and the Lord commissioned Joshua son of Nun, “Be strong and courageous, for you will take the Israelites to the land I have promised them, and I will be with you.”

Narrative Interlude

Then Moses went with Joshua son of Nun and recited all the words of this song to the people.

An Epitaph for Moses

Now Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had placed his hands on him; and the Israelites listened to him and did just what the Lord had commanded Moses.

The Lord Commissions Joshua

After Moses the Lord’s servant died, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant:

Joshua Prepares for the Invasion

Joshua instructed the leaders of the people:

Joshua told the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh:

They told Joshua, “We will do everything you say. We will go wherever you send us.

Joshua Sends Spies into the Land

Joshua son of Nun sent two spies out from Shittim secretly and instructed them: “Find out what you can about the land, especially Jericho.” They stopped at the house of a prostitute named Rahab and spent the night there.

Then the two men returned—they came down from the hills, crossed the river, came to Joshua son of Nun, and reported to him all they had discovered.

They told Joshua, “Surely the Lord is handing over all the land to us! All who live in the land are cringing before us!”

Israel Crosses the Jordan

Bright and early the next morning Joshua and the Israelites left Shittim and came to the Jordan. They camped there before crossing the river.

Joshua told the people, “Ritually consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will perform miraculous deeds among you.”

Joshua told the priests, “Pick up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they picked up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people.

The Lord told Joshua, “This very day I will begin to honor you before all Israel, so they will know that I am with you just as I was with Moses.

Joshua told the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God!”

Joshua continued, “This is how you will know the living God is among you and that he will truly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites.

Israel Commemorates the Crossing

When the entire nation was on the other side, the Lord told Joshua,

Joshua summoned the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one per tribe.

Joshua told them, “Go in front of the ark of the Lord your God to the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to put a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the Israelite tribes.

The Israelites did just as Joshua commanded. They picked up twelve stones, according to the number of the Israelite tribes, from the middle of the Jordan as the Lord had instructed Joshua. They carried them over with them to the camp and put them there.

Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan in the very place where the priests carrying the ark of the covenant stood. They remain there to this very day.

Now the priests carrying the ark of the covenant were standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the Lord had commanded Joshua to tell the people was accomplished, in accordance with all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people went across quickly,

That day the Lord brought honor to Joshua before all Israel. They respected him all his life, just as they had respected Moses.

The Lord told Joshua,

So Joshua instructed the priests, “Come up from the Jordan!”