Study Desk

But the Lord your God will lead you people into that land. He will destroy these nations for you. You will take their land away from them. The Lord said that Joshua must lead you.

The Lord will help you defeat these nations. But you must do to them everything I told you to do.

I will take them into the land that I promised to give to their ancestors—a land filled with many good things. And they will have all they want to eat. They will have a rich life. But then they will turn to other gods and serve them. They will turn away from me and break my agreement.

Then many terrible things will happen to them. They will have many troubles. At that time their descendants will still know this song, and it will show them how wrong they are. I have not yet taken them into the land I promised to give them. But I already know what they are planning to do there."

"But Jeshurun became fat and kicked like a bull. (Yes, you people were fed well and became full and fat.) They left the God who made them! They ran away from the Rock who saved them.

But I know what their enemies would say. The enemy would not understand. They would brag and say, "The Lord did not destroy Israel. We won by our own power!"'

I will punish them for the bad things they did. But I am saving that punishment for when they slip and do bad things. Their time of trouble is near. Their punishment will come quickly.'

So now you may see the land that I am giving to the Israelites. But you cannot go into that land."

"Let Reuben live, and not die! But let there be only a few people in his tribe!"

They were more loyal to you, Lord, than to their own families. They ignored their fathers and mothers. They did not recognize their brothers. They did not pay attention to their children. But they obeyed your commands. They kept your agreement.

The Lord said to Moses, "This is the land I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I said to them, ‘I will give this land to your descendants. I have let you see the land, but you cannot go there.'"

He buried Moses in Moab. This was in the valley across from Beth Peor. But even today, no one knows exactly where Moses' grave is.

But you must be strong and brave about obeying the commands my servant Moses gave you. If you follow his teachings exactly, you will be successful in everything you do.

"Remember what the Lord 's servant Moses told you. He said that the Lord your God would give you a place to live. So he has given you this land east of the Jordan River. But now you must help your relatives get their land. Your wives and children can stay here with your animals. But all your fighting men must prepare for battle and lead the men of the other tribes across the river.

The Lord has given you a place to live, and he will do the same for your brothers. But you must help them until they take control of the land the Lord your God is giving them. Then you can come back and settle here on the east side of the river. This is the land that the Lord 's servant Moses said would be yours."

But someone told the king of Jericho, "Last night some men from Israel came to look for weaknesses in our country."

Rahab had hidden the two men, but she said, "They did come here, but I didn't know where they came from.

In the evening, when it was time to close the city gate, the men left. I don't know where they went. But if you go quickly, maybe you can catch them."

(Rahab said this, but really she had taken the men up to the roof and had hidden them in the flax that she had piled up there.)

The two men were ready to sleep for the night, but Rahab went to the roof to talk to them.