Joshua 1
1AFTER the death of Moses, the Lord spoke to Joshua, son of Naue, the lieutenant of Moses, saying,
2My servant Moses is dead, now therefore arise, and cross the Jordan, thou and all the people, into the land which I give them.
3Every place, on which you tread with the sole of your feet, I will give you, as I said to Moses.
4The wilderness, and yonder over against Lebanon to the river, the great river Euphrates, and to the farthest sea, at the setting of the sun, shall be your boundaries.
5Not a man shall withstand you all the days of thy life. As I was with Moses, so will I be with thee. I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
6Be strong and of good courage; for thou shalt parcel out to this people the land, which I solemnly promised their fathers to give to them.
7Therefore be strong, and courageous, to watch, and to do as My servant Moses commanded. Thou must not deviate from them, to the right or to the left.
8That thou mayst clearly understand all that thou art to do, the book of the Law must never be out of thy mouth. Thou must study it day and night, that thou mayst know how to do all that are written. Then shalt thou be prospered; and thou wilt make thy ways prosperous; and then thou shalt have a good understanding.
9Behold I have commanded thee; be strong and courageous: fear not, nor be dismayed; for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
10Upon this Joshua gave orders to the officers of the people, saying;
11Go through the camp of the people, and give them orders, saying, Prepare all necessary provisions; for in three days you are to cross the Jordan, to go in and take possession of the land which the Lord the God of your fathers giveth you.
12Then Joshua said to Reuben, and Gad, and to the half of the tribe of Manasses,
13Remember what Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you saying; The Lord your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land.
14Let your wives, and your children, and your cattle abide in the land which he hath given you; but you, all your able-bodied men, well equipt, shall cross over before your brethren, and assist them; until the Lord our God shall give your brethren rest, as well as you; until they possess the land which the Lord our God giveth them. Then you shall return, every one to his possession, which Moses gave you on the east side of the Jordan.
16Thereupon they answered and said to Joshua, All that thou commandest we will do. And wherever thou sendest us we will go.
17As we have hearkened to Moses in all things, so will we hearken to thee. Let but the Lord our God be with thee, as he was with Moses,
18and whosoever shall disobey thee, and not hearken to all thy commands which thou shalt give him let him be put to death. But be thou strong and courageous.