Joshua Chapter 1

Yahveh’s Charge to Joshua

            ¹ After Moses died, God said to Joshua Ben-Nun, Moses’ assistant,  

² “Moses has died. You and the people, cross the Jordan to the land I’m giving you. ³ Like I promised Moses, everywhere you go I’ll deliver it to you. ⁴ Your territory will be from the desert and Lebanon to the big Euphrates River, the land of the Hittites to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. ⁵ Nobody will be able to stand up to you all your life. I’ll be with you like I was with Moses; I won’t fail you or abandon you. ⁶ Be strong and courageous. You’ll enable my people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors I’d give them. ⁷ Make sure you do everything in the Law that Moses commanded you. ⁸ Think about it day and night. You’ll prosper and succeed. ⁹ Haven’t I commanded you? Don’t be afraid or intimidated. Yahveh your God is with you.”     

Josh 1:1-9

                  ¹⁰Joshua told the officers of the people,

¹¹ “Go through the camp and tell the people to get baggage ready. Three days from now, you’re going to cross the Jordan to take the land Yahveh your God is giving you.”

            ¹² Joshua told Reuben, Gad, and the Manasseh half-tribe,

            ¹³ “Remember what Moses told you, Yahveh your God is providing you this land as a place to rest.’ ¹⁴ Your wives, little ones, and livestock will stay beyond the Jordan; but your fighting men will cross over armed to help your fellow Jews ¹⁵ till they have their land and Yahveh gives them peace. Then you can go back east of the Jordan.”

            ¹⁶ They answered,

“We’ll do everything you’ve said and go wherever you go. ¹⁷ We’ll obey you like we did Moses. Yahveh be with you like he was with him! ¹⁸ We’ll execute whoever disobeys you. Be strong and courageous.”

Josh 1:10-18