Get up! Ritually consecrate the people and tell them this: ‘Ritually consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, because the Lord God of Israel says, “You are contaminated, ¹  O Israel! You will not be able to stand before your enemies until you remove what is contaminating you.” ² 

But the Levites will not have an allotted portion among you, for their inheritance is to serve the Lord. ¹  Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have already received their allotted land ²  east of the Jordan which Moses the Lord’s servant assigned them.”

When all the Amorite kings on the west side of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the seacoast heard how the Lord had dried up the water of the Jordan before the Israelites while they ¹  crossed, they lost their courage and could not even breathe for fear of the Israelites. ² 

I repeat, ¹  be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic, ²  for I, the Lord your God, am with you in all you do.” ³ 

No men were left in Ai or Bethel; ¹  they all went out after Israel. ²  They left the city wide open and chased Israel.

When Achan son of Zerah disobeyed the command about the city’s riches, the entire Israelite community was judged, ¹  though only one man had sinned. He most certainly died for his sin!’” ² 

Joshua did as they said; he kept the Israelites from killing them ¹ 

But the men ¹  of Manasseh were unable to conquer these cities; the Canaanites managed ²  to remain in those areas.

I refused to respond to Balaam; he kept ¹  prophesying good things about ²  you, and I rescued you from his power. ³ 

Joshua kept holding out his curved sword until Israel had annihilated all who lived in Ai. ¹ 

The men examined ¹  some of their provisions, but they failed to ask the Lord’s advice. ² 

No city made peace with the Israelites (except the Hivites living in Gibeon); ¹  they had to conquer all of them, ² 

Whenever the Israelites were strong militarily, they forced the Canaanites to do hard labor, but they never totally conquered them. ¹ 

Joshua read aloud every commandment Moses had given ¹  before the whole assembly of Israel, including the women, children, and resident foreigners who lived among them. ² 

But don’t you delay! Chase your enemies and catch them! ¹  Don’t allow them to retreat to ²  their cities, for the Lord your God is handing them over to you.” ³ 

Then Joshua said to them, “Don’t be afraid and don’t panic! ¹  Be strong and brave, for the Lord will do the same thing to all your enemies you fight.

Now ¹  all the men ²  who left were circumcised, but all the sons ³  born on the journey through the desert after they left Egypt were uncircumcised.

The men of Judah were unable to conquer the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. ¹  The Jebusites live with the people of Judah in Jerusalem to this very day. ² 

They returned and reported to Joshua, ¹  “Don’t send the whole army. ²  About two or three thousand men are adequate to defeat Ai. ³  Don’t tire out the whole army, for Ai is small.” ⁴ 

But the woman hid the two men ¹  and replied, “Yes, these men were clients of mine, ²  but I didn’t know where they came from.