Study Desk

"There is no one like God, O, Jeshurun, who rides through the heavens to your help, and with his majesty through the skies.

So Israel dwells alone and carefree, the spring of Jacob in a land of grain and wine; his heavens even drip dew.

And he buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth Peor. But until this day no one knows his burial site.

Now Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died; his sight was not impaired and his vigor had not abated.

Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom because Moses had placed his hands on him, and the Israelites listened to him, and they did as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

as far as all the signs and the wonders Yahweh sent him to do in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all of his servants and against all of his land,

On that day Yahweh exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they respected him as they respected Moses all the days of his life.

And it happened, when Joshua was by Jericho, he looked up, and he saw a man standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said, "Are you with us, or with our adversaries?"

And he said, "Neither. I have come now as the commander of Yahweh's army." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and he bowed down and said to him, "What is my lord commanding his servant?"

And Joshua swore at that time, saying, "Cursed is anyone before Yahweh who gets up and builds Jericho, this city. At the cost of his firstborn he will lay its foundation, and at the cost of his youngest he will set up its gates."

So Yahweh was with Joshua, and his fame was in all the land.

And Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the ground on his face before the ark of Yahweh until the evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads.

He brought forward his family, one by one, and Achan son of Carmi son of Zabdi son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected by lot.

Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and there they were, hidden in his tent, and the silver was under it.

Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons and daughters, his cattle and donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and everything that was his, and they brought them to the valley of Achor.

Then they placed on top of him a great pile of stones that remains to this day. And Yahweh turned from his burning anger, and thus the name of that place to this day is called the valley of Achor.

Then Yahweh said to Joshua, "Do not fear or be dismayed. Take all the fighting men with you and go up immediately to Ai. Look, I am giving into your hand the king of Ai, his city, and his land.

When the king of Ai saw this, the men of the city hurried and rose early and went out to meet Israel for battle—he and all his army—to the meeting place before the Arabah. He did not know that there was an ambush for him behind the city.

And Yahweh said to Joshua, "Stretch out the sword that is in your hand to Ai, because I will give it into your hand." And Joshua stretched out the sword that was in his hand to the city.

The moment he stretched out his hand, those in the ambush stood up quickly from their place and ran. And they went into the city and captured it, quickly setting the city ablaze with fire.