Joshua

Chapter 1, Now after the death of Moses, the LORD spake unto Joshua, Moses' minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them.  There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.  Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.  This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 

 

Chapter 2, Joshua sent out two men to spy out the land of Jericho. They went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there. The king was told of the spies,and sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth those men.   She answered, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were,  And about the time of shutting of the gate, they went out.  But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax.  And before they were laid down, she came up unto them and said, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.  Since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and save them alive and deliver our lives from death. The men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee. Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall. . 

 

Chapter 3, Joshua and the people comes to Jordan and lodge there three days. The LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee. Thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.   And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.  And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan. 

 

Chapter 4,  And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying,   Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,  And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night.  That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?  Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.   And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.

 

Chapter 5, The LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.   And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt. Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised.   And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.  And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year

 

 Chapter 6, The LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.   And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. The seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.  And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat.  The priests blew the trumpets. When the people heard the blast of the trumpets, they gave a thunderclap shout. The wall fell at once. The people rushed straight into the city and took it.   Joshua ordered the two men who had spied out the land, "Enter the house of the harlot Rahab, and rescue the woman and everyone connected with her, just as you promised her."   So the young spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, mother, and brothers, everyone connected with her. They got the whole family out and gave them a place outside the camp of Israel

 

 

Chapter 7, The children of Israel committed a trespass: for Achan of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel. The men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.  And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. The LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?  Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.  Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.

 

Chapter 7 continued:  God still speaking to Joshua,  Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.  The person found with the cursed things will be burned, he and everything he has, because he broke GOD's covenant and did this despicable thing in Israel."   And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:   And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had. And they brought them unto the valley of Achor.  And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? The LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones

 

Chapter 8, The LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given them into thy hand.  And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that ye shall set the city on fire: according to the commandment of the LORD shall ye do.  And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword.   Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal as Moses commanded the children of Israel, and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings.   And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.
And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law.  . 

 

 

Chapter 9,   The people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they posed as travelers: their donkeys loaded with patched sacks and mended wineskins,  threadbare sandals on their feet, tattered clothes on their bodies, nothing but dry crusts and crumbs for food. They came to Joshua at Gilgal and spoke to the men of Israel, "We've come from a far-off country; make a covenant with us. Your servants came because we'd heard such great things about GOD, your God. All those things he did in Egypt^. Our leaders and everybody else in our country told us, 'Pack up some food for the road and go meet them. Tell them, We're your servants; make a covenant with us.'   "This bread was warm from the oven when we packed it and left to come and see you. Now look at it—crusts and crumbs.  The men of Israel looked them over and accepted the evidence. But they didn't ask GOD about it

 

Chapter 9 continued, So Joshua made peace with them and formalized it with a covenant to guarantee their lives. The leaders of the congregation swore to it.  And then, three days after making this covenant, they learned that they were next-door neighbors who had been living there all along!   And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim. The children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.  But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.   And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us?  Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.

 

Chapter 10, five kings of the Amorites banned together to fight against  Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel. The men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.   So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour.  The LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.  Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.  And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel  And Joshua smote them from Kadeshbarnea even unto Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon.  And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel. 

 

Chapter 11,  And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things, that he sent to the other kings to come with him and fight against the children of Israel.   And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many. The LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.   So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them.   And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote them, until they left them none remaining.   For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses.  So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war

 

Chapter 12, Covers the kings that the People of Israel defeated and whose land they took on the east of the Jordan, from the Arnon Gorge to Mount Hermon, with the whole eastern side of the Arabah Valley.  A total of thirty-one kings. 

 Chapter 13,  Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.  Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance unto the nine tribes, and the half tribe of Manasseh with whom the Reubenites and the Gadites have received their inheritance beyond Jordan eastward.  All who live in the mountains, from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim; all the Sidonians. "I myself will drive them out before the People of Israel. All you have to do is allot this land to Israel as an inheritance, as I have instructed you.  Do it now: Allot this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.     

Chapter 14,  The inheritance allotments that the People of Israel were to received in the land of Canaan are given. Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families  made the allotments.   Each inheritance was assigned by lot to the nine and a half tribes, just as GOD had commanded Moses.  Moses had given the two and a half tribes their inheritance east of the Jordan, but hadn't given an inheritance to the Levites, as he had to the others.   Because the sons of Joseph had become two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim, they gave no allotment to the Levites; but they did give them cities to live in with pasture rights for their flocks and herds.  The People of Israel followed through exactly as GOD had commanded Moses. They apportioned the land.

 

Chapter 15, covers the land given to Judah with its borders.Chapters 16 and 17 covers the land given to the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim with its borders.Chapter 18 and 19, There remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance.  Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you?   Pick three men from each tribe so I can commission them. They will survey and map the land, showing the inheritance due each tribe, and report back to me.   And the men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven parts in a book, and came again to Joshua to the host at Shiloh.  And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD: and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel according to their divisions. 

 Chapter 20,   The LORD  spake unto Joshua, saying,   Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:   And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and irjatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah. And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.  These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person at unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.   

Chapter 21,   The heads of the Levites came to Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun and to the heads of the other tribes of the People of Israel. They said, "GOD commanded through Moses that you give us cities to live in with access to pastures for our cattle."  So the People of Israel, out of their own inheritance, gave the Levites, just as GOD commanded, cities and pastures.  All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight cities with their suburbs.  And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.  And the LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand.  There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.   

Chapter 22,   Then Joshua called together the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.  He said: "You have carried out everything Moses the servant of GOD commanded you, and you have obediently done everything I have commanded you. Now GOD, your God, has given rest to your brothers just as he promised them. You're now free to go back to your homes, the country of your inheritance that Moses the servant of GOD gave you on the other side of the Jordan.   But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.  So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away.  

 

 Chapter 22 Continued: When they,( the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh) came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, they built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see.   When the People of Israel heard this, the entire congregation mustered at Shiloh to go to war against them, because they thought that the altar was to rebel against the Lord. But when called in question, the reply was,  God forbid that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn this day from following the LORD, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for meat offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the altar of the LORD our God that is before his tabernacle.   But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us; that your children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in the LORD.   And they called the altar Ed: for it shall be a witness between us that the LORD is God. 

Chapter 23, Joshua warns the people: Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age. Ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that hath fought for you.  I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes. The LORD your God shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land.  Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;   That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them.  But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day, for no man has been able to stand before you.   One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you. If ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations,  and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you,  Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you. 

 

Chapter 24, Joshua’s Farwell:  Joshua called together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He called in the elders, chiefs, judges, and officers. They presented themselves before God.  Then Joshua addressed the people, from Abraham until present.  "I sent the Hornet ahead of you. It drove out the two Amorite kings, did your work for you. You didn't have to do a thing, not so much as raise a finger.   "I handed you a land for which you did not work, towns you did not build. And here you are now living in them and eating from vineyards and olive groves you did not plant.  Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.  And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods.  Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses.   And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old.   Stay Tuned.   biblesnapshot.blogspot.com