From the Greek Septuagint text as used by First Century Christians.

Likely originally written by JoShua, but thereafter added to or compiled into a group of writings by someone (possibly SamuEl or even Ezra), since many references are to the beginning of the time of David.
Also notice that the book seems to start off as a continuation of the previous book of Deuteronomy, and the opening words of the (following) book of Judges clearly picks up as a continuing account,
since it starts off by talking about the same events with which the book of JoShua ended.
This book covers the period from the entry of the IsraElites into the Promised Land to JoShua’s death and the start of the first great turn toward unfaithfulness by IsraEl.
According to our calculations, this happened somewhere between 1510-BCE and 1480-BCE.

Chapter 1

1 After the death of Moses, the Lord spoke to Moses’ servant JoShua (the son of NaWeh) and said,
2 ‘My servant Moses is now dead; so I want you and all of these people to get up and cross the Jordan [River] into the land that I’m giving to them.
3 I’m giving you every place that you step as yours, just as I told Moses, 4 from the desert and the borders of Lebanon to the great River EuPhrates and to the Sea…
Your borders will run to the sunset.

5 ‘No man will be able to stand against you during all the days of your life; for, as I was with Moses is how I’ll be with you…
I won’t fail you and I won’t leave you.
6 Therefore, be strong and act like a man, because, now you must divide up the land among these people that I swore to their ancestors that I would give to them.
7 So, you must be strong, behave like a man, and pay attention and obey, just as My servant Moses instructed you…
Don’t swerve to the right or to the left, so that you may prove to be wise in everything that you do.

8 ‘And don’t allow the Law that has been written on the scroll to leave your mouth…
You must think about it day and night, so that you’ll know how to do everything that’s written in it.
Then you’ll be blessed, you’ll succeed, and you’ll be wise.
9 Look; I’m commanding you to be strong and courageous!
Don’t be a coward or fearful, for Jehovah your God will be with you no matter where you may go.’

10 Then JoShua gave this commandment to the people’s scribes:
11 ‘Go throughout the camp and tell the people to get ready, for in three days we will cross the Jordan to enter and take possession of the land that Jehovah the God of your ancestors is giving to you.’

12 And thereafter, JoShua said this to [the tribes of] ReuBen, Gad, and the half tribe of ManasSeh:
13 ‘Remember what Moses the servant of Jehovah told you to do.
He said,
Jehovah your God has allowed you to rest by giving you this land.
14 So now, settle your wives, children, and cattle here in the land that He has given to you; then, all who are strong and willing to fight must arm themselves to cross [the Jordan] before their brothers.
15 [You must be willing to do this] until Jehovah your God has allowed your brothers to rest, just as He has [allowed] you [to rest], after they have inherited the land that Jehovah your God is giving to them.
Only then may you each return to the inheritance that Moses allotted to you east of the Jordan.

16 So they answered JoShua and said:
‘We will do everything that you’ve commanded and we’ll go wherever you may send us.
17 For, just as we listened to Moses, we will listen to you… and may our God Jehovah be with you as He was with Moses.
18 If anyone chooses to disobey you, or doesn’t listen to you and obey whatever you tell him to do, he must die…
But you must be strong and courageous!’

Chapter 2

1 Then from SatTin, JoShua (the son of NaWeh) sent two young men as spies into the land, saying,
‘Go there and look at the land… and [specifically] at JeriCho.’

So, the two young men went and entered JeriCho and stayed at the house of a prostitute named RaHab.
2 However, [someone] reported this to the king of JeriCho, saying,
‘Men of the sons of IsraEl have come here as spies!’

3 Then the king of JeriCho sent [men to the house of] RaHab, that said,
‘Bring out the men that entered your house this evening, for they have come to spy in our land!’

4 But the woman had hidden the two men, and she told [the king’s] messengers:
‘The men came here, 5 but before the [city] gate was closed this evening, they left… and I don’t know where they went.
You should chase after them to see if you can catch them.’
6 However, she had taken them up on the [roof] and hidden them under some hay that she’d spread there.

7 So the [king’s] men left and traveled toward the fords in the Jordan, and the [city] gate was closed once again.

8 Then, after the men that were chasing them had left (and before the spies had fallen asleep), she went up to them on the roof of her house and said,
9 ‘I know that Jehovah has given you this land, so we’re all afraid [of you].
10 We’ve heard how your God Jehovah dried up the Red Sea before you when you left the land of Egypt, and of the things that He did to the two Amorite kings across the Jordan… to Seon and Og whom you destroyed.
11 When we heard of this, our hearts were stunned and we were barely able to breathe because of you; for Jehovah your God is truly the God of the skies above and of the lands below.
12 So now, swear to me by Jehovah your God that, since I’ve been merciful with you, you’ll be merciful to the house of my father, 13 and that you’ll allow the house of my father – my mother, my brothers, myself, and everyone in my home, as well as everything that we own – to be saved from death.’

14 And the men replied,
‘[We will offer] our lives for yours, even to death.’

Then she said,
‘When Jehovah gives this city to you, you must be merciful and true to me!’
15 And at that, she lowered them [outside the city gate] through her window 16 with instructions to head toward the hill country where they should hide for three days before returning, for fear that they would run into the men that were chasing them.

17 And the [spies] said,
‘We promise to do what you’ve asked.
18 {Look!} But because we’re going to [destroy] this city, you must give us a sign.
Tie this scarlet cord in the window from which you let us down, then bring everyone – your father, mother, brothers, and your father’s entire family – into your house.
19 However, if anyone goes outside the door of your house, they will be guilty and no part of our promise.
We will just be responsible for those that are found inside your home.
20 And if anyone harms us or betrays us, the promise is broken.’

21 Then she told them,
‘May it be as you said.’
And at that, she sent them away.
22 Then they headed toward the hill country where they remained for three days… so although the people that were chasing them searched all the roads, they couldn’t find them.
23 Then the two young men left the mountains and returned to JoShua (the son of NaWeh) and told him everything that had happened to them.
24 They said:
‘Jehovah has put the entire land under our power, because everyone that lives there is shaking in fear of us.’

Chapter 3

1 Well, JoShua got up early the next morning, and thereafter, [the whole camp] left SatTin.
Then when they reached the Jordan, they stayed there [until it was time to] cross.
2 And [for the next] three days, the scribes went throughout the entire camp 3 telling the people that as soon as they saw the Levite Priests bearing Jehovah God’s Chest of the Sacred Agreement, they were to follow behind it…
4 But at a distance of as much as three thousand feet, because they weren’t to get near it.
And that’s when everyone started to realize that things weren’t going to be the same as they had been in the past.

5 Thereafter, JoShua said to the people:
‘Now, make yourselves holy, because tomorrow Jehovah will perform a miracle among you.’
6 And [on the next day], JoShua told the Priests to pick up Jehovah’s Chest of the Sacred Agreement and lead the people onward.
So, the Priests picked it up and walked ahead of the people.

7 Then Jehovah said to JoShua:
‘Today I’m going to start [raising your prestige] before all the children of IsraEl, so they will know that I’m with you, just as I was with Moses.
8 Therefore, tell the Priests that are carrying the Chest of the Sacred Agreement that as soon as they get to the edge of the water, it will part;
And then they are to go down and stand still in the middle of the Jordan.’

9 So JoShua gathered the children of IsraEl and said:
‘Come here and listen to the words of our God Jehovah, 10 for this is how you will know that the living God is among you and that He will destroy the CanaAnites, Hittites, Pherezites, Evites, Amorites, Gergesites, and the Jebusites ahead of you:
11 Watch what happens when the Chest of the Sacred Agreement of the Lord of the whole earth [is being carried] into the Jordan.

12 ‘You must choose twelve men, one from each of your tribes, 13 and these will [serve as witnesses] to the fact that when the feet of the Priests that are carrying the Chest of the Sacred Agreement [step into] the Jordan, the water will [move away], and that which is pouring down from above will stop flowing.’

14 So then, the people packed up their tents to cross over the Jordan, as the Priests walked ahead of them carrying the Chest of Jehovah’s Sacred Agreement.
15 And when the feet of the Priests who were carrying the Chest entered the Jordan, the water parted (although it was harvest time and the river was at flood stage)…
16 The water that was flowing down from above stopped in a solid wall, backing up all the way to the region of KiriAth JaiRim, and the water that flowed down to the Salt Sea dried up.
So, there the people were, standing across from JeriCho.

17 Then the Priests that were carrying the Chest continued on and they stopped in the middle of the Jordan and just stood there until all the children of IsraEl had passed through it on dry ground.

Chapter 4

1 Well, after everyone had crossed the Jordan, the Lord spoke to JoShua and said:
2 ‘Now, select one man from each tribe, 3 then tell them to go out to the middle of the Jordan and pick up twelve appropriate rocks and carry them back to the place where you will be camping tonight.’

4 So JoShua selected twelve important men from among the children of IsraEl, one from each tribe, 5 and he told them:
‘Now, walk in front of me to the middle of the Jordan, and there in the presence of the Lord, each of you must pick up a rock and carry it on your shoulders (one [rock] for each of the twelve tribes of IsraEl).
6 These will serve as signs to future [generations], so that when your sons ask you,
What do these rocks mean to us?
7 you can tell them:
The Jordan River dried up in front of the Chest of the Sacred Agreement of the Lord of the whole earth as it started passing through.
So, these rocks are to serve as reminders of this event to the children of IsraEl through the ages.’

8 And that’s what the children of IsraEl did… they did just as the Lord had commanded JoShua.
They picked up twelve rocks from the middle of the Jordan (after all the children of IsraEl had finished crossing), then they carried them into their camp and laid them there.
9 And JoShua also had twelve other rocks placed in the Jordan at the location where the feet of the Priests that carried the Chest of the Sacred Agreement of Jehovah had entered…
And they are still there to this day!

10 Well, the Priests that were carrying the Chest of the Sacred Agreement just kept on standing there in the middle of the Jordan until JoShua had finished all that the Lord had commanded him to do and until everyone had crossed.
11 Then, after all the people had crossed, they carried Jehovah’s Chest of the Sacred Agreement and the rocks [to the other side].

12 Also, the sons of ReuBen, Gad, and the half tribe of ManasSeh led the way for the children of IsraEl, just as Moses had commanded them…
13 Forty thousand of their armed men crossed [the river] before Jehovah so as to join in the attack against the city of JeriCho.

14 As the result;
On that day, Jehovah raised JoShua’s prestige [in the eyes of] all the people of IsraEl, and they started fearing him as they [had once feared] Moses.

15 Then the Lord spoke to JoShua and said:
16 ‘Now, tell the Priests that are carrying the Chest of the Sacred Agreement [that it’s time for them to] to come up out of the Jordan!’

17 So JoShua told the Priests to come from the Jordan;
18 And as soon as the Priests that were carrying the Chest stepped out of the Jordan and set their feet on dry ground, the water quickly returned to its place and overflowed its banks as it had been doing before.

19 It was on the tenth day of the first month that the children of IsraEl crossed the Jordan, and they set up camp at GilGal, east of JeriCho.
20 It was there at GilGal that JoShua set up those twelve rocks that they had taken from the Jordan.
21 And he said:
‘When your sons ask you what these rocks are, 22 tell them that IsraEl walked on them as they crossed the Jordan on dry ground, 23 back when our God Jehovah dried up the Jordan’s waters before them until they had all crossed, the same as He did at the Red Sea when He dried up its waters until we had all crossed.
24 [They are here] to remind every nation on the earth of the mighty power of Jehovah, and that you should always be bowing low before Jehovah your God!’

Chapter 5

1 Well, when the kings of the Amorites on the [west] side of the Jordan and the kings of Phoenicia heard that Jehovah God had dried up the Jordan River in front of the children of IsraEl as they crossed it;
Their hearts dropped, they were terrified, and they were beside themselves because of the children of IsraEl.

2 And thereafter, the Lord said to JoShua:
‘You must now make yourself some knives out of sharp stones, then sit down and circumcise the children of IsraEl.’

3 So JoShua made some very sharp knives out of stone, and he circumcised the children of IsraEl at a place [that came to] be known as, ‘The Hill of Foreskins.’
4 By doing this, JoShua cleansed all the children of IsraEl that had been born along the way, as well as all the uncircumcised that had come with them from Egypt…
5 He circumcised all [the males] that had wandered in the MabDaris Desert for the past forty years. 6 [Of course, this didn’t include] the uncircumcised fighting men that had left the land of Egypt but then disobeyed the commandments of God, for God had decided that they wouldn’t see the land that He had sworn to their ancestors that He would give to them…
A land flowing with milk and honey.
7 But in their place, He elevated their sons… these were the ones whom JoShua circumcised, since those that had been born along the way hadn’t been circumcised.
8 So, after they were circumcised, they had to stay there in the camp and rest until they had all healed.

9 It was then that the Lord said to JoShua (the son of NaWeh):
‘On this day, I have removed all the shame of Egypt from you.’
And that’s when He named the place GilGal (Circle of Stones).

10 It was on the fourteenth day of the month, in the evening, in a field to the west of JeriCho on the [west] side of the Jordan, that the children of IsraEl then celebrated the Passover.
11 There they ate the yeast-free new grain [that they had found] in the land; 12 and after they had eaten the grain, the manna stopped coming.
So, the children of IsraEl no longer had the manna, and they went on to eat the fruitage from the land of the Phoenicians for the rest of that year.

13 Well, as JoShua was approaching JeriCho, he looked up and he saw a person standing in front of him that had a drawn sword in his hand.
So he went up to him and asked:
‘Are you for us or are you on the side of our enemies?’

14 And he replied:
‘I have come here as the leader of the army of Jehovah!’

Well at that, JoShua fell with his face to the ground and he asked,
‘Lord, what would you command your servant to do?’

15 And the leader of Jehovah’s army said to JoShua:
‘Untie the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground!’

Chapter 6

1 Well, by this time, JeriCho was all closed up and ready for a siege, so nobody could enter or leave.
2 But then the Lord said to JoShua:
‘{Look!} I’m giving JeriCho to you, along with its king and all its mighty men.
3 So, station your army around the city, 4 and when they hear the trumpets blowing, all the people must shout.
5 For it is this shouting that will bring down the walls of the city.
And thereafter, everyone must rush straight into it.’

6 So JoShua (the son of NaWeh) went to the Priests and said:
7 ‘Give the sacred trumpets to seven of the Priests, and have them blow [the trumpets] loudly as they walk before Jehovah, followed by the Lord’s Chest of the Sacred Agreement.
8 Also tell the people to walk in a circle around the city with the men all armed and ready for war before Jehovah.
9 The army is to walk ahead of the Priests, who must keep blowing the trumpets, [and they will] be followed by the Lord’s Chest of the Sacred Agreement.’

10 Then JoShua told the people:
‘Don’t shout or say a word until [God] Himself tells you it’s time to shout.
11 For, the Chest of the Sacred Agreement of God will circle the city, and then it must immediately be returned to the camp and be left there.’

12 So on the next day, JoShua got up in the morning and the Priests picked up the Chest of the Sacred Agreement of Jehovah.
13 Then the seven Priests that had the seven trumpets walked ahead, followed by the men of war, then the rest of the group, and finally by the Chest of the Sacred Agreement of Jehovah, as the Priests were blowing the trumpets.
14 The group circled the city closely six times, then they returned to the camp… and they did this for six days.

15 Then on the seventh day, they all arose early and circled the city seven times…
16 And on the seventh round, the Priests blew their trumpets.
Then JoShua told the children of IsraEl:
‘Now shout, for Jehovah has given you the city!
17 You must dedicate it and everything that is in it to Jehovah of Armies, except for the prostitute RaHab and the things in her house.
18 You must stay free from the cursed things that are there, for fear that you might be tempted to take some and bring a curse upon the camp of the children of IsraEl, which would cause us [all] to be destroyed!
19 Also, all the gold, silver, brass, and iron that is there is to be considered as holy to Jehovah, so it must be taken to the Lord’s treasury!’

20 [Well, on the seventh round], the Priests blew their trumpets; and when the people heard that, they all started shouting together as loudly as they could…
And all the walls around the city collapsed.
So the people rushed in.

21 Thereafter, JoShua dedicated it and everything in it (the men and the women, both the young and the old, as well as their cattle and burros) to destruction by the edge of the sword.
22 However, JoShua told the two young men that had served as spies to go to the house of the woman [that had sheltered them] and bring her and all that was hers out of it.

23 So, the two young men went to her house and brought out the prostitute RaHab, along with her father, mother, brothers, all of her relatives and everything she had, and set her up outside of the camp of IsraEl.
24 And thereafter, they burned the city along with everything in it, except for the gold, silver, brass, and iron, which they carried into the treasury of Jehovah.

25 However, JoShua allowed RaHab the prostitute and all the house of her father to live…
And she still lives in IsraEl today, because she had hidden the spies that JoShua sent to JeriCho.

26 Also on that day, JoShua made everyone swear before Jehovah that any man who rebuilt the city would be cursed…
The one that laid its foundation would lose his firstborn, and the one that rebuilt its gates would lose his youngest son.
Yet, that’s what Hozan of BethEl did;
He laid the foundation [with the body of] AbiRom his firstborn, and he set up its gates [with the body of] his youngest son.

27 Thereafter, because Jehovah was with JoShua, his name became [famous] throughout all the lands.

Chapter 7

1 However, the children of IsraEl committed a serious sin by taking some of the things that had been cursed.
It was Achar (the son of CharMi, the son of ZamBri and grandson of Zara) of the tribe of Judah that took the cursed things, which made Jehovah very angry with the children of IsraEl.

2 Well, [after JeriCho had been destroyed], JoShua had sent men as spies to Gai (which was close to BethEl).
3 And when they returned, they told him,
‘We won’t need the whole army. All we will need is two or three thousand men to take the city, because not many of our enemies are there.’

4 Therefore, they sent about three thousand there to fight…
But these had to turn and run from the people of Gai, 5 and the [people there] killed thirty-six of their men as they chased them away from their [city] gate, destroying them as they were running down the steep hill.
Of course, this upset the [IsraElites], and it caused their hearts to become like water.
6 So, JoShua started ripping his clothes, and he and the elders of IsraEl threw dust on their heads and fell with their faces to the ground before Jehovah, [just lying there] until the evening.

7 Then JoShua prayed:
‘O Lord; Why did You have Your servant bring these people across the Jordan and then allow the Amorites to destroy us?
We would have been better off if we had stayed on the other side of the Jordan and settled there.
8 What can I tell them now that IsraEl has [been forced to] flee from our enemies?
9 And when the CanaAnites and all the other inhabitants of the land hear about this, they will surround us and wipe us out of their land…
And then, what will You do for Your great Name?’

10 But the Lord said to JoShua:
‘Why have you fallen to your face? Get up!
11 [I allowed this because] the people have sinned and broken the agreement that I made with them by stealing things that are cursed and hiding them among their possessions.
12 Because of this, the children of IsraEl won’t be able to stand before their enemies… they’ll have to run from them, because they’ve brought a curse upon themselves.
So, I won’t be with you anymore until you remove those cursed things from among yourselves!

13 ‘Now, get up and make the people holy… yes, tell them to make themselves holy!
Then explain to them that Jehovah the God of IsraEl says that there are cursed things among them and that they won’t be able to stand before their enemies until they’ve removed these cursed things.
14 You must gather all the tribes in the morning, and Jehovah will indicate which tribe, which family line, which household, and which man [is guilty] of doing this.
15 Then, those to whom He points must be burned with fire for breaking the agreement with Jehovah and bringing wickedness upon all IsraEl.’

16 So JoShua got up early [the next morning] and he assembled the people by their tribes.
Well, the tribe of Judah was the first to be indicated; 17 so, all of their families [were set aside].
Next the family of the Zaraites was indicated; 18 and all of their people were set aside.
[And finally], Achar (the son of ZamBri and grandson of Zara) was indicated.
19 So JoShua said to Achar:
‘Give glory to Jehovah the God of IsraEl today and confess.
Tell me what you’ve done… don’t [try to] hide it from me!’

20 And at that, Achar said to JoShua,
‘Yes, I have sinned against Jehovah the God of IsraEl… this is what I did:
21 I noticed an embroidered shawl, two hundred silver coins, and a piece of gold among the treasures.
So because I wanted them, I took them and hid them inside my tent [under the shawl].’

22 Well at that, JoShua sent messengers that ran to his tent in the camp, and they found those things hidden under the shawl.
23 Then they brought them to JoShua and the elders of IsraEl and laid them before Jehovah.

24 As the result, JoShua took Achar (the son of Zara), along with his sons, daughters, calves, burros, sheep, tent, all his belongings, and all the people that lived with him, and he brought them to the Valley of Achar at Emec. sup>25 There, JoShua said to Achar:
‘You’ve destroyed us, so today Jehovah is going to destroy you!’
Then all IsraEl stoned him along with all that were with him with rocks, and they burned [their bodies] in a fire, sup>26 after which they covered [their bones] with a huge pile of rocks… which are still there today.
This brought an end to Jehovah’s rage, and it’s why that place is still called The Valley of Achar (the Troublemaker) to this day.

Chapter 8

1 Then Jehovah said to JoShua:
‘Don’t be afraid or tremble anymore; for, now you must take all the men of war and return to Gai. Look; I’ve given the king of Gai and his land into your hands!
2 So you must do to Gai as you did to JeriCho and its king; however, [this time] you may take their cattle.
Now, go and set up an ambush behind the city.’

3 Therefore, JoShua got the men of war ready to go to Gai.
He chose thirty-thousand mighty men and sent them during the night, 4 giving them these orders:
‘Wait in ambush behind the city… don’t go too far, and everyone must be ready.
5 Then I will take [a group] up to the city [gate];
And when the people of Gai come out to meet us, we’re going to turn and run from them, 6 so they will chase after us and leave the city… for they’ll think that we are running from them as we did before.
7 That’s when those that are lying in ambush must get up and enter the city.
8 You must do exactly as I’ve commanded you!’

9 So JoShua sent them on, and they waited in ambush to the west of Gai, between BethEl and Gai.

10 Well, early the next morning, JoShua got up and counted off the people. Then he and the elders went up to face the people of Gai, 11 approaching it from the east, 12 as the rest hid in ambush to the west of the city.
13 –– 14 And when the king of Gai saw them, he and all his people rushed out to meet them head on, not realizing that an ambush had formed behind their city.
15 Then JoShua and IsraEl turned and retreated from them, 16 and they chased the children of IsraEl for some distance, 17 which left very few people inside Gai…
They had left the city wide open as everyone was out chasing IsraEl.

18 Then Jehovah said to JoShua:
‘Now, raise the spear that’s in your hand toward the city, for I’ve given it into your hands.
Those that are hiding must quickly get up and enter it.’

19 So then JoShua raised his spear toward the city.
And when those that were hiding in ambush saw him raise his spear, they quickly arose and entered the city, capturing it and setting it on fire.

20 Well, when the inhabitants of Gai turned around and looked back, they saw the smoke from their city rising high into the sky, and they [realized] that they then had nowhere to run.
21 And when JoShua and all IsraEl saw that the city had been taken and its smoke was rising into the sky, they turned around and started cutting down the men of Gai.
22 Then the men [that were burning] the city came out and attacked them from their rear, cutting them all down until no one was left… not a survivor or an escapee.
23 They also captured the king of Gai and brought him before JoShua.

24 Well, after the children of IsraEl had finished killing everyone in Gai in the fields and on the descent from its mountain where they had started chasing them, JoShua returned to Gai and cut down all those that remained with his sword.
25 So, twelve thousand inhabitants of Gai fell and were destroyed that day (both the men and the women).
26 –– 27 Then the children of IsraEl took all their cattle and they looted the city for themselves, following the instructions that Jehovah had given to JoShua.

28 Thereafter, JoShua finished burning the city. He turned it into an uninhabitable pile of rubble, which is what it has remained through the ages down to this day.
29 Then he hung the king of Gai [on a tree] and left [his body] there until the evening.
But after the sun had set, JoShua gave instructions to take his body down, and they threw it into a pit and piled a heap of rocks over it, [which can still be seen] to this day.

30 Then JoShua built an altar to Jehovah the God of IsraEl on Mount Ebal, 31 just as Moses (Jehovah’s servant) had commanded the children of IsraEl, and as it is written in the Law of Moses.
It was an altar made of rocks that hadn’t been cut or touched by iron. And there he sacrificed whole burnt offerings and a peace offering to Jehovah.
32 Thereafter, JoShua inscribed the Law of Moses on those rocks in front of all the children of IsraEl.

33 Then everyone in IsraEl (including their elders, judges, and scribes) filed past the [Sacred] Chest, passing on either side, as the Levite Priests were carrying the Chest of the Sacred Agreement of Jehovah.
And after that, all the native [IsraElites] and the aliens were divided into two groups.
Half were stationed near Mount GiriZim, and the other half were stationed near Mount Ebal, just as Moses (Jehovah’s servant) had commanded, so as to receive the first blessings on the people.

34 Then JoShua read all the words of the Law… all the blessings and curses that were written in the Law of Moses.
35 There wasn’t a word that Moses had said to JoShua that wasn’t read within the hearing of the entire assembly of the children of IsraEl… the men, the women, the children, and all the aliens that had joined themselves to IsraEl.

Chapter 9

1 Well when the kings of the Amorites on the [west] side of the Jordan (all those in the mountain country, those in the plains by the [MediTerranean] Sea, and those near the borders of Lebanon), as well as the Hittites, CanaAnites, Pherezites, Evites, Amorites, Gergesites, and the Jebusites heard what had happened there, 2 they all banded together to fight against JoShua and IsraEl.

3 However, when the inhabitants of GibeOn heard what Jehovah had done to JeriCho and Gai, 4 they craftily made [a plan to save themselves].
They put old sacks over their shoulders, they carried old torn and patched wine skins, 5 and they tore off the upper parts of old shoes and sandals and put them on their feet.
Then they dressed themselves in old clothes and carried along some bread that was dry, moldy, and rotting; 6 and they went to JoShua at the camp of IsraEl at GilGal, and said,
‘We’ve come from a faraway land, [and we want you to] make a treaty with us.’

7 But [JoShua] asked the GibeOnites:
‘How can I sign a treaty with you if you live near to us?’

8 And they told JoShua:
‘We’re [coming here to be] your servants!’

Then JoShua asked:
‘So, who are you and where have you come from?

9 And they replied:
‘Your servants have come from a far away country in the Name of your God Jehovah.
For we’ve heard of His Name and of all that He did in Egypt, 10 as well as of the things He did to the kings of the Amorites across the Jordan, and of what He did to Seon the king of the Amorites and to Og the king of BaShan that lived in AstarOth and in EdraIn. 11>
And when our elders and the people that live in our land heard of this, they spoke to us and said,
Take along enough provisions for the trip and travel to meet with them; then tell them that we’ll be their servants and that [we want to] make a treaty with them.
12 Look at our bread! On the day that we started our journey to come here, it was hot. But now it’s all dry and moldy.
13 And look at these wine skins! When we filled them they were new, but now they’re torn…
And our clothes and shoes are worn out because of the long journey!’

14 So the leaders [of IsraEl] shared their provisions with them. And because they had failed to ask Jehovah’s direction, 15 JoShua concluded a peace treaty with them and agreed to allow them to live…
And the leaders of the gathering also swore to this.

16 Well, it was three days after they had made the treaty [with the GibeOnites] that [the IsraElites] found out that they were [actually] close neighbors who lived in their midst.
17 So the children of IsraEl went to their cities (GibeOn, KePhira, Berot, and the cities around JaRim).
18 However, they didn’t fight against them, because all the leaders had sworn not to do this in an oath that they’d made before Jehovah the God of IsraEl…
And this caused the whole gathering to start grumbling against their leaders.

19 So the leaders spoke to the gathering and said this:
‘Because we have sworn [an oath] to them by Jehovah the God of IsraEl, we can’t touch them!
20 However, we will do this:
We’ll let them live and we’ll protect them, so [God] won’t be angry with us for [breaking] the oath that we swore to them.
21 But they will have to serve our entire gathering as woodcutters and water bearers, just as our leaders have told them.’

22 Well thereafter, JoShua assembled the [GibeOnites] and he asked them:
‘Why did you deceive me?
Why did you say that you live far away from us, when you are actually the fellow countrymen of the rest of the people that live here? 24>
Because you did this, you are cursed and you will always have to serve as slaves, woodcutters, and water drawers for me and for my God!’

24 And they replied to JoShua:
‘We were told that Jehovah your God ordered his servant Moses to [take] this land and to destroy us, along with everyone else that lives here.
So it was because we feared for our lives that we did this thing!
25 And now look… we’ve surrendered to you, so you may do to us whatever pleases and seems good to you.’

26 Well, that’s what they did.
JoShua saved them from the hands of the children of IsraEl, and he didn’t allow them to be killed.
27 Then JoShua made them woodcutters and water bearers to the whole gathering and for the Altar of God. [And he said]:
‘The inhabitants of GibeOn will continue to serve as the woodcutters and water bearers for the Altar of God even in that [future] place that will be chosen by Jehovah.’

Chapter 10

1 Well, when Lord Bezek (the king of Salem) heard that JoShua had taken Gai and destroyed it the same as he had done to JeriCho and its king, and that the inhabitants of GibeOn had gone over to JoShua and IsraEl, 2 this frightened him.
For he knew that the cities of GibeOn were large… they were some of [the land’s] primary cities, and [they were renown] for their mighty men.
3 So Lord Bezek sent [messages] to Elam (the king of HebRon), PhiDon (the king of JeriMuth), JephTha (the king of LachIsh), and Dabin (the king of OdolLam) that said:
4 ‘Come and help us to conquer GibeOn, because the GibeOnites have gone over to JoShua and the children of IsraEl!’

5 And at that, the five kings of the Jebusites joined with the king of Salem (this included the kings of HebRon, JeriMuth, LachIsh, and OdolLam).
Then they and all their people went and camped around GibeOn, laying siege against them.
6 So the GibeOnites sent [a message] to JoShua at his camp at GilGal, which said:
‘Hurry and send your servants to help us!
Save us from the Amorite kings of the hill country, for they have all united against us!’

7 Well at that, JoShua collected the best of his army [and marched them] from GilGal.
8 And the Lord told JoShua:
‘Don’t be afraid, for I’m giving them into your hands… there won’t be anyone left to oppose you!’

9 Then, because JoShua had marched all night from GilGal, he caught them by surprise, 10 and Jehovah struck them with terror before the children of IsraEl.
So they destroyed them all with a great slaughter there at GibeOn.
He chased them to the road that leads to OroNin, Azeca, and MakeDa, 11 and as they were fleeing the children of IsraEl along the descent from OroNin, the Lord threw hailstones from the sky at them all the way to Azeca.
And more died from the hailstones than were killed in battle by the children of IsraEl.

12 Then JoShua spoke to Jehovah that day as He was delivering the Amorites into the [hands] of IsraEl.
While they were destroying [their enemies] at GibeOn, JoShua said,
‘May the sun stand still over GibeOn and may the moon [stand still] over the valley of AiLon!’
13 And at that, the sun and the moon actually stood still as God brought vengeance on their enemies…
The sun stood still in the midst of the sky and it didn’t move for a whole day!
14 There has never been a day like that before or since;
For God listened to a man and He fought on the side of IsraEl! 15 ––

16 Well, the five kings had all run away and hidden themselves in a cave at MakeDa.
17 And when JoShua was told that the five kings had been found hiding in the cave at MakeDa, 18 he said:
‘Roll boulders to cover the mouth of the cave, and then appoint men to guard them.
19 But don’t stop there; just keep on chasing your enemies and attacking them from the rear.
Don’t allow them to go back into their cities, for Jehovah our God has given them into our hands!’

20 However, although JoShua and IsraEl wiped most of them out, those that escaped finally did take refuge in their fortified cities.

21 Well, after the battle, all the people returned safely to JoShua at MakeDa, and none of the children of IsraEl grumbled against him after that.

22 Then JoShua said:
‘Now, open the cave and bring out those five kings!’

23 So they brought the five kings out of the cave… the king of Salem, the king of HebRon, the king of JeriMuth, the king of LachIsh, and the king of OdolLam.
24 And when they brought them out to JoShua, he assembled all IsraEl and said to the chiefs of the army that went with him,
‘Now, come here and put your feet on their necks.’

So they came and put their feet on the necks [of the kings], 25 and JoShua said:
‘You must not be afraid or cowardly… you must be courageous and strong!
For this is what Jehovah will do to all of the enemies against whom you will fight.’
26 Then JoShua killed them and hung their bodies on five trees, where they remained until the evening.

27 It was about sunset when JoShua commanded them to be taken down from the trees, and their [bodies] were thrown into the cave where they had run for refuge.
Then stones were rolled back over the cave, and [their bodies] are still there to this day.

28 Also on that same day, they captured MakeDa and destroyed its inhabitants with swords…
They destroyed every living thing that was there… no one was left or escaped.
Then they did the same thing to the king of MakeDa as they had done to the king of JeriCho.

29 Well, after MakeDa, JoShua and all IsraEl left and laid siege against LebNa, 30 and Jehovah gave it into their hands.
They captured it and its king, then they killed all the inhabitants with swords… they killed everything that breathed there… no one survived or escaped.
Then they did the same thing to its king as they had done to the king of JeriCho.

31 Thereafter, JoShua and IsraEl left LebNa and went on to LachIsh, where they camped around the city and laid siege to it.
32 Then Jehovah handed LachIsh over to IsraEl.
They captured it on the second day and put all the inhabitants to death with swords, after which they destroyed [the city], just as they had done to LebNa.

33 Well, because Elam (the king of GaZer) had gone to help LachIsh, JoShua also cut him and his people down with swords until there were none left and none had escaped.

34 And from LachIsh, JoShua and all IsraEl went on to OdolLam, laid siege to it, and took it.
35 Yes, Jehovah gave it into the hands of IsraEl on that same day, and they killed all the inhabitants as well as every breathing thing that was there with swords, as they had done at LachIsh.

36 Thereafter, JoShua and all IsraEl went on to HebRon and camped around it.
37 Then they cut it down along with all the living creatures in it with swords, leaving nothing alive there.
They destroyed the [city] and everything in it, as they had done to OdolLam.

38 After that, JoShua and IsraEl returned to DabIr and camped around it.
39 Then they took it, its king, and its villages, cutting them down with swords…
They destroyed everything that breathed there. They left nothing alive!
And what they had done to HebRon and her king is what they did to DabIr and its king.

40 Then JoShua attacked all the hill country, the Negev, the plain country, and AsedOth and all their kings… they didn’t spare anything.
They destroyed everything that had the breath of life (just as Jehovah the God of IsraEl had commanded), 41 from Kadesh BarNea to the Gaza, and all of Goshen as far as GibeOn.
42 JoShua struck down all of their kings and he took their lands, because Jehovah the God of IsraEl was fighting on his side.

Chapter 11

1 And when Jabish (the king of Asor) heard about this, he sent for Jobab (the king of Maron), the kings of SymoOn and Aziph, 2 the kings around Sidon, those in the hill country, those in the Araba across from KenerOth, those in the plains, those in PhenaEdDor, 3 the CanaAnites along the eastern border, the Amorites along their borders, the Hittites, the Pherezites, the mountain Jebusites, the Evites, and all those living near Mount HerMon in the land of MasSyma.
4 And when all those kings and their armies came together, they were like the sands on the seashore in numbers, with multitudes of horses and chariots.
5 All the kings were there in person, and they camped at the waters of Maron to prepare for war with IsraEl.

6 Then Jehovah said to JoShua:
‘Don’t be afraid of them, for tomorrow at this same time I will make them flee before IsraEl.
Then you must hamstring their horses and burn their chariots.’

7 So JoShua and all the men of war made a surprise attack on them at the waters of Maron and in the hill country, 8 and Jehovah gave them into IsraEl’s hands.
They struck them down and chased them all the way to Sidon, MasEron, and eastward to the plains of MasSoch… they kept destroying them until there were no more.
9 Then JoShua did as Jehovah commanded; he hamstrung the horses and burned their chariots in a fire.

10 Next, JoShua went back and took Asor and her king (back then, Asor was the capital city of those kingdoms), 11 and they killed everything that breathed with swords…
They destroyed them all and nothing was left alive there.
Then they burned Asor with fire.

12 Thereafter, JoShua conquered all the cities that belonged to those kings, and he had everyone put to death by the sword.
He left no survivors, just as Moses (the servant of Jehovah) had commanded.
13 However, they didn’t burn down all the walled cities, just Asor.
14 This time, the children of IsraEl looted the cities and killed all the people with swords, leaving no breathing survivors, 15 for this is what Jehovah had commanded His servant Moses to do, and it’s what Moses commanded JoShua to do.
So JoShua did everything that Moses had commanded.

16 Next, JoShua took all the hill country, all the Negev, all the land of Goshen, the plain country, all the [country] to the west, the mountains of IsraEl, the low country near the mountains 17 from Mount ChelCha to Seir (all the way to BalaGad), and the plains to the borders of Lebanon near Mount HerMon.
He captured all their kings and he destroyed everyone.
18 This war that JoShua waged with those kings went on for quite some time, 19 and there was no city that IsraEl warred against that they failed to conquer.
20 For Jehovah had hardened all the hearts [of the people in those cities] when they went to war against IsraEl, so that they might be destroyed without mercy, just as Jehovah had commanded Moses.

21 Then JoShua went and destroyed the Enakim in the hill country from HebRon, to DabIr, to AnabOth, as well as all the other races in the land of IsraEl, including those in the mountains of Judea and their cities…
JoShua destroyed them all, 22 for the children of IsraEl left no one.
And among the Enakim, the only survivors were found in Gaza, Gath, and AselDo.

23 Thereafter, JoShua took all their land, just as Jehovah had commanded Moses, and he and [divided] it among IsraEl by their tribes as their inheritance.
Then that’s when the wars ended.

Chapter 12

1 These are the kings in that land whom the children of IsraEl killed and whose land they inherited [on the east side] of the Jordan, which ran from the Arnon Valley to Mount HerMon, and all the land of the Araba in the east:
· 2 Seon, the king of the Amorites.
He lived in Hesh-EbonEh and ruled [over the area] from the Arnon (which is on the side of the valley) and half of GileAd as far as the Jaboc, to the borders of the children of AmMon 3 and the Araba, up to the Sea of [Galilee], then down to the [Dead] Sea and along the road to AsimOth, from ThaEman to AsedOth Phasga.
· 4 Og, the king of BaShan.
He lived in AstarOth near EdraIn, which was [inhabited by] giants.
5 He ruled over all the land of BaShan from Mount HerMon and SecChai to the borders of GerGesi, Machi, and half of GileAd, up to the borders of Seon, the king of Hesh-EbonEh.
6 They were the ones whom Moses (the servant of Jehovah) and the children of IsraEl had struck down, and whose [land] Moses gave as an inheritance to ReuBen, Gad, and the half tribe of ManasSeh.

7 These are the kings of the Amorites whom JoShua and the children of IsraEl killed [on the west side of] the Jordan along the [MediTerranean] Sea, from the plains of Lebanon to Mount ChelCha and along the road to Seir (which JoShua gave to the tribes of IsraEl as their inheritance), 8 to the mountains and plains, in the Araba and AsedOth, and to the desert and the Negev…
The [lands] of the Hittites, Amorites, CanaAnites, Pherezites, Evites, and Jebusites:
· 9 The king of JeriCho
· The king of Gai (near BethEl)
· 10 The king of JeruSalem
· The king of HebRon
· 11 The king of JeriMuth
· The king of LachIsh
· 12 The king of Elam
· The king of GaZer
· 13 The king of DabIr
· The king of Gader
· 14 The king of HerMath
· The king of Ader
· 15 The king of LebNa
· The king of OdolLam
· 16 The king of ElAth
· 17 The king of Taphu
· The king of Opher
· 18 The king of Ophec and Aroc
· 19 The king of Asom
· 20 The king of SymoOn
· The king of MamBroth
· The king of Aziph
· 21 The king of Kadesh
· The king of ZachAc
· 22 The king of MaredOth
· The king of Jecom and CarMel
· 23 The king of OdolLam (under PhenNeAldor, the king of Gei of Galilee)
· 24 The king of Thersa (twenty-nine kings all together).

Chapter 13

1 Well by then, JoShua had grown very old; so the Lord said to him:
‘You’re getting very old and there’s still a lot of land to [divide as] inheritances; 2 for all of this is still left:
· The borders of the Philistines, Gesirites, and CanaAnites 3 from the desert across from Egypt to the borders of AcCaron (the CanaAnites are thought to have had five principalities among the Philistines).
They are the inhabitants of Gaza, including Azotus, AshCalon, Geth, and AcCaron.
· The Evites 4 from ThaEman through the land of CanaAn to the Gaza.
· The Sidonians from Aphec to the borders of the Amorites.
· 5 The Philistine land of GoliAth from the border of Lebanon east of GilGal at Mount HerMon and the road to Emath.
· 6 All those that inhabit the hill country from Lebanon to MaserEth-MemphoMaim, and all the Sidonians.
I’m going to destroy them all before IsraEl;
So, divide their land as an inheritance among IsraEl, as I told you.
7 Divide it [and let it be offered] in a lottery to the nine tribes and to the half tribe of ManasSeh.
8 Its boundaries will run west from the Jordan to the [MediTerranean] Sea.’

Now, Moses (the servant of Jehovah) had already given the tribes of ReuBen, Gad, and the half tribe of ManasSeh their inheritance in the east across the Jordan 9 from AroEr (at the brook of Arnon) to the city in the middle of the valley, as well as all of Misor to MaEdAban 10 and all the cities of Seon (the king of the Amorites) who reigned from Hesh-EbonEh to the borders of the children of AmMon, 11 as well as the region of GileAd, the borders of the Gesirites and Machatites all around Mount HerMon, the land of BaShan to Acha, 12 and the entire kingdom of Og in the region of BaShan (he reigned in AstarOth and in EdraIn near the giants before Moses struck him down and destroyed him).
13 But the children of IsraEl didn’t destroy the Gesirites, Machatites, and CanaAnites; so the king of the Gesiri and the Machatites are still living among the children of IsraEl to this day.

14 However, no inheritance was given to the tribe of Levi;
For Jehovah the God of IsraEl is their inheritance, as He told them.

This is how Moses divided the land among the children of IsraEl at ArabOth in MoAb on the other side of the Jordan near JeriCho…
15 To the tribe of ReuBen and their families he gave all of this:
16 Their borders ran from AroEr across from the Brook of Arnon (which includes the cities in the valley of Arnon and all of Misor) 17 to Hesh-EbonEh.
So theirs included all the cities in Misor, DaEbon, BaEmonBaAl, BethMeElBoth, 18 BaShan, BakedMoth, MaEphaAd, 19 KiriAth JaiRim, Sebama, Serada, Sion (on Mount Enab), 20 BaethPhogor, AsedOth, Phasga, BaethThasinOth, 21 all the cities of Misor, and all the kingdom of Seon (the king of the Amorites whom Moses struck down, along with the leaders of Midian – Evi, Roboc, Sur, Ur, and Robe, who was the leader of the looters in Sion), all the inhabitants of Sion, 22 and BalaAm the son of Beor (they also killed this prophet in the battle).
23 The [western] border of ReuBen started at the Jordan.
So, those are the boundaries and inheritance of the children of ReuBen, which were divided among all their families, as well as their cities and villages.

24 He gave this inheritance to the sons of Gad and to their families:
25 Their borders run from Jazer (they include all the cities of GileAd and half the land of the children of AmMon) to the Araba near Arad.
26 Then on from Hesh-EbonEh to ArabOth through MasSepha, Botanim, and MaAn, to the borders of DaEbon, 27 EnAdom, OtharGai, BaenThanabra, SocCotha, and Saphan, and the rest of the kingdom of SeAn (the king of Hesh-EbonEh) to the Jordan, then up to the Sea of Galilee on the east side of the Jordan.
28 This is the inheritance of the children of Gad and their cities, which was divided among their families.
They had to [stick together when facing] their enemies, because those cities and villages were to be distributed among their families.

29 He gave this inheritance to half the tribe of ManasSeh and their families:
30 Their borders ran from MaAn, through the kingdom of BaShan, and the entire kingdom of Og (the king of BaShan), all the villages of JaIr that are in the region of BaShan (some sixty cities), 31 half of GileAd, and AstarOth and EdraIn (the royal cities of Og in the land of BaShan).
That is what Moses gave to the sons of MachIr (the son of ManasSeh) and their families, which comprised the half tribe of ManasSeh.
32 They’re the ones that urged Moses to give them all the land east of the Jordan at ArabOth MoAb.

Chapter 14

1 And these were the children of IsraEl that received their inheritance in the land of CanaAn – those to whom EliEzer the Priest, JoShua (the son of NaWeh), and the family heads of the tribes of the children of IsraEl gave an inheritance.
2 The nine-and-a-half tribes received their inheritances in a lottery, just as Jehovah had commanded JoShua;
3 But the Levites received no inheritance among them 4 other than their own cities and suburbs, where their cattle were kept separate from those of the rest.
5 So the children of IsraEl did just as Jehovah commanded Moses, and they divided up the land.

6 Then (one of) the sons of Judah (Caleb, the son of JephoNe the Kenite) went to JoShua at GilGal and said to him:
‘You know what Jehovah said to Moses (the man of God) about me at Kadesh BarNea.
7 For I was forty years old when Moses (the servant of God) sent me from Kadesh BarNea to spy in this land, and I returned to him and gave him an answer that pleased him.
8 Though my brothers that went with me preferred to listen to the people, I kept following my God Jehovah.
9 So Moses swore on that day, saying,
The land where you went will become the inheritance of you and your children through the ages, because you made sure that you followed our God, Jehovah.

10 ‘Well, Jehovah has kept me alive until now, and it has been forty-five years since Jehovah said that to Moses back when IsraEl [lived] in the desert.
So today, {Look!} I’m eighty-five years old! 11 Yet, I’m still as strong as when Jehovah sent me; in fact, I’m still strong enough to fight as a soldier!
12 So now I’m asking you for this mountain [in order to fulfill Jehovah’s promise] which you heard on that day.
And though the Enakim are here in large fortified cities;
If Jehovah is with me, I’ll destroy them just as Jehovah has instructed me.’

13 So JoShua blessed him and gave HebRon to Caleb (the son of JephoNe and grandson of Kenez) as his inheritance.
14 And since then, HebRon has been the inheritance of Caleb, because he followed the commandments of Jehovah, the God of IsraEl.
15 The name of that city used to be ArGob when it belonged to the Enakim; but after the war, it was renamed HebRon.

Chapter 15

1 The border of the tribe of Judah (which land was divided among their families) runs south from Idumea and the Sin Desert, as far as Kadesh 2 in the south.
It runs from part of the Dead Sea into the high country, 3 then it goes toward the base of Mount AcraBin, around Sena, then south to Kadesh BarNea, over to AsoRon, up to SaraDa, then along the road west of Kadesh, 4 out to SelMona toward the valley of Egypt, and it ends at the Sea.
These are their southern borders.

5 Their borders on the east run from the Dead Sea and up the Jordan. Their borders in the north run from the Sea over to part of the Jordan.
6 They run from BethLehem in the north to the House in the Plains, along the stone [wall] of BaeOn to the borders of the sons of ReuBen.
7 The border continues through a fourth part of the Valley of Achor and goes down toward GilGal to the approach to AdamMin (on the south side of the valley), and terminates at the water [that flows from] the Spring of the Sun and the Spring of Rogel.
8 Then it runs southward to the valley of EnNom behind Jebus (which is now JeruSalem), and ends at the top of the mountain facing the seaward side of the valley of EnNom, with the land of the Raphain in the north.

9 Then the border runs from the top of the mountain to the spring water of NaphTho, and on to Mount EphRon along the [road] that leads to BaAl (which is now the city of JaRim).
10 Then it runs from BaAl to the sea across Mount AsSar, which is behind the city of JaRim to the north (ChasLon), and down to the City of the Sun. From there, it heads south.
11 This border terminates behind AcCaron (to the north), then it runs on to SocChoth and southward to LebNa, then over to the Sea.
The [MediTerranean] Sea is their [western] border.
12 These are the borders of the [land that was distributed among] the families of the children of Judah.

13 And to Caleb (the son of JephoNe), JoShua set aside a [special] portion in the midst of the children of Judah, as God had commanded JoShua.
He gave him the city of ArBoc and the metropolis of Enac, which is now called HebRon.
14 So, Caleb (the son of JephoNe) destroyed the three sons of Enac (Susi, Tholami, and Achima) there, 15 then he [attacked] DabIr, which used to be called The City of Letters.

16 Then Caleb swore:
‘To whoever takes, conquers, and destroys the City of Letters, I will give my daughter AsCha to be his woman.’
17 And it was GothoniEl (the son of Chenez, Caleb’s brother) who took [the city], so [Caleb] gave him AsCha his daughter to be his woman.
18 But as she was leaving [her father], she said to [Chenez]:
‘I’m going to ask my father for a field.’

So she got off her burro and started crying.
And Caleb asked her,
‘What’s wrong?’
19 Then she said:
‘Give me a blessing, for you’re sending me into the land of Negev… give me [a place where there are] springs!’
So he gave her both the upper and lower springs.

20 This is all the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah.
21 And their cities within the borders of Edom by the desert are BaeSeleEl, Ara, Asor, 22 Icam, Regma, AruEl, 23 Kadesh, AsoriOnain, MaEnam, 24 BalmaEnan and its suburbs, 25 the cities of AseRon (which are now called Asor), 26 Sen, SalmaA, Molada, 27 Seri, BaePhalath, 28 CholaseOla, BeerSabee (and their villages and towns), 29 Bala, Bacoc, Asom, 30 ElBoudad, BethEl, Herma, 31 SekeLac, Macharim, SethenNac, 32 Labos, Sale, and EroMoth…
Twenty-nine cities and their villages.

33 In the plain country, [the cities are] AstaOl, RaA, AsSa, 34 Ramen, Tano, IluthOth, MaeAni, 35 JerMuth, OdolLam, MemBra, SaoCho, Jazeca, 36 SacArim, Gadera and its villages…
Fourteen cities and their villages.
37 Also, SenNa, AdaSan, MagadalGad, 38 Dalad, MasPha, JaChareEl, 39 BasedOth, IdeaDalea, 40 Chabra, Maches, MaAchos, 41 GedDor, BagadiEl, Noman, MacheDan…
Sixteen cities and their villages.
42 Also, LebNa, Ithac, Anoch, 43 Jana, Nasib, 44 KeILam, AkiEzi, Kezib, BethEsar, AiLom…
Ten cities and their villages.
45 Also, AcCaron and her villages and towns, 46 AcCaron-Gemna, and all the cities near AsedOth and their villages, 47 AsiedOth and her villages and towns, Gaza and its villages and towns, which run to the river of Egypt and along the [MediTerranean] Sea.

48 In the hill country, [the cities are] Samir, Jether, Socha, 49 RenNa, The City of Letters (DabIr), 50 Anon, Es, Man, AiSam, 51 Goshen, Chalu, ChanNa, Gelom…
Eleven cities and their villages.
52 Also, AiRem, RemNa, Soma, 53 JemaIn, BaethAchu, Phacua, 54 Euma, the city ArBoc (HebRon), and SoraIth…
Nine cities and their villages.
55 Also, MaOr, CarMel, Ozib, Itan, 56 JariEl, AriCam, Zacanaim, 57 GabaA, and ThamNatha…
Nine cities and their villages.
58 Also, AiLua, BethSur, GedDon, 59 MagarOth, BethAnam, and Thecum…
Six cities and their villages.
60 Also, Theco, EphRatha (BethLehem), Phagor, AiTan, Culon, Tatam, Thobes, Carem, Galem, Thether, and ManoCho…
Eleven cities and their villages.
61 Also, KariAth-BaAl (JaiRim) and SoTheba…
Two cities and their villages.
62 Also, BadDargeIsh, ThaRabaAm, AiNon, AiOchiOza, NaphLazon, Sadon, and AnKadesh…
Seven cities and their villages.

63 Well, the Jebusites lived in JeruSalem, because the children of Judah couldn’t destroy them…
And they still live there today.

Chapter 16

1 The borders of the children of JoSeph run from the Jordan past JeriCho on the east, and from JeriCho to the hill country, to the desert, then up to BethEl Luza.
2 And from BethEl they proceed on to the borders of AchaTarOthi, 3 then they go across toward the sea along the borders of ApTalim, and to the borders of Lower BethOron, then on to the sea.
4 [And that’s where] the sons of JoSeph (Ephraim and ManasSeh) claimed their inheritance.

5 The borders of the children of Ephraim that were divided among their families as their inheritance run eastward to AtarOth and Eroc, then on to Upper BethOron and Gazara.
6 They run from the sea to IcasMon north of TherMa, then east to TheNasa and SelLes, and on to JaNoca, 7 Macho, and AtarOth (which are their villages), then toward JeriCho, ending at the Jordan.
8 From there they run on to Tapho, to ChelCana, and back to the sea.
This is the inheritance of the tribe of Ephraim and their families.

9 Many of the cities and their villages that were given to the sons of Ephraim were in the midst of the inheritance of the sons of ManasSeh.
10 And Ephraim failed to destroy the CanaAnites who lived in GaZer; so the CanaAnites lived in Ephraim until PharaOh, the king of Egypt (possibly Ramses the Great) went there, took it, and burned it with fire.
Then PharaOh gave the CanaAnites, Pherezites, and those that live in Gaza to his daughter as her dowry.

Chapter 17

1 Now, these are the borders of the tribe of the children of ManasSeh (JoSeph’s firstborn):
MachIr was the firstborn of ManasSeh and the father of GileAd, who [took] the land of GileAd and BaShan.
2 And the other sons of ManasSeh were also given land, which was divided among their families… the sons of Jezi, the sons of Kelez, the sons of JeziEl, the sons of Shechem, the sons of Symarim, and the sons of Opher (the family heads).

3 SalpaAd (the son of Opher) had no sons, just daughters, and these are their names:
SalpaAd, MaAla, Nua, Egla, Melcha, and Thersa.
4 They had gone before JoShua, EliEzer the Priest, and the rulers and said,
‘God commanded Moses to give us an inheritance in the midst of our family.’
So at the command of Jehovah, they were given an inheritance among their uncles.

5 In the lottery, these women were assigned all [the land] from AnasSa to the plain of Labec in the land of GileAd [west of] the Jordan.
6 And because these daughters of the sons of ManasSeh inherited land inside of GileAd, the rest of it was assigned to the other sons of ManasSeh.
7 Thus, the borders of the sons of ManasSeh start at DelAnath (close to the sons of Anath) and proceed to the edge of JaMin and JasSib, to the spring of ThaphThoth.
8 It all belongs to ManasSeh; but ThaphEth on its border belongs to the sons of Ephraim.
9 Then the borders go down to the valley of CaraNa, and southward past the valley of JariEl where there’s a pine tree that belongs to Ephraim near the city of ManasSeh.
Then its border runs northward to the brook and over to the sea.

10 The land to ManasSeh’s south belongs to Ephraim, and it runs along their border from the seacoast, then northward along the border of Aseb, and eastward up to [the land of] IsSachar.
11 And in the land of IsSachar, ManasSeh owns Asher, BethSan and their villages, the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, the inhabitants of MegidDo and its villages, and a third of MaphEta and its villages.
12 However, the sons of ManasSeh weren’t able to destroy those cities, so the CanaAnites started living there.
13 But when the children of IsraEl were strong enough, they made the CanaAnites their subjects (they didn’t destroy them).

14 Then the sons of JoSeph went to JoShua [and complained]:
‘Why did you just give us just one inheritance and one border? For God has blessed us and made us a large group of people!’

15 But JoShua replied:
‘If you have a lot of people and the hills of Ephraim are too small for you, then go up to the forest and clear more land for yourselves.’

16 However, they replied:
‘We don’t like the hills of Ephraim, and the CanaAnites are living there in BethSan and its villages, as well as in the JezreEl Valley…
And they have many horsemen and iron [weapons].’

17 But JoShua told the sons of JoSeph:
‘If you have many people and you are very strong, you may claim more inheritance.
18 Also, if you need wood, there is [plenty of] wood there. Clear it and the land will be yours.
Then destroy the CanaAnites; for even if they do have good horsemen, you are stronger than they are.’

Chapter 18

1 Well, the entire gathering of the children of IsraEl assembled at Shiloh, and there they set up the Tent of Proofs (since they had already conquered that land)… 2
And the sons of IsraEl that hadn’t received their inheritance yet (seven tribes), stayed there.

3 Then JoShua asked the sons of IsraEl:
‘How much longer are you going to hold back from inheriting the land that our God Jehovah has given to you?
4 Now, appoint three men from each tribe and have them travel throughout the land.
Then come and describe it to me so it can be properly divided.’

5 And thereafter, they came to him and he [arranged for them to] divide it into seven sections.
For he said,
‘Judah’s borders to the south will stand, as will [the land of] the sons of JoSeph to the north.
6 But now you must divide the [rest of] the land into seven parts and then bring the descriptions here to me, so I can parcel them out in a lottery before Jehovah our God.
7 However, the sons of Levi won’t receive a share among you; for the Priesthood of Jehovah is their portion.
Also, Gad, ReuBen, and the half tribe of ManasSeh have already received their inheritance east of the Jordan, which was given to them by Moses, the servant of Jehovah.’

8 Then as the men got up to leave, JoShua gave these orders to those that were to explore the land:
‘Go and survey the land, then come to me and I will divide it in a lottery here in Shiloh, before Jehovah.’

9 So they went and explored the land.
And after examining it, they divided it into seven parts by cities, and [they drew a map], which they brought back to JoShua.
10 Then JoShua threw lots for them before Jehovah there at Shiloh.

11 It was the tribe of BenJamin and their families that came first, and the borders they received were between the children of Judah and the children of JoSeph.
12 Their borders to the east went up the Jordan behind JeriCho, northward to the mountains in the west, and to BethOn of MabDara.
13 It runs around the south side of Luz (BethEl), and down to MaAtarob-Orech into the hill country that is south of Lower BethOron.
14 Then it proceeds to the part that faces the sea, south of the mountain in front of BethOron, and ends at KariAth-BaAl (KiriAth JaiRim), a city of the children of Judah.
This was their boundary on the west.

15 On the south side, it runs from the border of KiriAth-BaAl across to Gasin, and to the Spring of NaphTho.
16 Then it runs in front of the forest of SonNam (which is east of Emec-RaphaIn) in the north, and comes down to the EnNa Valley behind JebuSai;
Then it runs south to the Spring of Rogel 17 and over to the Spring of BethSamys.
18 From there, it goes in front of GalilOth by way of AiThamin, then down to the stone of BaeOn (of the sons of ReuBen), where it passes behind the north side of BethAraba to the sea in the north.
19 These borders end at the creek of the Dead Sea and run north along the Jordan (which is their southern border)…
20 So the Jordan is their boundary on the east.
This is the inheritance of the children of BenJamin and their families, and these are their borders.

21 The cities of the children of BenJamin and their families are JeriCho, BethAgaeo, the AmeCasis, 22 BethAbara, Sara, BesAna, 23 AiEin, Phara, EphRatha, 24 CarApha, Cephira, and Moni
(Twelve cities and their villages)
25 GibeOn, Rama, BeerOtha, 26 MasSema, Miron, Amoke, 27 Phira, Caphan, Nacan, Selecan, ThareEla, 28 Jebus (JeruSalem), and GabaOth JaiRim
(Thirteen cities and their villages).
This is the inheritance of the sons of BenJamin and their families.

Chapter 19

1 The second lot fell to the children of SymeOn, so their inheritance is in the midst of the land of the children of Judah.
2 They were given BeerSabee, SamaA, CalaDam, 3 ArSola, Bola, Jason, 4 ErThula, Bula, Herma, 5 SikElac, BethMachereb, SarSusin, 6 BathAroth…
Thirteen cities and their villages.
7 Also, EremMon, Thalcha, Jether, and Asan…
Four cities and their villages.
8 Their cities run from Balec and the road to Bameth southward.
This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of SymeOn and their families.
9 It is part of the lot of Judah, because Judah’s portion was very large, so the inheritance of the children of SymeOn is in the midst of theirs.

10 The third lot fell to ZebuLon and their families.
The boundaries of their inheritance run from EsedekGola 11 to the sea and on to MagelDa, then it reaches to BethAraba in the valley across from JekMan.
12 From there it goes back to SedDuc and heads east to BethSamys along the border of ChaShilohThaith, and passes on to DabIrOth, then it goes up to PhanGai.
13 From there it goes back eastward to GeBere and the city of CataSem, and on to RemMonaA-MatharaOza.
14 Then it goes north to AmOth and ends at GaEphaEl, 15 CataNath, NaBaAl, SymoOn, JeriCho, and BethMan.
16 This (and these cities and their villages) is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of ZebuLon and their families.

17 The fourth lot fell to IsSachar.
18 Their borders include Jazel, ChasalOth, Sunam, 19 Agin, Siona, ReErOth, 20 AnaChereth, DabIron, Kison, Rebes, 21 RemMas, Jeon, TomMan, AiMarec, and BerSaphes.
22 They border on GaethBor, Salim, and BethSamys in the west, and then the border runs to the Jordan. 23 This (and these cities and their villages) is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of IsSachar and their families.

24 The fifth lot fell to Asher and their families.
25 Their borders include ExelEketh, Aleph, BethOk, KeAph, 26 EliMelech, AmiEl, and MaAsa.
Their border runs west from Carmel and on to Zion and LabaNath.
27 Then it runs west from BethEgeneth to where it joins ZebuLon (EkGai and PhthaeEl), then northward to SaphthaeBethMe and InaEl; then it goes on to ChobaMasomEl, 28 ElBon, RaHab, EmeMaon, CanThan, and Sidon.
29 From there, it turns back and runs to Rama, to the Spring of MasPhasSat and the border of Tyre;
Then it returns to JaSiph and ends at the sea (it includes ApoLeb, EchoZob, 30 ArchOb, Aphec, and RaAu).
31 This (and these cities and their villages) is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Asher and their families.

32 The sixth lot fell to NaphTali.
33 Their borders include MoOlam, Mola, BesemiIn, Arme, Naboc, JephThamai (as far as Dodam), and end at the Jordan.
34 Then it runs west at AthAbor and goes on to JaCana.
It borders on ZebuLon in the south, Asher in the west, and the Jordan in the east.
35 Theirs includes the walled cities of the Tyrians – Tyre, OmaThadakEth, KenerEth, 36 ArmaIth, AreAl, Asor, 37 Kadesh, AsSari and the well of Asor, 38 Keroe, MegalaArim, BeatThame, and BethSamus.
39 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of NaphTali.

40 The seventh lot fell to Dan.
41 Their borders include SarAth, Asa, the cities of SamMaus, 42 SalaMin, AmMon, SilAtha, 43 Elon, ThamNatha, AcCaron, 44 AlCatha, BegEthon, GebeElan, 45 Azor, BanaeBacat, and GethRemMon.
46 Then west of HierAcon, the border is near JopPa.
47 This (including these cities and their villages) is the inheritance of the children of Dan and their families.
However, the children of Dan didn’t drive out the Amorites.
So, they constantly harassed them in their mountains and wouldn’t allow them to come down into the valley.
They also forcibly took a portion of their land.

48 Then the sons of Dan went and fought against LachIsh and took it.
They cut [the people] down with swords and started living there, and they renamed the city LasenDan.
However, the Amorites continued to live in Edom and in SalamIn, but the Ephraimites held them down and forced them to pay a tribute.

49 So the children of IsraEl proceeded to take possession of the land inside their borders, and they gave an inheritance to JoShua (the son of NaWeh) among them.
50 Following the command of God, they gave him the city that he asked for, ThamnaSarach in the hills of Ephraim.
So he built the city and lived there.

51 These are the divisions that EliEzer the Priest, JoShua (the son of NaWeh), and the family heads of the tribes of IsraEl assigned in a lottery before Jehovah at Shiloh, at the entrance to the Tent of Proofs.
And thereafter, they each went out to take possession of their lands.

Chapter 20

1 Then the Lord spoke to JoShua and said:
2 ‘Speak to the children of IsraEl and tell them to assign the refuge cities that I spoke to you about through Moses.
3 They are to be havens for those that accidentally kill another person…
Cities to run to, so the one that killed the other won’t be put to death by the person acting as next-of-kin over the blood.

4 ‘He must flee to one of these cities and go to the city gate to speak to the city elders about his case.
Thereafter, he is to be handed over [to those that are living there] and given a place where he can stay among them.

5 ‘And when the one that is acting as the next of kin over the blood (the one that is pursuing him) arrives, they are not to hand him over for unintentionally striking his neighbor (someone whom he didn’t dislike on the previous days).

6 ‘The person must continue to dwell in that city until he stands trial before the congregation, and thereafter, he must stay there until the death of the High Priest (whomever it may be in that day).
So then, the blood-avenger must just return to his city and home, (to the place from which the person had fled).’

7 Therefore, [JoShua] set aside Kadesh in the hills of NaphTali in Galilee, Shechem in the hills of Ephraim, and the city of ArBoc (HebRon) in the hills of Judah.
8 And across the Jordan, he set aside Bosor in the desert plain of the tribe of ReuBen, AremOth in GileAd of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in the country of BaShan of the tribe of ManasSeh.

9 These were the cities that were selected for the sons of IsraEl and for the aliens who lived among them, where those that unintentionally killed another could run, so they wouldn’t be put to death by the blood avenger before they stood trial in front of the gathering.

Chapter 21

1 Then the heads of the families of the sons of Levi came to EliEzer the Priest, JoShua (the son of NaWeh), and the heads of families of the tribes of IsraEl 2 at Shiloh in the land of CanaAn, and said,
‘[Remember that Jehovah] gave the commandment through Moses that we should be given cities to live in, as well as land roundabout them for our cattle.’

3 So, following the commands of Jehovah, the children of IsraEl gave the Levites cities and their surrounding countrysides as their inheritance.

4 The first lot fell to the children of CaAth;
So the sons of Aaron (the Levite Priests) received thirteen cities from the tribes of Judah, SymeOn, and BenJamin, which were divided among their families in a lottery.
5 And then the remaining sons of CaAth were given ten cities from the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and the half tribe of ManasSeh.

6 The sons of Gedson received thirteen cities, which were divided [among their families] by lottery from the tribes of IsSachar, Asher, NaphTali, and the half tribe of ManasSeh in BaShan.

7 The sons of MeraRi received twelve cities, which were divided among their families by lottery from the tribes of ReuBen, Gad, and ZebuLon.

8 The children of IsraEl also gave the Levites the land around their cities, as Jehovah had commanded Moses, which were divided in a lottery.

9 These are the cities that the tribes of the children of Judah, SymeOn, and part of the tribe of the children of BenJamin assigned 10 to the sons of Aaron (the family of CaAth of the sons of Levi), for whom the first lot fell:
· 11 KiriAth-ArBoc and the metropolis of the sons of Enac (HebRon) in the Mountain country of Judah and the surrounding suburbs.
12 However, JoShua gave the city itself and its villages to the sons of Caleb (the son of JephoNe) as his [family’s] possession.
13 He also assigned HebRon and its suburbs as a refuge city for unintentional killers. [He also gave them:]
· LemNa and its suburbs
· 14 AiLom and its suburbs
· Tema and its suburbs
· 15 GelLa and its suburbs
· DabIr and its suburbs
· 16 Asa and its suburbs
· Tany and its suburbs
· BethSamus and its suburbs – nine cities from these two tribes.

17 And from the tribe of BenJamin, they were given:
· GibeOn and its suburbs
· GathEth and its suburbs
· 18 AnathOth and its suburbs
· Gamala and its suburbs – four cities.

19 So all together, the sons of Aaron (the Priests) were given these thirteen cities.

20 And the remaining families of the sons of CaAth (the Levite Priests) were given 21 these cities from the tribe of Ephraim:
· Shechem and its suburbs (which was also a refuge city)
· Gazara and its appendages and suburbs
· KibZaim and its suburbs
· 22 BethOron and its suburbs – four cities.

23 And from the tribe of Dan [they were given]:
· HelcoThaim and its suburbs
· GethEdan and its suburbs
· 24 AiLon and its suburbs
· GethEremMon and its suburbs – four cities.

25 And from the half tribe of ManasSeh [they were given]:
· Tanach and its suburbs
· JeBatha and its suburbs – two cities.

26 So in all, ten cities and their suburbs were assigned to the remaining families of the sons of CaAth.

27 And JoShua gave the sons of Gedson (the Levites) these cities from the other half-tribe of ManasSeh:
· Golan in the country of BaShan and its suburbs, which was also a refuge city
· Bosora and its suburbs – two cities.

28 And from the tribe of IsSachar [they were given]:
· Kison and its suburbs
· DebBa and its suburbs
· 29 RemMath and its suburbs
· The Well of Letters and its suburbs – four cities.

30 And from the tribe of Asher [they were given]:
· BaselLa and its suburbs
· DabBon and its suburbs
· 31 Chelcat and its suburbs
· RaHab and its suburbs – four cities.

32 And from the tribe of NaphTali [they were given]:
· Kadesh in Galilee and its suburbs, which was a refuge city
· NemMath and its suburbs
· ThemMon and its suburbs – three cities.

33 All together, the families of Gedson received thirteen cities.

34 The remaining families of the sons of MeraRi (the Levites) received these cities from the tribe of ZebuLon:
· MaAn and its suburbs
· Kadesh and its suburbs
· 35 SelLa and its suburbs – three cities.

36 Then on the other side of the Jordan near JeriCho, they received these cities from the tribe of ReuBen:
· Bosor in the Miso Desert and its suburbs, which was a refuge city
· Jazer and its suburbs
· DecMon and its suburbs
· Mapha and its suburbs – four cities.

37 Then from the tribe of Gad [they received]:
· RamOth in GileAd and its suburbs, which was a refuge city
· Camin and its suburbs
· Esbon and its suburbs
· Jazer and its suburbs – four cities.

38 So altogether, the families of the sons of MeraRi of the tribe of Levi received twelve cities and their outlying land.
39 And the Levites received forty-eight cities 40 and all their surrounding land and suburbs.

Then after JoShua stopped dividing the land and setting their borders, the children of IsraEl gave JoShua his portion, because this is what Jehovah had commanded them.
They gave him the city that he asked for, ThamnaSarach in the hills of Ephraim.
Then JoShua built the city and lived there.

Thereafter, JoShua took stone knives and circumcised all the children of IsraEl that had been born along the way, and he let [them recuperate] at ThamnaSarach.

41 So, Jehovah gave IsraEl all the land that He had promised to their ancestors…
They inherited it all and lived there.
42 He also gave them a time of peace, as He had promised to their ancestors;
For, none of their enemies could stand against them and He gave them all into their hands.
43 As the result, all the good things that Jehovah had promised to the children of IsraEl started to be realized.

Chapter 22

1 Then JoShua called the sons of ReuBen, the sons of Gad, and the half tribe of ManasSeh together 2 and said to them:
‘You’ve [obeyed] all that Moses (the servant of Jehovah) commanded you to do, and you’ve paid attention to everything that I told you about his instructions, 3 for you haven’t deserted your brothers during all this time and you’ve followed the commandments of your God Jehovah.
4 So, now that our God Jehovah has given our brothers [a place] where they can rest (as He promised), you can return to your land and to the homes that Moses gave to you on the other side the Jordan.
5 However, be careful to obey the Commandments and the Law that Moses (the servant of Jehovah) gave you…
Love Jehovah your God, walk in all His paths, keep His commandments, stick with Him and serve Him with your whole minds and souls.’

6 Then JoShua blessed them and dismissed them, and they returned to their homes.

7 Moses had given a portion of the land of BaShan to half of the tribe of ManasSeh, and JoShua gave the other half a portion with their brothers on the west side of the Jordan.
And when JoShua sent them home, he blessed them 8 with much wealth;
For he divided the loot that they had plundered from their enemies among them and their brothers, which included great numbers of cattle, as well as silver, gold, iron, and clothing.

9 So at that, the sons of ReuBen, Gad, and the half tribe of ManasSeh left the children of IsraEl in Shiloh (in the land of CanaAn) and they headed toward GileAd and the land that they had inherited at the command of Jehovah through Moses.

10 Then, when when they got to GileAd near the Jordan (in the land of CanaAn), they built a huge altar there next to the Jordan.
11 And when the [other] children of IsraEl heard about it, they said,
‘Look! The sons of ReuBen, Gad, and the half tribe of ManasSeh have built an altar at the border of the land of CanaAn – at GileAd next to the Jordan – directly across from [the rest] of the children of IsraEl!’

12 And as the result, they all gathered at Shiloh to go and fight against them.
13 But first, the children of IsraEl sent PhiNeas (the son of EliEzer and grandson of Aaron the Priest) to talk to the sons of ReuBen, Gad, and the half tribe of ManasSeh in the land of GileAd, 14 along with ten of the chiefs –
One chief from each of the households of the rest of the tribes of IsraEl, who were generals over thousands in IsraEl.

15 So when they got to the sons of ReuBen, Gad, and the half tribe of ManasSeh in the land of GileAd, they said,
16 ‘This is what the whole gathering of Jehovah wants to know:
What is this sin that you’ve committed before the God of IsraEl by building yourselves an altar? Did you do this so that you could turn away from Him?
17 Was the sin at Phogor – from which we have yet to be cleansed – that insignificant to you, despite the fact that it brought a plague among the entire gathering of Jehovah?
18 So, now that you’ve revolted against Jehovah, you will come to know the wrath of all IsraEl!

19 ‘If your land has become too small for you, then you should cross [the Jordan] and come into into the land that Jehovah [has given to us] and where the Tent of Jehovah stays, so you can receive an inheritance here among us.
You must not turn away from God by building an altar apart from the Altar of Jehovah!
20 For look! Didn’t Achar (the son of Zara) sin by taking things that were cursed and bring the wrath [of God] on the whole gathering of IsraEl?
And [remember] that he died for his sin!’

21 However, the sons of ReuBen, Gad, and the half tribe of ManasSeh replied to the generals of the thousands of IsraEl:
22 ‘God – our God – is Jehovah.
As God Himself knows, and as IsraEl knows; if we have broken away from Jehovah and become apostates, He won’t save us today.
23 But we didn’t build an altar for ourselves to turn away from Him or to sacrifice whole burnt offerings or peace offerings on it (those things that Jehovah requires).
24 Rather, we [built this Altar] as a testimony… we did it because we were afraid that sometime in the future, your sons might ask our sons what portion we have in Jehovah, the God of IsraEl.
25 For now that Jehovah has set a boundary between you and us (the Jordan), we don’t want your sons to alienate our sons and keep them from worshiping Jehovah.
26 So, this is why we gave orders to build this altar… not for burnt offerings or for meat offerings, 27 but as a witness between you and us and between our children, that we do serve Jehovah, and that we will sacrifice our burnt offerings, meat offerings, and peace offerings to Him.
Then your sons won’t be able to say to our sons that we don’t [belong to] Jehovah.

28 ‘Therefore, it was in order to prevent them from ever saying such a thing to us and our descendants [that we want them to] see our representation of the altar of Jehovah.
It wasn’t built for the sake of burnt offerings or meat offerings, but as a witness between you and us and between our sons.
29 Far be it from us to turn away from Jehovah today by building an altar for burnt offerings or peace offerings separate from the Altar of Jehovah that stands before His Tent.’

30 And when PhiNeas the Priest and all the chiefs of the gathering of IsraEl that were with him heard what the children of ReuBen, Gad, and the half tribe of ManasSeh said, they were pleased.
31 Then PhiNeas the Priest said,
‘Today we know that Jehovah is with us, because you aren’t guilty of a serious sin against Jehovah and you have saved the children of IsraEl from the hand of Jehovah.’

32 So, PhiNeas (the Priest) and the leaders left the children of ReuBen, Gad, and the half tribe of ManasSeh at GileAd and they all returned to the land of CanaAn, where they reported what was said to the children of IsraEl, 33 and everyone was very pleased.
Then they spoke to the children of IsraEl and praised them [for their zeal], and told them not to go to war against the children of ReuBen, Gad, and the half tribe of ManasSeh, or to destroy their land… and they all agreed.

34 Thereafter, JoShua named the altar of the children of ReuBen, Gad, and the half tribe of ManasSeh, and said:
‘It is their testimony that Jehovah is their God.’

Chapter 23

1 Well, Jehovah had allowed IsraEl to rest from all their enemies [that lived] around them for a considerable time, until JoShua was old and up in years.
2 Then JoShua called all the children of IsraEl together – their elders, leaders, judges, and their officers – and said to them:
‘I’m old and up in years, 3 and you’ve seen all that Jehovah our God has done to these nations around us and how your God fought for you.
4 Now look; I’ve given all these remaining nations to your tribes in a lottery;
For though I’ve destroyed some of them, our borders run from the Jordan to the [MediTerranean] Sea in the west, 5 and Jehovah our God will keep on destroying them before us until they’re all gone.
Then He will send wild animals against them until He has wiped out them and their kings;
So you will inherit their land, just as Jehovah our God has promised.

6 ‘However, you must be sure to observe and do all the things that are written in the book of the Law of Moses… don’t stray to the right or to the left!
7 And don’t associate with the remaining nations, nor should the names of their gods even be mentioned among you… don’t serve them or bow before them!
8 Rather, you must stick to Jehovah your God, just as you have been doing until now.
9 Then Jehovah will destroy even the great and strong nations from among you; for no one has been able to stand against us so far.
10 Each one among you has been able to chase thousands, for our God Jehovah has fought for you just like He promised.
11 So, be sure to love our God Jehovah.

12 ‘But if you turn away from Him and start associating with these nations that still remain, then marry among them and get mixed up with them (and them with you);
13 Realize that Jehovah won’t destroy them. Rather, they will become snares and stumbling blocks – nails in your heels and darts in your eyes – until they’ve wiped you out of this good land that Jehovah your God has given to you.

14 ‘And now I’m getting ready to die, as everyone on this earth does.
But, know in your hearts and souls that not a single word has failed of all the things that Jehovah our God has [promised] about us.
15 And after all the good things that Jehovah God will bring upon you are completed;
Remember that He will also do bad things until He wipes you off of this good land that He has given to you 16 if you break the Sacred Agreement of our God Jehovah, then go and serve other gods by bowing before them.’

Chapter 24

1 So JoShua gathered all the tribes of IsraEl at Shiloh, where he summoned their elders, officers, and judges; then he stood them there before God.
2 And JoShua spoke to all the people and said,
‘This is what Jehovah the God of IsraEl said:
Your ancestors (such as Terah, the father of AbraHam and Nahor) once stayed beyond the [Jordan] river and served other gods.
3 But I took AbraHam (your ancestor) from the other side of the river and guided him throughout this entire land. Then I made his seed grow…
4 I gave him IsaAc, and to IsaAc [I gave] Jacob and Esau.
Then I gave Mount Seir to Esau as his inheritance, as Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt, where they became a great and mighty nation.

‘But then, the Egyptians started oppressing them, 5 so I struck down Egypt with the miracles that I sent among them.
6 And afterwards, I brought your fathers out of Egypt.
Then when they approached the Red Sea, the Egyptians chased them into the Sea with their chariots and horses.
7 But when they called out to Jehovah, I put a cloud and darkness between [them and] the Egyptians, and brought the Sea down upon [the Egyptians] and covered them.

‘So with your own eyes, you have seen all that Jehovah did in the land of Egypt, and of how you spent a long time in the desert.
8 And now He has brought us into the land of the Amorites that lived across the Jordan, and Jehovah has given them into our hands…
You have inherited their land and destroyed them!

9 ‘[Do you remember when] Balak, the king of MoAb (the son of SepPhor) went to war against IsraEl, and of how he called BalaAm to curse us?
10 Yet, Jehovah your God wouldn’t destroy you;
He blessed us and saved us from their hands, then He handed them over to us!

11 ‘Thereafter, you crossed the Jordan and came to JeriCho, where the people of JeriCho fought against us – as did the Amorites, CanaAnites, Pherezites, Evites, Jebusites, Hittites, and the Gergesites – and Jehovah gave them all into our hands.
12 You didn’t chase them with swords or bows;
Rather, He sent hornets ahead of you and drove them away… the twelve kings of the Amorites!

13 ‘Now He has given you a land that you didn’t clear and cities that you didn’t build, where you’ve now settled and where you are eating from vineyards and olive groves that you didn’t plant.
14 So, fear Jehovah and serve Him righteously and justly…
Get rid of all the strange gods that our ancestors served across the river and in Egypt, and serve Jehovah!

15 ‘However, if you don’t wish to serve Jehovah, then choose whom you will serve today…
Whether it’s the gods that your ancestors [served] while they were on the other side of the [Jordan] river, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you’re now living.
But as for me and my household;
We will serve Jehovah, because He alone is holy!’

16 And the people answered:
‘We won’t leave Jehovah and serve other gods, 17 because our God Jehovah is The God!
He was the One that brought our ancestors and us out of Egypt, and that protected us from all the nations that we passed along the way that we walked.
18 And it was Jehovah that threw out the Amorites and all the other nations that lived in this land.
Yes, we will serve Jehovah, for He is our God!’

19 Then JoShua said to the people:
‘You won’t really be able to serve Jehovah, because He is holy.
And because He is very zealous, He won’t forgive your sins and your errors.
20 So when you leave Jehovah to serve other gods, He will come against you, oppress you, and consume you, because He’s the One that did all these good things for you.’

21 Then the people replied:
‘No! We will serve Jehovah!’

22 And JoShua said:
‘Then, you are witnesses against yourselves that you’ve chosen to serve Jehovah.
23 So now, get rid of all the strange gods that you have and set your hearts right with Jehovah the God of IsraEl.’

24 And the people replied:
‘We will serve Jehovah and listen to His voice!’

25 So JoShua made a sacred agreement with them that day, and he gave them the laws and rules there in front of the Tent of the God of IsraEl, in Shiloh.
26 And then he wrote those words in the Scroll of the Laws of God.

Thereafter, JoShua took a large block of stone and erected it under the oak tree before Jehovah.
27 Then he told the people:
‘Look, this stone will serve as a witness among you, for it has heard all the words that you’ve spoken before Jehovah.
And because He has spoken to you on this day, this stone will serve as a witness against you in the last days when you deal treacherously with my God Jehovah.’

28 Then JoShua dismissed the people and they each returned to their homes.

29 Thereafter, JoShua (the son of NaWeh), the servant of Jehovah, died at the age of a hundred and ten, 30 and they buried him in the land that he had inherited in Thamna Sarach in the hills of Ephraim north of Mount GileAd.
They put his [body] in a tomb, along with the stone knives that he had used to circumcise the children of IsraEl at GilGal after Jehovah had brought them out of Egypt…
And they are all still there today.

31 Well, IsraEl served Jehovah for as long as JoShua and the elders of JoShua’s era (who knew all that Jehovah had done for IsraEl) were still alive.
32 And thereafter, the children of IsraEl brought the bones of JoSeph ([which they had carried from] Egypt) and buried them in Sicima, in the tract of land that Jacob bought from the Amorites in Sicima for a hundred ewes, and which was given to JoSeph as his property.

33 Shortly thereafter, EliEzer (Aaron’s son) the High Priest also died and was buried in GabaA in the hills of Ephraim (which had been given to his son PhiNeas).
And on that day, the children of IsraEl took the Chest of God and carried it among the people.
Then, after EliEzer’s death and burial at GabaA, PhiNeas was appointed as [High] Priest in place of his father.

Well, the children of IsraEl each left and returned to their own cities and homes, and then they started worshiping Astarte, AstarOth, and the gods of the nations roundabout them.
So Jehovah handed them over to Eglom, the king of MoAb, who ruled over them for the next eighteen years.

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