- Joshua 1-12
- Chapter 1
- 1 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD
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, that have I given unto you, as
I said 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 coast.
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 a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an
inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest 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 prosper whithersoever thou goest.
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein
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 a good courage; be not afraid, neither be
thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,
11 Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within
three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD
your God giveth you to possess it.
12 And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, spake
Joshua, saying,
13 Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD
your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land.
14 Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses
gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty
men of valour, and help them;
15 Until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have
possessed the land which the LORD your God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land
of your possession, and enjoy it, - which Moses the LORD'S servant gave you on this side
Jordan toward the sunrising.
16 And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest 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
the LORD thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses.
18 Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy
words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a
good courage.
- Chapter 2
- 1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go
view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab,
and lodged there.
2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night
of the children of Israel to search out the country.
3 And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to
thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country.
4 And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but
I wist not whence they were:
5 And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the
men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall
overtake them.
6 But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of
flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.
7 And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they
which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.
8 And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof;
9 And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your
terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.
10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came
out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other
side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.
11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain
any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven
above, and in earth beneath.
12 Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have showed you kindness,
that ye will also show kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token:
13 And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters,
and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.
14 And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it
shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with
thee.
15 Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town
wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.
16 And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide
yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your
way.
17 And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made
us swear.
18 Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the
window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother,
and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee.
19 And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street,
his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with
thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.
20 And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast
made us to swear.
21 And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they
departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.
22 And they went, and came unto the mountain, and abode there three days, until the
pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but found
them not.
23 So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to
Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all things that befell them:
24 And they said unto Joshua, Truly the LORD hath delivered into our hands all the land;
for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.
- Chapter 3
- 1 And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to
Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.
2 And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host;
3 And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD
your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place,
and go after it.
4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure:
come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not
passed this way heretofore.
5 And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the LORD will do
wonders among you.
6 And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass
over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the
people.
7 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all
Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.
8 And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye
are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.
9 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD
your God.
10 And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he
will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the
Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.
11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the LORD of all the earth passeth over before you
into Jordan.
12 Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a
man.
13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear
the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that
the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; - and they
shall stand upon an heap.
14 And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and
the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;
15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that
bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks
all the time of harvest,)
16 That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from
the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the
plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people - passed over right against Jericho.
17 And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground
in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the
people were passed clean over Jordan.
- Chapter 4
- 1 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the LORD
spake unto Joshua, saying,
2 Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
3 And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place
where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you,
and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night.
4 Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out
of every tribe a man:
5 And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst
of Jordan, and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the
number of the tribes of the children of Israel:
6 That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to
come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?
7 Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the
covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and
these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.
8 And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of
the midst of Jordan, as the LORD spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes
of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto - the place where they
lodged, and laid them down there.
9 And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of
the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.
10 For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until every thing was
finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that
Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.
11 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of the
LORD passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people.
12 And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh,
passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spake unto them:
13 About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the LORD unto battle, to the
plains of Jericho.
14 On that day the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him,
as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.
15 And the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying,
16 Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of
Jordan.
17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of Jordan.
18 And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD
were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up
unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, - and flowed over
all his banks, as they did before.
19 And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped
in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.
20 And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.
21 And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their
fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?
22 Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.
23 For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were
passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us,
until we were gone over:
24 That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty:
that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.
- Chapter 5
- 1 And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of
Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that
the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel,
- until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more,
because of the children of Israel.
2 At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the
children of Israel the second time.
3 And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of
the foreskins.
4 And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt,
that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they
came out of Egypt.
5 Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in
the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised.
6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people
that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the
voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD sware that he would not show - them the land, which the LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and
honey.
7 And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they
were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way.
8 And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in
their places in the camp, till they were whole.
9 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from
off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.
10 And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth
day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.
11 And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover,
unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day.
12 And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land;
neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the
land of Canaan that year.
13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked,
and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and
Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell
on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his
servant?
15 And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot;
for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.
- Chapter 6
- 1 Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out,
and none came in.
2 And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king
thereof, and the mighty men of valour.
3 And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus
shalt thou do six days.
4 And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the
seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the
trumpets.
5 And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and
when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and
the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up - every man
straight before him.
6 And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the
covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the
LORD.
7 And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed
pass on before the ark of the LORD.
8 And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests
bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the LORD, and blew with the
trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them.
9 And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward
came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
10 And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise
with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you
shout; then shall ye shout.
11 So the ark of the LORD compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the
camp, and lodged in the camp.
12 And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD.
13 And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD went
on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, - and blowing with the
trumpets.
14 And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they
did six days.
15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the
day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they
compassed the city seven times.
16 And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets,
Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city.
17 And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only
Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid
the messengers that we sent.
18 And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves
accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and
trouble it.
19 But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the
LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.
20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass,
when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout,
that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, - every man straight
before him, and they took the city.
21 And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old,
and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.
22 But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the
harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto
her.
23 And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and
her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred,
and left them without the camp of Israel.
24 And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the
gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the
LORD.
25 And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she
had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which
Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
26 And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that
riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his
firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.
27 So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country.
- Chapter 7
- 1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the
son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the
accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.
2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of
Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and
viewed Ai.
3 And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let
about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour
thither; for they are but few.
4 So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before
the men of Ai.
5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from
before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts
of the people melted, and became as water.
6 And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the
LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.
7 And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over
Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had
been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan!
8 O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!
9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall
environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy
great name?
10 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?
11 Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them:
for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also,
and they have put it even among their own stuff.
12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their
backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any
more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.
13 Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow: for thus saith
the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou
canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the - accursed thing from among
you.
14 In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be,
that the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the
family which the LORD shall take shall come by households; - and the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man.
15 And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with
fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and
because he hath wrought folly in Israel.
16 So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the
tribe of Judah was taken:
17 And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he
brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken:
18 And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi,
the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.
19 And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel,
and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.
20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of
Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of
silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them;
and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his
tent, and the silver under it.
23 And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto
all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the LORD.
24 And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and
the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his
asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: - and they brought them unto the valley of Achor.
25 And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And
all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them
with stones.
26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from
the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.
- Chapter 8
- 1 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the
people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king
of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:
2 And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the
spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee
an ambush for the city behind it.
3 So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out
thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by night.
4 And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, even
behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:
5 And I, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto the city: and it shall
come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before
them,
6 (For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the city; for they will
say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we will flee before them.
7 Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the LORD your God
will deliver it into your hand.
8 And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that ye shall set the city on fire:
according to the commandment of the LORD shall ye do. See, I have commanded you.
9 Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in ambush, and abode between
Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that night among the people.
10 And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and went up, he and
the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.
11 And all the people, even the people of war that were with him, went up, and drew nigh,
and came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai: now there was a valley
between them and Ai.
12 And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and
Ai, on the west side of the city.
13 And when they had set the people, even all the host that was on the north of the city,
and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of
the valley.
14 And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early,
and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a
time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not that there were liers in - ambush against
him behind the city.
15 And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way
of the wilderness.
16 And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them: and they
pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city.
17 And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out after Israel: and they
left the city open, and pursued after Israel.
18 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai; for
I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand
toward the city.
19 And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had
stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city, and took it, and hasted and set
the city on fire.
20 And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city
ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people
that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.
21 And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the
smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again, and slew the men of Ai.
22 And the other issued out of the city against them; so they were in the midst of Israel,
some on this side, and some on that side: and they smote them, so that they let none of
them remain or escape.
23 And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.
24 And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai
in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen on
the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, - that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword.
25 And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve
thousand, even all the men of Ai.
26 For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had
utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.
27 Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto themselves,
according unto the word of the LORD which he commanded Joshua.
28 And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a desolation unto this day.
29 And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down,
Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the
entering of the gate of the city, - and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth
unto this day.
30 Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal,
31 As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in
the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any
iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, - and sacrificed peace offerings.
32 And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the
presence of the children of Israel.
33 And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side
the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the
covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; - half of them
over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant
of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.
34 And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according
to all that is written in the book of the law.
35 There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the
congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were
conversant among them.
- Chapter 9
- 1 And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills,
and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the
Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite,
heard thereof;
2 That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one
accord.
3 And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,
4 They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old
sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;
5 And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread
of their provision was dry and mouldy.
6 And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of
Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.
7 And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how
shall we make a league with you?
8 And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye?
and from whence come ye?
9 And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the
name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt,
10 And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon
king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth.
11 Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take
victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your
servants: therefore now make ye a league with us.
12 This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth
to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy:
13 And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and
these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.
14 And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.
15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the
princes of the congregation sware unto them.
16 And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them,
that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.
17 And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now
their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim.
18 And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had
sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the
princes.
19 But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD
God of Israel: now therefore we may not
- touch them.
20 This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of
the oath which we sware unto them.
21 And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and
drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.
22 And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled
us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us?
23 Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen,
and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.
24 And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how
that the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy
all the inhabitants of the land from before you, - therefore we were sore afraid of our
lives because of you, and have done this thing.
25 And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do
unto us, do.
26 And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel,
that they slew them not.
27 And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation,
and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.
- Chapter 10
- 1 Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken
Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done
to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon
- had made peace with Israel, and were
among them;
2 That they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities,
and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty.
3 Wherefore Adonizedek king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram
king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying,
4 Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with
Joshua and with the children of Israel.
5 Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the
king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and
went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, - and made war against it.
6 And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand
from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of
the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.
7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the
mighty men of valour.
8 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand;
there shall not a man of them stand before thee.
9 Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night.
10 And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at
Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to
Azekah, and unto Makkedah.
11 And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to
Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and
they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they - whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.
12 Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before
the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon
Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.
13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves
upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in
the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.
14 And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the
voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.
15 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.
16 But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah.
17 And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah.
18 And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to
keep them:
19 And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer
them not to enter into their cities: for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your
hand.
20 And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying
them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed, that the rest which remained of
them entered into fenced cities.
21 And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his
tongue against any of the children of Israel.
22 Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me
out of the cave.
23 And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king
of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king
of Eglon.
24 And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called
for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with
him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. - And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them.
25 And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage:
for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye fight.
26 And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they
were hanging upon the trees until the evening.
27 And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded,
and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been
hid, and laid great stones in the cave's mouth, which remain until this very day.
28 And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the
king thereof he utterly destroyed, them, and all the souls that were therein; he let none
remain: and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho.
29 Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, unto Libnah, and fought
against Libnah:
30 And the LORD delivered it also, and the king thereof, into the hand of Israel; and he
smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein; he let none
remain in it; but did unto the king thereof as he did unto the king of Jericho.
31 And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, unto Lachish, and encamped
against it, and fought against it:
32 And the LORD delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, which took it on the second
day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein,
according to all that he had done to Libnah.
33 Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua smote him and his people,
until he had left him none remaining.
34 And from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they encamped
against it, and fought against it:
35 And they took it on that day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the
souls that were therein he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done
to Lachish.
36 And Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, unto Hebron; and they fought
against it:
37 And they took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof, and
all the cities thereof, and all the souls that were therein; he left none remaining,
according to all that he had done to Eglon; but destroyed it utterly, and all the souls
that were therein.
38 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir; and fought against it:
39 And he took it, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof; and they smote them
with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls that were therein; he left
none remaining: as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to the king thereof; - as
he had done also to Libnah, and to her king.
40 So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of
the springs, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that
breathed, as the LORD God of Israel commanded.
41 And Joshua smote them from Kadeshbarnea even unto Gaza, and all the country of Goshen,
even unto Gibeon.
42 And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the LORD God of
Israel fought for Israel.
43 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.
- Chapter 11
- 1 And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things, that he sent to
Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph,
2 And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains, and of the plains south of
Chinneroth, and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on the west,
3 And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite, and the Hittite,
and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the Hivite under Hermon in
the land of Mizpeh.
4 And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand
that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.
5 And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters
of Merom, to fight against Israel.
6 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this
time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hock their horses, and
burn their chariots with fire.
7 So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom
suddenly; and they fell upon them.
8 And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote them, and chased them
unto great Zidon, and unto Misrephothmaim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and
they smote them, until they left them none remaining.
9 And Joshua did unto them as the LORD bade him: he hocked their horses, and burnt their
chariots with fire.
10 And Joshua at that time turned back, and took Hazor, and smote the king thereof with
the sword: for Hazor beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms.
11 And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly
destroying them: there was not any left to breathe: and he burnt Hazor with fire.
12 And all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them, did Joshua take, and
smote them with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant
of the LORD commanded.
13 But as for the cities that stood still in their strength, Israel burned none of them,
save Hazor only; that did Joshua burn.
14 And all the spoil of these cities, and the cattle, the children of Israel took for a
prey unto themselves; but every man they smote with the edge of the sword, until they had
destroyed them, neither left they any to breathe.
15 As the LORD commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did
Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses.
16 So Joshua took all that land, the hills, and all the south country, and all the land of
Goshen, and the valley, and the plain, and the mountain of Israel, and the valley of the
same;
17 Even from the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir, even unto Baalgad in the valley of
Lebanon under mount Hermon: and all their kings he took, and smote them, and slew them.
18 Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.
19 There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites the
inhabitants of Gibeon: all other they took in battle.
20 For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in
battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that
he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses.
21 And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains, from Hebron,
from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of
Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities.
22 There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel: only in Gaza,
in Gath, and in Ashdod, there remained.
23 So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD said unto Moses; and
Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their
tribes. And the land rested from war.
- Chapter 12
- 1 Now these are the kings of the land, which the children of Israel smote, and
possessed their land on the other side Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the river Arnon unto mount Hermon, and all the plain on the east:
2 Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is upon
the bank of the river Arnon, and from the middle of the river, and from half Gilead, even
unto the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon;
3 And from the plain to the sea of Chinneroth on the east, and unto the sea of the plain,
even the salt sea on the east, the way to Bethjeshimoth; and from the south, under
Ashdothpisgah:
4 And the coast of Og king of Bashan, which was of the remnant of the giants, that dwelt
at Ashtaroth and at Edrei,
5 And reigned in mount Hermon, and in Salcah, and in all Bashan, unto the border of the
Geshurites and the Maachathites, and half Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.
6 Them did Moses the servant of the LORD and the children of Israel smite: and Moses the
servant of the LORD gave it for a possession unto the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the
half tribe of Manasseh.
7 And these are the kings of the country which Joshua and the children of Israel smote on
this side Jordan on the west, from Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon even unto the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir; which Joshua gave unto the tribes - of Israel for a possession according to their divisions;
8 In the mountains, and in the valleys, and in the plains, and in the springs, and in the
wilderness, and in the south country; the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Canaanites, the
Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites:
9 The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;
10 The king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one;
11 The king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one;
12 The king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one;
13 The king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;
14 The king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
15 The king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;
16 The king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one;
17 The king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one;
18 The king of Aphek, one; the king of Lasharon, one;
19 The king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one;
20 The king of Shimronmeron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;
21 The king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one;
22 The king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam of Carmel, one;
23 The king of Dor in the coast of Dor, one; the king of the nations of Gilgal, one;
24 The king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty and one.
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