Study Desk

Moses was 120 years old when he died. But his eyes were not weak, and his strength had not left him.

Now Joshua the son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel listened to him and did what the Lord had told Moses.

There has never been another like him who has done all the powerful works the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh, all his servants, and all his land.

If anyone goes out through the doors of your house into the street, his blood will be on his own head. We will not be guilty for his death. But if a hand is laid upon anyone who is with you in the house, his blood will be on our head.

And Joshua said to them, "Go into the middle of the Jordan in front of the special box of the agreement of the Lord your God. Each of you take a stone on his shoulder, one for each of the twelve family groups of Israel.

On that day the Lord gave Joshua honor in the eyes of all Israel. So they honored him as a great man just as they had honored Moses all the days of his life.

When Joshua was by Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing near him with his sword in his hand. Joshua went to him and said, "Are you for us or for those who hate us?"

"No," He said, "I have now come as Captain of the army of the Lord." Joshua fell on his face to the ground and worshiped, and said to Him, "What has my Lord to say to His servant?"

Then Joshua made them promise at that time, saying, "May the Lord destroy the man who gets up and builds this city of Jericho. With the loss of his first-born he will begin to build it. With the loss of his youngest son he will set up its gates."

Then Joshua and all Israel took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the coat, the large piece of gold, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys, sheep, tent and all that belonged to him. They brought them to the valley of Achor.

The Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid. Take all the men of war with you and go up to Ai. See, I have given the king of Ai into your hand, his people, his city, and his land.

Then the Lord said to Joshua, "Hold out the spear that is in your hand toward Ai. For I will give the city to you." So Joshua held out the spear that was in his hand toward the city.

The men who were hiding got up in a hurry from their place and ran when he held out his hand. They went into the city and took it, and were quick to set it on fire.

Joshua did not put down his hand he used to hold out the spear until he had destroyed all the people of Ai.

He hanged the king of Ai on a tree until evening. When the sun went down, Joshua had them take his body down from the tree and throw it down at the gate of the city. They put many stones over it, and they are there to this day.

They answered Joshua, "Because it was told to your servants that the Lord your God had told His servant Moses to give you all the land and kill all the people of the land in front of you. We were very much afraid for our lives because of you. That is why we have done this thing.

Horam king of Gezer came to help Lachish. But Joshua won the battle against him and his people. He left no one alive.

What the Lord had told His servant Moses to do, he told Joshua, and Joshua did it. He did everything the Lord had told Moses.

So Joshua prayed that God would favor him. And he gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his share.

Hebron became the land of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day. Because he followed the Lord God of Israel with all his heart.