10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11 "Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people to prepare provisions, for in three days you will cross the Jordan to go in and possess the land the LORD is giving you."

12 To the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said, 13 "Remember the word which Moses, God's servant, said to you about when you would have rest in your land." 14 "Your wives, your little ones and your cattle shall remain in the land that Moses gave to you east of the Jordan. But you shall cross over to help your brothers in battle," 15 "until the LORD gives your brothers rest, as He has given you, and they possess the land promised by the God of their fathers. Then you may return to your own land which the LORD gave you east of the Jordan." 16 They answered Joshua, saying, "All that you command we will do." 17 "Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the LORD be with you as He was with Moses." 18 "Anyone who does not obey your words shall be put to death. Be strong and courageous."

Joshua 2 - RWB Paraphrase (24 V)
See Chapter at a Glance
See Comments
Go to top
Rahab Protects the Spies
1 Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men from Shittim to secretly spy out the land, especially Jericho. So they went and lodged at the house of a harlot named Rahab. 2 The king of Jericho was told that two men from the children of Israel had come that evening to search out the country. 3 He sent word to Rahab that she should bring out the men who had come to her house for they had come to search out the land. 4 Instead she hid the two men and said to those who came for the men, "Yes, the men came to me but I did not know where they were from." 5 "When it was dark and time to shut the gate, they left and I do not know where they went. Pursue them quickly and you will overtake them." 6 In fact, she had brought them up on the roof and covered them with stalks of flax she had laid out. 7 So the king's men went out on the road to the fords at the Jordon trying to find the men, the gates of the city having been shut behind them. 8 Before the two spies lay down, she came up on the roof, 9 and said to them, "I know the LORD has given you the land, for the terror of you has fallen on us." 10 "We have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea when you came out of Egypt. We heard of how you utterly destroyed Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites, and their people beyond the Jordan." 11 "When we heard it our hearts melted with fear because the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath." 12 "Please swear to me by the LORD to deal kindly with me and my household, since I have dealt kindly with you." 13 "Spare my father and mother, my sisters and all who belong to them and deliver us from death." 14 So the men said to her, "You saved our lives and if you do not tell your king about us then when the LORD gives us this land we will deal kindly and faithfully with you." 15 Then she let them down through the window of her house which was on the city wall. 16 She had told them to go to the hill country and hide themselves for three days until their pursuers returned from their search. Then they could safely be on their way. 17 The men then said, "To keep the oath we made," 18 "you must bind a scarlet cord in your window so that we may know it is your house and that of your father's household." 19 "If anyone leaves your house his blood shall be on his own head. Those in your house will not be hurt." 20 "But if you tell this information to anyone, we shall be free of our oath to you." 21 She said, "Just as you say, it shall be." So she sent them away and then tied the scarlet cord in her window. 22 The two men departed and came to the hill country and remained there for three days until those pursuing them had gone back to Jericho. 23 Then they went back over the Jordan and related everything to Joshua the son of Nun, 24 saying, "Surely the LORD has given all the land into our hands. All the inhabitants are very afraid of us."

Joshua 3 - RWB Paraphrase (17 V)
See Chapter at a Glance
See Comments
Go to top
Israel Crosses the Jordan
1 Then Joshua got up early the next day and he and all Israel left Shittim for the Jordan River where they lodged before crossing over. 2 After three days the officers went through the camp, 3 saying to the people, "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God with the Levitical priests carrying it, you shall follow after it." 4 "But you must keep a distance of about 2,000 cubits (3,000 feet) from it. Do not come near the ark, but follow after it."

5 Then Joshua said to the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders before your eyes." 6 He spoke to the priests, saying, "Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over ahead of the people." So they took up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people.

7 Now the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of Israel, that they may know that just as I have been with Moses, so I will be with you." 8 "Tell the priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant that when they come to the edge of the Jordan River, they shall stand still in it." 9 Then Joshua said to the children of Israel, "Come here and hear the words of the LORD your God." 10 "Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will dispossess the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite and the Jebusite." 11 "Behold, the ark of the covenant of the LORD of all the earth will cross over the Jordan ahead of you." 12 "Appoint one man from each of the twelve tribes of Israel." 13 "And when the soles of the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the LORD are in the water, the Jordan will pile up and cease to flow where the priests who carry the ark are standing." 14 So when the people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan, following the priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant, 15 and when those carrying the ark came to the Jordan and their feet dipped into the edge of the water, for it was harvest time and the river was overflowing its banks, 16 the waters above piled up at the town of Adam beside Zarethan so that the river bed dried up and the water flowing down toward the salt sea of the plain were cut off. And the people crossed the Jordan opposite Jericho. 17 The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel finished crossing over.

Joshua 4 - RWB Paraphrase (24 V)
See Chapter at a Glance
See Comments
Go to top
Joshua Sets up a Monument with Stones From the Jordan River
1 When the entire nation of Israel had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 "Choose one man from each tribe." 3 "Command them to each pick up a stone from the middle of the Jordan River bed where the priests are standing. They are to each carry a rock to camp." 4 So Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed, one from each tribe. 5 And he said to them, "Go to where the ark of the LORD your God is in the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, one stone for each of the twelve tribes." 6 "Let these be a sign to you so that when your children ask, what do these stones mean?" 7 Then you say to them, "The LORD cut off the waters of the Jordan before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. While the waters were cut off these stones were gathered from the river bed as a memorial to the children of Israel forever." 8 So these men did as Joshua commanded. Each one took a stone from the middle of the Jordan, just as the LORD had said to Joshua, and carried it to the camp site on the west of the Jordan. 9 Then Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been picked up at the feet of the priests who were standing in the middle of the Jordan holding the ark of the covenant. The stones remain to this day where Joshua piled them. 10 The priests who carried the ark stood in the middle of the river bed while Joshua spoke the LORD's command to the people, and the people hurried across the dry river bed. 11 When all the people had finished crossing, 12 and the children of Reuben, of Gad, and of the half tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spake unto them. 13 There were about 40,000 men equipped for war from the tribes that had settled east of the Jordan who now came to the plains of Jericho.

14 On that day the LORD exalted Joshua in the eyes of Israel. And they revered him all the days of his life just as they had revered Moses.

15 Now the LORD said to Joshua, 16 "command the priests who carry the ark of the testimony to come up out of the Jordan." 17 So Joshua called them up from the middle of the Jordan. 18 When they had come up and the soles of the feet touched dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to flood stage and flowed on toward the Salt Sea.

19 The people crossed the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month and camped at Gilgal to the east of Jericho. 20 The twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan were set up at Gilgal. 21 Joshua said to the children of Israel, "When your children ask the meaning of these stones," 22 "you shall explain to them that they were taken from the Jordan as you crossed over on dry ground." 23 "For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan River until you had crossed over during flood stage, just as He dried up the Red Sea until we had crossed it." 24 "This is how all the people of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty and to be feared forever."

Joshua 5 - RWB Paraphrase (15 V)
See Chapter at a Glance
See Comments
Go to top
Joshua Circumcises the Uncircumcised
1 Now it happened that when the kings of the Amorites west of the Jordan and the kings of the Canaanites by the sea heard of how the LORD dried up the waters of the Jordan so that Israel could cross, it caused their hearts melted with fear.

2 At that time the LORD said to Joshua, "Make flint knives and circumcise the children of Israel a second time." 3 So Joshua did this at the hill of the foreskins (Gibeath Haaraloth). 4 This needed to be done was because the men who came from Egypt had died. 5 Those men had been circumcised but the ones born in the wilderness had not been circumcised. 6 The LORD had sworn that He would not let those who lacked faith enter Canaan to see the land of milk and honey that He had promised to their fathers. 7 It was their children who had taken their place whom Joshua circumcised because they had not been circumcised. 8 After being circumcised they remained in camp until they had healed. 9 Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I have taken away the reproach of Egypt from you." So the place is called Gilgal to this day.

10 While the children of Israel camped at Gilgal they observed the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month on the plains of Jericho. 11 On the day following Passover they ate unleavened cakes and parched grain from the produce of the land. 12 Manna stopped falling on that day because they had food from the land of Canaan from then on.

13 Joshua was by Jericho when he saw a man standing not far from him with a drawn sword. Joshua went toward him and said, "Are you for us or against us?" 14 He answered, "I have come as Captain of the LORD's host." Then Joshua fell on his face and said, "What has my Lord to say to His servant?" 15 The Captain of the LORD's host said to Joshua, "Remove your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground." And Joshua removed his sandals.

Joshua 6 - RWB Paraphrase (27 V)
See Chapter at a Glance
See Comments
Go to top
Israel Takes Jericho, Rahab Is Spared
1 At this time the gates of Jericho were tightly shut for fear of the children of Israel. 2 The LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have given you Jericho, along with its king and everyone in it." 3 "You and all your men of war shall march around the city once each day for six days." 4 "Seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of ram's horns ahead of the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times and the priests shall then blow the trumpets." 5 "At the moment you hear them make a long blast with the ram's horns, all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat. Then every man shall go straight into the city." 6 So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and told them to take up the ark of the covenant, and have seven priests each carry a ram's horn trumpet before the ark of the LORD. 7 Then he directed the people, saying, "Go forward and march around the city. The armed men are to go before the ark of the LORD." 8 And the people did just as Joshua had told them to do. 9 The armed men came first, then the seven priests with their trumpets. The rear guard came after the ark. All the while the trumpets were being blown. 10 Joshua told the people they were not to shout or even speak a word until they were told to shout. 11 So he had the ark of the LORD taken around the city, circling it only once that first day. Then they returned to camp and spent the night.

12 Joshua rose early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the LORD once more. 13 The seven priests carried the ram's horn trumpets before the ark of the LORD, blowing them continually with the armed men going before them and the rear guard following after the ark of the LORD. 14 On this second day they marched around the city just once and then returned to camp. They repeated this for six days.

15 On the seventh day they rose at dawn and marched around the city in the same manner, but on this day they marched around the city seven times. 16 On the seventh time around when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, "Shout! For the LORD has given the city to you." 17 "Everything in it belongs to the LORD. You are banned from taking anything for yourselves. Only Rahab and those with her shall be allowed to live, because she hid the messengers we sent." 18 "And you must keep yourselves from the things of the city, for the LORD has banned these. Do not covet or take anything and thereby bring a curse on the camp of Israel." 19 "All the silver and gold, articles of bronze and iron are holy to the LORD and shall go into His treasury." 20 So when the people heard the sound of the trumpets blown by the priests, they shouted with a mighty shout and the walls fell down flat. Then they went up into the city and took it. 21 They utterly destroyed every man and woman, young and old, and the oxen, the sheep and the donkeys, with the edge of the sword. 22 Joshua sent the two men who had spied out the land into the harlot's house to bring her and her family out to safety as they had sworn. 23 So they brought Rahab and her father and mother, her brothers and all her relatives and placed them outside the camp of Israel.

24 They burned the city and everything in it. Only the silver, the gold and the articles of bronze and iron were put in the treasury of the LORD. 25 And only Rahab and her relatives were spared by Joshua. She continued to lived in the midst of Israel to this day because she hid the messengers Joshua had sent to spy out Jericho.

26 At this time Joshua made them take an oath, saying, "Cursed before the LORD is the man who rebuilds Jericho. He will lose his firstborn when he lays the foundation and his youngest son when he sets up its gates." 27 So the LORD was with Joshua giving him fame in all the land.

Joshua 7 - RWB Paraphrase (26 V)
See Chapter at a Glance
See Comments
Go to top
The Act of One Man Endangers Israel
1 But the children of Israel acted unfaithful in regard to those things under the ban, for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah from the tribe of Judah, took some things that were banned and the anger of the LORD was against Israel.

2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai which is near Bethaven east of Bethel. He told them to go up and spy out Ai. They did this, 3 and returned to Joshua, saying, "All of Israel is not needed. Only about two or three thousand soldiers are needed to take Ai for they are few people." 4 So about three thousand men of Israel went up but they were routed before the men of Ai, 5 who struck down about thirty six of Israel's men and pursued them as far as the gate of Shebarim striking them down on the descent. This caused the children of Israel's hearts to melt with fear. 6 Joshua tore his clothes and fell on his face before the ark of the LORD until evening. So did the elders of Israel, and they put dust on their heads.

7 Joshua said, "Alas, O LORD God, why did You bring this people across the Jordan only to deliver them into the hand of the Amorites. We could have lived east of the Jordan." 8 "O LORD, what can I say now that Israel has turned their back before their enemies?" 9 "The Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it. They will surround us and remove us from the earth. What are You going to do for Your great name?" 10 So the LORD said to Joshua, "Get up! Why have you fallen on your face?" 11 "Israel has sinned. They have transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have stolen some of the things under the ban and placed them among their own things." 12 "This is why the children of Israel cannot stand before their enemies, turning their backs and running before them. I will not be with them while there are those who have taken things under the ban." 13 "Rise up! Consecrate the people and tell them to consecrate themselves. Then and tell them, "Tomorrow the LORD God of Israel has said, 'Things under the ban are in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until these things are removed from your midst. '. 14 "In the morning you shall come near by tribe and it shall be that the tribe the LORD takes by lot shall then come near by families of whom the LORD will choose one by lot. Then the LORD will select a household by lot. They shall come near the LORD man by man." 15 "It shall be that the one who is found to have those things under the ban shall be burned with fire, he and all that belong to him, because he has transgressed the covenant of the LORD and committed a disgraceful thing in Israel."

16 So Joshua arose early the next morning and brought Israel near by tribes, and the tribe of Judah was taken. 17 He brought the heads of families of the tribe of Judah near and the family of the Zerahites was selected. He brought the family of the Zerahites near to him man by man and Zabdi was taken. 18 He brought Zabdi's household near man by man and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah was taken.

19 Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, I implore you, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and tell me what you have done. Do not hide anything from me." 20 So Achan answered and said to Joshua, "Truly, I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. Here is what I did:" 21 "when I saw a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took and hid them in the earth under my tent." 22 So Joshua sent men to the tent and found everything concealed as Achan had described it. 23 They brought the things to Joshua for all the children of Israel to see, and poured them out before the LORD.

24 Then Joshua with all Israel took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the mantle, the bar of gold, his sons and daughters, his oxen, his donkeys and his sheep, his tent and everything that belonged to him, and brought them into the valley of Achor. 25 Joshua said, "Why have you troubled us? Today the LORD will trouble you." And all of Israel stoned them and then burned them. 26 They raised a great heap of stones over him that stands there to this day, and the LORD's fierce anger was turned from them. For this reason the place has always been called the valley of Achor.

Joshua 8 - RWB Paraphrase (35 V)
See Chapter at a Glance
See Comments
Go to top
Israel Takes Ai
1 After this the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid to take all the people of war and go to Ai. See, I have given the king and all the people of his city and his land into your hand." 2 "You shall do to Ai and its king just as you did to Jericho. You shall take its spoil and cattle for yourselves. Set an ambush for the city from behind it." 3 So Joshua rose with all the people of war to go up to Ai. He chose 30,000 valiant warriors and sent them out at night. 4 He told them, "You are going to ambush the city from behind. Come near the city and be ready." 5 "Then I and all the people with me will approach the city. When they come out to meet us as they did last time, we will flee before them." 6 "We will draw them away from the city. They will think we are an easy mark because we are fleeing." 7 Then you are to rise up from your ambush and take possession of the city. The LORD your God will deliver Ai into your hand. 8 "When you have seized the city, the LORD has commanded that you set it on fire." 9 So Joshua sent the smaller group to set up an ambush between Bethel and Ai, just to the west of Ai. Joshua spent the night among the people.

10 He rose early in the morning and with the elders mustered the people to approach Ai. 11 All the men of war who were with him came to the front of the city and camped north of it with a valley between them and Ai. 12 He set about 5,000 in ambush to the west of Ai.

13 Joshua had spent the night across the valley to the north of the city. 14 Early in the morning when the king of Ai saw them, he and his men hurried out to meet Israel in battle. He did not know about the ambush and took all his men of war. 15 Joshua and all Israel fled back to the wilderness and the men of Ai followed. 16 Even more came from the city to pursue them. And so they left the city unprotected. 17 Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel. The city was unguarded while they followed after Israel. 18 Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Stretch out your javelin toward Ai, for I will give it to you." So Joshua stretched out his javelin toward the city. 19 The men waiting in ambush rose up quickly when they saw Joshua stretch out his javelin. They ran to entered the city and captured it quickly. Then they set it on fire. 20 When the men of Ai looked back and saw the smoke coming up from their city, they lost heart. At the same time Israel turned back from the wilderness against their pursuers. 21 Joshua and all Israel slew the men of Ai. 22 Those coming out of Ai were trapped in the middle of everyone and no one survived.

23 The king of Ai was taken alive to Joshua. 24 When everyone from Ai had fallen by the sword in the field, Israel returned to Ai and struck it with the sword. 25 There were about 12,000 men and women of Ai who fell that day. 26 Joshua kept his javelin outstretched until the inhabitants of Ai were utterly destroyed, both men and women. 27 Israel took only the cattle and the spoil of the city for themselves, just as the LORD had commanded Joshua.

28 So Joshua burned Ai and made it a heap for all time. It is that way to this day. 29 He hanged the king of Ai on a tree until evening. At sunset Joshua had his body taken down and thrown at the entrance to the city where they then raised a great pile of stones over it. The pile of stones stands there to this day.

30 Then Joshua built an alter to the LORD God of Israel in Mount Ebal, 31 just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses. It was an alter of uncut stones. No iron tool had been used to shaped these stones. And they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, as well as peace offerings. 32 Joshua wrote a copy of the law of Moses on stones there in the presence of the children of Israel. 33 All Israel with their elders, officers and judges witnessed this as they stood on both sided of the ark of the covenant before the Levitical priests who carried it. Half of them stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses had said to do. 34 Afterwards, Joshua read all the words of the law, the blessings and the curses, just as they were written in the book of the law. 35 There was not one word which Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to all the assembly of Israel, including the women, children and the strangers who lived among them.

Joshua 9 - RWB Paraphrase (27 V)
See Chapter at a Glance
See Comments
Go to top
Israel Makes a Covenant without First Asking God
1 All of the kings west of the Jordan, in the hill country and the lowland, and all of the coast of the Great Sea as far north as Lebanon, heard of Israel's success. These nations included the Hittites, the Amorites, then Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites. 2 They gathered together with the common goal of fighting against Joshua and Israel. 3 When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard of what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4 they acted with cunning and sent envoys with worn out sacks and old wineskins on their donkeys. 5 They wore worn out and patched sandals and clothing. They had bread that was dry and moldy.

6 They came to Joshua in Gilgal, saying to him, "We have come from a far country and we want to make a covenant with you." 7 The men of Israel said to the Hivites, "Perhaps you are living within our land. How can we make a covenant with you?" 8 But they answered Joshua, saying, "We are your servants." Joshua asked them, "Who are you and where do you come from?" 9 They said, "Your servants have come from a far country because of the fame of the LORD your God. We have heard the report of Him and all that He did in Egypt." 10 "We have also heard of what He did to the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan, Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan." 11 "So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country told us to take provisions for the journey and go to meet you and say, 'We are your servants. Please make a covenant with us.'" 12 "This bread was warm on the day we began our journey, and now it is dry and moldy." 13 "These wineskins were new and now are torn. See our clothes and sandals, and how worn out they are from the long journey."

14 So the men of Israel took some of their provisions and did not ask for the counsel of the LORD. 15 Joshua made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of Israel swore and oath to them. 16 It came about that three days later they learned that these people were their neighbors and lived within the land. 17 Then the children of Israel set out for their cities, which were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth and Kiriathjearim. 18 Israel did not strike them because their leaders had sworn unto them by the LORD the God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the leaders. 19 But the leaders said to the whole congregation, "We have sworn to them by the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them." 20 "This is what we will do. We will let them live, so that God's wrath is not upon us for breaking the oath we swore to them." 21 "We will let them live, but they will be hewers of wood and drawers of water for the whole congregation."

22 Then Joshua called these people and questioned them, saying, "Why have your deceived us by claiming to be from a far country?" 23 "Because you have lied to us you are cursed and you will always be slaves, both hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God." 24 So they answered Joshua, saying, "We heard that the LORD your God commanded Moses to give you all the land destroy its inhabitants. We feared for our lives and that is why we did this thing." 25 "So now we are in your hands. Do to us as seems best to you." 26 Thus Joshua did to them and delivered them from the hands of the children of Israel, and they were not slain. 27 And on that day Joshua made them hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD. This was to continue in the place the LORD would choose for his tabernacle.

Joshua 10 - RWB Paraphrase (43 V)
See Chapter at a Glance
See Comments
Go to top
Joshua Commands the Sun to Stand Still
1 Now it came about that when Adonizedec king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had utterly destroyed Ai as he had done to Jericho, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, 2 he was very afraid because Gibeon was a great city, even greater than Ai, and its men were mighty. 3 So Adonizedec king of Jerusalem sent word to Hoham king of Hebron, to Piram king of Jarmuth, to Japhia king of Lachish and to Debir king of Eglon, saying to them, 4 "come up and help me attach Gibeon, for they have made peace with Joshua and the children of Israel." 5 So these five kings of the Amorites gathered together and went up and camped by Gibeon and fought against it. 6 Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua at Gilgal, saying, "Do not abandon your servants. Come quickly and save us from all the kings of the Amorites of the hill country, for they have assembled against us."

7 So Joshua went up from Gilgal with all the people of war including his valiant warriors. 8 The LORD said to Joshua, "Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands. None of them shall stand before you."

9 Joshua marched all night from Gilgal and surprised them. 10 And the LORD confounded them before Israel and He slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon. Israel pursued them by way of the ascent to Bethhoron and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah. 11 As they were fleeing before Israel, while they were at the descent of Bethhoron, the LORD threw large hailstones on them from heaven. This took place all the way to Azekah, and they died. There were more killed with hailstones than those killed by the children of Israel. 12 Then Joshua spoke to the LORD on the day that the LORD delivered the Amorites to Israel, and he said in the hearing of Israel, "O sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, remain in the valley of Aijalon." 13 So the sun stood still and the moon stopped, until Israel had avenged themselves of their enemies. This is written in the book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not go down for about a whole day. 14 There has been no day like that before or since, when the LORD listened to a man's voice, for the LORD fought for Israel. 15 Then Joshua and all Israel returned to the camp at Gilgal.

16 Now the five kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah. 17 Joshua was told that they had been found there. 18 He had them roll large stones against the mouth of the cave and assigned men to guard it. 19 He told his men to pursue their enemies, attacking them in the rear. He said, "Do not allow them to enter their cities for the LORD has delivered them into your hand." 20 It came about that when Joshua and the children of Israel had finished slaying them with a very great slaughter, that the only ones left, had entered the fortified cities. 21 So they returned to Joshua and the camp at Makkedah in peace and no one uttered a word against any of the children of Israel. 22 Then Joshua had the mouth of the cave opened and the five kings brought out to him. 23 There was the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish and the king of Eglon. 24 When the five kings had been brought to Joshua, he called for all the men of Israel and said to the chief men of war, "Come near and place your feet on the necks of these kings." So they did this. 25 Joshua said, "Do not be afraid! Be strong and courageous, for this is what the LORD will do to all of your enemies with whom you will fight." 26 After this Joshua struck them and put them to death, hanging them on five trees until evening. 27 At sunset Joshua ordered that they be taken down from the trees and thrown into the cave where they had hidden. Large stones were then placed over the entrance to the cave and they are there to this day.

28 Now Joshua captured Makkedah on that day and struck its king with the sword. He destroyed every person in the city. Thus he did to its king as he had to the king of Jericho.

29 Then Joshua and all Israel left Makkedah for Libnah and fought against it. 30 The LORD gave its king into their hands and they destroyed every person there with the edge of the sword. Thus he did to its king as he had to the king of Jericho.

31 And Joshua and all Israel moved their camp from Libnah on to Lachish and fought against it. 32 The LORD gave Lachish into the hands of Israel, and they captured it on the second day striking down everyone in it as they had done in Libnah.

33 Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish and Joshua defeated him and his people leaving no survivors.

34 Joshua and all Israel passed on from Lachish to Eglon. They camped by it and fought, 35 capturing it that day and striking it with the sword, utterly destroying every person, just as they had done at Lachish.

36 They moved on from Eglon to Hebron and fought against it, 37 capturing it, striking its king and all it inhabitants with the sword. They left no survivors.

38 Then Joshua and all Israel returned to Debir to fight against it. 39 He captured it and its cities, utterly destroying every person.

40 Thus Joshua struck all the land, the hill country, the Negev, the lowland, the slopes and all their kings. No one survived. They were all utterly destroyed, just as the LORD had commanded. 41 Joshua struck them from Kadeshbarnea as far as Gaza and all the country of Goshen as far as Gibeon. 42 He captured all these kings and their land at one time because the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for them. 43 After this Joshus and all Israel returned to the camp at Gilgal.

Joshua 11 - RWB Paraphrase (23 V)
See Chapter at a Glance
See Comments
Go to top
The Kings of the Land Gather to Fight Israel
1 Now when Jabin king of Hazor heard of all this, he sent word to Jobab king of Madon and to the king of Shimron and the king of Achshaph, 2 and to the kings to the north of the hill country, and in Arabah, south of Chinneroth, and in the valley and at the borders of Dor to the west, 3 to the Canaanite on the east and the west, and the Amorite and the Hittite, the Perizzite and the Jebusite in the hill country, and to the Hivite at the foot of Hermon in the land of Mizpah. 4 They came out with their armies. There were as many as the sand of the sea. And they had a great many horses and chariots. 5 They had all agreed to meet at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel.

6 Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid. At this time tomorrow I will slay all of them before Israel. You shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots."

7 So Joshua and all the men of war attacked them suddenly by the waters of Merom. 8 The LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel and they were defeated. Israel then pursued them to great Sidon and Misrephothmain and eastward to the valley of Mizpeh until none were left alive. 9 Joshua did to them as the LORD had told him, hamstringing their horses and burning their chariots. 10 Then he turned back to capture Hazor, striking its king with the sword. Now Hazor had formerly been the head of all these kingdoms. 11 They struck down every person, and burned Hazor with fire.

12 Joshua captured all the kings and their cities, utterly destroying them just as Moses, the servant of the LORD, had commanded. 13 However, Israel did not burn any of the cities that stood on mounds, except for Hazor, which Joshua did burned. 14 The children of Israel took all the spoil and cattle from these cities as their plunder, but destroyed every person with the sword leaving no one alive. 15 This was because the LORD had commanded Joshua through Moses to do this, and they left nothing undone which the LORD had commanded Moses.

16 Thus Joshua took all the land, the hill country and all of the Negev, all the land of Goshen, the lowland, the Arabah, the hill country of Israel and its lowland. 17 He took the land from Mount Halak that rises toward Seir, as far as Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon at the foot of Mount Hermon. Joshua captured all their kings and put them to death. 18 The waging of war with these cities and their kings took a long time. 19 And there were no cities which made peace with the children of Israel, except the Hivites living in Gibeon. All the others were taken in battle. 20 For the LORD hardened the hearts of these others so that they would meet Israel in battle that Joshua might utterly destroy them without mercy, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

21 At that time Joshua cut off the Anakims from the hill country, from Hebron, Debir, Anab and all the hill country of Judah and the rest of Israel. Their cities were completely destroyed. 22 The only Anakim left in the land were in Gaza, Gath and Ashdod.

23 So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD had said unto Moses, and gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. Thus the land rested from war.

Joshua 12 - RWB Paraphrase (24 V)
See Chapter at a Glance
See Comments
Go to top
The Kings the Children of Israel Defeated West of the Jordan
1 Here is a list of the kings the children of Israel defeated and whose land they possess beyond the Jordan from the valley of the Arnon as far as Mount Hermon and all the Arabah to the east.

2 Sihon king of the Amorites who lived in Heshbon and ruled Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, both the middle of the valley and half of Gilead, as far as the brook Jabbok on the border of the sons of Ammon. 3 And the Arabah as far as the Sea of Chinneroth to the east, then to the Salt Sea eastward toward Bethjeshimoth and south to the foot of the slopes of Pisgah. 4 And the territory of Og king of Bashan which was of the remnant of Rephaim, who lived at Ashtaroth and Edrei, 5 and ruled over Mount Hermon, Salecah and all of Bashan, as far as the border with the Geshurites, and half of Gilead as far as the border with Sihon king of Heshbon. 6 Moses the servant of the LORD and the children of Israel defeated these and gave there land to the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh.

7 Here is a list of the kings of the land whom Joshua and the children of Israel defeated west of the Jordan, from Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon as far as Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir. Joshua gave it to the tribes of Israel as a possession according to their divisions, 8 in the hill country, the lowlands, on the slopes and in the wilderness of the Arabah, and in the Negev, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite.

9 The king of Jericho, the king of Ai which is beside Bethel, 10 the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, 11 the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, 12 the king of Eglon, the king of Gezer, 13 the king of Debir, the king of Geder, 14 the king of Hormah, the king of Arad, 15 the king of Libnah, the king of Adullam, 16 the king of Makkedah, the king of Bethel, 17 the king of Tappuah, the king of Hepher, 18 the king of Aphek, the king of Lasharon, 19 the king of Madon, the king of Hazor, 20 the king of Shimronmeron, the king of Achshaph, 21 the king of Taanach, the king of Megiddo, 22 the king of Kedesh, the king of Jokeam in Carmel, 23 the king of Dor in the heights of Dor, the king of Goiim in Gilgal, 24 and the king of Tirzah,

In all thirty-one kings west of the Jordan.

Joshua 13 - RWB Paraphrase (33 V)
See Chapter at a Glance
See Comments
Go to top
The Land Given to Reuben, Gad and the Half-Tribe of Manessah
1 The LORD said to Joshua, "You are old and advanced in years. Much of the land has not been conquered." 2 "Here is what remains to be taken: all the regions of the Philistines and the Gershurites," 3 "from the Shihor east of Egypt as far as the border to Ekron to the north which was counted as belonging to the Canaanite; The five lords of the Philistines, the Gazite, the Ashdodite, the Ashkelonite, the Gittite, the Ekronite and the Avvite," 4 "which is to the south, all the land of the Canaanite and Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians, as far as Aphek, to the border of the Amorite," 5 "and the land of the Gebalite, all of Lebanon, toward the east from Baalgad below Mount Hermon as far Ashamath." 6 "All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephothmaim, all the Sidonians, whom I will drive out before Israel. Divide it by lot to Israel for an inheritance as I have commanded you." 7 Divide this land for an inheritance unto the nine tribes, and the half tribe of Manasseh, 8 "the other half of the tribe of Manasseh, the Reubenites and the Gadites received their inheritance east of the Jordan from Moses." 9 "Their inheritance went from Aroer at the edge of the valley of Arnon and all the plain of Medeba, as far as Dibon," 10 "and all the cities of Sidon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, as far as the border of the sons of Ammon," 11 "and Gilead, the territory of the Geshurites and Maacathities, and all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan as far as Salecah," 12 "and all the kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei. He was the only one left of the Rephaim. Moses struck them and dispossessed them." 13 But the children of Israel did not dispossess the Geshurites, for Geshur and Maacath live among Israel to this day.

14 Only the tribe of Levi was not given an inheritance. The offerings by fire to the LORD were to be their inheritance as God had commanded.

15 So Moses gave an inheritance to the tribe of Reuben according to their families. 16 Their territory was from Aroer at the edge of the valley of Arnon, with the city in the middle of the valley, and all the plain by Medeba, 17 Heshbon, and all its cities on the plain, Dibon, Bamothbaal, Bethbaalmeon, 18 Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, 19 Kiriathaim, Sibmah and Zerethshahar on the hill of the valley, 20 and Bethpeor and the slopes of Pisgah and Bethjeshimoth, 21 as well as all the cities of the plain and all the kingdom of Sihon, king of the Amorites who reigned at Heshbon, whom Moses struck with the chiefs of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, princes of Sihon, who lived in the land.

22 The children of Israel also killed the diviner named Balaam the son of Beor. 23 The western border of the sons of Reuben was Jordan. This was their inheritance.

24 Moses also gave an inheritance to the tribe of Gad, according to their families. 25 Their territory was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the sons of Ammon, as far as Aroer which is before Rabbah, 26 and from Heshbon as far as Ramathmizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim as far as the border of Debir, 27 and in the valley, Betharam and Bethnimrah, Succoth and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, with Jordan as his border as far as the edge of the sea of Chinnereth east of the Jordan. 28 This is the inheritance of the sons of Gad.

29 Moses gave the half tribe of Manasseh the following for their inheritance: 30 their territory was from Mahanaim, all of Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which is in Bashan, sixty cities in all, 31 along with half of Gilead, Ashtaroth and Edrei, the cities in the kingdom of Og in Bashan. These were for half the sons of Machir the son of Manasseh.

32 These are the territories which Moses apportioned as an inheritance in the plains of Moab east of Jericho and the Jordan.

33 But to the tribe of Levi Moses did not give an inheritance. The LORD God of Israel is their inheritance, just as He promised them.

Joshua 14 - RWB Paraphrase (15 V)
See Chapter at a Glance
See Comments
Go to top
Joshua Gave Hebron to Caleb
1 Now these are the territories which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun and the heads of the tribes of the children of Israel apportioned as an inheritance to them. 2 Through Moses the LORD commanded by lot the inheritance for the other nine tribes and for the half tribe of Manasseh. 3 Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and a half tribe on the east side Jordan, but unto the Levites he gave no inheritance. 4 The sons of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. Levi did not get a portion except for the cities they lived in with pasture land for their flocks. 5 Thus the children of Israel divided the land, doing just as the LORD had commanded through Moses.

6 Then the sons of Judah drew near to Joshua in Gilgal, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, said to Joshua, "You know the word of the LORD spoken through Moses concerning you and me when we were in Kadeshbarnea." 7 "I was forty years old when Moses the LORD's servant sent me from Kadeshbarnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word of what I saw." 8 "But my brethren who spied out the land with me caused the people to melt with fear at the things which they related about the land. But I followed the LORD my God fully." 9 "So Moses swore on that day that the land we had walked on would be an inheritance to your children and mine because we followed the LORD fully." 10 "Now that the LORD has let me live these forty-five years, I am now eighty-five years old today." 11 "I am still as strong as I was when Moses sent me to spy out the land." 12 "Give me this hill country which the LORD spoke about on that day when we learned of the Anakim and their great fortified cities. Perhaps the LORD will be with me and I will drive them out as He has said."

13 So Joshua blessed him and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh, for an inheritance. 14 And this has been his inheritance until this day, because he followed the LORD God of Israel fully. 15 The name of Hebron was formerly Kirjatharba. Arba had been a great man among the Anakims. And now the land had rest from war.

Joshua 15 - RWB Paraphrase (63 V)
See Chapter at a Glance
See Comments
Go to top
The Inheritance of the Tribe of Judah
1 The lot for the tribe of Judah reached from the border of Edom south to the wilderness of Zin. 2 Their southern border was from the lower end of the Salt Sea at the bay that turns south, 3 and proceeded on south to the ascent of Akrabbim and on to Zin. Then it went up south of Kadeshbarnea and continued to Hezron, and then to Addar where it turned to Karka. 4 It continued to Azmon and then to the brook of Egypt. The southern border ended at the sea. 5 The east border was the Salt Sea as far as the mouth of the Jordan. The border on the north was the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan. 6 Then the border went up to Bethhogla and continued to Betharabah and on to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben. 7 The border continued up to Debir from the valley of Achor and turned northward toward Gilgal which is opposite the ascent of Adummim south of the valley. The border continued to the waters of Enshemesh and ended at Enrogel. 8 Then the border went up the valley of Benhinnom to the slope of the Jebusite which is Jerusalem. The border continued to the top of the mountain by the valley of Hinnom to the west at the end of the valley of Rephaim to the north. 9 From the top of the mountain the border curved to the spring of water at Nephtoah and went to the cities of Mount Ephron, and then to Baalah, which is Kirjathjearim. 10 The border turned west from Baalah and went to Mount Seir, passing along the north side of Mount Jearim, which is Chesalon, and went down to Bethshemesh and passed on to Timnah. 11 The border proceeded north beside Ekron. Then it curved toward Shikkeron and continued to Mount Baalah and proceeded to Jabneel and ended at the sea. 12 The west border was the coastline of the Great Sea. This finished the description of the border around the tribe of Judah.

13 Now he gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh a part within the sons of Judah, as the LORD commanded. It was the city of Arba, who was the father of Anak whose city is Hebron. 14 Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai. 15 From there he went up to the inhabitants of Debir formerly known as Kirjathsepher. 16 Caleb said, "To the one who attacks Kirjathsepher and takes it, I will give my daughter to be his wife." 17 Othniel the son of Kenaz who was Caleb's brother, captured it. So he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife. 18 And when she came to him she persuaded him to ask her father for a field. So she alighted from her donkey and Caleb asked, "What do you want?" 19 Then she said, "Give me a blessing. Since you have given me the land of the Negev, give me also the springs of water." So he gave her the upper and the lower springs.

20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of Judah according to their families. 21 Now the cities on the edge of Judah's territory next to Edom in the south were Kabzeel, Eber, Jagur, 22 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, 23 Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan, 24 Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, 25 Hazor, Hadattah, Kerioth and Hezron, which is Hazor, 26 Amam, Shema, Moladah, 27 Hazargaddah, Heashmon, Bethpalet, 28 Hazarshual, Beersheba, Bizjothjah, 29 Baalah, Iim, Azem, 30 Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah, 31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, 32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain and Rimmon, twenty-nine cities with their villages. 33 In the low lands there were Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, 34 Zanoah, Engannim, Tappuah, Enam, 35 Jarmuth, Adullam, Sacoh, Azekah, 36 Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah and Gederothaim, fourteen cities with their villages. 37 Zenan, Hadashah, Migdalgad, 38 Dilean, Mizpeh, Joktheel, 39 Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon, 40 Cabbon, Lahmas, Chitlish, 41 Gederoth, Bethdagon, Naamah, Makkedah, sixteen cities with their villages. 42 Libnah, Ether, Ashan, 43 Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib, 44 Keilah, Achzib, Mareshah, nine cities with their villages. 45 Ekron, with its town and villages, 46 from Ekron to the sea, all that were by Ashdod with their villages. 47 Ashdod, its towns and villages, Gaza with its towns and villages, as far as the river of Egypt and the Great Sea and its coastline. 48 In the hill country, Shamir, Jattir, Socoh, 49 Dannah, Kirjathsannah, which is Debir, 50 Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim, 51 Goshen, Holon and Giloh, eleven cities with their villages, 52 Arab, Dumah, Eshan, 53 Janum, Bethtappuah, Aphekah, 54 Humtah, Kiriatharba, which is Hebron, Zior, nine cities with their villages. 55 Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah, 56 Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah, 57 Kain, Gibeah, Timnah, ten cities with their villages. 58 Halhul, Bethzur, Gedor, 59 Maarath, Bethanoth, Eltekon, six cities with their villages. 60 Kirjathbaal, Kirjathjearim, Rabbah, two cities with their villages, 61 in the wilderness. Betharabah, Middin, Secacah, 62 Nibshan, the city of Salt, Engedi, six cities with their villages. 63 As for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the sons of Judah could not drive them out. So they have lived within Judah to this day. .

Joshua 16 - RWB Paraphrase (10 V)
See Chapter at a Glance
See Comments
Go to top
The Inheritance of the Sons of Joseph
1 Then the lot for the sons of Joseph went from the Jordon at Jericho and followed the Jordon to the wilderness that goes through the hill country to Bethel. 2 From Bethel it went to Luz and continued to the border of the Archites at Ataroth. 3 It continued westward to the territory of the Japhletites as far as lower Bethhoron and then to Gezer and to the sea. 4 So the sons of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, received their inheritance.

5 Ephraim's eastern border was Atarothaddar as far as upper Bethhoron. 6 Then the border turned west at Michmethath on the north side and then turned east to Taanathshiloh passing on east to Janohah. 7 It went down from Janohah to Ataroth, then to Naarath and finally to Jericho and out to the Jordan. 8 From Tappuah it went west to the brook of Kanah and ended at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of Ephraim, 9 together with the cities and their villages set apart for Ephraim in the middle of the inheritance of Manasseh. 10 But they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived at Gezer. They continued to live in the midst of Ephraim to this day and became forced laborers.

Joshua 17 - RWB Paraphrase (18 V)
See Chapter at a Glance
See Comments
Go to top
More About the Inheritance of the Sons of Joseph
1 This was the lot for Manasseh, Joseph's firstborn. To Machir, Manasseh's firstborn, and the father of Gilead, were alotted Gilead and Bashan, because he was a man of war. 2 And the lot was made for the rest of the sons of Manasseh: Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher and Shemida. 3 However, Zelophehad the son of Hepher, the son of Machir, had only daughters. Their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah. 4 They came to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and the leaders, saying, "The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren." So according to the command of the LORD he gave them an inheritance among their brethren. 5 Thus there fell to Manasseh ten portions beside the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is beyond the Jordan, 6 because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance among his sons. And the land of Gilead belongs to the rest of the sons of Manasseh.

7 The border of Manasseh ran from Asher to Michmethah near Shechem. Then it ran south to Entappuah. 8 The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuah on its border belonged to Ephraim. 9 The border went down to the brook of Kanah and on the north side of the brook to the sea. 10 The south side of the border belonged to Ephraim and the north side belonged to Manasseh. The sea was their border and they reached to Asher on the north and to Issachar on the east. 11 In Issachar and Asher, Manasseh had Bethshean and its towns, Ibleam and its towns, Dor and its towns, Endor and its towns, Taanach and its towns, Megiddo and its towns. 12 But the sons of Manasseh could not take possession of these cities because the Canaanites persisted in living in that land. 13 As the Israelites became strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but they did not completely drive them out.

14 Then the sons of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, "Why have you given us only one portion for an inheritance. The LORD has blessed us and we are a numerous people." 15 Joshua said to them, "If you are a numerous people, go up to the forest and clear a place for yourself in the land of the Perizzites of the Rephaim, since you feel the country of Ephraim is too narrow for you." 16 But the sons of Joseph relied, "The hill country is not enough, and the Canaanites who live in the valley have chariots of iron, both in Bethshean, her towns and the valley of Jezreel." 17 Joshua said to Ephraim and Manasseh, "You are a powerful and numerous people. You shall have more than one lot." 18 "The hill country shall be yours, for though it is forest, you shall clear it to its farthest borders. And you shall drive out the Canaanites in spite of their strength and their chariots of iron."

Joshua 18 - RWB Paraphrase (28 V)
See Chapter at a Glance
See Comments
Go to top
The Men Walk Through the Land Preparing to Further Divide It
1 The whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle there. And the land was subdued before them. 2 Seven of the tribes had not received their inheritance. 3 So Joshua said to the children of Israel, "How long will you put off entering into your inheritance which the LORD God of your fathers has given you?" 4 "Provide three men from each tribe that I may send them to walk through the land which these tribes are to inherit. Write a description of the land for me." 5 "They shall divide it into seven portions. Judah shall stay in its territory to the south, and the house of Joseph shall stay in its territory to the north." 6 "You shall describe the land in seven divisions. Bring the descriptions to me and I will cast lots before the LORD our God." 7 But the Levites have no part among you, for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance. And Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh, have received their inheritance beyond Jordan on the east, given to them by Moses.

8 The men arose and went as Joshua had commanded, walking through the land describing it, so that he could cast lots for them before the LORD. 9 They walked throughout the land describing its cities, dividing it in seven parts and then brought the description to Joshua at Shiloh. 10 Joshua then cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD, dividing the land for the remaining tribes of Israel.

Benjamin's Inheritance
11 The lot for the tribe of Benjamin fell to the territory between Judah and the sons of Joseph. 12 Their border on the north was from the Jordan up to Jericho and then on to the hill country to the west, ending in the wilderness of Bethaven. 13 From there the border continued to Luz, which is Bethel, then south down to Atarothadar, near the hill that is south of the lower Bethhoron. 14 From there the border extended around the west side of the hill before Bethhoron and south to Kirjathbaal, a city of Judah. 15 The southern border ran from the edge of Kirjathjearim and west to the waters of Nephtoah. 16 The border continued down to the edge of the hill in the valley of Hinnom, which is the valley of the giants on the north, then on to the side of Jebusi and descending to Enrogel. 17 It extended north to Enshemesh and then on to Geliloth which is over against Adummim from where it descended to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben. 18 It continued to Arabah, 19 and then north to the side of Bethhoglah where the bay of the Salt Sea at the south end of the Jordan. 20 The Jordan was its border to the east. This was Benjamin's inheritance. 21 Its cities were Jericho, Bethhoglah, the valley of Keziz, 22 Betharabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, 23 Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, 24 Chepharhaammonai, Ophni and Gaba, twelve cities with their villages. 25 Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, 26 Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah, 27 Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, 28 Zelah, Haeleph, the Jebusite which became Jerusalem, Gibeah, Kiriath, fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of Benjamin.

Joshua 19 - RWB Paraphrase (51 V)
See Chapter at a Glance
See Comments
Go to top
Simeon's Inheritance
1 The second lot fell to Simeon. Their inheritance was inside Judah. 2 They had Beersheba, Sheba, Moladah, 3 Hazarshual, Balah, Azem, 4 Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, 5 Ziklag, Bethmarcaboth, Hazarsusah, 6 Bethlebaoth and Sharuhen, thirteen cities with their villages, 7 Ain, Rimmon, Ether, Ashan, four cities with their villages, 8 and all the villages around these cities as far as Baalathbeer, Ramah of the Negev. This was the inheritance of the tribe of Simeon, 9 which was taken from within Judah because their portion was too large for them.

Zebulun's Inheritance
10 The third lot fell to the tribe of Zebulun. Their inheritance was as far as Sarid. 11 Their border went west to Maralah, then touched Dabbesheth and reached to the brook before Jokneam. 12 Then it turned east as far as the border of Chislothtabor and proceeded to Daberath and up to Japhia. 13 From there it continued east to Gathhepher, to Ethkazin, and then to Rimmon which stretches to Neah. 14 The border circled north to Hannathon and ended in the valley of Iphtahel. 15 Also included were Kattah, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah and Bethlehem, twelve cities with their villages. 16 This was the inheritance of the tribe of Zebulun.

Issachar's Inheritance
17 The fourth lot fell to Issachar. 18 Their territory was Jezreel and included Chesuloth, Shunem, 19 Hapharaim, Shion. Anaharath, 20 Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, 21 Remeth, Engannim, Enhaddah and Bethpazzez. 22 The border reached to Tabor, Shahazumah and Bethshemesh and extended to the Jordon. They had sixteen cities with their villages. 23 This was the inheritance of the tribe of Issachar.

Asher's Inheritance
24 The fifth lot fell to the tribe of Asher. 25 Their territory was Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph, 26 Alammelech, Amad and Misheal. It reached to Carmel to the west, and Shiholibnath. 27 Then it turned east to Bethdagon and reached to Zebulun, and to the valley of Jiphthahel toward the north side of Bethemek and Neiel, and then to Cabul on the left, 28 and Hebron, Rehob, Hammon and Kanah, as far as Great Sidon. 29 The border turned toward Ramah and the fortified city of Tyre. Then it turned to Hosah and ended at the sea by the region of Achzib. 30 Also included were Ummah, Aphek and Rehob, twenty two cities with their villages. 31 This was Asher's inheritance.

Naphtali's Inheritance
32 The sixth lot fell to the tribe of Naphtali. 33 Their border was from Heleph, then to Allon, Zaanannim, Adami, Nekeb, Jabneel and unto Lakum, ending at the Jordan. 34 Then the border turned west to Aznothtabor and from there to Hukkok and reached to Zebulun on the south and touched Asher on the west, and Judah at the Jordon toward the east. 35 The fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth, 36 Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, 37 Kedesh, Edrei, Enhazor, 38 Viron, Migdalel, Horem, Bethanath, Bethshemesh, nineteen cities with their villages. 39 This was the inheritance of Naphtali.

Dan's Inheritance
40 The seventh lot fell to the tribe of Dan. 41 The territory of their inheritance was Zorah, Eshtaol, Irshemesh, 42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, 43 Elon, Timnah, Ekron, 44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, 45 Jehud, Beneberak, Gathrimmon, 46 Mejarkon, Rakkon, with the border over against Japho. 47 Dan's territory was not big enough for them and they went out to fight against Leshem and took it. They changed its name to Dan after their father. 48 This was Dan's inheritance.

Joshua's Inheritance
49 When they finished dividing the land between the tribes, the children of Israel gave Joshua the son of Nun an inheritance. 50 As the LORD had commanded, they gave him Timnathserah in the hill country of Ephraim. He built the city and dwelt in it.

The Land Has All Been Divided
51 These are the inheritances which Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun and the elders of the children of Israel divided as an inheritance by lot in Shiloh before the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And so they finished dividing the land.

Joshua 20 - RWB Paraphrase (9 V)
See Chapter at a Glance
See Comments
Go to top
God Provides for Cities of Refuge
1 Then the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 "Speak to the children of Israel. Tell them to designate the cities of refuge of which I spoke of through Moses," 3 "so that the man who kills anyone unintentionally may have a place to escape from the avenger." 4 "There he may stand at the entrance of the gate and state his case in the hearing of the elders of that city. They are then to take him into their city that he may dwell with them." 5 "If the avenger pursues him there, they shall not deliver him to the avenger provided he struck down his neighbor without premeditation." 6 "He shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, or until the death of the high priest. After that he shall return to his house in his own city."

7 So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriatharba which is in Hebron in the mountains of Judah. 8 East of the Jordan they designated Bezer in the wilderness on the plain of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh.

9 These are the appointed cities for all the children of Israel and the stranger sojourning among them. Whoever kills a person unintentionally may flee to one of these cities and not die at the hand of the avenger until he has stood before the congregation.

Joshua 21 - RWB Paraphrase (45 V)
See Chapter at a Glance
See Comments
Go to top
The Apportioning of Cities and Land for the Levites
1 Then the heads of the households of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun and the leaders of the tribes of the children of Israel. 2 They said, "The LORD commanded through Moses to give us cities to live in with pastures for our cattle." 3 "And the children of Israel gave us this for our inheritance just as the LORD commanded." 4 "The lot for the Kohathites gave them thirteen cities from the tribe of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin." 5 The rest of the sons of Kohath received ten cities by lot from the tribes of Ephraim and Dan and from the half-tribe of Manasseh. 6 The sons of Gershon received thirteen cities from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. 7 "The sons of Merari received twelve cities from Reuben, Gad and Zebulun." 8 "The children of Israel gave these cities by lot with pasture land as the LORD directed through Moses." 9 "They gave these cities which are here mentioned by name from the tribes of Judah and Simeon." 10 "They were for the sons of Aaron, one of the families of the Kohathites, of the sons of Levi, for they had the first lot." 11 "So they received Kiriatharba, Arba being the father of Anak. This became Hebron. It is in the hill country of Judah and has surrounding pasture land." 12 "But the fields of the city and it villages they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession." 13 "Hebron with its pasture lands was given to the sons of Aaron as a city of refuge for the manslayer," 14 "as was Jattir with its pasture lands, Eshtemoa with its pasture land," 15 "Helon with its pasture lands, Debir with its pasture lands," 16 "Ain with its pasture lands, Juttah with its pasture lands and Bethshemesh with its pasture lands: nine cities from these two tribes." 17 "From the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with its pasture lands, Geba with its pasture lands," 18 "Anathoth with its pasture lands, Almon with its pasture lands, four cities." 19 "All the cities of the sons of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with its pasture lands." 20 "Then the cities from the tribe of Ephraim were alotted to the sons of Kohath." 21 "They were given Shechem the city of refuge for the manslayer with its pasture lands in the hill country of Ephraim, and Gezer with its pasture lands," 22 "Kibzaim with its pasture lands and Bethhoron with its pasture lands, four cities." 23 "From the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with its pasture lands, Gibbethon with its pasture lands," 24 "Aijalon with its pasture lands and Gathrimmon with its pasture lands, four cities." 25 From the half-tribe of Manasseh, they alotted Taanach with its pasture lands and Gath-rimmon with its pasture lands; Two cities. 26 "There were ten cities with their pasture lands for the sons of Kohath."

27 And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the other half tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with its pasture lands, to be a city of refuge for the slayer, and Beeshterah with its pasture lands; Two cities. 28 "The tribe of Issachar gave Kishon with its pasture lands, Dabareh with its pasture lands," 29 "Jarmuth with its pasture lands and Engannim with its pasture lands, four cities."

30 "The tribe of Asher gave Mishal with its pasture lands, Abdon with its pasture lands," 31 "Helkath with its pasture lands and Rehob with its pasture lands, four cities." 32 "The tribe of Naphtali gave Kedesh in Galilee with its pasture lands as a city of refuge for the manslayer, and Hammothdor with its pasture lands, three cities." 33 "The Gershonites had thirteen cities with its pasture lands."

34 "To the sons of Merari they gave from Zebulun, Jokneam with its pasture lands, Kartah with its pasture lands," 35 "Dimnah with its pasture lands and Nahalal with its pasture lands, four cities."

36 "From the tribe of Reuben they gave Bezer with its pasture lands, Jahaz with its pasture lands," 37 "Kedemoth with its pasture lands and Mephaath with its pasture lands, four cities."

38 "From the tribe of Gad they gave Ramoth in Gilead, the city of refuge for the man slayer, with its pasture lands, Mahanaim with its pasture lands," 39 "Heshbon with its pasture lands, Jazer with its pasture lands, four cities in all."

40 "All these cities were for the sons of Merari. Their lot was twelve cities."

41 "Forty eight cities from among the children of Israel belonged to the Levites." 42 "Each city had its pasture lands."

43 So the LORD gave Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers. They possessed it and lived in it. 44 And the LORD gave them rest from their enemies on every side just as He had promised. 45 Not one good promise made by the LORD lacked fulfillment. All came to pass.

Joshua 22 - RWB Paraphrase (34 V)
See Chapter at a Glance
See Comments
Go to top
Joshua Sends the Tribes East of the Jordon Home
1 Joshua called the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, 2 and said to them, "You have kept all the commands of Moses the servant of the LORD. And you have listened to my voice, as well." 3 "You have not forsaken your brothers since you entered the promised land." 4 "And now the LORD your God has given rest to your brothers. Therefore you may go to your own tents and the land of your possession which Moses gave to you beyond the Jordan." 5 "Only be careful to observe the commandments of the law which Moses, the LORD's servant, gave to you, to love the LORD your God, walking in His ways, keeping His commandments and holding fast to Him with all your heart and soul." 6 So Joshua blessed them and sent them away to their tents.

7 Now to the one half of the tribe of Manasseh east of the Jordan Moses had given possession in Bashan, but unto the other half west of the Jordan Joshus gave them their portion. 8 And said to them, "Return to your tents with great riches, live stock, silver, gold, bronze, iron and much clothing. Divide the spoil of your enemies with your brothers."

9 The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned to their home east of the Jordan to go to the land of Gilead, to the land of their possession which they had possessed, according to the command of the LORD through Moses. 10 When they came to the region of the Jordan in the land of Canaan, they built a large altar by the river. 11 The children of Israel west of the Jordan heard that they had built an altar on the west side of the Jordan. 12 They gathered at Shiloh and prepared to go to war against the tribes east of the Jordan because they had built this altar. 13 And the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, 14 ten princes, chiefs of each of the tribes west of the Jordan accompanied Phinehas. 15 They came to the sons of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead and said to them, 16 "the whole congregation of the LORD wants to know the meaning of your unfaithful and rebellious act against the God of Israel by building an alter for yourselves?" 17 "Is not the iniquity of Peor enough for us, which we are still recovering from to this day?" 18 "Are you turning away from the LORD? If you rebel against the LORD He will be angry with the entire congregation of Israel." 19 "If the land of your possession is unfit for you then come over to where the tabernacle stands and take possession among us. Just do not rebel against the LORD, or us, by building an altar for yourselves in addition to the altar of the LORD." 20 "Remember how Achan the son of Zerah acted unfaithfully in the things under ban? Remember how wrath fell on the entire congregation of Israel? He was not the only one who perished for his sin."

21 Then the sons of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered them, saying. 22 "The LORD God Almighty knows whether or not we have built this altar in rebellion." 23 "If we have built the altar to turn away from following the LORD, or to burn any kind of offering on it, let the LORD require it of us." 24 "But we have done this out of concern that your sons may eventually want nothing to do with our sons." 25 "For the LORD has made the Jordon a border between you and us. Your sons may tell our sons that they have no portion with the LORD and then our sons will stop fearing the LORD." 26 "Therefore we said, 'Let us build an altar that is not for burnt offering or sacrifice,'" 27 "But as a witness between us and our future generations, that when we come to perform our service to the LORD your sons will not say to our sons, 'You have no part with us in the LORD.'" 28 "So we decided to put up a memorial to be a witness between us, so that if either of us forget our part with you, we can both see this copy of the altar of the LORD which our fathers made." 29 "Far be it for us to rebel against the LORD by building this altar for any other purpose."

30 So when Phinehas the priest and the leaders of the congregation heard the words of the tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, it pleased them. 31 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar said to them, "Today we know that the LORD is in your midst, because you have not committed an unfaithful act against Him."

32 Then Phinehas and the leaders returned to Canaan from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, and brought back word to the tribes west of the Jordon. 33 And the word pleased the children of Israel and they blessed God. And they stopped speaking of destroying the tribes east of the Jordon. 34 The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad named the altar Witness, saying, "It is a witness between us that the LORD is God."

Joshua 23 - RWB Paraphrase (16 V)
See Chapter at a Glance
See Comments
Go to top
Israel Has Rest From Its Enemies
1 After many days when the LORD had given rest to Israel from all their enemies on every side, and Joshua was advanced in years, 2 he called the elders, the judges and officers of Israel together, and said to them, "I am old and advanced in years." 3 "You have seen all that the LORD your God has done to all the nations around you, for He has been fighting for you." 4 "I have apportioned the land of these nations from the Jordon to the east to the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun." 5 "The LORD your God will thrust out before you those remaining and you will possess their land, just as He promised." 6 "Therefore, be courageous and keep everything that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you do not turn to the right or the left," 7 "so that you will not associate with these nations which remain among you, or mention the name of their gods, or swear by them, serve them or bow down to them." 8 "Rather, you are to cling to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day." 9 "For the LORD has driven out great and strong nations from before you, and none of these nations has withstood you." 10 "One of you have put to flight a thousand because the LORD your God has fought for you, just as He promised." 11 "Be diligent in your love for the LORD your God." 12 "For if you ever go back to the ways of these nations, intermarry with them, and associate with them," 13 "you may be certain that the LORD will not continue to drive them out before you. They will become snares to entrap you and scourge you with thorns until you perish from off this good land which He has given to you." 14 "Behold, today I am going the way of all the earth. You well know that the LORD has not failed you in even one of His good promises." 15 "It shall come about that just as He has fulfilled all His good promises to you, so He will bring all His threats upon you and remove you from this good land if you fail to follow Him." 16 "When you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, and serve other gods, the LORD's anger will burn against you and you will perish quickly from off this good land which He has given to you."

Joshua 24 - RWB Paraphrase (33 V)
See Chapter at a Glance
See Comments
Go to top
Joshua Admonishes Israel and Then Dies
1 Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel at Shechem and called for the elders and their judges and officers to present themselves before the LORD. 2 Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'From ancient times your fathers lived beyond the river. They were Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor. And they served other gods.'" 3 "Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the river and led him through all the land of Canaan. I multiplied his descendants by giving him Isaac." 4 "To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I gave Mount Seir to Esau but Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt." 5 "Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I sent plagues on Egypt. Afterwards I brought you out from there." 6 "Your fathers came to the Red Sea, and Egypt pursued them with chariots and horsemen." 7 "But when your fathers cried out to the LORD, He put darkness between your fathers and the army of the Egyptians. In the end He covered them with the sea. Your fathers saw what I did in Egypt and you lived in the wilderness for a long time."

8 "Then I brought you into the land of the Amorites beyond the Jordan. They fought with you and I gave them into your hand, and you took possession of their land when I destroyed them before you."

9 "Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, fought against Israel and summoned Balaam the son of Beor to curse you." 10 "But I would not listen to Balaam. So he had to bless you and I delivered you from his hand."

11 "You crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho. They fought against you, as did the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites and the Jebusites. I gave all of them into your hand." 12 "I sent hornets to drive out the two kings of the Amorites before you. You didn't use your bow or your sword." 13 "I gave you land for which you did not labor, cities which you did not build. And you are eating from vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant."

14 "Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth. Put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the river and in Egypt. Serve the LORD only." 15 "If you are unhappy today serving the LORD, then choose whom you will serve, whether it be the gods of your fathers, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

16 The people answered and said, "Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD and serve other gods." 17 "For the LORD our God brought us and our fathers up from the house of bondage in Egypt. He did great signs and preserved us all along the way among the people whose land we passed through." 18 "The LORD drove them out before us, even the Amorite. We will serve the LORD for He is our God."

19 Then Joshua said to the people, "You will not be able to serve the LORD for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God. He will not forgive your sins." 20 "If you forsake the LORD and serve other gods, He will turn and do you harm because you forsook Him after all the good He has done for you."

21 The people said to Joshua, "No, we will serve the LORD."

22 Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD and will serve Him." And they replied, "We are witnesses."

23 "Now you must put away the foreign gods which are in your midst and incline your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel."

24 The people said to Joshua, "We will serve the LORD our God and obey His voice."

25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. 26 And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God. He set up a large stone under the oak by the sanctuary of the LORD. 27 He said to all the people, "Behold, this stone shall be a witness to us, for it has heard all the words of the LORD which He spoke to us. Thus it shall be a witness against you so that you do not deny your God."

28 Then Joshua dismissed the people to return each one to his own inheritance. 29 After this Joshua the son of Nun and servant of the LORD died. He was one hundred and ten years old. 30 They buried him in the territory of his inheritance in Timnathserah which is in the hill country of Ephraim north of Mount Gaash.

31 Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua and had known the deeds the LORD had done for Israel.

32 They buried the bones of Joseph which had been brought up from Egypt at Shechem in the piece of ground which Jacob had purchased for one hundred pieces of money from the sons of Hamor who was the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph's sons.

33 And Eleazar the son of Aaron died. They buried him in a hill that belonged to his son Phinehas, which was given to him in Mount Ephraim.

Chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24