Joshua 1

The Lord Instructs Joshua

1 After the death of the Lord’s servant Moses, the Lord said to Moses’ assistant Joshua, son of Nun,2 “My servant Moses is dead. Now you and all these people must cross the Jordan River into the land that I am going to give the people of Israel.3 I will give you every place on which you set foot, as I promised Moses.4 Your borders will be the desert on the south, nearby Lebanon to the Euphrates River (the country of the Hittites) on the north, and the Mediterranean Sea on the west.5 No one will be able to oppose you successfully as long as you live. I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will never neglect you or abandon you.

6 Be strong and courageous, because you will help these people take possession of the land I swore to give their ancestors.
7 “Only be strong and very courageous, faithfully doing everything in the teachings that my servant Moses commanded you. Don’t turn away from them. Then you will succeed wherever you go.

8 Never stop reciting these teachings. You must think about them night and day so that you will faithfully do everything written in them. Only then will you prosper and succeed.
9 “I have commanded you, ‘Be strong and courageous! Don’t tremble or be terrified, because the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.’ ”

The People Promise to Obey Joshua

10 Then Joshua ordered the officers of the people,

11 “Go through the camp. Tell the people, ‘Get your supplies ready. In three days you will cross the Jordan River to take possession of the land the Lord your God is going to give you.’ ”
12 Next, Joshua said to the tribes of Reuben and Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh,13 “Remember what the Lord’s servant Moses commanded you. Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will give you this land—a place to rest.’14 Your wives, children, and livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan River. However, all your best soldiers must march in battle formation ahead of your relatives. You must help your relatives

15 take possession of the land the Lord your God is going to give them. Then they will have a place to rest like you do. After that, you may go back and take possession of the land east of the Jordan River which the Lord’s servant Moses gave you.”
16 The people responded to Joshua, “We’ll do everything you tell us and go wherever you send us.17 We will obey you as we obeyed Moses. May the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses.

18 Whoever rebels against your authority or does not obey your orders will be put to death. Just be strong and courageous!”

Joshua 1

1 Now it came to pass after the death of Moses the servant of Jehovah, that Jehovah spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying,2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, to you have I given it, as I spake unto Moses.4 From the wilderness, and this Lebanon, even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your border.5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life. as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee; I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.6 Be strong and of good courage; for thou shalt cause this people to inherit the land which I sware unto their fathers to give them.7 Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest have good success whithersoever thou goest.8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate thereon day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not affrighted, neither be thou dismayed: for Jehovah thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,11 Pass through the midst of the camp, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye are to pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which Jehovah your God giveth you to possess it.

12 And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying,13 Remember the word which Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded you, saying, Jehovah your God giveth you rest, and will give you this land.14 Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall abide in the land which Moses gave you beyond the Jordan; but ye shall pass over before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valor, and shall help them;15 until Jehovah have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which Jehovah your God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and possess it, which Moses the servant of Jehovah gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrising.16 And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou hast commanded us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us we will go.17 According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only Jehovah thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses.18 Whosoever he be that shall rebel against thy commandment, and shall not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of good courage.