eng_aiv Amundson Interpretive Version Joshua Joshua Joshua Josh Joshua id=eng_aiv name=Amundson Interpretive Version (AIV) status=draft spec=USFM-USX 3.1.1 export=2026-11-02 char:add=translator-addition-italic char:wj=words-of-Jesus-as-received-unmapped note:f=footnotes para:r=parallel-passage-references para:d=psalm-superscriptions God Instructs Joshua (Deuteronomy 11:8–17) And it came to pass after the death of Moses the servant of YHWH, that YHWH spoke to Joshua son of Nun, minister of Moses, saying, “Moses My servant is dead. And now arise, pass over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land that I am giving to them, the sons of Israel. Every place that the sole of your⁺ foot will tread I have given to you⁺, as I said to Moses. From this wilderness and Lebanon and as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea1.4 That is, the Mediterranean Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your⁺ territory. No man shall stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, I will be with you. I will not leave you and I will not forsake you. 1.5 Cited in Hebrews 13:5 Be strong and be of good courage, for you shall divide as an inheritance to this people the land that I swore to their fathers to give to them. Only be strong and be very courageous, to be careful to do according to all the law that Moses My servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may prosper in every place where you go. The Book of this Law shall not depart from your mouth, and you shall meditate in it day and night, so that you will be careful to do according to all written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous and then you will succeed. Have I not commanded you to be strong and to be of good courage? Do not be afraid nor dismayed, for with you YHWH your God is in every place where you go.” Joshua Takes Charge And Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, “Pass over in the midst of the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare for yourselves provisions, for within three days you⁺ will pass over this Jordan to go in to possess the land that YHWH your⁺ God is giving to you⁺ to possess.’” And to the Reubenite, and the Gadite, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua spoke, saying, “Remember the word that Moses the servant of YHWH commanded you⁺, saying, ‘YHWH your⁺ God is giving rest to you⁺, and He will give to you⁺ this land.’ Your⁺ wives, your⁺ little ones, and your⁺ livestock shall remain in the land that Moses gave to you⁺ on this side of the Jordan. And you⁺ shall pass over armed for battle before the face of your⁺ brothers, all the mighty ones of valor; and you⁺ shall help them, until YHWH has given rest to your⁺ brothers as to you⁺, and they have taken possession, even they, of the land that YHWH your⁺ God is giving to them. And you⁺ shall return to the land of your⁺ possession and take possession of that which Moses, the servant of YHWH, gave to you⁺ on this side of the Jordan toward the rising of the sun.” And they answered Joshua, saying, “All that you command us, we will do, and to every place where you send us, we will go. As we listened to Moses in all things, so we will listen to you. Only may YHWH your God be with you as He was with Moses. Any man who rebels against your command and does not heed your words in all that you command him shall be put to death. Only be strong and be of good courage.” Rahab Welcomes the Spies (Hebrews 11:30–31) And Joshua son of Nun sent out from Shittim2.1 Or Acacia Grove two men to spy secretly, saying, “Go, see the land, and especially Jericho.” And they went, and came to the house of a woman, a prostitute, and her name was Rahab, and they lay down there. And it was said to the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men have come here tonight from the sons of Israel to search out the land.” And the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who are coming in to you, who have entered your house, for they have come in to search out all of the land.” And the woman took the two men and hid them, and she said, “Indeed, the men came to me; I did not know from where they were. And it came to pass, when the gate was about to be shut in the darkness, that the men went out; I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you⁺ may overtake them.” (And she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the flax stalks, which she had arranged on the roof.) And the men pursued them by the road to the Jordan to the fords, and they shut the gate afterward, when those who pursued them had gone out. The Promise to Rahab And before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof. And she said to the men, “I know that YHWH has given to you⁺ the land, and that the terror of you⁺ has fallen on us, so that all those dwelling in the land have melted because of you⁺. For we have heard how YHWH dried up the waters of the Red Sea2.10 Or the Sea of Reeds before your⁺ faces in your⁺ going out of Egypt, and what you⁺ did to the two kings of the Amorite who were beyond the Jordan, Sihon and Og, that you⁺ devoted them to destruction.2.10 Forms of the Hebrew cherem refer to the giving over of things or persons to YHWH, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering. And we heard, and our hearts melted, and there did not stand the spirit anymore in any man before your⁺ faces, for YHWH your⁺ God, He is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. And now swear to me, please, by YHWH, since I have shown you⁺ kindness, that you⁺ also will show kindness to the house of my father, and give to me a sign of truth, and spare my father, and my mother, and my brothers, and my sisters, and all that is unto them, and deliver our lives from death.” And the men answered her, “Our lives for yours⁺ to die. If you⁺ do not tell this matter of ours, then it shall come to pass, when YHWH has given us the land, that we will deal with you with kindness and faithfulness.” And she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was in the side of the wall, and she was dwelling in the wall. And she said to them, “Go to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you⁺, and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have returned. And afterward you⁺ may go your⁺ way.” And the men said to her, “We will be blameless of this oath of yours, which you have made us swear, unless we come into the land and this line of scarlet cord you have tied in the window through which you let us down, and unless your father, and your mother, and your brothers, and all the house of your father, you have gathered to your own house. And it shall come to pass that anyone who goes out from the doors of your house to the outside, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be guiltless. And anyone who is with you in the house, his blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on him. And if you tell this matter of ours, we will be free from your oath that you have made us swear.” And she said, “According to your⁺ words, so be it.” And she sent them away, and they departed, and she tied the scarlet cord in the window. And they departed and went to the mountain and stayed there three days, until the pursuers returned. And the pursuers sought them all along the way, and did not find them. And the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and they came to Joshua son of Nun and told him all that had found them. And they said to Joshua, “Truly YHWH has delivered into our hands all the land. For indeed, all those dwelling in the land are fainthearted at our presence.” Crossing the Jordan And Joshua rose early in the morning, and they set out from Shittim3.1 Or Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan, he and all the sons of Israel, and they lodged there before they passed over. And it came to pass after three days that the officers passed over in the midst of the camp, and they commanded the people, saying, “When you⁺ see the ark of the covenant of YHWH your⁺ God, and the priests, the Levites, lifting it, you⁺ shall set out from your⁺ place and go after it. Yet there shall be a space between you⁺ and between it, about two thousand cubits3.4 2,000 cubits is approximately 3,000 feet or 914.4 meters. by measure. Do not come near to it, so that you⁺ may know the way that you⁺ must go, for you⁺ have not passed by this way from yesterday and the day before yesterday.” And Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow YHWH will do wonders among you⁺.” And Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass over before the faces of the people.” And they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the faces of the people. And YHWH said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so that they may know that as I was with Moses, I will be with you. And You shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you⁺ have come to the edge of the water of the Jordan, you⁺ shall stand in the Jordan.’” And Joshua said to the sons of Israel, “Draw near here and listen to the words of YHWH your⁺ God.” And Joshua said, “By this you⁺ shall know that the living God is among you⁺, that He will surely dispossess from before you⁺ the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Hivite, and the Perizzite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Jebusite. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is passing over before you⁺ into the Jordan. And now take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel—one man—one man for a tribe. And it shall come to pass at the resting of the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of YHWH, the Lord of all the earth, in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off—the waters that come down from above—and they shall stand as one heap.” And it came to pass, in the journeying of the people from their camp to pass over the Jordan, and of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, and at those bearing the ark coming in to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark being dipped into the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows on all its banks all of the days of the harvest), that the waters stood still—those coming down from above—and rose in one heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. So the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea)3.16 That is, the Dead Sea failed, having been cut off, and the people passed over opposite Jericho. And the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of YHWH stood on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, firm, and all Israel passed over on dry ground until that all the people had finished passing over the Jordan. Twelve Stones from the Jordan And it came to pass, when all the people had finished passing over the Jordan, that YHWH spoke to Joshua, saying, “Take for yourselves from the people twelve men—one man—one man from a tribe. And command them, saying, ‘Take for yourselves from this place out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where stood firm the priests’ feet, twelve stones, and you⁺ shall carry them over with you⁺ and leave them in the lodging place, in which you⁺ lodge tonight.’” And Joshua called to twelve men, whom he had appointed from the sons of Israel—one man—one man from a tribe. And Joshua said to them, “Pass over before the face of the ark of YHWH your⁺ God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up for yourselves each man one stone on his shoulder, by the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel, so that this may be a sign among you⁺ when your⁺ children ask hereafter, saying, ‘What are these stones to you⁺?’ And you⁺ shall say to them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off from the face of the ark of the covenant of YHWH. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the sons of Israel even to forever.” And the sons of Israel did so, as Joshua had commanded, and they took up twelve stones from the midst of the Jordan, as YHWH had spoken to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel, and they carried them over with them to the lodging place and laid them down there. And Joshua set up and two and ten stones in the midst of the Jordan,4.9 Some translators And Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan under the standing place of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant. And they are there to this day. And the priests who bore the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan, until the completion of all that YHWH had commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. And the people hurried and passed over. And it came to pass, when all the people had finished passing over, that the ark of YHWH and the priests passed over before the faces of the people. And the men of Reuben, and the men of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh passed over armed before the faces of the sons of Israel, as Moses had spoken to them. About forty thousand armed ones of the host passed over before the face of YHWH for battle to the plains of Jericho. On that day YHWH exalted Joshua in the eyes of all Israel, and they feared him as they had feared Moses, all the days of his life. And YHWH spoke to Joshua, saying, “Command the priests who bear the ark of the Testimony4.16 That is, the ark of the covenant to come up from the Jordan.” And Joshua commanded the priests, saying, “Come up from the Jordan.” And it came to pass, when had come the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of YHWH from the midst of the Jordan, the soles of the feet of the priests having touched unto the dry land, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed as yesterday and the day before yesterday, over all its banks, The Camp at Gilgal and the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth of the first month, and they camped in Gilgal on the border east of Jericho. And these twelve stones that they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal. And he spoke to the sons of Israel, saying, “When your⁺ sons ask their fathers hereafter, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ And you⁺ shall let your⁺ sons know, saying, ‘On the dry land Israel passed over this Jordan.’ For YHWH your⁺ God dried up the waters of the Jordan before your⁺ faces until you⁺ had passed over, as YHWH your⁺ God did to the Red Sea,4.23 Or the Sea of Reeds which He dried up before us until we had passed over, that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of YHWH, that it is mighty, so that you⁺ may fear YHWH your⁺ God all the days.” The Circumcision and Passover at Gilgal And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorite who were on the west side of the Jordan, and all the kings of the Canaanite who were along the sea,5.1 That is, along the Mediterranean coast heard that YHWH had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the face of the sons of Israel until they passed over,5.1 Or until we crossed over that their heart melted, and there was no longer a spirit in them, because of the face of the sons of Israel. At that time said YHWH to Joshua, “Make for yourself flint knives, and turn back and circumcise the sons of Israel the second time.” And Joshua made for himself flint knives, and he circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth.5.3 Gibeath-haaraloth means the hill of the foreskins. And this is the reason that Joshua circumcised them: All the people who came out of Egypt, males, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way after they had come out of Egypt. For all the people who came out were circumcised, and all the people born in the wilderness on the way as they came out of Egypt had not been circumcised. For forty years the sons of Israel walked in the wilderness, until all the people of the men of war who came out of Egypt were consumed because they did not obey the voice of YHWH, whom YHWH swore to them that He would not show the land that YHWH had sworn to their fathers that He would give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey. And their sons, raised up in their place, Joshua circumcised; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way. And it came to pass, when they had finished circumcising all the nation, that they stayed in their places in the camp until they were healed. And YHWH said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you⁺.” And the name of that place is called Gilgal5.9 Gilgal sounds like the Hebrew for roll. to this day. And the sons of Israel camped in Gilgal and kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho. And they ate of the produce of the land on the day after the Passover, unleavened bread and roasted grain, on this same day. And the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten from the produce of the land, and the sons of Israel had no more manna, and they ate the food of the land of Canaan in that year. The Commander of Yahweh’s Army And it came to pass, in Joshua being by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand, and Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our enemies?” And He said, “Neither, for I, Commander of the army of YHWH, have now come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped,5.14 Or paid homage and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?” And the Commander of the army of YHWH said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place on which you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. The Walls of Jericho And Jericho was tightly shut up because of the sons of Israel. None went out, and none came in. And YHWH said to Joshua, “See, I have given into your hand Jericho and its king—mighty ones of valor. And you⁺ shall march around the city, all you men of war, going all around the city one time. This you shall do for six days. And seven priests shall bear the seven shofars of rams before the face of the ark. And the seventh day you⁺ shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow on the shofars. And it shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the horn of the ram, in your⁺ hearing the voice of the shofar, that all the people shall shout with a great shout. And the wall of the city shall fall down flat,6.5 Or fall under itself or clooapse; similarly in verse 20 and the people will go up, every man straight before him.6.5 That is, staight into the city; similarly in verse 20” And Joshua son of Nun called to the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven shofars of rams before the face of the ark of YHWH.” And he said to the people, “Pass over and march around the city, and let him who is armed advance before the face of the ark of YHWH.” And it was, when had spoken Joshua to the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven shofars of rams before the face of YHWH passed over and blew on the shofars—and the ark of the covenant of YHWH followed them. And the armed ones went before the face of the priests who blew the shofars, and the rear guard came after the ark—going on and blowing on the shofars. And the people Joshua had commanded, saying, “You⁺ shall not shout, nor make your⁺ voice heard, nor shall proceed out of your⁺ mouth a word until the day I say to you⁺ to shout. Then you⁺ shall shout.” And the ark of YHWH compassed the city, going around it one time, and they came into the camp and lodged in the camp. And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of YHWH. And the seven priests bearing the seven shofars of rams before the face of the ark of YHWH kept marching and blowing on the shofars—and the armed men went before their faces, and the rear guard came after the ark of YHWH—going on and blowing on the shofars. And they marched around the city the second day one time and returned to the camp. Thus they did for six days. And it came to pass on the seventh day that they rose early, about the dawning of the day, and marched around the city in this manner seven times; only on that day they marched around the city seven times. And it came to pass the seventh time, the priests having blown on the shofars, that Joshua said to the people, “Shout! For YHWH has given to you⁺ the city. And the city shall be devoted to destruction,6.17 Forms of the Hebrew cherem refer to the giving over of things or persons to YHWH, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering; also in verses 18 and 21. it and all who are in it, by YHWH. Only Rahab the prostitute shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. And surely you⁺ keep away from a devoted thing, lest you⁺ become accursed, and you⁺ take from a devoted thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. And all the silver, and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, it is holy to YHWH. It shall enter into the treasury of YHWH.” And the people shouted. And they blew on the shofars, and it came to pass when heard the people the voice of the shofar, that the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat. And the people went up into the city, a man straight before him, and they took the city. And they devoted to destruction all that was in the city—from man and to woman, from young and to old, and ox, and sheep, and donkey—with the mouth of the sword. And to the two men who had spied out the country, Joshua had said, “Go into the house of the woman, the prostitute, and bring out from there the woman and all that is unto her, as you⁺ swore to her.” And the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brothers, and all that was unto her. And all her relatives they brought out and placed them at the outside of the camp of Israel. And the city they burned with the fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver and the gold, and the vessels of the bronze and the iron, they put into the treasury of the house of YHWH. And Rahab the prostitute and the house of her father and all that was belonged to her, Joshua spared; and she dwells in the midst of Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua had sent to spy out Jericho. And Joshua charged them at that time, saying, “Cursed be the man before the face of YHWH who rises up and builds this city, Jericho. With his firstborn he shall lay its foundation and with his youngest he shall set up its gates.” 6.26 See 1 Kings 16:34. And YHWH was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout all the land. The Defeat at Ai And the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully—an unfaithfulness—against a devoted thing.7.1 Forms of the Hebrew cherem refer to the giving over of things or persons to YHWH, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering; also in verses 11, 12, 13, and 15. For Achan7.1 Achan means troubler; also called Achar in 1 Chronicles 2:7. son of Carmi, son of Zabdi,7.1 Zabdi is a variant of Zimri; also in verses 17 and 18; see LXX and 1 Chronicles 2:6. son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the devoted thing. And the anger of YHWH burned against the sons of Israel. And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai—which is near Beth-aven on the east side of Bethel—and spoke to them, saying, “Go up and spy out the land.” And the men went up and spied out Ai. And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not let all the people go up, but let about two thousand men or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not wear out all the people there, for they are few.” And the people went up from there, about three thousand men, and they fled before the face of the men of Ai. And the men of Ai struck down from them about thirty and six men, and they chased them from the face of the gate as far as Shebarim,7.5 Or as far as Shebarim and they struck them down on the descent. And the hearts of the people melted and became water. And Joshua tore his clothes and fell on his face to the earth before the face of the ark of YHWH until the evening, he and the elders of Israel, and they put dust on their heads. And Joshua said, “Alas, O Lord YHWH, why did You ever cause this people to pass over the Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorite, to destroy us? And if only we had been content and had stayed on the other side of the Jordan! O my Lord, what shall I say now that Israel has turned its back before the face of its enemies? For the Canaanite and all those dwelling in the land will hear it, and they will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will You do for Your great name?” And YHWH said to Joshua, “Get up, for you—why is this—you are falling on your face? Israel has sinned and also they have transgressed My covenant that I commanded them, and also they have taken from the devoted thing, and both have stolen and deceived, and also they have put it among their vessels. And the sons of Israel are not able to stand before the faces of their enemies; the backs are turned before the faces of their enemies, because they have become devoted to destruction. Not anymore will I be with you⁺, if you⁺ do not destroy the devoted thing from among you⁺. Get up, sanctify the people, and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says YHWH, God of Israel: A devoted thing is among you, O Israel. You are not able to stand before the faces of your enemies until your⁺ turning aside of the devoted thing from among you⁺. And you⁺ shall be brought near in the morning according to your⁺ tribes, and it shall come to pass that the tribe that YHWH takes shall come according to the clans, and the family that YHWH takes shall come by the houses, and the house that YHWH takes shall come by the man. And it shall be that he who is taken with the devoted thing shall be burned with the fire, he and all that is unto him, because he has transgressed the covenant of YHWH, and because he has done a disgraceful thing in Israel.’” The Sin of Achan And Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel by their tribes, and the tribe of Judah was taken. And He brought the clan of Judah, and he took the family of the Zerahites, and he brought the family of the Zerahites by the man, and Zabdi was taken. And he brought his house by the man, and Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. And Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give, please, glory to YHWH, God of Israel, and make to Him confession and tell now me what you have done. Do not hide it from me.” And Achan answered Joshua and said, “Truly I have sinned against YHWH, God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: And I saw among the spoils one beautiful cloak of Shinar,7.21 That is, Babylonia and two hundred shekels of silver,7.21 200 shekels is approximately 5 pounds or 2.3 kilograms of silver. and one wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels,7.21 50 shekels is approximately 1.26 pounds or 569.8 grams of gold. and I coveted them and took them, and there they are hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver is under it.” And Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was hidden in his tent, and the silver under it. And they took them from the midst of the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the sons of Israel, and poured them out before the face of YHWH. And Joshua took Achan son of Zerah, and the silver, and the cloak, and the wedge of the gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his donkeys, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that was unto him, and all Israel with him, and they brought them to the Valley of Achor. And Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? YHWH will trouble you this day!” And all Israel stoned him with stones, and they burned them with the fire after they had stoned them with stones. And they raised up over him a great heap of stones, to this day. And YHWH turned from the burning of His anger. Upon thus has been called the name of that place the Valley of Achor,7.26 Achor means trouble. to this day. The Conquest of Ai And YHWH said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid, and do not be dismayed. Take with you all the people of war and arise, go up to Ai. Behold, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land. And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and to its king; only its spoil and its cattle you⁺ shall take as plunder for yourselves. Set up to you an ambush for the city behind it.” And Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai, and Joshua chose thirty thousand mighty men of valor, and sent them away by night. And he commanded them, saying, “Behold, you⁺ shall lie in ambush against the city, from behind the city. Do not go very far from the city, and all of you⁺ be ready. And I and all the people who 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 shall flee before their faces. And they will come out after us until we have drawn them from the city, for they will say, ‘They are fleeing before our faces as at the first.’ And we will flee before their faces, and you⁺ shall rise from the ambush and seize the city, for YHWH your⁺ God will deliver it into your⁺ hands. And it shall come to pass, when you⁺ have taken the city, that you⁺ shall set the city on fire. According to the commandment of YHWH you⁺ shall do. See, I have commanded you⁺.” And Joshua sent them out, and they went to the ambush, and stayed between Bethel and between Ai, on the west side of Ai. And Joshua lodged that night in the midst of the people. And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and mustered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the face of the people to Ai. And all the people of war who were with him went up, and drew near, and they came before the city and camped on the north side of Ai, and the valley was between them and between Ai. And he took about five thousand men, and set them in ambush between Bethel and between Ai, on the west side of the city. And they had set the people, all the army that was on the north of the city, and its rear guard on the west of the city, and Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley. And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hurried and rose early and went out—the men of the city—against Israel into battle, he and all his people, at an appointed place before the face of the plain. And he did not know that an ambush was against him behind the city. And Joshua and all Israel were struck before their faces, and they fled by the way of the wilderness. And all the people who were in the city were called together to pursue after them, and they pursued after Joshua, and they were drawn away from the city. And there was left not a man in Ai and Bethel who did not go out after Israel. And they left the city open and pursued after Israel. And YHWH said to Joshua, “Stretch out the battle lance8.18 Or javelin; twice in this verse, and also in verse 26 that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand.” And Joshua stretched out the battle lance that was in his hand toward the city. And the ambush arose quickly out of its place, and they ran at the stretching out of his hand, and they entered the city and took it, and they hurried and burned the city with the fire. And the men of Ai looked behind them, and they saw, and behold, the smoke of the city ascended to the heavens. And there was not power in them to flee here or there, and the people who had fled to the wilderness turned back on the pursuers. And Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, and they turned back and struck down the men of Ai. And these came out of the city to meet them, and they were in the midst of Israel, these from this side and these from this side, and they struck them down until he left to him no survivor or escapee. And the king of Ai they took alive, and they brought him to Joshua. And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all those dwelling in Ai in the field, in the wilderness where they pursued them, and they had fallen (all of them by the edge of the sword until they were consumed), that all Israel returned to Ai and struck it with the mouth of the sword. And all who fell that day, from man and to woman, were two and ten thousand—all the men of Ai. For Joshua did not draw back his hand with which he stretched out the battle lance until that he had devoted to destruction8.26 Forms of the Hebrew cherem refer to the giving over of things or persons to YHWH, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering. all those dwelling in Ai. Only the livestock and the spoil of that city Israel plundered for themselves, according to the word of YHWH that He had commanded Joshua. And Joshua burned Ai8.28 Ai means ruin. and made it a heap forever, a desolation to this day. And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree8.29 Or He impaled the king of Ai on a pole until the time of the evening; and at the going in of the sun, Joshua commanded that they should take down his corpse from the tree and cast it at the entrance of the gate of the city, and raise over it a great heap of stones to this day. Joshua Renews the Covenant (Deuteronomy 27:1–10) Then Joshua built an altar to YHWH, God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of YHWH had commanded the sons of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses: “An altar of whole stones, over which he has not wielded iron.8.31 Exodus 20:25; Deuteronomy 27:5” And they offered on it burnt offerings to YHWH, and they sacrificed peace offerings. And he wrote there on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written before the faces of the sons of Israel. And all Israel, and its elders, and its officers, and its judges, stood on this side and on this side of the ark before the priests, the Levites who bore the ark of the covenant of YHWH, as the sojourner as the native. Half of them were toward the front of Mount Gerizim, and half of them toward the front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of YHWH had commanded, that they should bless the people of Israel at the first. And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings, according to all written in the Book of the Law. There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, and the women, and the little ones, and the sojourner who was living among them. The Deceit of the Gibeonites And it came to pass, when heard all the kings who were on this side of the Jordan, in the hills, and in the Shephelah,9.1 Or foothills or lowlands; that is, the western foothills of Judea and in all the coasts of the Great Sea,9.1 That is, the Mediterranean Sea over toward Lebanon (the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite), that they gathered together to fight with Joshua and Israel with one mouth. And those dwelling in Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, and they also worked craftily, and they went and acted as envoys,9.4 Or set out with provisions and they took old sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins that were old and torn and mended, and sandals that were old and patched on their feet, and old garments on themselves, and all the bread of their provision was dry—it had become crumbs. And they went to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “From a distant country we have come, and now make with us a covenant.9.6 Or a treaty; also in verses 7, 11, 15, and 16.” And the men of Israel said to the Hivite, “Perhaps among us you are dwelling, and how can I cut with you a covenant?” And they said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them, “Who are you⁺, and from where have you⁺ come?” And they said to him, “Your servants have come from a country very distant, because of the name of YHWH your God. For we have heard of His fame and all that He did in Egypt, and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorite who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan who was at Ashtaroth. And our elders and all those dwelling in our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take with you⁺ provisions for the journey, and go to meet them and say to them: We are your⁺ servants, and now make with us a covenant.’ This hot bread of ours we took as provision out from our houses on the day we departed to come to you⁺. And, behold, it is dry and has become crumbs. And these skins of wine, which we filled new, behold, they are torn. And these our garments and our sandals have become old from the exceeding greatness of the way.” And the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and the mouth of YHWH they did not ask. And Joshua made peace with them, and he cut a covenant with them to let them live, and the rulers of the congregation swore to them. And it came to pass at the end of three days after that they had cut a covenant with them, that they heard that they were neighbors to them, and they dwelt among them. And the sons of Israel journeyed and came to their cities on the third day. And their cities were Gibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim. The sons of Israel did not attack them, because the rulers of the congregation had sworn to them by YHWH, God of Israel. And all the congregation complained against the rulers. And all the rulers said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by YHWH, God of Israel, and now we may not touch them. This we will do to them: We will let them live, and wrath will not be upon us, because of the oath that we have sworn to them.” And the rulers said to them, “Let them live; and let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water for all the congregation,” which the rulers had spoken to them. And Joshua called for them and he spoke to them, saying, “Why have you⁺ deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you⁺’, and you⁺ dwell among us’? And now cursed are you⁺, and none of you⁺ shall be freed from being slaves and woodcutters and drawers of water for the house of my God.” And they answered Joshua and said, “Because it was surely declared to your servants that YHWH your God commanded Moses His servant to give to you⁺ all the land and to destroy all those dwelling in the land from before you⁺, we were afraid exceedingly for our lives because of you⁺, and we have done this thing. And here we are in your hands; as is good and right to do with us, do to us.” And he did to them so, and he snatched them way out of the hand of the sons of Israel, so that they did not kill them. And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of YHWH, even to this day, in the place that He would choose. The Day the Sun Stood Still And it came to pass, when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai and devoted it to destruction10.1 Forms of the Hebrew cherem refer to the giving over of things or persons to YHWH, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering; also in verses 28, 35, 37, 39, and 40. (as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to Ai and its king), and how those dwelling in Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, that they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty. Therefore Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, and to Piram king of Jarmuth, and to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying, “Come up to me and help me, that we may attack Gibeon. For it has made peace with Joshua and with the sons of Israel.” And five kings of the Amorite—the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon—gathered together and went up, they and all their armies, and they camped before Gibeon and made war against it. And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not forsake your servants. Come up to us quickly, and save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorite who dwell in the hill country have gathered together against us.” And Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. And YHWH said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for into your hand I have given them. Not a man of them shall stand before you.” And Joshua came upon them suddenly, having gone up all the night from Gilgal. And YHWH routed them before the face of Israel, and he struck them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and he pursued them along the road of the ascent of Beth-horon, and he struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah. And it came to pass, as they fled before Israel (they were on the descent of Beth-horon), that YHWH cast down on them large hailstones from the heavens as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the sons of Israel killed with the sword. Then Joshua spoke to YHWH in the day when YHWH delivered up the Amorite before the face of the sons of Israel, and he said in the eyes of Israel, “O Sun over Gibeon stand still, and O Moon in the Valley of Aijalon.10.12 See Jasher 88:63.” And the sun stood still, and the moon stood, until the nation took vengeance upon its enemies.10.13 Or triumphed over its enemies Is it not written in the Scroll of the Upright one?10.13 Or the Book of the Upright One, commonly cited as Jasher “And the sun stood still in the midst of the heavens, and did not hurry to go down for about a whole day.10.13 See Jasher 88:64.” And there has not been a day like it before it or after it, that YHWH heeded the voice of a man; for YHWH fought for Israel. And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal. The Victory at Makkedah And these five kings had fled and hidden themselves in a cave at Makkedah. And it was told to Joshua, saying, “The five kings have been found hidden in the cave at Makkedah.” And Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and set by it men to guard them. And you⁺, do not stay there; pursue after your⁺ enemies and attack the rear of them. Do not allow them to enter into their cities, for YHWH your⁺ God has delivered them into your⁺ hands.” And it came to pass that Joshua and the sons of Israel made an end of striking them with a very great slaughter, until they had finished, and the remnant of them escaped and entered into the fortified cities. And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. Not a man sharpened his tongue against the sons of Israel. And Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out to me these five kings from the cave.” And they did so, and they brought out to him these five kings from the cave—the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. And it was, when they brought out these kings to Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and he said to the captains of the men of war who went with him, “Come near, put your⁺ feet on the necks of these kings.” And they drew near and put their feet on their necks. And Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid nor be dismayed. Be strong and of good courage, for thus YHWH will do to all your⁺ enemies against whom you⁺ are fighting.” And Joshua struck them after this and killed them, and he hanged them on five trees,10.26 Or impaled their bodies on five poles; similarly in verse 27 and they were hanging on the trees until the evening. And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun that Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees and cast them into the cave where they had been hidden, and they put large stones against the mouth of the cave, until this very day. And Joshua took Makkedah on that day, and he struck it with the mouth of the sword, and its king. He devoted to destruction them and every person who was in it; he let none remain. And He did to the king of Makkedah as He had done to the king of Jericho. Conquest of the Southern Cities And Joshua passed over, and all Israel with him, from Makkedah to Libnah, and they fought against Libnah. And YHWH also delivered it into the hand of Israel, and its king, and he struck it with the mouth of the sword, and every person who was in it. He let none in it remain, and he did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho. And Joshua passed over, and all Israel with him, from Libnah to Lachish, and they encamped against it and fought against it. And YHWH delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, and he took it on the second day and struck it with the mouth of the sword, and every soul who was in it, according to all that he had done to Libnah. Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish, and Joshua struck him and his people, until he did not have left to him a remnant. And Joshua passed over, and all Israel with him, from Lachish to Eglon, and they encamped against it and fought against it. And they took it on that day and struck it with the mouth of the sword. And every person who was in it that day he devoted to destruction, according to all that he had done to Lachish. And Joshua went up, and all Israel with him, from Eglon to Hebron, and they fought against it. And they took it and struck it with the mouth of the sword, and its king, and all its cities, and every person who was in it. He left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon. And he devoted to destruction it and every person who was in it. And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir, and they fought against it. And he took it, and its king, and all its cities, and they struck them with the mouth of the sword, and they devoted to destruction every person who was in it; he left none remaining. As he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir and its king, and as he had done to Libnah and its king. And Joshua conquered all the land of the hill country, and the Negev, and the Shephelah,10.40 Or foothills or lowlands; that is, the western foothills of Judea and the slopes, and all their kings. He left none remaining, and all that breathed he devoted to destruction, as YHWH, God of Israel, had commanded. And Joshua conquered them from Kadesh-barnea and as far as Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, and as far as Gibeon. And all these kings and their land Joshua took at one time, because YHWH, God of Israel, fought for Israel. And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal. Conquest of the Northern Cities And it came to pass that Jabin king of Hazor heard, and he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph, and to the kings who were from the north in the hill country, and in the plain south of Chinnereth, and in the Shephelah, and in Naphoth-dor11.2 Or foothills or lowlands; that is, the western foothills of Judea; also in verse 16 on the west, 11.2 Or in the heights of Dor; Naphoth-dor is a variant of Naphath-dor; see Joshua 12:23. to the Canaanite in the east and in the west, and the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the hill country, and the Hivite below Hermon in the land of Mizpah. And they went out, they and all their armies with them, a people as numerous as the sand that is on the shore of the sea in multitude, and a horse and a chariot—very many. And all these kings met together, and they came and camped together at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel. And YHWH said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow about this time I will deliver all of them slain before the face of Israel. Their horses you shall hamstring and their chariots you shall burn with the fire.” And Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them suddenly by the waters of Merom, and they attacked them. And YHWH delivered them into the hand of Israel, and they struck them down and they chased them to Greater Sidon and to Misrephoth-maim, and to the Valley of Mizpah eastward. And they struck them down until he did not leave to them a remnant. And Joshua did to them as YHWH had told him; their horses he hamstrung and their chariots he burned with the fire. And Joshua turned back at that time, and he took Hazor, and he struck its king with the sword, for Hazor formerly was the head of all these kingdoms. And they struck every soul that was in it with the mouth of the sword, devoting them to destruction.11.11 Forms of the Hebrew cherem refer to the giving over of things or persons to YHWH, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering; also in verses 12, 20, and 21. There was not left anyone breathing. And he burned Hazor with the fire. And all the cities of these kings and all their kings Joshua took, and he struck them with the mouth of the sword. He devoted them to destruction, as Moses the servant of YHWH had commanded. Yet any cities that stood on their mounds Israel did not burn—except Hazor only, which Joshua burned. And all the spoil of these cities, and the livestock, the sons of Israel plundered for themselves. But every man they struck with the mouth of the sword, until they had completely destroyed them; and they left not anyone breathing. As YHWH had commanded Moses His servant, so Moses had commanded Joshua. And so Joshua did; he left undone not a thing of all that YHWH had commanded Moses. Joshua Takes the Whole Land And Joshua took all this land: The hill country, and all the Negev, and all the land of Goshen, and the Shephelah, and the plain, and the mountains of Israel, and its lowland, from Mount Halak and the ascent to Seir, and to Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon below Mount Hermon. And all their kings He captured, and struck them and killed them. Many days Joshua made war with all these kings. There was not a city that made peace with the sons of Israel—except the Hivite dwellers of Gibeon—they took all in battle. For it was of YHWH to strengthen11.20 Or stiffen or harden their hearts to engage in battle with Israel, in order that they would be devoted to destruction and that they would not receive favor, but that he might destroy them as YHWH had commanded Moses. And Joshua came at that time and cut off the Anakim from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel with their cities. Joshua devoted them to destruction. None were left of the Anakim in the land of the sons of Israel; only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod did they remain. And Joshua took all the land, according to all that YHWH had said to Moses; and Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war. The Kings Defeated East of the Jordan And these are the kings of the land whom the sons of Israel defeated, and they possessed their land beyond the Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the River Arnon to Mount Hermon and all the plain eastward: Sihon king of the Amorite, who dwelt in Heshbon, ruling from Aroer which is on the bank of the river Arnon, and from the middle of the River, and half of Gilead, and as far as the Jabbok River, the border of the Ammonites, and the plain to the Sea of Chinnereth12.3 That is, the Sea of Galilee eastward, and as far as the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea)12.3 That is, the Dead Sea on the east, the road to Beth-jeshimoth, and southward below the slopes of Pisgah. And of Og king of Bashan12.4 LXX; Hebrew And the border of Og king of Bashan (of the remnant of the Rephaim), who dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei and reigned over Mount Hermon, and over Salcah, and over all Bashan as far as the border of the Geshurite and the Maachathite, and over half of Gilead to the border of Sihon king of Heshbon. Moses the servant of YHWH and the sons of Israel had struck them down, and Moses the servant of YHWH had given it as a possession to the Reubenite, and to the Gadite, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh. The Kings Defeated West of the Jordan And these are the kings of the country that Joshua and the sons of Israel conquered on this side of the Jordan on the west, from Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon and as far as Mount Halak and the ascent to Seir, and which Joshua gave to the tribes of Israel as a possession (according to their divisions in the hill country, and in the Shephelah,12.8 Or foothills or lowlands; that is, the western foothills of Judea and in the Jordan plain, and in the slopes, and in the wilderness, and in the Negev—the Hittite, the Amorite, and the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite): The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one; the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one; the king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one; the king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one; the king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one; the king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one; the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one; the king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one; the king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one; the king of Aphek, one; the king of Sharon, one; the king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one; the king of Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one; the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one; the king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam in Carmel, one; the king of Dor in Naphath-dor, one; the king of Goiim in Gilgal,12.23 Or in the heights of Dor; Naphath-dor is a variant of Naphoth-dor; see Joshua 11:2. one; 12.23 Hebrew; LXX Goyim in Galilee the king of Tirzah, one; all the kings are thirty and one. Lands Yet Unconquered (Judges 1:1–7) And Joshua was old, advanced in years, and YHWH said to him, “You are old, advanced in years, and very much of the land remains to be possessed. This is the land that remains: All the territory of the Philistines and all of the Geshurite, from Shihor, which is upon the face of Egypt, and as far as the border of Ekron northward, to the Canaanite it is reckoned; the five lords of the Philistines—the Gazite, and the Ashdodite, the Ashkelonite, the Gittite, and the Ekronite; and the Avite; from the south, all the land of the Canaanite, and Mearah,13.4 Or Arah that is to the Sidonians, as far as Aphek, to the border of the Amorite; and the land of the Gebalites;13.5 Or the area of Byblos and all Lebanon toward the rising of the sun, from Baal-gad below Mount Hermon to the entrance to Hamath. All those dwelling in the hill country from Lebanon as far as Misrephoth-maim—all the Sidonians—I will drive them out from before the sons of Israel; only divide it by lot to Israel as an inheritance, as I have commanded you. And now divide this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.” The Inheritance East of the Jordan (Numbers 32:1–42; Deuteronomy 3:12–22) With it, the Reubenite and the Gadite received their inheritance, which Moses had given them beyond the Jordan eastward, as Moses the servant of YHWH had given to them: From Aroer which is on the bank of the River Arnon, and the town that is in the midst of the valley, and all the plain of Medeba as far as Dibon; and all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorite, who reigned in Heshbon, as far as the border of the sons of Ammon; and Gilead, and the border of the Geshurite and Maachathite, and all of Mount Hermon, and all of Bashan as far as Salcah— all the kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei; he remained of the remnant of the Rephaim, for Moses had defeated and dispossessed them. And the sons of Israel did not drive out the Geshurite or the Maachathite, and the Geshurite and Maacah dwell in the midst of Israel until this day. Only to the tribe of Levi he had given no inheritance; the fire offerings of YHWH, God of Israel, are their inheritance, as He said to them. Reuben’s Inheritance And Moses had given to the tribe of the sons of Reuben by their clans. And their territory was from Aroer which is on the bank of the River Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the valley, and all the plain by Medeba, Heshbon and all its cities that are in the plain, Dibon, and Bamoth-baal, and Beth-baal-meon, and Jahaz, and Kedemoth, and Mephaath, and Kiriathaim, and Sibmah, and Zereth-shahar on the hill in the valley, and Beth-peor, and the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth, and all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorite, who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses had struck, and with it the princes of Midian (Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba), princes of Sihon dwelling in the land. And Balaam son of Beor, the soothsayer, the sons of Israel killed with the sword, among those who were killed by them. And the border of the sons of Reuben was the Jordan and its bank. This was the inheritance of the sons of Reuben by their clans, the cities and their villages. Gad’s Inheritance And Moses had given to the tribe of Gad, to the sons of Gad by their clans. And their territory was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the Ammonites, as far as Aroer which is upon the face of Rabbah; and from Heshbon to Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the border of Debir;13.26 LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate; Hebrew Li-debir, a variant of Lo-debar; see 2 Samuel 9:4, 2 Samuel 17:27, and Amos 6:13. and in the valley, Beth-haram, and Beth-nimrah, and Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon (with the Jordan as its border as far as the edge of the Sea of Chinnereth13.27 That is, the Sea of Galilee) on the other side of the Jordan eastward. This is the inheritance of the sons of Gad by their clans, the cities and their villages. Manasseh’s Eastern Inheritance And Moses had given to the half-tribe of Manasseh, and it was for the half-tribe of the sons of Manasseh by their clans. And their territory was from Mahanaim all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair which are in Bashan, sixty cities; and half of Gilead, and Ashtaroth, and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were for the sons of Machir son of Manasseh, for half of the sons of Machir by their clans. These are that which Moses had distributed as an inheritance in the plains of Moab, on the other side of the Jordan by Jericho eastward. And to the tribe of Levi, Moses had given no inheritance; YHWH, God of Israel, was their inheritance, as He had said to them. Land Division West of the Jordan And these are the sons of Israel who inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the sons of Israel, distributed as an inheritance to them. Their inheritance was by lot, as YHWH had commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes and the half-tribe. For Moses had given the inheritance to two of the tribes and the half-tribe on the other side of the Jordan; and to the Levites he had given not an inheritance in their midst. For the sons of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim, and they gave no portion to the Levites in the land, but only cities to dwell in, with their pasturelands for their livestock and their property. As YHWH had commanded Moses, so the sons of Israel did, and they divided the land. Caleb Requests Hebron And the sons of Judah came near to Joshua in Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know the word that YHWH said to Moses the man of God concerning me and concerning you in Kadesh-barnea. I was a son of forty years when Moses the servant of YHWH sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back to him word as with my heart. And my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, and I wholly followed after YHWH my God. And Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Nevertheless, the land where your foot has trodden in it shall be to you for an inheritance, and to your sons, even to forever, because you have wholly followed YHWH my God.’ And, behold, YHWH has kept me alive as He said these forty and five years, from when YHWH spoke this word to Moses when Israel wandered in the wilderness; and, behold, I am this day a son of five and eighty years. Yet I am this day as strong as on the day that Moses sent me. As my power was then, so is my power now, for war, and to go out and come in. And now, give to me this mountain, of which YHWH spoke in that day, for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and the cities were great and fortified. Perhaps YHWH will be with me, and I will dispossess them as YHWH has spoken.” And Joshua blessed him and gave Hebron to Caleb son of Jephunneh as an inheritance. Upon thus Hebron was to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite the inheritance to this day, because that he wholly followed YHWH, God of Israel. (And the name of Hebron formerly was Kiriath-arba; he was the great man among the Anakim.) And the land had rest from war. Judah’s Inheritance And the lot of the tribe of the sons of Judah by their clans was unto the border of Edom, the Wilderness of Zin southward from the end of the south: And their southern border began at the shore of the Salt Sea,15.2 That is, the Dead Sea; also in verse 5 from the bay that faces southward. And it went out to the southern side of the Ascent of Akrabbim,15.3 Or the Ascent of Scorpions or Scorpion Pass and passed over to Zin, and ascended from the Negev of Kadesh-barnea, and passed over to Hezron, and went up to Addar, and went around toward Karka. And it passed toward Azmon, and went out to the Brook of Egypt, and the outgoings of the border were at the sea.15.4 That is, the Mediterranean Sea, also called the Great Sea; also in verses 11, 12, and 47 This shall be their15.4 LXX; Hebrew your southern border. And the eastern border was the Salt Sea, as far as the mouth of the Jordan. And the border began on the northern quarter at the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan. And the border went up to Beth-hoglah, and passed north of Beth-arabah, and the border went up to the stone of Bohan son of Reuben. And the border went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor, and it turned northward toward Gilgal, which is before the Ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the ravine. And the border continued toward the waters of En-shemesh, and it ended at En-rogel. And the border went up by the Valley of the Son of Hinnom to the southern slope of the Jebusite (that is, Jerusalem), and the border went up to the top of the hill that is upon the face of the Valley of the Son of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the Valley of the Rephaim northward. And the border went around from the top of the hill to the fountain of the waters of Nephtoah, and it went out to the cities of Mount Ephron, and the border went around to Baalah (that is, Kiriath-jearim). And the border turned from Baalah westward to Mount Seir, and passed over to the side of Mount Jearim (that is, Chesalon) on the north, and went down to Beth-shemesh, and passed over to Timnah. And the border went out to the side of Ekron northward, and the border went around to Shicron, and passed over to mount Baalah, and went on to Jabneel; and ended the border at the sea. And the western border was the Great Sea and its coastline. This is the boundary of the sons of Judah all around by their clans. Caleb’s Portion and Conquest (Judges 1:8–26) And to Caleb son of Jephunneh he gave a portion in the midst of the sons of Judah, according to the commandment of YHWH to Joshua—Kiriath-arba (the father of Anak), that is, Hebron. And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak—Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the sons of Anak. And he went up from there to those dwelling in Debir; and the name of Debir was formerly Kiriath-sepher. And Caleb said, “He who attacks Kiriath-sepher and takes it, I will give to him Acsah my daughter as wife.” And Othniel son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it, and he gave to him Acsah his daughter for a wife. And it came to pass, in her coming in, that she persuaded him to request from her father a field. And she dismounted from her donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What do you want?” 15.18 Hebrew and some LXX manuscripts; other LXX manuscripts and he urged her; see Judges 1:14. And she answered, “Give to me a blessing. Since you have given me the land of the Negev, give to me springs of water.” And he gave to her the upper springs and the lower springs. The Cities of Judah This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Judah by their clans. And the cities at the limits of the tribe of the sons of Judah were toward the border of Edom in the Negev: Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur, and Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Ithnan, Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth, and Hazor-hadattah, and Kerioth-hezron (it is Hazor), Amam, and Shema, and Moladah, and Hazar-gaddah, and Heshmon, and Beth-pelet, and Hazar-shual, and Beersheba, and Biziothiah, Baalah, and Ijim, and Ezem, and Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah, and Ziklag, and Madmannah, and Sansannah, and Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon—all the cities are twenty-nine, and their villages. In the Shephelah:15.33 Or foothills or lowlands; that is, the western foothills of Judea Eshtaol, and Zorah, and Ashnah, and Zanoah, and En-gannim, Tappuah, and Enam, Jarmuth, and Adullam, Sochoh, and Azekah, and Shaaraim, and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim—fourteen cities, and their villages. Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdal-gad, and Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel, Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon, and Cabbon, and Lahmas, and Kithlish, and Gederoth, Beth-dagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah—sixteen cities, and their villages. Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan, and Jiphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib, and Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah—nine cities, and their villages. Ekron, and its daughters and its villages; from Ekron to the sea, and all that is by the side of Ashdod, and their villages. Ashdod with its daughters and its villages, Gaza with its daughters and its villages, as far as the Brook of Egypt, and the Great Sea and its coastline. And in the hill country: Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh, and Dannah, and Kiriath-sannah (that is, Debir), and Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim, and Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh—eleven cities, and their villages. Arab, and Dumah, and Eshean, and Janum, and Beth-tappuah, and Aphekah, and Humtah, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior—nine cities, and their villages. Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Juttah, and Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah, Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah—ten cities, and their villages. Halhul, Beth-zur, and Gedor, and Maarath, and Beth-anoth, and Eltekon—six cities, and their villages. Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), and Rabbah—two cities, and their villages. In the wilderness, Beth-arabah, Middin, and Secacah, and Nibshan, and the City of Salt, and En-gedi—six cities, and their villages. And as for the Jebusite, those dwelling in Jerusalem, the sons of Judah could not drive them out, and the Jebusite dwell with the sons of Judah in Jerusalem to this day. Ephraim’s Inheritance And the lot for the sons of Joseph went out from the Jordan by Jericho to the waters of Jericho on the east, to the wilderness that goes up from Jericho in the hill country of Bethel, and it went out from Bethel, that is Luz,16.2 LXX (See also Joshua 18:13); Hebrew from Bethel to Luz and passed over to the border of the Archite at Ataroth, and went down westward to the border of the Japhletite, as far as the boundary of Lower Beth-Horon, and to Gezer, and it ended at the sea.16.3 That is, the Mediterranean Sea, also called the Great Sea; also in verses 6 and 8 And the sons of Joseph—Manasseh and Ephraim—took their inheritance. And this was the border of the sons of Ephraim by their clans: And the border of their inheritance on the east side was Ataroth-Addar as far as Upper Beth-horon, and the border went out toward the sea from Michmethath on the north side. And the border went around eastward toward Taanath-shiloh and passed over it on the east of Janoah. And it went down from Janoah to Ataroth and Naarah, and reached to Jericho, and came out at the Jordan. From Tappuah the border went out westward to the Brook of Kanah, and it ended at the sea. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Ephraim by their clans. And the separate cities were for the sons of Ephraim in the midst of the inheritance of the sons of Manasseh, all the cities and their villages. And they did not drive out the Canaanite dwelling in Gezer, and the Canaanite dwelt in the midst of Ephraim to this day, and he came to be for forced labor, serving. Manasseh’s Western Inheritance And there was a lot for the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of Joseph, for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh the father of Gilead, because he was a man of war, and were given to him Gilead and Bashan. And there was for the remaining sons of Manasseh—for their clans, for the sons of Abiezer, and the sons of Helek, and the sons of Asriel, and the sons of Shechem, and the sons of Hepher, and the sons of Shemida; these were the sons of Manasseh son of Joseph, males by their clans. 17.2 Abiezer is a variant of Iezer; see Numbers 26:30. And Zelophehad son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, had unto him no sons, but only daughters. And these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. And they came near before the face of Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua son of Nun, and before the rulers, saying, “YHWH commanded Moses to give to us an inheritance in the midst of our brothers.” And he gave to them according to the commandment of YHWH an inheritance in the midst of the brothers of their father. And ten portions fell to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan that was on the other side of the Jordan, because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance in the midst of his sons. And the land of Gilead was for the rest of the sons of Manasseh. And the territory of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethath, which is on the face of Shechem, and the border went along on the south to those dwelling in En-tappuah. To Manasseh was the land of Tappuah, and Tappuah on the border of Manasseh was to the sons of Ephraim. And the border descended to the Brook of Kanah, southward to the brook; these cities of Ephraim are in the midst of the cities of Manasseh. And the border of Manasseh was on the north side of the brook, and its outgoing was at the sea.17.9 That is, the Mediterranean Sea, also called the Great Sea; also in verse 10 Southward was to Ephraim, and northward to Manasseh, and the sea was its border, and in Asher it met on the north, and in Issachar on the east. And to Manasseh was in Issachar and in Asher Beth-shean and its daughters, and Ibleam and its daughters, and those dwelling in Dor and its daughters, and those dwelling in Endor and its daughters, and those dwelling in Taanach and its daughters, and those dwelling in Megiddo and its daughters (the third is Naphath). And the sons of Manasseh could not occupy these cities, and the Canaanite was determined to dwell in this land. And it came to pass, when the sons of Israel grew strong, that they put the Canaanite to forced labor; and they did not dispossess him completely. And the sons of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given to me an inheritance of one lot and one portion, when I am a numerous people, forasmuch as that until now YHWH has blessed us?” And Joshua answered to them, “If you are a great people, then go up to the forest and create for yourself there in the land of the Perizzite and the Rephaim, since the mountains of Ephraim are too confined for you.” And the sons of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us, and a chariot of iron is with every Canaanite who is dwelling in the land of the valley who are of Beth-shean and its daughters, and who are of the Valley of Jezreel.” And Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph, to Ephraim and Manasseh, saying, “You are a great people, and great power is unto you. Not just one lot shall be unto you. But the hill country shall be unto you, because it is wooded. And you shall cut it down, and its farthest extent shall be unto you, for you shall drive out the Canaanite, though a chariot of iron is unto him, and though he is strong.” The Remainder Divided And all the congregation of the sons of Israel assembled at Shiloh, and they set up there the Tent of Meeting, and the land was subdued before them. And there remained among the sons of Israel seven tribes that had not yet received their inheritance. And Joshua said to the sons of Israel, “How long will you⁺ neglect to go in to possess the land that YHWH, God of your⁺ fathers, has given to you⁺? Appoint from among you⁺ three men for the tribe, and I will send them, and they shall rise and go through the land and survey it according to their inheritance, and they shall come to me. And they shall divide it into seven parts. Judah shall remain in their territory on the south, and the house of Joseph shall remain in their territory on the north. And you⁺ shall write down the land in seven portions and bring it to me here, that I may cast for you⁺ lots here before the face of YHWH our God. But no portion is for the Levites in your⁺ midst, for the priesthood of YHWH is their inheritance. And Gad and Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of YHWH gave them.” And the men arose and went, and Joshua commanded those who went to write down the land, saying, “Go and walk up and down in the land, and describe it, and return to me, and here I will cast for you⁺ lots before the face of YHWH in Shiloh.” And the men went and passed through the land, and they wrote it down by the cities in seven parts in a book, and they came to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh. And Joshua cast for them lots in Shiloh before the face of YHWH, and there Joshua divided the land to the sons of Israel according to their divisions. Benjamin’s Inheritance And came up the lot of the tribe of the sons of Benjamin by their clans, and the territory of their lot came out between the sons of Judah and between the sons of Joseph. And their border began on the north side at the Jordan, and the border went up to the shoulder of Jericho on the north, and it went up through the hill country westward, and its outgoing was at the Wilderness of Beth-aven. And the border went over from there toward Luz, to the shoulder of Luz (that is, Bethel) southward, and the border descended to Ataroth-addar, near the hill that is on the south of Lower Beth-horon. And the border extended and has gone round to the corner of the sea southward, from the hill that is at the front of Beth-horon southward, and it ended at Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), a city of the sons of Judah. This was the west side. And the south side is at the end of Kiriath-jearim, and the border extended on the west and went out to the spring at the Waters of Nephtoah. And the border came down to the end of the mountain that is upon the face of the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, which is in the Valley of Rephaim on the north, and descended to the Valley of Hinnom, to the shoulder of the Jebusite on the south, and descended to En-rogel. And it went around from the north, and went out to En-shemesh, and extended toward Geliloth, which is before the Ascent of Adummim, and descended to the stone of Bohan son of Reuben, and it passed over to the slope of Beth-arabah northward, and went down to the Arabah. 18.18 LXX; Hebrew the shoulder opposite the Arabah And the border passed over to the shoulder of Beth-hoglah northward, and the outgoings of the border were at the north bay of the Salt Sea,18.19 That is, the Dead Sea at the south end of the Jordan. This is the south border. And the Jordan bordered it on the east side. This was the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin, according to its boundaries all around, by their clans. And these were and the cities of the tribe of the sons of Benjamin by their clans: Jericho, and Beth-hoglah, and Emek-keziz, and Beth-arabah, and Zemaraim, and Bethel, and Avim, and Parah, and Ophrah, and Chephar-ammoni, and Ophni, and Geba—twelve cities, and their villages. Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth, and Mizpah, and Chephirah, and Mozah, and Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah, Zelah, and Haeleph, and Jebus18.28 LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate; Hebrew the Jebusite (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeath,18.28 That is, Gibeah and Kiriath-jearim18.28 LXX; Hebrew Kiriath—fourteen cities, and their villages. This was the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin by their clans. Simeon’s Inheritance And the second lot came out for Simeon, for the tribe of the sons of Simeon by their clans. And their inheritance was in the midst of the inheritance of the sons of Judah. And there was unto them in their inheritance Beersheba, and Sheba, and Moladah, and Hazar-shual, and Balah, and Ezem, and Eltolad, and Bethul, and Hormah, and Ziklag, and Beth-marcaboth, and Hazar-susah, and Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen—thirteen cities, and their villages. Ain, Rimmon, and Ether, and Ashan—four cities and their villages, and all the villages that were all around these cities as far as Baalath-beer (Ramah of the Negev). this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Simeon by their clans. From the portion of the sons of Judah was the inheritance of the sons of Simeon, for the portion of the sons of Judah was too much for them. And the sons of Simeon inherited in the midst of their inheritance. Zebulun’s Inheritance And the third lot came up for the sons of Zebulun by their clans. And the border of their inheritance was as far as Sarid. And their border went toward the west, and to Maralah, and it went to Dabbasheth, and extended along the brook that is upon the face of Jokneam. And it went from Sarid eastward toward the rising of the sun along the border of Chisloth-tabor, and it went out toward Daberath, and went up to Japhia, and from there it passed over eastward to the east to Gath-hepher, and to Eth-kazin, and extended to Rimmon and curved to Neah; and the border went around it on the north side of Hannathon, and its outgoing was in the Valley of Iphtah-el, and Kattath, and Nahalal, and Shimron, and Idalah, and Bethlehem—twelve cities, and their villages. This was the inheritance of the sons of Zebulun by their clans, these cities and their villages. Issachar’s Inheritance To Issachar the fourth lot came out for the sons of Issachar by their clans. And their territory went to Jezreel, and Chesulloth, and Shunem, and Haphraim, and Shion, and Anaharath, and Rabbith, and Kishion, and Ebez, and Remeth, and En-gannim, and En-haddah, and Beth-pazzez. And the border reached to Tabor, and Shahazimah, and Beth-shemesh, and ended their border at the Jordan—sixteen cities, and their villages. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Issachar by their clans—the cities and their villages. Asher’s Inheritance And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the sons of Asher by their clans. And their territory included Helkath, and Hali, and Beten, and Achshaph, and Allammelech, and Amad, and Mishal; and it reached to Carmel westward, and to Shihor-libnath; and it turned eastward toward the sunrise to Beth-dagon, and it reached to Zebulun, and to the Valley of Iphtah-el, and went north to Beth-emek and Neiel, and it went out to Cabul on the left, and Ebron, and Rehob, and Hammon, and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon. 19.28 Some Hebrew manuscripts Abdon; see Joshua 21:30. And the border turned to Ramah, and to the fortified city Tyre. And the border turned to Hosah, and its outgoings were at the sea19.29 That is, the Mediterranean Sea, also called the Great Sea by the region of Achzib. And Ummah, and Aphek, and Rehob—twenty and two cities and their villages. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Asher by their clans—these cities and their villages. Naphtali’s Inheritance To the sons of Naphtali the sixth lot came out for the sons of Naphtali by their clans. And their border began at Heleph from the great tree in Zaanannim, and Adami-nekeb, and Jabneel, as far as Lakkum; and its outgoings were at the Jordan. And the border turned back westward to Aznoth-tabor and went out from there to Hukkok, and it met with Zebulun on the south side, and it met with Asher on the west, and ended at Judah by the Jordan19.34 Hebrew; LXX west, and the Jordan toward the rising of the sun. And the fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer, and Hammath, Rakkath, and Chinnereth, and Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor, and Kedesh, and Edrei, and En-hazor, and Iron, and Migdal-el, Horem, and Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh—nineteen cities, and their villages. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Naphtali by their clans—the cities and their villages. Dan’s Inheritance For the tribe of the sons of Dan by their clans the seventh lot came out. And the territory of their inheritance was Zorah, and Eshtaol, and Ir-shemesh, and Shaalabbin, and Aijalon, and Jethlah, and Elon, and Timnah, and Ekron, and Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath, and Jehud, and Bene-berak, and Gath-rimmon, and Me-jarkon, and Rakkon, with the region across from Joppa. (And the border of the sons of Dan went beyond these, and the sons of Dan went up and fought with Leshem and took it, and they struck it with the mouth of the sword and took possession of it and dwelt in it. And Leshem they called Dan, after the name of Dan their father.) This was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Dan by their clans—these cities and their villages. Joshua’s Inheritance And they finished inheriting the land according to their borders, and the sons of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua son of Nun in their midst. According to the word of YHWH they gave to him the city that he requested, Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim. And he built the city and dwelt in it. 19.50 Timnath-serah is also known as Timnath-heres; see Judges 2:9. These were the inheritances that Eleazar the priest, and Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the sons of Israel, gave as an inheritance by lot in Shiloh before the face of YHWH at the door of the Tent of Meeting. And they finished dividing the land. Six Cities of Refuge (Numbers 35:9–34; Deuteronomy 4:41–43; Deuteronomy 19:1–14) And YHWH spoke to Joshua, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying: Appoint for yourselves cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you⁺ by the hand of Moses, for the fleeing there of the manslayer who kills a person in error, without knowledge. And they shall be unto you⁺ a refuge from the avenger of the blood. And he flees to one of these cities, and stands at the entrance of the gate of the city, and declares in the ears of the elders of that city his case, and they shall take him into the city as one of them and give to him a place, that he may dwell among them. And if the avenger of the blood pursues after him, they shall not shut up the manslayer into his hand, because without knowing he struck his neighbor; he did not hate him from yesterday and the day before yesterday. And he shall dwell in that city until he stands before the face of the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest who is in those days. Then the manslayer may return and come to his own city and his own house, to the city from which he fled.” And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah. And on the other side of the Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness on the plain from the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh. These were the cities appointed for all the sons of Israel, and for the sojourner who is sojourning in their midst, for the fleeing there of anyone striking a person in error, that he would not die by the hand of the avenger of the blood until his standing before the face of the congregation. Or unintentionally; also in verse 9 Forty-Eight Cities for the Levites (Numbers 35:1–8; 1 Chronicles 6:54–81) And the heads of the fathers of the Levites came near to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the sons of Israel. And they spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, “YHWH commanded by the hand of Moses to give to us cities to dwell in, with their pasturelands for our livestock.” And the sons of Israel gave to the Levites from their inheritance at the mouth of YHWH these cities and their pasturelands. And the lot came out for the clans of the Kohathite, and there were for the sons of Aaron the priest of the Levites, from the tribe of Judah, and from the tribe of the Simeonite, and from the tribe of Benjamin, by lot thirteen cities; and for the sons of Kohath remaining, out of the clans of the tribe of Ephraim, and from the tribe of Dan, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh, by lot ten cities; and for the sons of Gershon, from the clans of the tribe of Issachar, and from the tribe of Asher, and from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, by lot thirteen cities; for the sons of Merari by their clans, from the tribe of Reuben, and from the tribe of Gad, and from the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities. And the sons of Israel gave to the Levites these cities and their pasturelands, as YHWH had commanded by the hand of Moses by lot. And they gave from the tribe of the sons of Judah, and from the tribe of the sons of Simeon, these cities that are called by name, which were for the sons of Aaron, from the clans of the Kohathite, from the sons of Levi; for theirs was the first lot: And they gave to them Kiriath-arba (the father of Anak) that is, Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, and with its pasturelands surrounding it. And the fields of the city and its villages they gave to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession. And to the sons of Aaron the priest they gave a city of refuge for the manslayer, Hebron and its pasturelands, and Libnah and its pasturelands, and Jattir and its pasturelands, and Eshtemoa and its pasturelands, and Holon and its pasturelands, and Debir and its pasturelands, and Ain and its pasturelands, and Juttah and its pasturelands, and Beth-shemesh and its pasturelands—nine cities from these two tribes. From the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon and its pasturelands, and Geba and its pasturelands, Anathoth and its pasturelands, and Almon and its pasturelands—four cities. All the cities of the sons of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities and their pasturelands. And for the clans of the sons of Kohath, the Levites remaining of the sons of Kohath, the cities of their lot were even: From the tribe of Ephraim, and they gave to them a city of refuge for the manslayer, Shechem and its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, and Gezer and its pasturelands, and Kibzaim and its pasturelands, and Beth-horon and its pasturelands—four cities. And from the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh and its pasturelands, Gibbethon and its pasturelands, Aijalon and its pasturelands, Gath-rimmon and its pasturelands—four cities. And from the half-tribe of Manasseh, Taanach and its pasturelands, and Gath-rimmon and its pasturelands—two cities. All the cities were ten, and their pasturelands, for the clans of the remaining sons of Kohath. And to the sons of Gershon, of the clans of the Levites: From the half-tribe of Manasseh a city of refuge for the manslayer, Golan in Bashan and its pasturelands, and Beeshterah and its pasturelands—two cities. And from the tribe of Issachar, Kishion and its pasturelands, Daberath and its pasturelands, Jarmuth and its pasturelands, En-gannim and its pasturelands—four cities. And from the tribe of Asher, Mishal and its pasturelands, Abdon and its pasturelands, Helkath and its pasturelands, and Rehob and its pasturelands—four cities. And from the tribe of Naphtali, a city of refuge for the manslayer, Kedesh in Galilee and its pasturelands, and Hammoth-dor and its pasturelands, and Kartan and its pasturelands—three cities. All the cities of the Gershonite by their clans were thirteen cities and their pasturelands. And to the clans of the sons of Merari, the remaining Levites: From the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam and its pasturelands, Kartah and its pasturelands, Dimnah and its pasturelands, Nahalal and its pasturelands—four cities. And from the tribe of Reuben, Bezer and its pasturelands, and Jahaz and its pasturelands, Kedemoth and its pasturelands, and Mephaath and its pasturelands—four cities. And from the tribe of Gad, a city of refuge for the manslayer, Ramoth in Gilead and its pasturelands, and Mahanaim and its pasturelands, Heshbon and its pasturelands, Jazer and its pasturelands—in all four cities. And all the cities for the sons of Merari by their clans, the remaining of the clans of the Levites, by their lot, were twelve cities. All the cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the sons of Israel were forty-eight cities and their pasturelands. These cities were each city and its pasturelands surrounding it. And were all these cities. And YHWH gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and dwelt in it. And YHWH gave rest to them all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers, and not a man stood against them of all their enemies; all their enemies YHWH delivered into their hands. Not a word failed of any good thing that YHWH had spoken to the house of Israel; everything came to pass. The Eastern Tribes Return Home Then Joshua called the Reubenite and the Gadite and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and he said to them, “You⁺ have kept all that Moses the servant of YHWH commanded you⁺, and you⁺ have listened to my voice in all that I commanded you⁺. You⁺ have not left your⁺ brothers these many days up to this day, and you⁺ have kept the charge of the commandment of YHWH your⁺ God. And YHWH your⁺ God has given rest to your⁺ brothers as He promised to them, and now return and go for yourselves to your⁺ tents and to the land of your⁺ possession, which Moses the servant of YHWH gave to you⁺ on the other side of the Jordan. Only greatly take heed to do the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of YHWH commanded you⁺, to love YHWH your⁺ God, and to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, and to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your⁺ heart and with all your⁺ soul.” And Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents. (And to the half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given a possession in Bashan, and to half of it Joshua had given among their brothers on this side of the Jordan westward.) And indeed, when Joshua sent them away to their tents, he blessed them and spoke to them, saying, “With great riches return to your⁺ tents, and with very much livestock, with silver, and with gold, and with bronze, and with iron, and with very much clothing. Divide the spoil of your⁺ enemies with your⁺ brothers.” The Altar of Witness And the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh turned back and departed from the sons of Israel at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the country of Gilead, to the land of their possession, which they had acquired according to the word of YHWH by the hand of Moses. And they came to Geliloth22.10 Or to the circle of stones or to the regions; similarly in verse 11 near the Jordan, which is in the land of Canaan, and the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, an altar great in appearance. And the sons of Israel heard it said, “Behold, the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built the altar over against the border of the land of Canaan in the region of the Jordan on the side of the sons of Israel.” And the sons of Israel heard, and the whole congregation of the sons of Israel gathered together at Shiloh to go to war against them. And the sons of Israel sent to the sons of Reuben, and to the sons of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, and ten leaders with him, one leader, one leader from the house of a father of every tribe of Israel; and each one was the head of the house of his father among the divisions of Israel. And they came to the sons of Reuben, and to the sons of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying, “Thus says the whole congregation of YHWH: ‘What is this treachery that you⁺ have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following YHWH, in that you⁺ have built for yourselves an altar, that you⁺ might rebel this day against YHWH? Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not cleansed until this day? And there was a plague in the congregation of YHWH. And you⁺ turn away this day from following YHWH? And if it comes to pass that you⁺ rebel today against YHWH, tomorrow He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel. And nevertheless, if the land of your⁺ possession is unclean, then pass over to the land of the possession of YHWH, where the tabernacle of YHWH stands, and take possession in our midst. And against YHWH do not rebel, and against us do not rebel, by building for yourselves an altar besides the altar of YHWH our God. Did not Achan22.20 Achan means troubler; also called Achar in 1 Chronicles 2:7. son of Zerah act unfaithfully—an unfaithfulness—with the devoted thing,22.20 Forms of the Hebrew cherem refer to the giving over of things or persons to YHWH, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering. so that wrath fell upon all the congregation of Israel? And not only he, one man, perished in his iniquity.’” And the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered, and said to the heads of the divisions of Israel, “God of gods—YHWH, God of gods—YHWH, He knows, and Israel He does know. If it is in rebellion or if in treachery against YHWH, do not save us this day! If we have built for ourselves an altar to turn from following YHWH, or if to offer on it burnt offerings or grain offerings, or if to offer on it peace offerings, YHWH Himself will require it. And nevertheless, we have done it from fear of this thing, saying, hereafter your⁺ sons may speak to our seed, saying, ‘And what have you⁺ to do with YHWH, God of Israel? For YHWH a border has given between us and between you⁺, sons of Reuben and sons of Gad—the Jordan. To you⁺ is no portion in YHWH.’ And your⁺ sons would make our sons cease from fearing YHWH. And we said, ‘Let us now prepare ourselves to build the altar—not for burnt offering nor for sacrifice— but that a witness it may be between us and between you⁺ and between our generations after us, that we may perform the service of YHWH before Him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings,’ that your⁺ sons may not say hereafter to our sons, ‘To you⁺ is no portion in YHWH.’ And we said, ‘And it will come to pass, when they say this to us or to our generations hereafter, that we may say: Here is the replica of the altar of YHWH, which our fathers made, though not for burnt offerings nor for sacrifices, but a witness it is between us and between you⁺.’ Far be it from us that we should rebel against YHWH and turn this day from following YHWH to build an altar for burnt offerings, for grain offerings, and for sacrifice, besides the altar of YHWH our God which is before His tabernacle.” And Phinehas the priest and the princes of the congregation and the heads of the divisions of Israel who were with him heard the words that the sons of Reuben, and the sons of Gad, and the sons of Manasseh, spoke, and it pleased them. And Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest said to the sons of Reuben, and the sons of Gad, and the sons of Manasseh, “This day we perceive that YHWH is in our midst, because you⁺ have not committed this treachery against YHWH. Therefore, you⁺ have delivered the sons of Israel out of the hand of YHWH.” And Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest and the leaders returned from the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad, from the land of Gilead, to the land of Canaan, to the sons of Israel, and they brought back to them word. And the word was pleasing in the eyes of the sons of Israel; and the sons of Israel blessed God, and they spoke no more of going against them in battle to destroy the land that the sons of Reuben and of Gad were dwelling in. And the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad proclaimed of the altar that, “It is a witness between us that YHWH is God.” Joshua’s Charge to Leaders And it came to pass a long time after when YHWH had given rest to Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua was old; he had entered into days. And Joshua called for all Israel, for its elders, and for its heads, and for its judges, and for its officers, and he said to them, “I have become old; I have entered into days. And You⁺ have seen all that YHWH your⁺ God has done to all these nations before your⁺ faces, for YHWH your⁺ God is He who has fought for you⁺. See, I have divided by lot to you⁺ these remaining nations, to be an inheritance for your⁺ tribes, from the Jordan, and with all the nations that I have cut off, as far as the Great Sea23.4 That is, the Mediterranean Sea toward the setting of the sun. And YHWH your⁺ God, He will expel them from before you⁺ and drive them out of your⁺ sight; and you⁺ shall possess their land as YHWH your⁺ God has spoken to you⁺. And be very courageous to keep and to do everything written in the Book of the Law of Moses, lest you turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left, and lest you go among these nations, these remaining among you⁺, and the name of their gods you⁺ shall not mention nor cause one to swear by them, and you⁺ shall not serve them and not bow down to them. For but to YHWH your⁺ God you⁺ shall hold fast, as you⁺ have done to this day. And YHWH has driven out from before you⁺ great and mighty nations; and as for you⁺, a man has not been able to stand against you⁺ to this day. One man of you⁺ shall chase a thousand, for YHWH your⁺ God is He who is fighting for you⁺ as He promised to you⁺. And exceedingly take heed to yourselves that you love YHWH your⁺ God. For if you⁺ at all turn back and cling to the remnant of these nations, these that remain among you⁺, and make marriages with them, and go in to them, and they to you⁺, then know for sure that YHWH your⁺ God will no longer drive out these nations from before you⁺, and they shall be to you⁺ snares and traps and scourges on your⁺ sides, and thorns in your⁺ eyes, until you⁺ perish from this good land that YHWH your⁺ God has given to you⁺. And behold, I am going this day the way of all the earth, and you⁺ know in all your⁺ hearts and in all your⁺ souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things that YHWH your⁺ God has spoken concerning you⁺. All have come to pass for you⁺; not one word has failed. And it will come to pass that as have come upon you⁺ all the good things that YHWH your⁺ God has spoken to you⁺, so YHWH will bring upon you⁺ all the word of evil, until He has destroyed you⁺ from this good land that YHWH your⁺ God has given to you⁺. In your⁺ transgressing the covenant of YHWH your⁺ God that He commanded you⁺, and have gone and served other gods and bowed down to them, the anger of YHWH will burn against you⁺, and you⁺ shall perish quickly from the good land that He has given to you⁺.” Joshua Reviews Israel’s History And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and he called for the elders of Israel, and for its heads, and for its judges, and for its officers; and they presented themselves before the face of God. And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says YHWH, God of Israel: ‘On the other side of the River24.2 That is, the Euphrates; also in verses 3, 14, and 15 dwelt Your⁺ fathers of old—Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor—and they served other gods. And I took your⁺ father Abraham from beyond the River, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave to him Isaac. And I gave to Isaac Jacob and Esau, and I gave to Esau Mount Seir to possess, and Jacob and his children went down to Egypt. And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt by what I did among them, and afterward I brought you⁺ out. And I brought your⁺ fathers out of Egypt, and you⁺ came to the sea. And Egypt pursued after your⁺ fathers with chariot and with horsemen to the Red Sea.24.6 Or the Sea of Reeds And they cried out to YHWH, and He put darkness between you⁺ and between the Egyptians, and He brought upon them the sea and covered them, and your⁺ eyes saw what I did against Egypt, and you⁺ dwelt in the wilderness many days. And I brought you⁺ into the land of the Amorite, the ones dwelling on the other side of the Jordan, and they fought with you⁺. And I gave them into your⁺ hands, and you⁺ possessed their land, and I destroyed them from before your⁺ faces. And Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose to make war against Israel, and he sent and called Balaam son of Beor to curse you⁺. And I was not willing to listen to Balaam, and he blessed you⁺ again and again. And I delivered you⁺ out of his hand. And you⁺ went over the Jordan and came to Jericho, and the men of Jericho fought against you⁺, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Girgashite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. And I delivered them into your⁺ hands. And I sent before your⁺ faces the hornet, and it drove them out from before your⁺ faces—two kings of the Amorite—not by your sword and not by your bow. And I have given to you⁺ a land on which you did not labor, and cities that you⁺ did not build, and you⁺ dwell in them. You⁺ are eating of vineyards and olive groves that you⁺ did not plant.’ Choose Whom You Will Serve (Deuteronomy 10:12–22) And now, fear YHWH and serve Him in sincerity and in truth. And put away the gods that your⁺ fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt, and Serve YHWH! And if it seems evil in your⁺ eyes to serve YHWH, choose for yourselves this day whom you⁺ will serve, whether the gods that your⁺ fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorite, in whose land you⁺ are dwelling. And I and my house, we will serve YHWH!” And the people answered and said, “Far be it from us that we should forsake YHWH to serve other gods! For YHWH our God is He who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery, and who did in our sight these great signs, and preserved us in all the way that we went in it, and in all the people among whom we passed. And YHWH drove out all the people, and the Amorite who dwelt in the land, from before us. We also will serve YHWH, for He is our God!” And Joshua said to the people, “You⁺ are not able to serve YHWH, for He is a holy God; He is a jealous God. He will not lift your⁺ transgressions and your⁺ sins. If you⁺ forsake YHWH and serve foreign gods, He will turn and do harm to you⁺ and consume you⁺ after that He has done good to you⁺.” And the people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve YHWH!” And Joshua said to the people, “You⁺ are witnesses against yourselves that you⁺ have chosen for yourselves YHWH, to serve Him.” And they said, “Witnesses!” “And now, put away the foreign gods that are among you⁺ and incline your⁺ heart to YHWH, God of Israel.” And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve YHWH our God, and to His voice we will listen.” And Joshua cut a covenant with the people that day, and he set for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. And Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God, and he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak24.26 Or terebinth that was by the sanctuary of YHWH. And Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be to us a witness, for it has heard all the words of YHWH that He spoke to us. And it will be for a witness against you⁺, lest you⁺ deny your⁺ God.” And Joshua sent away the people, each man to his inheritance. Joshua’s Death and Burial (Judges 2:6–9) And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua son of Nun, the servant of YHWH, died, a son of a hundred and ten years. And they buried him within the border of his inheritance at Timnath-serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north side of Mount Gaash. 24.30 Timnath-serah is also known as Timnath-heres; see Judges 2:9. And Israel served YHWH all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who lengthened days after Joshua, and who had known all the works of YHWH that He had done for Israel. And the bones of Joseph that the sons of Israel had brought up out of Egypt, they buried at Shechem in the plot of the ground that Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred kesitah,24.32 Or a hundred pieces of silver; the value or weight of the kesitah is no longer known. and it was to the sons of Joseph for an inheritance. And Eleazar son of Aaron died, and they buried him in a hill of Phinehas his son, which was given to him in the hill country of Ephraim.