Joshua Becomes the Leader of Israel
1 Moses, the Lord's servant, was dead. So the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, who had been the assistant of Moses. The Lord said:
2 My servant Moses is dead. Now you must lead Israel across the Jordan River into the land I'm giving to all of you. 3 Wherever you go, I'll give you that land, as I promised Moses. 4 It will reach from the Southern Desert to the Lebanon Mountains in the north, and to the northeast as far as the great Euphrates River. It will include the land of the Hittites, and the land from here at the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea on the west. 5 Joshua, I will always be with you and help you as I helped Moses, and no one will ever be able to defeat you.
6-8 Long ago I promised the ancestors of Israel that I would give this land to their descendants. So be strong and brave! Be careful to do everything my servant Moses taught you. Never stop reading The Book of the Law he gave you. Day and night you must think about what it says. If you obey it completely, you and Israel will be able to take this land.
9 I've commanded you to be strong and brave. Don't ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the Lord your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go.
The Eastern Tribes Promise To Help
10 Joshua ordered the tribal leaders 11 to go through the camp and tell everyone:
In a few days we will cross the Jordan River to take the land that the Lord our God is giving us. So prepare as much food as you'll need for the march into the land.
12 Joshua told the men of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh:
13-14 The Lord's servant Moses said that the Lord our God has given you land here on the east side of the Jordan River, where you could live in peace. Your wives and children and your animals can stay here in the land Moses gave you. But all of you that can serve in our army must pick up your weapons and lead the men of the other tribes across the Jordan River. They are your relatives, so you must help them 15 conquer the land that the Lord is giving them. The Lord will give peace to them as he has given peace to you, and then you can come back and settle here in the land that Moses promised you.
16 The men answered:
We'll cross the Jordan River and help our relatives. We'll fight anywhere you send us. 17-18 If the Lord our God will help you as he helped Moses, and if you are strong and brave, we will obey you as we obeyed Moses. We'll even put to death anyone who rebels against you or refuses to obey you.
1 Nowe after the death of Moses the seruant of the Lord, the Lord spake vnto Ioshua the sonne of Nun, Moses minister, saying, 2 Moses my seruant is dead: nowe therefore arise, go ouer this Iorden, thou, and all this people, vnto the lande which I giue them, that is, to ye children of Israel. 3 Euery place that the sole of your foote shall treade vpon, haue I giuen you, as I said vnto Moses. 4 From the wildernesse and this Lebanon euen vnto the great riuer, the riuer Perath: all the land of the Hittites, euen vnto the great Sea towarde the going downe of the sunne, shalbe your coast. 5 There shall not a man be able to withstande thee all the dayes of thy life: as I was with Moses, so will I be with thee: I will not leaue thee, nor forsake thee. 6 Be strong and of a good courage: for vnto this people shalt thou deuide the lande for an inheritance, which I sware vnto their fathers to giue them. 7 Onely be thou strong, and of a most valiant courage, that thou mayest obserue and doe according to all the Lawe which Moses my seruant hath commanded thee: thou shalt not turne away from it to the right hande, nor to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoeuer thou goest. 8 Let not this booke of the Law depart out of thy mouth, but meditate therin day and night, that thou mayest obserue and doe according to all that is written therein: for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous, and then shalt thou haue good successe. 9 Haue not I commanded thee, saying, Be strong and of a good courage, feare not, nor be discouraged? for I the Lord thy God will be with thee, whithersoeuer thou goest. 10 Then Ioshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11 Passe through the hoste, and commande the people, saying, Prepare you vitailes: for after three dayes ye shall passe ouer this Iorden, to goe in to possesse the lande, which the Lord your God giueth you to possesse it. 12 And vnto the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to halfe the tribe of Manasseh spake Ioshua, saying, 13 Remember the worde, which Moses the seruant of the Lord commanded you, saying, The Lord your God hath giuen you rest, and hath giuen you this land. 14 Your wiues, your children, and your cattell shall remaine in the land which Moses gaue you on this side Iorden: but ye shall goe ouer before your brethren armed, all that be men of warre, and shall helpe them, 15 Vntill the Lord haue giuen your brethren rest, as well as to you, and vntill they also shall possesse the land, which the Lord your God giueth them: then shall ye returne vnto the lande of your possession and shall possesse it, which land Moses the Lordes seruant gaue you on this side Iorden toward the sunne rising. 16 Then they answered Ioshua, saying, Al that thou hast commanded vs, we will doe, and whithersoeuer thou sendest vs, we will goe. 17 As we obeyed Moses in all things, so will we obey thee: onely the Lord thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses. 18 Whosoeuer shall rebell against thy commandement, and will not obey thy wordes in all that thou commaundest him, let him bee put to death: onely be strong and of good courage.