The Lord told Joshua, “See, I am about to defeat Jericho for you, ¹  along with its king and its warriors.

When you capture the city, set it ¹  on fire. Do as the Lord says! See, I have given you orders.” ² 

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.

But stay about three thousand feet behind it. ¹  Keep your distance ²  so you can see ³  which way you should go, for you have not traveled this way before.”

See, I have parceled out to your tribes these remaining nations, ¹  from the Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea ²  in the west, including all the nations I defeated. ³ 

The Lord told Joshua, “Don’t be afraid and don’t panic! ¹  Take the whole army with you and march against Ai! ²  See, I am handing over to you ³  the king of Ai, along with his people, city, and land.

We said, ‘If in the future they say such a thing ¹  to us or to our descendants, we will reply, “See the model of the Lord’s altar that our ancestors ²  made, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but as a reminder to us and you.”’ ³ 

Indeed, for forty years the Israelites traveled through the desert until all the men old enough to fight when they left Egypt, the ones who had disobeyed the Lord, died off. ¹  For the Lord had sworn a solemn oath to them that he would not let them see the land he had sworn on oath to give them, ²  a land rich in ³  milk and honey.

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.”

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 

Joshua said to all the people, “Look, this stone will be a witness against you, for it has heard everything the Lord said to us. ¹  It will be a witness against you if ²  you deny your God.”

Look! The ark of the covenant of the Ruler ¹  of the whole earth is ready to enter the Jordan ahead of you.

Watch yourselves carefully! Love the Lord your God! ¹ 

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.

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

He has done this so ¹  all the nations ²  of the earth might recognize the Lord’s power ³  and so you might always obey ⁴  the Lord your God.”

He told ¹  them, “Look, set an ambush behind the city. Don’t go very far from the city; all of you be ready!

Now today you dare to turn back ¹  from following the Lord! You are rebelling today against the Lord; tomorrow he may break out in anger against ²  the entire community of Israel.

The Lord told Joshua, “This very day I will begin to honor you before all Israel ¹  so they will know that I am with you just as I was with Moses.

Joshua continued, ¹  “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.