and when all the people had finished crossing, the ark of the Lord and the priests crossed as the people looked on.

When all the men had been circumcised, they stayed there in the camp until they had healed.

The land assignments to the nine-and-a-half tribes were made by drawing lots, as the Lord had instructed Moses.

The Israelites followed the Lord’s instructions to Moses and divided up the land.

But you must be loyal to the Lord your God, as you have been to this very day.

The Israelites did just as Joshua commanded. They picked up twelve stones, according to the number of the Israelite tribes, from the middle of the Jordan as the Lord had instructed Joshua. They carried them over with them to the camp and put them there.

I am handing over to you every place you set foot, as I promised Moses.

No one will be able to resist you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not abandon you or leave you alone.

Just as we obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. But may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses!

Meanwhile the king’s men tried to find them on the road to the Jordan River near the fords. The city gate was shut as soon as they set out in pursuit of them.

When the entire nation was on the other side, the Lord told Joshua,

The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed for battle ahead of the Israelites, just as Moses had instructed them.

That day the Lord brought honor to Joshua before all Israel. They respected him all his life, just as they had respected Moses.

Do to Ai and its king what you did to Jericho and its king, except you may plunder its goods and cattle. Set an ambush behind the city!”

I and all the troops who are with me will approach the city. When they come out to fight us like before, we will retreat from them.

They will attack us until we have lured them from the city, for they will say, ‘They are retreating from us like before.’ We will retreat from them.

The leaders then added, “Let them live.” So they became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community, as the leaders had decided.

Joshua did to them as the Lord had commanded him; he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots.

The other half of Manasseh, Reuben, and Gad received their allotted tribal lands beyond the Jordan, just as Moses, the Lord’s servant, had assigned them.

However, Moses did not assign land as an inheritance to the Levites; their inheritance is the sacrificial offerings made to the Lord God of Israel, as he instructed them.