jokdeam, Zanoah,h 57Kain, Gibeahi and Timnahj—ten towns and their villages.
58Halhul, Beth Zur,k Gedor,l 59Maarath, Beth Anoth and Eltekon—six towns and their villages.4
60Kiriath Baalm (that is, Kiriath Jearimn) and Rabbaho—two towns and their villages.
Beth Arabah,q Middin, Sekakah, 62Nibshan, the City of Salt and En Gedir—six towns and their villages.
63Judah could nots dislodge the Jebusitest, who were living in Jerusalem;u to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah.v
Allotment for Ephraim and Manasseh
1The allotment for Joseph began at the Jordan, east of the springs of Jericho, and went up from there through the deserta into the hill country of Bethel.b 2It went on from Bethel (that is, Luzc),1 crossed over to the territory of the Arkitesd in Ataroth,e 3descended westward to the territory of the Japhletites as far as the region of Lower Beth Horonf and on to Gezer,g ending at the Mediterranean Sea.
4So Manasseh and Ephraim, the descendants of Joseph, received their inheritance.h
5This was the territory of Ephraim, according to its clans:
The boundary of their inheritance went from Ataroth Addari in the east to Upper Beth Horonj 6and continued to the Mediterranean Sea. From Mikmethathk on the north it curved eastward to Taanath Shiloh, passing by it to Janoahl on the east. 7Then it went down from Janoahm to Atarothn and Naarah, touched Jericho and came out at the Jordan. 8From Tappuaho the border went west to the Kanah Ravinep and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Ephraimites, according to its clans. 9It also included all the towns and their villages that were set aside for the Ephraimites within the inheritance of the Manassites.q
10They 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.r
1This was the allotment for the tribe of Manasseha as Joseph’s firstborn,b that is, for Makir,c Manasseh’s firstborn. Makir was the ancestor of the Gileadites, who had received Gileadd and Bashane because the Makirites were great soldiers. 2So this allotment was for the rest of the people of Manassehf—the clans of Abiezer,g Helek, Asriel,h Shechem, Hepheri and Shemida.j These are the other male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph by their clans.
3Now Zelophehad son of Hepher,k the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons but only daughters,l whose names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. 4They 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 relatives.” So Joshua gave them an inheritance along with the brothers of their father, according to the LORD’s command.m 5Manasseh’s share consisted of ten tracts of land besides Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan,n 6because the daughters of the tribe of Manasseh received an inheritance among the sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the descendants of Manasseh.
7The territory of Manasseh extended from Ashero to Mikmethathp east of Shechem.q The boundary ran southward from there to include the people living at En Tappuah. 8(Manasseh had the land of Tappuah, but Tappuahr itself, on the boundary of Manasseh, belonged to the Ephraimites.) 9Then the boundary continued south to the Kanah Ravine.s There were towns belonging to Ephraim lying among the towns of Manasseh, but the boundary of Manasseh was the northern side of the ravine and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. 10On the south the land belonged to Ephraim, on the north to Manasseh. The territory of Manasseh reached the Mediterranean Sea and bordered Ashert on the north and Issacharu on the east.v
11Within Issacharw and Asher, Manasseh also had Beth Shan,x Ibleamy and the people of Dor,z Endor,a Taanachb and Megiddo,c together with their surrounding settlements (the third in the list is Naphoth1).d
12Yet the Manassites were not ablee to occupy these towns, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that region. 13However, when the Israelites grew stronger, they subjected the Canaanites to forced labor but did not drive them out completely.f
14The people 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.”g
15“If you are so numerous,” Joshua answered, “and if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go up into the foresth and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzitesi and Rephaites.j”
16The people of Joseph replied, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have chariots fitted with iron,k both those in Beth Shanl and its settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel.”m
17But Joshua said to the tribes of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—“You are numerous and very powerful. You will have not only one allotmentn 18but the forested hill countryo as well. Clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours; though the Canaanites have chariots fitted with ironp and though they are strong, you can drive them out.”
Division of the Rest of the Land
1The whole assembly of the Israelites gathered at Shiloha and set up the tent of meetingb there. The country was brought under their control, 2but there were still seven Israelite tribes who had not yet received their inheritance.
3So 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? 4Appoint three men from each tribe. I will send them out to make a survey of the land and to write a description of it,c according to the inheritance of each.d Then they will return to me. 5You are to divide the land into seven parts. Judah is to remain in its territory on the southe and the tribes of Joseph in their territory on the north.f 6After you have written descriptions of the seven parts of the land, bring them here to me and I will cast lotsg for you in the presence of the LORD our God. 7The Levites, however, do not get a portion among you, because the priestly service of the LORD is their inheritance.h 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.i”
8As the men started on their way to map out the land, Joshua instructed them, “Go and make a survey of the land and write a description of it.j Then return to me, and I will cast lots for you here at Shilohk in the presence of the LORD.” 9So 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. 10Joshua then cast lotsl for them in Shiloh in the presencem of the LORD, and there he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their tribal divisions.n
Allotment for Benjamin
11The first lot came up for the tribe of Benjamin according to its clans. Their allotted territory lay between the tribes of Judah and Joseph:
12On the north side their boundary began at the Jordan, passed the northern slope of Jericho and headed west into the hill country, coming out at the wildernesso of Beth Aven.p 13From there it crossed to the south slope of Luzq (that is, Bethelr) and went down to Ataroth Addars on the hill south of Lower Beth Horon.
14From the hill facing Beth Horont on the south the boundary turned south along the western side and came out at Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim),u a town of the people of Judah. This was the western side.
15The 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.v 16The boundary went down to the foot of the hill facing the Valley of Ben Hinnom, north of the Valley of Rephaim.w It continued down the Hinnom Valleyx along the southern slope of the Jebusite city and so to En Rogel.y 17It then curved north, went to En Shemesh, continued to Geliloth,z which faces the Pass of Adummim,a and ran down to the Stone of Bohanb son of Reuben. 18It continued to the northern slope of Beth Arabah1,c and on down into the Arabah.d 19It then went to the northern slope of Beth Hoglahe and came out at the northern bay of the Dead Sea,f at the mouth of the Jordan in the south. This was the southern boundary.
20The Jordan formed the boundary on the eastern side.
These were the boundaries that marked out the inheritance of the clans of Benjamin on all sides.g
21The tribe of Benjamin, according to its clans, had the following towns:
Jericho, Beth Hoglah,h Emek Keziz, 22Beth Arabah,i Zemaraim,j Bethel,k 23Avvim,l Parah, Ophrah,m 24Kephar Ammoni, Ophni and Geban—twelve towns and their villages.
25Gibeon,o Ramah,p Beeroth,q 26Mizpah,r Kephirah,s Mozah, 27Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, 28Zelah,t Haeleph, the Jebusite cityu (that is, Jerusalemv), Gibeahw and Kiriath—fourteen towns and their villages.x
This was the inheritance of Benjamin for its clans.y
Allotment for Simeon
19:2-10pp — 1Ch 4:28–33
1The second lot came out for the tribe of Simeon according to its clans. Their inheritance lay within the territory of Judah.a 2It included: Dividing the Land
Beershebab (or Sheba),1 Moladah,c 3Hazar Shual,d Balah, Ezem,e 4Eltolad,f Bethul, Hormah,g 5Ziklag,h Beth Markaboth, Hazar Susah, 6Beth Lebaoth and Sharuhen—thirteen towns and their villages;
7Ain, Rimmon,i Ether and Ashanj—four towns and their villages— 8and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath Beer (Ramah in the Negev).k
This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Simeonites, according to its clans. 9The inheritance of the Simeonites was taken from the share of Judah,l because Judah’s portion was more than they needed. So the Simeonites received their inheritance within the territory of Judah.m
Allotment for Zebulun
10The third lot came up for Zebulunn according to its clans:
The boundary of their inheritance went as far as Sarid.o 11Going west it ran to Maralah, touched Dabbesheth, and extended to the ravine near Jokneam.p 12It turned east from Saridq toward the sunrise to the territory of Kisloth Tabor and went on to Daberathr and up to Japhia. 13Then it continued eastward to Gath Hephers and Eth Kazin; it came out at Rimmont and turned toward Neah. 14There the boundary went around on the north to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah El.u 15Included were Kattath, Nahalal,v Shimron,w Idalah and Bethlehem.x There were twelve towns and their villages.
16These towns and their villages were the inheritance of Zebulun,y according to its clans.z
Allotment for Issachar
17The fourth lot came out for Issachara according to its clans. 18Their territory included:
Jezreel,b Kesulloth, Shunem,c 19Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, 20Rabbith, Kishion,d Ebez, 21Remeth, En Gannim,e En Haddah and Beth Pazzez. 22The boundary touched Tabor,f Shahazumah and Beth Shemesh,g and ended at the Jordan. There were sixteen towns and their villages.
23These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Issachar,h according to its clans.i
Allotment for Asher
24The fifth lot came out for the tribe of Asherj according to its clans. 25Their territory included:
Helkath, Hali, Beten, Akshaph,k 26Allammelek, Amad and Mishal.l On the west the boundary touched Carmelm and Shihor Libnath. 27It then turned east toward Beth Dagon,n touched Zebuluno and the Valley of Iphtah El,p and went north to Beth Emek and Neiel, passing Kabulq on the left. 28It went to Abdon,2,r Rehob,s Hammont and Kanah,u as far as Greater Sidon.v 29The boundary then turned back toward Ramahw and went to the fortified city of Tyre,x turned toward Hosah and came out at the Mediterranean Seay in the region of Akzib,z 30Ummah, Apheka and Rehob.b There were twenty-two towns and their villages.
31These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Asher,c according to its clans.
Allotment for Naphtali
32The sixth lot came out for Naphtali according to its clans:
33Their boundary went from Heleph and the large tree in Zaanannim,d passing Adami Nekeb and Jabneele to Lakkum and ending at the Jordan. 34The boundary ran west through Aznoth Tabor and came out at Hukkok.f It touched Zebulung on the south, Asher on the west and the Jordan3 on the east. 35The fortified towns were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath,h Rakkath, Kinnereth,i 36Adamah, Ramah,j Hazor,k 37Kedesh,l Edrei,m En Hazor, 38Iron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anathn and Beth Shemesh.o There were nineteen towns and their villages.
39These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Naphtali, according to its clans.p
Allotment for Dan
40The seventh lot came out for the tribe of Dan according to its clans. 41The territory of their inheritance included:
Zorah, Eshtaol,q Ir Shemesh, 42Shaalabbin, Aijalon,r Ithlah, 43Elon, Timnah,s Ekron,t 44Eltekeh, Gibbethon,u Baalath,v 45Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon,w 46Me Jarkon and Rakkon, with the area facing Joppa.x
47(When the territory of the Danites was lost to them,y they went up and attacked Leshemz, took it, put it to the sword and occupied it. They settled in Leshem and nameda it Dan after their ancestor.)b
48These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Dan,c according to its clans.
Allotment for Joshua
49When they had finished dividing the land into its allotted portions, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun an inheritance among them, 50as the LORD had commanded. They gave him the town he asked for—Timnath Serah4,d in the hill country of Ephraim. And he built up the town and settled there.
51These are the territories that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel assigned by lot at Shiloh in the presence of the LORD at the entrance to the tent of meeting. And so they finished dividinge the land.f
Cities of Refuge
20:1-9Ref — Nu 35:9–34; Dt 4:41–43; 19:1–14
1Then the LORD said to Joshua: 2“Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, 3so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionallya may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood.b 4When they flee to one of these cities, they are to stand in the entrance of the city gatec and state their case before the eldersd of that city. Then the elders are to admit the fugitive into their city and provide a place to live among them. 5If the avenger of blood comes in pursuit, the elders must not surrender the fugitive, because the fugitive killed their neighbor unintentionally and without malice aforethought. 6They are to stay in that city until they have stood trial before the assemblye and until the death of the high priest who is serving at that time. Then they may go back to their own home in the town from which they fled.”
7So they set apart Kedeshf in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechemg in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arbah (that is, Hebroni) in the hill country of Judah.j 8East of the Jordan (on the other side from Jericho) they designated Bezerk in the wilderness on the plateau in the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gileadl in the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashanm in the tribe of Manasseh. 9Any of the Israelites or any foreigner residing among them who killed someone accidentallyn could flee to these designated cities and not be killed by the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.o
Towns for the Levites
21:4-39pp — 1Ch 6:54–80
1Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribal families of Israela 2at Shilohb in Canaan and said to them, “The LORD commanded through Moses that you give us townsc to live in, with pasturelands for our livestock.”d 3So, as the LORD had commanded, the Israelites gave the Levites the following towns and pasturelands out of their own inheritance:
4The first lot came out for the Kohathites,e according to their clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest were allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin.f 5The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten towns from the clans of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan and half of Manasseh.g
6The descendants of Gershonh were allotted thirteen towns from the clans of the tribes of Issachar,i Asher,j Naphtali and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.
7The descendants of Merari,k according to their clans, received twelvel towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.m
8So the Israelites allotted to the Levites these towns and their pasturelands, as the LORD had commanded through Moses.
9From the tribes of Judah and Simeon they allotted the following towns by name 10(these towns were assigned to the descendants of Aaron who were from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because the first lot fell to them):
11They gave them Kiriath Arban (that is, Hebrono), with its surrounding pastureland, in the hill country of Judah. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.) 12But the fields and villages around the city they had given to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.p
13So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron (a city of refugeq for one accused of murder), Libnah,r 14Jattir,s Eshtemoa,t 15Holon,u Debir,v 16Ain,w Juttahx and Beth Shemesh,y together with their pasturelands—nine towns from these two tribes.
17And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave them Gibeon,z Geba,a 18Anathothb and Almon, together with their pasturelands—four towns.
19The total number of townsc for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, came to thirteen, together with their pasturelands.d
20The rest of the Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted towns from the tribe of Ephraim:
21In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shecheme (a city of refuge for one accused of murder) and Gezer,f 22Kibzaim and Beth Horon,g together with their pasturelands—four towns.h
23Also from the tribe of Dan they received Eltekeh, Gibbethon,i 24Aijalonj and Gath Rimmon,k together with their pasturelands—four towns.
25From half the tribe of Manasseh they received Taanachl and Gath Rimmon, together with their pasturelands—two towns.
26All these ten towns and their pasturelands were given to the rest of the Kohathite clans.m
27The Levite clans of the Gershonites were given:
from the half-tribe of Manasseh,
Golan in Bashann (a city of refuge for one accused of murdero) and Be Eshterah, together with their pasturelands—two towns;
28from the tribe of Issachar,p
30from the tribe of Asher,u
32from the tribe of Naphtali,
Kedeshy in Galilee (a city of refuge for one accused of murderz), Hammoth Dor and Kartan, together with their pasturelands—three towns.
33The total number of towns of the Gershonitea clans came to thirteen, together with their pasturelands.
34The Merarite clans (the rest of the Levites) were given:
from the tribe of Zebulun,b
Jokneam,c Kartah, 35Dimnah and Nahalal,d together with their pasturelands—four towns;
36from the tribe of Reuben,
38from the tribe of Gad,
Ramothh in Gileadi (a city of refuge for one accused of murder), Mahanaim,j 39Heshbon and Jazer,k together with their pasturelands—four towns in all.
40The total number of towns allotted to the Merarite clans, who were the rest of the Levites, came to twelve.l
41The towns of the Levites in the territory held by the Israelites were forty-eight in all, together with their pasturelands.m 42Each of these towns had pasturelands surrounding it; this was true for all these towns.
43So the LORD gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors,n and they took possessiono of it and settled there.p 44The LORD gave them restq on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemiesr withstood them; the LORD gave all their enemiess into their hands.t 45Not one of all the LORD’s good promisesu to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.
Eastern Tribes Return Home
1Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh 2and said to them, “You have done all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded,a and you have obeyed me in everything I commanded. 3For a long time now—to this very day—you have not deserted your fellow Israelites but have carried out the mission the LORD your God gave you. 4Now that the LORD your God has given them restb as he promised, return to your homesc in the land that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side of the Jordan.d 5But be very careful to keep the commandmente and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORDf your God, to walk in obedience to him, to keep his commands,g to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.h”
6Then Joshua blessedi them and sent them away, and they went to their homes. 7(To the half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given land in Bashan,j and to the other half of the tribe Joshua gave land on the west sidek of the Jordan along with their fellow Israelites.) When Joshua sent them home, he blessed them,l 8saying, “Return to your homes with your great wealth—with large herds of livestock,m with silver, gold, bronze and iron,n and a great quantity of clothing—and divideo the plunderp from your enemies with your fellow Israelites.”
9So the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh left the Israelites at Shilohq in Canaan to return to Gilead,r their own land, which they had acquired in accordance with the command of the LORD through Moses.
10When they came to Geliloths near the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an imposing altart there by the Jordan. 11And when the Israelites heard that they had built the altar on the border of Canaan at Geliloth near the Jordan on the Israelite side, 12the whole assembly of Israel gathered at Shilohu to go to war against them.
13So the Israelites sent Phinehasv son of Eleazar,w the priest, to the land of Gilead—to Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh. 14With him they sent ten of the chief men, one from each of the tribes of Israel, each the head of a family division among the Israelite clans.x
15When they went to Gilead—to Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh—they said to them: 16“The whole assembly of the LORD says: ‘How could you break faithy with the God of Israel like this? How could you turn away from the LORD and build yourselves an altar in rebellionz against him now? 17Was not the sin of Peora enough for us? Up to this very day we have not cleansed ourselves from that sin, even though a plague fell on the community of the LORD! 18And are you now turning away from the LORD?
“ ‘If you rebel against the LORD today, tomorrow he will be angry with the whole communityb of Israel. 19If the land you possess is defiled, come over to the LORD’s land, where the LORD’s tabernaclec stands, and share the land with us. But do not rebel against the LORD or against us by building an altard for yourselves, other than the altar of the LORD our God. 20When Achan son of Zerah was unfaithful in regard to the devoted things,1,e did not wrathf come on the whole communityg of Israel? He was not the only one who died for his sin.’ ”h
21Then Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh replied to the heads of the clans of Israel: 22“The Mighty One, God, the LORD! The Mighty One, God,i the LORD!j He knows!k And let Israel know! If this has been in rebellion or disobedience to the LORD, do not spare us this day. 23If we have built our own altar to turn away from the LORD and to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings,l or to sacrifice fellowship offerings on it, may the LORD himself call us to account.m
24“No! We did it for fear that some day your descendants might say to ours, ‘What do you have to do with the LORD, the God of Israel? 25The LORD has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you—you Reubenites and Gadites! You have no share in the LORD.’ So your descendants might cause ours to stop fearing the LORD.
26“That is why we said, ‘Let us get ready and build an altar—but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices.’ 27On the contrary, it is to be a witnessn between us and you and the generations that follow, that we will worship the LORD at his sanctuary with our burnt offerings, sacrifices and fellowship offerings.o Then in the future your descendants will not be able to say to ours, ‘You have no share in the LORD.’
28“And we said, ‘If they ever say this to us, or to our descendants, we will answer: Look at the replica of the LORD’s altar, which our ancestors built, not for burnt offerings and sacrifices, but as a witnessp between us and you.’
29“Far be it from us to rebelq against the LORD and turn away from him today by building an altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings and sacrifices, other than the altar of the LORD our God that stands before his tabernacle.r”
30When Phinehas the priest and the leaders of the community—the heads of the clans of the Israelites—heard what Reuben, Gad and Manasseh had to say, they were pleased. 31And Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, said to Reuben, Gad and Manasseh, “Today we know that the LORD is with us,s because you have not been unfaithful to the LORD in this matter. Now you have rescued the Israelites from the LORD’s hand.”
32Then Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, and the leaders returned to Canaan from their meeting with the Reubenites and Gadites in Gilead and reported to the Israelites.t 33They were glad to hear the report and praised God.u And they talked no more about going to war against them to devastate the country where the Reubenites and the Gadites lived.
34And the Reubenites and the Gadites gave the altar this name: A Witnessv Between Us—that the LORD is God.
Joshua’s Farewell to the Leaders
1After a long time had passed and the LORD had given Israel resta from all their enemies around them, Joshua, by then a very old man,b 2summoned all Israel—their elders,c leaders, judges and officialsd—and said to them: “I am very old.e 3You yourselves have seen everything the LORD your God has done to all these nations for your sake; it was the LORD your God who fought for you.f 4Remember how I have allottedg as an inheritanceh for your tribes all the land of the nations that remain—the nations I conquered—between the Jordan and the Mediterranean Seai in the west. 5The LORD your God himself will push them outj for your sake. He will drive them outk before you, and you will take possession of their land, as the LORD your God promised you.l
6“Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Lawm of Moses, without turning asiden to the right or to the left.o 7Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swearp by them. You must not serve them or bow downq to them. 8But you are to hold fast to the LORDr your God, as you have until now.
9“The LORD has driven out before you great and powerful nations;s to this day no one has been able to withstand you.t 10One of you routs a thousand,u because the LORD your God fights for you,v just as he promised. 11So be very carefulw to love the LORDx your God.
12“But if you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you intermarry with themy and associate with them,z 13then you may be sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive outa these nations before you. Instead, they will become snaresb and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes,c until you perish from this good land,d which the LORD your God has given you.
14“Now I am about to go the way of all the earth.e You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promisef has been fulfilled; not one has failed.g 15But just as all the good thingsh the LORD your God has promised you have come to you, so he will bring on you all the evil thingsi he has threatened, until the LORD your God has destroyed youj from this good land he has given you.k 16If you violate the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the LORD’s anger will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land he has given you.l”
The Covenant Renewed at Shechem
1Then Joshua assembleda all the tribes of Israel at Shechem.b He summonedc the elders,d leaders, judges and officials of Israel,e and they presented themselves before God. Image
2Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your ancestors, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor,f lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods.g 3But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him throughout Canaanh and gave him many descendants.i I gave him Isaac,j 4and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau.k I assigned the hill country of Seirl to Esau, but Jacob and his family went down to Egypt.m
5“ ‘Then I sent Moses and Aaron,n and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did there, and I brought you out.o 6When I brought your people out of Egypt, you came to the sea,p and the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen1,q as far as the Red Sea.2,r 7But they crieds to the LORD for help, and he put darknesst between you and the Egyptians; he brought the sea over them and covered them.u You saw with your own eyes what I did to the Egyptians.v Then you lived in the wilderness for a long time.w
8“ ‘I brought you to the land of the Amoritesx who lived east of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I gave them into your hands. I destroyed them from before you, and you took possession of their land.y 9When Balak son of Zippor,z the king of Moab, prepared to fight against Israel, he sent for Balaam son of Beora to put a curse on you.b 10But I would not listen to Balaam, so he blessed youc again and again, and I delivered you out of his hand.
11“ ‘Then you crossed the Jordand and came to Jericho.e The citizens of Jericho fought against you, as did also the Amorites, Perizzites,f Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites,g but I gave them into your hands.h 12I sent the horneti ahead of you, which drove them outj before you—also the two Amorite kings. You did not do it with your own sword and bow.k 13So I gave you a landl on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’m
14“Now fear the LORDn and serve him with all faithfulness.o Throw away the godsp your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt,q and serve the LORD. 15But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites,r in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household,s we will serve the LORD.”t
16Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsakeu the LORD to serve other gods! 17It was the LORD our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery,v and performed those great signsw before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. 18And the LORD drove outx before us all the nations,y including the Amorites, who lived in the land.z We too will serve the LORD, because he is our God.a”
19Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the LORD. He is a holy God;b he is a jealous God.c He will not forgived your rebellione and your sins. 20If you forsake the LORDf and serve foreign gods, he will turng and bring disasterh on you and make an end of you,i after he has been good to you.”
21But the people said to Joshua, “No! We will serve the LORD.”
22Then Joshua said, “You are witnessesj against yourselves that you have chosenk to serve the LORD.”
“Yes, we are witnesses,l” they replied.
23“Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign godsm that are among you and yield your heartsn to the LORD, the God of Israel.”
24And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the LORD our God and obey him.”o
25On that day Joshua made a covenantp for the people, and there at Shechemq he reaffirmed for them decrees and laws.r 26And Joshua recordeds these things in the Book of the Law of God.t Then he took a large stoneu and set it up there under the oakv near the holy place of the LORD. Image
27“See!” he said to all the people. “This stonew will be a witnessx against us. It has heard all the words the LORD has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untruey to your God.”z
28Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to their own inheritance.a
Buried in the Promised Land
24:29-31pp — Jdg 2:6–9
29After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, diedb at the age of a hundred and ten.c 30And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Serah3,d in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.e
31Israel served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the eldersf who outlived him and who had experienced everything the LORD had done for Israel.
32And Joseph’s bones,g which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt,h were buried at Shechem in the tract of landi that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver4 from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph’s descendants.
33And Eleazar son of Aaronj died and was buried at Gibeah,k which had been allotted to his son Phinehasl in the hill countrym of Ephraim.