Bible in 90 Days
The Lord Commissions Joshua
1 After Moses the Lord’s servant died, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Get ready![a] Cross the Jordan River.[b] Lead these people into the land that I am ready to hand over to them.[c] 3 I am handing over to you every place you set foot, as I promised Moses.[d] 4 Your territory will extend from the desert[e] in the south to Lebanon in the north. It will extend all the way to the great River Euphrates in the east (including all Syria)[f] and all the way to the Mediterranean Sea[g] in the west.[h] 5 No one will be able to resist you[i] all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not abandon you or leave you alone. 6 Be strong and brave! You must lead these people in the conquest of this land that I solemnly promised their ancestors I would hand over to them.[j] 7 Make sure you are[k] very strong and brave! Carefully obey[l] all the law my servant Moses charged you to keep.[m] Do not swerve from it to the right or to the left, so that you may be successful[n] in all you do.[o] 8 This law scroll must not leave your lips.[p] You must memorize it[q] day and night so you can carefully obey[r] all that is written in it. Then you will prosper[s] and be successful.[t] 9 I repeat,[u] be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic,[v] for I, the Lord your God, am with you in all you do.”[w]
Joshua Prepares for the Invasion
10 Joshua instructed[x] the leaders of the people: 11 “Go through the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your supplies, for within three days you will cross the Jordan River and begin the conquest of the land the Lord your God is ready to hand over to you.’”[y]
12 Joshua told the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh: 13 “Remember what Moses the Lord’s servant commanded you.[z] The Lord your God is giving you a place to settle and is handing this land over to you.[aa] 14 Your wives, children, and cattle may stay in the land that Moses assigned to you east of the Jordan River. But all of you warriors must cross over armed for battle ahead of your brothers.[ab] You must help them 15 until the Lord gives your brothers a place like yours to settle and they conquer the land the Lord your God is ready to hand over to them. Then you may go back to your allotted land and occupy the land Moses the Lord’s servant assigned you east of the Jordan.”[ac]
16 They told Joshua, “We will do everything you say. We will go wherever you send us. 17 Just as we obeyed[ad] Moses, so we will obey you. But[ae] may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses. 18 Any man who rebels against what you say and does not obey all your commands will be executed.[af] But[ag] be strong and brave!”
Joshua Sends Spies into the Land
2 Joshua son of Nun sent two spies out from Shittim secretly and instructed them:[ah] “Find out what you can about the land, especially Jericho.”[ai] They stopped at the house of a prostitute named Rahab and spent the night there.[aj] 2 The king of Jericho received this report: “Note well![ak] Israelite men have come here tonight[al] to spy on the land.” 3 So the king of Jericho sent this order to Rahab:[am] “Turn over[an] the men who came to you[ao]—the ones who came to your house[ap]—for they have come to spy on the whole land!” 4 But the woman hid the two men[aq] and replied, “Yes, these men were clients of mine,[ar] but I didn’t know where they came from. 5 When it was time to shut the city gate for the night, the men left.[as] I don’t know where they were heading. Chase after them quickly, for you have time to catch them!” 6 (Now she had taken them up to the roof and had hidden them in the stalks of flax she had spread out[at] on the roof.) 7 Meanwhile,[au] the king’s men tried to find them on the road to the Jordan River[av] near the fords.[aw] The city gate was shut as soon as they set out in pursuit of them.[ax]
8 Now before the spies[ay] went to sleep, Rahab[az] went up[ba] to the roof. 9 She said to the men, “I know the Lord is handing this land over to you.[bb] We are absolutely terrified of you,[bc] and all who live in the land are cringing before[bd] you.[be] 10 For we heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you left Egypt and how you annihilated the two Amorite kings, Sihon and Og, on the other side of the Jordan.[bf] 11 When we heard the news we lost our courage and no one could even breathe for fear of you.[bg] For the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below! 12 So now, promise me this with an oath sworn in the Lord’s name.[bh] Because I have shown allegiance to you, show allegiance to my family.[bi] Give me a solemn pledge[bj] 13 that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them, and will rescue us[bk] from death.” 14 The men said to her, “If you[bl] die, may we die too![bm] If you do not report what we’ve been up to,[bn] then we will show unswerving allegiance[bo] to you[bp] when the Lord hands the land over to us.”
15 Then Rahab[bq] let them down by a rope[br] through the window. (Her[bs] house was built as part of the city wall; she lived in the wall.)[bt] 16 She told them, “Head[bu] to the hill country, so the ones chasing you don’t find you.[bv] Hide from them there for three days, long enough for those chasing you[bw] to return. Then you can be on your way.” 17 The men said to her, “We are not bound by this oath you made us swear unless the following conditions are met:[bx] 18 When we invade the land,[by] tie this red rope[bz] in the window through which you let us down, and gather together in your house your father, mother, brothers, and all who live in your father’s house.[ca] 19 Anyone who leaves your house will be responsible for his own death—we are innocent in that case![cb] But if anyone with you in the house is harmed, we will be responsible.[cc] 20 If you should report what we’ve been up to,[cd] we are not bound by this oath you made us swear.” 21 She said, “I agree to these conditions.”[ce] She sent them on their way[cf] and then tied the red rope in the window. 22 They went[cg] to the hill country and stayed there for three days, long enough for those chasing them[ch] to return. Their pursuers[ci] looked all along the way but did not find them.[cj] 23 Then the two men returned—they came down from the hills, crossed the river,[ck] came to Joshua son of Nun, and reported to him all they had discovered. 24 They told Joshua, “Surely the Lord is handing over all the land to us![cl] All who live in the land are cringing before us!”[cm]
Israel Crosses the Jordan
3 Bright and early the next morning Joshua and the Israelites left Shittim and came to the Jordan.[cn] They camped there before crossing the river.[co] 2 After three days the leaders went through the camp 3 and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God[cp] being carried by the Levitical priests, you must leave here[cq] and walk[cr] behind it. 4 But stay about 3,000 feet behind it.[cs] Keep your distance[ct] so you can see[cu] which way you should go, for you have not traveled this way before.”
5 Joshua told the people, “Ritually consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will perform miraculous deeds among you.” 6 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.
7 The Lord told Joshua, “This very day I will begin to honor you before all Israel,[cv] so they will know that I am with you just as I was with Moses. 8 Instruct the priests carrying the ark of the covenant, ‘When you reach the bank of the Jordan River,[cw] wade into the water.’”[cx]
9 Joshua told the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God!” 10 Joshua continued,[cy] “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. 11 Look! The ark of the covenant of the Lord[cz] of the whole earth is ready to enter the Jordan ahead of you. 12 Now select for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one per tribe. 13 When the feet[da] of the priests carrying the ark of the Lord, the Lord[db] of the whole earth, touch[dc] the water of the Jordan, the water coming downstream toward you will stop flowing and pile up.”[dd]
14 So when the people left their tents to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went[de] ahead of them. 15 When the ones carrying the ark reached the Jordan, and the feet of the priests carrying the ark touched the surface[df] of the water—(the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest time)[dg]— 16 the water coming downstream toward them stopped flowing.[dh] It piled up far upstream[di] at Adam (the city near Zarethan); there was no water at all flowing to the sea of the rift valley (the Salt Sea).[dj] The people crossed the river opposite Jericho. 17 The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan. All Israel crossed over on dry ground until the entire nation was on the other side.[dk]
Israel Commemorates the Crossing
4 When the entire nation was on the other side,[dl] the Lord told Joshua, 2 “Select for yourselves twelve men from the people, one per tribe. 3 Instruct them, ‘Pick up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests[dm] stand firmly, and carry them over with you and put them in the place where you camp tonight.’”
4 Joshua summoned the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one per tribe. 5 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. 6 The stones[dn] will be a reminder to you.[do] When your children ask someday, ‘Why are these stones important to you?’ 7 tell them how the water of the Jordan stopped flowing[dp] before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the water of the Jordan stopped flowing.[dq] These stones will be a lasting memorial for the Israelites.”
8 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. 9 Joshua also set up twelve stones[dr] 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.
10 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, 11 and when all the people had finished crossing, the ark of the Lord and the priests crossed as the people looked on.[ds] 12 The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed for battle ahead of the Israelites, just as Moses had instructed them. 13 About 40,000 battle-ready troops[dt] marched past the Lord to fight[du] on the rift valley plains[dv] of Jericho. 14 That day the Lord brought honor to Joshua before all Israel. They respected[dw] him all his life,[dx] just as they had respected[dy] Moses.
15 The Lord told Joshua, 16 “Instruct the priests carrying the ark of the covenantal laws[dz] to come up from the Jordan.” 17 So Joshua instructed the priests, “Come up from the Jordan!” 18 The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord came up from the middle of the Jordan, and as soon as they set foot on dry land,[ea] the water of the Jordan flowed again and returned to flood stage.[eb]
19 The people went up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month[ec] and camped in Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho. 20 Now Joshua set up in Gilgal the[ed] twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan. 21 He told the Israelites, “When your children someday ask their fathers, ‘What do these stones represent?’[ee] 22 explain to[ef] your children, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan River[eg] on dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the water of the Jordan before you while you crossed over. It was just like when the Lord your God dried up the Red Sea before us while we crossed it.[eh] 24 He has done this so[ei] all the nations[ej] of the earth might recognize the Lord’s power[ek] and so you might always obey[el] the Lord your God.”
5 When all the Amorite kings on the west side of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the seacoast heard how the Lord had dried up the water of the Jordan before the Israelites while they[em] crossed, they lost their courage and could not even breathe for fear of the Israelites.[en]
A New Generation is Circumcised
2 At that time the Lord told Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites once again.”[eo] 3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at the Hill of the Foreskins.[ep] 4 This is why Joshua had to circumcise them: All the men old enough to fight when they left Egypt died on the journey through the wilderness after they left Egypt.[eq] 5 Now[er] all the men[es] who left were circumcised, but all the sons[et] born on the journey through the wilderness after they left Egypt were uncircumcised. 6 Indeed, for forty years the Israelites traveled through the wilderness until all the men old enough to fight when they left Egypt, the ones who had disobeyed the Lord, died off.[eu] For the Lord had sworn a solemn oath to them that he would not let them see the land he had sworn by oath to their ancestors to give them,[ev] a land rich in[ew] milk and honey. 7 He replaced them with their sons,[ex] whom Joshua circumcised. They were uncircumcised; their fathers had not circumcised them along the way. 8 When all the men[ey] had been circumcised, they stayed there in the camp until they had healed. 9 The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have taken away[ez] the disgrace[fa] of Egypt from you.” So that place is called Gilgal[fb] even to this day.
10 So the Israelites camped in Gilgal and celebrated the Passover in the evening of the fourteenth day of the month in the rift valley plains of Jericho.[fc] 11 They ate some of the produce of the land the day after the Passover, including unleavened bread and roasted grain.[fd] 12 The manna stopped appearing the day they ate[fe] some of the produce of the land; the Israelites never ate manna again.[ff] They ate from the produce of the land of Canaan that year.
Israel Conquers Jericho
13 When Joshua was near[fg] Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him holding a drawn sword.[fh] Joshua approached him and asked him, “Are you on our side or allied with our enemies?”[fi] 14 He answered,[fj] “Truly I am the commander of the Lord’s army.[fk] Now I have arrived!”[fl] Joshua bowed down with his face to the ground[fm] and asked, “What does my master want to say to his servant?” 15 The commander of the Lord’s army answered Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, because the place where you stand is holy.” Joshua did so.
6 Now Jericho was shut tightly[fn] because of the Israelites. No one was allowed to leave or enter.[fo] 2 The Lord told Joshua, “See, I am about to defeat Jericho for you,[fp] along with its king and its warriors. 3 Have all the warriors march around the city one time;[fq] do this for six days. 4 Have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns[fr] in front of the ark. On the seventh day march around the city seven times, while the priests blow the horns. 5 When you hear the signal from the ram’s horn,[fs] have the whole army give a loud battle cry.[ft] Then the city wall will collapse,[fu] and the warriors should charge straight ahead.”[fv]
6 So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and instructed them, “Pick up the ark of the covenant, and seven priests must carry seven rams’ horns in front of the ark of the Lord.” 7 And he told[fw] the army,[fx] “Move ahead[fy] and march around the city, with armed troops going ahead of the ark of the Lord.”
8 When Joshua gave the army its orders,[fz] the seven priests carrying the seven rams’ horns before the Lord moved ahead and blew the horns as the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed behind. 9 Armed troops marched ahead of the priests blowing the horns, while the rear guard followed along behind the ark blowing rams’ horns. 10 Now Joshua had instructed the army,[ga] “Do not give a battle cry[gb] or raise your voices; say nothing[gc] until the day I tell you, ‘Give the battle cry.’[gd] Then give the battle cry!”[ge] 11 So Joshua made sure they marched the ark of the Lord around the city one time.[gf] Then they went back to the camp and spent the night there.[gg]
12 Bright and early the next morning Joshua had the priests pick up the ark of the Lord.[gh] 13 The seven priests carrying the seven rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord marched along blowing their horns. Armed troops marched ahead of them, while the rear guard followed along behind the ark of the Lord blowing rams’ horns. 14 They marched around the city one time on the second day, then returned to the camp. They did this six days in all.
15 On the seventh day they were up at the crack of dawn[gi] and marched around the city as before—only this time they marched around it seven times.[gj] 16 The seventh time around, the priests blew the rams’ horns, and Joshua told the army,[gk] “Give the battle cry,[gl] for the Lord is handing the city over to you![gm] 17 The city and all that is in it must be set apart for the Lord;[gn] only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house will live, because she hid the spies[go] we sent. 18 But be careful when you are setting apart the riches for God. If you take any of it, then you will make the Israelite camp subject to annihilation and cause a disaster.[gp] 19 All the silver and gold, as well as bronze and iron items, belong to the Lord.[gq] They must go into the Lord’s treasury.”
20 The rams’ horns sounded,[gr] and when the army[gs] heard the signal,[gt] they gave a loud battle cry.[gu] The wall collapsed,[gv] and the warriors charged straight ahead into the city and captured it.[gw] 21 They annihilated with the sword everything that breathed in the city,[gx] including men and women, young and old, as well as cattle, sheep, and donkeys. 22 Joshua told the two men who had spied on the land, “Enter the prostitute’s house[gy] and bring out the woman and all who belong to her as you promised her.”[gz] 23 So the young spies went and brought out Rahab, her father, mother, brothers, and all who belonged to her. They brought out her whole family and took them to a place outside[ha] the Israelite camp. 24 But they burned[hb] the city and all that was in it, except for the silver, gold, and bronze and iron items they put in the treasury of the Lord’s house.[hc] 25 Yet Joshua spared[hd] Rahab the prostitute, her father’s family,[he] and all who belonged to her. She lives in Israel[hf] to this very day because she hid the messengers Joshua sent to spy on Jericho. 26 At that time Joshua made this solemn declaration:[hg] “The man who attempts to rebuild[hh] this city of Jericho[hi] will stand condemned before the Lord.[hj] He will lose his firstborn son when he lays its foundations and his youngest son when he erects its gates!”[hk] 27 The Lord was with Joshua and he became famous throughout the land.[hl]
Achan Sins and is Punished
7 But the Israelites disobeyed the command about the city’s riches.[hm] Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi,[hn] son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, stole some of the riches.[ho] The Lord was furious with the Israelites.[hp]
2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai (which is located near Beth Aven, east of Bethel) and instructed them, “Go up and spy on the land.” So the men went up and spied on Ai. 3 They returned and reported to Joshua,[hq] “Don’t send the whole army.[hr] About two or three thousand men are adequate to defeat Ai.[hs] Don’t tire out the whole army, for Ai is small.”[ht]
4 So about 3,000 men went up, but they fled from the men of Ai. 5 The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them and chased them from in front of the city gate all the way to the fissures[hu] and defeated them on the steep slope.[hv] The people’s[hw] courage melted away like water.[hx]
6 Joshua tore his clothes;[hy] he and the leaders[hz] of Israel lay face down on the ground before the ark of the Lord until evening[ia] and threw dirt on their heads.[ib] 7 Joshua prayed,[ic] “O, Sovereign Lord! Why did you bring these people across the Jordan to hand us over to the Amorites so they could destroy us? If only we had been satisfied to live on the other side of the Jordan! 8 O Lord, what can I say now that Israel has retreated[id] before its enemies? 9 When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will turn against us and destroy the very memory of us[ie] from the earth. What will you do to protect your great reputation?”[if]
10 The Lord responded[ig] to Joshua, “Get up! Why are you lying there face down?[ih] 11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenantal commandment![ii] They have taken some of the riches;[ij] they have stolen them and deceitfully put them among their own possessions.[ik] 12 The Israelites are unable to stand before their enemies; they retreat because they have become subject to annihilation.[il] I will no longer be with you,[im] unless you destroy what has contaminated you.[in] 13 Get up! Ritually consecrate the people and tell them this: ‘Ritually consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, because this is what the Lord God of Israel has said, “You are contaminated,[io] O Israel! You will not be able to stand before your enemies until you remove what is contaminating you.”[ip] 14 In the morning you must approach in tribal order.[iq] The tribe the Lord selects[ir] must approach by clans. The clan the Lord selects must approach by families.[is] The family the Lord selects must approach man by man.[it] 15 The one caught with the riches[iu] must be burned up[iv] along with all who belong to him, because he violated the Lord’s covenant and did such a disgraceful thing in Israel.’”
16 Bright and early the next morning Joshua made Israel approach in tribal order,[iw] and the tribe of Judah was selected. 17 He then made the clans of Judah approach, and the clan of the Zerahites was selected. He made the clan of the Zerahites approach, and Zabdi[ix] was selected.[iy] 18 He then made Zabdi’s[iz] family approach man by man[ja] and Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, was selected. 19 So Joshua said to Achan, “My son, honor[jb] the Lord God of Israel and give him praise! Tell me what you did; don’t hide anything from me.” 20 Achan told Joshua, “It is true. I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel in this way:[jc] 21 I saw among the goods we seized a nice robe from Babylon,[jd] 200 silver pieces,[je] and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels. I wanted them, so I took them. They are hidden in the ground right in the middle of my tent, with the silver underneath.”
22 Joshua sent messengers who ran to the tent. The things were hidden right in his tent, with the silver underneath.[jf] 23 They took it all from the middle of the tent, brought it to Joshua and all the Israelites, and placed[jg] it before the Lord. 24 Then Joshua and all Israel took Achan, son of Zerah, along with the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, daughters, oxen, donkeys, sheep, tent, and all that belonged to him and brought them up to the Valley of Disaster.[jh] 25 Joshua said, “Why have you brought disaster on[ji] us? The Lord will bring disaster on you today!” All Israel stoned him to death. (They also stoned and burned the others.)[jj] 26 Then they erected over him a large pile of stones (it remains to this very day[jk]) and the Lord’s anger subsided. So that place is called the Valley of Disaster to this very day.
Israel Conquers Ai
8 The Lord told Joshua, “Don’t be afraid and don’t panic![jl] Take the whole army with you and march against Ai![jm] See, I am handing over to you[jn] the king of Ai, along with his people, city, and land. 2 Do to Ai and its king what you did to Jericho and its king, except you may plunder its goods and cattle. Set an ambush behind the city.”
3 Joshua and the whole army marched against Ai.[jo] Joshua selected 30,000 brave warriors and sent them out at night. 4 He ordered them, “Look, set an ambush behind the city. Don’t go very far from the city; all of you be ready! 5 I and all the troops[jp] who are with me will approach the city. When they come out to fight us like before, we will retreat from them. 6 They will attack[jq] us until we have lured them from the city, for they will say, ‘They are retreating from us like before.’ We will retreat from them. 7 Then you rise up from your hiding place[jr] and seize[js] the city. The Lord your God will hand it over to you. 8 When you capture the city, set it[jt] on fire in keeping with the Lord’s message. See, I have given you orders.”[ju] 9 Joshua sent them away and they went to their hiding place[jv] west of Ai, between Bethel and Ai.[jw] Joshua spent that night with the army.[jx]
10 Bright and early the next morning Joshua gathered[jy] the army,[jz] and he and the leaders[ka] of Israel marched[kb] at the head of it[kc] to Ai. 11 All the troops that were with him marched up and drew near the city.[kd] They camped north of Ai on the other side of the valley.[ke] 12 He took 5,000 men and set an ambush west of the city between Bethel and Ai. 13 The army was in position—the main army north of the city and the rear guard west of the city. That night Joshua went into[kf] the middle of the valley.
14 When the king of Ai and all his people saw Israel, they rushed to get up early. Then the king and the men of the city went out to meet Israel in battle, at the meeting place near the rift valley.[kg] But he did not realize an ambush was waiting for him behind the city.[kh] 15 Joshua and all Israel pretended to be defeated by them, and they retreated along the way to the wilderness. 16 All the reinforcements[ki] in Ai[kj] were ordered[kk] to chase them; they chased Joshua and were lured away from the city. 17 No men were left in Ai or Bethel;[kl] they all went out after Israel.[km] They left the city wide open and chased Israel.
18 The Lord told Joshua, “Hold out toward Ai the curved sword[kn] in your hand, for I am handing the city[ko] over to you.” So Joshua held out toward Ai the curved sword in his hand. 19 When he held out his hand, the men waiting in ambush rose up quickly from their place and attacked.[kp] They entered the city, captured it, and immediately set it on fire. 20 When the men of Ai turned around, they saw[kq] the smoke from the city ascending into the sky and were so shocked they were unable to flee in any direction.[kr] In the meantime the men who were retreating to the wilderness turned against their pursuers. 21 When Joshua and all Israel saw that the men in ambush had captured the city and that the city was going up in smoke,[ks] they turned around and struck down the men of Ai. 22 At the same time the men who had taken the city came out to fight, and the men of Ai were trapped in the middle.[kt] The Israelites struck them down, leaving no survivors or refugees. 23 But they captured the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.
24 When Israel had finished killing all the men[ku] of Ai who had chased them toward the wilderness[kv] (they all fell by the sword),[kw] all Israel returned to Ai and put the sword to it. 25 So 12,000 men and women died[kx] that day, including all the men of Ai. 26 Joshua kept holding out his curved sword until Israel had annihilated all who lived in Ai.[ky] 27 But Israel did plunder the cattle and the goods of the city, in keeping with the Lord’s orders[kz] to Joshua. 28 Joshua burned Ai and made it a permanently uninhabited mound (it remains that way to this very day).[la] 29 He hung the king of Ai on a tree, leaving him exposed until evening.[lb] At sunset Joshua ordered that his corpse be taken down from the tree.[lc] They threw it down at the entrance of the city gate and erected over it a large pile of stones (it remains to this very day).[ld]
Covenant Renewal
30 Then Joshua built an altar for the Lord God of Israel on Mount Ebal, 31 just as Moses the Lord’s servant had commanded the Israelites. As described in the law scroll of Moses, it was made with uncut stones untouched by an iron tool.[le] On it they offered burnt sacrifices to the Lord and sacrificed tokens of peace.[lf] 32 There, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua inscribed on the stones a duplicate of the law written by Moses.[lg] 33 All the people,[lh] rulers,[li] leaders, and judges were standing on either side of the ark, in front of the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord. Both resident foreigners and native Israelites were there.[lj] Half the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and the other half in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the Lord’s servant had previously instructed them to do for the formal blessing ceremony.[lk] 34 Then[ll] Joshua read aloud all the words of the law, including the blessings and the curses, just as they are written in the law scroll. 35 Joshua read aloud every commandment Moses had given[lm] before the whole assembly of Israel, including the women, children, and resident foreigners who lived among them.[ln]
The Gibeonites Deceive Israel
9 When the news reached all the kings on the west side of the Jordan[lo]—in the hill country, the foothills,[lp] and all along the Mediterranean coast[lq] as far as[lr] Lebanon (including the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites)— 2 they formed an alliance to fight against Joshua and Israel.[ls]
3 When the residents of Gibeon heard what Joshua did to Jericho and Ai, 4 they did something clever. They collected some provisions[lt] and put worn-out sacks on their donkeys, along with worn-out wineskins that were ripped and patched. 5 They had worn-out, patched sandals on their feet and dressed in worn-out clothes. All their bread[lu] was dry and hard.[lv] 6 They came to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land. Make a treaty with us.” 7 The men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live near us.[lw] So how can we make a treaty with you?” 8 But they said to Joshua, “We are willing to be your subjects.”[lx] So Joshua said to them, “Who are you and where do you come from?” 9 They told him, “Your subjects[ly] have come from a very distant land because of the reputation[lz] of the Lord your God, for we have heard the news about all he did in Egypt[ma] 10 and all he did to the two Amorite kings on the other side of the Jordan—King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan in Ashtaroth. 11 Our leaders and all who live in our land told us, ‘Take provisions for your journey and go meet them. Tell them, “We are willing to be your subjects.[mb] Make a treaty with us.”’ 12 This bread of ours was warm when we packed it in our homes the day we started out to meet you,[mc] but now it is dry and hard.[md] 13 These wineskins we filled were brand new, but look how they have ripped. Our clothes and sandals have worn out because it has been a very long journey.” 14 The men examined[me] some of their provisions, but they failed to ask the Lord’s advice.[mf] 15 Joshua made a peace treaty with them and agreed to let them live. The leaders of the community[mg] sealed it with an oath.[mh]
16 Three days after they made the treaty with them, the Israelites found out they were from the local area and lived nearby.[mi] 17 So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities—Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim. 18 The Israelites did not attack them because the leaders of the community had sworn an oath to them in the name of the Lord God of Israel.[mj] The whole community criticized[mk] the leaders, 19 but all the leaders told the whole community, “We swore an oath to them in the name of[ml] the Lord God of Israel! So now we can’t hurt[mm] them. 20 We must let them live so we can escape the curse attached to the oath we swore to them.”[mn] 21 The leaders then added,[mo] “Let them live.” So they became[mp] woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community, as the leaders had decided.[mq]
22 [mr] Joshua summoned the Gibeonites[ms] and said to them, “Why did you trick[mt] us by saying, ‘We live far away from you,’ when you really live nearby?[mu] 23 Now you are condemned to perpetual servitude as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”[mv] 24 They said to Joshua, “It was carefully reported to your subjects[mw] how the Lord your God commanded Moses his servant to assign you the whole land and to destroy all who live in the land from before you. Because of you we were terrified[mx] we would lose our lives, so we did this thing. 25 So now we are in your power.[my] Do to us what you think is good and appropriate.”[mz] 26 Joshua did as they said; he kept the Israelites from killing them[na] 27 and that day made them woodcutters and water carriers for the community and for the altar of the Lord at the divinely chosen site. (They continue in that capacity to this very day.)[nb]
Israel Defeats an Amorite Coalition
10 Adoni-Zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard how Joshua captured Ai and annihilated it and its king as he did Jericho and its king.[nc] He also heard how[nd] the people of Gibeon made peace with Israel and lived among them. 2 All Jerusalem was terrified[ne] because Gibeon was a large city, like one of the royal cities. It was larger than Ai and all its men were warriors. 3 So King Adoni-Zedek of Jerusalem sent this message to King Hoham of Hebron, King Piram of Jarmuth, King Japhia of Lachish, and King Debir of Eglon: 4 “Come to my aid[nf] so we can attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.” 5 So the five Amorite kings (the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon) and all their troops gathered together and advanced. They deployed their troops and fought against Gibeon.[ng]
6 The men of Gibeon sent this message to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal, “Do not abandon[nh] your subjects![ni] Come up here quickly and rescue us! Help us! For all the Amorite kings living in the hill country are attacking us.”[nj] 7 So Joshua and his whole army, including the bravest warriors, marched up from Gilgal.[nk] 8 The Lord told Joshua, “Don’t be afraid of them, for I am handing them over to you.[nl] Not one of them can resist you.”[nm] 9 Joshua attacked them by surprise after marching all night from Gilgal.[nn] 10 The Lord routed[no] them before Israel. Israel[np] thoroughly defeated them[nq] at Gibeon. They chased them up the road to the pass[nr] of Beth Horon and struck them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. 11 As they fled from Israel on the slope leading down from[ns] Beth Horon, the Lord threw down on them large hailstones from the sky,[nt] all the way to Azekah. They died—in fact, more died from the hailstones than the Israelites killed with the sword.
12 The day the Lord delivered the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua prayed to the Lord before Israel:[nu]
“O sun, stand still over Gibeon;
O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon!”
13 The sun stood still and the moon stood motionless while the nation took vengeance on its enemies. The event is recorded in the Scroll of the Upright One.[nv] The sun stood motionless in the middle of the sky and did not set for about a full day.[nw] 14 There has not been a day like it before or since. The Lord listened to a human being, for the Lord fought for Israel! 15 Then Joshua and all Israel returned to the camp at Gilgal.
16 The five Amorite kings[nx] ran away and hid in the cave at Makkedah. 17 Joshua was told, “The five kings have been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah.” 18 Joshua said, “Roll large stones over the mouth of the cave and post guards in front of it.[ny] 19 But don’t you delay! Chase your enemies and catch them.[nz] Don’t allow them to retreat to[oa] their cities, for the Lord your God is handing them over to you.”[ob] 20 Joshua and the Israelites almost totally wiped them out, but some survivors did escape to the fortified cities.[oc] 21 Then the whole army safely returned to Joshua at the camp in Makkedah.[od] No one[oe] dared threaten the Israelites.[of] 22 Joshua said, “Open the cave’s mouth and bring the five kings[og] out of the cave to me.” 23 They did as ordered;[oh] they brought the five kings[oi] out of the cave to him—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon. 24 When they brought the kings out to Joshua, he[oj] summoned all the men of Israel and said to the commanders of the troops who accompanied him, “Come here[ok] and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came up[ol] and put their feet on their necks. 25 Then Joshua said to them, “Don’t be afraid and don’t panic![om] Be strong and brave, for the Lord will do the same thing to all your enemies you fight.” 26 Then Joshua executed them[on] and hung them on five trees. They were left hanging on the trees until evening. 27 At sunset Joshua ordered his men to take them down from the trees.[oo] They threw them into the cave where they had hidden and piled large stones over the mouth of the cave. (They remain to this very day.)[op]
Joshua Launches a Southern Campaign
28 That day Joshua captured Makkedah and put the sword to it and its king. He annihilated everyone who lived in it; he left no survivors. He did to its king what he had done to the king of Jericho.
29 Joshua and all Israel marched from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against it.[oq] 30 The Lord handed it and its king over to Israel, and Israel[or] put the sword to all who lived there; they[os] left no survivors. They did to its king what they had done to the king of Jericho.
31 Joshua and all Israel marched from Libnah to Lachish. He deployed his troops[ot] and fought against it. 32 The Lord handed Lachish over to Israel, and they[ou] captured it on the second day. They put the sword to all who lived there, just as they had done to Libnah. 33 Then King Horam of Gezer came up to help Lachish, but Joshua struck him down, as well as his army,[ov] until no survivors remained.
34 Joshua and all Israel marched from Lachish to Eglon. They deployed troops[ow] and fought against it. 35 That day they captured it and put the sword to all who lived there. That day they[ox] annihilated it just as they had done to Lachish.
36 Joshua and all Israel marched up from Eglon to Hebron and fought against it. 37 They captured it and put the sword to its king, all its surrounding cities, and all who lived in it; they[oy] left no survivors. As they had done at Eglon, they annihilated it and all who lived there.
38 Joshua and all Israel turned to Debir and fought against it. 39 They[oz] captured it, its king, and all its surrounding cities and put the sword to them. They annihilated everyone who lived there; they[pa] left no survivors. They did to Debir and its king what they had done to Libnah and its king and to Hebron.[pb]
40 Joshua defeated the whole land, including the hill country, the Negev,[pc] the foothills,[pd] the slopes,[pe] and all their kings. He left no survivors. He annihilated everything that breathed, just as the Lord God of Israel had commanded. 41 Joshua conquered the area between Kadesh Barnea and Gaza and the whole region of Goshen, all the way to Gibeon.[pf] 42 Joshua captured in one campaign[pg] all these kings and their lands, for the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel. 43 Then Joshua and all Israel returned to the camp at Gilgal.
Israel Defeats a Northern Coalition
11 When King Jabin of Hazor heard the news about Israel’s victories,[ph] he organized a coalition, including[pi] King Jobab of Madon, the king of Shimron, the king of Acshaph, 2 and the northern kings who ruled in[pj] the hill country, in the rift valley south of Kinnereth,[pk] in the foothills, and on the heights of Dor to the west. 3 Canaanites came[pl] from the east and west; Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, and Jebusites from the hill country; and Hivites from below Hermon in the area[pm] of Mizpah. 4 These kings came out with their armies; they were as numerous as the sand on the seashore and had a large number of horses and chariots.[pn] 5 All these kings gathered and joined forces[po] at the Waters of Merom to fight Israel.
6 The Lord told Joshua, “Don’t be afraid of them, for about this time tomorrow I will cause all of them to lie dead before Israel. You must hamstring their horses and burn[pp] their chariots.” 7 Joshua and his whole army caught them by surprise at the Waters of Merom and attacked them.[pq] 8 The Lord handed them over to Israel, and they struck them down and chased them all the way to Greater Sidon, Misrephoth Maim,[pr] and the Mizpah Valley to the east. They struck them down until no survivors remained. 9 Joshua did to them as the Lord had commanded him; he hamstrung their horses and burned[ps] their chariots.
10 At that time Joshua turned, captured Hazor, and struck down its king with the sword, for Hazor was at that time[pt] the leader of all these kingdoms. 11 They annihilated everyone who lived there with the sword[pu]—no one who breathed remained—and burned[pv] Hazor.
12 Joshua captured all these royal cities and all their kings and annihilated them with the sword,[pw] as Moses the Lord’s servant had commanded. 13 But Israel did not burn any of the cities located on mounds[px] except for Hazor; it was the only one Joshua burned. 14 The Israelites plundered all the goods of these cities and the cattle, but they totally destroyed all the people[py] and allowed no one who breathed to live. 15 Moses the Lord’s servant passed on the Lord’s commands to Joshua, and Joshua did as he was told. He did not ignore any of the commands the Lord had given Moses.[pz]
A Summary of Israel’s Victories
16 Joshua conquered the whole land,[qa] including the hill country, all the Negev,[qb] all the land of Goshen, the foothills,[qc] the rift valley,[qd] the hill country of Israel and its foothills, 17 from Mount Halak up to Seir, as far as Baal Gad in the Lebanon Valley below Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings and executed them.[qe] 18 Joshua campaigned against[qf] these kings for quite some time.[qg] 19 No city made peace with the Israelites (except the Hivites living in Gibeon);[qh] they had to conquer all of them,[qi] 20 for the Lord determined to make them obstinate so they would attack Israel. He wanted Israel to annihilate them without mercy, as he had instructed Moses.[qj]
21 At that time Joshua attacked and eliminated the Anakites from the hill country[qk]—from Hebron, Debir, Anab, and all the hill country of Judah and Israel.[ql] Joshua annihilated them and their cities. 22 No Anakites were left in Israelite territory, though some remained in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod. 23 Joshua conquered[qm] the whole land, just as the Lord had promised Moses,[qn] and he assigned Israel their tribal portions.[qo] Then the land was free of war.
12 Now these are the kings of the land whom the Israelites defeated and drove from their land[qp] on the east side of the Jordan,[qq] from the Arnon Valley to Mount Hermon, including all the eastern rift valley:[qr]
2 King Sihon of the Amorites who lived[qs] in Heshbon and ruled from Aroer (on the edge of the Arnon Valley)—including the city in the middle of the valley[qt] and half of Gilead—all the way to the Jabbok Valley bordering Ammonite territory. 3 His kingdom included[qu] the eastern rift valley from the Sea of Kinnereth[qv] to the sea of the rift valley (the Salt Sea),[qw] including the route to Beth Jeshimoth and the area southward below the slopes of Pisgah.[qx]
4 The territory of King Og of Bashan, one of the few remaining Rephaites,[qy] who lived[qz] in Ashtaroth and Edrei 5 and ruled over Mount Hermon, Salecah, all Bashan to the border of the Geshurites and Maacathites, and half of Gilead as far as the border of King Sihon of Heshbon.
6 Moses the Lord’s servant and the Israelites defeated them and Moses the Lord’s servant assigned their land[ra] to Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
7 These are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the Israelites defeated on the west side of the Jordan, from Baal Gad in the Lebanon Valley to Mount Halak up to Seir. Joshua assigned this territory to the Israelite tribes,[rb] 8 including the hill country, the foothills,[rc] the rift valley,[rd] the slopes,[re] the wilderness, and the Negev[rf]—the land of[rg] the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites:
9 the king of Jericho (one),
the king of Ai—located near Bethel—(one),
10 the king of Jerusalem (one),
the king of Hebron (one),
11 the king of Jarmuth (one),
the king of Lachish (one),
12 the king of Eglon (one),
the king of Gezer (one),
13 the king of Debir (one),
the king of Geder (one),
14 the king of Hormah (one),
the king of Arad (one),
15 the king of Libnah (one),
the king of Adullam (one),
16 the king of Makkedah (one),
the king of Bethel (one),
17 the king of Tappuah (one),
the king of Hepher (one),
18 the king of Aphek (one),
the king of Lasharon (one),
19 the king of Madon (one),
the king of Hazor (one),
20 the king of Shimron Meron (one),
the king of Acshaph (one),
21 the king of Taanach (one),
the king of Megiddo (one),
22 the king of Kedesh (one),
the king of Jokneam near Carmel (one),
23 the king of Dor—near Naphath Dor—(one),
the king of Goyim—near Gilgal—(one),
24 the king of Tirzah (one),
a total of thirty-one kings.
The Lord Speaks to Joshua
13 When Joshua was very old,[rh] the Lord told him, “You are very old, and a great deal of land remains to be conquered. 2 This is the land that remains: all the territory of the Philistines and all the Geshurites, 3 from the Shihor River[ri] east of[rj] Egypt northward to the territory of Ekron (it is regarded as Canaanite territory),[rk] including the area belonging to the five Philistine lords who ruled in Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, as well as Avvite land[rl] 4 to the south;[rm] all the Canaanite territory,[rn] from Arah[ro] in the region of Sidon[rp] to Aphek, as far as Amorite territory; 5 the territory of Byblos[rq] and all Lebanon to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo Hamath.[rr] 6 I will drive out before the Israelites all who live in the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim,[rs] all the Sidonians; you be sure to parcel it out to Israel as I instructed you.[rt] 7 Now, divide up this land[ru] among the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.”
Tribal Lands East of the Jordan
8 The other half of Manasseh,[rv] Reuben, and Gad received their allotted tribal lands on east side of the Jordan,[rw] just as Moses, the Lord’s servant, had assigned them. 9 Their territory started[rx] from Aroer (on the edge of the Arnon Valley), included the city in the middle of the valley, the whole plain of Medeba as far as Dibon, 10 and all the cities of King Sihon of the Amorites who ruled in Heshbon, and ended at the Ammonite border. 11 Their territory also included[ry] Gilead, Geshurite and Maacathite territory, all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan to Salecah— 12 the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who ruled in Ashtaroth and Edrei. (He was one of the few remaining Rephaites.)[rz] Moses defeated them and took their lands.[sa] 13 But the Israelites did not conquer[sb] the Geshurites and Maacathites; Geshur and Maacah live among Israel to this very day. 14 However, Moses[sc] did not assign land as an inheritance[sd] to the Levites; their inheritance[se] is the sacrificial offerings[sf] made to the Lord God of Israel, as he instructed[sg] them.
15 Moses assigned land to the tribe of Reuben[sh] by its clans. 16 Their territory started at Aroer[si] (on the edge of the Arnon Valley) and included the city in the middle of the valley, the whole plain of Medeba, 17 Heshbon and all its surrounding cities on the plain, including Dibon, Bamoth Baal, Beth Baal Meon, 18 Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, 19 Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar on the hill in the valley, 20 Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth. 21 It encompassed[sj] all the cities of the plain and the whole realm of King Sihon of the Amorites who ruled in Heshbon. Moses defeated him and the Midianite leaders Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba (they were subjects of Sihon and lived in his territory).[sk] 22 The Israelites killed Balaam son of Beor, the omen reader,[sl] along with the others.[sm] 23 The border of the tribe of Reuben was the Jordan. The land allotted to the tribe of Reuben by its clans included these cities and their towns.[sn]
24 Moses assigned land to the tribe of Gad[so] by its clans. 25 Their territory included Jazer, all the cities of Gilead, and half the Ammonite territory[sp] as far as Aroer near[sq] Rabbah. 26 Their territory ran[sr] from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the territory of Debir. 27 It included the valley of Beth Haram,[ss] Beth Nimrah, Sukkoth, and Zaphon, and the rest of the realm of King Sihon of Heshbon, the area east of the Jordan to the end of the Sea of Kinnereth.[st] 28 The land allotted to the tribe of Gad by its clans included these cities and their towns.[su]
29 Moses assigned land to the half-tribe of Manasseh[sv] by its clans. 30 Their territory started at[sw] Mahanaim and encompassed all Bashan, the whole realm of King Og of Bashan, including all sixty cities in Havvoth Jair[sx] in Bashan. 31 Half of Gilead, Ashtaroth, and Edrei, cities in the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were assigned to the descendants of Makir son of Manasseh, to half the descendants of Makir by their clans.
32 These are the land assignments made by Moses[sy] in the rift valley plains of Moab[sz] east of the Jordan River opposite Jericho.[ta] 33 However, Moses did not assign land as an inheritance[tb] to the Levites; their inheritance[tc] is the Lord God of Israel, as he instructed[td] them.
Judah’s Tribal Lands
14 The following is a record of the territory assigned to the Israelites in the land of Canaan by Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the Israelite tribal leaders.[te] 2 The land assignments to the nine-and-a-half tribes were made by drawing lots, as the Lord had instructed Moses.[tf] 3 Now Moses had assigned land[tg] to the two-and-a-half tribes east of the Jordan, but he assigned no land[th] to the Levites.[ti] 4 The descendants of Joseph were considered as two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. The Levites were allotted no territory, though they were assigned cities in which to live, along with the grazing areas for their cattle and possessions.[tj] 5 The Israelites followed the Lord’s instructions to Moses and divided up the land.[tk]
6 The men of Judah approached Joshua in Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said about you and me to Moses, the man of God, at Kadesh Barnea.[tl] 7 I was forty years old when Moses, the Lord’s servant, sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy on the land and I brought back to him an honest report.[tm] 8 My countrymen[tn] who accompanied[to] me frightened the people,[tp] but I remained loyal to the Lord my God.[tq] 9 That day Moses made this solemn promise:[tr] ‘Surely the land on which you walked[ts] will belong to you and your descendants permanently,[tt] for you remained loyal to the Lord your God.’ 10 So now, look, the Lord has preserved my life, just as he promised, these past forty-five years since the Lord spoke these words to Moses, while Israel traveled through the wilderness. See here, I am today eighty-five years old! 11 Today I am still as strong as when Moses sent me out. I can fight and go about my daily activities with the same energy I had then.[tu] 12 Now, assign me this hill country that the Lord promised me at that time! No doubt you heard then that the Anakites live there in large, fortified cities.[tv] But assuming the Lord is with me, I will conquer[tw] them, as the Lord promised.” 13 Joshua asked God to empower Caleb son of Jephunneh and assigned him Hebron.[tx] 14 So Hebron remains the assigned land of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this very day[ty] because he remained loyal to the Lord God of Israel. 15 (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba. Arba was a famous Anakite.[tz]) Then the land was free of war.
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