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.”

¹¹ The Israelites did what was evil in the Lord’s sight.^(A) They worshiped the Baals^{(B) 12} and abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods from the surrounding peoples^(C) and bowed down to them. They infuriated the Lord,^{(D) 13} for they abandoned Him and worshiped Baal and the Ashtoreths.^(E)

¹⁴ The Lord’s anger burned against Israel, and He handed them over to marauders who raided them. He sold^(F) them to^[a] the enemies around them, and they could no longer resist their enemies. ¹⁵ Whenever the Israelites went out, the Lord^[b] was against them^(G) and brought disaster on them, just as He had promised and sworn to them.^(H) So they suffered greatly.

¹⁶ The Lord raised up^(I) judges, who saved them from the power of their marauders, ¹⁷ but they did not listen to their judges. Instead, they prostituted^(J) themselves with other gods, bowing down to them. They quickly turned from the way^(K) of their fathers, who had walked in obedience to the Lord’s commands. They did not do as their fathers did. ¹⁸ Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for the Israelites, the Lord was with^(L) him and saved the people from the power of their enemies while the judge was still alive.^[c] The Lord was moved to pity whenever they groaned because of those who were oppressing and afflicting them. ¹⁹ Whenever the judge died, the Israelites would act even more corruptly^(M) than their fathers, going after other gods to worship and bow down to them. They did not turn from their evil practices or their obstinate^(N) ways.

¹⁴ Then the women said to Naomi, “Praise the Lord, who has not left you without a family redeemer today. May his name become well known in Israel. ¹⁵ He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. Indeed, your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons,^(A) has given birth to him.” ¹⁶ Naomi took the child, placed him on her lap, and took care of him. ¹⁷ The neighbor women said, “A son has been born to Naomi,” and they named him Obed.^[a] He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.