Study Desk

They used things that are not gods to make me jealous and worthless idols to make me angry. So I will use those who are not a nation to make them jealous; I will use a nation that does not understand to make them angry.

In the streets the sword will kill; in their homes there will be terror. Young men and women will die, and so will babies and gray-haired men.

So now you will only look at the land from far away. You will not enter the land I am giving the people of Israel."

Joshua son of Nun was then filled with wisdom, because Moses had put his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to Joshua, and they did what the Lord had commanded Moses.

I promised Moses I would give you this land, so I will give you every place you go in the land.

No one will be able to defeat you all your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forget you.

"Joshua, be strong and brave! You must lead these people so they can take the land that I promised their fathers I would give them.

Joshua son of Nun secretly sent out two spies from Acacia and said to them, "Go and look at the land, particularly at the city of Jericho." So the men went to Jericho and stayed at the house of a prostitute named Rahab.

So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: "Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house. They have come to spy out our whole land."

So the king's men went out looking for the spies on the road that leads to the crossings of the Jordan River. The city gate was closed just after the king's men left the city.

So now, promise me before the Lord that you will show kindness to my family just as I showed kindness to you. Give me some proof that you will do this.

The house Rahab lived in was built on the city wall, so she used a rope to let the men down through a window.

She said to them, "Go into the hills so the king's men will not find you. Hide there for three days. After the king's men return, you may go on your way."

Rahab answered, "I agree to this." So she sent them away, and they left. Then she tied the red rope in the window.

Joshua said to the priests, "Take the Ark of the Agreement and go ahead of the people." So the priests lifted the Ark and carried it ahead of the people.

Then the Lord said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to make you great in the opinion of all the Israelites so the people will know I am with you just as I was with Moses.

So the people left the place where they had camped, and they followed the priests who carried the Ark of the Agreement across the Jordan River.

the water upstream stopped flowing. It stood up in a heap a great distance away at Adam, a town near Zarethan. The water flowing down to the Sea of Arabah (the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed the river near Jericho.

So Joshua chose one man from each tribe. Then he called the twelve men together

So the Israelites obeyed Joshua and carried twelve rocks from the middle of the Jordan River, one rock for each of the twelve tribes of Israel, just as the Lord had commanded Joshua. They carried the rocks with them and put them down where they made their camp.