⁶ Be strong^(A) and courageous,^(B) because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors^(C) to give them.

⁷ “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey^(D) all the law^(E) my servant Moses^(F) gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left,^(G) that you may be successful wherever you go.^{(H) 8} Keep this Book of the Law^(I) always on your lips;^(J) meditate^(K) on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.^{(L) 9} Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid;^(M) do not be discouraged,^(N) for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”^(O)

Rahab and the Spies

2 Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies^(A) from Shittim.^(B) “Go, look over^(C) the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.^(D)” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab^(E) and stayed there.

⁸ Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof^{(A) 9} and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear^(B) of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. ¹⁰ We have heard how the Lord dried up^(C) the water of the Red Sea^[a] for you when you came out of Egypt,^(D) and what you did to Sihon and Og,^(E) the two kings of the Amorites^(F) east of the Jordan,^(G) whom you completely destroyed.^{[b](H) 11} When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear^(I) and everyone’s courage failed^(J) because of you,^(K) for the Lord your God^(L) is God in heaven above and on the earth^(M) below.

²³ Then 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. ²⁴ They said to Joshua, “The Lord has surely given the whole land into our hands;^(A) all the people are melting in fear^(B) because of us.”