As for the <sc>Lordsc> your God, he is about to cross over before you; he will destroy these nations before you and dispossess them. As for Joshua, he is about to cross before you just as the <sc>Lordsc> has said.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Then the <sc>Lordsc> said to Moses, &#8220;The day of your death is near. Summon Joshua and present yourselves in the tent<n id="1" /> of meeting<n id="2" /> so that I can commission him.&#8221;<n id="3" /> So Moses and Joshua presented themselves in the tent of meeting.

and the <sc>Lordsc><n id="1" /> commissioned Joshua son of Nun, &#8220;Be strong and courageous, for you will take the Israelites to the land I have promised them, and I will be with you.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">Joshua son of Nun sent two spies out from Shittim secretly and instructed them:<n id="1" /> &#8220;Find out what you can about the land, especially Jericho.&#8221;<n id="2" /> They stopped at the house of a prostitute named Rahab and spent the night there.<n id="3" />

Joshua told the priests, &#8220;Pick up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.&#8221; So they picked up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people.p>

<p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> told Joshua, &#8220;This very day I will begin to honor you before all Israel<n id="1" /> so they will know that I am with you just as I was with Moses.

Joshua continued,<n id="1" /> &#8220;This is how you will know the living God is among you and that he will truly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites.

Joshua told them, &#8220;Go in front of the ark of the <sc>Lordsc> your God to the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to put a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the Israelite tribes.

Joshua also set up twelve stones<n id="1" /> in the middle of the Jordan in the very place where the priests carrying the ark of the covenant stood. They remain there to this very day.p>

He answered,<n id="1" /> &#8220;Truly I am the commander of the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s army.<n id="2" /> Now I have arrived!&#8221;<n id="3" /> Joshua bowed down with his face to the ground<n id="4" /> and asked, &#8220;What does my master want to say to his servant?&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and instructed them, &#8220;Pick up the ark of the covenant, and seven priests must carry seven rams&#8217; horns in front of the ark of the <sc>Lordsc>.&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">When Joshua gave the army its orders,<n id="1" /> the seven priests carrying the seven rams&#8217; horns before the <sc>Lordsc> moved ahead and blew the horns as the ark of the covenant of the <sc>Lordsc> followed behind.

Now Joshua had instructed the army,<n id="1" /> &#8220;Do not give a battle cry<n id="2" /> or raise your voices; say nothing<n id="3" /> until the day I tell you, &#8216;Give the battle cry.&#8217;<n id="4" /> Then give the battle cry!&#8221;<n id="5" />

Joshua told the two men who had spied on the land, &#8220;Enter the prostitute&#8217;s house<n id="1" /> and bring out the woman and all who belong to her as you promised her.&#8221;<n id="2" />

At that time Joshua made this solemn declaration:<n id="1" /> &#8220;The man who attempts to rebuild<n id="2" /> this city of Jericho<n id="3" /> will stand condemned before the <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="4" /> He will lose his firstborn son when he lays its foundations and his youngest son when he erects its gates!&#8221;<n id="5" />

<p class="bodytext">Joshua sent men from Jericho<n id="1" /> to Ai (which is located near Beth Aven, east of Bethel<n id="2" />) and instructed them, &#8220;Go up and spy on the land.&#8221; So the men went up and spied on Ai.

They returned and reported to Joshua,<n id="1" /> &#8220;Don&#8217;t send the whole army.<n id="2" /> About two or three thousand men are adequate to defeat Ai.<n id="3" /> Don&#8217;t tire out the whole army, for Ai is small.&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Joshua tore his clothes;<n id="1" /> he and the leaders<n id="2" /> of Israel lay face down on the ground before the ark of the <sc>Lordsc> until evening<n id="3" /> and threw dirt on their heads.<n id="4" />

Joshua prayed,<n id="1" /> &#8220;O, Master, <sc>Lordsc>! Why did you bring these people across the Jordan to hand us over to the Amorites so they could destroy us?

So Joshua said to Achan, &#8220;My son, honor<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel and give him praise! Tell me what you did; don&#8217;t hide anything from me!&#8221;