Joshua 1

• 1. After the death of Moses the LORD's servant, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' assistant. He said,
• 2. "Now that my servant Moses is dead, you must lead my people across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them.
• 3. I promise you what I promised Moses: `Everywhere you go, you will be on land I have given you--
• 4. from the Negev Desert in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north, from the Euphrates River on the east to the Mediterranean Sea on the west, and all the land of the Hittites.'
• 5. No one will be able to stand their ground against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.
• 6. "Be strong and courageous, for you will lead my people to possess all the land I swore to give their ancestors.
• 7. Be strong and very courageous. Obey all the laws Moses gave you. Do not turn away from them, and you will be successful in everything you do.
• 8. Study this Book of the Law continually. Meditate on it day and night so you may be sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then will you succeed.
• 9. I command you--be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
• 10. Joshua then commanded the leaders of Israel,
• 11. "Go through the camp and tell the people to get their provisions ready. In three days you will cross the Jordan River and take possession of the land the LORD your God has given you."
• 12. Then Joshua called together the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. He told them,
• 13. "Remember what Moses, the servant of the LORD, commanded you: `The LORD your God is giving you rest and has given you this land.'
• 14. Your wives, children, and cattle may remain here on the east side of the Jordan River, but your warriors, fully armed, must lead the other tribes across the Jordan to help them conquer their territory. Stay with them
• 15. until the LORD gives rest to them as he has given rest to you, and until they, too, possess the land the LORD your God is giving them. Only then may you settle here on the east side of the Jordan River in the land that Moses, the servant of the LORD, gave you."
• 16. They answered Joshua, "We will do whatever you command us, and we will go wherever you send us.
• 17. We will obey you just as we obeyed Moses. And may the LORD your God be with you as he was with Moses.
• 18. Anyone who rebels against your word and does not obey your every command will be put to death. So be strong and courageous!"

Joshua 2

• 1. Then Joshua secretly sent out two spies from the Israelite camp at Acacia. He instructed them, "Spy out the land on the other side of the Jordan River, especially around Jericho." So the two men set out and came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there that night.
• 2. But someone told the king of Jericho, "Some Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land."
• 3. So the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab: "Bring out the men who have come into your house. They are spies sent here to discover the best way to attack us."
• 4. Rahab, who had hidden the two men, replied, "The men were here earlier, but I didn't know where they were from.
• 5. They left the city at dusk, as the city gates were about to close, and I don't know where they went. If you hurry, you can probably catch up with them."
• 6. (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them beneath piles of flax.)
• 7. So the king's men went looking for the spies along the road leading to the shallow crossing places of the Jordan River. And as soon as the king's men had left, the city gate was shut.
• 8. Before the spies went to sleep that night, Rahab went up on the roof to talk with them.
• 9. "I know the LORD has given you this land," she told them. "We are all afraid of you. Everyone is living in terror.
• 10. For we have heard how the LORD made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt. And we know what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River, whose people you completely destroyed.
• 11. No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the LORD your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.
• 12. Now swear to me by the LORD that you will be kind to me and my family since I have helped you. Give me some guarantee that
• 13. when Jericho is conquered, you will let me live, along with my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all their families."
• 14. "We offer our own lives as a guarantee for your safety," the men agreed. "If you don't betray us, we will keep our promise when the LORD gives us the land."
• 15. Then, since Rahab's house was built into the city wall, she let them down by a rope through the window.
• 16. "Escape to the hill country," she told them. "Hide there for three days until the men who are searching for you have returned; then go on your way."
• 17. Before they left, the men told her, "We can guarantee your safety
• 18. only if you leave this scarlet rope hanging from the window. And all your family members--your father, mother, brothers, and all your relatives--must be here inside the house.
• 19. If they go out into the street, they will be killed, and we cannot be held to our oath. But we swear that no one inside this house will be killed--not a hand will be laid on any of them.
• 20. If you betray us, however, we are not bound by this oath in any way."
• 21. "I accept your terms," she replied. And she sent them on their way, leaving the scarlet rope hanging from the window.
• 22. The spies went up into the hill country and stayed there three days. The men who were chasing them had searched everywhere along the road, but they finally returned to the city without success.
• 23. Then the two spies came down from the hill country, crossed the Jordan River, and reported to Joshua all that had happened to them.
• 24. "The LORD will certainly give us the whole land," they said, "for all the people in the land are terrified of us."

Joshua 3

• 1. Early the next morning Joshua and all the Israelites left Acacia and arrived at the banks of the Jordan River, where they camped before crossing.
• 2. Three days later, the Israelite leaders went through the camp
• 3. giving these instructions to the people: "When you see the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD your God, follow them.
• 4. Since you have never traveled this way before, they will guide you. Stay about a half mile behind them, keeping a clear distance between you and the Ark. Make sure you don't come any closer."
• 5. Then Joshua told the people, "Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do great wonders among you."
• 6. In the morning Joshua said to the priests, "Lift up the Ark of the Covenant and lead the people across the river." And so they started out.
• 7. The LORD told Joshua, "Today I will begin to make you great in the eyes of all the Israelites. Now they will know that I am with you, just as I was with Moses.
• 8. Give these instructions to the priests who are carrying the Ark of the Covenant: `When you reach the banks of the Jordan River, take a few steps into the river and stop.'"
• 9. So Joshua told the Israelites, "Come and listen to what the LORD your God says.
• 10. Today you will know that the living God is among you. He will surely drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites.
• 11. Think of it! The Ark of the Covenant, which belongs to the Lord of the whole earth, will lead you across the Jordan River!
• 12. Now choose twelve men, one from each tribe.
• 13. The priests will be carrying the Ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth. When their feet touch the water, the flow of water will be cut off upstream, and the river will pile up there in one heap."
• 14. When the people set out to cross the Jordan, the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of them.
• 15. Now it was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing its banks. But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river's edge,
• 16. the water began piling up at a town upstream called Adam, which is near Zarethan. And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the city of Jericho.
• 17. Meanwhile, the priests who were carrying the Ark of the LORD's covenant stood on dry ground in the middle of the riverbed as the people passed by them. They waited there until everyone had crossed the Jordan on dry ground.

New Living Translation: 65 of 324 days.