God Commissions Joshua

After the death of Moses the (A)servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' (B)assistant, “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. (C)Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. (D)From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. (E)No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just (F)as I was with Moses, so (G)I will be with you. (H)I will not leave you or forsake you. (I)Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and (J)very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law (K)that Moses my servant commanded you. (L)Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success[a] wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but (M)you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? (N)Be strong and courageous. (O)Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

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Footnotes

  1. Joshua 1:7 Or may act wisely

Orders from the Lord

After Moses the Lord’s servant died, the Lord spoke to Joshua, Nun’s son. He had been Moses’ helper. “My servant Moses is dead. Now get ready to cross over the Jordan with this entire people to the land that I am going to give to the Israelites. I am giving you every place where you set foot, exactly as I promised Moses. Your territory will stretch from the desert and the Lebanon as far as the great Euphrates River, including all Hittite land, up to the Mediterranean Sea on the west. No one will be able to stand up against you during your lifetime. I will be with you in the same way I was with Moses. I won’t desert you or leave you. Be brave and strong, because you are the one who will help this people take possession of the land, which I pledged to give to their ancestors.

“Be very brave and strong as you carefully obey all of the Instruction that Moses my servant commanded you. Don’t deviate even a bit from it, either to the right or left. Then you will have success wherever you go. Never stop speaking about this Instruction scroll. Recite it day and night so you can carefully obey everything written in it. Then you will accomplish your objectives and you will succeed. I’ve commanded you to be brave and strong, haven’t I? Don’t be alarmed or terrified, because the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

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