Joshua 1:1–18

¹And it came about after the death of Moses the servant of Jehovah that Jehovah proceeded to say to Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses:²“Moses my servant is dead; and now get up, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.³Every place upon which the sole of ​YOUR​ foot will tread, to ​YOU​ people I shall certainly give it, just as I promised to Moses.⁴From the wilderness and this Leb′a‧non to the great river, the river Eu‧phra′tes, that is, all the land of the Hit′tites, and to the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun ​YOUR​ territory will prove to be.⁵Nobody will take a firm stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I proved to be with Moses I shall prove to be with you. I shall neither desert you nor leave you entirely.⁶Be courageous and strong, for you are the one who will cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their forefathers to give to them.

⁷“Only be courageous and very strong to take care to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn aside from it to the right or to the left, in order that you may act wisely everywhere you go.⁸This book of the law should not depart from your mouth, and you must in an undertone read in it day and night, in order that you may take care to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way successful and then you will act wisely.⁹Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and strong. Do not suffer shock or be terrified, for Jehovah your God is with you wherever you go.”

¹⁰And Joshua proceeded to command the officers of the people, saying:¹¹“Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Get provisions ready for yourselves, because three days from now ​YOU​ are crossing this Jordan to go in and take possession of the land that Jehovah ​YOUR​ God is giving ​YOU​ to take possession of it.’”

¹²And to the Reu′ben‧ites and the Gad′ites and the half tribe of Ma‧nas′seh Joshua said:¹³“Let there be a remembering of the word that Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded ​YOU, saying, ‘Jehovah ​YOUR​ God is giving ​YOU​ rest and has given ​YOU​ this land.¹⁴YOUR​ wives, ​YOUR​ little ones and ​YOUR​ livestock will dwell in the land that Moses has given ​YOU​ on this side of the Jordan; but ​YOU​ men will pass over in battle formation before ​YOUR​ brothers, all the valiant mighty men, and ​YOU​ must help them.¹⁵First when Jehovah gives rest to ​YOUR​ brothers the same as to ​YOU​ and they also have taken possession of the land that Jehovah ​YOUR​ God is giving them, ​YOU​ must also return to the land of ​YOUR​ holding and take possession of it, the one that Moses the servant of Jehovah has given ​YOU​ on the side of the Jordan toward the rising of the sun.’”

¹⁶Accordingly they answered Joshua, saying: “All that you have commanded us we shall do, and wherever you may send us we shall go.¹⁷As we listened to Moses in everything, so we shall listen to you. Only may Jehovah your God prove to be with you just as he proved to be with Moses.¹⁸Any man that behaves rebelliously against your order and does not listen to your words in all that you may command him will be put to death. Only be courageous and strong.”