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Joshua 3-9
New American Standard Bible

Israel Crosses the Jordan

3 Then Joshua got up early in the morning; and he and all the sons of Israel set out from (A)Shittim and came to the Jordan, and they spent the night there before they crossed. 2 Then (B)at the end of three days the officers went through the midst of the camp; 3 and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the (C)ark of the covenant of the Lord your God with the Levitical priests carrying it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. 4 However, there shall be a distance between you and it of about [a]two thousand cubits by measurement. Do not come near it, so that you may know the way by which you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.”

5 Then Joshua said to the people, “(D)Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do miracles among you.” 6 And Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over ahead of the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people.

7 Now the Lord said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to (E)exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so that they will know that just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you. 8 So you shall command the priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’” 9 Then Joshua said to the sons of Israel, “Come here, and hear the words of the Lord your God.” 10 And Joshua said, “By this you will know that (F)the living God is among you, and that He will assuredly (G)drive out from you the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, and the Jebusite. 11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of (H)the Lord of all the earth is crossing over ahead of you into the Jordan. 12 Now then, (I)take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe. 13 And it will come about when the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off, that is, the waters which are [b]flowing down from above; and they will (J)stand in one heap.”

14 So when the people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan, with the priests carrying (K)the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and when those who were carrying the ark came up to the Jordan and the feet of the priests carrying the ark [c]stepped down into the edge of the water (for the (L)Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest), 16 then (M)the waters which were [d]flowing down from above stood and rose up in (N)one heap, a great distance away at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those which were [e]flowing down toward the sea of the (O)Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. So the people crossed opposite Jericho. 17 And the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm (P)on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan.

Memorial Stones from the Jordan

4 Now when the entire nation had finished crossing the (Q)Jordan, the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 “(R)Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe, 3 and command them, saying, ‘Take up for yourselves twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet are standing firmly, and carry them over with you and lay them down in (S)the encampment where you will spend the night.’” 4 So Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the sons of Israel, one man from each tribe; 5 and Joshua said to them, “[f]Cross again to the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel. 6 [g]This shall be a sign among you; (T)when your children ask [h]later, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ 7 then you shall say to them, ‘That the (U)waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.’ So these stones shall become a (V)memorial to the sons of Israel forever.”

8 So the sons of Israel did exactly as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, just as the Lord spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel; and they carried them over with them to (W)the encampment and put them down there. 9 Then Joshua set up twelve (X)stones in the middle of the Jordan at the place where the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing, and they are there to this day. 10 For the priests who carried the ark were standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything was completed that the Lord had commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. And the people hurried and crossed; 11 and when all the people had finished crossing, then the ark of the Lord and the priests crossed in front of the people. 12 (Y)The sons of Reuben, the sons of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over in battle formation before the sons of Israel, just as Moses had spoken to them; 13 about forty thousand equipped for war, crossed for battle before the Lord to the desert plains of Jericho.

14 (Z)On that day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, so that they [i]revered him, just as they had [j]revered Moses all the days of his life.

15 Now the Lord said to [k]Joshua, 16 “Command the priests who carry (AA)the ark of the testimony that they come up from the Jordan.” 17 So Joshua commanded the priests, saying, “Come up from the Jordan.” 18 It came about when the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord had come up from the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were [l]lifted up to the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks as before.

19 Now the people came up from the Jordan on the (AB)tenth of the first month and camped at Gilgal, on the eastern edge of Jericho. 20 As for [m](AC)those twelve stones which they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set them up (AD)at Gilgal. 21 And he said to the sons of [n]Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ 22 then you shall inform your children, saying, ‘Israel crossed this Jordan on (AE)dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the Lord your God had done to the [o]Red Sea, (AF)which He dried up before us until we had crossed; 24 so that (AG)all the peoples of the earth may know that the (AH)hand of the Lord is mighty, so that you may [p](AI)fear the Lord your God [q]forever.”

Israel Is Circumcised

5 Now it came about when all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the (AJ)Canaanites who were by the sea, (AK)heard how the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the sons of Israel until [r]they had crossed, that their hearts melted, and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the sons of Israel.

2 At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make for yourself (AL)flint knives and circumcise again the sons of Israel the second time.” 3 So Joshua made himself flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at [s]Gibeath-haaraloth. 4 This is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: (AM)all the people who came out of Egypt who were males, all the men of war, died in the wilderness along the way after they came out of Egypt. 5 For all the people who came out were circumcised, but all the people who were born in the wilderness along the way as they came out of Egypt had not been circumcised. 6 For the sons of Israel walked (AN)forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, that is, the men of war who came out of Egypt, [t]perished because they did not listen to the voice of the Lord, (AO)to whom the Lord had sworn that He would not let them see the land which the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 7 So their children whom He raised up in their place, Joshua [u]circumcised; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them along the way.

8 Now when they had finished circumcising all the nation, they remained in their places in the camp until they recovered. 9 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away (AP)the shame of Egypt from you.” So the name of that place is called [v]Gilgal to this day.

10 While the sons of Israel camped at Gilgal (AQ)they celebrated the Passover on the evening of the (AR)fourteenth day of the month on the desert plains of Jericho. 11 Then on the day after the Passover, on [w]that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and roasted grain. 12 And (AS)the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten some of the produce of the land, so that the sons of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate some of the yield of the land of Canaan during that year.

13 Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, he raised his eyes and looked, and behold, (AT)a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” 14 He said, “No; rather I have come now as captain of the army of the Lord.” And Joshua (AU)fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down, and said to him, “What has my lord to say to his servant?” 15 And the captain of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “(AV)Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

The Conquest of Jericho

6 Now Jericho was tightly shut because of the sons of Israel; no one went out and no one came in. 2 But the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have handed Jericho over to you, with (AW)its king and the valiant warriors. 3 And you shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do so for six days. 4 Also seven priests shall carry seven (AX)trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down [x]flat, and the people shall go up, everyone [y]straight ahead.”

6 So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and have seven priests carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark of the Lord.” 7 Then [z]he said to the people, “Go forward and march around the city, and the armed men shall go on ahead of the ark of the Lord.” 8 And it was so, that when Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the Lord went forward and blew the trumpets; and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them. 9 And the armed men went ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and (AY)the rear guard came after the ark, while they continued to blow the trumpets. 10 But Joshua commanded the people, saying, “You shall not shout nor let your voice be heard, nor let a word proceed from your mouth, until the day I tell you, ‘Shout!’ Then you shall shout!” 11 So he had the ark of the Lord [aa]taken around the city, circling it once; then they came into the camp and spent the night in the camp.

12 Now Joshua got up early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13 Then (AZ)the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark of the Lord went on continually, and blew the trumpets; and the armed men went ahead of them, and (BA)the rear guard came after the ark of the Lord, while they continued to blow the trumpets. 14 So the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp; they did the same for six days.

15 Then on the seventh day they got up early at the dawning of the day and marched around the city in the same way seven times; only on that day did they march around the city seven times. 16 And at the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “(BB)Shout! For the Lord has given you the city. 17 But the city shall be (BC)designated for [ab]destruction, it and everything that is in it belongs to the Lord; only Rahab the prostitute [ac]and all who are with her in the house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. 18 But as for you, only keep yourselves from the things designated for destruction, so that you do not covet them and (BD)take some of the designated things, and turn the camp of Israel into something designated for destruction and bring disaster on it. 19 (BE)But all the silver and gold, and articles of bronze and iron are holy to the Lord; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord.” 20 So the people shouted, and [ad]the priests blew the trumpets; and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout, and the (BF)wall fell down [ae]flat, so that the people went up into the city, everyone straight [af]ahead, and they took the city. 21 (BG)They [ag]utterly destroyed everything in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, sheep, and donkey, with the edge of the sword.

22 And Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “(BH)Go into the prostitute’s house and bring the woman and all she has out of there, just as you have sworn to her.” 23 So the young men who were spies went in and (BI)brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and all she had; they also brought out all her relatives, and placed them outside the camp of Israel. 24 Then (BJ)they burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver and gold, and the articles of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the [ah]house of the Lord. 25 However, (BK)Rahab the prostitute and her father’s household and all she had, Joshua [ai]spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, because (BL)she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

26 Then Joshua made them take an oath at that time, saying, “(BM)Cursed before the Lord is the man who rises up and builds this city Jericho; with the loss of his firstborn he will lay its foundation, and with the loss of his youngest son he will set up its gates.” 27 So (BN)the Lord was with Joshua, and his (BO)fame was in all the land.

Israel Is Defeated at Ai

7 (BP)But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully regarding the things designated for destruction, for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, took some of the designated things; therefore the anger of the Lord burned against the sons of Israel.

2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near (BQ)Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “[aj]Go up and spy out the land.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. 3 Then they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not have all the people go up; have only about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai; do not trouble all the people there, for they are few.” 4 So about three thousand men from the people went up there, but (BR)they fled [ak]from the men of Ai. 5 And the men of Ai struck and killed about thirty-six of their men, and pursued them [al]from the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them on the mountainside; and the (BS)hearts of the people melted and became like water.

6 Then Joshua (BT)tore his clothes and fell to the ground on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, both he and the elders of Israel; and (BU)they put dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Oh, Lord [am]God! Why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan, only to hand us over to the Amorites, to eliminate us? If only we had been willing [an]to live beyond the Jordan! 8 O Lord, what can I say since Israel has turned their [ao]back before their enemies? 9 (BV)For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear about it, and they will surround us and eliminate our name from the earth. And what will You do for Your great name?”

10 So the Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! Why is it that you have fallen on your face? 11 Israel has sinned, and (BW)they have also violated My covenant which I commanded them. And they have even taken some of the things designated for destruction, and have both stolen and kept it a secret. Furthermore, they have also put them among their own things. 12 Therefore the (BX)sons of Israel cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their [ap]backs before their enemies, because they have become designated for destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you eliminate from your midst the things designated for destruction. 13 Stand up! (BY)Consecrate the people and say, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, because the Lord, the God of Israel, has said this: “(BZ)There are things designated for destruction in your midst, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you have removed the designated things from your midst.” 14 So in the morning you shall come forward by your tribes. And it shall be that the tribe which (CA)the Lord selects by lot shall come forward by families, and the family which the Lord selects shall come forward by households, and the household which the Lord selects shall come forward man by man. 15 And (CB)it shall be that the one who is selected with the things designated for destruction shall be burned with fire, he and all that belongs to him, because he has violated the covenant of the Lord, and because he (CC)has committed a disgraceful thing in Israel.’”

The Sin of Achan

16 So Joshua got up early in the morning and brought Israel forward by [aq]tribes, and the tribe of Judah was selected. 17 So he brought the family of Judah forward, and he selected the family of the Zerahites; then he brought the family of the Zerahites forward man by man, and Zabdi was selected. 18 And he brought his household forward man by man; and (CD)Achan, son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, was selected. 19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, I implore you, (CE)give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and give praise to Him; and tell me now what you have done. Do not hide it from me.” 20 So Achan answered Joshua and said, “Truly, I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel, and [ar]this is what I did: 21 when I saw among the spoils a beautiful robe from Shinar, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold fifty shekels in weight, then I (CF)wanted them and took them; and behold, they are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”

22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was hidden in his tent with the silver underneath it. 23 So they took them from inside the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the sons of Israel; and they [as]laid them out before the Lord. 24 Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, his daughters, his [at]oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that belonged to him; and they brought them up to (CG)the Valley of [au]Achor. 25 And Joshua said, “Why have you (CH)brought disaster on us? The Lord will bring disaster on you this day.” And all Israel stoned [av]them with stones; and they burned them with fire [aw]after they had stoned them with stones. 26 Then they erected over him a large heap of stones that stands to this day, and the Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called (CI)the Valley of [ax]Achor to this day.

The Conquest of Ai

8 Now the Lord said to Joshua, “(CJ)Do not fear or be dismayed. Take all the people of war with you. Arise, go up to Ai; see, (CK)I have handed over to you the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land. 2 You shall do to Ai and its king just as you did to Jericho and its king; you shall (CL)take only its spoils and its cattle as plunder for yourselves. [ay]Set an ambush for the city behind it.”

3 So Joshua rose up with all the people of war to go up to Ai; and Joshua chose thirty thousand men, valiant warriors, and sent them out at night. 4 He commanded them, saying, “See, you are (CM)going to ambush the city from behind [az]it. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready. 5 Then I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. And when they come out to meet us as they did the first time, (CN)we will flee before them. 6 They will come out after us until we have lured them away from the city, for they will say, ‘They are fleeing before us just as they did the first time.’ So we will flee before them. 7 Then you shall rise from your ambush and take possession of the city, for the Lord your God will hand it over to you. 8 Then it will be when you have seized the city, that you shall set the city on fire. You shall do it (CO)in accordance with the word of the Lord. See, I have commanded you.” 9 So Joshua sent them away, and they went to the place of ambush and remained between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai; but Joshua spent that night among the people.

10 Now Joshua (CP)got up early in the morning and mustered the people, and he went up with the elders of Israel before the people to Ai. 11 Then all the people of war who were with him went up and approached, and arrived in front of the city; and they camped on the north side of Ai. And there was a valley between him and Ai. 12 Then he took about five thousand men and set them in ambush between (CQ)Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the [ba]city. 13 So they stationed the people, all the army that was on the north side of the city, and its rear guard on the west side of the city, and Joshua spent that night in the midst of the valley. 14 And it came about, when the king of Ai saw them, that the men of the city hurried and got up early, and went out to meet Israel in battle, he and all his people at the appointed place before the desert plain. But he did not know that there was an ambush against him behind the city. 15 Then Joshua and all Israel [bb]pretended to be defeated before them, and fled (CR)by the way of the wilderness. 16 And all the people who were in the city were called together to pursue them, and they pursued Joshua and (CS)were lured away from the city. 17 So not a man was left in Ai or Bethel, [bc]but they had all gone out after Israel, and they left the city [bd]unguarded and pursued Israel.

18 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “(CT)Reach out with the sword that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will hand it over to you.” So Joshua reached out with the sword that was in his hand toward the city. 19 Then the men in ambush rose quickly from their place, and when he had reached out with his hand, they ran and entered the city and captured it, and they quickly set the city on fire. 20 When the men of Ai turned [be]back and looked, behold, the smoke of the city ascended to the sky, and they had no place to flee this way or that, for the people who had been fleeing to the wilderness turned against the pursuers. 21 When Joshua and all Israel saw that the men in ambush had captured the city and that the smoke of the city ascended, they turned back and [bf]killed the men of Ai. 22 [bg]The others came out from the city to confront them, so that they were trapped in the midst of Israel, [bh]some on this side and some on that side; and they [bi]killed them until there was not (CU)one [bj]left who escaped or survived. 23 But they captured the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.

24 Now when Israel had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the field in the wilderness where they pursued them, and all of them had fallen by the edge of the sword until they were destroyed, then all Israel returned to Ai and struck it with the edge of the sword. 25 So (CV)all who fell that day, both men and women, were twelve thousand—all the [bk]people of Ai. 26 For Joshua (CW)did not withdraw his hand with which he reached out with the sword until he had [bl]utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. 27 (CX)Israel took only the cattle and the spoils of that city as plunder for themselves, in accordance with the word of the Lord which He had commanded Joshua. 28 So Joshua burned Ai and made it (CY)a refuse heap forever, a desolation until this day. 29 And (CZ)he hanged the king of Ai on [bm]a tree until evening; but at sunset Joshua gave the command and they took his body down from [bn]the tree and threw it at the entrance of the city gate, and erected over it a large heap of stones that stands to this day.

30 Then Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, on (DA)Mount Ebal, 31 just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the sons of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, (DB)an altar of uncut stones on which no one had wielded an iron tool; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, and sacrificed peace offerings. 32 And he (DC)wrote there on the stones a copy of the Law of Moses, which [bo]he had written, in the presence of the sons of Israel. 33 (DD)And all Israel with their elders, officers, and their judges were standing on both sides of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, the stranger as well as the native. Half of them stood in front of (DE)Mount Gerizim, and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded at first to bless the people of Israel. 34 Then afterward he read all the words of the Law, the blessing and the curse, according to everything that is written in (DF)the Book of the Law. 35 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel (DG)with the women, the little ones, and the strangers who were [bp]living among them.

Deception by the Gibeonites

9 Now it came about when (DH)all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country, the lowland, and on all the (DI)coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, (DJ)the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard about it, 2 that they met together with (DK)one [bq]purpose, to fight with Joshua and with Israel.

3 The inhabitants of (DL)Gibeon also heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, 4 but they on their part acted craftily and went and took provisions for a journey, and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins that were worn out, split open, and patched, 5 and worn-out and patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and had become crumbled. 6 And they went to Joshua at the (DM)camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country; now then, make a covenant with us.” 7 But the men of Israel said to the (DN)Hivites, “Perhaps you are living [br]within our land; (DO)how then are we to make a covenant with you?” 8 So they said to Joshua, “(DP)We are your servants.” Then Joshua said to them, “Who are you and where do you come from?” 9 They said to him, “Your servants have come from (DQ)a very distant country because of the [bs]fame of the Lord your God; for (DR)we have heard the report about Him and all that He did in Egypt, 10 and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan who was in Ashtaroth. 11 So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, “(DS)We are your servants; now then, make a covenant with us.”’ 12 This bread of ours was hot when we took it for our provisions from our houses on the day that we left to come to you; but now behold, it is dry and has become crumbled. 13 And these wineskins which we filled were new, and behold, they are split open; and these clothes of ours and our sandals are worn out from the very long journey.” 14 So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and (DT)did not ask for the [bt]counsel of the Lord. 15 And (DU)Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live; and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.

16 However, it came about at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were neighbors and that they were living [bu]within their land. 17 Then the sons of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were (DV)Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. 18 But the sons of Israel did not [bv]attack them because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders. 19 But all the leaders said to the whole congregation, “We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them. 20 This we will do to them, even let them live, so that wrath will not be on us because of the oath which we swore to them.” 21 So the leaders said to them, “Let them live.” And they became (DW)gatherers of firewood and [bw]labor to draw water for the whole congregation, just as the leaders had spoken to them.

22 Then Joshua called for them and spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ (DX)when you are living [bx]within our land? 23 Now therefore, you are (DY)cursed, and [by]you will never cease to be slaves, both gatherers of firewood and [bz]labor to draw water for the house of my God.” 24 So they answered Joshua and said, “(DZ)Since your servants were fully informed that the Lord your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you, we feared greatly for our lives because of you, and did this thing. 25 And now behold, (EA)we are in your hands; do to us as it seems good and right in your sight to do.” 26 This he did to them, and saved them from the hands of the sons of Israel, and they did not kill them. 27 But on that day Joshua made them gatherers of firewood and [ca]labor to draw water for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord, to this day, (EB)in the place which He would choose.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 3:4 About 3,000 ft. or 914 m
  2. Joshua 3:13 Lit going
  3. Joshua 3:15 Lit were dipped in
  4. Joshua 3:16 Lit going
  5. Joshua 3:16 Lit going
  6. Joshua 4:5 Lit Cross before the ark
  7. Joshua 4:6 Lit So that this may be
  8. Joshua 4:6 Lit tomorrow
  9. Joshua 4:14 Or feared
  10. Joshua 4:14 Or feared
  11. Joshua 4:15 Lit Joshua, saying
  12. Joshua 4:18 Lit drawn out
  13. Joshua 4:20 Lit these
  14. Joshua 4:21 Lit Israel, saying,
  15. Joshua 4:23 Lit Sea of Reeds
  16. Joshua 4:24 Or revere
  17. Joshua 4:24 Lit all the days
  18. Joshua 5:1 Other mss we
  19. Joshua 5:3 I.e., the hill of the foreskins
  20. Joshua 5:6 Lit were finished
  21. Joshua 5:7 Lit circumcised them
  22. Joshua 5:9 I.e., wheel, or stone circle
  23. Joshua 5:11 Lit this
  24. Joshua 6:5 Lit in its place
  25. Joshua 6:5 Lit before himself
  26. Joshua 6:7 Another reading is they
  27. Joshua 6:11 Lit to go around
  28. Joshua 6:17 I.e., as an offering to God
  29. Joshua 6:17 Lit she and all
  30. Joshua 6:20 Lit they
  31. Joshua 6:20 Lit in its place
  32. Joshua 6:20 Lit before himself
  33. Joshua 6:21 Or put under the ban
  34. Joshua 6:24 I.e., tabernacle
  35. Joshua 6:25 Lit let live
  36. Joshua 7:2 Lit saying, Go
  37. Joshua 7:4 Lit before
  38. Joshua 7:5 Lit before
  39. Joshua 7:7 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  40. Joshua 7:7 Lit and had lived
  41. Joshua 7:8 Lit neck
  42. Joshua 7:12 Lit necks
  43. Joshua 7:16 Lit its tribes
  44. Joshua 7:20 Lit thus and thus I did
  45. Joshua 7:23 Lit emptied
  46. Joshua 7:24 Or cattle
  47. Joshua 7:24 I.e., disaster
  48. Joshua 7:25 Lit him
  49. Joshua 7:25 Lit and they stoned
  50. Joshua 7:26 I.e., disaster
  51. Joshua 8:2 Lit Set for yourself
  52. Joshua 8:4 Lit the city
  53. Joshua 8:12 I.e., Ai
  54. Joshua 8:15 Lit reversed before
  55. Joshua 8:17 Lit who had not gone
  56. Joshua 8:17 Lit open
  57. Joshua 8:20 Lit behind them
  58. Joshua 8:21 Lit struck
  59. Joshua 8:22 Lit These came
  60. Joshua 8:22 Lit these...these
  61. Joshua 8:22 Lit struck
  62. Joshua 8:22 Lit left to it one
  63. Joshua 8:25 Lit men
  64. Joshua 8:26 Lit put under the ban
  65. Joshua 8:29 Lit the wood
  66. Joshua 8:29 Lit the wood
  67. Joshua 8:32 I.e., Moses
  68. Joshua 8:35 Lit walking
  69. Joshua 9:2 Lit mouth
  70. Joshua 9:7 Lit among us
  71. Joshua 9:9 Or name
  72. Joshua 9:14 Lit mouth
  73. Joshua 9:16 Lit in the middle of it
  74. Joshua 9:18 Lit strike
  75. Joshua 9:21 Lit people drawing
  76. Joshua 9:22 Lit among us
  77. Joshua 9:23 Lit a servant will not be cut off from you
  78. Joshua 9:23 Lit people drawing
  79. Joshua 9:27 Lit people drawing
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Joshua 3-9
New International Version

Crossing the Jordan

3 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim(A) and went to the Jordan,(B) where they camped before crossing over. 2 After three days(C) the officers(D) went throughout the camp,(E) 3 giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant(F) of the Lord your God, and the Levitical(G) priests(H) carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. 4 Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits[a](I) between you and the ark; do not go near it.”

5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves,(J) for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things(K) among you.”

6 Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them.

7 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you(L) in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.(M) 8 Tell the priests(N) who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’”

9 Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. 10 This is how you will know that the living God(O) is among you(P) and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites,(Q) Hivites, Perizzites,(R) Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites.(S) 11 See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth(T) will go into the Jordan ahead of you.(U) 12 Now then, choose twelve men(V) from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. 13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth(W)—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream(X) will be cut off(Y) and stand up in a heap.(Z)”

14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant(AA) went ahead(AB) of them. 15 Now the Jordan(AC) is at flood stage(AD) all during harvest.(AE) Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing.(AF) It piled up in a heap(AG) a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan,(AH) while the water flowing down(AI) to the Sea of the Arabah(AJ) (that is, the Dead Sea(AK)) was completely cut off.(AL) So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.(AM) 17 The priests(AN) who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground,(AO) while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.(AP)

4 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan,(AQ) the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Choose twelve men(AR) from among the people, one from each tribe, 3 and tell them to take up twelve stones(AS) from the middle of the Jordan,(AT) from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.(AU)”

4 So Joshua called together the twelve men(AV) he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, 5 and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan.(AW) Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, 6 to serve as a sign(AX) among you. In the future, when your children(AY) ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’(AZ) 7 tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off(BA) before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial(BB) to the people of Israel forever.”

8 So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones(BC) from the middle of the Jordan,(BD) according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the Lord had told Joshua;(BE) and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. 9 Joshua set up the twelve stones(BF) that had been[b] in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day.(BG)

10 Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the Lord had commanded Joshua was done by the people, just as Moses had directed Joshua. The people hurried over, 11 and as soon as all of them had crossed, the ark of the Lord and the priests came to the other side while the people watched. 12 The men of Reuben,(BH) Gad(BI) and the half-tribe of Manasseh(BJ) crossed over, ready for battle, in front of the Israelites,(BK) as Moses had directed them.(BL) 13 About forty thousand armed for battle(BM) crossed over(BN) before the Lord to the plains of Jericho for war.

14 That day the Lord exalted(BO) Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they stood in awe of him all the days of his life, just as they had stood in awe of Moses.

15 Then the Lord said to Joshua, 16 “Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant law(BP) to come up out of the Jordan.”

17 So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.”

18 And the priests came up out of the river carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord. No sooner had they set their feet on the dry ground than the waters of the Jordan returned to their place(BQ) and ran at flood stage(BR) as before.

19 On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal(BS) on the eastern border of Jericho. 20 And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones(BT) they had taken out of the Jordan. 21 He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’(BU) 22 tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’(BV) 23 For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea[c] when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over.(BW) 24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know(BX) that the hand of the Lord is powerful(BY) and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.(BZ)”

5 Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast(CA) heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until they[d] had crossed over, their hearts melted in fear(CB) 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(CC) and circumcise(CD) the Israelites again.” 3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth.[e]

4 Now this is why he did so: All those who came out of Egypt—all the men of military age(CE)—died in the wilderness on the way after leaving Egypt.(CF) 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(CG) forty years(CH) 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,(CI) a land flowing with milk and honey.(CJ) 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.(CK)

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[f](CL) to this day.

10 On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month,(CM) while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover.(CN) 11 The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land:(CO) unleavened bread(CP) and roasted grain.(CQ) 12 The manna stopped the day after[g] 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.(CR)

The Fall of Jericho

13 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man(CS) standing in front of him with a drawn sword(CT) 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(CU) to the ground(CV) in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord[h] 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.”(CW) And Joshua did so.

6 Now the gates of Jericho(CX) 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(CY) 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(CZ) in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets.(DA) 5 When you hear them sound a long blast(DB) on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout;(DC) 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.”(DD) 7 And he ordered the army, “Advance(DE)! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark(DF) 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(DG) 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!(DH)” 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.(DI) 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!(DJ) 17 The city and all that is in it are to be devoted[i](DK) to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute(DL) and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid(DM) the spies we sent. 18 But keep away from the devoted things,(DN) 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(DO) and bring trouble(DP) on it. 19 All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron(DQ) are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.”

20 When the trumpets sounded,(DR) the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout,(DS) the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.(DT) 21 They devoted(DU) the city to the Lord and destroyed(DV) 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(DW) who had spied out(DX) 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.(DY)” 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.(DZ) They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel.

24 Then they burned the whole city(EA) and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron(EB) into the treasury of the Lord’s house.(EC) 25 But Joshua spared(ED) Rahab the prostitute,(EE) with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho(EF)—and she lives among the Israelites to this day.

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

“At the cost of his firstborn son
    he will lay its foundations;
at the cost of his youngest
    he will set up its gates.”(EI)

27 So the Lord was with Joshua,(EJ) and his fame spread(EK) throughout the land.

Achan’s Sin

7 But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things[j];(EL) Achan(EM) son of Karmi, the son of Zimri,[k] the son of Zerah,(EN) of the tribe of Judah,(EO) took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned(EP) against Israel.(EQ)

2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai,(ER) which is near Beth Aven(ES) to the east of Bethel,(ET) and told them, “Go up and spy out(EU) the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.

3 When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.” 4 So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai,(EV) 5 who killed about thirty-six(EW) of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear(EX) and became like water.

6 Then Joshua tore his clothes(EY) and fell facedown(EZ) to the ground before the ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening.(FA) The elders of Israel(FB) did the same, and sprinkled dust(FC) on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord, why(FD) did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us?(FE) If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! 8 Pardon your servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? 9 The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth.(FF) What then will you do for your own great name?(FG)”

10 The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? 11 Israel has sinned;(FH) they have violated my covenant,(FI) which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied,(FJ) they have put them with their own possessions.(FK) 12 That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies;(FL) they turn their backs(FM) and run(FN) because they have been made liable to destruction.(FO) I will not be with you anymore(FP) unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.

13 “Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselves(FQ) in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There are devoted things among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.

14 “‘In the morning, present(FR) yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe the Lord chooses(FS) shall come forward clan by clan; the clan the Lord chooses shall come forward family by family; and the family the Lord chooses shall come forward man by man. 15 Whoever is caught with the devoted things(FT) shall be destroyed by fire,(FU) along with all that belongs to him.(FV) He has violated the covenant(FW) of the Lord and has done an outrageous thing in Israel!’”(FX)

16 Early the next morning Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes, and Judah was chosen. 17 The clans of Judah came forward, and the Zerahites were chosen.(FY) He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward by families, and Zimri was chosen. 18 Joshua had his family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah,(FZ) was chosen.(GA)

19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory(GB) to the Lord, the God of Israel, and honor him. Tell(GC) me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”

20 Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: 21 When I saw in the plunder(GD) a beautiful robe from Babylonia,[l] two hundred shekels[m] of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels,[n] I coveted(GE) them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”

22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. 23 They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the Lord.

24 Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold bar, his sons(GF) and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor.(GG) 25 Joshua said, “Why have you brought this trouble(GH) on us? The Lord will bring trouble on you today.”

Then all Israel stoned him,(GI) and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them.(GJ) 26 Over Achan they heaped(GK) up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day.(GL) Then the Lord turned from his fierce anger.(GM) Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor[o](GN) ever since.

Ai Destroyed

8 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid;(GO) do not be discouraged.(GP) Take the whole army(GQ) with you, and go up and attack Ai.(GR) For I have delivered(GS) into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land. 2 You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder(GT) and livestock for yourselves.(GU) Set an ambush(GV) behind the city.”

3 So Joshua and the whole army moved out to attack Ai. He chose thirty thousand of his best fighting men and sent them out at night 4 with these orders: “Listen carefully. You are to set an ambush behind the city. Don’t go very far from it. All of you be on the alert. 5 I and all those with me will advance on the city, and when the men come out against us, as they did before, we will flee from them. 6 They will pursue us until we have lured them away from the city, for they will say, ‘They are running away from us as they did before.’ So when we flee from them, 7 you are to rise up from ambush and take the city. The Lord your God will give it into your hand.(GW) 8 When you have taken the city, set it on fire.(GX) Do what the Lord has commanded.(GY) See to it; you have my orders.”

9 Then Joshua sent them off, and they went to the place of ambush(GZ) and lay in wait between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai—but Joshua spent that night with the people.

10 Early the next morning(HA) Joshua mustered his army, and he and the leaders of Israel(HB) marched before them to Ai. 11 The entire force that was with him marched up and approached the city and arrived in front of it. They set up camp north of Ai, with the valley between them and the city. 12 Joshua had taken about five thousand men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the city. 13 So the soldiers took up their positions—with the main camp to the north of the city and the ambush to the west of it. That night Joshua went into the valley.

14 When the king of Ai saw this, he and all the men of the city hurried out early in the morning to meet Israel in battle at a certain place overlooking the Arabah.(HC) But he did not know(HD) that an ambush had been set against him behind the city. 15 Joshua and all Israel let themselves be driven back(HE) before them, and they fled toward the wilderness.(HF) 16 All the men of Ai were called to pursue them, and they pursued Joshua and were lured away(HG) from the city. 17 Not a man remained in Ai or Bethel who did not go after Israel. They left the city open and went in pursuit of Israel.

18 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Hold out toward Ai the javelin(HH) that is in your hand,(HI) for into your hand I will deliver the city.” So Joshua held out toward the city the javelin that was in his hand.(HJ) 19 As soon as he did this, the men in the ambush rose quickly(HK) from their position and rushed forward. They entered the city and captured it and quickly set it on fire.(HL)

20 The men of Ai looked back and saw the smoke of the city rising up into the sky,(HM) but they had no chance to escape in any direction; the Israelites who had been fleeing toward the wilderness had turned back against their pursuers. 21 For when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city and that smoke was going up from it, they turned around(HN) and attacked the men of Ai. 22 Those in the ambush also came out of the city against them, so that they were caught in the middle, with Israelites on both sides. Israel cut them down, leaving them neither survivors nor fugitives.(HO) 23 But they took the king of Ai alive(HP) and brought him to Joshua.

24 When Israel had finished killing all the men of Ai in the fields and in the wilderness where they had chased them, and when every one of them had been put to the sword, all the Israelites returned to Ai and killed those who were in it. 25 Twelve thousand men and women fell that day—all the people of Ai.(HQ) 26 For Joshua did not draw back the hand that held out his javelin(HR) until he had destroyed[p](HS) all who lived in Ai.(HT) 27 But Israel did carry off for themselves the livestock and plunder of this city, as the Lord had instructed Joshua.(HU)

28 So Joshua burned(HV) Ai[q](HW) and made it a permanent heap of ruins,(HX) a desolate place to this day.(HY) 29 He impaled the body of the king of Ai on a pole and left it there until evening. At sunset,(HZ) Joshua ordered them to take the body from the pole and throw it down at the entrance of the city gate. And they raised a large pile of rocks(IA) over it, which remains to this day.

The Covenant Renewed at Mount Ebal

30 Then Joshua built on Mount Ebal(IB) an altar(IC) to the Lord, the God of Israel, 31 as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses—an altar of uncut stones, on which no iron tool(ID) had been used. On it they offered to the Lord burnt offerings and sacrificed fellowship offerings.(IE) 32 There, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua wrote on stones a copy of the law of Moses.(IF) 33 All the Israelites, with their elders, officials and judges, were standing on both sides of the ark of the covenant of the Lord, facing the Levitical(IG) priests who carried it. Both the foreigners living among them and the native-born(IH) were there. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal,(II) as Moses the servant of the Lord had formerly commanded when he gave instructions to bless the people of Israel.

34 Afterward, Joshua read all the words of the law—the blessings and the curses—just as it is written in the Book of the Law.(IJ) 35 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the foreigners who lived among them.(IK)

The Gibeonite Deception

9 Now when all the kings west of the Jordan heard about these things—the kings in the hill country,(IL) in the western foothills, and along the entire coast of the Mediterranean Sea(IM) as far as Lebanon(IN) (the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites,(IO) Hivites(IP) and Jebusites)(IQ)— 2 they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.

3 However, when the people of Gibeon(IR) heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,(IS) 4 they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded[r] with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. 5 They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. 6 Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal(IT) and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country;(IU) make a treaty(IV) with us.”

7 The Israelites said to the Hivites,(IW) “But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treaty(IX) with you?”

8 “We are your servants,(IY)” they said to Joshua.

But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?”

9 They answered: “Your servants have come from a very distant country(IZ) because of the fame of the Lord your God. For we have heard reports(JA) of him: all that he did in Egypt,(JB) 10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon,(JC) and Og king of Bashan,(JD) who reigned in Ashtaroth.(JE) 11 And our elders and all those living in our country said to us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, “We are your servants; make a treaty with us.”’ 12 This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is. 13 And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long journey.”

14 The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire(JF) of the Lord. 15 Then Joshua made a treaty of peace(JG) with them to let them live,(JH) and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.

16 Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near(JI) them. 17 So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth(JJ) and Kiriath Jearim.(JK) 18 But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath(JL) to them by the Lord, the God of Israel.

The whole assembly grumbled(JM) against the leaders, 19 but all the leaders answered, “We have given them our oath by the Lord, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now. 20 This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that God’s wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath(JN) we swore to them.” 21 They continued, “Let them live,(JO) but let them be woodcutters and water carriers(JP) in the service of the whole assembly.” So the leaders’ promise to them was kept.

22 Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by saying, ‘We live a long way(JQ) from you,’ while actually you live near(JR) us? 23 You are now under a curse:(JS) You will never be released from service as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”

24 They answered Joshua, “Your servants were clearly told(JT) how the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this. 25 We are now in your hands.(JU) Do to us whatever seems good and right(JV) to you.”

26 So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them. 27 That day he made the Gibeonites(JW) woodcutters and water carriers(JX) for the assembly, to provide for the needs of the altar of the Lord at the place the Lord would choose.(JY) And that is what they are to this day.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 3:4 That is, about 3,000 feet or about 900 meters
  2. Joshua 4:9 Or Joshua also set up twelve stones
  3. Joshua 4:23 Or the Sea of Reeds
  4. Joshua 5:1 Another textual tradition we
  5. Joshua 5:3 Gibeath Haaraloth means the hill of foreskins.
  6. Joshua 5:9 Gilgal sounds like the Hebrew for roll.
  7. Joshua 5:12 Or the day
  8. Joshua 5:14 Or lord
  9. Joshua 6:17 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verses 18 and 21.
  10. Joshua 7:1 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verses 11, 12, 13 and 15.
  11. Joshua 7:1 See Septuagint and 1 Chron. 2:6; Hebrew Zabdi; also in verses 17 and 18.
  12. Joshua 7:21 Hebrew Shinar
  13. Joshua 7:21 That is, about 5 pounds or about 2.3 kilograms
  14. Joshua 7:21 That is, about 1 1/4 pounds or about 575 grams
  15. Joshua 7:26 Achor means trouble.
  16. Joshua 8:26 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
  17. Joshua 8:28 Ai means the ruin.
  18. Joshua 9:4 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac (see also Septuagint) They prepared provisions and loaded their donkeys
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