Joshua 4

¹ When the whole nation finished crossing the Jordan River, the LORD told Joshua,

² "Choose twelve men from the people, one from each tribe,

³ and tell them, 'Take twelve stones out of the middle of the Jordan River, from the place where the priests' feet stood firmly, and carry them over with you and put them in the place where you will camp tonight."

⁴ Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe.

⁵ Joshua said to them, "Cross over in front of the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan River, and each man pick up a stone on his shoulder, one for each of the Israelite tribes

⁶ so that this may be a memorial sign to you. In the future, when your children ask, 'What do these stones mean to you?'

⁷ Tell them how the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off, and these stones are a memorial to the Israelites forever."

⁸ So the Israelites did as Joshua had commanded, and lifted twelve stones out of the middle of the Jordan River, one per Israelite tribe, as the LORD commanded Joshua. They carried them over with them to the place where they camped, and set them down there.

⁹ Then Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan River, in the place where the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood and they are there to this day.

¹⁰ The priests who carried the ark stood in the middle of the Jordan River, until everything the LORD commanded Joshua to tell the people had been accomplished, in accordance with everything Moses commanded Joshua. The people crossed over quickly.

¹¹ When all the people finished crossing, the ark of the LORD and the priests crossed over as the people looked on.

¹² Then the Reubenites, Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, crossed over armed before the Israelites, just as Moses had told them to.

¹³ About forty thousand armed for war crossed over before the LORD ready for battle on the plains of Jericho.

¹⁴ On that day the LORD honored Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they respected him, just as they had respected Moses, all the days of his life.

¹⁵ Then the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,

¹⁶ "Command the priests that carry the ark of the testimony to come up out of the Jordan riverbed."

¹⁷ So Joshua commanded the priests, "Come up out of the Jordan."

¹⁸ After the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD had come up out of the middle of the Jordan River, and the soles of the priests' feet touched dry ground, the water of the Jordan returned to its place, and overflowed its banks as before.

¹⁹ The people came up out of the Jordan River on the tenth day of the first month, and they camped at Gilgal, a little east of Jericho.

²⁰ Joshua set up at Gilgal those twelve stones that they took from the Jordan River.

²¹ Then he spoke to the Israelites, saying, "In the future, when your children ask their fathers, 'What do these stones mean?'

²² Then you shall explain to your children, 'Israel came across this Jordan River on dry ground.'

²³ For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan River before you until you had crossed over, just as the LORD your God did at the Red Sea, when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over.

²⁴ He did this so that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the LORD is mighty, so that you may fear the LORD your God forever."

Joshua 5

¹ When all the Amorite kings who were on the west side of the Jordan River, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the Mediterranean sea, heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan River before the Israelites while they crossed over, their hearts melted and they lost their courage because of the Israelites.

² At that time the LORD said to Joshua, "Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites a second time."

³ So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath-haaraloth (the Hill of the Foreskins).

⁴ This is why Joshua had to circumcise them: all the men who came out of Egypt, all the men old enough for war, died in the wilderness on the journey, after they came out of Egypt.

⁵ For all the men who left were circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness on the journey after they came out of Egypt had not been circumcised.

⁶ For the Israelites traveled for forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, those old enough for war who had come out of Egypt had died, because they refused to obey the voice of the LORD. For the LORD had sworn that he would not let them see the land he promised to their forefathers that he would give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.

⁷ So it was their children, whom he raised up to replace them that Joshua circumcised for they were uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised along the way.

⁸ When they had completed the circumcising of the whole nation, they stayed in their places in the camp until they were healed.

⁹ Then the LORD said to Joshua, "This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you." That is why the name of that place was called Gilgal (to roll) to this day.

¹⁰ While the Israelites camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they kept the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month.

¹¹ They ate the produce of the land on the very next day after the Passover, unleavened bread and roasted grain.

¹² The manna stopped on the day they ate the produce of the land, there was no longer any manna for the Israelites but they ate from the crops of Canaan that year.

¹³ When Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with his drawn sword in his hand. Joshua approached him and asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies?"

¹⁴ He replied, "Neither, but I have now come as the commander of the army of the LORD." Then Joshua fell with his face to the ground, worshiped and said to him, "What does my lord want to say to his servant?"

¹⁵ The commander of LORD's army replied, "Take your sandals off your feet; for the place you are standing is holy." So Joshua did it.

Joshua 6

¹ Now Jericho was securely locked down because of the Israelites; no one went in or out.

² The LORD said to Joshua, 'See, I have given Jericho, its king and its warriors into your hand.

³ You and your warriors are to march around the city once a day. Do this for six days.

⁴ Have seven priests carry seven rams' horn trumpets in front of the ark. The seventh day march around the city seven times, and have the priests blow the trumpets.

⁵ When they make a long blast with the ram's horn, as soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, have all the people shout loudly and the wall of the city will fall down flat and the people will be able to charge in straight ahead."

⁶ Then Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said to them, "Pick up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests carry seven rams' horn trumpets ahead of the ark of the LORD."

⁷ He ordered the people, "Move out and march around the city, and let the armed men go ahead of the ark of the LORD."

⁸ When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests bearing the seven rams' horn trumpets before the LORD moved out, blew the trumpets and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them.

⁹ The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets and the rear guard followed the ark, blowing the trumpets.

¹⁰ Then Joshua commanded the people, saying, "Do not shout or let your voice be heard, do not let your mouth say even one word until the day I tell you to shout. Then you will shout."

¹¹ So he had the ark of the LORD circle the city one time. Then they returned to camp and spent the night there.

¹² Joshua got up early in the morning, and the priests picked up the ark of the LORD.

¹³ The seven priests carrying the seven rams' horn trumpets in front of the ark of the LORD went on blowing the trumpets. The armed men marched in front of them and the rear guard came after the ark of the LORD, while the trumpets blew continually.

¹⁴ The second day they marched around the city once, then returned into the camp. They did this for six days.

¹⁵ On the seventh day, they got up early at daybreak, and marched around the city the same way they had done before, only on that day they marched around the city seven times.

¹⁶ The seventh time around, as the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua told the people, "Shout! For the LORD has given you the city.

¹⁷ The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in the house will live because she hid the spies we sent.

¹⁸ Stay away from the things devoted to destruction, so that you do not take any of them thereby making the camp of Israel itself an object for destruction, and bring trouble on it.

¹⁹ For all the silver and gold, and items of bronze and iron, are holy to the LORD. They must go into the treasury of the LORD."

²⁰ When the trumpet sounded and the troops heard the sound of the trumpets, the troops shouted loudly, and the wall fell down flat, so the troops went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured it.

²¹ They completely destroyed all that was in the city with the sword, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep and donkeys.

²² Then Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, "Go into the prostitute's house, and bring the woman and all that she has out here as you promised her."

²³ So the young spies went in, and brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers and all that she had. They brought out her whole family and they took them to a place outside the camp of Israel.

²⁴ Then they burned the city and everything in it with fire. The only exception being they put the objects of silver and gold, and items of bronze and iron into the treasury of the house of the LORD.

²⁵ But Rahab the prostitute, her father's family and all that she had, Joshua spared. She still lives in the midst of Israel to this day, because she hid the agents Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

²⁶ So Joshua pronounced a solemn oath at that time, saying,

"Cursed before the LORD is the man

who attempts to rebuild this city of Jericho.
With the loss of his firstborn he will lay its foundation,

with the loss of his youngest son he will set up its gates."

²⁷ So the LORD was with Joshua and his fame spread through the whole land.

Joshua 7

¹ But the Israelites violated the command concerning the devoted things, for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. So the anger of the LORD was sparked against the Israelites.

² Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel, and told them, "Go up and spy out the land." So the men went up and spied out Ai.

³ When they returned to Joshua, they suggested to him, "Do not make all the people go up, but send about two or three thousand men up and attack Ai. Do not wear out all the people by making them go up there, since there are so few of them."

⁴ So 3,000 men went up, but they fled before the men of Ai.

⁵ The men of Ai killed about thirty-six men, and chased them from the town gate all the way to the stone quarries killing them down the slope. Then the hearts of the people melted and became like water.

⁶ Then Joshua tore his clothes. He and the elders of Israel fell to the ground on their faces before the ark of the LORD until evening, and threw dust on their heads.

⁷ Then Joshua said, "Ah, Sovereign LORD, why did you ever bring this people over the Jordan River, just to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, so they could destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan!

⁸ Oh, Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has turned their backs fleeing before their enemies!

⁹ When the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, they will surround us and wipe our name off the earth, then what will you do for your own great name?"

¹⁰ Then the LORD replied to Joshua, "Get up! Why are you down on your face?

¹¹ Israel has sinned. They have broken my covenant that I commanded them. They have stolen some of the devoted things, and deceitfully put them with their personal belongings.

¹² Therefore the Israelites cannot stand before their enemies. They turn their backs fleeing before their enemies, because they themselves have become devoted to destruction. I will no longer be with you, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you.

¹³ Get up! Consecrate the people. Tell them, 'Consecrate yourselves tomorrow. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel says, "There is a devoted thing in your midst, O Israel; you cannot stand before your enemies, until you remove the devoted things from among you.'"

¹⁴ In the morning you must present yourselves by your tribes. The tribe that the LORD selects must approach by clans, and the clan that the LORD selects must approach by families; and the family that the LORD selects must approach man by man.

¹⁵ The one who is caught with the devoted things must be burned with fire, he and all that he has because he has violated the covenant of the LORD, and because he has done such a disgraceful thing in Israel."

¹⁶ So Joshua got up early in the morning and brought forward Israel by their tribes, and the tribe of Judah was selected.

¹⁷ He brought forward the clans of Judah, and he selected the clan of the Zerahites. Then he brought forward the families of the Zerahites family by family, and Zabdi was selected.

¹⁸ Then he brought forward his family man by man, and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, was selected.

¹⁹ Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and confess to him and tell me now what you have done. Do not hide it from me."

²⁰ So Achan answered Joshua, "It is true. I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I did:

²¹ when I saw among the plunder a beautiful Babylonian robe, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, then I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent with the silver underneath."

²² So Joshua sent messengers who ran to the tent and there it was hidden in his tent with the silver underneath.

²³ They took the things from the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the Israelites. They laid them on the ground before the LORD.

²⁴ Then Joshua and all Israel took Achan the son of Zerah, along with the silver, the robe, and the bar of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent and all that he had and they brought them up to the Valley of Achor.

²⁵ Then Joshua said, "Why have you brought trouble on us? The LORD will bring trouble on you today." Then all Israel stoned him and his family, and burned them with fire.

²⁶ Then they piled up a great heap of stones over him that remains there to this day. That is why the name of that place was called, the Valley of Achor (Disaster), to this day. So the LORD turned away from his fierce anger.

Joshua 8

¹ Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid or get discouraged. Take all the fighting men with you and go up against Ai. See, I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his town and his land.

² You will do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king except you may take its plunder and its cattle for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the city."

³ So Joshua and all the fighting men went up against Ai. Joshua chose thirty thousand valiant warriors, and sent them out at night.

⁴ He told them, "Look, you will set an ambush against the town, behind it. Do not go very far from the town, but all of you be ready.

⁵ I, and all the troops that are with me, will approach the town. When they come out against us, as before, we will flee before them.

⁶ Then they will come out after us until we have lured them away from the town, for they will say, 'They flee before us, as before.' So we will indeed flee from them.

⁷ Then you will rise up from the ambush and capture the town. For the LORD your God will give it into your control.

⁸ After you have seized the town, set the town on fire, doing what the LORD has commanded. See, I have given you orders."

⁹ So Joshua sent them out and they went and hid in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai. But Joshua spent that night with the troops.

¹⁰ Joshua got up early the next morning, mustered the troops, and went up, he and the leaders of Israel, at the front of the troops to Ai.

¹¹ Then all the troops that were with him, went up and drew near before the town, and camped on the north side of Ai with a valley between them and Ai.

¹² He took about five thousand men, and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the town.

¹³ So they set the troops in position, the main force was north of the town, and the ambush west of the town. Joshua spent that night in the valley.

¹⁴ When the king of Ai saw it, he and his army quickly got up early the next day and went out against Israel in battle at a place overlooking the Arabah valley. But he was unaware that there was an ambush against him behind the town.

¹⁵ Joshua and all Israel pretended to be defeated before them and fled in the direction of the wilderness.

¹⁶ So all the people that were in the town were ordered to chase after them. So they pursued after Joshua and were lured out of the town.

¹⁷ There was not a man left in Ai or Bethel who did not chase after Israel. They left the town open, and pursued Israel.

¹⁸ Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Point the spear that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand." So Joshua pointed the spear that was in his hand toward the town.

¹⁹ As soon as he stretched out his hand, the troops hiding in ambush quickly rose out of their hiding place and attacked. They entered the town, captured it and quickly set the town on fire.

²⁰ When the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw the smoke from the town rising into the sky. They were unable to flee one way or the other for the troops who had fled to the wilderness now turned back on those chasing them.

²¹ When Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the town, and that smoke was rising from it, they turned around and struck down the men of Ai.

²² The others who captured the town came out of it against them, so they were surrounded by Israelites, on both sides. They struck them down so that none survived or escaped.

²³ But they captured the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.

²⁴ When Israel had made an end of killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness where they had chased them, and they had all fallen by the edge of the sword, all Israel returned to Ai, and struck it with the edge of the sword.

²⁵ Twelve thousand fell that day, both men and women, the total population of Ai.

²⁶ For Joshua kept holding out his hand with the spear until he had completely destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.

²⁷ But Israel took the cattle and the plunder of that town for themselves, according to the word of the LORD that he had commanded Joshua.

²⁸ So Joshua burned Ai, and made it a permanent ruin, as it is to this day.

²⁹ The king of Ai was hung on a tree until the evening and at sunset Joshua gave the order and they took his body down from the tree, and threw it at the entrance of the town gate, and raised a great pile of stones over it, which remains there to this day.

³⁰ Then Joshua built an altar to the LORD, the God of Israel, on mount Ebal,

³¹ just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the Israelites. It is written in the scroll of the law of Moses, "an altar of uncut stones, upon which no one had ever used an iron tool." They offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings on it to the LORD.

³² Then in the presence of the Israelites he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses which he had written.

³³ All Israel, their elders, officers and judges, along with the foreigner and native born stood on both sides of the ark in front of the Levitical priests, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD. Half of them stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the LORD had previously commanded, that they should bless the people of Israel.

³⁴ Afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and the curses, according to all that is written in the scroll of the law.

³⁵ There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, including the women, children and the foreigners who lived among them.

Joshua 9

¹ Now when all the kings in the hill country west of the Jordan River, and in the western foothills, and on all the coast of the Mediterranean Sea as far as Lebanon, the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, heard of what happened,

² they joined forces uniting to fight against Joshua and Israel.

³ But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,

⁴ they developed a cunning plot. They went and put worn-out sacks on their donkeys, took old cracked and patched wineskins,

⁵ put dilapidated sandals on their feet and put on old tattered clothes. All their bread provisions were dried out and moldy.

⁶ They came to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and the men of Israel, "We have come from a distant country. So make a treaty with us."

⁷ But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, "What if you live among us. How can we make a treaty with you?"

⁸ They replied to Joshua, "We are your servants." Joshua asked, "Who are you? And where do you come from?"

⁹ They told him, "Your servants have come from a distant country because we have heard of the reputation of the name of the LORD your God, and all that he did in Egypt,

¹⁰ and all he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were east of the Jordan River, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth.

¹¹ Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country told us, "Take provisions in your hand for the journey, and go, meet them, and say to them, 'We are your servants. Come now make a treaty with us.'

¹² This bread we took was still warm when we loaded our provisions from our houses the day we left to meet you. Look, now it is dry and moldy.

¹³ These wineskins were new when we filled them. Look, now they are cracked. Our clothes and sandals are worn out because the journey was so long."

¹⁴ The Israelite men accepted some of their provisions, but did not ask for the LORD's advise.

¹⁵ So Joshua made a peace treaty with them, guaranteeing to let them live. The leaders of the community sealed it with an oath.

¹⁶ Three days after having made the treaty with them, they heard that they were, in fact, their neighbors, and lived near them.

¹⁷ The Israelites set out and came to their cities on the third day. Now their towns were Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim.

¹⁸ But the Israelites did not attack them because the leaders of the congregation had made a promise to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. So all the community grumbled against the leaders.

¹⁹ But all the leaders replied to all the community, "We have sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, so we cannot touch them.

²⁰ Here is what we will do to them. Let them live, so God's wrath will not come upon us because of the oath we swore to them."

²¹ The leaders said to them, "Let them live." So they became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community, just as the leaders had said concerning them.

²² Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites saying, "Why did you trick us, saying, 'We live far from you,' when in fact you live right here among us?

²³ Now therefore you are cursed you will always be slaves, both woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God."

²⁴ Then they answered Joshua, "Because your servants were clearly told how the LORD your God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you. Therefore we were terrified for our lives because of you, which is why we did this.

²⁵ Now, we are in your hand. Do to us what seems good and right for you to do to us."

²⁶ So Joshua delivered them out of the hand of the Israelites, so that they did not kill them.

²⁷ But Joshua made them that day woodcutters and water carriers for the community, and for the altar of the LORD, in the place he would choose. That is what they do to this day.

Joshua 10

¹ Now when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were now living among them;

² he was terrified, because Gibeon was a large city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was larger than Ai, and all its men were warriors.

³ So Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish and to Debir king of Eglon, saying,

⁴ "Come up and help me and let us attack Gibeon for it has made peace with Joshua and the Israelites."

⁵ Then the five kings of the Amorites, the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon, joined forces and went up. They and all their armies camped against Gibeon, and fought against it.

⁶ But the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal, "Do not abandon your servants; come up quickly. Rescue us! Help us! For all the kings of the Amorites living in the hill country have joined forces against us."

⁷ So Joshua and all the troops including the valiant warriors went up from Gilgal.

⁸ Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them for I have given them into your hands. Not one of them will be able to stand up against you."

⁹ Joshua attacked them by surprise having marched up from Gilgal all night.

¹⁰ Then the LORD threw them into a panic before Israel, and he defeated them in a great slaughter at Gibeon. They chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah.

¹¹ As they fled from Israel while they were going down the descent from Beth-horon. The LORD threw down huge hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than were killed by the Israelites' swords.

¹² Then Joshua spoke to the LORD on that day when the LORD gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, and he said in the sight of Israel, "Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and moon over the valley of Aijalon."

¹³ So the sun stood still and the moon stopped until the nation took vengeance on its enemies. Is this not written in the Scroll of Jashar? The sun stopped in the middle of the sky, and did not set for about a whole day.

¹⁴ There has never been a day like it before or since, when the LORD obeyed the voice of a man, for the LORD fought for Israel.

¹⁵ Then Joshua and all Israel returned to the camp at Gilgal.

¹⁶ The five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.

¹⁷ Joshua was told, "The five kings have been found hidden in the cave at Makkedah."

¹⁸ Joshua said, "Roll large stones over the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to guard them.

¹⁹ but do not stay there yourselves; chase after your enemies, and attack their rear guard. Do not let them enter into their town for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand."

²⁰ Joshua and the Israelites finished striking them down with a great slaughter, until they were wiped out, although a few survivors got away into the fortified towns.

²¹ Then all the troops returned to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah in peace. No one dared wag his tongue against any of the Israelites.

²² Then Joshua said, "Open the mouth of the cave and bring out those five kings to me from the cave."

²³ So they brought out the five kings to him from the cave, the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon.

²⁴ When they brought out the kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel, and said to the commanders of the troops who had been with him, "Come here put your feet on the necks of these kings." So they came near and put their feet on their necks.

²⁵ Then Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid or discouraged. Be strong and courageous for this is what the LORD will do to all your enemies you will fight."

²⁶ Afterward Joshua struck and put them to death. Then he hung them on five trees and they remained hanging on the trees until evening.

²⁷ At sunset Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees. They threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves. Then they put large stones over the mouth of the cave, which are there to this day.

²⁸ On that day Joshua captured Makkedah, and struck it and its king with the edge of the sword. He totally destroyed them and everyone who was in it leaving no survivors. He did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.

²⁹ Joshua and all Israel left Makkedah and went to Libnah and fought against it.

³⁰ The LORD also gave it and its king into the hand of Israel. He struck it with the edge of the sword and everyone in it leaving no survivors. He did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.

³¹ Then Joshua and all Israel left Libnah and went to Lachish, laid siege against it and attacked it.

³² The LORD gave Lachish into the hand of Israel. He captured it on the second day and struck it with the edge of the sword, and everyone in it, just as he had done to Libnah.

³³ Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish. Joshua struck him and his people leaving no survivors.

³⁴ Then Joshua and all Israel set out from Lachish and went to Eglon. They laid siege to it and attacked it.

³⁵ They captured it that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and everyone in it he totally destroyed that day, just as he had done to Lachish.

³⁶ Then Joshua and all Israel set out from Eglon and went to Hebron and attacked it.

³⁷ They captured and struck it and its king with the edge of the sword and all its towns, and left no survivors, just as he had done to Eglon, he totally destroyed it and everyone in it.

³⁸ Then Joshua and all Israel turned back to Debir and attacked it.

³⁹ He captured it, then struck its king and all its towns with the edge of the sword, and totally destroyed everyone in it leaving no survivors, just as he had done to Hebron. So he did to Debir and its king just as he had done to Libnah and its king.

⁴⁰ So Joshua conquered the whole land and all their kings, the hill country, the Negev, and the western foothills, and the mountain slopes. He left no survivors. He totally destroyed everything that breathed, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded.

⁴¹ Joshua struck them from Kadesh-barnea even as far as Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, all the way to Gibeon.

⁴² All these kings and their land Joshua captured in one campaign, because the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.

⁴³ So Joshua and all Israel returned to the camp at Gilgal.

Joshua 11

¹ When Jabin king of Hazor heard what had happened, he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the kings of Shimron and Acshaph,

² and to the northern kings in the hill country, and in the Arabah south of Kinnereth (Galilee), the lowlands, and Naphoth-dor on the west,

³ to the Canaanites in the east and west, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites and Jebusites in the hill country, and the Hivites below Mount Hermon in the land of Mizpah.

⁴ They and their armies came out as numerous as the sand on the sea shore, along with many horses and chariots.

⁵ All these kings joined forces and they came and camped together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.

⁶ Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them, for tomorrow at this time I will hand all of them over to Israel, dead. You must hamstring their horses and burn their chariots."

⁷ So Joshua and his whole army came against them at the waters of Merom and attacked them suddenly.

⁸ The LORD gave them into the hand of Israel, and they struck them down, and chased them to Greater Sidon, to Misrephoth-maim, and eastward to the valley of Mizpeh and they struck them down leaving no survivors.

⁹ Joshua did to them as the LORD told him to. He hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots.

¹⁰ Then Joshua turned back and captured Hazor, and struck down its king with the sword, for before that time Hazor had been the head of all those kingdoms.

¹¹ They struck down everyone in it with the edge of the sword, totally destroying them; no one was left breathing. He burned Hazor.

¹² Joshua captured all the towns of those kings as well as the kings themselves, and he struck them down with the edge of the sword, and totally destroyed them just as Moses, the servant of the LORD, had commanded.

¹³ But Israel did not burn the towns built on their mounds, except Hazor, which Joshua did burn.

¹⁴ The Israelites plundered all the spoil and livestock of these towns for themselves, and they struck down everyone with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them, not leaving anyone who breathed.

¹⁵ Just as the LORD had commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua. He left nothing undone of all that the LORD had commanded Moses.

¹⁶ So Joshua took the entire land, the hill country, all the Negev, all the land around Goshen, and the western foothills, the Arabah, and the hill country of Israel and its foothills,

¹⁷ from Mount Halak that rises toward Seir, as far as Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon under Mount Hermon. He captured, struck down and put to death all their kings.

¹⁸ Joshua waged war for a long time with all those kings.

¹⁹ There was not a single town that made peace with the Israelites, except the Hivites living in Gibeon. They took them all in battle.

²⁰ For it was the LORD who hardened their hearts, to wage war against Israel, so that he might totally destroy them, and that they might find no mercy, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD had commanded Moses.

²¹ Now at that time Joshua came and eliminated the Anakim from the hill country, from Hebron, Debir, Anab and from all the hill country of Judah, and from all the hill country of Israel. Joshua totally destroyed them with their towns.

²² There was not one of the Anakim left in the land of the Israelites. Some in Gaza, Gath and Ashdod survived, however.

²³ So Joshua took the whole land, according to all the LORD had instructed Moses. Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal allotments. Then the land had rest from war.

Joshua 12

¹ Now these are the kings of the land, the Israelites defeated and took possession of their land on the east side of the Jordan River from the Arnon Gorge to Mount Hermon and all the eastern side of the Arabah.

² Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, ruled from Aroer, which is on the edge of the Arnon Gorge, from the middle of the canyon to the Jabbok River which is the border with the Ammonites, the southern half of Gilead.

³ He ruled over the eastern part of the Arabah from the Sea of Kinnereth (Galilee), to the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, including the way to Beth-jeshimoth; and on the south, to the foot of the slopes of Pisgah.

⁴ The border of Og king of Bashan, one of the few surviving Rephaites, who lived in Ashtaroth and Edrei,

⁵ ruled over Mount Hermon, Salecah and all Bashan, to the border of the Geshurites and Maacathites, the northern half of Gilead, to the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.

⁶ Moses the servant of the LORD and the Israelites defeated them and Moses, the servant of the LORD, gave their land for a possession to the Reubenites, Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh.

⁷ These are the kings of the land that Joshua and the Israelites defeated on the west side of the Jordan River, from Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon to Mount Halak, that rises toward Seir; and Joshua assigned it to the tribes of Israel for a possession according to their allotments.

⁸ It included the hill-country, the western foothills, the Arabah, the mountain slopes, the eastern wilderness and the Negev; the land of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.

⁹ The kings were:
the king of Jericho,

the king of Ai, which is near Bethel,

¹⁰ the king of Jerusalem,
the king of Hebron,

¹¹ the king of Jarmuth,

the king of Lachish,

¹² the king of Eglon,
the king of Gezer,

¹³ the king of Debir,
the king of Geder,

¹⁴ the king of Hormah,
the king of Arad,

¹⁵ the king of Libnah,
the king of Adullam,

¹⁶ the king of Makkedah,
the king of Bethel,

¹⁷ the king of Tappuah,
the king of Hepher,

¹⁸ the king of Aphek,
the king of Lasharon,

¹⁹ the king of Madon,
the king of Hazor,

²⁰ the king of Shimron-meron,
the king of Acshaph,

²¹ the king of Taanach,
the king of Megiddo,

²² the king of Kedesh,
the king of Jokneam in Carmel,

²³ the king of Dor in the Naphath Dor,
the king of Goyim in Gilgal,

²⁴ the king of Tirzah;
thirty-one kings in all.

Joshua 13

¹ Now Joshua was old and well on in years, and the LORD said to him, "You are old and well on in years, and there remains a great amount of land to be possessed.

² This is the land that remains: all the regions of the Philistines, and Geshurites;

³ from the Shihor, which is east of Egypt, north to the border of Ekron, it is regarded as Canaanite land, including the area of the five lords of the Philistines in Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron; the Avvite land

⁴ in the south; all the land of the Canaanites, from Mearah, that belongs to the Sidonians, to Aphek, to the border with the Amorites;

⁵ the land of the Gebalites; and all Lebanon, to the east, from Baal-gad below Mount Hermon to the Lebo-Hamath.

⁶ I will drive out before the Israelites all the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth-maim, even all the Sidonians; only allot it to Israel for an inheritance, as I have commanded you.

⁷ Now divide up this land for an inheritance among the nine tribes and the half tribe of Manasseh."

⁸ The other half tribe of Manasseh received their inheritance with Reuben and Gad, on the east side of the Jordan River, just as Moses, the servant of the LORD, gave them.

⁹ From Aroer, that is on the edge of the Arnon Gorge, including the town that is in the middle of the canyon, and all the plain of Medeba as far as Dibon;

¹⁰ including all the towns of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, to the border with the Ammonites.

¹¹ This included Gilead, the region of the Geshurites and Maacathites, and all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan as far as Salecah,

¹² the entire kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei (he was one of the few remaining Rephaites). These Moses defeated and drove out.

¹³ Nevertheless the Israelites did not drive out the Geshurites or Maacathites, but Geshur and Maacath live within Israel to this day.

¹⁴ He gave no land inheritance to the tribe of Levi; his inheritance is the offerings of the LORD, the God of Israel, made by fire, as he promised them.

¹⁵ So Moses allotted land to the tribe of Reuben according to their clans.

¹⁶ Their border was from Aroer, that is on the edge of the Arnon Gorge, and the town in the middle of the canyon, and all the plain by Medeba;

¹⁷ Heshbon, and all its towns that are in the plain; Dibon, Bamoth-baal, Beth-baal-meon,

¹⁸ Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath,

¹⁹ Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth-shahar on the hill overlooking the valley,

²⁰ Beth-peor, the slopes of Pisgah and Beth-jeshimoth,

²¹ including all the towns of the plain, and the entire kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon. Moses defeated him along with the chiefs of Midian--Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba--the princes of Sihon, who lived in his land.

²² The Israelites also slew Balaam the son of Beor, the soothsayer, with the sword along with the rest of those slain in battle.

²³ The border of the tribe of Reuben was the bank of the Jordan River. This was the inheritance of the tribe of Reuben according to their clans with their towns and villages.

²⁴ Moses gave a land inheritance to the tribe of Gad, according to their clans.

²⁵ Their territory included Jazer, all the towns of Gilead, and half the land of Ammonites, as far as Aroer east of Rabbah;

²⁶ and from Heshbon to Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the border of Debir;

²⁷ and in the valley, Beth-haram, Beth-nimrah, Succoth, Zaphon, and the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, the territory east of the Jordan River to the southern tip of the Sea of Chinnereth (Galilee) east of the Jordan River.

²⁸ This is the inheritance of the children of Gad according to their clans, with their towns and villages.

²⁹ Moses gave a land inheritance to the half-tribe of Manasseh according to their clans.

³⁰ Their territory was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the sixty towns of Jair in Bashan,

³¹ half Gilead, Ashtaroth, Edrei, the towns of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were assigned to descendants of Makir the son of Manasseh, even for the half of the descendants of Makir according to their clans.

³² These are the land inheritances Moses assigned in the plains of Moab, east of the Jordan River across from Jericho.

³³ But to the tribe of Levi Moses gave no land inheritance. The LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he promised them.

Joshua 14

¹ These are the land inheritances that the Israelites received in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun and the tribal leaders of the Israelites, assigned to them.

² Their inheritance was assigned by lot, as the LORD had commanded by Moses, for the nine and one-half tribes.

³ For Moses had assigned the inheritance to the two-and-a-half tribes east of the Jordan River, but he gave no inheritance to the Levites among them.

⁴ For the descendants of Joseph were reckoned as two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. They gave no portion to the Levites in the land, except towns with their suburbs to live in, for their cattle and possessions.

⁵ Just as the LORD had commanded Moses, so the Israelites did and they divided the land.

⁶ Then the descendants of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, the Kenizzite, said to him, "You know what the LORD told Moses the man of God concerning you and me at Kadesh-barnea.

⁷ I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me out from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land. I brought him an honest report just as it was in my heart.

⁸ Nevertheless my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt with fear, but I wholeheartedly followed the LORD my God.

⁹ Moses promised on that day, saying, 'Surely the land whereon your foot has stepped will be an inheritance for you and your descendants forever, because you have wholeheartedly followed the LORD my God.'

¹⁰ Now, look, the LORD has kept me alive, as he promised these forty five years, from the time that the LORD spoke this to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. Now, I am this day eighty-five years old.

¹¹ I am still as strong today as I was in the day Moses sent me out, my strength now for fighting and going in and out is as good as my strength was then.

¹² Now therefore give me this hill country, that the LORD promised me on that day. For you heard that day how the Anakites lived there in large and fortified cities. It may be that the LORD will be with me, and I will drive them out, just as the LORD said."

¹³ So Joshua blessed him. He gave Hebron to Caleb son of Jephunneh for his inheritance.

¹⁴ Therefore Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh, the Kenizzite, to this day, because he wholeheartedly followed the LORD, the God of Israel.

¹⁵ Formerly the name of Hebron was called Kiriath-arba. This Arba was the greatest man among the Anakites. Then the land had rest from war.

Joshua 15

¹ The allotment for the tribe of Judah according to their clans reached south to the border of Edom, to the wilderness of Zin at its southern most point.

² Their southern border was from the southern bay of the Salt (Dead) Sea;

³ and goes south of the Ascent of Scorpions, over to Zin, where it went up to the south of Kadesh-barnea, and crossed over to Hezron, and went up to Addar, and turned around to Karka.

⁴ From there it crossed over to Azmon, and extended to the Brook of Egypt; and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. This was their southern border.

⁵ The eastern border was the Salt (Dead) Sea, to the mouth of the Jordan River. The northern border was from the bay where the Jordan River enters the Salt Sea,

⁶ and went up to Beth-hoglah, and passes north of Beth-arabah; and the border went up to the Stone of Bohan, who was the son of Reuben.

⁷ From there the border went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor, then northward, toward Gilgal, that is across from the Ascent of Adummim, on the south side of the river; then the border passed along to the waters of En-shemesh, and ended at En-rogel.

⁸ From there the border went up by the Valley of Ben-Hinnom to the south side of the Jebusites (that is, Jerusalem); and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lies to the west above the Valley of Hinnom, that is at the north end of the Rephaim Valley.

⁹ The border continued from the top of the mountain to the spring of the Waters of Nephtoah, and from there to the towns of Mount Ephron, and went on to Baalah (that is, Kiriath-jearim).

¹⁰ The border then turned west of Baalah to Mount Seir, and crossed over to the slope of Mount Jearim on the north (that is, Kesalon), then went down to Beth-shemesh and passed along by Timnah.

¹¹ The border went north of Ekron and turned toward Shikkeron, and passed along to Mount Baalah, and went passed Jabneel and ended at the Mediterranean Sea.

¹² The western border was the Great Sea (that is, the Mediterranean Sea). This is the border around the tribe Judah according to its clans.

¹³ He gave Caleb the son of Jephunneh a portion among the tribe of Judah, according to the Lord's command to Joshua, even Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron). This Arba was the father of Anak.

¹⁴ From there Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai.

¹⁵ He then went up against the inhabitants of Debir. Now Debir was formerly called Kiriath-sepher.

¹⁶ Caleb said, "To the man who attacks and captures Kiriath-sepher I will give Acsah my daughter as a wife."

¹⁷ So Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, captured it and Caleb gave him Acsah his daughter as a wife.

¹⁸ When she came to him, she urged him to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey Caleb asked, "What do you want?"

¹⁹ She replied, "Do me a favor since you have given me land in the Negev, give me some springs of water as well." So he gave her the upper and lower springs.

²⁰ This is the inheritance of the tribe of Judah by their clans.

²¹ The towns of the tribe of Judah farthest to the south by the border of Edom were Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur,

²² Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,

²³ Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan,

²⁴ Ziph, Telem, Bealoth,

²⁵ Hazor-hadattah, Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor),

²⁶ Amam, Shema, Moladah,

²⁷ Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-pelet,

²⁸ Hazar-shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah,

²⁹ Baalah, Iim, Ezem,

³⁰ Eltolad, Kesil, Hormah,

³¹ Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,

³² Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain and Rimmon: twenty-nine towns in all with their villages.

³³ In the western foothills: Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah,

³⁴ Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah, Enam,

³⁵ Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,

³⁶ Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah and Gederothaim; fourteen towns with their villages.

³⁷ Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal-gad,

³⁸ Dilean, Mizpeh, Joktheel,

³⁹ Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,

⁴⁰ Cabbon, Lahmam, Kitlish,

⁴¹ Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah and Makkedah; sixteen towns with their villages.

⁴² Libnah, Ether, Ashan,

⁴³ Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,

⁴⁴ Keilah, Aczib, Mareshah; nine town with their villages.

⁴⁵ Ekron, with its towns and its villages;

⁴⁶ from Ekron west, all in the vicinity of Ashdod, with their villages.

⁴⁷ Ashdod, its towns and its villages; Gaza, its towns and its villages; to the brook of Egypt, along the coast of the Great Sea.

⁴⁸ In the hill-country: Shamir, Jattir, Socoh,

⁴⁹ Dannah, Kiriath-sannah (that is, Debir),

⁵⁰ Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,

⁵¹ Goshen, Holon, Giloh; eleven towns with their villages.

⁵² Arab, Dumah, Eshan,

⁵³ Janim, Beth-tappuah, Aphekah,

⁵⁴ Humtah, Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior; nine towns with their villages.

⁵⁵ Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Jutah,

⁵⁶ Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah,

⁵⁷ Kain, Gibeah and Timnah; ten towns with their villages.

⁵⁸ Halhul, Beth-zur, Gedor,

⁵⁹ Maarath, Beth-anoth and Eltekon; six towns with their villages.

⁶⁰ Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), and Rabbah; two towns with their villages.

⁶¹ In the wilderness: Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah,

⁶² Nibshan, and the City of Salt, and Engedi; six towns with their villages.

⁶³ But the people of Judah were not able to drive out the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so the Jebusites live with the people of Judah in Jerusalem to this day.

Joshua 16

¹ The land allotment for the descendants of Joseph extended from the Jordan River by Jericho, east of the waters of Jericho, through the wilderness, going up from Jericho through the hill country to Bethel.

² It went out from Bethel (that is, Luz), and passed along to the border of the Arkites at Ataroth,

³ and it descended westward to the territory of the Japhletites as far as the territory of Lower Beth-horon, and on to Gezer; and ended at the sea.

⁴ So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, received their inheritance.

⁵ This was the territory of the descendants of Ephraim according to their clans: the border of their land inheritance to the east was Ataroth-addar, to Upper Beth-horon,

⁶ then on to the sea. From Micmethath on the north the border turned to the east to Taanath-shiloh, and crossed to the east of Janoah.

⁷ It went down from Janoah to Ataroth and Naarah, and touched Jericho, then ended at the Jordan River.

⁸ From Tappuah the border went westward to Wadi Kanah; and ended at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of Ephraimites according to their clans.

⁹ It also included the towns that were set apart for the Ephraimites within the inheritance of the Manassehites, all those towns with their villages.

¹⁰ They did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites live within Ephraim to this day, and do forced labor as their servants.

Joshua 17

¹ This was the land allotment for the tribe of Manasseh; for he was Joseph's firstborn. As for Makir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, because he was a warrior, he received Gilead and Bashan.

² So this was the allotment for the rest of the descendants of Manasseh according to their clans: Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, Shemida. These were the male descendants of Manasseh the son of Joseph according to their clans.

³ Now Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but only daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah.

⁴ They came before Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun and the leaders, saying, "The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our male relatives." So, according to the commandment of the LORD, he gave them an inheritance among their uncles.

⁵ Thus Manasseh was assigned ten portions of land, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is east of the Jordan River;

⁶ because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance along with his sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the descendants of Manasseh.

⁷ The border of Manasseh went from Asher to Micmethath, which is near Shechem. Then the border ran south to the inhabitants of the spring of Tappuah.

⁸ The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh; but the town of Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the Ephraimites.

⁹ From there the border descended southward to the Kanah Ravine. The towns south of the brook belonged to Ephraim although they were among the towns of Manasseh. The border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook and ended at the Mediterranean Sea.

¹⁰ Ephraim's territory was to the south, and Manasseh's was on the north. The sea was Manasseh's western border; and it extended to Asher on the north, and over to Issachar on the east.

¹¹ In Issachar and in Asher, however, Manasseh was allotted Bethshean, Ibleam, the inhabitants of Dor, Endor, Taanach and Megiddo each with their villages, the third was Naphath.

¹² Yet the descendants of Manasseh could not conquer those towns; so the Canaanites continued to live in that land.

¹³ Whenever the Israelites grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but they did not totally drive them out.

¹⁴ Then the descendants of Joseph questioned Joshua, "Why have you given us only one tribal portion for an inheritance, especially seeing the LORD has blessed us with so many people?"

¹⁵ Joshua replied to them, "If you have so many people, get up to the forest and clear land for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites; since the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you."

¹⁶ But the descendants of Joseph responded, "The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have iron chariots, both those who live in Bethshean and its villages, and those in the valley of Jezreel."

¹⁷ So Joshua acquiesced to the house of Joseph, both to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, "You have many people and great military might. You will not have just one tribal portion

¹⁸ but the hill country will be yours; for though it is a forest, you will clear it and the total extent of it will be yours; for you will drive out the Canaanites, even though they have iron chariots and are strong."

Joshua 18

¹ The whole congregation of the Israelites assembled at Shiloh and set up the Tent of Meeting there. The land was subdued under their control.

² There remained among the Israelites seven tribes that had not yet been allotted their land inheritance.

³ Then Joshua said to the Israelites, "How long are you waiting before going in to possess the land, the LORD, the God of your forefathers, has given you?

⁴ Select three men from each tribe, and I will send them out and they will get up and walk through the land, and write up a description according to each of their land inheritances. Then they will return back to me.

⁵ They will split it up into seven portions. Judah will stay in his territory in the south and the house of Joseph will stay in their territory in the north.

⁶ Write up descriptions of the land into seven regions, and bring the description back here to me; and I will cast lots for you here before the LORD our God.

⁷ For the Levites have no portion among you; for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance. Gad, Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their land inheritance east of the Jordan River, which Moses, the servant of the LORD, gave them."

⁸ So the men got up and went. Joshua charged those who went to map out the land, saying, "Go and walk through the land, and write up a description of it, then come back to me; and I will cast lots for you here before the LORD in Shiloh."

⁹ The men went and explored the land, and wrote a description of it by town into seven regions on a scroll. Then they came back to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh.

¹⁰ Then Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD. There Joshua divided up the land for the Israelites according to their tribal divisions.

¹¹ The lot of the tribe of Benjamin came up according to their clans. Their territorial allotment was between the tribes of Judah and Joseph.

¹² Their border on the north side was from the Jordan River and went up north of Jericho, and went west through the hill country and ended at the wilderness of Beth-aven.

¹³ From there the border crossed over to Luz, then it went to the south of Luz (that is, Bethel), then the border went down to Ataroth-addar, by the hill on the south of Lower Beth-horon.

¹⁴ The border on the west side turned on the west side to the south from the hill on the south near Beth-horon and ended up at Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), a town belonging to Judah. This was the western border.

¹⁵ The south side was from the outskirts of Kiriath-jearim and went west, to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah.

¹⁶ The border descended to the base of the hill that overlooks the Hinnom Valley, that is north of the Rephaim Valley. From there it went down to the Hinnom, to the south side of the Jebusites, down to En-rogel.

¹⁷ It extended northward to En-shemesh, and then went out to Geliloth, which is opposite the Ascent of Adummim. Then it went down to the Stone of Bohan, the son of Reuben.

¹⁸ It passed along to the north side overlooking the Arabah, and descended into the Arabah.

¹⁹ The border then crossed over to the north side of Beth-hoglah and ended at the north bay of the Salt (Dead) Sea, at the south end of the Jordan River. This is the southern border.

²⁰ The Jordan River was the border on the east side. This was the land inheritance of the tribe of Benjamin, by its borders according to their clans.

²¹ Now the towns of the tribe of Benjamin according to their clans were Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz,

²² Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,

²³ Avvim, Parah, Ophrah,

²⁴ Kephar-ammoni, Ophni, Geba--twelve towns with their villages:

²⁵ Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth,

²⁶ Mizpeh, Kephirah, Mozah,

²⁷ Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah,

²⁸ Zelah, Eleph, Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath--fourteen towns with their villages. This is the land inheritance of the tribe of Benjamin according to their clans.

Joshua 19

¹ The second lot came out for the tribe of Simeon according to their clans. Their land inheritance was in the midst of the inheritance of the tribe of Judah.

² Their land inheritance included Beersheba, Sheba, Moladah,

³ Hazar-shual, Balah, Ezem,

⁴ Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah,

⁵ Ziklag, Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susah,

⁶ Beth-lebaoth and Sharuhen; thirteen towns with their villages;

⁷ Ain, Rimmon, Ether and Ashan; four towns with their villages;

⁸ and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath-beer, Ramah of the Negev. This was the land inheritance of the tribe of Simeon according to their clans.

⁹ The land inheritance of the tribe of Simeon was taken out of part of the tribe of Judah because the portion of the tribe of Judah was too much for them. Therefore the tribe of Simeon was assigned land in the midst of the territory of Judah.

¹⁰ The third lot came out for the tribe of Zebulun according to their clans. The border of their land inheritance went as far as Sarid.

¹¹ Their border went up westward to Maralah, touching Dabbesheth, it extended to the brook near Jokneam.

¹² From Sarid it turned to the east to the border of Kisloth-tabor and on to Daberath, and then up to Japhia.

¹³ From there it passed along eastward to Gath-hepher, to Eth-kazin and extended to Rimmon turning toward Neah.

¹⁴ The border turned to the north to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah-el.

¹⁵ The towns included were: Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, Bethlehem: twelve towns with their villages.

¹⁶ This was the land inheritance of the tribe of Zebulun according to their clans, including these towns with their villages.

¹⁷ The fourth lot came out for Issachar, according to their clans.

¹⁸ Their territory included: Jezreel, Kesulloth, Shunem,

¹⁹ Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath,

²⁰ Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez,

²¹ Remeth, En-gannim, En-haddah, and Beth-pazzez,

²² Their border touched Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth-shemesh and ended at the Jordan River: sixteen towns with their villages.

²³ This was the land inheritance of the tribe of Issachar according to their clans, including these towns with their villages.

²⁴ The fifth lot came out for the tribe of Asher according to their clans.

²⁵ Their territory included: Helkath, Hali, Beten, Acshaph,

²⁶ Allammelek, Amad and Mishal. The border on the west side touched Carmel and Shihor-libnath.

²⁷ Then it turned east to Beth-dagon, and extended to Zebulun, and the Valley of Iphtah-el, it went north to Beth-emek and Neiel; and then proceeded north to Cabul,

²⁸ Ebron, Rehob, Hammon and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon.

²⁹ The border turned to Ramah, and to the fortified city of Tyre; then turned to Hosah; and ended at the sea near Hebel, Aczib,

³⁰ Ummah, Aphek and Rehob: twenty-two towns with their villages.

³¹ This is the land inheritance of the tribe of Asher according to their clans, including these towns with their villages.

³² The sixth lot came out for the tribe of Naphtali, according to their clans.

³³ Their border ran from Heleph, from the oak in Zaanannim, went to Adam-nekeb and Jabneel, as far as Lakkum and ended at the Jordan River.

³⁴ The border turned westward to Aznoth-tabor, and then to Hukkok. It touched the border of Zebulun on the south, and Asher on the west and the Jordan River on the east.

³⁵ The fortified towns included: Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth,

³⁶ Adamah, Ramah, Hazor,

³⁷ Kedesh, Edrei, En-hazor,

³⁸ Yiron, Migdal-el, Horem, Beth-anath and Beth-shemesh; nineteen towns with their villages.

³⁹ This is the land inheritance of the tribe of Naphtali according to their clans, including the towns with their villages.

⁴⁰ The seventh lot came out for the tribe of Dan according to their clans.

⁴¹ The territory of their land inheritance was Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir-shemesh,

⁴² Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah,

⁴³ Elon, Timnah, Ekron,

⁴⁴ Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath,

⁴⁵ Jehud, Bene-berak, Gath-rimmon,

⁴⁶ Me-jarkon and Rakkon, with the territory across from Joppa.

⁴⁷ They were unable to conquer the territory assigned to the tribe of Dan. So the tribe of Dan went up and fought against Leshem, took it, and put it to the edge of the sword, and possessed it. They lived there, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their forefather.

⁴⁸ This is the land inheritance of the tribe of Dan according to their clans, including these towns with their villages.

⁴⁹ So they made an end of distributing the land for inheritance by its borders; and the Israelites gave a land inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them.

⁵⁰ As the LORD had commanded, they gave him the town he had asked for, Timnath-serah, in the hill country of Ephraim. He rebuilt the town and lived there.

⁵¹ These are the land inheritances Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun and the tribal leaders of the Israelites assigned by lot at Shiloh in the presence of the LORD, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. So they finished dividing up the land.

Joshua 20

¹ The LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,

² "Tell the Israelites, 'Assign the cities of refuge, that I told you about through Moses,

³ so that anyone who kills someone accidentally or unintentionally may flee there and find refuge from the avenger of blood.

⁴ He may flee to one of those cities, and stand at the entrance of the city gate, and present his case in the ears of the city elders. They should take him into the city and give him a place to stay, and he will live among them.

⁵ If the avenger of blood pursues him, then they should not hand the one accused of the death over to him because he killed his neighbor accidentally without premeditated malice.

⁶ He shall live in that city until he is tried before the assembly and until the death of the high priest during those days. Then the accused will be allowed to return to his own town, and to his own house in the town from which he fled.'"

⁷ So they designated Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.

⁸ Beyond the Jordan River east of Jericho, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness on the plain from the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh.

⁹ These were the appointed cities for all the Israelites, and for the foreigner who resides among them, so that whoever kills someone accidentally might flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he has a trial before the assembly.

Joshua 21

¹ Then the family heads of the Levites came to Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun and to the family heads of the tribes of the Israelites.

² They spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, "The LORD commanded Moses to give us towns to live in, with their pasturelands for our cattle."

³ So the Israelites gave the Levites out of their land inheritance, according to the commandment of the LORD, these towns with their surrounding pasturelands.

⁴ The lot came out for the clans of the Kohathites. Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest, were assigned by lot, thirteen towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin.

⁵ The rest of the descendants of Kohath were assigned by lot ten towns from the clans of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan and the half-tribe of Manasseh.

⁶ The descendants of Gershon were assigned by lot thirteen towns from the clans of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

⁷ The descendants of Merari according to their clans were assigned twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.

⁸ The Israelites assigned by lot to the Levites these towns with their pasturelands, as the LORD commanded through Moses.

⁹ They allotted from the tribe of the descendants of Judah and Simeon, these cities mentioned by name here.

¹⁰ They were given to the descendants of Aaron, the descendants of Levi for the clans of the Kohathites, since the first lot fell to them.

¹¹ They gave them Kiriath-arba (Arba was the father of Anak) that is, Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with its surrounding pasturelands.

¹² But the fields of the town and its villages, they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as his possession.

¹³ So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron with its pasturelands, the city of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone, and Libnah with its pasturelands,

¹⁴ Jattir, Eshtemoa,

¹⁵ Holon, Debir,

¹⁶ Ain, Juttah, and Beth-shemesh each with their pasturelands; nine towns out of these two tribes.

¹⁷ From the tribe of Benjamin, they were given Gibeon, Geba,

¹⁸ Anathoth and Almon each with their pasturelands; four towns.

¹⁹ All the towns assigned to the descendants of Aaron, the priests, totaled thirteen towns with their pasturelands.

²⁰ The rest of the clans of Kohathites, from the tribe of Levi, were allotted towns from the tribe of Ephraim.

²¹ They gave them Shechem with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, the city of refuge for those who accidentally kill someone, Gezer,

²² Kibzaim, Beth-horon with their pasturelands; four towns.

²³ From the tribe of Dan: Elteke, Gibbethon,

²⁴ Aijalon, Gath-rimmon with their pasturelands; four towns.

²⁵ From the half-tribe of Manasseh: Taanach, Gath-rimmon with their pasturelands; two towns.

²⁶ All the rest of the Kohathite clans were assigned these ten towns with their pasturelands.

²⁷ The Gershonite clans of the Levites were assigned from the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan with its pasturelands, the city of refuge for those who accidentally kill someone, and Beeshterah with its pasturelands; two towns.

²⁸ From the tribe of Issachar: Kishion, Daberath,

²⁹ Jarmuth and En-gannim with their pasturelands; four towns.

³⁰ From the tribe of Asher: Mishal, Abdon,

³¹ Helkath and Rehob with their pasturelands; four towns.

³² From the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee with its pasturelands, the city of refuge for those who accidentally kill someone, Hammoth-dor and Kartan with their pasturelands; three towns.

³³ There were thirteen towns and their pasturelands for the Gershonites according to their clans.

³⁴ To the rest of the Levites, the clans of Merari, were assigned from the tribe of Zebulun: Jokneam, Kartah,

³⁵ Dimnah and Nahalal with their pasturelands; four towns.

³⁶ From the tribe of Reuben: Bezer, Jahaz,

³⁷ Kedemoth and Mephaath with its pasturelands; four towns.

³⁸ From the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead with its pasturelands, the city of refuge for those who accidentally kill someone, Mahanaim,

³⁹ Heshbon and Jazer with their pasturelands; four towns in all.

⁴⁰ There were twelve towns assigned to the rest of the Levites, the clans of Merari.

⁴¹ There were forty-eight towns and their pasturelands assigned to the Levites within the territory of the Israelites.

⁴² Each of these towns had their surrounding pasturelands. It was the same for all these towns.

⁴³ So the LORD gave to Israel all the land he had sworn to give to their forefathers; and they possessed it, and settled there.

⁴⁴ The LORD gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their forefathers, not one of all their enemies was able to resist them, for the LORD had given all their enemies into their hand.

⁴⁵ Not one of the good promises the LORD had made to the house of Israel remained unfulfilled, everything came true.

Joshua 22

¹ Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites, Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh,

² and said to them, "You have kept all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and have also obeyed everything I have commanded you.

³ You have not abandoned your brothers all during this time even to this day, but have been careful to keep the charge the LORD your God gave you.

⁴ Now the LORD your God has given rest to your brothers, just as he promised them, now, therefore, turn and go to your tents in the land of your possession, that Moses, the servant of the LORD, gave you on the other side of the Jordan River.

⁵ But be very careful to do the commandment and the law that Moses, the servant of the LORD, commanded you, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commandments, to hold tightly to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul."

⁶ So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away; and they went to their homes.

⁷ Now Moses had given Bashan to the half-tribe of Manasseh; but to the other half Joshua had given land with their brothers on the west side of the Jordan River. When Joshua sent them away to their homes, he blessed them,

⁸ and spoke to them, saying, "Return home to your tents with much wealth and with much cattle, silver, gold, bronze, iron and a lot of clothing. Split up the spoil of your enemies with your brothers."

⁹ So the Reubenites, Gadites and half-tribe of Manasseh returned, and left the Israelites at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, to go to the land of Gilead, their own land, which they had acquired by the LORD's commandment through Moses.

¹⁰ When they came to Geliloth near the Jordan River in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites and Gadites and half-tribe of Manasseh built a very large altar there by the Jordan River.

¹¹ The Israelites heard, "Look, the Reubenites, Gadites and half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar at the entrance of the land of Canaan, at Geliloth near the Jordan River, on the west side owned by the Israelites."

¹² When the Israelites heard about it, the whole Israerlite community gathered together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them.

¹³ The children of Israel sent Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the priest, to the Reubenites, Gadites and half-tribe of Manasseh in the land of Gilead.

¹⁴ He was accompanied by ten leaders, one from each of the tribal families of Israel, every one of them was a family leader of their clan among Israel.

¹⁵ They came to the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying,

¹⁶ "This is what the whole community of the LORD says, 'What is this treachery that you have committed against the God of Israel, by turning away from following the LORD, by building an altar for yourselves in rebellion against the LORD this day?

¹⁷ Was the sin at Peor not bad enough for us? To this day we have not been cleansed from that sin, even though a plague came on the community of the LORD.

¹⁸ Yet now are you still turning away from following the LORD? If you rebel today against the LORD, tomorrow he will be angry with the whole community of Israel.

¹⁹ But now, if the land of your possession is unclean, then cross over to the LORD's land, where the LORD's tabernacle is located, and settle down among us. But do not rebel against the LORD, or us by building another altar besides the sanctioned altar of the LORD our God.

²⁰ Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit sin concerning the devoted things, and wrath fell on the whole community of Israel? He was not the only one who died for his sin.'"

²¹ Then the Reubenites, Gadites and half-tribe of Manasseh answered, the leaders of the clans of Israel,

²² "The Mighty One, God, the LORD, the Mighty One, God, the LORD, he knows the truth and may Israel know it also. If it is rebellion or treachery against the LORD, do not spare us today.

²³ If we have built an altar to turn away from following the LORD or if to offer on it burnt offerings, grain offerings or peace offerings, then may the LORD himself punish us.

²⁴ No, we did this because we feared that in the future your children would say to our children, 'What do you have to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?

²⁵ The LORD has made the Jordan River a boundary between us and you, Reubenites and Gadites. You have no portion in the LORD.' So your children might force our children to stop fearing the LORD."

²⁶ Therefore we thought, 'Let us build an altar, not for a burnt offering, or for sacrifice;

²⁷ but as a memorial between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we may worship the LORD at his sanctuary with our burnt offerings, sacrifices and peace offerings. So that your children may not say to our children in time to come, 'You have no part in the worship of the LORD.'

²⁸ Therefore we said, 'It will be, when they say to us or to our descendants in the future, that we will respond, "Look the pattern of the altar of the LORD our fathers made, not for burnt offering or sacrifice, but as a reminder between us and you."

²⁹ There is no way we want to rebel against the LORD, and turn away today from following the LORD, or to build an altar for burnt offering, grain offering or sacrifice in place of the altar of the LORD our God that is located at his tabernacle.'"

³⁰ When Phinehas the priest, and the leaders of the community, the leaders of the clans of Israel that were with him, heard the defense of Reubenites, Gadites and Manassites, they were satisfied.

³¹ Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the Reubenites, Gadites and Manassites, "This day we know that the LORD is in the midst of us, because you have not committed this treachery against the LORD. Now you have rescued the Israelites from the LORD's hand of judgment."

³² Then Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the priest, and the leaders left the Reubenites and Gadites, from the land of Gilead, and returned to the land of Canaan, and brought back a report to the Israelites.

³³ The matter pleased the Israelites and they praised God. They said no more about going up against them in war, to destroy the land where the Reubenites and Gadites lived.

³⁴ So the Reubenites and Gadites called the altar "Witness" for they said, "It is a witness between us that the LORD is God."

Joshua 23

¹ A long time after the LORD had given rest to Israel from all their enemies, Joshua was old and well on in years.

² Joshua summoned all Israel, including their elders, leaders, judges and officers, and said to them, "I am old and well on in years.

³ You have seen all that the LORD your God did to all these nations because of you, for it was the LORD your God who fought for you.

⁴ Look, I have assigned you your tribal inheritances from these nations that are remaining along with the nations that I have conquered, from the Jordan River all the way over to the Great Sea in the west.

⁵ The LORD your God will push them out before you and drive them out of your sight. You will possess their land as the LORD your God promised you.

⁶ Therefore be careful to obey and do everything that is written in the scroll of the law of Moses, so that you do not turn aside from it to the right or to the left,

⁷ so that you are not mixed in with these nations that remain among you. Make no mention of the names of their gods, or swear by them, serve or bow down to them.

⁸ But hold tight to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day.

⁹ For the LORD has driven out before you great and mighty nations; but as for you, no one has been able to resist you to this day.

¹⁰ One of you will chase a thousand; for the LORD your God, he is fighting for you, just as he told you he would.

¹¹ Make sure that you love the LORD your God.

¹² But if you turn back and ally with the survivors of these nations who remain among you, and intermarry with them,

¹³ know for sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you but they will be a snare and a trap to you, a whip tearing into your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land the LORD your God has given you.

¹⁴ Look, today I am about to go the way of all the earth; you know with all your hearts and souls, that not one thing of all the good promises the LORD your God spoke concerning you has been left unfulfilled. Everything has been accomplished, not one thing has been left unfulfilled.

¹⁵ But just as all the good things the LORD your God has promised you have been accomplished, so the LORD will bring on you all the disastrous things, until he has destroyed you from this good land the LORD your God has given you.

¹⁶ If you break the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow down to them, then the anger of the LORD will be sparked against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land he has given to you."

Joshua 24

¹ Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, leaders, judges and officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God.

² Joshua said to all the people, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Long ago your forefathers, Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River. They served other gods.

³ But I took your father Abraham from beyond the Euphrates River, and led him through all the land of Canaan, and made his descendants many. I gave him Isaac.

⁴ To Isaac, I gave Jacob and Esau. I gave to Esau Mount Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.

⁵ Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt by what I did in the midst of it and afterward I brought you out.

⁶ I brought your fathers out of Egypt and you came to the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea.

⁷ When they cried out to the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea over top of them and covered them. Your eyes saw what I did in Egypt and you lived in the wilderness a long time.

⁸ I brought you into the land of the Amorites, that lived east of the Jordan River and they fought against you. I handed them over to you and you took possession of their land, and I destroyed them before you.

⁹ Then Balak, the son of Zippor, king of Moab, prepared and fought against Israel. He sent and summoned Balaam the son of Beor to curse you,

¹⁰ but I would not listen to Balaam. Instead he blessed you and in this way I rescued you from his hand.

¹¹ You crossed over the Jordan River, and came to Jericho. The people of Jericho fought against you, as did the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites and I handed them over to you.

¹² I sent terror ahead of you to drive out the two kings of the Amorites. It was not done by your sword or bow.

¹³ I gave you a land that you have not worked on, and towns you did not build, yet you are living there; I gave you fruit to eat from vineyards and olive groves, yet you did not plant them.'

¹⁴ Now, therefore, fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and truth. Put away the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.

¹⁵ If it seems offensive for you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom you will serve; whether the gods your fathers served that were beyond the Euphrates River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

¹⁶ The people responded, "There is no way that we will forsake the LORD, to serve other gods;

¹⁷ for the LORD our God, he is the one who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and performed those great miracles in our sight. He protected us whichever way we went, and among whatever peoples we passed through.

¹⁸ The LORD drove out before us all the peoples, including the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we too will serve the LORD, for he is our God."

¹⁹ Then Joshua warned the people, "You cannot serve the LORD; for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God and he will not forgive your rebellion or your sins.

²⁰ If you forsake the LORD, and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and will consume you, even after having done you good."

²¹ The people answered Joshua, "No; we will serve the LORD."

²² Then Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the LORD." They affirmed, "We are witnesses."

²³ "Now then," Joshua said, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you and focus your heart on the LORD, the God of Israel."

²⁴ The people swore to Joshua, "We will serve the LORD our God and we will obey his voice."

²⁵ So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day at Shechem, and established rules and regulations for them.

²⁶ Then Joshua wrote these words in the Law Scroll of God; and he took a great stone, and set it up under the oak that was by the sanctuary of the LORD.

²⁷ Joshua said to all the people, "Look, this stone will be a witness against us; for it has heard all the words of the LORD which he spoke to us. Therefore it will be a witness against you, if you deny your God."

²⁸ So Joshua sent the people away, every man to his own land inheritance.

²⁹ After these things, Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being a 110 years old.

³⁰ They buried him in the territory of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north of Mount Gaash.

³¹ Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had personally known everything the LORD had done for Israel.

³² The bones of Joseph, which the Israelites brought up out of Egypt, were buried at Shechem, in the parcel of ground Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a 100 pieces of silver. It became the land inheritance of the descendants of Joseph.

³³ Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him at Gibeah in the hill country of Ephraim in the land allotted to his son Phinehas.