Study Desk

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.

All the silver and gold and things made from bronze and iron belong to the Lord and must be saved for him."

Then Israel burned the whole city and everything in it, but they did not burn the things made from silver, gold, bronze, and iron. These were saved for the Lord .

The Canaanites and all the other people in this country will hear about this and will surround and kill us all! Then what will you do for your own great name?"

The Israelites have sinned; they have broken the agreement I commanded them to obey. They took some of the things I commanded them to destroy. They have stolen and lied and have taken those things for themselves.

"Now go! Make the people holy. Tell them, ‘Set yourselves apart to the Lord for tomorrow. The Lord , the God of Israel, says some of you are keeping things he commanded you to destroy. You will never defeat your enemies until you throw away those things.

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."

Joshua said, "I don't know why you caused so much trouble for us, but now the Lord will bring trouble to you." Then all the people threw stones at Achan and his family until they died. Then the people burned them.

You will do to Ai and its king what you did to Jericho and its king. Only this time you may take all the wealth and keep it for yourselves. Now tell some of your soldiers to set up an ambush behind the city."

The people of Israel kept for themselves the animals and the other things the people of Ai had owned, as the Lord had commanded Joshua to do.

Joshua built an altar for the Lord , the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, as

There Joshua wrote the teachings of Moses on stones for all the people of Israel to see.

So our elders and our people said to us, ‘Take food for your journey and go and meet the Israelites. Tell them, "We are your servants. Make a peace agreement with us."'

This is what we must do. We must let them live. Otherwise, God's anger will be against us for breaking the oath we swore to them.

So let them live, but they will cut wood and carry water for our people." So the leaders kept their promise to them.

Joshua called for the Gibeonites and asked, "Why did you lie to us? Your land was near our camp, but you told us you were from a far country.

Now, you will be placed under a curse to be our slaves. You will have to cut wood and carry water for the house of my God."

but he made the Gibeonites slaves. They cut wood and carried water for the Israelites, and they did it for the altar of the Lord —wherever he chose it to be. They are still doing this today.

Joshua and his army marched all night from Gilgal for a surprise attack.

So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped until the people defeated their enemies. These words are written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and waited to go down for a full day.