Joshua 1
Contemporary English Version
Joshua Becomes the Leader of Israel
1 Moses, the Lord's servant, was dead. So the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, who had been the assistant of Moses. The Lord said:
2 My servant Moses is dead. Now you must lead Israel across the Jordan River into the land I'm giving to all of you. 3 (A) Wherever you go, I'll give you that land, as I promised Moses. 4 It will reach from the Southern Desert to the Lebanon Mountains in the north, and to the northeast as far as the great Euphrates River. It will include the land of the Hittites,[a] and the land from here at the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea on the west. 5 (B) Joshua, I will always be with you and help you as I helped Moses, and no one will ever be able to defeat you.
6-8 (C) Long ago I promised the ancestors of Israel that I would give this land to their descendants. So be strong and brave! Be careful to do everything my servant Moses taught you. Never stop reading The Book of the Law[b] he gave you. Day and night you must think about what it says. If you obey it completely, you and Israel will be able to take this land.
9 I've commanded you to be strong and brave. Don't ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the Lord your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go.
The Eastern Tribes Promise To Help
10 Joshua ordered the tribal leaders 11 to go through the camp and tell everyone:
In a few days we will cross the Jordan River to take the land that the Lord our God is giving us. So prepare as much food as you'll need for the march into the land.
12 (D) Joshua told the men of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh:[c]
13-14 The Lord's servant Moses said that the Lord our God has given you land here on the east side of the Jordan River, where you could live in peace. Your wives and children and your animals can stay here in the land Moses gave you. But all of you that can serve in our army must pick up your weapons and lead the men of the other tribes across the Jordan River. They are your relatives, so you must help them 15 conquer the land that the Lord is giving them. The Lord will give peace to them as he has given peace to you, and then you can come back and settle here in the land that Moses promised you.
16 The men answered:
We'll cross the Jordan River and help our relatives. We'll fight anywhere you send us. 17-18 If the Lord our God will help you as he helped Moses, and if you are strong and brave, we will obey you as we obeyed Moses. We'll even put to death anyone who rebels against you or refuses to obey you.
Joshua 1
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Encouragement of Joshua
1 After the death of Moses(A) the Lord’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua[a] son of Nun,(B) who had served Moses: 2 “Moses My servant is dead.(C) Now you and all the people prepare to cross over the Jordan(D) to the land I am giving the Israelites. 3 I have given you every place where the sole of your foot treads,(E) just as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will be from the wilderness and Lebanon(F) to the great Euphrates River—all the land of the Hittites(G)—and west to the Mediterranean Sea.[b](H) 5 No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live.(I) I will be with you, just as I was with Moses. I will not leave you or forsake you.(J)
6 “Be strong and courageous,(K) for you will distribute the land I swore to their fathers to give them as an inheritance.(L) 7 Above all, be strong and very courageous to carefully observe the whole instruction My servant Moses commanded you.(M) Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go. 8 This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth;(N) you are to recite[c] it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.(O) 9 Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous?(P) Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua Prepares the People
10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people: 11 “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get provisions ready for yourselves, for within three days you will be crossing the Jordan to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you to inherit.’”(Q)
12 Joshua said to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh:(R) 13 “Remember what Moses the Lord’s servant commanded you when he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest, and He will give you this land.’(S) 14 Your wives, young children, and livestock may remain in the land Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan.[d] But your fighting men must cross over in battle formation[e] ahead of your brothers[f] and help them 15 until the Lord gives your brothers rest, as He has given you, and they too possess the land the Lord your God is giving them. You may then return to the land of your inheritance(T) and take possession of what Moses the Lord’s servant(U) gave you on the east side of the Jordan.”
16 They answered Joshua, “Everything you have commanded us we will do, and everywhere you send us we will go. 17 We will obey you, just as we obeyed Moses in everything. And may the Lord your God be with you, as He was with Moses.(V) 18 Anyone who rebels against your order and does not obey your words in all that you command him, will be put to death. Above all, be strong and courageous!”(W)
Footnotes
- Joshua 1:1 = The Lord Will Save, or The Lord Is Salvation; Joshua is related to the name Jesus.
- Joshua 1:4 Lit and to the Great Sea, the going down of the sun
- Joshua 1:8 Or meditate on
- Joshua 1:14 = east of the Jordan River
- Joshua 1:14 Or over armed
- Joshua 1:14 = fellow Israelites
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