Study Desk

So Joshua commanded the priests, "Come up out of the Jordan."

The Lord did this so all people would know he has great power and so you would always respect the Lord your God.'"

So Joshua made knives from flint stones and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth.

The Israelites had moved about in the desert for forty years. During that time all the fighting men who had left Egypt had died because they had not obeyed the Lord . So the Lord swore they would not see the land he had promised their ancestors to give them, a fertile land.

Their sons took their places. But none of the sons born on the trip from Egypt had been circumcised, so Joshua circumcised them.

Then the Lord said to Joshua, "As slaves in Egypt you were ashamed, but today I have removed that shame." So Joshua named that place Gilgal, which it is still named today.

The commander of the Lord 's army answered, "Take off your sandals, because the place where you are standing is holy." So Joshua did.

They will make one long blast on the trumpets. When you hear that sound, have all the people give a loud shout. Then the walls of the city will fall so the people can go straight into the city."

So Joshua son of Nun called the priests together and said to them, "Carry the Ark of the Agreement. Tell seven priests to carry trumpets and march in front of it."

So Joshua had the Ark of the Lord carried around the city one time. Then they went back to camp for the night.

So on the second day they marched around the city one time and then went back to camp. They did this every day for six days.

When the priests blew the trumpets, the people shouted. At the sound of the trumpets and the people's shout, the walls fell, and everyone ran straight into the city. So the Israelites defeated that city.

So the two men went into the house and brought out Rahab, her father, mother, brothers, and all those with her. They put all of her family in a safe place outside the camp of Israel.

So the Lord was with Joshua, and Joshua became famous through all the land.

Joshua sent some men from Jericho to Ai, which was near Beth Aven, east of Bethel. He told them, "Go to Ai and spy out the area." So the men went to spy on Ai.

Later they came back to Joshua and said, "There are only a few people in Ai, so we will not need all our people to defeat them. Send only two or three thousand men to fight. There is no need to send all of our people."

So about three thousand men went up to Ai, but the people of Ai beat them badly.

So the family groups of Judah presented themselves, and the Lord then chose the family group of Zerah. When all the families of Zerah presented themselves, the family of Zabdi was chosen.

Among the things I saw was a beautiful coat from Babylonia and about five pounds of silver and more than one and one-fourth pounds of gold. I wanted these things very much for myself, so I took them. You will find them buried in the ground under my tent, with the silver underneath."

So Joshua sent men who ran to the tent and found the things hidden there, with the silver.