God’s Commission to Joshua

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ (A)assistant, saying: (B)“Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel. (C)Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. (D)From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory. (E)No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; (F)as I was with Moses, so (G)I will be with you. (H)I will not leave you nor forsake you. (I)Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall [a]divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law (J)which Moses My servant commanded you; (K)do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may [b]prosper wherever you go. (L)This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but (M)you[c] shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (N)Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; (O)do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

The Order to Cross the Jordan

10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11 “Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for (P)within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’ ”

12 And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh Joshua spoke, saying, 13 “Remember (Q)the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is giving you rest and is giving you this land.’ 14 Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But you shall [d]pass before your brethren armed, all your mighty men of valor, and help them, 15 until the Lord has given your brethren rest, as He gave you, and they also have taken possession of the land which the Lord your God is giving them. (R)Then you shall return to the land of your possession and enjoy it, which Moses the Lord’s servant gave you on this side of the Jordan toward the sunrise.”

16 So they answered Joshua, saying, “All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we heeded Moses in all things, so we will heed you. Only the Lord your God (S)be with you, as He was with Moses. 18 Whoever rebels against your command and does not heed your words, in all that you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage.”

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Footnotes

  1. Joshua 1:6 give as a possession
  2. Joshua 1:7 have success or act wisely
  3. Joshua 1:8 you shall be constantly in
  4. Joshua 1:14 cross over ahead of

Now after the mot Moshe Eved Hashem it came to pass, that Hashem spoke unto Yehoshua ben Nun, mesharet Moshe, saying,

Moshe Avdi is dead; now therefore arise, cross over this Yarden, thou, and kol HaAm Hazeh, unto HaAretz which I do give to them, even to the Bnei Yisroel.

Every place that the sole of your regel shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, just as I said unto Moshe.

From the midbar and this Levanon even unto the Nahar Hagadol, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Chittim, and unto the Yam HaGadol toward the going down of the shemesh, shall be your territory.

There shall not any ish be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life; as I was with Moshe, so I will be with thee; I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Chazak! (be strong!) And be of good courage: for unto HaAm Hazeh shalt thou divide for a nachalah HaAretz, which I swore unto their avot to give them.

Only chazak (be strong) and very courageous, that thou mayest be shomer to do according to kol HaTorah, which Moshe Avdi commanded thee; turn not from it to the yamin or to the semol, in order that thou mayest succeed everywhere thou goest.

This Sefer HaTorah shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate on it yomam valailah so that thou mayest be shomer to do according to all that is written therein; for then thou shalt make thy derech prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Have not I commanded thee? Chazak! And be of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed; for Hashem Eloheicha is with thee everywhere thou goest.

10 Then Yehoshua commanded the Shotrei HaAm, saying,

11 Pass through the machaneh, and command HaAm, saying, Prepare you supplies; for within shloshet yamim ye shall pass over this Yarden, to go in to possess HaAretz, which Hashem Eloheichem giveth you to possess it.

12 And to the Reubeni, and to the Gadi, and to the half tribe of Menasheh, spoke Yehoshua, saying,

13 Remember the devar which Moshe Eved Hashem commanded you, saying, Hashem Eloheichem hath given you menuchah, and hath given you HaAretz Hazot.

14 Your nashim, your little ones, and your livestock, shall remain in the land which Moshe gave you beyond the Yarden; but ye shall cross over ahead of your achim armed, all the gibborei hachayil, and help them;

15 Until Hashem has given your achim menuchah, as He hath given you, and they also have possessed HaAretz which Hashem Eloheichem giveth them; then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and occupy it, which Moshe Eved Hashem gave you beyond Yarden toward the rising of the shemesh.

16 And they answered Yehoshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and everywhere thou sendest us, we will go.

17 According as we paid heed unto Moshe in all things, so will we pay heed unto thee; only Hashem Eloheicha be with thee, just as He was with Moshe.

18 Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not pay heed unto thy devarim in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death; rak chazak (only be strong) and be of good courage.

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