b 5:20 Deuteronomy 5:21-33 in English Bibles is Deuteronomy 5:17-30 in some Hebrew Bibles.

a 7:9 Or "covenant."

a 8:18 Or "covenant."

a 12:15 "Clean" refers to anything that is presentable to God. "Unclean" refers to anything that is not presentable to God.

b 12:31 Deuteronomy 12:32 in English Bibles is Deuteronomy 13:1 in the Hebrew Bible.

a 13:1 Deuteronomy 13:1-18 in English Bibles is Deuteronomy 13:2-19 in the Hebrew Bible.

b 13:2 The first part of verse 3 (in Hebrew) has been placed in verse 2 to express the complex Hebrew paragraph structure more clearly in English.

c 14:5 A specific species of deer.

a 14:7 "Unclean" refers to anything that is not presentable to God.

a 15:8 This sentence has been moved from verse 7 to express the complex Hebrew sentence structure more clearly in English.

b 15:14 A threshing floor is an outdoor area where grain is separated from its husks.

c 15:22 "Clean" refers to anything that is presentable to God. "Unclean" refers to anything that is not presentable to God.

a 16:13 A threshing floor is an outdoor area where grain is separated from its husks.

b 17:2 Or "covenant."

a 18:1 Or "They are to eat the sacrifices offered by fire to the LORD or any of the other sacrifices to the LORD."

a 18:8 Hebrew meaning of "what he gets from selling his family's goods" uncertain.

a 21:3 A yoke is a wooden bar placed over the necks of work animals so that they can pull plows or carts.

b 21:14 Hebrew meaning of "mistreat her as if she were a slave" uncertain.

a 21:23 "Unclean" refers to anything that is not presentable to God.

a 22:29 Deuteronomy 22:30 in English Bibles is Deuteronomy 23:1 in the Hebrew Bible.

b 23:1 Deuteronomy 23:1-25 in English Bibles is Deuteronomy 23:2-26 in the Hebrew Bible.

c 23:9 "Unclean" refers to anything that is not presentable to God.

a 24:4 "Unclean" refers to anything that is not presentable to God.

b 24:7 Hebrew meaning of "treated . . . like a slave" uncertain.

a 25:4 Threshing is the process of beating stalks to separate them from the grain.

a 26:14 "Unclean" refers to anything that is not presentable to God.

a 28:22 Or "uncontrolled fever."

b 28:22 Latin; Masoretic Text "warfare."

c 28:22 Or "blight."

a 28:27 Or "boils."

b 28:27 Or "scurvy."

c 28:27 Hebrew meaning uncertain.

d 28:29 Or "darkness, but you won't be able to find your way."

a 28:68 Or "in sorrow."

a 29:1 Deuteronomy 29:1-29 in English Bibles is Deuteronomy 28:69-29:28 in the Hebrew Bible.

b 29:1 Or "covenant."

c 29:10 Syriac, Greek, Targum; Masoretic Text "your heads, your tribes."

d 29:19 Hebrew meaning of "After all. . . dry" uncertain.

a 30:20 Or "He is your life, and he will let you live for a long time."

b 31:7 Or "And you will distribute the land to them."

c 31:16 Or "covenant."

a 31:20 Or "prosperous."

a 32:15 "Jeshurun" is another name for Israel.

a 32:26 Hebrew meaning of "cut them in pieces" uncertain.

a 32:43 Dead Sea Scrolls, Samaritan Pentateuch, Greek, Latin; Masoretic Text "his land and his people."

b 32:44 "Hoshea" is another name for Joshua.

c 33:2 Hebrew meaning of "a raging fire" uncertain.

d 33:3 Hebrew meaning of "They bow . . . your instructions" uncertain.

a 33:5 "Jeshurun" is another name for Israel.

b 33:8 The Urim and Thummim were used by the chief priest to determine God's answer to questions.

c 33:9 Or "covenant."

a 33:21 Hebrew meaning of this sentence uncertain.

Introduction to JOSHUA.

It's the dawn of a new era. Moses has brought the people of Israel to the east side of the Jordan River, but now he is dead. It is up to Joshua to take them into the Promised Land and get them settled there.

Interestingly, Joshua and Jesus are the same name in different languages, meaning "the Lord saves." Christians through the ages have seen this story as a foretaste of a later story. Moses gathered God's people and taught them his laws, but only Joshua-Jesus, the Savior-can deliver them safely to their destination.

And indeed the Lord saves the people of Israel as they confront the Canaanites. Even before they begin to fight, God uses Rahab, a clever prostitute, to save two reconnaissance men (we learn in Matthew's Gospel that she becomes an ancestor of Jesus). Then God divides the Jordan River just as, forty years earlier, he had divided the Red Sea waters, and the people pass through in safety. Next on the itinerary: the walled city of Jericho. Following God's instructions, the people march around it for seven days, the priests blow their horns, and the walls come tumbling down.

As long as the people obey God, they win their battles-often miraculously, without fighting. Even the sun and moon stand still if that is what it takes! But when they disobey God's instructions, they lose disastrously. An important message of this book, and of much of the Old Testament, is this: Obey God and prosper; disobey and suffer.

For as long as Joshua lived, Israel served the Lord. "Choose today whom you will serve," Joshua said in his farewell address. "We will serve Yahweh our Elohim and obey him," the people replied (24:15-24). They did, for a few years. And then they forgot.

Fortunately, the Bible gives us another important message: God keeps his promises, whether or not we humans keep ours. God promised to make Abraham's descendants a great nation, and by the time they leave Egypt, they number in the millions. He promised to give them a homeland, and by the end of the book of Joshua, every tribe has its own land. He promised that through them, the entire world would be blessed. Christians believe that this promise is being fulfilled by the later Joshua, Jesus of Nazareth.

Key Names of God in Joshua Yahweh LORD El, Elohim God El Chay Living God Adonay Lord, Master El Kanna Jealous God JOSHUA.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10.

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20.

21 22 23 24.

The LORD Instructs Joshua 1 1 After the death of Yahweh's servant Moses, Yahweh said to Moses' assistant Joshua, son of Nun, 2 "My servant Moses is dead. Now you and all these people must cross the Jordan River into the land that I am going to give the people of Israel. 3 I will give you every place on which you set foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your borders will be the desert on the south, nearby Lebanon to the Euphrates River (the country of the Hittites) on the north, and the Mediterranean Sea on the west. 5 No one will be able to oppose you successfully as long as you live. I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will never neglect you or abandon you. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will help these people take possession of the land I swore to give their ancestors.

7 "Only be strong and very courageous, faithfully doing everything in the teachings that my servant Moses commanded you. Don't turn away from them. Then you will succeed wherever you go. 8 Never stop reciting these teachings. You must think about them night and day so that you will faithfully do everything written in them. Only then will you prosper and succeed.

9 "I have commanded you, 'Be strong and courageous! Don't tremble or be terrified, because Yahweh your Elohim is with you wherever you go.'"

The People Promise to Obey Joshua 10 Then Joshua ordered the officers of the people, 11 "Go through the camp. Tell the people, 'Get your supplies ready. In three days you will cross the Jordan River to take possession of the land Yahweh your Elohim is going to give you.'"

12 Next, Joshua said to the tribes of Reuben and Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh, 13 "Remember what Yahweh's servant Moses commanded you. Moses said, 'Yahweh your Elohim will give you this land-a place to rest.' 14 Your wives, children, and livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan River. However, all your best soldiers must march in battle formation ahead of your relatives. You must help your relatives 15 take possession of the land Yahweh your Elohim is going to give them. Then they will have a place to rest like you do. After that, you may go back and take possession of the land east of the Jordan River which Yahweh's servant Moses gave you."

16 The people responded to Joshua, "We'll do everything you tell us and go wherever you send us. 17 We will obey you as we obeyed Moses. May Yahweh your Elohim be with you as he was with Moses. 18 Whoever rebels against your authority or does not obey your orders will be put to death. Just be strong and courageous!"

Joshua Sends Spies to Jericho 2 1 From Shittim Joshua, son of Nun, secretly sent out two men as spies. He told them, "Go, look at that country, especially the city of Jericho." So they went to Jericho and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab to spend the night there.

2 The king of Jericho was told, "Some Israelites have entered the city tonight. They came to gather information about our land." 3 So the king of Jericho sent messengers to Rahab, who told her, "Bring out the men who came to your house. They came here to gather information about the entire land."

4 But the woman had already taken the two men inside and hidden them. So she said, "Yes, the men did come here. But I didn't know where they had come from. 5 When it was dark and the gate was just about to close, they left. I don't know where they went. If you hurry, you'll catch up with them." 6 (She had taken them up to the roof and covered them with the flax which she had laid up there.) 7 The king's men pursued them on the road leading to a shallow place to cross the Jordan River. As soon as the king's men had left, the gate was closed.

8 Before the spies fell asleep, Rahab went up to them on the roof. 9 She said to them, "I know Yahweh will give you this land. Your presence terrifies us. All the people in this country are deathly afraid of you. 10 We've heard how Yahweh dried up the water of the Red Sea in front of you when you left Egypt. We've also heard what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites, who ruled east of the Jordan River. We've heard how you destroyed them for the LORD. 11 When we heard about it, we lost heart. There was no courage left in any of us because of you. Yahweh your Elohim is the Elohim of heaven and earth. 12 Please swear by Yahweh that you'll be as kind to my father's family as I've been to you. Also give me some proof 13 that you'll protect my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and their households, and that you'll save us from death."

14 The men promised her, "We pledge our lives for your lives. If you don't tell anyone what we're doing here, we'll treat you kindly and honestly when Yahweh gives us this land."

15 So she let them down by a rope from her window since her house was built into the city wall. (She lived in the city wall.) 16 She told them, "Go to the mountains so that the men who are pursuing you will not find you. Hide there for three days until they return to Jericho. Then you can go on your way."

17 The men told her, "We will be free from the oath which you made us swear, if you tell anyone what we're doing here. 18 When we invade your land, tie this red cord in the window through which you let us down. Also, gather your father, mother, brothers, and all your father's family into your house. 19 Whoever leaves your house will be responsible for his own life. We will be free from that responsibility. But we will take responsibility if anyone inside your house is harmed. 20 If you tell anyone what we're doing here, we will be free from the oath which you made us swear."

21 "I agree," she said. So she let them go and tied the red cord in the window.

22 The men went to the mountains and stayed there for three days until the king's men returned to Jericho. The king's men had searched for them all along the road but had not found them. 23 Then the two spies came down out of the mountains, crossed the Jordan River, and returned to Joshua, son of Nun. They told him everything that had happened to them. 24 They told Joshua, "Yahweh has given us the whole country. The people who live there are deathly afraid of us."

Crossing the Jordan River 3 1 Joshua got up early the next morning. He and all the Israelites left Shittim. They came to the Jordan River, where they camped before crossing.

2 Three days later the officers went through the camp. 3 They told the people, "As soon as you see the ark of the promise of Yahweh your Elohim and the Levitical priests who carry it, break camp and follow them. 4 However, stay about half a mile behind them. Don't come any closer to them so that you will know which way to go because you have not gone this way before."

5 Joshua told the people, "Perform the ceremonies to make yourselves holy because tomorrow Yahweh will do miracles among you."

6 Joshua also told the priests, "Take the ark of the promise, and go ahead of the people." They did as they were told.

7 Then Yahweh said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to honor you in front of all the people of Israel. I will do this to let them know that I am with you just as I was with Moses. 8 Order the priests who carry the ark of the promise, 'When you step into the water of the Jordan River, stand there.'"

9 So Joshua said to the people of Israel, "Come here, and listen to the words of Yahweh your Elohim ." 10 Joshua continued, "This is how you will know that El Chay is among you and that he will certainly force the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites out of your way. 11 Watch the ark of the promise of the Adonay of the whole earth as it goes ahead of you into the Jordan River. 12 Choose one man from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. 13 The priests who carry the ark of Yahweh, the Adonay of the whole earth, will stand in the water of the Jordan. Then the water flowing from upstream will stop and stand up like a dam."

14 So they broke camp to cross the Jordan River. The priests who carried the ark of the promise went ahead of the people. 15 (The Jordan overflows all its banks during the harvest season.)a When the priests who were carrying the ark came to the edge of the Jordan River and set foot in 16 the water, the water stopped flowing from upstream. The water rose up like a dam as far away as the city of Adam near Zarethan. The water flowing down toward the Sea of the Plains (the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. Then the people crossed from the east side of the Jordan River directly opposite Jericho. 17 The priests who carried the ark of Yahweh's promise stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan until the whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan River on dry ground.

Joshua

Chosen to lead Israel into the Promised Land, Joshua referred to God as Yahweh (Josh. 1:13) Elohim (Josh. 3:9) El Chay (Josh. 3:10) Adonay (Josh. 3:11) El Kanna (Josh. 24:19)