Study Desk

Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted and their spirit failed for fear of the Israelites.

For the Israelites had wandered in the wilderness forty years, until all the nation's men of war who had come out of Egypt had died, since they did not obey the LORD. So the LORD vowed never to let them see the land He had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.

And the day after they had eaten from the produce of the land, the manna ceased. There was no more manna for the Israelites, so that year they began to eat the crops of the land of Canaan.

Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in His hand. Joshua approached Him and asked, "Are You for us or for our enemies?"

The commander of the LORD's army replied, "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.

March around the city with all the men of war, circling the city one time. Do this for six days.

So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

After the seventh time around, the priests blew the trumpets, and Joshua commanded the people, "Shout! For the LORD has given you the city!

Now the city and everything in it must be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all those with her in her house will live, because she hid the spies we sent.

But keep away from the things devoted to destruction, lest you yourself be set apart for destruction. If you take any of these, you will set apart the camp of Israel for destruction and bring disaster upon it.

For all the silver and gold and all the articles of bronze and iron are holy to the LORD; they must go into His treasury."

When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. Then what will You do for Your great name?"

This is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies. They will turn their backs and run from their enemies, because they themselves have been set apart for destruction. I will no longer be with you unless you remove from among you whatever is devoted to destruction.

Get up and consecrate the people, saying, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Among you, O Israel, there are things devoted to destruction. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.

And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the city."

They will pursue us until we have drawn them away from the city, for they will say, 'The Israelites are running away from us as they did before.' So as we flee from them,

you are to rise from the ambush and seize the city, for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hands.

Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Hold out your battle lance toward Ai, for into your hand I will deliver the city." So Joshua held out his battle lance toward Ai,

Israel took for themselves only the cattle and plunder of that city, as the LORD had commanded Joshua.

"Your servants have come from a very distant land," they replied, "because of the fame of the LORD your God. For we have heard the reports of Him and all that He did in Egypt,