Joshua told the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God!”

The king of Jericho received this report: “Note well! ¹  Israelite men have come here tonight ²  to spy on the land.”

But as for you, map out the land into seven regions and bring it to me. I will draw lots for you here before the Lord our God.

When the men started out, Joshua told those going to map out the land, “Go, walk through the land, map it out, and return to me. Then I will draw lots for you before the Lord here in Shiloh.”

and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God ¹  being carried by the Levitical priests, you must leave here ²  and walk ³  behind it.

Joshua told all the people, “Here is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘In the distant past your ancestors ¹  lived beyond the Euphrates River, ²  including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor. They worshiped ³  other gods,

When they brought the kings out to Joshua, he ¹  summoned all the men of Israel and said to the commanders of the troops who accompanied him, “Come here ²  and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came up ³  and put their feet on their necks.

They assigned from the tribes of Judah and Simeon the cities listed below.

Instruct them, ‘Pick up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests ¹  stand firmly, and carry them over with you and put them in the place where you camp tonight.’”

So now, look, the Lord has preserved my life, just as he promised, these past forty-five years since the Lord spoke these words to Moses, during which Israel traveled through the wilderness. Now look, I am today eighty-five years old.

Your wives, children and cattle may stay in the land that Moses assigned to you east of the Jordan River. But all you warriors must cross over armed for battle ahead of your brothers. ¹  You must help them

This bread of ours was warm when we packed it in our homes the day we started out to meet you, ¹  but now it is dry and hard. ² 

If you should report what we’ve been up to, ¹  we are not bound by this oath you made us swear.”

explain ¹  to your children, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan River ²  on dry ground.’

So now we are in your power. ¹  Do to us what you think is good and appropriate. ² 

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.

These wineskins we filled were brand new, but look how they have ripped. Our clothes and sandals have worn out because it has been a very long journey.”

¹ Joshua summoned the Gibeonites ²  and said to them, “Why did you trick ³  us by saying, ‘We live far away from you,’ when you really live nearby? ⁴ 

But if you ever turn away and make alliances with ¹  these nations that remain near you, ²  and intermarry with them and establish friendly relations with them, ³ 

The Lord drove out from before us all the nations, including the Amorites who lived in the land. So we too will worship ¹  the Lord, for he is our God!”