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Preparations for the First Passover in Canaan
5 All the Amorite kings west of the Jordan River and all the Canaanite kings along the Mediterranean Sea heard that Yahweh had dried up the Jordan River so that the Israelites could cross. So they lost heart and had no courage left to face the people of Israel.
2 At that time Yahweh spoke to Joshua, “Make flint knives, and circumcise the men of Israel.” 3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the men of Israel at the Hill of Circumcision.[a]
4 This is the reason Joshua circumcised them: All the soldiers had died on the way through the desert after they left Egypt. 5 The men who left Egypt had been circumcised. However, the men born later, on the way through the desert, were not circumcised. 6 For 40 years the Israelites wandered through the desert until all their soldiers who left Egypt died. They died because they disobeyed Yahweh. Yahweh swore that he would not let them see this land flowing with milk and honey which Yahweh had sworn to give our ancestors.
7 The sons who took their place had not been circumcised on the way. So Joshua circumcised them. 8 When all the men had been circumcised, they remained in the camp until they recovered.
9 Yahweh said to Joshua, “Today I have removed the disgrace of Egypt from you.” So Joshua named the place Gilgal,[b] the name it still has today.
10 The people of Israel camped at Gilgal in the Jericho plain. There they celebrated the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month. 11 On the day after the Passover, they ate some of the produce of the land, unleavened bread and roasted grain. 12 The day after that, the manna stopped. The people of Israel never had manna again. That year they began to eat the crops that grew in Canaan.
The Commander of the Lord’s Army Speaks with Joshua
13 When Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you one of us or one of our enemies?” 14 He answered, “Neither one! I am here as the commander of Yahweh’s army.” Immediately, Joshua bowed with his face touching the ground and worshiped. He asked, “Sir, what do you want to tell me?” 15 The commander of Yahweh’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals because this place where you are standing is holy.” So Joshua did as he was told.
Jericho Is Destroyed
6 Jericho was bolted and barred shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one could enter or leave.
2 Yahweh said to Joshua, “I am about to hand Jericho, its king, and its warriors over to you. 3 All the soldiers will march around the city once a day for six days. 4 Seven priests will carry rams’ horns ahead of the ark. But on the seventh day you must march around the city seven times while the priests blow their horns. 5 When you hear a long blast on the horn, all the troops must shout very loudly. The wall around the city will collapse. Then the troops must charge straight ahead into the city.”
6 Joshua, son of Nun, summoned the priests. He said to them, “Pick up the ark of the promise, and have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns ahead of Yahweh’s ark.”
7 He told the troops, “March around the city. Let the armed men march ahead of Yahweh’s ark.”
8 After Joshua had given orders to the troops, the seven priests carrying the seven rams’ horns ahead of Yahweh marched off as they blew their horns. The ark of Yahweh’s promise followed them. 9 The armed men went ahead of the priests, who blew their horns. The rear guard followed the ark while the priests continued to blow their horns.
10 Joshua ordered the troops, “Don’t shout, make any noise, or let one word come out of your mouth until I tell you to shout. Then shout!” 11 So Yahweh’s ark went around the city once. Then they went back to the camp and stayed there for the night.
12 Joshua got up early in the morning. The priests carried Yahweh’s ark. 13 The seven priests carrying the seven rams’ horns were ahead of it. The priests blew their horns as they went. The armed men were ahead of them, and the rear guard followed Yahweh’s ark while the horns blew continually. 14 They went around the city once on the second day and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.
15 On the seventh day they got up at dawn. They marched around the city seven times the same way they had done it before. That was the only day they marched around it seven times. 16 When they went around the seventh time, the priests blew their rams’ horns.
Joshua said to the troops, “Shout, because Yahweh has given you the city! 17 The city has been claimed by the Lord. Everything in it belongs to Yahweh. Only the prostitute Rahab and all who are in the house with her will live because she hid the messengers we sent. 18 But stay away from what has been claimed by the Lord for destruction, or you, too, will be destroyed by the Lord. If you take anything that is claimed by the Lord, you will bring destruction and disaster on the camp of Israel. 19 All the silver and gold and everything made of bronze and iron are holy and belong to Yahweh. They must go into Yahweh’s treasury.”
20 So the troops shouted very loudly when they heard the blast of the rams’ horns, and the wall collapsed. The troops charged straight ahead and captured the city. 21 They claimed everything in it for the Lord. With their swords they killed men and women, young and old, as well as cattle, sheep, and donkeys.
22 But Joshua said to the two spies, “Go to the prostitute’s house. Bring the woman out, along with everything she has, as you swore you would do for her.”
23 The spies went and brought out Rahab, her father, mother, brothers, everything she had, and even all of her relatives. They gave them a place outside the camp of Israel. 24 Then Israel burned the city and everything in it. But they put the silver and gold and everything made of bronze and iron into Yahweh’s treasury. 25 Joshua spared the prostitute Rahab, her father’s family, and everything she had. She still lives in Israel today because she hid the messengers Joshua had sent to look at Jericho.
26 At that time Joshua pronounced this curse:
“Yahweh will curse
whoever comes to rebuild the city of Jericho.
It will cost him his firstborn son
to lay the foundation.
It will cost him his youngest son
to set up the city doors.”
27 So Yahweh was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land.
Achan’s Sin and Its Consequences
7 The people of Israel proved to be disloyal about the things claimed by the Lord. Achan, son of Carmi, grandson of Zabdi, great-grandson of Zerah, and a member of the tribe of Judah, took something that had been claimed by the Lord. So Yahweh became angry with the people of Israel.
2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai. Ai is near Beth Aven, east of Bethel. He said to them, “Go, look at that country.” So the men went and looked at Ai.
3 They came back to Joshua and told him, “You don’t need to send all the troops. Only about two or three thousand men are needed to destroy Ai. Don’t tire the troops out by sending all of them. There are only a few troops in Ai.”
4 So about three thousand men were sent. However, they fled from the men of Ai. 5 The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them, chasing them from the city gate to the slope of the stone quarries. Israel’s troops lost heart and were scared stiff.
6 Joshua and the leaders of Israel tore their clothes in grief. They put dust on their heads and bowed down to the ground in front of Yahweh’s ark. They stayed there until evening. 7 Joshua said, “Adonay Yahweh, why did you bring these people across the Jordan River? Was it to hand us over to the Amorites so that they could destroy us? I wish we had been content to live on the other side of the Jordan! 8 Adonay, what else can I say after Israel ran away from its enemy? 9 When the Canaanites and everyone who lives in the land hears about it, they will surround us and remove every memory of us from the earth. What will you do then so that your great name will be remembered?”
10 Yahweh said to Joshua, “Get up! What are you doing bowing on the ground? 11 Israel has sinned. They have ignored the requirements[c] that I have placed on them. They have taken what I claimed for myself and put it among their own goods. They have not only stolen, but they have also lied.
12 “The people of Israel will not be able to defend themselves against their enemies. They will run away from their enemies because the people of Israel are now claimed for destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy what I have claimed for myself.
13 “Get up! Tell the people, ‘Get ready for tomorrow by performing the ceremonies to make yourselves holy. This is what Yahweh Elohim of Israel says: You have what I claimed for myself, Israel. You will not be able to defend yourselves against your enemies until you get rid of what I have claimed. 14 In the morning come forward by tribes to the tent of meeting. The tribe Yahweh selects will come forward by families. Then the family Yahweh selects will come forward by households, and the household Yahweh selects will come forward man by man. 15 The man who is selected, along with everything he has, must be burned because he has stolen what the Lord has claimed. He has ignored Yahweh’s requirements and done a godless thing in Israel.’”
The Lost Sheep(A)
15 All the tax collectors and sinners came to listen to Yeshua. 2 But the Pharisees and the experts in Moses’ Teachings complained, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3 Yeshua spoke to them using this illustration: 4 “Suppose a man has 100 sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the 99 sheep grazing in the pasture and look for the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 When he finds it, he’s happy. He puts that sheep on his shoulders and 6 goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says to them, ‘Let’s celebrate! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ 7 I can guarantee that there will be more happiness in heaven over one person who turns to God and changes the way he thinks and acts than over 99 people who already have turned to God and have his approval.”
The Lost Coin
8 “Suppose a woman has ten coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house, and look for the coin carefully until she finds it? 9 When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Let’s celebrate! I’ve found the coin that I lost.’ 10 So I can guarantee that God’s angels are happy about one person who turns to God and changes the way he thinks and acts.”
The Lost Son
11 Then Yeshua said, “A man had two sons. 12 The younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the property.’ So the father divided his property between his two sons.
13 “After a few days, the younger son gathered his possessions and left for a country far away from home. There he wasted everything he had on a wild lifestyle. 14 He had nothing left when a severe famine spread throughout that country. He had nothing to live on. 15 So he got a job from someone in that country and was sent to feed pigs in the fields. 16 No one in the country would give him any food, and he was so hungry that he would have eaten what the pigs were eating.
17 “Finally, he came to his senses. He said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more food than they can eat, while I’m starving to death here? 18 I’ll go at once to my father, and I’ll say to him, “Father, I’ve sinned against heaven and you. 19 I don’t deserve to be called your son anymore. Make me one of your hired men.” ’
20 “So he went at once to his father. While he was still at a distance, his father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son, put his arms around him, and kissed him. 21 Then his son said to him, ‘Father, I’ve sinned against heaven and you. I don’t deserve to be called your son anymore.’[a]
22 “The father said to his servants, ‘Hurry! Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let’s celebrate with a feast. 24 My son was dead and has come back to life. He was lost but has been found.’ Then they began to celebrate.
25 “His older son was in the field. As he was coming back to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 He called to one of the servants and asked what was happening.
27 “The servant told him, ‘Your brother has come home. So your father has killed the fattened calf to celebrate your brother’s safe return.’
28 “Then the older son became angry and wouldn’t go into the house. His father came out and begged him to come in. 29 But he answered his father, ‘All these years I’ve worked like a slave for you. I’ve never disobeyed one of your commands. Yet, you’ve never given me so much as a little goat for a celebration with my friends. 30 But this son of yours spent your money on prostitutes, and when he came home, you killed the fattened calf for him.’
31 “His father said to him, ‘My child, you’re always with me. Everything I have is yours. 32 But we have something to celebrate, something to be happy about. This brother of yours was dead but has come back to life. He was lost but has been found.’”
Psalm 81
For the choir director; on the gittith;[a] by Asaph.
1 Sing joyfully to Elohim, our strength.
Shout happily to the Elohim of Jacob.
2 Begin a psalm, and strike a tambourine.
Play lyres and harps with their pleasant music.
3 Blow the ram’s horn on the day of the new moon,
on the day of the full moon,
on our festival days.
4 This is a law for Israel,
a legal decision from the Elohim of Jacob.
5 These are the instructions Elohim set in place for Joseph
when Joseph rose to power over Egypt.
I heard a message I did not understand:
6 “I removed the burden from his shoulder.
His hands were freed from the basket.
7 When you were in trouble, you called out to me, and I rescued you.
I was hidden in thunder, but I answered you.
I tested your loyalty at the oasis of Meribah. Selah
8 Listen, my people, and I will warn you.
Israel, if you would only listen to me!
9 Never keep any strange god among you.
Never worship a foreign god.
10 I am Yahweh your Elohim, the one who brought you out of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
11 “But my people did not listen to me.
Israel wanted nothing to do with me.
12 So I let them go their own stubborn ways
and follow their own advice.
13 If only my people would listen to me!
If only Israel would follow me!
14 I would quickly defeat their enemies.
I would turn my power against their foes.
15 Those who hate Yahweh would cringe in front of him,
and their time for punishment would last forever.
16 But I would feed Israel with the finest wheat
and satisfy them with honey from a rock.”
A Wise Son Lives Righteously
13 A wise son listens to his father’s discipline,
but a mocker does not listen to reprimands.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.