Study Desk

Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' ^(F1)servant, saying,

"Moses ^(C1)My servant is dead; so now arise, ^(C2)cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.

"^(C1)Every place on which the sole of your foot steps, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses.

"^(C1)From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory.

"^(C1)No one will be able to oppose you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; ^(C2)I will not desert you nor abandon you.

"^(C1)Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.

"Only be strong and very courageous; ^(F1)(C1)be careful to do according to all the Law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may ^(F2)achieve success wherever you go.

"^(C1)This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may ^(F1)be careful to do according to all that is written in it; ^(C2)for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will ^(F2)achieve success.

"Have I not commanded you? ^(C1)Be strong and courageous! ^(C2)Do not be terrified nor dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,

"Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, saying, 'Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within ^(C1)three days you are going to cross this Jordan, to go in to take possession of the land which the LORD your God is giving you, to possess it.'"

But ^(C1)to the Reubenites, to the Gadites, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua ^(F1)said,

"Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, '^(C1)The LORD your God is giving you rest, and will give you this land.'

"Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land which Moses gave you beyond the Jordan, but you shall cross ahead of your brothers in battle formation, all your valiant warriors, and shall help them,

until the LORD gives your brothers rest, as He is giving you, and they also possess the land which the LORD your God is giving them. ^(C1)Then you may return to ^(F1)your own land, and take possession of ^(F2)that which Moses ^(C2)the servant of the LORD gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise."

They answered Joshua, saying, "All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.

"Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you; only ^(C1)may the LORD your God be with you as He was with Moses.

"Anyone who rebels against your ^(F1)command and does not obey your words in all that you command him, shall be put to death; only be strong and courageous."

Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from ^(C1)Shittim, saying, "Go, view the land, especially Jericho." So they went and entered the house of ^(C2)a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and rested there.

But it was told to the king of Jericho, saying, "Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to spy out the land."

And the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, "Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to spy out all the land."

But the ^(C1)woman had taken the two men and hidden them, and she said, "Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from.

"It came about, when it was time to shut the gate at dark, that the men went out; I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them."

But ^(C1)she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them in the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof.

So the men pursued them on the road to the Jordan, to the crossing places; and as soon as those who were pursuing them had gone out, they shut the gate.

Now before ^(F1)the spies lay down, she came up to them on the roof,

and said to the men, "^(C1)I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the ^(C2)terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have despaired because of you.

"^(C1)For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the ^(F1)Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and ^(C2)what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you ^(F2)utterly destroyed.

"When we heard these reports, ^(C1)our hearts melted and no ^(F1)courage remained in anyone any longer because of you; for the ^(C2)LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth below.

"Now then, please swear to me by the LORD, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father's household, and give me a ^(C1)pledge of ^(F1)truth,

and ^(F1)spare my father and my mother, and my brothers and my sisters, and all who belong to them, and save our ^(F2)lives from death."

So the men said to her, "Our ^(F1)life ^(F2)for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when the LORD gives us the land that we will ^(C1)deal kindly and ^(F3)faithfully with you."

Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall, so that she was living on the wall.

And she said to them, "^(C1)Go to the hill country, so that the pursuers will not encounter you, and hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way."

And the men said to her, "^(C1)We shall be exempt from this oath ^(F1)to you which you have made us swear,

^(F1)unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and ^(C1)gather into your house your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father's household.

"And it shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house outside will have ^(F1)his blood on his own head, and we will be innocent; but anyone who is with you in the house, ^(C1)his blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on him.

"But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be exempt from the oath which you have made us swear."

She then said, "According to your words, so be it." So she sent them away, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

So they departed and came to the hill country, and remained there for three days, until the pursuers returned. Now the pursuers had searched for them ^(F1)all along the road, but had not found them.

Then the two men returned and came down from the hill country, and they crossed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun. Then they reported to him all that had happened to them.

And they said to Joshua, "The LORD has indeed handed over to us all the land; furthermore, ^(C1)all the inhabitants of the land have despaired because of us."

Then Joshua got up early in the morning; and he and all the sons of Israel set out from ^(C1)Shittim and came to the Jordan, and they spent the night there before they crossed.

Then ^(C1)at the end of three days the officers went through the midst of the camp;

and they commanded the people, saying, "When you see the ^(C1)ark of the covenant of the LORD your God with the Levitical priests carrying it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it.

"However, there shall be a distance between you and it of about ^(F1)two thousand cubits by measurement. Do not come near it, so that you may know the way by which you shall go, for you have not passed this way before."

Then Joshua said to the people, "^(C1)Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do miracles among you."

And Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, "Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over ahead of the people." So they took up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people.

Now the LORD said to Joshua, "This day I will begin to ^(C1)exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so that they will know that just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you.

"So you shall command the priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant, saying, 'When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.'"

Then Joshua said to the sons of Israel, "Come here, and hear the words of the LORD your God."

And Joshua said, "By this you will know that ^(C1)the living God is among you, and that He will assuredly ^(C2)drive out from you the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, and the Jebusite.

"Behold, the ark of the covenant of ^(C1)the Lord of all the earth is crossing over ahead of you into the Jordan.

"Now then, ^(C1)take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe.

"And it will come about when the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off, that is, the waters which are ^(F1)flowing down from above; and they will ^(C1)stand in one heap."

So when the people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan, with the priests carrying ^(C1)the ark of the covenant before the people,

and when those who were carrying the ark came up to the Jordan and the feet of the priests carrying the ark ^(F1)stepped down into the edge of the water (for the ^(C1)Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest),

then ^(C1)the waters which were ^(F1)flowing down from above stood and rose up in ^(C2)one heap, a great distance away at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those which were ^(F1)flowing down toward the sea of the ^(C3)Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. So the people crossed opposite Jericho.

And the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm ^(C1)on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan.

Now when the entire nation had finished crossing the ^(C1)Jordan, the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,

"^(C1)Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe,

and command them, saying, 'Take up for yourselves twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests' feet are standing firmly, and carry them over with you and lay them down in ^(C1)the encampment where you will spend the night.'"

So Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the sons of Israel, one man from each tribe;

and Joshua said to them, "^(F1)Cross again to the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel.

"^(F1)This shall be a sign among you; ^(C1)when your children ask ^(F2)later, saying, 'What do these stones mean to you?'

then you shall say to them, 'That the ^(C1)waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.' So these stones shall become a ^(C2)memorial to the sons of Israel forever."

So the sons of Israel did exactly as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, just as the LORD spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel; and they carried them over with them to ^(C1)the encampment and put them down there.

Then Joshua set up twelve ^(C1)stones in the middle of the Jordan at the place where the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing, and they are there to this day.

For the priests who carried the ark were standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything was completed that the LORD had commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. And the people hurried and crossed;

and when all the people had finished crossing, then the ark of the LORD and the priests crossed in front of the people.

^(C1)The sons of Reuben, the sons of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over in battle formation before the sons of Israel, just as Moses had spoken to them;

about forty thousand equipped for war, crossed for battle before the LORD to the desert plains of Jericho.

^(C1)On that day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, so that they ^(F1)revered him, just as they had ^(F1)revered Moses all the days of his life.

Now the LORD said to ^(F1)Joshua,

"Command the priests who carry ^(C1)the ark of the testimony that they come up from the Jordan."

So Joshua commanded the priests, saying, "Come up from the Jordan."

It came about when the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD had come up from the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were ^(F1)lifted up to the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks as before.

Now the people came up from the Jordan on the ^(C1)tenth of the first month and camped at Gilgal, on the eastern edge of Jericho.

As for ^(F1)(C1)those twelve stones which they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set them up ^(C2)at Gilgal.

And he said to the sons of ^(F1)Israel, "When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, 'What are these stones?'

then you shall inform your children, saying, 'Israel crossed this Jordan on ^(C1)dry ground.'

"For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the LORD your God had done to the ^(F1)Red Sea, ^(C1)which He dried up before us until we had crossed;

so that ^(C1)all the peoples of the earth may know that the ^(C2)hand of the LORD is mighty, so that you may ^(F1)(C3)fear the LORD your God ^(F2)forever."

Now it came about when all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the ^(C1)Canaanites who were by the sea, ^(C2)heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the sons of Israel until ^(F1)they had crossed, that their hearts melted, and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the sons of Israel.

At that time the LORD said to Joshua, "Make for yourself ^(C1)flint knives and circumcise again the sons of Israel the second time."

So Joshua made himself flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at ^(F1)Gibeath-haaraloth.

This is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: ^(C1)all the people who came out of Egypt who were males, all the men of war, died in the wilderness along the way after they came out of Egypt.

For all the people who came out were circumcised, but all the people who were born in the wilderness along the way as they came out of Egypt had not been circumcised.

For the sons of Israel walked ^(C1)forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, that is, the men of war who came out of Egypt, ^(F1)perished because they did not listen to the voice of the LORD, ^(C2)to whom the LORD had sworn that He would not let them see the land which the LORD had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.

So their children whom He raised up in their place, Joshua ^(F1)circumcised; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them along the way.

Now when they had finished circumcising all the nation, they remained in their places in the camp until they recovered.

Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away ^(C1)the shame of Egypt from you." So the name of that place is called ^(F1)Gilgal to this day.

While the sons of Israel camped at Gilgal ^(C1)they celebrated the Passover on the evening of the ^(C2)fourteenth day of the month on the desert plains of Jericho.

Then on the day after the Passover, on ^(F1)that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and roasted grain.

And ^(C1)the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten some of the produce of the land, so that the sons of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate some of the yield of the land of Canaan during that year.

Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, he raised his eyes and looked, and behold, ^(C1)a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, "Are you for us or for our enemies?"

He said, "No; rather I have come now as captain of the army of the LORD." And Joshua ^(C1)fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down, and said to him, "What has my lord to say to his servant?"

And the captain of the LORD'S army said to Joshua, "^(C1)Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.

Now Jericho was tightly shut because of the sons of Israel; no one went out and no one came in.

But the LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have handed Jericho over to you, with ^(C1)its king and the valiant warriors.

"And you shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do so for six days.

"Also seven priests shall carry seven ^(C1)trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.

"It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down ^(F1)flat, and the people shall go up, everyone ^(F2)straight ahead."

So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and have seven priests carry seven trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark of the LORD."

Then ^(F1)he said to the people, "Go forward and march around the city, and the armed men shall go on ahead of the ark of the LORD."

And it was so, that when Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the LORD went forward and blew the trumpets; and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them.

And the armed men went ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and ^(C1)the rear guard came after the ark, while they continued to blow the trumpets.

But Joshua commanded the people, saying, "You shall not shout nor let your voice be heard, nor let a word proceed from your mouth, until the day I tell you, 'Shout!' Then you shall shout!"

So he had the ark of the LORD ^(F1)taken around the city, circling it once; then they came into the camp and spent the night in the camp.

Now Joshua got up early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD.

Then ^(C1)the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew the trumpets; and the armed men went ahead of them, and ^(C2)the rear guard came after the ark of the LORD, while they continued to blow the trumpets.

So the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp; they did the same for six days.

Then on the seventh day they got up early at the dawning of the day and marched around the city in the same way seven times; only on that day did they march around the city seven times.

And at the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, "^(C1)Shout! For the LORD has given you the city.

"But the city shall be ^(C1)designated for ^(F1)destruction, it and everything that is in it belongs to the LORD; only Rahab the prostitute ^(F2)and all who are with her in the house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent.

"But as for you, only keep yourselves from the things designated for destruction, so that you do not covet them and ^(C1)take some of the designated things, and turn the camp of Israel into something designated for destruction and bring disaster on it.

"^(C1)But all the silver and gold, and articles of bronze and iron are holy to the LORD; they shall go into the treasury of the LORD."

So the people shouted, and ^(F1)the priests blew the trumpets; and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout, and the ^(C1)wall fell down ^(F2)flat, so that the people went up into the city, everyone straight ^(F3)ahead, and they took the city.

^(C1)They ^(F1)utterly destroyed everything in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, sheep, and donkey, with the edge of the sword.

And Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, "^(C1)Go into the prostitute's house and bring the woman and all she has out of there, just as you have sworn to her."

So the young men who were spies went in and ^(C1)brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and all she had; they also brought out all her relatives, and placed them outside the camp of Israel.

Then ^(C1)they burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver and gold, and the articles of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the ^(F1)house of the LORD.

However, ^(C1)Rahab the prostitute and her father's household and all she had, Joshua ^(F1)spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, because ^(C2)she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

Then Joshua made them take an oath at that time, saying, "^(C1)Cursed before the LORD is the man who rises up and builds this city Jericho; with the loss of his firstborn he will lay its foundation, and with the loss of his youngest son he will set up its gates."

So ^(C1)the LORD was with Joshua, and his ^(C2)fame was in all the land.

^(C1)But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully regarding the things designated for destruction, for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, took some of the designated things; therefore the anger of the LORD burned against the sons of Israel.

Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near ^(C1)Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, "^(F1)Go up and spy out the land." So the men went up and spied out Ai.

Then they returned to Joshua and said to him, "Do not have all the people go up; have only about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai; do not trouble all the people there, for they are few."

So about three thousand men from the people went up there, but ^(C1)they fled ^(F1)from the men of Ai.

And the men of Ai struck and killed about thirty-six of their men, and pursued them ^(F1)from the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them on the mountainside; and the ^(C1)hearts of the people melted and became like water.

Then Joshua ^(C1)tore his clothes and fell to the ground on his face before the ark of the LORD until the evening, both he and the elders of Israel; and ^(C2)they put dust on their heads.

And Joshua said, "Oh, Lord ^(F1)GOD! Why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan, only to hand us over to the Amorites, to eliminate us? If only we had been willing ^(F2)to live beyond the Jordan!

"O Lord, what can I say since Israel has turned their ^(F1)back before their enemies?

"^(C1)For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear about it, and they will surround us and eliminate our name from the earth. And what will You do for Your great name?"

So the LORD said to Joshua, "Stand up! Why is it that you have fallen on your face?

"Israel has sinned, and ^(C1)they have also violated My covenant which I commanded them. And they have even taken some of the things designated for destruction, and have both stolen and kept it a secret. Furthermore, they have also put them among their own things.

"Therefore the ^(C1)sons of Israel cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their ^(F1)backs before their enemies, because they have become designated for destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you eliminate from your midst the things designated for destruction.

"Stand up! ^(C1)Consecrate the people and say, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, because the LORD, the God of Israel, has said this: "^(C2)There are things designated for destruction in your midst, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you have removed the designated things from your midst."

'So in the morning you shall come forward by your tribes. And it shall be that the tribe which ^(C1)the LORD selects by lot shall come forward by families, and the family which the LORD selects shall come forward by households, and the household which the LORD selects shall come forward man by man.

'And ^(C1)it shall be that the one who is selected with the things designated for destruction shall be burned with fire, he and all that belongs to him, because he has violated the covenant of the LORD, and because he ^(C2)has committed a disgraceful thing in Israel.'"

So Joshua got up early in the morning and brought Israel forward by ^(F1)tribes, and the tribe of Judah was selected.

So he brought the family of Judah forward, and he selected the family of the Zerahites; then he brought the family of the Zerahites forward man by man, and Zabdi was selected.

And he brought his household forward man by man; and ^(C1)Achan, son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, was selected.

Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, I implore you, ^(C1)give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and give praise to Him; and tell me now what you have done. Do not hide it from me."

So Achan answered Joshua and said, "Truly, I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel, and ^(F1)this is what I did:

when I saw among the spoils a beautiful robe from Shinar, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold fifty shekels in weight, then I ^(C1)wanted them and took them; and behold, they are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath."

So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was hidden in his tent with the silver underneath it.

So they took them from inside the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the sons of Israel; and they ^(F1)laid them out before the LORD.

Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, his daughters, his ^(F1)oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that belonged to him; and they brought them up to ^(C1)the Valley of ^(F2)Achor.

And Joshua said, "Why have you ^(C1)brought disaster on us? The LORD will bring disaster on you this day." And all Israel stoned ^(F1)them with stones; and they burned them with fire ^(F2)after they had stoned them with stones.

Then they erected over him a large heap of stones that stands to this day, and the LORD turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called ^(C1)the Valley of ^(F1)Achor to this day.

Now the LORD said to Joshua, "^(C1)Do not fear or be dismayed. Take all the people of war with you. Arise, go up to Ai; see, ^(C2)I have handed over to you the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.

"You shall do to Ai and its king just as you did to Jericho and its king; you shall ^(C1)take only its spoils and its cattle as plunder for yourselves. ^(F1)Set an ambush for the city behind it."

So Joshua rose up with all the people of war to go up to Ai; and Joshua chose thirty thousand men, valiant warriors, and sent them out at night.

He commanded them, saying, "See, you are ^(C1)going to ambush the city from behind ^(F1)it. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready.

"Then I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. And when they come out to meet us as they did the first time, ^(C1)we will flee before them.

"They will come out after us until we have lured them away from the city, for they will say, 'They are fleeing before us just as they did the first time.' So we will flee before them.

"Then you shall rise from your ambush and take possession of the city, for the LORD your God will hand it over to you.

"Then it will be when you have seized the city, that you shall set the city on fire. You shall do it ^(C1)in accordance with the word of the LORD. See, I have commanded you."

So Joshua sent them away, and they went to the place of ambush and remained between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai; but Joshua spent that night among the people.

Now Joshua ^(C1)got up early in the morning and mustered the people, and he went up with the elders of Israel before the people to Ai.

Then all the people of war who were with him went up and approached, and arrived in front of the city; and they camped on the north side of Ai. And there was a valley between him and Ai.

Then he took about five thousand men and set them in ambush between ^(C1)Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the ^(F1)city.

So they stationed the people, all the army that was on the north side of the city, and its rear guard on the west side of the city, and Joshua spent that night in the midst of the valley.

And it came about, when the king of Ai saw them, that the men of the city hurried and got up early, and went out to meet Israel in battle, he and all his people at the appointed place before the desert plain. But he did not know that there was an ambush against him behind the city.

Then Joshua and all Israel ^(F1)pretended to be defeated before them, and fled ^(C1)by the way of the wilderness.

And all the people who were in the city were called together to pursue them, and they pursued Joshua and ^(C1)were lured away from the city.

So not a man was left in Ai or Bethel, ^(F1)but they had all gone out after Israel, and they left the city ^(F2)unguarded and pursued Israel.

Then the LORD said to Joshua, "^(C1)Reach out with the sword that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will hand it over to you." So Joshua reached out with the sword that was in his hand toward the city.

Then the men in ambush rose quickly from their place, and when he had reached out with his hand, they ran and entered the city and captured it, and they quickly set the city on fire.

When the men of Ai turned ^(F1)back and looked, behold, the smoke of the city ascended to the sky, and they had no place to flee this way or that, for the people who had been fleeing to the wilderness turned against the pursuers.

When Joshua and all Israel saw that the men in ambush had captured the city and that the smoke of the city ascended, they turned back and ^(F1)killed the men of Ai.

^(F1)The others came out from the city to confront them, so that they were trapped in the midst of Israel, ^(F2)some on this side and some on that side; and they ^(F3)killed them until there was not ^(C1)one ^(F4)left who escaped or survived.

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

Now when Israel had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the field in the wilderness where they pursued them, and all of them had fallen by the edge of the sword until they were destroyed, then all Israel returned to Ai and struck it with the edge of the sword.

So ^(C1)all who fell that day, both men and women, were twelve thousand—all the ^(F1)people of Ai.

For Joshua ^(C1)did not withdraw his hand with which he reached out with the sword until he had ^(F1)utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.

^(C1)Israel took only the cattle and the spoils of that city as plunder for themselves, in accordance with the word of the LORD which He had commanded Joshua.

So Joshua burned Ai and made it ^(C1)a refuse heap forever, a desolation until this day.

And ^(C1)he hanged the king of Ai on ^(F1)a tree until evening; but at sunset Joshua gave the command and they took his body down from ^(F1)the tree and threw it at the entrance of the city gate, and erected over it a large heap of stones that stands to this day.

Then Joshua built an altar to the LORD, the God of Israel, on ^(C1)Mount Ebal,

just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the sons of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, ^(C1)an altar of uncut stones on which no one had wielded an iron tool; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings.

And he ^(C1)wrote there on the stones a copy of the Law of Moses, which ^(F1)he had written, in the presence of the sons of Israel.

^(C1)And all Israel with their elders, officers, and their judges were standing on both sides of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, the stranger as well as the native. Half of them stood in front of ^(C2)Mount Gerizim, and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded at first to bless the people of Israel.

Then afterward he read all the words of the Law, the blessing and the curse, according to everything that is written in ^(C1)the Book of the Law.

There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel ^(C1)with the women, the little ones, and the strangers who were ^(F1)living among them.

Now it came about when ^(C1)all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country, the lowland, and on all the ^(C2)coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, ^(C3)the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard about it,

that they met together with ^(C1)one ^(F1)purpose, to fight with Joshua and with Israel.

The inhabitants of ^(C1)Gibeon also heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,

but they on their part acted craftily and went and took provisions for a journey, and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins that were worn out, split open, and patched,

and worn-out and patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and had become crumbled.

And they went to Joshua at the ^(C1)camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, "We have come from a far country; now then, make a covenant with us."

But the men of Israel said to the ^(C1)Hivites, "Perhaps you are living ^(F1)within our land; ^(C2)how then are we to make a covenant with you?"

So they said to Joshua, "^(C1)We are your servants." Then Joshua said to them, "Who are you and where do you come from?"

They said to him, "Your servants have come from ^(C1)a very distant country because of the ^(F1)fame of the LORD your God; for ^(C2)we have heard the report about Him and all that He did in Egypt,

and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan who was in Ashtaroth.

"So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, 'Take provisions in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, "^(C1)We are your servants; now then, make a covenant with us."'

"This bread of ours was hot when we took it for our provisions from our houses on the day that we left to come to you; but now behold, it is dry and has become crumbled.

"And these wineskins which we filled were new, and behold, they are split open; and these clothes of ours and our sandals are worn out from the very long journey."

So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and ^(C1)did not ask for the ^(F1)counsel of the LORD.

And ^(C1)Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live; and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.

However, it came about at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were neighbors and that they were living ^(F1)within their land.

Then the sons of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were ^(C1)Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.

But the sons of Israel did not ^(F1)attack them because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders.

But all the leaders said to the whole congregation, "We have sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them.

"This we will do to them, even let them live, so that wrath will not be on us because of the oath which we swore to them."

So the leaders said to them, "Let them live." And they became ^(C1)gatherers of firewood and ^(F1)labor to draw water for the whole congregation, just as the leaders had spoken to them.

Then Joshua called for them and spoke to them, saying, "Why have you deceived us, saying, 'We are very far from you,' ^(C1)when you are living ^(F1)within our land?

"Now therefore, you are ^(C1)cursed, and ^(F1)you will never cease to be slaves, both gatherers of firewood and ^(F2)labor to draw water for the house of my God."

So they answered Joshua and said, "^(C1)Since your servants were fully informed that the LORD your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you, we feared greatly for our lives because of you, and did this thing.

"And now behold, ^(C1)we are in your hands; do to us as it seems good and right in your sight to do."

This he did to them, and saved them from the hands of the sons of Israel, and they did not kill them.

But on that day Joshua made them gatherers of firewood and ^(F1)labor to draw water for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, to this day, ^(C1)in the place which He would choose.

Now it came about when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had captured Ai, and had ^(F1)utterly destroyed it (just ^(C1)as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to Ai and its king), and that the inhabitants of Gibeon had ^(C2)made peace with Israel and were ^(F2)within their land,

that ^(F1)he ^(C1)feared greatly because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty.

Therefore Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent word ^(C1)to Hoham king of Hebron, to Piram king of Jarmuth, to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying,

"Come up to me and help me, and let's ^(F1)attack Gibeon, for it has ^(C1)made peace with Joshua and with the sons of Israel."

So the five kings of ^(C1)the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered together and went up, they with all their armies, and camped by Gibeon and fought against it.

Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, "Do not ^(F1)abandon your servants; come up to us quickly and save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites that live in the hill country have assembled against us."

So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and ^(C1)all the people of war with him, and all the valiant warriors.

And the LORD said to Joshua, "^(C1)Do not fear them, for I have handed them over to you; not ^(F1)one of them will stand against you."

So Joshua came upon them suddenly ^(F1)by marching all night from Gilgal.

^(C1)And the LORD brought them into confusion before Israel, and He struck them down in a great defeat at Gibeon, and pursued them by the way of the ascent to Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah.

And as they fled from Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, ^(C1)the LORD hurled large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died; there were more who died ^(F1)from the hailstones than those whom the sons of Israel killed with the sword.

Then Joshua spoke to the LORD on the day when the LORD turned the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, "^(C1)Sun, stand still at Gibeon, And moon, at the Valley of Aijalon!"

^(C1)So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, Until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies. Is it not written in ^(C2)the Book of Jashar? And ^(C3)the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hurry to go down for about a whole day.

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There was no day like that before it or after it, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man; for ^(C1)the LORD fought for Israel.

Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp ^(F1)at Gilgal.

Now these ^(C1)five kings had fled and hidden themselves in the cave at Makkedah.

And it was told to Joshua, saying, "The five kings have been found hidden in the cave at Makkedah."

So Joshua said, "Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and post men by it to guard them,

but do not stay there yourselves; pursue your enemies and ^(F1)attack them from behind. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the LORD your God has handed them over to you."

It came about when Joshua and the sons of Israel had finished striking them down in a very great defeat, ^(C1)until they were destroyed, and the survivors of them who escaped ^(F1)had entered the fortified cities,

that all the people returned to the camp, to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. No one ^(F1)uttered a word against any of the sons of Israel.

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

They did so, and ^(C1)brought these five kings out to him from the cave: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.

When they brought these kings out to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the leaders of the men of war who had gone with him, "Come forward, ^(C1)put your feet on the necks of these kings." So they came forward and put their feet on their necks.

Joshua then said to them, "^(C1)Do not fear or be dismayed! Be strong and courageous, for the LORD will do this to all your enemies with whom you fight."

So afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death, and he ^(C1)hanged them on five ^(F1)trees; and they were hung on the ^(F1)trees until evening.

Then it came about at ^(F1)sunset that Joshua gave the command, and ^(C1)they took them down from the ^(F2)trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves, and put large stones over the mouth of the cave, to this very day.

Now Joshua captured Makkedah on that day, and struck it and its king with the edge of the sword; ^(C1)he ^(F1)utterly destroyed ^(F2)it and every ^(F3)person who was in it. He left no survivor. So he did to the king of Makkedah ^(C2)just as he had done to the king of Jericho.

Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Makkedah to ^(C1)Libnah, and fought against Libnah.

And the LORD also handed it over to Israel, with its king, and he struck it and every person who was in it with the edge of the sword. He left no survivor in it. So he did to its king just as he had done to the king of Jericho.

And Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Libnah to Lachish, and they camped by it and fought against it.

And the LORD handed Lachish over to Israel; and he captured it on the second day, and struck it and every person who was in it with the edge of the sword, according to all that he had done to Libnah.

Then Horam king of ^(C1)Gezer came up to help Lachish, and Joshua ^(F1)defeated him and his people until he had left him no survivor.

And Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Lachish to Eglon, and they camped by it and fought against it.

They captured it on that day and struck it with the edge of the sword; and he ^(F1)utterly destroyed on that day every person who was in it, according to all that he had done to Lachish.

Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to ^(C1)Hebron, and they fought against it.

And they captured it and struck it and its king and all its cities and all the persons who were in it with the edge of the sword. He left no survivor, according to all that he had done to Eglon. And he ^(F1)utterly destroyed it and every person who was in it.