Study Desk

And Joshua said to the children of Israel, How long will you be backward about going in and possessing the land which the LORD God of your fathers has given you?

And you shall therefore map out the land into seven parts, and then bring the map here, and I will cast lots for you here before the LORD our God.

You have not deserted your brethren these many days even to this time, but have kept the commandments of the LORD your God.

And now the LORD your God has given rest to your brethren, as he promised them; therefore now return, and go to your towns and to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side of the Jordan to the east.

But only take diligent heed to observe the commandments and the laws which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, to keep his commandments, and to cleave to him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Thus says the whole congregation of the LORD, What treachery is this which you have committed against the God of Israel, in turning away from following the LORD, in that you have builded yourselves an altar, that you might abandon the worship of the LORD?

If, however, the land of your possession is unclean, then pass over to the land of the possession of the LORD, where the LORDS tabernacle dwells, and inherit land among us; but do not disdain the worship of the LORD, nor rebel against us by building for yourselves an altar beside the altar of the LORD the God of Israel.

The LORD is the God of gods, the God of gods is the LORD, and he is our God, and he knows Israel and he knows us also; if we shall depart from him, or if we shall transgress against the worship of the LORD in doing this thing, then let him not save us this day.

And if we have not rather done this thing because of reverence to him, so that in time to come your children might not say to our children, What have you to do with the LORD God of Israel, O you Reubenites and Gadites?

God forbid that we should reject the worship of the LORD, and turn away from revering him, and build for ourselves an altar for burnt offerings, for gift offerings, or for sacrifices, besides the altar of the LORD God of Israel that is before his tabernacle.

And the answer pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and decided not to go up against them to battle to destroy the land wherein the Reubenites and the Gadites and the Manashites dwelt.

And the Reubenites and the Gadites and the Manashites called the altar which they had made, The Altar of Testimony, for it is a witness between us that the LORD is the only God.

And you have seen all that the LORD your God has done to all these nations, which he destroyed from before you; for it is the LORD your God who has fought for you.

The LORD your God will defeat them, and destroy them from before you; and you shall possess their land, as the LORD your God has promised you.

Only be strong to keep and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, the servant of God, and not turn aside from it, neither to the right hand nor to the left;

But cleave to the LORD your God, as you have done even to this day.

One man of you shall chase a thousand; for the LORD your God is with you, he it is who fights for you, as he has promised you.

Take good heed therefore to yourselves, to revere the LORD your God.

Then know for sure that the LORD your God will no more destroy these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps to you, and spears in your sides and fishhooks in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which the LORD your God has given you.

And as for me, I am now going the way of all the earth; and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good promises which the LORD your God spoke concerning you; all have come to pass to you, and not one thing has failed.