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)

Spies Sent to Jericho

2 Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two men as spies^(X) from the Acacia Grove,^[g] saying, “Go and scout the land, especially Jericho.” So they left, and they came to the house of a woman, a prostitute named Rahab,^(Y) and stayed there.

² The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelite men have come here tonight to investigate the land.” ³ Then the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab and said, “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, for they came to investigate the entire land.”

⁴ But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them.^(Z) So she said, “Yes, the men did come to me, but I didn’t know where they were from. ⁵ At nightfall, when the gate was about to close, the men went out, and I don’t know where they were going. Chase after them quickly, and you can catch up with them!” ⁶ But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them^(AA) among the stalks of flax that she had arranged on the roof. ⁷ The men pursued them along the road to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as they left to pursue them, the gate was shut.

The Promise to Rahab

⁸ Before the men fell asleep, she went up on the roof ⁹ and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land^(AB) and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and everyone who lives in the land is panicking because of you.^{[h] 10} For we have heard how the Lord dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt,^(AC) and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings you completely destroyed^(AD) across the Jordan. ¹¹ When we heard this, we lost heart, and everyone’s courage failed^[i] because of you,^(AE) for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below. ¹² Now please swear to me by the Lord that you will also show kindness to my family, because I showed kindness to you.^[j] Give me a sure sign^{[k] 13} that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them, and save us from death.”

¹⁴ The men answered her, “We will give our lives for yours. If you don’t report our mission, we will show kindness and faithfulness to you when the Lord gives us the land.”

¹⁵ Then she let them down by a rope through the window, since she lived in a house that was built into the wall of the city. ¹⁶ “Go to the hill country so that the men pursuing you won’t find you,” she said to them. “Hide yourselves there for three days until they return; afterward, go on your way.”

¹⁷ The men said to her, “We will be free from this oath you made us swear, ¹⁸ unless, when we enter the land, you tie this scarlet cord to the window through which you let us down. Bring your father, mother, brothers, and all your father’s family into your house. ¹⁹ If anyone goes out the doors of your house, his blood will be on his own head,^(AF) and we will be innocent. But if anyone with you in the house should be harmed,^[l] his blood will be on our heads. ²⁰ And if you report our mission, we are free from the oath you made us swear.”

²¹ “Let it be as you say,” she replied, and she sent them away. After they had gone, she tied the scarlet cord to the window.

²² So the two men went into the hill country and stayed there three days until the pursuers had returned. They searched all along the way, but did not find them. ²³ Then the men returned, came down from the hill country, and crossed the Jordan. They went to Joshua son of Nun and reported everything that had happened to them. ²⁴ They told Joshua, “The Lord has handed over the entire land to us. Everyone who lives in the land is also panicking because of us.”^[m]

The Conquest of Jericho

6 Now Jericho was strongly fortified because of the Israelites—no one leaving or entering. ² The Lord said to Joshua, “Look, I have handed Jericho, its king, and its fighting men over to you.^{(A) 3} March around the city with all the men of war, circling the city one time. Do this for six days. ⁴ Have seven priests carry seven ram’s-horn trumpets in front of the ark. But on the seventh day, march around the city seven times, while the priests blow the trumpets.^{(B) 5} When there is a prolonged blast of the horn and you hear its sound, have all the people give a mighty shout. Then the city wall will collapse, and the people will advance, each man straight ahead.”

⁶ So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant and have seven priests carry seven trumpets in front of the ark of the Lord.” ⁷ He said to the people, “Move forward, march around the city, and have the armed troops go ahead of the ark of the Lord.”

⁸ After Joshua had spoken to the people, seven priests carrying seven trumpets before the Lord moved forward and blew the trumpets; the ark of the Lord’s covenant followed them. ⁹ While the trumpets were blowing, the armed troops went in front of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard went behind the ark.^{(C) 10} But Joshua had commanded the people: “Do not shout or let your voice be heard. Don’t let one word come out of your mouth until the time I say, ‘Shout!’ Then you are to shout.” ¹¹ So the ark of the Lord was carried around the city, circling it once. They returned to the camp and spent the night there.^[a]

¹² Joshua got up early the next morning. The priests took the ark of the Lord, ¹³ and the seven priests carrying seven trumpets marched in front of the ark of the Lord. While the trumpets were blowing, the armed troops went in front of them, and the rear guard went behind the ark of the Lord. ¹⁴ On the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

¹⁵ Early on the seventh day, they started at dawn and marched around the city seven times in the same way. That was the only day they marched around the city seven times. ¹⁶ After the seventh time, the priests blew the trumpets, and Joshua said to the people, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city. ¹⁷ But the city and everything in it are set apart to the Lord for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and everyone with her in the house will live,^(D) because she hid the men^[b] we sent. ¹⁸ But keep yourselves from the things set apart, or you will be set apart for destruction. If you^[c] take any of those things, you will set apart the camp of Israel for destruction and bring disaster on it. ¹⁹ For all the silver and gold, and the articles of bronze and iron, are dedicated to the Lord and must go into the Lord’s treasury.”

²⁰ So the people shouted, and the trumpets sounded. When they heard the blast of the trumpet, the people gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed.^(E) The people advanced into the city, each man straight ahead, and they captured the city. ²¹ They completely destroyed^(F) everything in the city with the sword—every man and woman, both young and old, and every ox, sheep, and donkey.

Rahab and Her Family Spared

²² Joshua said to the two men who had scouted the land, “Go to the prostitute’s house and bring the woman out of there, and all who are with her, just as you promised her.”^{(G) 23} So the young men who had scouted went in and brought out Rahab and her father, mother, brothers, and all who belonged to her. They brought out her whole family and settled them outside the camp of Israel.

²⁴ They burned up the city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the Lord’s house. ²⁵ However, Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, her father’s household, and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent to spy on Jericho, and she lives in Israel^(H) to this day.^(I)

²⁶ At that time Joshua imposed this curse:

²⁷ And the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land.

Conquest of Ai

8 The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid or discouraged.^(A) Take the whole military force with you and go attack Ai. Look, I have handed over to you the king of Ai, his people, city, and land.^{(B) 2} Treat Ai and its king as you did Jericho and its king;^(C) you may plunder its spoil and livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the city.”

³ So Joshua and the whole military force set out to attack Ai. Joshua selected 30,000 fighting men and sent them out at night. ⁴ He commanded them: “Pay attention. Lie in ambush behind the city, not too far from it, and all of you be ready.^{(D) 5} Then I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. When they come out against us as they did the first time, we will flee from them. ⁶ They will come after us until we have drawn them away from the city, for they will say, ‘They are fleeing from us as before.’ While we are fleeing from them, ⁷ you are to come out of your ambush and seize the city, for the Lord your God has handed it over to you. ⁸ After taking the city, set it on fire. Follow the Lord’s command—see that you do as I have ordered you.” ⁹ So Joshua sent them out, and they went to the ambush site and waited between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai. But he spent that night with the troops.

¹⁰ Joshua started early the next morning and mobilized them. Then he and the elders of Israel led the troops up to Ai. ¹¹ All those^[a] who were with him went up and approached the city, arriving opposite Ai, and camped to the north of it, with a valley between them and the city. ¹² Now Joshua had taken about 5,000 men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the city. ¹³ The military force was stationed in this way: the main^[b] camp to the north of the city and its rear guard to the west of the city. And that night Joshua went into the valley.

¹⁴ When the king of Ai saw the Israelites, the men of the city hurried and went out early in the morning so that he and all his people could engage Israel in battle at a suitable place facing the Arabah. But he did not know there was an ambush waiting for him behind the city. ¹⁵ Joshua and all Israel pretended to be beaten back by them and fled toward the wilderness. ¹⁶ Then all the troops of Ai were summoned to pursue them, and they pursued Joshua and were drawn away from the city. ¹⁷ Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel, leaving the city exposed while they pursued Israel.

¹⁸ Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Hold out the sword in your hand toward Ai, for I will hand the city over to you.” So Joshua held out his sword toward it. ¹⁹ When he held out his hand, the men in ambush rose quickly from their position. They ran, entered the city, captured it, and immediately set it on fire.

²⁰ The men of Ai turned and looked back, and smoke from the city was rising to the sky! They could not escape in any direction, and the troops who had fled to the wilderness now became the pursuers. ²¹ When Joshua and all Israel saw that the men in ambush had captured the city and that smoke was rising from it, they turned back and struck down the men of Ai. ²² Then men in ambush came out of the city against them, and the men of Ai were trapped between the Israelite forces, some on one side and some on the other. They struck them down until no survivor or fugitive remained, ²³ but they captured the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.

²⁴ When Israel had finished killing everyone living in Ai who had pursued them into the open country, and when every last one of them had fallen by the sword, all Israel returned to Ai and struck it down with the sword. ²⁵ The total of those who fell that day, both men and women, was 12,000—all the people of Ai. ²⁶ Joshua did not draw back his hand that was holding the sword until all the inhabitants of Ai were completely destroyed.^{(E) 27} Israel plundered only the cattle and spoil of that city for themselves, according to the Lord’s command that He had given Joshua.

²⁸ Joshua burned Ai and left it a permanent ruin, desolate to this day.^{(F) 29} He hung^[c] the body of the king of Ai on a tree^[d] until evening, and at sunset Joshua commanded that they take his body down from the tree.^(G) They threw it down at the entrance of the city gate and put a large pile of rocks over it, which remains to this day.

Renewed Commitment to the Law

³⁰ At that time Joshua built an altar on Mount Ebal^(H) to the Lord, the God of Israel, ³¹ just as Moses the Lord’s servant 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 has been used.^(I) Then they offered burnt offerings to the Lord and sacrificed fellowship offerings on it. ³² There on the stones, Joshua copied the law of Moses, which he had written in the presence of the Israelites.^{(J) 33} All Israel, foreigner and citizen alike, with their elders, officers, and judges, stood on either side of the ark of the Lord’s covenant facing the Levitical priests who carried it. As Moses the Lord’s servant had commanded earlier, half of them were in front of Mount Gerizim and half in front of Mount Ebal,^(K) to bless the people of Israel.^{(L) 34} Afterward, Joshua read aloud all the words of the law—the blessings as well as the curses—according to all that is written in the book of the law. ³⁵ There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read before the entire assembly of Israel, including the women, the little children, and the foreigners who were with them.^(M)

The Day the Sun Stood Still

10 Now Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had captured Ai and completely destroyed^(A) it, treating Ai and its king as he had Jericho and its king, and that the inhabitants of Gibeon^(B) had made peace with Israel and were living among them.^{(C) 2} So Adoni-zedek and his people were^[a] greatly alarmed because Gibeon was a large city like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were warriors. ³ Therefore Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent word to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying, ⁴ “Come up and help me. We will attack Gibeon, because they have made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.” ⁵ So the five Amorite kings—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon—joined forces, advanced with all their armies, besieged Gibeon, and fought against it.

⁶ Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: “Don’t abandon^[b] your servants. Come quickly and save us! Help us, for all the Amorite kings living in the hill country have joined forces against us.” ⁷ So Joshua and his whole military force, including all the fighting men, came from Gilgal.^(D)

⁸ The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them,^(E) for I have handed them over to you. Not one of them will be able to stand against you.”

⁹ So Joshua caught them by surprise, after marching all night from Gilgal. ¹⁰ The Lord threw them into confusion^(F) before Israel. He defeated them in a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them through the ascent of Beth-horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. ¹¹ As they fled before Israel, the Lord threw large hailstones on them^(G) from the sky along the descent of Beth-horon all the way to Azekah, and they died. More of them died from the hail than the Israelites killed with the sword.

¹² On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke to the Lord in the presence of Israel:

Isn’t this written in the Book of Jashar?^[c]

¹⁴ There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord listened to the voice of a man, because the Lord fought for Israel.^{(I) 15} Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp at Gilgal.

Execution of the Five Kings

¹⁶ Now the five defeated kings had fled and hidden themselves in the cave at Makkedah. ¹⁷ It was reported to Joshua: “The five kings have been found; they are hiding in the cave at Makkedah.”

¹⁸ Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and station men by it to guard the kings. ¹⁹ But as for the rest of you, don’t stay there. Pursue your enemies and attack them from behind. Don’t let them enter their cities, for the Lord your God has handed them over to you.” ²⁰ So Joshua and the Israelites finished inflicting a terrible slaughter on them until they were destroyed, although a few survivors ran away to the fortified cities. ²¹ The people returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. And no one dared to threaten^[d] the Israelites.

²² Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave, and bring those five kings to me out of there.” ²³ That is what they did. They brought the five kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon to Joshua out of the cave. ²⁴ When they had brought the kings to him, Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the military commanders who had accompanied him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So the commanders came forward and put their feet on their necks. ²⁵ Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. Be strong and courageous,^(J) for the Lord will do this to all the enemies you fight.”

²⁶ After this, Joshua struck them down and executed them. He hung^[e] their bodies on five trees^[f] and they were there until evening.^{(K) 27} At sunset Joshua commanded that they be taken down from the trees^[g](L) and thrown into the cave where they had hidden. Then large stones were placed against the mouth of the cave, and the stones are there to this day.^(M)

Conquest of Southern Cities

²⁸ On that day Joshua captured Makkedah and struck it down with the sword, including its king. He completely destroyed it^[h] and everyone in it, leaving no survivors. So he treated the king of Makkedah as he had the king of Jericho.^(N)

²⁹ Joshua and all Israel with him crossed from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against Libnah.^{(O) 30} The Lord also handed it and its king over to Israel. He struck it down, putting everyone in it to the sword, and left no survivors in it. He treated Libnah’s king as he had the king of Jericho.

³¹ From Libnah, Joshua and all Israel with him crossed to Lachish. They laid siege to it and attacked it. ³² The Lord handed Lachish over to Israel, and Joshua captured it on the second day. He struck it down, putting everyone in it to the sword, just as he had done to Libnah. ³³ At that time Horam king of Gezer went to help Lachish,^(P) but Joshua struck him down along with his people, leaving no survivors in it.

³⁴ Then Joshua crossed from Lachish to Eglon and all Israel with him. They laid siege to it and attacked it. ³⁵ On that day they captured it and struck it down, putting everyone in it to the sword. He completely destroyed it that day, just as he had done to Lachish.

³⁶ Next, Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron^(Q) and attacked it. ³⁷ They captured it and struck down its king, all its villages, and everyone in it with the sword. He left no survivors, just as he had done at Eglon. He completely destroyed Hebron and everyone in it.

³⁸ Finally, Joshua turned toward Debir^(R) and attacked it. And all Israel was with him. ³⁹ He captured it—its king and all its villages. They struck them down with the sword and completely destroyed everyone in it, leaving no survivors. He treated Debir and its king as he had treated Hebron and as he had treated Libnah and its king.

⁴⁰ So Joshua conquered the whole region—the hill country, the Negev, the Judean foothills,^[i] and the slopes—with all their kings, leaving no survivors. He completely destroyed every living being, as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded.^{(S) 41} Joshua conquered everyone from Kadesh-barnea to Gaza, and all the land of Goshen^(T) as far as Gibeon. ⁴² Joshua captured all these kings and their land in one campaign,^[j] because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel. ⁴³ Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

Conquest of Northern Cities

11 When Jabin king of Hazor heard this news, he sent a message to:

⁴ They went out with all their armies—a multitude as numerous as the sand on the seashore—along with a vast number of horses and chariots. ⁵ All these kings joined forces; they came together and camped at the waters of Merom to attack Israel.^(W)

⁶ The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for at this time tomorrow I will cause all of them to be killed before Israel.^(X) You are to hamstring their horses and burn up their chariots.”^{(Y) 7} So Joshua and his whole military force surprised them at the waters of Merom and attacked them. ⁸ The Lord handed them over to Israel, and they struck them down, pursuing them as far as Great Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and to the east as far as the Valley of Mizpeh.^[m](Z) They struck them down, leaving no survivors. ⁹ Joshua treated them as the Lord had told him; he hamstrung their horses and burned up their chariots.

¹⁰ At that time Joshua turned back, captured Hazor, and struck down its king with the sword, because Hazor had formerly been the leader of all these kingdoms. ¹¹ They struck down everyone in it with the sword, completely destroying^(AA) them; he left no one alive. Then he burned down Hazor.

¹² Joshua captured all these kings and their cities and struck them down with the sword. He completely destroyed them, as Moses the Lord’s servant^(AB) had commanded. ¹³ However, Israel did not burn any of the cities that stood on their mounds except Hazor, which Joshua burned. ¹⁴ The Israelites plundered all the spoils and cattle of these cities for themselves. But they struck down every person with the sword until they had annihilated them, leaving no one alive. ¹⁵ Just as the Lord had commanded His servant Moses, Moses commanded Joshua. That is what Joshua did, leaving nothing undone of all that the Lord had commanded Moses.

Summary of Conquests

¹⁶ So Joshua took all this land—the hill country, all the Negev, all the land of Goshen,^(AC) the foothills,^[n] the Arabah, and the hill country of Israel with its foothills^[o]— ¹⁷ from Mount Halak,^(AD) which ascends to Seir, as far as Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon at the foot of Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings and struck them down, putting them to death.^{(AE) 18} Joshua waged war with all these kings for a long time. ¹⁹ No city made peace with the Israelites except the Hivites who inhabited Gibeon;^(AF) all of them were taken in battle. ²⁰ For it was the Lord’s intention to harden their hearts, so that they would engage Israel in battle, be completely destroyed without mercy, and be annihilated, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

²¹ At that time Joshua proceeded to exterminate the Anakim^(AG) from the hill country—Hebron, Debir, Anab—all the hill country of Judah and of Israel. Joshua completely destroyed them with their cities. ²² No Anakim were left in the land of the Israelites, except for some remaining in Gaza, Gath,^(AH) and Ashdod.

²³ So Joshua took the entire land, in keeping with all that the Lord had told Moses. Joshua then gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal allotments. After this, the land had rest from war.^(AI)

Joshua’s Farewell Address

23 A long time after the Lord had given Israel rest from all the enemies around them, Joshua was old, getting on in years. ² So Joshua summoned all Israel, including its elders, leaders, judges, and officers,^(A) and said to them, “I am old, getting on in years, ³ and you have seen for yourselves everything the Lord your God did to all these nations on your account, because it was the Lord your God who was fighting for you.^{(B) 4} See, I have allotted these remaining nations to you as an inheritance for your tribes, including all the nations I have destroyed, from the Jordan westward to the Mediterranean Sea. ⁵ The Lord your God will force them back on your account and drive them out before you so that you can take possession of their land,^(C) as the Lord your God promised you.

⁶ “Be very strong^(D) and continue obeying all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you do not turn from it to the right or left ⁷ and so that you do not associate with these nations remaining among you. Do not call on the names of their gods or make an oath to them;^(E) do not worship them or bow down to them. ⁸ Instead, remain faithful to the Lord your God, as you have done to this day.^(F)

⁹ “The Lord has driven out great and powerful nations before you,^(G) and no one is able to stand against you to this day.^{(H) 10} One of you routed a thousand^(I) because the Lord your God was fighting for you, as He promised.^{[a](J) 11} So be very diligent to love the Lord your God for your own well-being. ¹² For if you turn away and cling to the rest of these nations remaining among you,^(K) and if you intermarry or associate with them^(L) and they with you, ¹³ know for certain that the Lord your God will not continue to drive these nations out before you. They will become a snare and a trap for you,^(M) a scourge for your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you disappear from this good land the Lord your God has given you.

¹⁴ “I am now going the way of all the earth,^[b](N) and you know with all your heart and all your soul that none of the good promises the Lord your God made to you has failed. Everything was fulfilled for you; not one promise has failed.^{(O) 15} Since every good thing the Lord your God promised you has come about, so He will bring on you every bad thing until He has annihilated you from this good land the Lord your God has given you.^{(P) 16} If you break the covenant of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, and go and worship other gods, and bow down to them, the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and you will quickly disappear from this good land He has given you.”

Review of Israel’s History

24 Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem^(Q) and summoned Israel’s elders, leaders, judges, and officers, and they presented themselves before God.^{(R) 2} Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your ancestors, including Terah,^(S) the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods. ³ But I took your father Abraham from the region beyond the Euphrates River, led him throughout the land of Canaan, and multiplied his descendants.^(T) I gave him Isaac,^{(U) 4} and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau.^(V) I gave the hill country of Seir to Esau as a possession,^(W) but Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt.^(X)

⁵ “‘Then I sent Moses and Aaron;^(Y) I plagued Egypt by what I did there and afterward I brought you out. ⁶ When I brought your fathers out of Egypt and you reached the Red Sea,^(Z) the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen as far as the sea. ⁷ Your fathers cried out to the Lord, so He put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea over them, engulfing them. Your own eyes saw what I did to Egypt. After that, you lived in the wilderness a long time.

⁸ “‘Later, I brought you to the land of the Amorites who lived beyond the Jordan.^(AA) They fought against you, but I handed them over to you. You possessed their land, and I annihilated them before you. ⁹ Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab,^(AB) set out to fight against Israel. He sent for Balaam son of Beor to curse you, ¹⁰ but I would not listen to Balaam. Instead, he repeatedly blessed you, and I delivered you from his hand.

¹¹ “‘You then crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho.^(AC) The people of Jericho—as well as the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites, and Jebusites—fought against you, but I handed them over to you. ¹² I sent the hornet^[c](AD) ahead of you, and it drove out the two Amorite kings^(AE) before you. It was not by your sword or bow. ¹³ I gave you a land you did not labor for, and cities you did not build,^(AF) though you live in them; you are eating from vineyards and olive groves you did not plant.’

The Covenant Renewal

¹⁴ “Therefore, fear the Lord and worship Him in sincerity and truth.^(AG) Get rid of the gods your fathers worshiped^(AH) beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and worship Yahweh. ¹⁵ But if it doesn’t please you to worship Yahweh, choose for yourselves today the one you will worship: the gods your fathers worshiped beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living.^(AI) As for me and my family, we will worship Yahweh.”

¹⁶ The people replied, “We will certainly not abandon the Lord to worship other gods! ¹⁷ For the Lord our God brought us and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery,^(AJ) and performed these great signs before our eyes. He also protected us all along the way we went and among all the peoples whose lands we traveled through. ¹⁸ The Lord drove out before us all the peoples, including the Amorites who lived in the land. We too will worship the Lord, because He is our God.”

¹⁹ But Joshua told the people, “You will not be able to worship Yahweh, because He is a holy God. He is a jealous God;^(AK) He will not remove your transgressions and sins.^{(AL) 20} If you abandon the Lord and worship foreign gods, He will turn against you, harm you, and completely destroy^(AM) you, after He has been good to you.”

²¹ “No!” the people answered Joshua. “We will worship the Lord.”

²² Joshua then told the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you yourselves have chosen to worship Yahweh.”

“We are witnesses,” they said.

²³ “Then get rid of the foreign gods that are among you and offer your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”

²⁴ So the people said to Joshua, “We will worship the Lord our God and obey Him.”

²⁵ On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people at Shechem and established a statute and ordinance for them. ²⁶ Joshua recorded these things in the book of the law of God;^(AN) he also took a large stone and set it up there under the oak next to the sanctuary of the Lord. ²⁷ And Joshua said to all the people, “You see this stone—it will be a witness against us,^(AO) for it has heard all the words the Lord said to us, and it will be a witness against you, so that you will not deny your God.” ²⁸ Then Joshua sent the people away, each to his own inheritance.

Burial of Three Leaders

²⁹ After these things, the Lord’s servant, Joshua son of Nun, died at the age of 110. ³⁰ They buried him in his allotted territory at Timnath-serah, in the hill country of Ephraim^(AP) north of Mount Gaash. ³¹ Israel worshiped Yahweh throughout Joshua’s lifetime and during the lifetimes of the elders who outlived Joshua^(AQ) and who had experienced all the works Yahweh had done for Israel.

³² Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt,^(AR) were buried at Shechem in the parcel of land Jacob had purchased from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for 100 qesitahs.^[d](AS) It was an inheritance for Joseph’s descendants.

³³ And Eleazar son of Aaron died, and they buried him at Gibeah,^[e] which had been given to his son Phinehas^(AT) in the hill country of Ephraim.