Joshua Installed as Leader

1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord,^(A) the Lord said to Joshua^(B) son of Nun, Moses’ aide: ² “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River^(C) into the land^(D) I am about to give to them^(E)—to the Israelites. ³ I will give you every place where you set your foot,^(F) as I promised Moses.^{(G) 4} Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon,^(H) and from the great river, the Euphrates^(I)—all the Hittite^(J) country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.^{(K) 5} No one will be able to stand against you^(L) all the days of your life. As I was with^(M) Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake^(N) you. ⁶ Be strong^(O) and courageous,^(P) because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors^(Q) to give them.

⁷ “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey^(R) all the law^(S) my servant Moses^(T) gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left,^(U) that you may be successful wherever you go.^{(V) 8} Keep this Book of the Law^(W) always on your lips;^(X) meditate^(Y) 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) 9} Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid;^(AA) do not be discouraged,^(AB) for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”^(AC)

¹¹ Then the Israelites did evil^(A) in the eyes of the Lord^(B) and served the Baals.^{(C) 12} They forsook the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods^(D) of the peoples around them.^(E) They aroused^(F) the Lord’s anger^{(G) 13} because they forsook^(H) him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.^{(I) 14} In his anger^(J) against Israel the Lord gave them into the hands^(K) of raiders who plundered^(L) them. He sold them^(M) into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist.^{(N) 15} Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the Lord was against them^(O) to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress.^(P)

¹⁶ Then the Lord raised up judges,^[a](Q) who saved^(R) them out of the hands of these raiders. ¹⁷ Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted^(S) themselves to other gods^(T) and worshiped them.^(U) They quickly turned^(V) from the ways of their ancestors, who had been obedient to the Lord’s commands.^{(W) 18} Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved^(X) them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord relented^(Y) because of their groaning^(Z) under those who oppressed and afflicted^(AA) them. ¹⁹ But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt^(AB) than those of their ancestors,^(AC) following other gods and serving and worshiping them.^(AD) They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn^(AE) ways.

¹⁴ The women^(A) said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord,^(B) who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer.^(C) May he become famous throughout Israel! ¹⁵ He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law,^(D) who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons,^(E) has given him birth.”

¹⁶ Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. ¹⁷ The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse,^(F) the father of David.^(G)