33 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath^(A) to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’^{(B) 2} I will send an angel^(C) before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.^{(D) 3} Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey.^(E) But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked^(F) people and I might destroy^(G) you on the way.”

⁴ When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mourn^(H) and no one put on any ornaments. ⁵ For the Lord had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people.^(I) If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy^(J) you. Now take off your ornaments and I will decide what to do with you.’” ⁶ So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments at Mount Horeb.^(K)

The Tent of Meeting

⁷ Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.”^(L) Anyone inquiring^(M) of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. ⁸ And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents,^(N) watching Moses until he entered the tent. ⁹ As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud^(O) would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke^(P) with Moses. ¹⁰ Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent.^{(Q) 11} The Lord would speak to Moses face to face,^(R) as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua^(S) son of Nun did not leave the tent.

Moses and the Glory of the Lord

¹² Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’^(T) but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name^(U) and you have found favor^(V) with me.’ ¹³ If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways^(W) so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”^(X)

¹⁴ The Lord replied, “My Presence^(Y) will go with you, and I will give you rest.”^(Z)

¹⁵ Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence^(AA) does not go with us, do not send us up from here. ¹⁶ How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us?^(AB) What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”^(AC)

¹⁷ And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked,^(AD) because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”^(AE)

¹⁸ Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”^(AF)

¹⁹ And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass^(AG) in front of you, and I will proclaim my name,^(AH) the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.^{(AI) 20} But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see^(AJ) me and live.”

²¹ Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. ²² When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock^(AK) and cover you with my hand^(AL) until I have passed by. ²³ Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”

Balak Summons Balaam

22 Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab^(A) and camped along the Jordan^(B) across from Jericho.^(C)

² Now Balak son of Zippor^(D) saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, ³ and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread^(E) because of the Israelites.

⁴ The Moabites^(F) said to the elders of Midian,^(G) “This horde is going to lick up everything^(H) around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.^(I)”

So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, ⁵ sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor,^(J) who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River,^(K) in his native land. Balak said:

⁷ The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination.^(O) When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.

⁸ “Spend the night here,” Balaam said to them, “and I will report back to you with the answer the Lord gives me.^(P)” So the Moabite officials stayed with him.

⁹ God came to Balaam^(Q) and asked,^(R) “Who are these men with you?”

¹⁰ Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: ¹¹ ‘A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.’”

¹² But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.^(S)”

¹³ The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak’s officials, “Go back to your own country, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”

¹⁴ So the Moabite officials returned to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

¹⁵ Then Balak sent other officials, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. ¹⁶ They came to Balaam and said:

¹⁸ But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God.^{(V) 19} Now spend the night here so that I can find out what else the Lord will tell me.^(W)”

²⁰ That night God came to Balaam^(X) and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.”^(Y)

Balaam’s Donkey

²¹ Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials. ²² But God was very angry^(Z) when he went, and the angel of the Lord^(AA) stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. ²³ When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword^(AB) in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it^(AC) to get it back on the road.

²⁴ Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path through the vineyards, with walls on both sides. ²⁵ When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat the donkey again.

²⁶ Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. ²⁷ When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry^(AD) and beat it with his staff. ²⁸ Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth,^(AE) and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?^(AF)”

²⁹ Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.^(AG)”

³⁰ The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”

“No,” he said.

³¹ Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes,^(AH) and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.

³² The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.^{[a] 33} The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now,^(AI) but I would have spared it.”

³⁴ Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned.^(AJ) I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.”

³⁵ The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.

³⁶ When Balak^(AK) heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon^(AL) border, at the edge of his territory. ³⁷ Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?”

³⁸ “Well, I have come to you now,” Balaam replied. “But I can’t say whatever I please. I must speak only what God puts in my mouth.”^(AM)

³⁹ Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth. ⁴⁰ Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep,^(AN) and gave some to Balaam and the officials who were with him. ⁴¹ The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal,^(AO) and from there he could see the outskirts of the Israelite camp.^(AP)

5 Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast^(A) heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until they^[a] had crossed over, their hearts melted in fear^(B) and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites.

Circumcision and Passover at Gilgal

² At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives^(C) and circumcise^(D) the Israelites again.” ³ So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth.^[b]

⁴ Now this is why he did so: All those who came out of Egypt—all the men of military age^(E)—died in the wilderness on the way after leaving Egypt.^{(F) 5} All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness during the journey from Egypt had not. ⁶ The Israelites had moved about in the wilderness^(G) forty years^(H) 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) 7} So he raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised on the way. ⁸ And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed.^(K)

⁹ Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So the place has been called Gilgal^[c](L) to this day.

¹⁰ On 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) 11} The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land:^(O) unleavened bread^(P) and roasted grain.^{(Q) 12} The manna stopped the day after^[d] 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)

The Fall of Jericho

¹³ Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man^(S) standing in front of him with a drawn sword^(T) in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

¹⁴ “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown^(U) to the ground^(V) in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord^[e] have for his servant?”

¹⁵ The 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.

6 Now the gates of Jericho^(A) were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

² Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered^(B) Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. ³ March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. ⁴ Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns^(C) in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets.^{(D) 5} When you hear them sound a long blast^(E) 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.”

⁶ So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.”^{(G) 7} And he ordered the army, “Advance^(H)! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark^(I) of the Lord.”

⁸ When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the Lord went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant followed them. ⁹ The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard^(J) followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding. ¹⁰ But 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)” ¹¹ So 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.

¹² Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. ¹³ The 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. ¹⁴ So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

¹⁵ On 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) 16} The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!^{(M) 17} The city and all that is in it are to be devoted^[a](N) to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute^(O) and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid^(P) the spies we sent. ¹⁸ But 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 destruction^(R) and bring trouble^(S) on it. ¹⁹ All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron^(T) are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.”

²⁰ When 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) 21} They devoted^(X) the city to the Lord and destroyed^(Y) with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.

²² Joshua said to the two men^(Z) who had spied out^(AA) 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.^(AB)” ²³ So 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.^(AC) They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel.

²⁴ Then they burned the whole city^(AD) and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron^(AE) into the treasury of the Lord’s house.^{(AF) 25} But Joshua spared^(AG) Rahab the prostitute,^(AH) with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho^(AI)—and she lives among the Israelites to this day.

²⁶ At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath:^(AJ) “Cursed^(AK) before the Lord is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho:

²⁷ So the Lord was with Joshua,^(AM) and his fame spread^(AN) throughout the land.