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Joshua 1-12
New American Standard Bible

God’s Orders to Joshua

1 Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ [a]servant, saying, 2 “Moses (A)My servant is dead; so now arise, (B)cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel. 3 (C)Every place on which the sole of your foot steps, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. 4 (D)From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory. 5 (E)No one will be able to oppose you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; (F)I will not desert you nor abandon you. 6 (G)Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous; [b](H)be careful to do according to all the Law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may [c]achieve success wherever you go. 8 (I)This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may [d]be careful to do according to all that is written in it; (J)for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will [e]achieve success. 9 Have I not commanded you? (K)Be strong and courageous! (L)Do not be terrified nor dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua Assumes Command

10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11 “Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within (M)three days you are going to cross this Jordan, to go in to take possession of the land which the Lord your God is giving you, to possess it.’”

12 But (N)to the Reubenites, to the Gadites, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua [f]said, 13 “Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘(O)The Lord your God is giving you rest, and will give you this land.’ 14 Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land which Moses gave you beyond the Jordan, but you shall cross ahead of your brothers in battle formation, all your valiant warriors, and shall help them, 15 until the Lord gives your brothers rest, as He is giving you, and they also possess the land which the Lord your God is giving them. (P)Then you may return to [g]your own land, and take possession of [h]that which Moses (Q)the servant of the Lord gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise.”

16 They answered Joshua, saying, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you; only (R)may the Lord your God be with you as He was with Moses. 18 Anyone who rebels against your [i]command and does not obey your words in all that you command him, shall be put to death; only be strong and courageous.”

Rahab Shelters Spies

2 Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from (S)Shittim, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of (T)a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and rested there. 2 But it was told to the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to spy out the land.” 3 And the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to spy out all the land.” 4 But the (U)woman had taken the two men and hidden them, and she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5 It came about, when it was time to shut the gate at dark, that the men went out; I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.” 6 But (V)she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them in the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof. 7 So the men pursued them on the road to the Jordan, to the crossing places; and as soon as those who were pursuing them had gone out, they shut the gate.

8 Now before [j]the spies lay down, she came up to them on the roof, 9 and said to the men, “(W)I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the (X)terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have despaired because of you. 10 (Y)For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the [k]Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and (Z)what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you [l]utterly destroyed. 11 When we heard these reports, (AA)our hearts melted and no [m]courage remained in anyone any longer because of you; for the (AB)Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth below. 12 Now then, please swear to me by the Lord, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s household, and give me a (AC)pledge of [n]truth, 13 and [o]spare my father and my mother, and my brothers and my sisters, and all who belong to them, and save our [p]lives from death.” 14 So the men said to her, “Our [q]life [r]for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when the Lord gives us the land that we will (AD)deal kindly and [s]faithfully with you.”

The Promise to Rahab

15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall, so that she was living on the wall. 16 And she said to them, “(AE)Go to the hill country, so that the pursuers will not encounter you, and hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way.” 17 And the men said to her, “(AF)We shall be exempt from this oath [t]to you which you have made us swear, 18 [u]unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and (AG)gather into your house your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household. 19 And it shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house outside will have [v]his blood on his own head, and we will be innocent; but anyone who is with you in the house, (AH)his blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on him. 20 But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be exempt from the oath which you have made us swear.” 21 She then said, “According to your words, so be it.” So she sent them away, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

22 So they departed and came to the hill country, and remained there for three days, until the pursuers returned. Now the pursuers had searched for them [w]all along the road, but had not found them. 23 Then the two men returned and came down from the hill country, and they crossed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun. Then they reported to him all that had happened to them. 24 And they said to Joshua, “The Lord has indeed handed over to us all the land; furthermore, (AI)all the inhabitants of the land have despaired because of us.”

Israel Crosses the Jordan

3 Then Joshua got up early in the morning; and he and all the sons of Israel set out from (AJ)Shittim and came to the Jordan, and they spent the night there before they crossed. 2 Then (AK)at the end of three days the officers went through the midst of the camp; 3 and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the (AL)ark of the covenant of the Lord your God with the Levitical priests carrying it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. 4 However, there shall be a distance between you and it of about [x]two thousand cubits by measurement. Do not come near it, so that you may know the way by which you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.”

5 Then Joshua said to the people, “(AM)Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do miracles among you.” 6 And Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over ahead of the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people.

7 Now the Lord said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to (AN)exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so that they will know that just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you. 8 So you shall command the priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’” 9 Then Joshua said to the sons of Israel, “Come here, and hear the words of the Lord your God.” 10 And Joshua said, “By this you will know that (AO)the living God is among you, and that He will assuredly (AP)drive out from you the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, and the Jebusite. 11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of (AQ)the Lord of all the earth is crossing over ahead of you into the Jordan. 12 Now then, (AR)take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe. 13 And it will come about when the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off, that is, the waters which are [y]flowing down from above; and they will (AS)stand in one heap.”

14 So when the people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan, with the priests carrying (AT)the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and when those who were carrying the ark came up to the Jordan and the feet of the priests carrying the ark [z]stepped down into the edge of the water (for the (AU)Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest), 16 then (AV)the waters which were [aa]flowing down from above stood and rose up in (AW)one heap, a great distance away at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those which were [ab]flowing down toward the sea of the (AX)Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. So the people crossed opposite Jericho. 17 And the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm (AY)on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan.

Memorial Stones from the Jordan

4 Now when the entire nation had finished crossing the (AZ)Jordan, the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 “(BA)Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe, 3 and command them, saying, ‘Take up for yourselves twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet are standing firmly, and carry them over with you and lay them down in (BB)the encampment where you will spend the night.’” 4 So Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the sons of Israel, one man from each tribe; 5 and Joshua said to them, “[ac]Cross again to the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel. 6 [ad]This shall be a sign among you; (BC)when your children ask [ae]later, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ 7 then you shall say to them, ‘That the (BD)waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.’ So these stones shall become a (BE)memorial to the sons of Israel forever.”

8 So the sons of Israel did exactly as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, just as the Lord spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel; and they carried them over with them to (BF)the encampment and put them down there. 9 Then Joshua set up twelve (BG)stones in the middle of the Jordan at the place where the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing, and they are there to this day. 10 For the priests who carried the ark were standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything was completed that the Lord had commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. And the people hurried and crossed; 11 and when all the people had finished crossing, then the ark of the Lord and the priests crossed in front of the people. 12 (BH)The sons of Reuben, the sons of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over in battle formation before the sons of Israel, just as Moses had spoken to them; 13 about forty thousand equipped for war, crossed for battle before the Lord to the desert plains of Jericho.

14 (BI)On that day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, so that they [af]revered him, just as they had [ag]revered Moses all the days of his life.

15 Now the Lord said to [ah]Joshua, 16 “Command the priests who carry (BJ)the ark of the testimony that they come up from the Jordan.” 17 So Joshua commanded the priests, saying, “Come up from the Jordan.” 18 It came about when the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord had come up from the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were [ai]lifted up to the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks as before.

19 Now the people came up from the Jordan on the (BK)tenth of the first month and camped at Gilgal, on the eastern edge of Jericho. 20 As for [aj](BL)those twelve stones which they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set them up (BM)at Gilgal. 21 And he said to the sons of [ak]Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ 22 then you shall inform your children, saying, ‘Israel crossed this Jordan on (BN)dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the Lord your God had done to the [al]Red Sea, (BO)which He dried up before us until we had crossed; 24 so that (BP)all the peoples of the earth may know that the (BQ)hand of the Lord is mighty, so that you may [am](BR)fear the Lord your God [an]forever.”

Israel Is Circumcised

5 Now it came about when all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the (BS)Canaanites who were by the sea, (BT)heard how the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the sons of Israel until [ao]they had crossed, that their hearts melted, and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the sons of Israel.

2 At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make for yourself (BU)flint knives and circumcise again the sons of Israel the second time.” 3 So Joshua made himself flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at [ap]Gibeath-haaraloth. 4 This is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: (BV)all the people who came out of Egypt who were males, all the men of war, died in the wilderness along the way after they came out of Egypt. 5 For all the people who came out were circumcised, but all the people who were born in the wilderness along the way as they came out of Egypt had not been circumcised. 6 For the sons of Israel walked (BW)forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, that is, the men of war who came out of Egypt, [aq]perished because they did not listen to the voice of the Lord, (BX)to whom the Lord had sworn that He would not let them see the land which the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 7 So their children whom He raised up in their place, Joshua [ar]circumcised; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them along the way.

8 Now when they had finished circumcising all the nation, they remained in their places in the camp until they recovered. 9 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away (BY)the shame of Egypt from you.” So the name of that place is called [as]Gilgal to this day.

10 While the sons of Israel camped at Gilgal (BZ)they celebrated the Passover on the evening of the (CA)fourteenth day of the month on the desert plains of Jericho. 11 Then on the day after the Passover, on [at]that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and roasted grain. 12 And (CB)the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten some of the produce of the land, so that the sons of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate some of the yield of the land of Canaan during that year.

13 Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, he raised his eyes and looked, and behold, (CC)a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” 14 He said, “No; rather I have come now as captain of the army of the Lord.” And Joshua (CD)fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down, and said to him, “What has my lord to say to his servant?” 15 And the captain of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “(CE)Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

The Conquest of Jericho

6 Now Jericho was tightly shut because of the sons of Israel; no one went out and no one came in. 2 But the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have handed Jericho over to you, with (CF)its king and the valiant warriors. 3 And you shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do so for six days. 4 Also seven priests shall carry seven (CG)trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down [au]flat, and the people shall go up, everyone [av]straight ahead.”

6 So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and have seven priests carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark of the Lord.” 7 Then [aw]he said to the people, “Go forward and march around the city, and the armed men shall go on ahead of the ark of the Lord.” 8 And it was so, that when Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the Lord went forward and blew the trumpets; and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them. 9 And the armed men went ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and (CH)the rear guard came after the ark, while they continued to blow the trumpets. 10 But Joshua commanded the people, saying, “You shall not shout nor let your voice be heard, nor let a word proceed from your mouth, until the day I tell you, ‘Shout!’ Then you shall shout!” 11 So he had the ark of the Lord [ax]taken around the city, circling it once; then they came into the camp and spent the night in the camp.

12 Now Joshua got up early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13 Then (CI)the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark of the Lord went on continually, and blew the trumpets; and the armed men went ahead of them, and (CJ)the rear guard came after the ark of the Lord, while they continued to blow the trumpets. 14 So the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp; they did the same for six days.

15 Then on the seventh day they got up early at the dawning of the day and marched around the city in the same way seven times; only on that day did they march around the city seven times. 16 And at the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “(CK)Shout! For the Lord has given you the city. 17 But the city shall be (CL)designated for [ay]destruction, it and everything that is in it belongs to the Lord; only Rahab the prostitute [az]and all who are with her in the house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. 18 But as for you, only keep yourselves from the things designated for destruction, so that you do not covet them and (CM)take some of the designated things, and turn the camp of Israel into something designated for destruction and bring disaster on it. 19 (CN)But all the silver and gold, and articles of bronze and iron are holy to the Lord; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord.” 20 So the people shouted, and [ba]the priests blew the trumpets; and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout, and the (CO)wall fell down [bb]flat, so that the people went up into the city, everyone straight [bc]ahead, and they took the city. 21 (CP)They [bd]utterly destroyed everything in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, sheep, and donkey, with the edge of the sword.

22 And Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “(CQ)Go into the prostitute’s house and bring the woman and all she has out of there, just as you have sworn to her.” 23 So the young men who were spies went in and (CR)brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and all she had; they also brought out all her relatives, and placed them outside the camp of Israel. 24 Then (CS)they burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver and gold, and the articles of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the [be]house of the Lord. 25 However, (CT)Rahab the prostitute and her father’s household and all she had, Joshua [bf]spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, because (CU)she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

26 Then Joshua made them take an oath at that time, saying, “(CV)Cursed before the Lord is the man who rises up and builds this city Jericho; with the loss of his firstborn he will lay its foundation, and with the loss of his youngest son he will set up its gates.” 27 So (CW)the Lord was with Joshua, and his (CX)fame was in all the land.

Israel Is Defeated at Ai

7 (CY)But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully regarding the things designated for destruction, for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, took some of the designated things; therefore the anger of the Lord burned against the sons of Israel.

2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near (CZ)Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “[bg]Go up and spy out the land.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. 3 Then they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not have all the people go up; have only about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai; do not trouble all the people there, for they are few.” 4 So about three thousand men from the people went up there, but (DA)they fled [bh]from the men of Ai. 5 And the men of Ai struck and killed about thirty-six of their men, and pursued them [bi]from the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them on the mountainside; and the (DB)hearts of the people melted and became like water.

6 Then Joshua (DC)tore his clothes and fell to the ground on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, both he and the elders of Israel; and (DD)they put dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Oh, Lord [bj]God! Why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan, only to hand us over to the Amorites, to eliminate us? If only we had been willing [bk]to live beyond the Jordan! 8 O Lord, what can I say since Israel has turned their [bl]back before their enemies? 9 (DE)For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear about it, and they will surround us and eliminate our name from the earth. And what will You do for Your great name?”

10 So the Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! Why is it that you have fallen on your face? 11 Israel has sinned, and (DF)they have also violated My covenant which I commanded them. And they have even taken some of the things designated for destruction, and have both stolen and kept it a secret. Furthermore, they have also put them among their own things. 12 Therefore the (DG)sons of Israel cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their [bm]backs before their enemies, because they have become designated for destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you eliminate from your midst the things designated for destruction. 13 Stand up! (DH)Consecrate the people and say, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, because the Lord, the God of Israel, has said this: “(DI)There are things designated for destruction in your midst, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you have removed the designated things from your midst.” 14 So in the morning you shall come forward by your tribes. And it shall be that the tribe which (DJ)the Lord selects by lot shall come forward by families, and the family which the Lord selects shall come forward by households, and the household which the Lord selects shall come forward man by man. 15 And (DK)it shall be that the one who is selected with the things designated for destruction shall be burned with fire, he and all that belongs to him, because he has violated the covenant of the Lord, and because he (DL)has committed a disgraceful thing in Israel.’”

The Sin of Achan

16 So Joshua got up early in the morning and brought Israel forward by [bn]tribes, and the tribe of Judah was selected. 17 So he brought the family of Judah forward, and he selected the family of the Zerahites; then he brought the family of the Zerahites forward man by man, and Zabdi was selected. 18 And he brought his household forward man by man; and (DM)Achan, son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, was selected. 19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, I implore you, (DN)give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and give praise to Him; and tell me now what you have done. Do not hide it from me.” 20 So Achan answered Joshua and said, “Truly, I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel, and [bo]this is what I did: 21 when I saw among the spoils a beautiful robe from Shinar, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold fifty shekels in weight, then I (DO)wanted them and took them; and behold, they are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”

22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was hidden in his tent with the silver underneath it. 23 So they took them from inside the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the sons of Israel; and they [bp]laid them out before the Lord. 24 Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, his daughters, his [bq]oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that belonged to him; and they brought them up to (DP)the Valley of [br]Achor. 25 And Joshua said, “Why have you (DQ)brought disaster on us? The Lord will bring disaster on you this day.” And all Israel stoned [bs]them with stones; and they burned them with fire [bt]after they had stoned them with stones. 26 Then they erected over him a large heap of stones that stands to this day, and the Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called (DR)the Valley of [bu]Achor to this day.

The Conquest of Ai

8 Now the Lord said to Joshua, “(DS)Do not fear or be dismayed. Take all the people of war with you. Arise, go up to Ai; see, (DT)I have handed over to you the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land. 2 You shall do to Ai and its king just as you did to Jericho and its king; you shall (DU)take only its spoils and its cattle as plunder for yourselves. [bv]Set an ambush for the city behind it.”

3 So Joshua rose up with all the people of war to go up to Ai; and Joshua chose thirty thousand men, valiant warriors, and sent them out at night. 4 He commanded them, saying, “See, you are (DV)going to ambush the city from behind [bw]it. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready. 5 Then I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. And when they come out to meet us as they did the first time, (DW)we will flee before them. 6 They will come out after us until we have lured them away from the city, for they will say, ‘They are fleeing before us just as they did the first time.’ So we will flee before them. 7 Then you shall rise from your ambush and take possession of the city, for the Lord your God will hand it over to you. 8 Then it will be when you have seized the city, that you shall set the city on fire. You shall do it (DX)in accordance with the word of the Lord. See, I have commanded you.” 9 So Joshua sent them away, and they went to the place of ambush and remained between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai; but Joshua spent that night among the people.

10 Now Joshua (DY)got up early in the morning and mustered the people, and he went up with the elders of Israel before the people to Ai. 11 Then all the people of war who were with him went up and approached, and arrived in front of the city; and they camped on the north side of Ai. And there was a valley between him and Ai. 12 Then he took about five thousand men and set them in ambush between (DZ)Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the [bx]city. 13 So they stationed the people, all the army that was on the north side of the city, and its rear guard on the west side of the city, and Joshua spent that night in the midst of the valley. 14 And it came about, when the king of Ai saw them, that the men of the city hurried and got up early, and went out to meet Israel in battle, he and all his people at the appointed place before the desert plain. But he did not know that there was an ambush against him behind the city. 15 Then Joshua and all Israel [by]pretended to be defeated before them, and fled (EA)by the way of the wilderness. 16 And all the people who were in the city were called together to pursue them, and they pursued Joshua and (EB)were lured away from the city. 17 So not a man was left in Ai or Bethel, [bz]but they had all gone out after Israel, and they left the city [ca]unguarded and pursued Israel.

18 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “(EC)Reach out with the sword that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will hand it over to you.” So Joshua reached out with the sword that was in his hand toward the city. 19 Then the men in ambush rose quickly from their place, and when he had reached out with his hand, they ran and entered the city and captured it, and they quickly set the city on fire. 20 When the men of Ai turned [cb]back and looked, behold, the smoke of the city ascended to the sky, and they had no place to flee this way or that, for the people who had been fleeing to the wilderness turned against the pursuers. 21 When Joshua and all Israel saw that the men in ambush had captured the city and that the smoke of the city ascended, they turned back and [cc]killed the men of Ai. 22 [cd]The others came out from the city to confront them, so that they were trapped in the midst of Israel, [ce]some on this side and some on that side; and they [cf]killed them until there was not (ED)one [cg]left who escaped or survived. 23 But they captured the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.

24 Now when Israel had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the field in the wilderness where they pursued them, and all of them had fallen by the edge of the sword until they were destroyed, then all Israel returned to Ai and struck it with the edge of the sword. 25 So (EE)all who fell that day, both men and women, were twelve thousand—all the [ch]people of Ai. 26 For Joshua (EF)did not withdraw his hand with which he reached out with the sword until he had [ci]utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. 27 (EG)Israel took only the cattle and the spoils of that city as plunder for themselves, in accordance with the word of the Lord which He had commanded Joshua. 28 So Joshua burned Ai and made it (EH)a refuse heap forever, a desolation until this day. 29 And (EI)he hanged the king of Ai on [cj]a tree until evening; but at sunset Joshua gave the command and they took his body down from [ck]the tree and threw it at the entrance of the city gate, and erected over it a large heap of stones that stands to this day.

30 Then Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, on (EJ)Mount Ebal, 31 just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the sons of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, (EK)an altar of uncut stones on which no one had wielded an iron tool; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, and sacrificed peace offerings. 32 And he (EL)wrote there on the stones a copy of the Law of Moses, which [cl]he had written, in the presence of the sons of Israel. 33 (EM)And all Israel with their elders, officers, and their judges were standing on both sides of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, the stranger as well as the native. Half of them stood in front of (EN)Mount Gerizim, and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded at first to bless the people of Israel. 34 Then afterward he read all the words of the Law, the blessing and the curse, according to everything that is written in (EO)the Book of the Law. 35 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel (EP)with the women, the little ones, and the strangers who were [cm]living among them.

Deception by the Gibeonites

9 Now it came about when (EQ)all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country, the lowland, and on all the (ER)coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, (ES)the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard about it, 2 that they met together with (ET)one [cn]purpose, to fight with Joshua and with Israel.

3 The inhabitants of (EU)Gibeon also heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, 4 but they on their part acted craftily and went and took provisions for a journey, and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins that were worn out, split open, and patched, 5 and worn-out and patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and had become crumbled. 6 And they went to Joshua at the (EV)camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country; now then, make a covenant with us.” 7 But the men of Israel said to the (EW)Hivites, “Perhaps you are living [co]within our land; (EX)how then are we to make a covenant with you?” 8 So they said to Joshua, “(EY)We are your servants.” Then Joshua said to them, “Who are you and where do you come from?” 9 They said to him, “Your servants have come from (EZ)a very distant country because of the [cp]fame of the Lord your God; for (FA)we have heard the report about Him and all that He did in Egypt, 10 and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan who was in Ashtaroth. 11 So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, “(FB)We are your servants; now then, make a covenant with us.”’ 12 This bread of ours was hot when we took it for our provisions from our houses on the day that we left to come to you; but now behold, it is dry and has become crumbled. 13 And these wineskins which we filled were new, and behold, they are split open; and these clothes of ours and our sandals are worn out from the very long journey.” 14 So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and (FC)did not ask for the [cq]counsel of the Lord. 15 And (FD)Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live; and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.

16 However, it came about at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were neighbors and that they were living [cr]within their land. 17 Then the sons of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were (FE)Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. 18 But the sons of Israel did not [cs]attack them because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders. 19 But all the leaders said to the whole congregation, “We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them. 20 This we will do to them, even let them live, so that wrath will not be on us because of the oath which we swore to them.” 21 So the leaders said to them, “Let them live.” And they became (FF)gatherers of firewood and [ct]labor to draw water for the whole congregation, just as the leaders had spoken to them.

22 Then Joshua called for them and spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ (FG)when you are living [cu]within our land? 23 Now therefore, you are (FH)cursed, and [cv]you will never cease to be slaves, both gatherers of firewood and [cw]labor to draw water for the house of my God.” 24 So they answered Joshua and said, “(FI)Since your servants were fully informed that the Lord your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you, we feared greatly for our lives because of you, and did this thing. 25 And now behold, (FJ)we are in your hands; do to us as it seems good and right in your sight to do.” 26 This he did to them, and saved them from the hands of the sons of Israel, and they did not kill them. 27 But on that day Joshua made them gatherers of firewood and [cx]labor to draw water for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord, to this day, (FK)in the place which He would choose.

Five Kings Attack Gibeon

10 Now it came about when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had captured Ai, and had [cy]utterly destroyed it (just (FL)as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to Ai and its king), and that the inhabitants of Gibeon had (FM)made peace with Israel and were [cz]within their land, 2 that [da]he (FN)feared greatly because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty. 3 Therefore Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent word (FO)to Hoham king of Hebron, to Piram king of Jarmuth, to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4 “Come up to me and help me, and let’s [db]attack Gibeon, for it has (FP)made peace with Joshua and with the sons of Israel.” 5 So the five kings of (FQ)the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered together and went up, they with all their armies, and camped by Gibeon and fought against it.

6 Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not [dc]abandon your servants; come up to us quickly and save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites that live in the hill country have assembled against us.” 7 So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and (FR)all the people of war with him, and all the valiant warriors. 8 And the Lord said to Joshua, “(FS)Do not fear them, for I have handed them over to you; not [dd]one of them will stand against you.” 9 So Joshua came upon them suddenly [de]by marching all night from Gilgal. 10 (FT)And the Lord brought them into confusion before Israel, and He struck them down in a great defeat at Gibeon, and pursued them by the way of the ascent to Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah. 11 And as they fled from Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, (FU)the Lord hurled large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died; there were more who died [df]from the hailstones than those whom the sons of Israel killed with the sword.

12 Then Joshua spoke to the Lord on the day when the Lord turned the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel,

“(FV)Sun, stand still at Gibeon,
And moon, at the Valley of Aijalon!”
13 (FW)So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped,
Until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies.

Is it not written in (FX)the Book of Jashar? And (FY)the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hurry to go down for about a whole day. 14 There was no day like that before it or after it, when the Lord listened to the voice of a man; for (FZ)the Lord fought for Israel.

15 Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp [dg]at Gilgal.

Victory at Makkedah

16 Now these (GA)five kings had fled and hidden themselves in the cave at Makkedah. 17 And it was told to Joshua, saying, “The five kings have been found hidden in the cave at Makkedah.” 18 So Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and post men by it to guard them, 19 but do not stay there yourselves; pursue your enemies and [dh]attack them from behind. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the Lord your God has handed them over to you.” 20 It came about when Joshua and the sons of Israel had finished striking them down in a very great defeat, (GB)until they were destroyed, and the survivors of them who escaped [di]had entered the fortified cities, 21 that all the people returned to the camp, to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. No one [dj]uttered a word against any of the sons of Israel.

22 Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring these five kings out to me from the cave.” 23 They did so, and (GC)brought these five kings out to him from the cave: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. 24 When they brought these kings out to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the leaders of the men of war who had gone with him, “Come forward, (GD)put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came forward and put their feet on their necks. 25 Joshua then said to them, “(GE)Do not fear or be dismayed! Be strong and courageous, for the Lord will do this to all your enemies with whom you fight.” 26 So afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death, and he (GF)hanged them on five [dk]trees; and they were hung on the [dl]trees until evening. 27 Then it came about at [dm]sunset that Joshua gave the command, and (GG)they took them down from the [dn]trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves, and put large stones over the mouth of the cave, to this very day.

28 Now Joshua captured Makkedah on that day, and struck it and its king with the edge of the sword; (GH)he [do]utterly destroyed [dp]it and every [dq]person who was in it. He left no survivor. So he did to the king of Makkedah (GI)just as he had done to the king of Jericho.

Joshua’s Conquest of Southern Canaan

29 Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Makkedah to (GJ)Libnah, and fought against Libnah. 30 And the Lord also handed it over to Israel, with its king, and he struck it and every person who was in it with the edge of the sword. He left no survivor in it. So he did to its king just as he had done to the king of Jericho.

31 And Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Libnah to Lachish, and they camped by it and fought against it. 32 And the Lord handed Lachish over to Israel; and he captured it on the second day, and struck it and every person who was in it with the edge of the sword, according to all that he had done to Libnah.

33 Then Horam king of (GK)Gezer came up to help Lachish, and Joshua [dr]defeated him and his people until he had left him no survivor.

34 And Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Lachish to Eglon, and they camped by it and fought against it. 35 They captured it on that day and struck it with the edge of the sword; and he [ds]utterly destroyed on that day every person who was in it, according to all that he had done to Lachish.

36 Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to (GL)Hebron, and they fought against it. 37 And they captured it and struck it and its king and all its cities and all the persons who were in it with the edge of the sword. He left no survivor, according to all that he had done to Eglon. And he [dt]utterly destroyed it and every person who was in it.

38 Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to (GM)Debir, and they fought against it. 39 He captured it and its king and all its cities, and they struck them with the edge of the sword, and [du]utterly destroyed every person who was in it. He left no survivor. Just as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir and its king, as he had also done to Libnah and its king.

40 So Joshua struck all the land, (GN)the hill country and the [dv]Negev and the lowland and the slopes, and (GO)all their kings. He left no survivor, but (GP)he [dw]utterly destroyed all who breathed, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded. 41 Joshua struck them from Kadesh-barnea even as far as Gaza, and all the country of (GQ)Goshen even as far as Gibeon. 42 Joshua captured all these kings and their lands at one time, because (GR)the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel. 43 So Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp [dx]at Gilgal.

Northern Canaan Taken

11 Then it came about, when Jabin king of (GS)Hazor heard about it, that he sent word to Jobab king of Madon, to the king of Shimron, to the king of Achshaph, 2 and to the kings who were of the north in the hill country, and in the (GT)Arabah—south of [dy]Chinneroth and in the lowland, and on the [dz]heights of Dor on the west— 3 to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the hill country, and (GU)the Hivite [ea]at the foot of (GV)Hermon in the land of (GW)Mizpeh. 4 Then they came out, they and all their armies with them, (GX)as many people as the sand that is on the seashore, with very many horses and chariots. 5 So all of these kings gathered together, and came and encamped together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.

6 Yet the Lord said to Joshua, “(GY)Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow at this time I am going to turn all of them over to Israel as good as dead; you shall (GZ)hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.” 7 So Joshua and all the people of war with him came upon them suddenly at the waters of Merom, and attacked them. 8 And the Lord handed them over to Israel, so that they [eb]defeated them, and pursued them as far as Great Sidon, and (HA)Misrephoth-maim, and the Valley of (HB)Mizpeh to the east; and they struck them until no survivor was left to them. 9 And Joshua did to them just as the Lord had told him; he (HC)hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire.

10 Then Joshua turned back at that time and captured (HD)Hazor, and struck its king with the sword; for Hazor previously was the head of all these kingdoms. 11 (HE)They struck every person who was in it with the edge of the sword, [ec]utterly destroying them; there was no one left who breathed. And he burned Hazor with fire. 12 Joshua captured all the cities of these kings, and all their kings; and he struck them with the edge of the sword and utterly destroyed them, just (HF)as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded. 13 However, Israel did not burn any cities that stood on their mounds, except Hazor alone, which Joshua burned. 14 And (HG)all the spoils of these cities and the cattle, the sons of Israel took as their plunder; but they struck every person with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them. They left no one breathing. 15 Just as the Lord had commanded His servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did; he left nothing undone of all that the Lord had commanded Moses.

16 So Joshua took all that land: (HH)the hill country and all the [ed]Negev, all the land of Goshen, the lowland, (HI)the Arabah, the hill country of Israel and its lowland 17 from (HJ)Mount Halak, that rises toward Seir, even as far as Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon [ee]at the foot of Mount Hermon. And he captured (HK)all their kings, and struck them and put them to death. 18 Joshua waged war a long time with all these kings. 19 There was not a city which made peace with the sons of Israel except (HL)the Hivites living in Gibeon; they took them all in battle. 20 (HM)For it was of the Lord to [ef]harden their hearts, to meet Israel in battle in order that he might (HN)utterly destroy them, that they might [eg]receive no mercy, but that he might destroy them, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

21 Then Joshua came at that time and eliminated (HO)the Anakim from the hill country, from Hebron, Debir, Anab, and from all the hill country of Judah and all the hill country of Israel. Joshua utterly destroyed them with their cities. 22 There were no Anakim left in the land of the sons of Israel; only in Gaza, (HP)Gath, and (HQ)Ashdod some remained. 23 So Joshua took the whole land, in accordance with everything that the Lord had spoken to Moses; and (HR)Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. (HS)So the land was at rest from war.

Kings Defeated by Israel

12 Now these are the (HT)kings of the land whom the sons of Israel [eh]defeated, and they took possession of their land beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise, from the Valley of the Arnon as far as Mount Hermon, and all the Arabah to the east: 2 Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon and ruled (HU)from Aroer, which is on the edge of the Valley of the Arnon, both the middle of the valley and half of Gilead, even as far as the brook Jabbok, the border of the sons of Ammon; 3 and the (HV)Arabah as far as the Sea of [ei]Chinneroth toward the east, and as far as the Sea of the Arabah, that is, the Salt Sea, eastward [ej]toward (HW)Beth-jeshimoth, and on the south, [ek]at the foot of the slopes of Pisgah; 4 and the territory of Og king of Bashan, one of (HX)the remnant of Rephaim, who lived at (HY)Ashtaroth and at Edrei, 5 and ruled over Mount Hermon, (HZ)Salecah, and all Bashan, as far as (IA)the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and half of Gilead, as far as the border of Sihon king of Heshbon. 6 Moses the servant of the Lord and the sons of Israel [el]defeated them; and (IB)Moses the servant of the Lord gave it to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh as a possession.

7 Now these are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the sons of Israel [em]defeated beyond the Jordan toward the west, from Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon even as far as (IC)Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir; and Joshua gave it to the tribes of Israel as a possession according to their divisions, 8 in (ID)the hill country, in the lowland, in the Arabah, on the slopes, in the wilderness, and in the [en]Negev; the Hittite, the Amorite and the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: 9 the (IE)king of Jericho, one; the (IF)king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one; 10 the (IG)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 (IH)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 (II)king of Hepher, one; 18 the king of (IJ)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 Achshaph, one; 21 the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one; 22 the king of (IK)Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam in Carmel, one; 23 the king of Dor in the [eo]heights of Dor, one; the king of (IL)Goiim in Gilgal, one; 24 the king of Tirzah, one: (IM)in all, thirty-one kings.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 1:1 Or minister
  2. Joshua 1:7 Lit to observe
  3. Joshua 1:7 Or have insight
  4. Joshua 1:8 Lit observe
  5. Joshua 1:8 Or have insight
  6. Joshua 1:12 Lit said, saying
  7. Joshua 1:15 Lit the land of your possession
  8. Joshua 1:15 Lit it
  9. Joshua 1:18 Lit mouth
  10. Joshua 2:8 Lit they lay
  11. Joshua 2:10 Lit Sea of Reeds
  12. Joshua 2:10 Or put under the ban
  13. Joshua 2:11 Lit spirit arose
  14. Joshua 2:12 Or faithfulness
  15. Joshua 2:13 Lit let live
  16. Joshua 2:13 Lit souls
  17. Joshua 2:14 Lit soul
  18. Joshua 2:14 Lit instead of you to die
  19. Joshua 2:14 Or truly
  20. Joshua 2:17 Lit of yours
  21. Joshua 2:18 Lit behold
  22. Joshua 2:19 I.e., responsibility for his death
  23. Joshua 2:22 Lit through all the road
  24. Joshua 3:4 About 3,000 ft. or 914 m
  25. Joshua 3:13 Lit going
  26. Joshua 3:15 Lit were dipped in
  27. Joshua 3:16 Lit going
  28. Joshua 3:16 Lit going
  29. Joshua 4:5 Lit Cross before the ark
  30. Joshua 4:6 Lit So that this may be
  31. Joshua 4:6 Lit tomorrow
  32. Joshua 4:14 Or feared
  33. Joshua 4:14 Or feared
  34. Joshua 4:15 Lit Joshua, saying
  35. Joshua 4:18 Lit drawn out
  36. Joshua 4:20 Lit these
  37. Joshua 4:21 Lit Israel, saying,
  38. Joshua 4:23 Lit Sea of Reeds
  39. Joshua 4:24 Or revere
  40. Joshua 4:24 Lit all the days
  41. Joshua 5:1 Other mss we
  42. Joshua 5:3 I.e., the hill of the foreskins
  43. Joshua 5:6 Lit were finished
  44. Joshua 5:7 Lit circumcised them
  45. Joshua 5:9 I.e., wheel, or stone circle
  46. Joshua 5:11 Lit this
  47. Joshua 6:5 Lit in its place
  48. Joshua 6:5 Lit before himself
  49. Joshua 6:7 Another reading is they
  50. Joshua 6:11 Lit to go around
  51. Joshua 6:17 I.e., as an offering to God
  52. Joshua 6:17 Lit she and all
  53. Joshua 6:20 Lit they
  54. Joshua 6:20 Lit in its place
  55. Joshua 6:20 Lit before himself
  56. Joshua 6:21 Or put under the ban
  57. Joshua 6:24 I.e., tabernacle
  58. Joshua 6:25 Lit let live
  59. Joshua 7:2 Lit saying, Go
  60. Joshua 7:4 Lit before
  61. Joshua 7:5 Lit before
  62. Joshua 7:7 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  63. Joshua 7:7 Lit and had lived
  64. Joshua 7:8 Lit neck
  65. Joshua 7:12 Lit necks
  66. Joshua 7:16 Lit its tribes
  67. Joshua 7:20 Lit thus and thus I did
  68. Joshua 7:23 Lit emptied
  69. Joshua 7:24 Or cattle
  70. Joshua 7:24 I.e., disaster
  71. Joshua 7:25 Lit him
  72. Joshua 7:25 Lit and they stoned
  73. Joshua 7:26 I.e., disaster
  74. Joshua 8:2 Lit Set for yourself
  75. Joshua 8:4 Lit the city
  76. Joshua 8:12 I.e., Ai
  77. Joshua 8:15 Lit reversed before
  78. Joshua 8:17 Lit who had not gone
  79. Joshua 8:17 Lit open
  80. Joshua 8:20 Lit behind them
  81. Joshua 8:21 Lit struck
  82. Joshua 8:22 Lit These came
  83. Joshua 8:22 Lit these...these
  84. Joshua 8:22 Lit struck
  85. Joshua 8:22 Lit left to it one
  86. Joshua 8:25 Lit men
  87. Joshua 8:26 Lit put under the ban
  88. Joshua 8:29 Lit the wood
  89. Joshua 8:29 Lit the wood
  90. Joshua 8:32 I.e., Moses
  91. Joshua 8:35 Lit walking
  92. Joshua 9:2 Lit mouth
  93. Joshua 9:7 Lit among us
  94. Joshua 9:9 Or name
  95. Joshua 9:14 Lit mouth
  96. Joshua 9:16 Lit in the middle of it
  97. Joshua 9:18 Lit strike
  98. Joshua 9:21 Lit people drawing
  99. Joshua 9:22 Lit among us
  100. Joshua 9:23 Lit a servant will not be cut off from you
  101. Joshua 9:23 Lit people drawing
  102. Joshua 9:27 Lit people drawing
  103. Joshua 10:1 Or put under the ban
  104. Joshua 10:1 Lit among them
  105. Joshua 10:2 Lit they
  106. Joshua 10:4 Lit strike
  107. Joshua 10:6 Lit slacken your hands from
  108. Joshua 10:8 Lit a man
  109. Joshua 10:9 Lit he went up
  110. Joshua 10:11 Lit with
  111. Joshua 10:15 Lit to Gilgal
  112. Joshua 10:19 Lit strike their tail
  113. Joshua 10:20 Lit and had
  114. Joshua 10:21 Lit moved his tongue
  115. Joshua 10:26 Or wooden posts
  116. Joshua 10:26 Or wooden posts
  117. Joshua 10:27 Lit the time of the going of the sun
  118. Joshua 10:27 Or wooden posts
  119. Joshua 10:28 Lit put under the ban
  120. Joshua 10:28 Some mss them
  121. Joshua 10:28 Lit soul, and so throughout the ch
  122. Joshua 10:33 Lit struck
  123. Joshua 10:35 Lit put under the ban
  124. Joshua 10:37 Lit put it under the ban
  125. Joshua 10:39 Lit put under the ban
  126. Joshua 10:40 I.e., South country
  127. Joshua 10:40 Lit put under the ban
  128. Joshua 10:43 Lit to Gilgal
  129. Joshua 11:2 I.e., Sea of Galilee
  130. Joshua 11:2 Or Naphoth-dor
  131. Joshua 11:3 Lit under
  132. Joshua 11:8 Lit struck
  133. Joshua 11:11 Lit putting them under the ban, and so throughout the ch
  134. Joshua 11:16 I.e., South country
  135. Joshua 11:17 Lit under
  136. Joshua 11:20 Lit make strong
  137. Joshua 11:20 Lit have
  138. Joshua 12:1 Lit struck
  139. Joshua 12:3 I.e., Galilee
  140. Joshua 12:3 Lit the way of
  141. Joshua 12:3 Lit under
  142. Joshua 12:6 Lit struck
  143. Joshua 12:7 Lit struck
  144. Joshua 12:8 I.e., South country
  145. Joshua 12:23 Or Naphath-dor
Close TLB

Joshua 1-12
Living Bible

1 After the death of Moses, the Lord’s disciple, God spoke to Moses’ assistant, whose name was Joshua (the son of Nun), and said to him,

2 “Now that my disciple is dead, you are the new leader of Israel.[a] Lead my people across the Jordan River into the Promised Land. 3 I say to you what I said to Moses: ‘Wherever you go will be part of the land of Israel— 4 all the way from the Negeb Desert in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north, and from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Euphrates River in the east, including all the land of the Hittites.’ 5 No one will be able to oppose you as long as you live, for I will be with you just as I was with Moses; I will not abandon you or fail to help you.

6 “Be strong and brave, for you will be a successful leader of my people; and they shall conquer all the land I promised to their ancestors. 7 You need only to be strong and courageous and to obey to the letter every law Moses gave you, for if you are careful to obey every one of them, you will be successful in everything you do. 8 Constantly remind the people about these laws, and you yourself must think about them every day and every night so that you will be sure to obey all of them. For only then will you succeed. 9 Yes, be bold and strong! Banish fear and doubt! For remember, the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

10-11 Then Joshua issued instructions to the leaders of Israel to tell the people to get ready to cross the Jordan River. “In three days we will go across and conquer and live in the land which God has given us!” he told them.

12-13 Then he summoned the leaders of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh and reminded them of their agreement with Moses: “The Lord your God has given you a homeland here on the east side of the Jordan River,” Moses had told them, 14 “so your wives and children and cattle may remain here, but your troops, fully armed, must lead the other tribes across the Jordan River to help them conquer their territory on the other side; 15 stay with them until they complete the conquest. Only then may you settle down here on the east side of the Jordan.”

16 To this they fully agreed and pledged themselves to obey Joshua as their commander-in-chief.

17-18 “We will obey you just as we obeyed Moses,” they assured him, “and may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses. If anyone, no matter who, rebels against your commands, he shall die. So lead on with courage and strength!”

2 Then Joshua sent two spies from the Israeli camp at Acacia to cross the river and check out the situation on the other side, especially at Jericho. They arrived at an inn operated by a woman named Rahab, who was a prostitute. They were planning to spend the night there, 2 but someone informed the king of Jericho that two Israelis who were suspected of being spies had arrived in the city that evening. 3 He dispatched a police squadron to Rahab’s home, demanding that she surrender them.

“They are spies,” he explained. “They have been sent by the Israeli leaders to discover the best way to attack us.”

4 But she had hidden them, so she told the officer in charge, “The men were here earlier, but I didn’t know they were spies. 5 They left the city at dusk as the city gates were about to close, and I don’t know where they went. If you hurry, you can probably catch up with them!”

6 But actually she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them beneath piles of flax that were drying there. 7 So the constable and his men went all the way to the Jordan River looking for them; meanwhile, the city gates were kept shut. 8 Rahab went up to talk to the men before they retired for the night.

9 “I know perfectly well that your God is going to give my country to you,” she told them. “We are all afraid of you; everyone is terrified if the word Israel is even mentioned. 10 For we have heard how the Lord made a path through the Red Sea for you when you left Egypt! And we know what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan, and how you ruined their land and completely destroyed their people. 11 No wonder we are afraid of you! No one has any fight left in him after hearing things like that, for your God is the supreme God of heaven, not just an ordinary god. 12-13 Now I beg for this one thing: Swear to me by the sacred name of your God that when Jericho is conquered you will let me live, along with my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all their families. This is only fair after the way I have helped you.”

14 The men agreed. “If you won’t betray us, we’ll see to it that you and your family aren’t harmed,” they promised. 15 “We’ll defend you with our lives.” Then, since her house was on top of the city wall, she let them down by a rope from a window.

16 “Escape to the mountains,” she told them. “Hide there for three days until the men who are searching for you have returned; then go on your way.”

17-18 But before they left, the men had said to her, “We cannot be responsible for what happens to you unless this rope is hanging from this window and unless all your relatives—your father, mother, brothers, and anyone else—are here inside the house. 19 If they go out into the street, we assume no responsibility whatsoever; but we swear that no one inside this house will be killed or injured. 20 However, if you betray us, then this oath will no longer bind us in any way.”

21 “I accept your terms,” she replied. And she left the scarlet rope hanging from the window.

22 The spies went up into the mountains and stayed there three days, until the men who were chasing them had returned to the city after searching everywhere along the road without success. 23 Then the two spies came down from the mountains and crossed the river and reported to Joshua all that had happened to them.

24 “The Lord will certainly give us the entire land,” they said, “for all the people over there are scared to death of us.”

3 Early the next morning Joshua and all the people of Israel left Acacia and arrived that evening at the banks of the Jordan River, where they camped for a few days before crossing.

2-4 On the third day officers went through the camp giving these instructions: “When you see the priests carrying the Ark of God,[b] follow them. You have never before been where we are going now, so they will guide you. However, stay about a half mile behind, with a clear space between you and the Ark; be sure that you don’t get any closer.”

5 Then Joshua told the people to purify themselves. “For tomorrow,” he said, “the Lord will do a great miracle.”

6 In the morning Joshua ordered the priests, “Take up the Ark and lead us across the river!” And so they started out.

7 “Today,” the Lord told Joshua, “I will give you great honor, so that all Israel will know that I am with you just as I was with Moses. 8 Instruct the priests who are carrying the Ark to stop at the edge of the river.”

9 Then Joshua summoned all the people and told them, “Come and listen to what the Lord your God has said. 10 Today you are going to know for sure that the living God is among you and that he will, without fail, drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites—all the people who now live in the land you will soon occupy. 11 Think of it! The Ark of God, who is Lord of the whole earth, will lead you across the river!

12 “Now select twelve men, one from each tribe, for a special task.[c] 13-14 When the priests who are carrying the Ark touch the water with their feet, the river will stop flowing as though held back by a dam, and will pile up as though against an invisible wall!” Now it was the harvest season and the Jordan was overflowing all its banks; but as the people set out to cross the river and as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river’s edge, 15-16 suddenly, far up the river at the city of Adam, near Zarethan, the water began piling up as though against a dam! And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was empty. Then all the people crossed at a spot where the river was close to the city of Jericho, 17 and the priests who were carrying the Ark stood on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan and waited as all the people passed by.

4 When all the people were safely across, the Lord said to Joshua, 2-3 “Tell the twelve men chosen for a special task, one from each tribe, each to take a stone from where the priests are standing in the middle of the Jordan, and to carry them out and pile them up as a monument at the place where you camp tonight.”

4 So Joshua summoned the twelve men 5 and told them, “Go out into the middle of the Jordan where the Ark is. Each of you is to carry out a stone on your shoulder—twelve stones in all, one for each of the twelve tribes. 6 We will use them to build a monument so that in the future, when your children ask, ‘What is this monument for?’ 7 you can tell them, ‘It is to remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of God went across!’ The monument will be a permanent reminder to the people of Israel of this amazing miracle.”

8 So the men did as Joshua told them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan River—one for each tribe, just as the Lord had commanded Joshua. They carried them to the place where they were camped for the night and constructed a monument there. 9 Joshua also built another monument of twelve stones in the middle of the river, at the place where the priests were standing; and it is there to this day. 10 The priests who were carrying the Ark stood in the middle of the river until all these instructions of the Lord, which had been given to Joshua by Moses, had been carried out. Meanwhile, the people had hurried across the riverbed, 11 and when everyone was over, the people watched the priests carry the Ark up out of the riverbed.

12-13 The troops of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh—fully armed as Moses had instructed, and forty thousand strong—led the other tribes of the Lord’s army across to the plains of Jericho.

14 It was a tremendous day for Joshua! The Lord made him great in the eyes of all the people of Israel, and they revered him as much as they had Moses and respected him deeply all the rest of his life. 15-16 For it was Joshua who, at the Lord’s command, issued the orders to the priests carrying the Ark.

“Come up from the riverbed,” the Lord now told him to command them.

17 So Joshua issued the order. 18 And as soon as the priests came out, the water poured down again as usual and overflowed the banks of the river as before! 19 This miracle occurred on the 25th of March.[d] That day the entire nation crossed the Jordan River and camped in Gilgal at the eastern edge of the city of Jericho; 20 and there the twelve stones from the Jordan were piled up as a monument.

21 Then Joshua explained again the purpose of the stones: “In the future,” he said, “when your children ask you why these stones are here and what they mean, 22 you are to tell them that these stones are a reminder of this amazing miracle—that the nation of Israel crossed the Jordan River on dry ground! 23 Tell them how the Lord our God dried up the river right before our eyes and then kept it dry until we were all across! It is the same thing the Lord did forty years ago[e] at the Red Sea! 24 He did this so that all the nations of the earth will realize that Jehovah is the mighty God, and so that all of you will worship him forever.”

5 When the nations west of the Jordan River—the Amorites and Canaanites who lived along the Mediterranean coast—heard that the Lord had dried up the Jordan River so the people of Israel could cross, their courage melted away completely and they were paralyzed with fear.

2-3 The Lord then told Joshua to set aside a day to circumcise the entire male population of Israel. (It was the second time in Israel’s history that this was done.) The Lord instructed them to manufacture flint knives for this purpose. The place where the circumcision rite took place was named “The Hill of the Foreskins.” 4-5 The reason for this second circumcision ceremony was that although when Israel left Egypt all of the men who had been old enough to bear arms had been circumcised, that entire generation had died during the years in the wilderness, and none of the boys born since that time had been circumcised. 6 For the nation of Israel had traveled back and forth across the wilderness for forty years until all the men who had been old enough to bear arms when they left Egypt were dead; they had not obeyed the Lord, and he vowed that he wouldn’t let them enter the land he had promised to Israel—a land that “flowed with milk and honey.” 7 So now Joshua circumcised their children—the men who had grown up to take their fathers’ places.

8-9 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have ended your shame of not being circumcised.”[f] So the place where this was done was called Gilgal (meaning, “to end”), and is still called that today. After the ceremony the entire nation rested in camp until the raw flesh of their wounds had been healed.

10 While they were camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they celebrated the Passover during the evening of April first.[g] 11-12 The next day they began to eat from the gardens and grain fields which they invaded, and they made unleavened bread. The following day no manna fell, and it was never seen again! So from that time on they lived on the crops of Canaan.

13 As Joshua was sizing up the city of Jericho, a man appeared nearby with a drawn sword. Joshua strode over to him and demanded, “Are you friend or foe?”

14 “I am the Commander-in-Chief of the Lord’s army,” he replied.

Joshua fell to the ground before him and worshiped him and said, “Give me your commands.”

15 “Take off your shoes,” the Commander told him, “for this is holy ground.” And Joshua did.

6 The gates of Jericho were kept tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelis; no one was allowed to go in or out.

2 But the Lord said to Joshua, “Jericho and its king and all its mighty warriors are already defeated, for I have given them to you! 3-4 Your entire army is to walk around the city once a day for six days, followed by seven priests walking ahead of the Ark, each carrying a trumpet made from a ram’s horn. On the seventh day you are to walk around the city seven times, with the priests blowing their trumpets. 5 Then, when they give one long, loud blast, all the people are to give a mighty shout, and the walls of the city will fall down; then move in upon the city from every direction.”

6-9 So Joshua summoned the priests and gave them their instructions: the armed men would lead the procession, followed by seven priests blowing continually on their trumpets. Behind them would come the priests carrying the Ark, followed by a rear guard.

10 “Let there be complete silence except for the trumpets,” Joshua commanded. “Not a single word from any of you until I tell you to shout; then shout!”

11 The Ark was carried around the city once that day, after which everyone returned to the camp again and spent the night there. 12-14 At dawn the next morning they went around again and returned again to the camp. They followed this pattern for six days.

15 At dawn of the seventh day they started out again, but this time they went around the city not once, but seven times. 16 The seventh time, as the priests blew a long, loud trumpet blast, Joshua yelled to the people, “Shout! The Lord has given us the city!”

17 (He had told them previously, “Kill everyone except Rahab the prostitute and anyone in her house, for she protected our spies. 18 Don’t take any loot, for everything is to be destroyed. If it isn’t, disaster will fall upon the entire nation of Israel. 19 But all the silver and gold and the utensils of bronze and iron will be dedicated to the Lord and must be brought into his treasury.”)

20 So when the people heard the trumpet blast, they shouted as loud as they could. And suddenly the walls of Jericho crumbled and fell before them, and the people of Israel poured into the city from every side and captured it! 21 They destroyed everything in it—men and women, young and old; oxen; sheep; donkeys—everything.

22 Meanwhile Joshua had said to the two spies, “Keep your promise. Go and rescue the prostitute and everyone with her.”

23 The young men found her and rescued her, along with her father, mother, brothers, and other relatives who were with her. Arrangements were made for them to live outside the camp of Israel. 24 Then the Israelis burned the city and everything in it except that the silver and gold and the bronze and iron utensils were kept for the Lord’s treasury. 25 Thus Joshua saved Rahab the prostitute and her relatives who were with her in the house, and they still live among the Israelites because she hid the spies sent to Jericho by Joshua.

26 Then Joshua declared a terrible curse upon anyone who might rebuild Jericho, warning that when the foundation was laid, the builder’s oldest son would die, and when the gates were set up, his youngest son would die.[h]

27 So the Lord was with Joshua, and his name became famous everywhere.

7 But there was sin among the Israelis. God’s command to destroy everything except that which was reserved for the Lord’s treasury was disobeyed. For Achan (the son of Carmi, grandson of Zabdi, and great-grandson of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah) took some loot for himself, and the Lord was very angry with the entire nation of Israel because of this.

2 Soon after Jericho’s defeat, Joshua sent some of his men to spy on the city of Ai, east of Bethel.

3 Upon their return they told Joshua, “It’s a small city and it won’t take more than two or three thousand of us to destroy it; there’s no point in all of us going there.”

4 So approximately three thousand soldiers were sent—and they were soundly defeated. 5 About thirty-six of the Israelis were killed during the attack, and many others died while being chased by the men of Ai as far as the quarries. The Israeli army was paralyzed with fear at this turn of events. 6 Joshua and the elders of Israel tore their clothing and lay prostrate before the Ark of the Lord until evening, with dust on their heads.

7 Joshua cried out to the Lord, “O Jehovah, why have you brought us over the Jordan River if you are going to let the Amorites kill us? Why weren’t we content with what we had? Why didn’t we stay on the other side? 8 O Lord, what am I to do now that Israel has fled from her enemies! 9 For when the Canaanites and the other nearby nations hear about it, they will surround us and attack us and wipe us out. And then what will happen to the honor of your great name?”

10-11 But the Lord said to Joshua, “Get up off your face! Israel has sinned and disobeyed my commandment and has taken loot when I said it was not to be taken; and they have not only taken it, they have lied about it and have hidden it among their belongings. 12 That is why the people of Israel are being defeated. That is why your men are running from their enemies—for they are cursed.[i] I will not stay with you any longer unless you completely rid yourselves of this sin.

13 “Get up! Tell the people, ‘Each of you must undergo purification rites in preparation for tomorrow, for the Lord your God of Israel says that someone has stolen from him, and you cannot defeat your enemies until you deal with this sin. 14 In the morning you must come by tribes, and the Lord will point out the tribe to which the guilty man belongs. And that tribe must come by its clans and the Lord will point out the guilty clan; and the clan must come by its families, and then each member of the guilty family must come one by one. 15 And the one who has stolen that which belongs to the Lord shall be burned with fire, along with everything he has, for he has violated the covenant of the Lord and has brought calamity upon all of Israel.’”

16 So, early the next morning, Joshua brought the tribes of Israel before the Lord, and the tribe of Judah was indicated. 17 Then he brought the clans of Judah, and the clan of Zerah was singled out. Then the families of that clan were brought before the Lord and the family of Zabdi was indicated. 18 Zabdi’s family was brought man by man, and his grandson Achan was found to be the guilty one.

19 Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the God of Israel and make your confession. Tell me what you have done.”

20 Achan replied, “I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. 21 For I saw a beautiful robe imported from Babylon, and some silver worth $200, and a bar of gold worth $500. I wanted them so much that I took them, and they are hidden in the ground beneath my tent, with the silver buried deeper than the rest.”

22 So Joshua sent some men to search for the loot. They ran to the tent and found the stolen goods hidden there just as Achan had said, with the silver buried beneath the rest. 23 They brought it all to Joshua and laid it on the ground in front of him. 24 Then Joshua and all the Israelites took Achan, the silver, the robe, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, donkeys, sheep, his tent, and everything he had, and brought them to the valley of Achor.

25 Then Joshua said to Achan, “Why have you brought calamity upon us? The Lord will now bring calamity upon you.”

And the men of Israel stoned them to death and burned their bodies, 26 and piled a great heap of stones upon them. The stones are still there to this day, and even today that place is called “The Valley of Calamity.” And so the fierce anger of the Lord was ended.

8 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Don’t be afraid or discouraged; take the entire army and go to Ai, for it is now yours to conquer. I have given the king of Ai and all of his people to you. 2 You shall do to them as you did to Jericho and her king; but this time you may keep the loot and the cattle for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the city.”

3-4 Before the main army left for Ai, Joshua sent thirty thousand of his bravest troops to hide in ambush close behind the city, alert for action.

5 “This is the plan,” he explained to them. “When our main army attacks, the men of Ai will come out to fight as they did before, and we will run away. 6 We will let them chase us until they have all left the city; for they will say, ‘The Israelis are running away again just as they did before!’ 7 Then you will jump up from your ambush and enter the city, for the Lord will give it to you. 8 Set the city on fire, as the Lord has commanded. You now have your instructions.”

9 So they left that night and lay in ambush between Bethel and the west side of Ai; but Joshua and the rest of the army remained in the camp at Jericho. 10 Early the next morning Joshua roused his men and started toward Ai, accompanied by the elders of Israel, 11-13 and stopped at the edge of a valley north of the city. That night Joshua sent another five thousand men[j] to join the troops in ambush on the west side of the city. He himself spent the night in the valley.

14 The king of Ai, seeing the Israelis across the valley, went out early the next morning and attacked at the plain of the Arabah. But of course he didn’t realize that there was an ambush behind the city. 15 Joshua and the Israeli army fled across the wilderness as though badly beaten, 16 and all the soldiers in the city were called out to chase after them; so the city was left defenseless; 17 there was not a soldier left in Ai or Bethel, and the city gates were left wide open.

18 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Point your spear toward Ai, for I will give you the city.” Joshua did. 19 And when the men in ambush saw his signal, they jumped up and poured into the city and set it on fire. 20-21 When the men of Ai looked behind them, smoke from the city was filling the sky, and they had nowhere to go. When Joshua and the troops who were with him saw the smoke, they knew that their men who had been in ambush were inside the city, so they turned upon their pursuers and began killing them. 22 Then the Israelis who were inside the city came out and began destroying the enemy from the rear. So the men of Ai were caught in a trap and all of them died; not one man survived or escaped, 23 except for the king of Ai, who was captured and brought to Joshua.

24 When the army of Israel had finished slaughtering all the men outside the city, they went back and finished off everyone left inside. 25 So the entire population of Ai, twelve thousand in all, was wiped out that day. 26 For Joshua kept his spear pointed toward Ai until the last person was dead. 27 Only the cattle and the loot were not destroyed, for the armies of Israel kept these for themselves. (The Lord had told Joshua they could.) 28 So Ai became a desolate mound of refuse, as it still is today.

29 Joshua hanged the king of Ai on a tree until evening, but as the sun was going down, he took down the body and threw it in front of the city gate. There he piled a great heap of stones over it, which can still be seen.

30 Then Joshua built an altar to the Lord God of Israel at Mount Ebal, 31 as Moses had commanded[k] in the book of his laws: “Make me an altar of boulders that have neither been broken nor carved,” the Lord had said concerning Mount Ebal. Then the priests offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings to the Lord on the altar. 32 And as the people of Israel watched, Joshua carved upon the stones of the altar each of the Ten Commandments.[l]

33 Then all the people of Israel—including the elders, officers, judges, and the foreigners living among them—divided into two groups, half of them standing at the foot of Mount Gerizim and half at the foot of Mount Ebal. Between them stood the priests with the Ark, ready to pronounce their blessing. (This was all done in accordance with the instructions given long before by Moses.) 34 Joshua then read to them all of the statements of blessing and curses that Moses had written in the book of God’s laws. 35 Every commandment Moses had ever given was read before the entire assembly, including the women and children and the foreigners who lived among the Israelis.

9 1-2 When the kings of the surrounding area heard what had happened to Jericho, they quickly combined their armies to fight for their lives against Joshua and the Israelis. These were the kings of the nations west of the Jordan River, along the shores of the Mediterranean as far north as the Lebanon mountains—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

3-5 But when the people of Gibeon heard what had happened to Jericho and Ai, they resorted to trickery to save themselves. They sent ambassadors to Joshua wearing worn-out clothing, as though from a long journey, with patched shoes, weatherworn saddlebags on their donkeys, old, patched wineskins and dry, moldy bread. 6 When they arrived at the camp of Israel at Gilgal, they told Joshua and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land to ask for a peace treaty with you.”

7 The Israelis replied to these Hivites, “How do we know you don’t live nearby? For if you do, we cannot make a treaty with you.”

8 They replied, “We will be your slaves.”

“But who are you?” Joshua demanded. “Where do you come from?”

9 And they told him, “We are from a very distant country; we have heard of the might of the Lord your God and of all that he did in Egypt, 10 and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites—Sihon, king of Heshbon, and Og, king of Bashan. 11 So our elders and our people instructed us, ‘Prepare for a long journey; go to the people of Israel and declare our nation to be their servants, and ask for peace.’ 12 This bread was hot from the ovens when we left, but now as you see, it is dry and moldy; 13 these wineskins were new, but now they are old and cracked; our clothing and shoes have become worn out from our long, hard trip.”

14-15 Joshua and the other leaders finally believed them. They did not bother to ask the Lord but went ahead and signed a peace treaty. And the leaders of Israel ratified the agreement with a binding oath.

16 Three days later the facts came out—these men were close neighbors. 17 The Israeli army set out at once to investigate and reached their cities in three days. (The names of the cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.) 18 But the cities were not harmed because of the vow which the leaders of Israel had made before the Lord God. The people of Israel were angry with their leaders because of the peace treaty.

19 But the leaders replied, “We have sworn before the Lord God of Israel that we will not touch them, and we won’t. 20 We must let them live, for if we break our oath, the wrath of Jehovah will be upon us.”

21 So they became servants of the Israelis, chopping their wood and carrying their water.

22 Joshua summoned their leaders and demanded, “Why have you lied to us by saying that you lived in a distant land, when you were actually living right here among us? 23 Now a curse shall be upon you! From this moment you must always furnish us with servants to chop wood and carry water for the service of our God.”

24 They replied, “We did it because we were told that Jehovah instructed his disciple Moses to conquer this entire land and destroy all the people living in it. So we feared for our lives because of you; that is why we have done it. 25 But now we are in your hands; you may do with us as you wish.”

26 So Joshua would not allow the people of Israel to kill them, 27 but they became woodchoppers and water-carriers for the people of Israel and for the altar of the Lord—wherever it would be built (for the Lord hadn’t yet told them where to build it). This arrangement is still in force at the time of this writing.

10 When Adoni-zedek, the king of Jerusalem, heard how Joshua had captured and destroyed Ai and had killed its king, the same as he had done at Jericho, and how the people of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were now their allies, 2 he was very frightened. For Gibeon was a great city—as great as the royal cities and much larger than Ai—and its men were known as hard fighters. 3 So King Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem sent messengers to several other kings: King Hoham of Hebron, King Piram of Jarmuth, King Japhia of Lachish, King Debir of Eglon.

4 “Come and help me destroy Gibeon,” he urged them, “for they have made peace with Joshua and the people of Israel.”

5 So these five Amorite kings combined their armies for a united attack on Gibeon. 6 The men of Gibeon hurriedly sent messengers to Joshua at Gilgal.

“Come and help your servants!” they demanded. “Come quickly and save us! For all the kings of the Amorites who live in the hills are here with their armies.”

7 So Joshua and the Israeli army left Gilgal and went to rescue Gibeon.

8 “Don’t be afraid of them,” the Lord said to Joshua, “for they are already defeated! I have given them to you to destroy. Not a single one of them will be able to stand up to you.”

9 Joshua traveled all night from Gilgal and took the enemy armies by surprise. 10 Then the Lord threw them into a panic so that the army of Israel slaughtered great numbers of them at Gibeon and chased the others all the way to Beth-horon and Azekah and Makkedah, killing them along the way. 11 And as the enemy was racing down the hill to Beth-horon, the Lord destroyed them with a great hailstorm that continued all the way to Azekah; in fact, more men died from the hail than by the swords of the Israelis.

12 As the men of Israel were pursuing and harassing the foe, Joshua prayed aloud, “Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and let the moon stand in its place over the valley of Aijalon!”

13 And the sun and the moon didn’t move until the Israeli army had finished the destruction of its enemies! This is described in greater detail in The Book of Jashar. So the sun stopped in the heavens and stayed there for almost twenty-four hours! 14 There had never been such a day before, and there has never been another since, when the Lord stopped the sun and moon—all because of the prayer of one man. But the Lord was fighting for Israel. 15 (Afterwards Joshua and the Israeli army returned to Gilgal.)

16 During the battle the five kings escaped and hid in a cave at Makkedah. 17 When the news was brought to Joshua that they had been found, 18 he issued a command that a great stone be rolled against the mouth of the cave and that guards be placed there to keep the kings inside.

19 Then Joshua commanded the rest of the army, “Go on chasing the enemy and cut them down from the rear. Don’t let them get back to their cities, for the Lord will help you to completely destroy them.”

20 So Joshua and the Israeli army continued the slaughter and wiped out the five armies except for a tiny remnant that managed to reach their fortified cities. 21 Then the Israelis returned to their camp at Makkedah without having lost a single man! And after that no one dared to attack Israel.

22-23 Joshua now instructed his men to remove the stone from the mouth of the cave and to bring out the five kings—of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon. 24 Joshua told the captains of his army to put their feet on the kings’ necks.

25 “Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged,” Joshua said to his men. “Be strong and courageous, for the Lord is going to do this to all of your enemies.”

26 With that, Joshua plunged his sword into each of the five kings, killing them. He then hanged them on five trees until evening.

27 As the sun was going down, Joshua instructed that their bodies be taken down and thrown into the cave where they had been hiding; and a great pile of stones was placed at the mouth of the cave. (The pile is still there today.)

28 On that same day Joshua destroyed the city of Makkedah and killed its king and everyone in it. Not one person in the entire city was left alive. 29 Then the Israelis went to Libnah. 30 There, too, the Lord gave them the city and its king. Every last person was slaughtered, just as at Jericho.

31 From Libnah they went to Lachish and attacked it. 32 And the Lord gave it to them on the second day; here, too, the entire population was slaughtered, just as at Libnah.

33 During the attack on Lachish, King Horam of Gezer arrived with his army to try to help defend the city, but Joshua’s men killed him and destroyed his entire army.

34-35 The Israeli army then captured Eglon on the first day and, as at Lachish, they killed everyone in the city. 36 After leaving Eglon they went to Hebron 37 and captured it and all of its surrounding villages, slaughtering the entire population. Not one person was left alive. 38 Then they turned back to Debir, 39 which they quickly captured with all of its outlying villages. And they killed everyone just as they had at Libnah.

40 So Joshua and his army conquered the whole country—the nations and kings of the hill country, the Negeb, the lowlands, and the mountain slopes. They destroyed everyone in the land, just as the Lord God of Israel had commanded, 41 slaughtering them from Kadesh-barnea to Gaza, and from Goshen to Gibeon. 42 This was all accomplished in one campaign, for the Lord God of Israel was fighting for his people. 43 Then Joshua and his army returned to their camp at Gilgal.

11 1-3 When King Jabin of Hazor heard what had happened, he sent urgent messages to the following kings:

King Jobab of Madon;

The king of Shimron;

The king of Achshaph;

All the kings of the northern hill country;

The kings in the Arabah, south of Chinneroth;

Those in the lowland;

The kings in the mountain areas of Dor, on the west;

The kings of Canaan, both east and west;

The kings of the Amorites;

The kings of the Hittites;

The kings of the Perizzites;

The kings in the Jebusite hill country;

The Hivite kings in the cities on the slopes of Mount Hermon, in the land of Mizpah.

4 All these kings responded by mobilizing their armies and uniting to crush Israel. Their combined troops, along with a vast array of horses and chariots, covered the landscape around the springs of Merom as far as one could see; 5 for they established their camp at the springs of Merom.

6 But the Lord said to Joshua, “Don’t be afraid of them, for by this time tomorrow they will all be dead! Hamstring their horses and burn their chariots.” 7 Joshua and his troops arrived suddenly at the springs of Merom and attacked. 8 And the Lord gave all that vast army to the Israelis, who chased them as far as Great Sidon and a place called the Salt Pits, and eastward into the valley of Mizpah; so not one enemy troop survived the battle. 9 Then Joshua and his men did as the Lord had instructed, for they hamstrung the horses and burned all the chariots.

10 On the way back, Joshua captured Hazor and killed its king. (Hazor had at one time been the capital of the federation of all those kingdoms.) 11 Every person there was killed and the city was burned.

12 Then he attacked and destroyed all the other cities of those kings. All the people were slaughtered, just as Moses had commanded long before. 13 (However, Joshua did not burn any of the cities built on mounds except for Hazor.) 14 All the loot and cattle of the ravaged cities were taken by the Israelis for themselves, but they killed all the people. 15 For so the Lord had commanded his disciple Moses; and Moses had passed the commandment on to Joshua, who did as he had been told: he carefully obeyed all of the Lord’s instructions to Moses.

16 So Joshua conquered the entire land—the hill country, the Negeb, the land of Goshen, the lowlands, the Arabah, and the hills and lowlands of Israel. 17 The Israeli territory now extended all the way from Mount Halak, near Seir, to Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon, at the foot of Mount Hermon. And Joshua killed all the kings of those territories. 18 It took seven years[m] of war to accomplish all of this. 19 None of the cities was given a peace treaty except the Hivites of Gibeon; all of the others were destroyed. 20 For the Lord made the enemy kings want to fight the Israelis instead of asking for peace; so they were mercilessly killed, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

21 During this period Joshua routed all of the giants—the descendants of Anak who lived in the hill country in Hebron, Debir, Anab, Judah, and Israel; he killed them all and completely destroyed their cities. 22 None was left in all the land of Israel, though some still remained in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod.

23 So Joshua took the entire land just as the Lord had instructed Moses; and he gave it to the people of Israel as their inheritance, dividing the land among the tribes. So the land finally rested from its war.

12 Here is the list of the kings on the east side of the Jordan River whose cities were destroyed by the Israelis: (The area involved stretched all the way from the valley of the Arnon River to Mount Hermon, including the cities of the eastern desert.)

2 King Sihon of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon. His kingdom extended from Aroer, on the edge of the Arnon Valley, and from the middle of the valley of the Arnon River to the Jabbok River, which is the boundary of the Ammonites. This includes half of the present area of Gilead, which lies north of the Jabbok River. 3 Sihon also controlled the Jordan River Valley as far north as the western shores of the Lake of Galilee; and as far south as the Dead Sea and the slopes of Mount Pisgah.

4 King Og of Bashan, the last of the Rephaim, who lived at Ashtaroth and Edrei: 5 He ruled a territory stretching from Mount Hermon in the north to Salecah on Mount Bashan in the east, and on the west, extending to the boundary of the kingdoms of Geshur and Maacah. His kingdom also stretched south to include the northern half of Gilead where the boundary touched the border of the kingdom of Sihon, king of Heshbon. 6 Moses and the people of Israel had destroyed these people, and Moses gave the land to the tribes of Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh.

7 Here is a list of the kings destroyed by Joshua and the armies of Israel on the west side of the Jordan. (This land which lay between Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon and Mount Halak, west of Mount Seir, was allotted by Joshua to the other tribes of Israel. 8-24 The area included the hill country, the lowlands, the Arabah, the mountain slopes, the Judean Desert, and the Negeb.

The people who lived there were the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites): the king of Jericho; the king of Ai, near Bethel; the king of Jerusalem; the king of Hebron; the king of Jarmuth; the king of Lachish; the king of Eglon; the king of Gezer; the king of Debir; the king of Geder; the king of Hormah; the king of Arad; the king of Libnah; the king of Adullam; the king of Makkedah; the king of Bethel; the king of Tappuah; the king of Hepher; the king of Aphek; the king of Lasharon; the king of Madon; the king of Hazor; the king of Shimron-meron; the king of Achshaph; the king of Taanach; the king of Megiddo; the king of Kedesh; the king of Jokneam, in Carmel; the king of Dor in the city of Naphathdor; the king of Goiim in Gilgal; the king of Tirzah. So in all, thirty-one kings and their cities were destroyed.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 1:2 you are the new leader of Israel, implied.
  2. Joshua 3:2 the Ark of God, literally, “the Ark of the covenant of the Lord.”
  3. Joshua 3:12 for a special task. Their duties are explained in 4:2-7.
  4. Joshua 4:19 the 25th of March, literally, “The tenth day of the first month” (of the Jewish calendar).
  5. Joshua 4:23 forty years ago, implied.
  6. Joshua 5:8 your shame of not being circumcised, literally “the shame of Egypt.” to end, literally, “to roll” (away).
  7. Joshua 5:10 April first, literally, “the fourteenth day of the first month” (of the Hebrew calendar).
  8. Joshua 6:26 See 1 Kings 16:34 for the fulfillment of this curse.
  9. Joshua 7:12 for they are cursed, literally, “they have become ‘something which must be totally destroyed’ or else become totally God’s.”
  10. Joshua 8:11 another five thousand men. These were evidently additional to the thirty thousand men already hiding there. Perhaps the additional five thousand were to intercept the forces expected from Bethel (v. 17).
  11. Joshua 8:31 as Moses had commanded, see Deuteronomy 27:2-8.
  12. Joshua 8:32 each of the Ten Commandments, literally, “the law of Moses.”
  13. Joshua 11:18 It took seven years, implied in other text, literally, “a long time.”
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Deuteronomy 34
Joshua 13
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