The World English Bible (WEB) Part 32

Joshua

1:1 Now it happened after the death of Moses the servant of Yahweh, that Yahweh spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' servant, saying, 1:2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you, and all this people, to the land which I give to them, even to the children of Israel. 1:3 I have given you every place that the sole of your foot will tread on, as I told Moses. 1:4 From the wilderness, and this Lebanon, even to the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hitt.i.tes, and to the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your border. 1:5 No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not fail you nor forsake you. 1:6 Be strong and of good courage; for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 1:7 Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded you. Don't turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success. 1:9 Haven't I commanded you? Be strong and of good courage.

Don't be afraid, neither be dismayed: for Yahweh your G.o.d is with you wherever you go.

1:10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 1:11 "Pa.s.s through the midst of the camp, and command the people, saying, 'Prepare food; for within three days you are to pa.s.s over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which Yahweh your G.o.d gives you to possess it.'"

1:12 Joshua spoke to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half-tribe of Mana.s.seh, saying, 1:13 "Remember the word which Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you, saying, 'Yahweh your G.o.d gives you rest, and will give you this land. 1:14 Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock, shall live in the land which Moses gave you beyond the Jordan; but you shall pa.s.s over before your brothers armed, all the mighty men of valor, and shall help them 1:15 until Yahweh has given your brothers rest, as he has given you, and they have also possessed the land which Yahweh your G.o.d gives them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession, and possess it, which Moses the servant of Yahweh gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise.'"

1:16 They answered Joshua, saying, "All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 1:17 Just as we listened to Moses in all things, so will we listen to you. Only may Yahweh your G.o.d be with you, as he was with Moses. 1:18 Whoever rebels against your commandment, and doesn't listen to your words in all that you command him, he shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage."

2:1 Joshua the son of Nun secretly sent two men out of s.h.i.+ttim as spies, saying, "Go, view the land, and Jericho." They went and came into the house of a prost.i.tute whose name was Rahab, and slept there.

2:2 The king of Jericho was told, "Behold, men of the children of Israel came in here tonight to spy out the land."

2:3 The king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, "Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered into your house; for they have come to spy out all the land."

2:4 The woman took the two men and hid them. Then she said, "Yes, the men came to me, but I didn't know where they came from. 2:5 It happened about the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out. Where the men went, I don't know. Pursue them quickly; for you will overtake them." 2:6 But she had brought them up to the roof, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order on the roof. 2:7 The men pursued them the way to the Jordan to the fords: and as soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate. 2:8 Before they had laid down, she came up to them on the roof; 2:9 and she said to the men, "I know that Yahweh has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. 2:10 For we have heard how Yahweh dried up the water of the Red Sea before you, when you came out of Egypt; and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and to Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 2:11 As soon as we had heard it, our hearts melted, neither did there remain any more spirit in any man, because of you: for Yahweh your G.o.d, he is G.o.d in heaven above, and on earth beneath. 2:12 Now therefore, please swear to me by Yahweh, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father's house, and give me a true token; 2:13 and that you will save alive my father, my mother, my brothers, and my sisters, and all that they have, and will deliver our lives from death."

2:14 The men said to her, "Our life for yours, if you don't talk about this business of ours; and it shall be, when Yahweh gives us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you."

2:15 Then she let them down by a cord through the window; for her house was on the side of the wall, and she lived on the wall. 2:16 She said to them, "Go to the mountain, lest the pursuers find you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have returned.

Afterward, you may go your way."

2:17 The men said to her, "We will be guiltless of this your oath which you have made us to swear. 2:18 Behold, when we come into the land, you shall bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which you did let us down by. You shall gather to yourself into the house your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father's household. 2:19 It shall be that whoever goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood will be on his head, and we will be guiltless. Whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand is on him. 2:20 But if you talk about this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless of your oath which you have made us to swear."

2:21 She said, "According to your words, so be it." She sent them away, and they departed. She tied the scarlet line in the window.

2:22 They went, and came to the mountain, and stayed there three days, until the pursuers had returned. The pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but didn't find them. 2:23 Then the two men returned, descended from the mountain, pa.s.sed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun; and they told him all that had happened to them. 2:24 They said to Joshua, "Truly Yahweh has delivered into our hands all the land. Moreover, all the inhabitants of the land melt away before us."

3:1 Joshua rose up early in the morning; and they moved from s.h.i.+ttim, and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel. They lodged there before they pa.s.sed over. 3:2 It happened after three days, that the officers went through the midst of the camp; 3:3 and they commanded the people, saying, "When you see the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your G.o.d, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then you shall move from your place, and follow it. 3:4 Yet there shall be a s.p.a.ce between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Don't come near to it, that you may know the way by which you must go; for you have not pa.s.sed this way before."

3:5 Joshua said to the people, "Sanctify yourselves; for tomorrow Yahweh will do wonders among you."

3:6 Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and pa.s.s over before the people." They took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.

3:7 Yahweh said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to magnify you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. 3:8 You shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, 'When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.'"

3:9 Joshua said to the children of Israel, "Come here, and hear the words of Yahweh your G.o.d." 3:10 Joshua said, "Hereby you shall know that the living G.o.d is among you, and that he will without fail drive the Canaanite, and the Hitt.i.te, and the Hivite, and the Perizzite, and the Girgas.h.i.+te, and the Amorite, and the Jebusite out from before you. 3:11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth pa.s.ses over before you into the Jordan. 3:12 Now therefore take twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, for every tribe a man. 3:13 It shall come to pa.s.s, when the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of Yahweh, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan will be cut off, even the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand in one heap."

3:14 It happened, when the people moved from their tents to pa.s.s over the Jordan, the priests who bore the ark of the covenant being before the people, 3:15 and when those who bore the ark had come to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark had dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the time of harvest), 3:16 that the waters which came down from above stood, and rose up in one heap, a great way off, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those that went down toward the sea of the Arabah, even the Salt Sea, were wholly cut off. Then the people pa.s.sed over right against Jericho. 3:17 The priests who bore the ark of the covenant of Yahweh stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan; and all Israel pa.s.sed over on dry ground, until all the nation had pa.s.sed completely over the Jordan.

4:1 It happened, when all the nation had completely pa.s.sed over the Jordan, that Yahweh spoke to Joshua, saying, 4:2 "Take twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man, 4:3 and command them, saying, 'Take from out of the middle of the Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and carry them over with you, and lay them down in the lodging place, where you will lodge tonight.'"

4:4 Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man. 4:5 Joshua said to them, "Pa.s.s over before the ark of Yahweh your G.o.d into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you pick up a stone and put it on your shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel; 4:6 that this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask in time to come, saying, 'What do you mean by these stones?' 4:7 then you shall tell them, 'Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh. When it pa.s.sed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.'"

4:8 The children of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the middle of the Jordan, as Yahweh spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel; and they carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. 4:9 Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day. 4:10 For the priests who bore the ark stood in the middle of the Jordan, until everything was finished that Yahweh commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua; and the people hurried and pa.s.sed over. 4:11 It happened, when all the people had completely pa.s.sed over, that the ark of Yahweh pa.s.sed over, with the priests, in the presence of the people.

4:12 The children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half-tribe of Mana.s.seh, pa.s.sed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spoke to them. 4:13 About forty thousand men, ready and armed for war pa.s.sed over before Yahweh to battle, to the plains of Jericho. 4:14 On that day, Yahweh magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.

4:15 Yahweh spoke to Joshua, saying, 4:16 "Command the priests who bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of the Jordan."

4:17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, "Come up out of the Jordan!" 4:18 It happened, when the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of Yahweh had come up out of the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up to the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks, as before. 4:19 The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, on the east border of Jericho.

4:20 Joshua set up those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, n Gilgal. 4:21 He spoke to the children of Israel, saying, "When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, 'What do these stones mean?' 4:22 Then you shall let your children know, saying, 'Israel came over this Jordan on dry land. 4:23 For Yahweh your G.o.d dried up the waters of the Jordan from before you, until you had pa.s.sed over, as Yahweh your G.o.d did to the Red Sea, which he dried up from before us, until we had pa.s.sed over; 4:24 that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of Yahweh, that it is mighty; that you may fear Yahweh your G.o.d forever.'"

5:1 It happened, when all the kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, who were by the sea, heard how that Yahweh had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we had pa.s.sed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel. 5:2 At that time, Yahweh said to Joshua, "Make flint knives, and circ.u.mcise again the children of Israel the second time."

5:3 Joshua made himself flint knives, and circ.u.mcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins. 5:4 This is the reason Joshua circ.u.mcised: all the people who came out of Egypt, who were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt. 5:5 For all the people who came out were circ.u.mcised; but all the people who were born in the wilderness by the way as they came out of Egypt had not been circ.u.mcised. 5:6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, even the men of war who came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they didn't listen to the voice of Yahweh. Yahweh swore to them that he wouldn't let them see the land which Yahweh swore to their fathers that he would give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 5:7 Their children, whom he raised up in their place, were circ.u.mcised by Joshua; for they were uncirc.u.mcised, because they had not circ.u.mcised them on the way. 5:8 It happened, when they were done circ.u.mcising all the nation, that they stayed in their places in the camp until they were healed.

5:9 Yahweh said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you." Therefore the name of that place was called Gilgal, to this day. 5:10 The children of Israel encamped in Gilgal. They kept the Pa.s.sover on the fourteenth day of the month at evening in the plains of Jericho. 5:11 They ate unleavened cakes and parched grain of the produce of the land on the next day after the Pa.s.sover, in the same day.

5:12 The manna ceased on the next day, after they had eaten of the produce of the land. The children of Israel didn't have manna any more; but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

5:13 It happened, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man stood in front of him with his sword drawn in his hand. Joshua went to him, and said to him, "Are you for us, or for our adversaries?"

5:14 He said, "No; but I have come now as commander of Yahweh's army."

Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and wors.h.i.+pped, and said to him, "What does my lord say to his servant?"

5:15 The prince of Yahweh's army said to Joshua, "Take your shoes off of your feet; for the place on which you stand is holy." Joshua did so.

6:1 Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the children of Israel.

No one went out, and no one came in. 6:2 Yahweh said to Joshua, "Behold, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the mighty men of valor. 6:3 All your men of war shall march around the city, going around the city once. You shall do this six days. 6:4 Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. On the seventh day, you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 6:5 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 shall fall down flat, and the people shall go up every man straight before him."

6:6 Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said to them, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of Yahweh."

6:7 They said to the people, "Advance! March around the city, and let the armed men pa.s.s on before Yahweh's ark."

6:8 It was so, that when Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before Yahweh advanced, and blew the trumpets; and the ark of the covenant of Yahweh followed them. 6:9 The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the ark went after them. The trumpets sounded as they went.

6:10 Joshua commanded the people, saying, "You shall not shout, nor let your voice be heard, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout." 6:11 So he caused the ark of Yahweh to go around the city, going about it once.

Then they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp. 6:12 Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of Yahweh. 6:13 The seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of Yahweh went on continually, and blew the trumpets: and the armed men went before them. The rear guard came after the ark of Yahweh. The trumpets sounded as they went. 6:14 The second day they marched around the city once, and returned into the camp. They did this six days.

6:15 It happened on the seventh day, that they rose early at the dawning of the day, and marched around the city in the same way seven times.

Only on this day they marched around the city seven times. 6:16 It happened at the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, "Shout, for Yahweh has given you the city! 6:17 The city shall be devoted, even it and all that is in it, to Yahweh. Only Rahab the prost.i.tute shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. 6:18 But as for you, only keep yourselves from the devoted thing, lest when you have devoted it, you take of the devoted thing; so would you make the camp of Israel accursed, and trouble it. 6:19 But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of bra.s.s and iron, are holy to Yahweh. They shall come into Yahweh's treasury."

6:20 So the people shouted, and the priests blew the trumpets. It happened, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, that the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. 6:21 They utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, both young and old, and ox, and sheep, and donkey, with the edge of the sword. 6:22 Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, "Go into the prost.i.tute's house, and bring out from there the woman and all that she has, as you swore to her." 6:23 The young men who were spies went in, and brought out Rahab with her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had. They also brought out all her relatives, and they set them outside of the camp of Israel. 6:24 They burnt the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only they put the silver, the gold, and the vessels of bra.s.s and of iron into the treasury of Yahweh's house. 6:25 But Rahab the prost.i.tute, her father's household, and all that she had, Joshua saved alive. She lived in the midst of Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers, whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

6:26 Joshua commanded them with an oath at that time, saying, "Cursed be the man before Yahweh, who rises up and builds this city Jericho. With the loss of his firstborn shall he lay its foundation, and with the loss of his youngest son shall he set up its gates." 6:27 So Yahweh was with Joshua; and his fame was in all the land.

7:1 But the children of Israel committed a trespa.s.s in the devoted thing; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the devoted thing: and the anger of Yahweh was kindled against the children of Israel. 7:2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, Go up and spy out the land. The men went up and spied out Ai. 7:3 They returned to Joshua, and said to him, Don't let all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and strike Ai; don't make all the people to toil there; for they are but few. 7:4 So there went up there of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. 7:5 The men of Ai struck of them about thirty-six men; and they chased them from before the gate even to Shebarim, and struck them at the descent; and the hearts of the people melted, and became as water. 7:6 Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of Yahweh until the evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads. 7:7 Joshua said, Alas, Lord Yahweh, why have you at all brought this people over the Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to cause us to perish? would that we had been content and lived beyond the Jordan! 7:8 Oh, Lord, what shall I say, after that Israel has turned their backs before their enemies! 7:9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and will compa.s.s us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what will you do for your great name? 7:10 Yahweh said to Joshua, Get you up; why are you thus fallen on your face? 7:11 Israel has sinned; yes, they have even transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: yes, they have even taken of the devoted thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also; and they have even put it among their own stuff. 7:12 Therefore the children of Israel can't stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, because they are become accursed: I will not be with you any more, except you destroy the devoted thing from among you. 7:13 Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow: for thus says Yahweh, the G.o.d of Israel, There is a devoted thing in the midst of you, Israel; you can not stand before your enemies, until you take away the devoted thing from among you. 7:14 In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which Yahweh takes shall come near by families; and the family which Yahweh shall take shall come near by households; and the household which Yahweh shall take shall come near man by man.

7:15 It shall be, that he who is taken with the devoted thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he has; because he has transgressed the covenant of Yahweh, and because he has done folly in Israel. 7:16 So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel near by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken: 7:17 and he brought near the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zerahites: and he brought near the family of the Zerahites man by man; and Zabdi was taken: 7:18 and he brought near his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. 7:19 Joshua said to Achan, My son, please give glory to Yahweh, the G.o.d of Israel, and make confession to him; and tell me now what you have done; don't hide it from me. 7:20 Achan answered Joshua, and said, Of a truth I have sinned against Yahweh, the G.o.d of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: 7:21 when I saw among the spoil a goodly Babylonian mantle, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.

7:22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it. 7:23 They took them from the midst of the tent, and brought them to Joshua, and to all the children of Israel; and they laid them down before Yahweh. 7:24 Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the mantle, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his cattle, and his donkeys, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them up to the valley of Achor. 7:25 Joshua said, Why have you troubled us? Yahweh shall trouble you this day. All Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire, and stoned them with stones. 7:26 They raised over him a great heap of stones, to this day; and Yahweh turned from the fierceness of his anger.

Therefore the name of that place was called "The valley of Achor" to this day.