Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that
the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, 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, even to the children of Israel.
Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto
you, as I said unto Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto
the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the
great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. 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. Be strong
and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an
inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. 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. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong
and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD
thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, Pass through the
host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three
days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the
LORD your God giveth you to possess it.
And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh,
spake Joshua, saying, Remember the word which Moses the servant of the
LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath given you rest, and
hath given you this land. Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall
remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall
pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help
them; Until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and
they also have possessed the land which the LORD your God giveth them:
then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which
Moses the LORD's servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising.
And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do,
and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go. According as we hearkened
unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the LORD thy God
be with thee, as he was with Moses. Whosoever he be that doth rebel against
thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou
commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good
courage.
And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly,
saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an
harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there. And it was told the king of
Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of
Israel to search out the country. And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab,
saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into
thine house: for they be come to search out all the country. And the woman
took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me,
but I wist not whence they were: And it came to pass about the time of
shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the
men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.
But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the
stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof. And the men
pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they
which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.
And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof; And
she said unto the men, 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. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the
Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two
kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og,
whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, our
hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man,
because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in
earth beneath. Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I
have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's
house, and give me a true token: And that ye will save alive my father, and my
mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver
our lives from death. And 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. And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the
pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers
be returned: and afterward may ye go your way. And the men said unto her,
We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear.
Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread
in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy
father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household,
home unto thee. And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of
thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be
guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on
our head, if any hand be upon him. And if thou utter this our business, then
we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear. And she said,
According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they
departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.
And they went, and came unto the mountain, and abode there three days,
until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout
all the way, but found them not.
So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed
over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all things that befell
them: And they said unto Joshua, Truly the LORD hath delivered into our
hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because
of us.
And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and
came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they
passed over. And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went
through the host; And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the
ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing
it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it. Yet there shall be a
space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not
near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not
passed this way heretofore. And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify
yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you. And Joshua
spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over
before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before
the people.
And 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. And 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 Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words
of the LORD your God. And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living
God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the
Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the
Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites. Behold, the ark of the
covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.
Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every
tribe a man. 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 it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over
Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;
And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the
priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan
overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) That the waters which came
down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city
Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of
the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed
over right against Jericho. 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.
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. Then Joshua called the twelve
men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a
man: And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your
God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon
his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of
Israel: 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 the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up
twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the LORD spake unto Joshua,
according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried
them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down
there. And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place
where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and
they are there unto this day.
For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until every
thing was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak unto the
people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people
hasted and passed over. And it came to pass, when all the people were clean
passed over, that the ark of the LORD passed over, and the priests, in the
presence of the people. And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad,
and half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of
Israel, as Moses spake unto them: About forty thousand prepared for war
passed over before the LORD unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.
On that day the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they
feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life. And the LORD spake
unto Joshua, saying, Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony,
that they come up out of Jordan. Joshua therefore commanded the priests,
saying, Come ye up out of Jordan. 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.
And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month,
and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.
And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in
Gilgal. And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children
shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? Then
ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry
land. For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you,
until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which he
dried up from before us, until we were gone over: That all the people of the
earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear
the LORD your God for ever.
And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the
side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by
the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before
the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted,
neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.
At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and
circumcise again the children of Israel the second time. And Joshua made him
sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the
foreskins. 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. For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till
all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were
consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the
LORD sware that he would not shew them the land, which the LORD sware
unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and
honey. And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua
circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised
them by the way. And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all
the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole.
And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of
Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this
day.
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.
And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes
and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword
drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for
us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the
LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did
worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? And the
captain of the LORD's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot;
for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.
Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went
out, and none came in. And 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. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven
trumpets of rams' horns: and 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, and the people shall ascend up every man
straight before him.
And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up
the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams'
horns before the ark of the LORD. And he said unto the people, Pass on, and
compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the
LORD.
And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven
priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the
LORD, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD
followed them.
And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and
the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the
trumpets. And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout,
nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of
your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout. So the ark of
the LORD compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the
camp, and lodged in the camp.
And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the
LORD. And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the
ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the
armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the
LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets. And the second day
they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six
days. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the
dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven
times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times. And it came to
pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua
said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city.
And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD:
only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house,
because she hid the messengers that we sent. And ye, in any wise keep
yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye
take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble
it. But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated
unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD. So the people
shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when
the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a
great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the
city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. And they utterly
destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and
ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword. But Joshua had said unto
the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot's house, and
bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her. And
the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her
father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they
brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel. And
they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the
gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the
house of the LORD. And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's
household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day;
because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the
LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation
thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.
So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the
country.
But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for
Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of
Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled
against the children of Israel. And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is
beside Beth-aven, on the east side of Beth-el, and spake unto them, saying,
Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. And they
returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let
about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the
people to labour thither; for they are but few. So there went up thither of the
people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. And
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. And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all
brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites,
to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other
side Jordan! O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before
their enemies! For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall
hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth:
and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?
And 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. Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against
to morrow: 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. In the morning therefore
ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe
which the LORD taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the
family which the LORD shall take shall come by households; and the
household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man. And it shall be,
that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and
all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and
because he hath wrought folly in Israel.
So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes;
and the tribe of Judah was taken: And he brought the family of Judah; and he
took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man
by man; and Zabdi was taken: And he brought his household man by man;
and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe
of Judah, was taken. And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee,
glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me
now what thou hast done; hide it not from me. And Achan answered Joshua,
and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and
thus have I done: When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment,
and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels
weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the
earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was
hid in his tent, and the silver under it. And they took them out of the midst of
the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel,
and laid them out before the LORD. And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took
Achan the son of Zerah, 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. And they raised over him a
great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of
his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor,
unto this day.
And 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 into thy
hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land: And thou shalt
do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil
thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay
thee an ambush for the city behind it.
So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua
chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by
night. And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against
the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:
And I, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto the city: and it
shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will
flee before them, (For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them
from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore
we will flee before them. Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize
upon the city: for the LORD your God will deliver it into your 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. See, I have commanded you.
Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in ambush, and abode
between Beth-el and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that night
among the people. And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered
the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.
And all the people, even the people of war that were with him, went up, and
drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai: now
there was a valley between them and Ai. And he took about five thousand
men, and set them to lie in ambush between Beth-el and Ai, on the west side
of the city. And when they had set the people, even all the host that was on
the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua
went that night into the midst of the valley.
And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up
early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his
people, at a time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not that there were
liers in ambush against him behind the city. And Joshua and all Israel made as
if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness. And
all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them: and
they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city. And there
was not a man left in Ai or Beth-el, that went not out after Israel: and they left
the city open, and pursued after Israel. And the LORD said unto Joshua,
Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine
hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the
city. And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as
he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city, and took it, and
hasted and set the city on fire. And when the men of Ai looked behind them,
they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they
had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the
wilderness turned back upon the pursuers. And when Joshua and all Israel
saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city
ascended, then they turned again, and slew the men of Ai. And the other
issued out of the city against them; so they were in the midst of Israel, some
on this side, and some on that side: and they smote them, so that they let
none of them remain or escape.
And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua. 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, and when they were all
fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the
Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword. And so it
was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve
thousand, even all the men of Ai. For Joshua drew not his hand back,
wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the
inhabitants of Ai. Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a
prey unto themselves, according unto the word of the LORD which he
commanded Joshua. And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even
a desolation unto this day. And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until
eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they
should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the
gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto
this day.
Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal, As
Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as it is
written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which
no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto
the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings.
And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he
wrote in the presence of the children of Israel. 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
the servant of the LORD 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. There was
not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all
the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the
strangers that were conversant among them.
And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the
hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against
Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite,
and the Jebusite, heard thereof; That they gathered themselves together, to
fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto
Jericho and to Ai, They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been
ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and
rent, and bound up; And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old
garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and
mouldy. And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him,
and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore
make ye a league with us. And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites,
Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?
And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them,
Who are ye? and from whence come ye? And they said unto him, From a very
far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy God:
for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt, And all that
he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon
king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth.
Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us,
saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say
unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us.
This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we
came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy: And
these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent:
and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very
long journey. And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the
mouth of the LORD.
And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them
live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.
And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league
with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they
dwelt among them. 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 Kirjath-jearim. And 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. This we will do to
them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath
which we sware unto them. And the princes said unto them, Let them live;
but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the
congregation; as the princes had promised 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. And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy
servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses to give
you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before
you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have
done this thing. And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good
and right unto thee to do unto us, do. And so did he unto them, and
delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them
not. And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water
for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the
place which he should choose.
Now it came to pass, when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem had heard how
Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho
and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of
Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them; That they feared
greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and
because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty.
Wherefore Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron,
and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto
Debir king of Eglon, saying, Come up unto me, and help me, that we may
smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of
Israel. Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king
of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon,
gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and
encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it.
And 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.
And 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. Joshua
therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night. And
the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great
slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Beth-horon,
and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah. And it came to pass,
as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Beth-horon,
that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah,
and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the
children of Israel slew with the sword.
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. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? 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 returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal. But
these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah. And it was
told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah. And
Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it
for to keep them: And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite
the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the LORD
your God hath delivered them into your hand. And it came to pass, when
Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a
very great slaughter, till they were consumed, that the rest which remained of
them entered into fenced cities. And all the people returned to the camp to
Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the
children of Israel. Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring
out those five kings unto me out of the cave. And they did so, and brought
forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king
of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. And
it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua
called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war
which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these
kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them. And
Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good
courage: for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye fight.
And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five
trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening. And it came to
pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and
they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they
had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave's mouth, which remain until
this very day.
And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword,
and the king thereof he utterly destroyed, them, and all the souls that were
therein; he let none remain: and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did
unto the king of Jericho. Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel
with him, unto Libnah, and fought against Libnah: And the LORD delivered it
also, and the king thereof, into the hand of Israel; and he smote it with the
edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain in
it; but did unto the king thereof as he did unto the king of Jericho.
And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, unto Lachish, and
encamped against it, and fought against it: And the LORD delivered Lachish
into the hand of Israel, which took it on the second day, and smote it with the
edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein, according to all that he
had done to Libnah.
Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua smote him
and his people, until he had left him none remaining.
And from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they
encamped against it, and fought against it: And they took it on that day, and
smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein he
utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish. And
Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, unto Hebron; and they
fought against it: And they took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword,
and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof, and all the souls that were
therein; he left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon;
but destroyed it utterly, and all the souls that were therein.
And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir; and fought against it:
And he took it, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof; and they smote
them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls that were
therein; he left none remaining: as he had done to Hebron, so he did to
Debir, and to the king thereof; as he had done also to Libnah, and to her king.
So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale,
and of the springs, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but utterly
destroyed all that breathed, as the LORD God of Israel commanded. And
Joshua smote them from Kadesh-barnea 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. And Joshua
returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.
And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things, that he
sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of
Achshaph, And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains, and of
the plains south of Chinneroth, and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on
the west, And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the
Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains,
and to the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh. 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. And
when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at
the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.
And 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, and chased them unto great Zidon, and unto Misrephoth-maim,
and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they smote them, until they left
them none remaining. And Joshua did unto them as the LORD bade him: he
houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.
And Joshua at that time turned back, and took Hazor, and smote the king
thereof with the sword: for Hazor beforetime was the head of all those
kingdoms. And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the
sword, utterly destroying them: there was not any left to breathe: and he
burnt Hazor with fire. And all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of
them, did Joshua take, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and he
utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the LORD commanded. But as
for the cities that stood still in their strength, Israel burned none of them,
save Hazor only; that did Joshua burn. And all the spoil of these cities, and the
cattle, the children of Israel took for a prey unto themselves; but every man
they smote with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them,
neither left they any to breathe.
As the LORD commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua,
and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded
Moses. So Joshua took all that land, the hills, and all the south country, and all
the land of Goshen, and the valley, and the plain, and the mountain of Israel,
and the valley of the same; Even from the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir,
even unto Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon under mount Hermon: and all
their kings he took, and smote them, and slew them. Joshua made war a long
time with all those kings. There was not a city that made peace with the
children of Israel, save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon: all other they
took in battle. 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.
And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains,
from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah,
and from all the mountains of Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly with their
cities. There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel:
only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, there remained. 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.
Now these are the kings of the land, which the children of Israel smote, and
possessed their land on the other side Jordan toward the rising of the sun,
from the river Arnon unto mount Hermon, and all the plain on the east: Sihon
king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is
upon the bank of the river Arnon, and from the middle of the river, and from
half Gilead, even unto the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of
Ammon; And from the plain to the sea of Chinneroth on the east, and unto
the sea of the plain, even the salt sea on the east, the way to Beth-jeshimoth;
and from the south, under Ashdoth-pisgah:
And the coast of Og king of Bashan, which was of the remnant of the giants,
that dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei, And reigned in mount Hermon, and in
Salcah, and in all Bashan, unto the border of the Geshurites and the
Maachathites, and half Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon. Them
did Moses the servant of the LORD and the children of Israel smite: and Moses
the servant of the LORD gave it for a possession unto the Reubenites, and the
Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh.
And these are the kings of the country which Joshua and the children of Israel
smote on this side Jordan on the west, from Baal-gad in the valley of
Lebanon even unto the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir; which Joshua
gave unto the tribes of Israel for a possession according to their divisions; In
the mountains, and in the valleys, and in the plains, and in the springs, and in
the wilderness, and in the south country; the Hittites, the Amorites, and the
Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites:
The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Beth-el, one; The king
of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one; The king of Jarmuth, one; the king
of Lachish, one; The king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one; The king of
Debir, one; the king of Geder, one; The king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad,
one; The king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one; The king of Makkedah,
one; the king of Beth-el, one; The king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher,
one; The king of Aphek, one; the king of Lasharon, one; The king of Madon,
one; the king of Hazor, one; The king of Shimron-meron, one; the king of
Achshaph, one; The king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one; The king
of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam of Carmel, one; The king of Dor in the
coast of Dor, one; the king of the nations of Gilgal, one; The king of Tirzah,
one: all the kings thirty and one.
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. This is the land that yet remaineth: all the borders of the
Philistines, and all Geshuri, From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the
borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of
the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the
Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites: From the south, all the land of the
Canaanites, and Mearah that is beside the Sidonians, unto Aphek, to the
borders of the Amorites: And the land of the Giblites, and all Lebanon, toward
the sunrising, from Baal-gad under mount Hermon unto the entering into
Hamath. All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon unto
Misrephoth-maim, and all the Sidonians, them will I drive out from before the
children of Israel: only divide thou it by lot unto the Israelites for an
inheritance, as I have commanded thee.
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, which Moses gave them, beyond Jordan eastward,
even as Moses the servant of the LORD gave them; From Aroer, that is upon
the bank of the river Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river, and
all the plain of Medeba unto Dibon; And all the cities of Sihon king of the
Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, unto the border of the children of
Ammon; And Gilead, and the border of the Geshurites and Maachathites, and
all mount Hermon, and all Bashan unto Salcah; All the kingdom of Og in
Bashan, which reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei, who remained of the
remnant of the giants: for these did Moses smite, and cast them out.
Nevertheless the children of Israel expelled not the Geshurites, nor the
Maachathites: but the Geshurites and the Maachathites dwell among the
Israelites until this day. Only unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance;
the sacrifices of the LORD God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as
he said unto them.
And Moses gave unto the tribe of the children of Reuben inheritance
according to their families. And their coast was from Aroer, that is on the
bank of the river Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river, and all
the plain by Medeba; Heshbon, and all her cities that are in the plain; Dibon,
and Bamoth-baal, and Beth-baal-meon, And Jahazah, and Kedemoth, and
Mephaath, And Kirjathaim, and Sibmah, and Zareth-shahar in the mount of
the valley, And Beth-peor, and Ashdoth-pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth, And all
the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites,
which reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses smote with the princes of Midian,
Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, which were dukes of Sihon,
dwelling in the country.
Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay
with the sword among them that were slain by them. And the border of the
children of Reuben was Jordan, and the border thereof. This was the
inheritance of the children of Reuben after their families, the cities and the
villages thereof. And Moses gave inheritance unto the tribe of Gad, even unto
the children of Gad according to their families. And their coast was Jazer, and
all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon, unto Aroer
that is before Rabbah; And from Heshbon unto Ramath-mizpeh, and
Betonim; and from Mahanaim unto the border of Debir; And in the valley,
Beth-aram, and Beth-nimrah, and Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the
kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, Jordan and his border, even unto the edge
of the sea of Chinnereth on the other side Jordan eastward. This is the
inheritance of the children of Gad after their families, the cities, and their
villages.
And Moses gave inheritance unto the half tribe of Manasseh: and this was the
possession of the half tribe of the children of Manasseh by their families. And
their coast was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of
Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in Bashan, threescore cities: And
half Gilead, and Ashtaroth, and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan,
were pertaining unto the children of Machir the son of Manasseh, even to the
one half of the children of Machir by their families. These are the countries
which Moses did distribute for inheritance in the plains of Moab, on the other
side Jordan, by Jericho, eastward. But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not
any inheritance: the LORD God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto
them.
And these are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the land of
Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads
of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance
to them. By lot was their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by the hand of
Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe. For Moses had given the
inheritance of two tribes and an half tribe on the other side Jordan: but unto
the Levites he gave none inheritance among them. For the children of Joseph
were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gave no part unto
the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their
cattle and for their substance. As the LORD commanded Moses, so the
children of Israel did, and they divided the land.
Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of
Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD
said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadesh-barnea.
Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from
Kadesh-barnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was
in mine heart. Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the
heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God. And Moses
sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden
shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for ever, because thou hast
wholly followed the LORD my God. And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me
alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this
word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and
now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. As yet I am as strong this
day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so
is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. Now therefore
give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest
in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and
fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them
out, as the LORD said. And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of
Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance. Hebron therefore became the
inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day,
because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel. And the name of
Hebron before was Kirjath-arba; which Arba was a great man among the
Anakims. And the land had rest from war.
This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families;
even to the border of Edom the wilderness of Zin southward was the
uttermost part of the south coast. And their south border was from the shore
of the salt sea, from the bay that looketh southward: And it went out to the
south side to Maaleh-acrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and ascended up
on the south side unto Kadesh-barnea, and passed along to Hezron, and
went up to Adar, and fetched a compass to Karkaa: From thence it passed
toward Azmon, and went out unto the river of Egypt; and the goings out of
that coast were at the sea: this shall be your south coast. And the east border
was the salt sea, even unto the end of Jordan. And their border in the north
quarter was from the bay of the sea at the uttermost part of Jordan: And the
border went up to Beth-hogla, and passed along by the north of Beth-arabah;
and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben:
And the border went up toward Debir from the valley of Achor, and so
northward, looking toward Gilgal, that is before the going up to Adummim,
which is on the south side of the river: and the border passed toward the
waters of En-shemesh, and the goings out thereof were at En-rogel: And the
border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom unto the south side of the
Jebusite; the same is Jerusalem: and the border went up to the top of the
mountain that lieth before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end
of the valley of the giants northward: And the border was drawn from the top
of the hill unto the fountain of the water of Nephtoah, and went out to the
cities of mount Ephron; and the border was drawn to Baalah, which is Kirjath-jearim:
And the border compassed from Baalah westward unto mount Seir,
and passed along unto the side of mount Jearim, which is Chesalon, on the
north side, and went down to Beth-shemesh, and passed on to Timnah: And
the border went out unto the side of Ekron northward: and the border was
drawn to Shicron, and passed along to mount Baalah, and went out unto
Jabneel; and the goings out of the border were at the sea. And the west
border was to the great sea, and the coast thereof. This is the coast of the
children of Judah round about according to their families.
And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of
Judah, according to the commandment of the LORD to Joshua, even the city of
Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron. And Caleb drove thence the
three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
And he went up thence to the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir
before was Kirjath-sepher.
And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher, and taketh it, to him will I give
Achsah my daughter to wife. And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of
Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife. And it came to
pass, as she came unto him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field:
and she lighted off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wouldest thou?
Who answered, Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a south land; give
me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs, and the nether
springs.
This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their
families. And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward
the coast of Edom southward were Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur, And Kinah,
and Dimonah, and Adadah, And Kedesh, and Hazor, and Ithnan, Ziph, and
Telem, and Bealoth, And Hazor, Hadattah, and Kerioth, and Hezron, which is
Hazor, Amam, and Shema, and Moladah, And Hazar-gaddah, and Heshmon,
and Beth-palet, And Hazar-shual, and Beer-sheba, and Bizjothjah, Baalah,
and Iim, and Azem, And Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah, And Ziklag, and
Madmannah, and Sansannah, And Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and
Rimmon: all the cities are twenty and nine, with their villages: And in the
valley, Eshtaol, and Zoreah, and Ashnah, And Zanoah, and En-gannim,
Tappuah, and Enam, Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah, And Sharaim,
and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim; fourteen cities with their
villages: Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdal-gad, And Dilean, and Mizpeh, and
Joktheel, Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon, And Cabbon, and Lahmam, and
Kithlish, And Gederoth, Beth-dagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen
cities with their villages: Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan, And Jiphtah, and
Ashnah, and Nezib, And Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with
their villages: Ekron, with her towns and her villages: From Ekron even unto
the sea, all that lay near Ashdod, with their villages: Ashdod with her towns
and her villages, Gaza with her towns and her villages, unto the river of Egypt,
and the great sea, and the border thereof:
And in the mountains, Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh, And Dannah, and
Kirjath-sannah, which is Debir, And Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim, And
Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages: Arab, and
Dumah, and Eshean, And Janum, and Beth-tappuah, and Aphekah, And
Humtah, and Kirjath-arba, which is Hebron, and Zior; nine cities with their
villages: Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Juttah, And Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and
Zanoah, Cain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages: Halhul, Beth-zur,
and Gedor, And Maarath, and Beth-anoth, and Eltekon; six cities with
their villages: Kirjath-baal, which is Kirjath-jearim, and Rabbah; two cities with
their villages: In the wilderness, Beth-arabah, Middin, and Secacah, And
Nibshan, and the city of Salt, and En-gedi; six cities with their villages.
As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could
not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at
Jerusalem unto this day.
And the lot of the children of Joseph fell from Jordan by Jericho, unto the
water of Jericho on the east, to the wilderness that goeth up from Jericho
throughout mount Beth-el, And goeth out from Beth-el to Luz, and passeth
along unto the borders of Archi to Ataroth, And goeth down westward to the
coast of Japhleti, unto the coast of Beth-horon the nether, and to Gezer: and
the goings out thereof are at the sea. So the children of Joseph, Manasseh
and Ephraim, took their inheritance.
And the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families was
thus: even the border of their inheritance on the east side was Ataroth-addar,
unto Beth-horon the upper; And the border went out toward the sea to
Michmethah on the north side; and the border went about eastward unto
Taanath-shiloh, and passed by it on the east to Janohah; And it went down
from Janohah to Ataroth, and to Naarath, and came to Jericho, and went out
at Jordan. The border went out from Tappuah westward unto the river
Kanah; and the goings out thereof were at the sea. This is the inheritance of
the tribe of the children of Ephraim by their families. And the separate cities
for the children of Ephraim were among the inheritance of the children of
Manasseh, all the cities with their villages. And they drave not out the
Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the
Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.
There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh; for he was the firstborn of
Joseph; to wit, for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead:
because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan. There
was also a lot for the rest of the children of Manasseh by their families; for
the children of Abiezer, and for the children of Helek, and for the children of
Asriel, and for the children of Shechem, and for the children of Hepher, and
for the children of Shemida: these were the male children of Manasseh the
son of Joseph by their families.
But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the
son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters: and these are the names of his
daughters, Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. And they came
near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before
the princes, saying, The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance
among our brethren. Therefore according to the commandment of the LORD
he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father. And there
fell ten portions to Manasseh, beside the land of Gilead and Bashan, which
were on the other side Jordan; Because the daughters of Manasseh had an
inheritance among his sons: and the rest of Manasseh's sons had the land of
Gilead.
And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethah, that lieth before
Shechem; and the border went along on the right hand unto the inhabitants
of En-tappuah. Now Manasseh had the land of Tappuah: but Tappuah on the
border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim; And the coast
descended unto the river Kanah, southward of the river: these cities of
Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh: the coast of Manasseh also was
on the north side of the river, and the outgoings of it were at the sea:
Southward it was Ephraim's, and northward it was Manasseh's, and the sea is
his border; and they met together in Asher on the north, and in Issachar on
the east. And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Beth-shean and her
towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns,
and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach
and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, even three
countries. Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of
those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. Yet it came to pass,
when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites
to tribute; but did not utterly drive them out.
And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given
me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people,
forasmuch as the LORD hath blessed me hitherto? And Joshua answered
them, If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood country, and cut
down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if mount
Ephraim be too narrow for thee. And the children of Joseph said, The hill is
not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley
have chariots of iron, both they who are of Beth-shean and her towns, and
they who are of the valley of Jezreel. And Joshua spake unto the house of
Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people,
and hast great power: thou shalt not have one lot only: But the mountain
shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings
of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have
iron chariots, and though they be strong.
And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at
Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was
subdued before them.
And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not
yet received their inheritance. And 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? Give out from among you three men for each tribe:
and I will send them, and they shall rise, and go through the land, and
describe it according to the inheritance of them; and they shall come again to
me. And they shall divide it into seven parts: Judah shall abide in their coast
on the south, and the house of Joseph shall abide in their coasts on the
north. Ye shall therefore describe the land into seven parts, and bring the
description hither to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD our
God. But the Levites have no part among you; for the priesthood of the LORD
is their inheritance: and Gad, and Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh,
have received their inheritance beyond Jordan on the east, which Moses the
servant of the LORD gave them.
And the men arose, and went away: and Joshua charged them that went to
describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the land, and describe it, and
come again to me, that I may here cast lots for you before the LORD in Shiloh.
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.
And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to
their families: and the coast of their lot came forth between the children of
Judah and the children of Joseph. And their border on the north side was
from Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north side,
and went up through the mountains westward; and the goings out thereof
were at the wilderness of Beth-aven. And the border went over from thence
toward Luz, to the side of Luz, which is Beth-el, southward; and the border
descended to Ataroth-adar, near the hill that lieth on the south side of the
nether Beth-horon. And the border was drawn thence, and compassed the
corner of the sea southward, from the hill that lieth before Beth-horon
southward; and the goings out thereof were at Kirjath-baal, which is Kirjath-jearim,
a city of the children of Judah: this was the west quarter. And the
south quarter was from the end of Kirjath-jearim, and the border went out
on the west, and went out to the well of waters of Nephtoah: And the border
came down to the end of the mountain that lieth before the valley of the son
of Hinnom, and which is in the valley of the giants on the north, and
descended to the valley of Hinnom, to the side of Jebusi on the south, and
descended to En-rogel, And was drawn from the north, and went forth to En-shemesh,
and went forth toward Geliloth, which is over against the going up
of Adummim, and descended to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben, And
passed along toward the side over against Arabah northward, and went
down unto Arabah: And the border passed along to the side of Beth-hoglah
northward: and the outgoings of the border were at the north bay of the salt
sea at the south end of Jordan: this was the south coast. And Jordan was the
border of it on the east side. This was the inheritance of the children of
Benjamin, by the coasts thereof round about, according to their families. Now
the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families
were Jericho, and Beth-hoglah, and the valley of Keziz, And Beth-arabah, and
Zemaraim, and Beth-el, And Avim, and Parah, and Ophrah, And Chephar-haammonai,
and Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities with their villages: Gibeon,
and Ramah, and Beeroth, And Mizpeh, and Chephirah, and Mozah, And
Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah, And Zelah, Eleph, and Jebusi, which is
Jerusalem, Gibeath, and Kirjath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the
inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.
And the second lot came forth to Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of
Simeon according to their families: and their inheritance was within the
inheritance of the children of Judah. And they had in their inheritance Beer-sheba,
or Sheba, and Moladah, And Hazar-shual, and Balah, and Azem, And
Eltolad, and Bethul, and Hormah, And Ziklag, and Beth-marcaboth, and
Hazar-susah, And Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities and their
villages: Ain, Remmon, and Ether, and Ashan; four cities and their villages:
And all the villages that were round about these cities to Baalath-beer,
Ramath of the south. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of
Simeon according to their families. Out of the portion of the children of Judah
was the inheritance of the children of Simeon: for the part of the children of
Judah was too much for them: therefore the children of Simeon had their
inheritance within the inheritance of them.
And the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun according to their
families: and the border of their inheritance was unto Sarid: And their border
went up toward the sea, and Maralah, and reached to Dabbasheth, and
reached to the river that is before Jokneam; And turned from Sarid eastward
toward the sunrising unto the border of Chisloth-tabor, and then goeth out
to Daberath, and goeth up to Japhia, And from thence passeth on along on
the east to Gittah-hepher, to Ittah-kazin, and goeth out to Remmon-methoar
to Neah; And the border compasseth it on the north side to Hannathon: and
the outgoings thereof are in the valley of Jiphthah-el: And Kattath, and
Nahallal, and Shimron, and Idalah, and Beth-lehem: twelve cities with their
villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to their
families, these cities with their villages.
And the fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the children of Issachar according
to their families. And their border was toward Jezreel, and Chesulloth, and
Shunem, And Hapharaim, and Shion, and Anaharath, And Rabbith, and
Kishion, and Abez, And Remeth, and En-gannim, and En-haddah, and Beth-pazzez;
And the coast reacheth to Tabor, and Shahazimah, and Beth-shemesh;
and the outgoings of their border were at Jordan: sixteen cities
with their villages. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of
Issachar according to their families, the cities and their villages.
And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to
their families. And their border was Helkath, and Hali, and Beten, and
Achshaph, And Alammelech, and Amad, and Misheal; and reacheth to Carmel
westward, and to Shihor-libnath; And turneth toward the sunrising to Beth-dagon,
and reacheth to Zebulun, and to the valley of Jiphthah-el toward the
north side of Beth-emek, and Neiel, and goeth out to Cabul on the left hand,
And Hebron, and Rehob, and Hammon, and Kanah, even unto great Zidon;
And then the coast turneth to Ramah, and to the strong city Tyre; and the
coast turneth to Hosah; and the outgoings thereof are at the sea from the
coast to Achzib: Ummah also, and Aphek, and Rehob: twenty and two cities
with their villages. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher
according to their families, these cities with their villages.
The sixth lot came out to the children of Naphtali, even for the children of
Naphtali according to their families. And their coast was from Heleph, from
Allon to Zaanannim, and Adami, Nekeb, and Jabneel, unto Lakum; and the
outgoings thereof were at Jordan: And then the coast turneth westward to
Aznoth-tabor, and goeth out from thence to Hukkok, and reacheth to
Zebulun on the south side, and reacheth to Asher on the west side, and to
Judah upon Jordan toward the sunrising. And the fenced cities are Ziddim,
Zer, and Hammath, Rakkath, and Chinnereth, And Adamah, and Ramah, and
Hazor, And Kedesh, and Edrei, and En-hazor, And Iron, and Migdal-el,
Horem, and Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh; nineteen cities with their
villages. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naphtali
according to their families, the cities and their villages.
And the seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of Dan according to
their families. And the coast of their inheritance was Zorah, and Eshtaol, and
Ir-shemesh, And Shaalabbin, and Ajalon, and Jethlah, And Elon, and
Thimnathah, and Ekron, And Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath, And Jehud,
and Bene-berak, and Gath-rimmon, And Me-jarkon, and Rakkon, with the
border before Japho. And the coast of the children of Dan went out too little
for them: therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and
took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and dwelt
therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father. This is
the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families,
these cities with their villages.
When they had made an end of dividing the land for inheritance by their
coasts, the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun
among them: According to the word of the LORD they gave him the city which
he asked, even Timnath-serah in mount Ephraim: and he built the city, and
dwelt therein. These are the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest, and
Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the
children of Israel, divided for an inheritance by lot in Shiloh before the LORD,
at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. So they made an end of
dividing the country.
The LORD also 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: That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and
unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger
of blood. And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at
the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of
the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give
him a place, that he may dwell among them. And if the avenger of blood
pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand;
because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.
And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for
judgment, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days:
then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own
house, unto the city from whence he fled.
And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in
mount Ephraim, and Kirjath-arba, 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.
Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites unto Eleazar the
priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of
the tribes of the children of Israel; And they spake unto them at Shiloh in the
land of Canaan, saying, The LORD commanded by the hand of Moses to give
us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle. And the children
of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance, at the commandment
of the LORD, these cities and their suburbs. And the lot came out for the
families of the Kohathites: and the children of Aaron the priest, which were of
the Levites, had by lot out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of
Simeon, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities. And the rest of the
children of Kohath had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, and
out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh, ten cities. And
the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar,
and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the
half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities. The children of Merari by
their families had out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and
out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities. And the children of Israel gave by lot
unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs, as the LORD commanded by
the hand of Moses.
And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of
the children of Simeon, these cities which are here mentioned by name,
Which the children of Aaron, being of the families of the Kohathites, who were
of the children of Levi, had: for theirs was the first lot. And they gave them
the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron, in the hill country of
Judah, with the suburbs thereof round about it. But the fields of the city, and
the villages thereof, gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his
possession.
Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest Hebron with her suburbs,
to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Libnah with her suburbs, And Jattir
with her suburbs, and Eshtemoa with her suburbs, And Holon with her
suburbs, and Debir with her suburbs, And Ain with her suburbs, and Juttah
with her suburbs, and Beth-shemesh with her suburbs; nine cities out of
those two tribes. And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with her suburbs,
Geba with her suburbs, Anathoth with her suburbs, and Almon with her
suburbs; four cities. All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were
thirteen cities with their suburbs.
And the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites which remained of the
children of Kohath, even they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of
Ephraim. For they gave them Shechem with her suburbs in mount Ephraim,
to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Gezer with her suburbs, And Kibzaim
with her suburbs, and Beth-horon with her suburbs; four cities. And out of
the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with her suburbs, Gibbethon with her suburbs,
Aijalon with her suburbs, Gath-rimmon with her suburbs; four cities. And out
of the half tribe of Manasseh, Tanach with her suburbs, and Gath-rimmon
with her suburbs; two cities. All the cities were ten with their suburbs for the
families of the children of Kohath that remained.
And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the
other half tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, to
be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Beesh-terah with her suburbs; two
cities. And out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishon with her suburbs, Dabareh with
her suburbs, Jarmuth with her suburbs, En-gannim with her suburbs; four
cities. And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with her suburbs, Abdon with her
suburbs, Helkath with her suburbs, and Rehob with her suburbs; four cities.
And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs, to be a
city of refuge for the slayer; and Hammoth-dor with her suburbs, and Kartan
with her suburbs; three cities. All the cities of the Gershonites according to
their families were thirteen cities with their suburbs.
And unto the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, out of
the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with her suburbs, and Kartah with her suburbs,
Dimnah with her suburbs, Nahalal with her suburbs; four cities. And out of
the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with her suburbs, and Jahazah with her suburbs,
Kedemoth with her suburbs, and Mephaath with her suburbs; four cities. And
out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, to be a city of
refuge for the slayer; and Mahanaim with her suburbs, Heshbon with her
suburbs, Jazer with her suburbs; four cities in all. So all the cities for the
children of Merari by their families, which were remaining of the families of
the Levites, were by their lot twelve cities. All the cities of the Levites within
the possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight cities with their
suburbs. These cities were every one with their suburbs round about them:
thus were all these cities.
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.
Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of
Manasseh, And said unto them, Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of the
LORD commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded
you: Ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, but have
kept the charge of the commandment of the LORD your God. And now the
LORD your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he promised them:
therefore now return ye, and get you unto your tents, and unto the land of
your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other
side 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: and they went unto their tents.
Now to the one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given possession in
Bashan: but unto the other half thereof gave Joshua among their brethren on
this side Jordan westward. And when Joshua sent them away also unto their
tents, then he blessed them, And he spake unto them, saying, Return with
much riches unto your tents, and with very much cattle, with silver, and with
gold, and with brass, and with iron, and with very much raiment: divide the
spoil of your enemies with your brethren.
And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of
Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh,
which is in the land of Canaan, to go unto the country of Gilead, to the land of
their possession, whereof they were possessed, according to the word of the
LORD by the hand of Moses.
And when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of
Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of
Manasseh built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to.
And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of Reuben and the
children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar over
against the land of Canaan, in the borders of Jordan, at the passage of the
children of Israel. And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole
congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh,
to go up to war against them. And the children of Israel sent unto the
children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of
Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, And
with him ten princes, of each chief house a prince throughout all the tribes of
Israel; and each one was an head of the house of their fathers among the
thousands of Israel.
And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and
to the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and they spake with
them, saying, Thus saith the whole congregation of the LORD, What trespass is
this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day
from following the LORD, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might
rebel this day against the LORD? Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from
which we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the
congregation of the LORD, But that ye must turn away this day from following
the LORD? and it will be, seeing ye rebel to day against the LORD, that to
morrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel.
Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession be unclean, then pass ye over
unto the land of the possession of the LORD, wherein the LORD's tabernacle
dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel not against the LORD, nor
rebel against us, in building you an altar beside the altar of the LORD our God.
Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and
wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone
in his iniquity.
Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of
Manasseh answered, and said unto the heads of the thousands of Israel, The
LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel he shall
know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the LORD, (save us not
this day,) That we have built us an altar to turn from following the LORD, or if
to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offering, or if to offer peace offerings
thereon, let the LORD himself require it; And if we have not rather done it for
fear of this thing, saying, In time to come your children might speak unto our
children, saying, What have ye to do with the LORD God of Israel? For the LORD
hath made Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and
children of Gad; ye have no part in the LORD: so shall your children make our
children cease from fearing the LORD. Therefore we said, Let us now prepare
to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice: But that it may be
a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might
do the service of the LORD before him with our burnt offerings, and with our
sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your children may not say to our
children in time to come, Ye have no part in the LORD. Therefore said we, that
it shall be, when they should so say to us or to our generations in time to
come, that we may say again, Behold the pattern of the altar of the LORD,
which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a
witness between us and you. 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.
And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation and
heads of the thousands of Israel which were with him, heard the words that
the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh
spake, it pleased them. And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto
the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of
Manasseh, This day we perceive that the LORD is among us, because ye have
not committed this trespass against the LORD: now ye have delivered the
children of Israel out of the hand of the LORD.
And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from
the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of
Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them
word again. And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of
Israel blessed God, and did not intend to go up against them in battle, to
destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt. And the
children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed: for it shall be a
witness between us that the LORD is God.
And it came to pass a long time after that the LORD had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age. And 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: And 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. Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward. And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you. 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 the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day. 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. Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God. Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, 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. And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof. Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you. When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.
And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the
elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their
officers; and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said unto all
the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other
side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the
father of Nachor: and they served other gods. And I took your father
Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the
land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac. And I gave unto
Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but
Jacob and his children went down into Egypt. I sent Moses also and Aaron,
and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and
afterward I brought you out. And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye
came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with
chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea. And when they cried unto the LORD,
he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon
them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt:
and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season. And I brought you into the land
of the Amorites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with
you: and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I
destroyed them from before you. Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab,
arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor
to curse you: But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you
still: so I delivered you out of his hand. And ye went over Jordan, and came
unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and
the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the
Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand. And I sent the
hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings
of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow. And I have given
you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye
dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.
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; For the
LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of
Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our
sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the
people through whom we passed: And the LORD drave out from before us all
the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also
serve the LORD; for he is our God. And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot
serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive
your transgressions nor your sins. If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange
gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath
done you good. And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the
LORD. And 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. Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are
among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel. And the
people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we
obey. So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a
statute and an ordinance in Shechem.
And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great
stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the LORD.
And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness
unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the LORD which he spake unto us: it
shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God. So Joshua let
the people depart, every man unto his inheritance.
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. And they
buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, which is in
mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash. And Israel served the
LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived
Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for
Israel.
And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt,
buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons
of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it
became the inheritance of the children of Joseph. And Eleazar the son of
Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son,
which was given him in mount Ephraim.