After Moses, the servant of the LORD, had died, the LORD spoke to Nun's son Joshua, announcing to him,

"My servant Moses is dead. Now get ready to cross the Jordan River you and all the people to the land that I'm giving the Israelis.

I'm giving you every place where the sole of your foot falls, just as I promised Moses.

Your territorial border will extend from the wilderness to the Lebanon Mountains, to the river that great River Euphrates all the land of the Hittites as far as the Mediterranean Sea where the sun sets.

No one will be victorious against you for the rest of your life. I'll be with you just like I was with Moses I'll neither fail you nor abandon you.

"Be strong and courageous, because you'll be leading this people to inherit the land that I promised to give their ancestors.

Only be strong and very courageous to ensure that you obey all the instructions that my servant Moses gave you turn neither to the right nor to the left from it so that you may succeed wherever you go.

I've commanded you, haven't I? Be strong and courageous. Don't be fearful or discouraged, because the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

Then Joshua gave orders to the officials of the people.

"Go through the camp," he said, "and command the people, "Prepare provisions for yourselves, because within three days you'll be crossing the Jordan River to take possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving you so go get it!'"

Joshua told the descendants of Reuben, the descendants of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh,

"Remember what Moses commanded you when he said, "The LORD your God will provide you rest, as well as this land.'

Your wives, your young children, and your livestock will remain in the land that Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan River, but you and all your warriors will cross, ready for battle, in full view of your relatives, and you will help them

until the LORD gives relief to your relatives, as he did to you. Then they'll take the land that the LORD your God is giving them as their inheritance. You'll return to the land of your heritage and receive the inheritance that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the east side of the Jordan River, in the direction of the sunrise."

"We'll do everything that you commanded," they replied. "We'll go wherever you send us.

We'll listen and obey you in everything, just like we did with Moses. Only may the LORD your God be with you, just as he was with Moses.

After this, Nun's son Joshua sent two men from the Acacia groves as undercover scouts. He told them, "Go and look over the land. Pay special attention to Jericho." So they went out, came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab, and lodged there.

Then the king of Jericho was told, "Look! Israeli men arrived tonight to scout out the land."

So the king of Jericho sent for Rahab and ordered her, "Bring out the men who came to visit you and lodged in your house, because they've come to scout out the entire land."

Now the woman had taken the two men and hid them. So she replied, "The men really did come to me, but I didn't know from where they came.

At dusk, when it was time to close the city gates, the men left. I don't know where the men went. Go after them quickly, and you might overtake them."

But she had taken them up to the roof and had hidden them among stalks of flax that she had laid out in order on the roof.

So the men pursued them along the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan River. As soon as the search party had left, they shut the city gate after them.

Before the scouts had lain down, she went up to them on the roof

"I'm really convinced that the LORD has given you the land," she said, "because we're overwhelmed with fear of you. All the other inhabitants of the land are demoralized at your presence,

because we heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Reed Sea right in front of you as you were coming out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan River to Sihon and Og whom you completely destroyed.

When we heard these reports, we all became terrified and discouraged because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath.

Now therefore, since I've treated you so kindly, please swear in the name of the LORD that you'll also be kind to my father's household by giving me this sure sign:

So the men told her, "Our life for yours even to death if you don't betray this mission of ours. Then when the LORD gives us this land, we'll treat you graciously and faithfully."

So she let them down by a rope through the window, since her house was built into the town wall where she lived.

She told them, "Go out to the hill country, so the search party won't find you, and hide for three days. After that, you may go on your own way."

The men replied, "We'll be free from our commitment to you to which you've obligated us

when we invade the land, if you don't tie this rope made with red cords in the window through which you let us down, and if you don't gather your father, your mother, your brothers, and all of the rest of your father's household into your house.

Everyone who leaves through the doors of your house into the street will be responsible for his own death, but we'll be responsible for anyone who remains with you in the house if even so much as a hand is laid on him.

But if you report this incident, we'll be free from the oath to which you've made us swear."

"Since you put it that way," she replied, "I agree." After she sent them on their way and they had left, she tied the red cord in the window.

The scouts left for the hill country and remained there for three days until the search party returned. The search party searched the entire road, but was unable to find them.

Later, the two men returned from the hill country, crossed over the Jordan River, approached Nun's son Joshua, and told him everything that had happened to them.

They reported to Joshua, "The LORD really has given the entire land into our control. The inhabitants of the land have melted away right in front of us!"

Joshua got up early the next morning. Accompanied by all the Israelis, he set out from the Acacia groves and arrived at the Jordan River, where they encamped before crossing it.

Three days later, the officers went throughout the camp,

giving orders to the people. They said, "When you see the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then get up, leave where you are, and follow it.

Then Joshua addressed the people: "Consecrate yourselves, because tomorrow the LORD will do marvelous things among you."

After this, Joshua instructed the priests, "Take up the Ark of the Covenant and cross over ahead of the people." So they took up the Ark of the Covenant and went on ahead of the people.

At this point, the LORD told Joshua, "Today I'm going to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so they'll be sure that I'm going to be with you just as I was with Moses.

Give this command to the priests who are carrying the Ark of the Covenant: "When you arrive at the water of the Jordan River, stand still in the Jordan.'"

So Joshua told the Israelis, "Come here and listen to what the LORD your God has to say."

Joshua continued, "This is how you'll know that the living God really is among you: he's going to remove the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites right in front of you.

Look! The Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of whole the earth is crossing ahead of you into the Jordan River.

So take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from each tribe.

When the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD, the Lord of the whole earth, touch the water in the Jordan River, the water that feeds the Jordan will be cut off from above and they'll stand still in a single location."

So the people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan River, with the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant in full view of the people.

When the priests who carried the ark entered the Jordan River, as their feet touched the water's edge (The Jordan River overflows all of its banks daily during the harvest season.),

the water flowing downstream from above stood still in a single location, a great distance away at Adam, a city near Zarethan. The water that flowed south toward the sea in the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed opposite Jericho.

The priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan River, while all Israel crossed on dry ground until the entire nation had finished crossing the Jordan River.

As soon as the entire nation had completed its crossing of the Jordan, the LORD spoke to Joshua. He said,

"Gather together twelve men from the people one man from each tribe

and tell them, "Pick up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan where the priests' feet were standing, bring them along with you, and put them down where you camp tonight.'"

So Joshua called the twelve men whom he had chosen from the people of Israel, one man from each tribe.

Joshua told them, "Cross over again in front of the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan River. Then each of you pick up a stone on his shoulder with which to build a memorial, one for each of the tribes of Israel.

then you'll say to them, "Because the waters of the Jordan River were cut off in front of the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan River, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.' So these stones will become a memorial to the Israelis forever."

The Israelis did just as Joshua commanded. They took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan River just as the LORD had spoken to Joshua according to the number of the tribes of the Israelis, and they carried them over to where they would be pitching camp, and they put them down there.

Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan River at the location where the feet of the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant had been standing, and they remain there to this day.

The priests who were carrying the ark stood in the middle of the Jordan River until everything had been done in accordance with what the LORD had commanded Joshua to speak to the people and with everything that Moses had commanded Joshua. So the people hurried and crossed over.

When all of the people had completed their crossing, the ark of the LORD and the priests crossed over in full view of the people.

Just as Moses had directed, the descendants of Reuben, the descendants of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over, dressed in battle regalia, in full view of the other Israelis.

About 40,000 soldiers equipped to do battle in the LORD's presence crossed over to the desert plains of Jericho.

That day, the LORD exalted Joshua in the presence of all Israel so that they revered him just as they had revered Moses throughout his life.

Now the LORD had told Joshua,

"Command the priests who carry the Ark of the Testimony to come up from the Jordan River."

So Joshua ordered the priests, "Come up from the Jordan River."

As soon as the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD had come up from the middle of the Jordan River, and the soles of the priests' feet came up to dry ground, the water of the Jordan River returned to normal, covering its banks as it had done so before.

The people came up from the Jordan River on the tenth day of the first month and camped at Gilgal on the eastern outskirts of Jericho.

Joshua set up the twelve stones that they had removed from the Jordan River at Gilgal.

Then he told the Israelis, "When your descendants ask their parents in years to come, "What is the meaning of these stones?'

because the LORD your God dried up the water of the Jordan River right in front of you, until you had crossed over, just as the LORD your God had done to the Reed Sea which he had dried up in front of us until we had crossed it also.'

Do this so that all of the people of the earth may know how strong the power of the LORD is, and so that you may fear the LORD your God every day."

All the Amorite kings who lived across the Jordan River to the west and all the Canaanite kings by the Mediterranean Sea became discouraged as soon as they heard that the LORD had dried up the water of the Jordan River for the people of Israel until they had crossed it. They no longer had a will to fight because of the people of Israel.

At that time the LORD told Joshua, "Make for yourselves some flint knives and circumcise the Israelis who haven't been circumcised yet."

So Joshua made some flint knives and circumcised the Israelis at Gibeath-haaraloth.

Joshua circumcised them because all of the males among the people who came out of Egypt that is, all the warriors had died during their journey through the wilderness following their departure from Egypt.

Although everyone who had left Egypt had been circumcised, nevertheless all the people born during the journey after their departure from Egypt had not been circumcised.

The Israelis traveled 40 years in the wilderness until the entire nation that is, the warriors who had departed from Egypt had perished because they hadn't listened to the voice of the LORD. The LORD had promised them that he would not let them see the land that he had sworn to give us, a land that flows with milk and honey.

As a result, it was their descendants, whom he raised up to take their place, that Joshua circumcised. They had remained uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised during their journey.

When the circumcision of the entire nation was complete, they remained in their places within the camp until they were healed.

Then the LORD told Joshua, "Today I have rolled the disgrace of Egypt away from you." That's why that place is called "Gilgal" to this day.

While the Israelis remained encamped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they observed the Passover during the evening of the fourteenth day of the month.

On the day following Passover on that exact day they ate the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain.

The manna ceased on the day they ate the produce of the land. Since the Israelis no longer received manna, they ate crops from the land of Canaan that year.

"Neither," he answered. "I have come as commander of the LORD's Army." Joshua immediately fell on his face to the earth and worshipped, saying to him, "Lord, what do you have for your servant by way of command?"

The commander of the LORD's Army replied to Joshua, "Remove your sandals from your feet, because the place where you're standing is holy." So Joshua did so.

Meanwhile, Jericho was fortified inside and out because of the Israelis. Nobody could leave or enter.

The LORD told Joshua, "Look! I have given Jericho over to your control, along with its kings and valiant soldiers.

March around the city, all the soldiers circling the city once. Do this for six days,

with seven priests carrying in front of the ark seven trumpets made from rams' horns. On the seventh day march around the city seven times while the priests blow their trumpets.

When they sound a long blast with the ram's horn, as soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then the entire army is to cry out loud, the city wall will collapse, and then all of the soldiers are to charge straight ahead."

So Nun's son Joshua called for the priests. "Pick up the Ark of the Covenant," he told them, "and have seven priests carry seven trumpets made from rams' horns in front of the ark of the LORD."

He told the army, "Go out and encircle the city. Have the armed men march out in front of the ark of the LORD."

And so, just as Joshua had commanded, seven of the priests went forward, carrying the seven trumpets made of rams' horns in the LORD's presence, blowing the trumpets while the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD followed them.

Armed men preceded the priests who were blowing the trumpets, and a rear guard followed the ark, while the trumpets continued to blow.