At that time the <sc>Lordsc> set apart the tribe of Levi<n id="1" /> to carry the ark of the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s covenant, to stand before the <sc>Lordsc> to serve him, and to formulate blessings<n id="2" /> in his name, as they do to this very day.

As for me, I stayed at the mountain as I did the first time, forty days and nights. The <sc>Lordsc> listened to me that time as well and decided not to destroy you.

The person who pays no attention<n id="1" /> to the priest currently serving the <sc>Lordsc> your God there, or to the verdict &#8211; that person must die, so that you may purge evil from Israel.

When the feet<n id="1" /> of the priests carrying the ark of the <sc>Lordsc>, the Ruler<n id="2" /> of the whole earth, touch<n id="3" /> the water of the Jordan, the water coming downstream toward you will stop flowing and pile up.&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

the water coming downstream toward them stopped flowing.<n id="1" /> It piled up far upstream<n id="2" /> at Adam (the city near Zarethan); there was no water at all flowing to the sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea).<n id="3" /> The people crossed the river opposite Jericho.<n id="4" />

The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the <sc>Lordsc> stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan. All Israel crossed over on dry ground until the entire nation was on the other side.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Now the priests carrying the ark of the covenant were standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the Lord had commanded Joshua to tell the people was accomplished, in accordance with all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people went across quickly,

<t /><p class="bodytext">When Joshua was near<n id="1" /> Jericho,<n id="2" /> he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him holding a drawn sword.<n id="3" /> Joshua approached him and asked him, &#8220;Are you on our side or allied with our enemies?&#8221;<n id="4" />

The commander of the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s army answered Joshua, &#8220;Remove your sandals from your feet, because the place where you stand is holy.&#8221; Joshua did so.p>

The one who committed manslaughter<n id="1" /> should escape to one of these cities, stand at the entrance of the city gate, and present his case to the leaders of that city.<n id="2" /> They should then bring him into the city, give him a place to stay, and let him live there.<n id="3" />

He must remain<n id="1" /> in that city until his case is decided by the assembly<n id="2" /> and the high priest dies.<n id="3" /> Then the one who committed manslaughter may return home to the city from which he escaped.&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

These were the cities of refuge<n id="1" /> appointed for all the Israelites and for resident foreigners living among them. Anyone who accidentally killed someone could escape there and not be executed by<n id="2" /> the avenger of blood, at least until his case was reviewed by the assembly.<n id="3" />p>

The <sc>Lordsc> made them secure,<n id="1" /> in fulfillment of all he had solemnly promised their ancestors.<n id="2" /> None of their enemies could resist them.<n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> was furious with Israel<n id="1" /> and handed them over to robbers who plundered them.<n id="2" /> He turned them over to<n id="3" /> their enemies who lived around them. They could not withstand their enemies&#8217; attacks.<n id="4" />

But he went back<n id="1" /> once he reached<n id="2" /> the carved images<n id="3" /> at Gilgal. He said to Eglon,<n id="4" /> &#8220;I have a secret message for you, O king.&#8221; Eglon<n id="5" /> said, &#8220;Be quiet!&#8221;<n id="6" /> All his attendants left.

But Joash said to all those who confronted him,<n id="1" /> &#8220;Must you fight Baal&#8217;s battles?<n id="2" /> Must you rescue him? Whoever takes up his cause<n id="3" /> will die by morning!<n id="4" /> If he really is a god, let him fight his own battles!<n id="5" /> After all, it was his altar that was pulled down.&#8221;<n id="6" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">When Jotham heard the news,<n id="1" /> he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim. He spoke loudly to the people below,<n id="2" /> &#8220;Listen to me, leaders of Shechem, so that God may listen to you!p>

<p class="bodytext">When they really started celebrating,<n id="1" /> they said, &#8220;Call for Samson so he can entertain us!&#8221; So they summoned Samson from the prison and he entertained them.<n id="2" /> They made him stand between two pillars.

Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, was serving the <sc>Lordsc><n id="1" /> in those days), &#8220;Should we<n id="2" /> once more march out to fight the Benjaminites our brothers,<n id="3" /> or should we<n id="4" /> quit?&#8221; The <sc>Lordsc> said, &#8220;Attack, for tomorrow I will hand them<n id="5" /> over to you.&#8221;p>

The cart was coming to the field of Joshua, who was from Beth Shemesh. It paused there near a big stone. Then they cut up the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to the <sc>Lordsc>.