KWS — KodeshWay Scriptures
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A Yeshua-centred edition derived from the public-domain
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Mashiach's own tongue.

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                                   Yehoshua                                   
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                                  Chapter 1                                   

  1. Now after the death of Moshe the servant of YHWH, YHWH spoke to Yehoshua the son of Nun, Moshe’s servant, saying,
  2. “Moshe my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go across this Jordan, you and all these people, to the land which I am giving to them, even to the children of Yisrael.
  3. I have given you every place that the sole of your foot will tread on, as I told Moshe.
  4. From the wilderness and this Lebanon even to the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Chitim, and to the great sea towards the going down of the sun, shall be your border.
  5. No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moshe, so I will be with you. I will not fail you nor forsake you.
  6. “Be strong and courageous; for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
  7. Only be strong and very courageous. Be careful to observe to do according to all the law which Moshe my servant commanded you. Don’t turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.
  8. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it; for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.
  9. Haven’t I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be dismayed, for YHWH your Elohim is with you wherever you go.”
  10. Then Yehoshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,
  11. “Pass through the middle of the camp, and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare food; for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which YHWH your Elohim gives you to possess.’”
  12. Yehoshua spoke to the Reuvenim, and to the Gadim, and to the half-tribe of Menashe, saying,
  13. “Remember the word which Moshe the servant of YHWH commanded you, saying, ‘YHWH your Elohim gives you rest, and will give you this land.
  14. Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall live in the land which Moshe gave you beyond the Jordan; but you shall pass over before your brothers armed, all the mighty men of valour, and shall help them
  15. until YHWH has given your brothers rest, as he has given you, and they have also possessed the land which YHWH your Elohim gives them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and possess it, which Moshe the servant of YHWH gave you beyond the Jordan towards the sunrise.’”
  16. They answered Yehoshua, saying, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.
  17. Just as we listened to Moshe in all things, so will we listen to you. Only may YHWH your Elohim be with you, as he was with Moshe.
  18. Whoever rebels against your mitzvah, and doesn’t listen to your words in all that you command him shall himself be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.”

                                  Chapter 2                                   

  1. Yehoshua the son of Nun secretly sent two men out of Shitim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, including Jericho.” They went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rachav, and slept there.
  2. The king of Jericho was told, “Behold, men of the children of Yisrael came in here tonight to spy out the land.”
  3. Jericho’s king sent to Rachav, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered into your house; for they have come to spy out all the land.”
  4. The woman took the two men and hid them. Then she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I didn’t know where they came from.
  5. About the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, the men went out. Where the men went, I don’t know. Pursue them quickly. You may catch up with them.”
  6. But she had brought them up to the roof, and hidden them under the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof.
  7. The men pursued them along the way to the fords of the Jordan River. As soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate.
  8. Before they had lain down, she came up to them on the roof.
  9. She said to the men, “I know that YHWH has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you.
  10. For we have heard how YHWH dried up the water of the Yam Suf before you, when you came out of Mitzrayim; and what you did to the two kings of the Emorim, who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and to Og, whom you utterly destroyed.
  11. As soon as we had heard it, our hearts melted, and there wasn’t any more spirit in any man, because of you: for YHWH your Elohim, he is Elohim in heaven above, and on earth beneath.
  12. Now therefore, please swear to me by YHWH, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s house, and give me a true sign;
  13. and that you will save alive my father, my mother, my brothers, and my sisters, and all that they have, and will deliver our lives from death.”
  14. The men said to her, “Our life for yours, if you don’t talk about this business of ours; and it shall be, when YHWH gives us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you.”
  15. Then she let them down by a cord through the window; for her house was on the side of the wall, and she lived on the wall.
  16. She said to them, “Go to the mountain, lest the pursuers find you. Hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have returned. Afterward, you may go your way.”
  17. The men said to her, “We will be guiltless of this your oath which you’ve made us to swear.
  18. Behold, when we come into the land, tie this line of scarlet thread in the window which you used to let us down. Gather to yourself into the house your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household.
  19. It shall be that whoever goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood will be on his head, and we will be guiltless. Whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand is on him.
  20. But if you talk about this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless of your oath which you’ve made us to swear.”
  21. She said, “Let it be as you have said.” She sent them away, and they departed. Then she tied the scarlet line in the window.
  22. They went and came to the mountain, and stayed there three days, until the pursuers had returned. The pursuers sought them all along the way, but didn’t find them.
  23. Then the two men returned, descended from the mountain, crossed the river, and came to Yehoshua the son of Nun. They told him all that had happened to them.
  24. They said to Yehoshua, “Truly YHWH has delivered all the land into our hands. Moreover, all the inhabitants of the land melt away before us.”

                                  Chapter 3                                   

  1. Yehoshua got up early in the morning; and they moved from Shitim and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Yisrael. They camped there before they crossed over.
  2. After three days, the officers went through the middle of the camp;
  3. and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the Aron YHWH your Elohim’s Brit, and the Levitical priests bearing it, then leave your place and follow it.
  4. Yet there shall be a space between you and it of about two thousand cubits by measure—don’t come closer to it—that you may know the way by which you must go; for you have not passed this way before.”
  5. Yehoshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves; for tomorrow YHWH will do wonders amongst you.”
  6. Yehoshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Take up the Aron HaBrit, and cross over before the people.” They took up the Aron HaBrit, and went before the people.
  7. YHWH said to Yehoshua, “Today I will begin to magnify you in the sight of all Yisrael, that they may know that as I was with Moshe, so I will be with you.
  8. You shall command the priests who bear the Aron HaBrit, saying, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’”
  9. Yehoshua said to the children of Yisrael, “Come here, and hear the words of YHWH your Elohim.”
  10. Yehoshua said, “By this you shall know that the living Elohim is amongst you, and that he will without fail drive the Kna'ani, the Chitti, the Chivi, the Perizi, the Girgashi, the Emori, and the Yevusi out from before you.
  11. Behold, the Aron HaBrit of Adonai of all the earth passes over before you into the Jordan.
  12. Now therefore take twelve men out of the tribes of Yisrael, for every tribe a man.
  13. It shall be that when the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of YHWH, Adonai of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan will be cut off. The waters that come down from above shall stand in one heap.”
  14. When the people moved from their tents to pass over the Jordan, the priests who bore the Aron HaBrit being before the people,
  15. and when those who bore the ark had come to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark had dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the time of harvest),
  16. the waters which came down from above stood, and rose up in one heap a great way off, at Adam, the city that is beside Tzaretan; and those that went down towards the sea of the Arava, even the Salt Sea, were wholly cut off. Then the people passed over near Jericho.
  17. The priests who bore the Aron YHWH’s Brit stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan; and all Yisrael crossed over on dry ground, until all the nation had passed completely over the Jordan.

                                  Chapter 4                                   

  1. When all the nation had completely crossed over the Jordan, YHWH spoke to Yehoshua, saying,
  2. “Take twelve men out of the people, a man out of every tribe,
  3. and command them, saying, ‘Take from out of the middle of the Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, carry them over with you, and lay them down in the place where you’ll camp tonight.’”
  4. Then Yehoshua called the twelve men whom he had prepared of the children of Yisrael, a man out of every tribe.
  5. Yehoshua said to them, “Cross before the Aron YHWH your Elohim into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you pick up a stone and put it on your shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Yisrael;
  6. that this may be a sign amongst you, that when your children ask in the future, saying, ‘What do you mean by these stones?’
  7. then you shall tell them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the Aron YHWH’s Brit. When it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Yisrael forever.’”
  8. The children of Yisrael did as Yehoshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the middle of the Jordan, as YHWH spoke to Yehoshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Yisrael. They carried them over with them to the place where they camped, and laid them down there.
  9. Yehoshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the Aron HaBrit stood; and they are there to this day.
  10. For the priests who bore the ark stood in the middle of the Jordan until everything was finished that YHWH commanded Yehoshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moshe commanded Yehoshua; and the people hurried and passed over.
  11. When all the people had completely crossed over, YHWH’s ark crossed over with the priests in the presence of the people.
  12. The children of Reuven, and the children of Gad, and the half-tribe of Menashe crossed over armed before the children of Yisrael, as Moshe spoke to them.
  13. About forty thousand men, ready and armed for war, passed over before YHWH to battle, to the plains of Jericho.
  14. On that day, YHWH magnified Yehoshua in the sight of all Yisrael; and they feared him, as they feared Moshe, all the days of his life.
  15. YHWH spoke to Yehoshua, saying,
  16. “Command the priests who bear the Aron HaBrit, that they come up out of the Jordan.”
  17. Yehoshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, “Come up out of the Jordan!”
  18. When the priests who bore the Aron YHWH’s Brit had come up out of the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet had been lifted up to the dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks, as before.
  19. The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, on the east border of Jericho.
  20. Yehoshua set up those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, in Gilgal.
  21. He spoke to the children of Yisrael, saying, “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean?’
  22. Then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Yisrael came over this Jordan on dry land.
  23. For YHWH your Elohim dried up the waters of the Jordan from before you until you had crossed over, as YHWH your Elohim did to the Yam Suf, which he dried up from before us, until we had crossed over,
  24. that all the peoples of the earth may know that YHWH’s hand is mighty, and that you may fear YHWH your Elohim forever.’”

                                  Chapter 5                                   

  1. When all the kings of the Emorim, who were beyond the Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Kna'anim, who were by the sea, heard how YHWH had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Yisrael until we had crossed over, their heart melted, and there was no more spirit in them, because of the children of Yisrael.
  2. At that time, YHWH said to Yehoshua, “Make flint knives, and circumcise again the sons of Yisrael the second time.”
  3. Yehoshua made himself flint knives, and circumcised the sons of Yisrael at the hill of the foreskins.
  4. This is the reason Yehoshua circumcised them: all the people who came out of Mitzrayim, who were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness along the way, after they came out of Mitzrayim.
  5. For all the people who came out were circumcised; but all the people who were born in the wilderness along the way as they came out of Mitzrayim had not been circumcised.
  6. For the children of Yisrael walked forty years in the wilderness until all the nation, even the men of war who came out of Mitzrayim, were consumed, because they didn’t listen to YHWH’s voice. YHWH swore to them that he wouldn’t let them see the land which YHWH swore to their fathers that he would give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
  7. Their children, whom he raised up in their place, were circumcised by Yehoshua, for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them on the way.
  8. When they were done circumcising the whole nation, they stayed in their places in the camp until they were healed.
  9. YHWH said to Yehoshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Mitzrayim from you.” Therefore the name of that place was called Gilgal to this day.
  10. The children of Yisrael encamped in Gilgal. They kept the Pesach on the fourteenth day of the month at evening in the plains of Jericho.
  11. They ate unleavened cakes and parched grain of the produce of the land on the next day after the Pesach, in the same day.
  12. The manna ceased on the next day, after they had eaten of the produce of the land. The children of Yisrael didn’t have manna any more, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Kna'an that year.
  13. When Yehoshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man stood in front of him with his sword drawn in his hand. Yehoshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our enemies?”
  14. He said, “No; but I have come now as commander of YHWH’s army.” Yehoshua fell on his face to the earth, and worshipped, and asked him, “What does my adonai say to his servant?”
  15. The prince of YHWH’s army said to Yehoshua, “Take off your sandals, for the place on which you stand is kodesh.” Yehoshua did so.

                                  Chapter 6                                   

  1. Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the children of Yisrael. No one went out, and no one came in.
  2. YHWH said to Yehoshua, “Behold, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the mighty men of valour.
  3. All of your men of war shall march around the city, going around the city once. You shall do this six days.
  4. Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day, you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.
  5. It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the city wall will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, every man straight in front of him.”
  6. Yehoshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said to them, “Take up the Aron HaBrit, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before YHWH’s ark.”
  7. They said to the people, “Advance! March around the city, and let the armed men pass on before YHWH’s ark.”
  8. It was so, that when Yehoshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before YHWH advanced and blew the trumpets, and the Aron YHWH’s Brit followed them.
  9. The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the ark went after them. The trumpets sounded as they went.
  10. Yehoshua commanded the people, saying, “You shall not shout nor let your voice be heard, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout.”
  11. So he caused YHWH’s ark to go around the city, circling it once. Then they came into the camp, and stayed in the camp.
  12. Yehoshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up YHWH’s ark.
  13. The seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns in front of YHWH’s ark went on continually, and blew the trumpets. The armed men went in front of them. The rear guard came after YHWH’s ark. The trumpets sounded as they went.
  14. The second day they marched around the city once, and returned into the camp. They did this six days.
  15. On the seventh day, they rose early at the dawning of the day, and marched around the city in the same way seven times. On this day only they marched around the city seven times.
  16. At the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Yehoshua said to the people, “Shout, for YHWH has given you the city!
  17. The city shall be devoted, even it and all that is in it, to YHWH. Only Rachav the prostitute shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.
  18. But as for you, only keep yourselves from what is devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted it, you take of the devoted thing; so you would make the camp of Yisrael accursed and trouble it.
  19. But all the silver, gold, and vessels of bronze and iron are kodesh to YHWH. They shall come into YHWH’s treasury.”
  20. So the people shouted and the priests blew the trumpets. When the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight in front of him, and they took the city.
  21. They utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, both young and old, and ox, sheep, and donkey, with the edge of the sword.
  22. Yehoshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house, and bring the woman and all that she has out from there, as you swore to her.”
  23. The young men who were spies went in, and brought out Rachav with her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had. They also brought out all of her relatives, and they set them outside of the camp of Yisrael.
  24. They burnt the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only they put the silver, the gold, and the vessels of bronze and of iron into the treasury of YHWH’s house.
  25. But Rachav the prostitute, her father’s household, and all that she had, Yehoshua saved alive. She lives in the middle of Yisrael to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Yehoshua sent to spy out Jericho.
  26. Yehoshua commanded them with an oath at that time, saying, “Cursed is the man before YHWH who rises up and builds this city Jericho. With the loss of his firstborn he will lay its foundation, and with the loss of his youngest son he will set up its gates.”
  27. So YHWH was with Yehoshua; and his fame was in all the land.

                                  Chapter 7                                   

  1. But the children of Yisrael committed a trespass in the devoted things; for Achan, the son of Karmi, the son of Zavdi, the son of Zerach, of the tribe of Yehudah, took some of the devoted things. Therefore YHWH’s anger burnt against the children of Yisrael.
  2. Yehoshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beit Aven, on the east side of Beit El, and spoke to them, saying, “Go up and spy out the land.” The men went up and spied out Ai.
  3. They returned to Yehoshua, and said to him, “Don’t let all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and strike Ai. Don’t make all the people to toil there, for there are only a few of them.”
  4. So about three thousand men of the people went up there, and they fled before the men of Ai.
  5. The men of Ai struck about thirty-six men of them. They chased them from before the gate even to Shebarim, and struck them at the descent. The hearts of the people melted, and became like water.
  6. Yehoshua tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before YHWH’s ark until the evening, he and the elders of Yisrael; and they put dust on their heads.
  7. Yehoshua said, “Alas, Adonai YHWH, why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to deliver us into the hand of the Emorim, to cause us to perish? I wish that we had been content and lived beyond the Jordan!
  8. Oh, Adonai, what shall I say, after Yisrael has turned their backs before their enemies?
  9. For the Kna'anim and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and will surround us, and cut off our name from the earth. What will you do for your great name?”
  10. YHWH said to Yehoshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face like that?
  11. Yisrael has sinned. Yes, they have even transgressed my Brit which I commanded them. Yes, they have even taken some of the devoted things, and have also stolen, and also deceived. They have even put it amongst their own stuff.
  12. Therefore the children of Yisrael can’t stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will not be with you any more, unless you destroy the devoted things from amongst you.
  13. Get up! Sanctify the people, and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, for YHWH, the Elohim of Yisrael, says, “There is a devoted thing amongst you, Yisrael. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted thing from amongst you.”
  14. In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. It shall be that the tribe which YHWH selects shall come near by families. The family which YHWH selects shall come near by households. The household which YHWH selects shall come near man by man.
  15. It shall be, that he who is taken with the devoted thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed YHWH’s Brit, and because he has done a disgraceful thing in Yisrael.’”
  16. So Yehoshua rose up early in the morning and brought Yisrael near by their tribes. The tribe of Yehudah was selected.
  17. He brought near the family of Yehudah, and he selected the family of the Zerachim. He brought near the family of the Zerachim man by man, and Zavdi was selected.
  18. He brought near his household man by man, and Achan, the son of Karmi, the son of Zavdi, the son of Zerach, of the tribe of Yehudah, was selected.
  19. Yehoshua said to Achan, “My son, please give glory to YHWH, the Elohim of Yisrael, and make confession to him. Tell me now what you have done! Don’t hide it from me!”
  20. Achan answered Yehoshua, and said, “I have truly sinned against YHWH, the Elohim of Yisrael, and this is what I have done.
  21. When I saw amongst the plunder a beautiful Babylonian robe, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, then I coveted them and took them. Behold, they are hidden in the ground in the middle of my tent, with the silver under it.”
  22. So Yehoshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent. Behold, it was hidden in his tent, with the silver under it.
  23. They took them from the middle of the tent, and brought them to Yehoshua and to all the children of Yisrael. They laid them down before YHWH.
  24. Yehoshua, and all Yisrael with him, took Achan the son of Zerach, the silver, the robe, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his cattle, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had; and they brought them up to the valley of Achor.
  25. Yehoshua said, “Why have you troubled us? YHWH will trouble you today.” All Yisrael stoned him with stones, and they burnt them with fire and stoned them with stones.
  26. They raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. YHWH turned from the fierceness of his anger. Therefore the name of that place was called “The valley of Achor” to this day.

                                  Chapter 8                                   

  1. YHWH said to Yehoshua, “Don’t be afraid, and don’t be dismayed. Take all the warriors with you, and arise, go up to Ai. Behold, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, with his people, his city, and his land.
  2. You shall do to Ai and her king as you did to Jericho and her king, except you shall take its goods and its livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush for the city behind it.”
  3. So Yehoshua arose, with all the warriors, to go up to Ai. Yehoshua chose thirty thousand men, the mighty men of valour, and sent them out by night.
  4. He commanded them, saying, “Behold, you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind the city. Don’t go very far from the city, but all of you be ready.
  5. I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. It shall happen, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them.
  6. They will come out after us until we have drawn them away from the city; for they will say, ‘They flee before us, like the first time.’ So we will flee before them,
  7. and you shall rise up from the ambush, and take possession of the city; for YHWH your Elohim will deliver it into your hand.
  8. It shall be, when you have seized the city, that you shall set the city on fire. You shall do this according to YHWH’s word. Behold, I have commanded you.”
  9. Yehoshua sent them out; and they went to set up the ambush, and stayed between Beit El and Ai on the west side of Ai; but Yehoshua stayed amongst the people that night.
  10. Yehoshua rose up early in the morning, mustered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Yisrael, before the people to Ai.
  11. All the people, even the men of war who were with him, went up and came near, and came before the city and encamped on the north side of Ai. Now there was a valley between him and Ai.
  12. He took about five thousand men, and set them in ambush between Beit El and Ai, on the west side of the city.
  13. So they set the people, even all the army who was on the north of the city, and their ambush on the west of the city; and Yehoshua went that night into the middle of the valley.
  14. When the king of Ai saw it, they hurried and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Yisrael to battle, he and all his people, at the time appointed, before the Arava; but he didn’t know that there was an ambush against him behind the city.
  15. Yehoshua and all Yisrael made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.
  16. All the people who were in the city were called together to pursue after them. They pursued Yehoshua, and were drawn away from the city.
  17. There was not a man left in Ai or Beit El who didn’t go out after Yisrael. They left the city open, and pursued Yisrael.
  18. YHWH said to Yehoshua, “Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand towards Ai, for I will give it into your hand.” Yehoshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand towards the city.
  19. The ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand and entered into the city and took it. They hurried and set the city on fire.
  20. When the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way. The people who fled to the wilderness turned back on the pursuers.
  21. When Yehoshua and all Yisrael saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned back and killed the men of Ai.
  22. The others came out of the city against them, so they were in the middle of Yisrael, some on this side, and some on that side. They struck them, so that they let none of them remain or escape.
  23. They captured the king of Ai alive, and brought him to Yehoshua.
  24. When Yisrael had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness in which they pursued them, and they had all fallen by the edge of the sword until they were consumed, all Yisrael returned to Ai and struck it with the edge of the sword.
  25. All that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the people of Ai.
  26. For Yehoshua didn’t draw back his hand, with which he stretched out the javelin, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.
  27. Yisrael took for themselves only the livestock and the goods of that city, according to YHWH’s word which he commanded Yehoshua.
  28. So Yehoshua burnt Ai and made it a heap forever, even a desolation, to this day.
  29. He hanged the king of Ai on a tree until the evening. At sundown, Yehoshua commanded, and they took his body down from the tree and threw it at the entrance of the gate of the city, and raised a great heap of stones on it that remains to this day.
  30. Then Yehoshua built an altar to YHWH, the Elohim of Yisrael, on Har Eval,
  31. as Moshe the servant of YHWH commanded the children of Yisrael, as it is written in the book of the law of Moshe: an altar of uncut stones, on which no one had lifted up any iron. They offered burnt offerings on it to YHWH and sacrificed peace offerings.
  32. He wrote there on the stones a copy of Moshe’s law, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Yisrael.
  33. All Yisrael, with their elders, officers, and judges, stood on both sides of the ark before the Levitical priests, who carried the Aron YHWH’s Brit, the foreigner as well as the native; half of them in front of Har Gerizim, and half of them in front of Har Eval, as Moshe the servant of YHWH had commanded at the first, that they should bless the people of Yisrael.
  34. Afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the book of the law.
  35. There was not a word of all that Moshe commanded which Yehoshua didn’t read before all the assembly of Yisrael, with the women, the little ones, and the foreigners who were amongst them.

                                  Chapter 9                                   

  1. When all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country, and in the lowland, and on all the shore of the great sea in front of Lebanon, the Chitti, the Emori, the Kna'ani, the Perizi, the Chivi, and the Yevusi, heard of it
  2. they gathered themselves together to fight with Yehoshua and with Yisrael, with one accord.
  3. But when the inhabitants of Giv'on heard what Yehoshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,
  4. they also resorted to a ruse, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks on their donkeys, and old, torn-up and bound up wineskins,
  5. and old and patched sandals on their feet, and wore old garments. All the bread of their food supply was dry and mouldy.
  6. They went to Yehoshua at the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Yisrael, “We have come from a far country. Now therefore make a Brit with us.”
  7. The men of Yisrael said to the Chivim, “What if you live amongst us? How could we make a Brit with you?”
  8. They said to Yehoshua, “We are your servants.” Yehoshua said to them, “Who are you? Where do you come from?”
  9. They said to him, “Your servants have come from a very far country because of the name of YHWH your Elohim; for we have heard of his fame, all that he did in Mitzrayim,
  10. and all that he did to the two kings of the Emorim who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Cheshbon and to Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtarot.
  11. Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take supplies in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them. Tell them, “We are your servants. Now make a Brit with us.”’
  12. This our bread we took hot for our supplies out of our houses on the day we went out to go to you; but now, behold, it is dry, and has become mouldy.
  13. These wineskins, which we filled, were new; and behold, they are torn. These our garments and our sandals have become old because of the very long journey.”
  14. The men sampled their provisions, and didn’t ask counsel from YHWH’s mouth.
  15. Yehoshua made peace with them, and made a Brit with them, to let them live. The princes of the congregation swore to them.
  16. At the end of three days after they had made a Brit with them, they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they lived amongst them.
  17. The children of Yisrael travelled and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Giv'on, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiryat Ye'arim.
  18. The children of Yisrael didn’t strike them, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by YHWH, the Elohim of Yisrael. All the congregation murmured against the princes.
  19. But all the princes said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by YHWH, the Elohim of Yisrael. Now therefore we may not touch them.
  20. We will do this to them, and let them live; lest wrath be on us, because of the oath which we swore to them.”
  21. The princes said to them, “Let them live.” So they became wood cutters and drawers of water for all the congregation, as the princes had spoken to them.
  22. Yehoshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you live amongst us?
  23. Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you will never fail to be slaves, both wood cutters and drawers of water for the house of my Elohim.”
  24. They answered Yehoshua, and said, “Because your servants were certainly told how YHWH your Elohim commanded his servant Moshe to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you. Therefore we were very afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
  25. Now, behold, we are in your hand. Do to us as it seems good and right to you to do.”
  26. He did so to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Yisrael, so that they didn’t kill them.
  27. That day Yehoshua made them wood cutters and drawers of water for the congregation and for YHWH’s altar to this day, in the place which he should choose.

                                  Chapter 10                                  

  1. Now when Adoni-Tzedek king of Jerusalem heard how Yehoshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Giv'on had made peace with Yisrael, and were amongst them,
  2. they were very afraid, because Giv'on was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty.
  3. Therefore Adoni-Tzedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Yarmut, Yafia king of Lakhish, and Devir king of Eglon, saying,
  4. “Come up to me and help me. Let’s strike Giv'on; for they have made peace with Yehoshua and with the children of Yisrael.”
  5. Therefore the five kings of the Emorim, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Yarmut, the king of Lakhish, and the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together and went up, they and all their armies, and encamped against Giv'on, and made war against it.
  6. The men of Giv'on sent to Yehoshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Don’t abandon your servants! Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us; for all the kings of the Emorim that dwell in the hill country have gathered together against us.”
  7. So Yehoshua went up from Gilgal, he and the whole army with him, including all the mighty men of valour.
  8. YHWH said to Yehoshua, “Don’t fear them, for I have delivered them into your hands. Not a man of them will stand before you.”
  9. Yehoshua therefore came to them suddenly. He marched from Gilgal all night.
  10. YHWH confused them before Yisrael. He killed them with a great slaughter at Giv'on, and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beit Choron, and struck them to Azekah and to Makkedah.
  11. As they fled from before Yisrael, while they were at the descent of Beit Choron, YHWH hurled down great stones from the sky on them to Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than those whom the children of Yisrael killed with the sword.
  12. Then Yehoshua spoke to YHWH in the day when YHWH delivered up the Emorim before the children of Yisrael. He said in the sight of Yisrael, “Sun, stand still on Giv'on! You, moon, stop in the valley of Ayalon!”
  13. The sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the nation had avenged themselves of their enemies. Isn’t this written in the book of Yashar? The sun stayed in the middle of the sky, and didn’t hurry to go down about a whole day.
  14. There was no day like that before it or after it, that YHWH listened to the voice of a man; for YHWH fought for Yisrael.
  15. Yehoshua returned, and all Yisrael with him, to the camp to Gilgal.
  16. These five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.
  17. Yehoshua was told, saying, “The five kings have been found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah.”
  18. Yehoshua said, “Roll large stones to cover the cave’s entrance, and set men by it to guard them;
  19. but don’t stay there. Pursue your enemies, and attack them from the rear. Don’t allow them to enter into their cities; for YHWH your Elohim has delivered them into your hand.”
  20. When Yehoshua and the children of Yisrael had finished killing them with a very great slaughter until they were consumed, and the remnant which remained of them had entered into the fortified cities,
  21. all the people returned to the camp to Yehoshua at Makkedah in peace. None moved his tongue against any of the children of Yisrael.
  22. Then Yehoshua said, “Open the cave entrance, and bring those five kings out of the cave to me.”
  23. They did so, and brought those five kings out of the cave to him: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Yarmut, the king of Lakhish, and the king of Eglon.
  24. When they brought those kings out to Yehoshua, Yehoshua called for all the men of Yisrael, and said to the chiefs of the men of war who went with him, “Come near. Put your feet on the necks of these kings.” They came near, and put their feet on their necks.
  25. Yehoshua said to them, “Don’t be afraid, nor be dismayed. Be strong and courageous, for YHWH will do this to all your enemies against whom you fight.”
  26. Afterward Yehoshua struck them, put them to death, and hanged them on five trees. They were hanging on the trees until the evening.
  27. At the time of the going down of the sun, Yehoshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and threw them into the cave in which they had hidden themselves, and laid great stones on the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.
  28. Yehoshua took Makkedah on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, with its king. He utterly destroyed it and all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining. He did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.
  29. Yehoshua passed from Makkedah, and all Yisrael with him, to Livnah, and fought against Livnah.
  30. YHWH delivered it also, with its king, into the hand of Yisrael. He struck it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining in it. He did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.
  31. Yehoshua passed from Livnah, and all Yisrael with him, to Lakhish, and encamped against it, and fought against it.
  32. YHWH delivered Lakhish into the hand of Yisrael. He took it on the second day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, with all the souls who were in it, according to all that he had done to Livnah.
  33. Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lakhish; and Yehoshua struck him and his people, until he had left him no one remaining.
  34. Yehoshua passed from Lakhish, and all Yisrael with him, to Eglon; and they encamped against it and fought against it.
  35. They took it on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword. He utterly destroyed all the souls who were in it that day, according to all that he had done to Lakhish.
  36. Yehoshua went up from Eglon, and all Yisrael with him, to Hebron; and they fought against it.
  37. They took it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, with its king and all its cities, and all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon; but he utterly destroyed it, and all the souls who were in it.
  38. Yehoshua returned, and all Yisrael with him, to Devir, and fought against it.
  39. He took it, with its king and all its cities. They struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining. As he had done to Hebron, so he did to Devir, and to its king; as he had done also to Livnah, and to its king.
  40. So Yehoshua struck all the land, the hill country, the South, the lowland, the slopes, and all their kings. He left no one remaining, but he utterly destroyed all that breathed, as YHWH, the Elohim of Yisrael, commanded.
  41. Yehoshua struck them from Kadesh Barnea even to Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even to Giv'on.
  42. Yehoshua took all these kings and their land at one time because YHWH, the Elohim of Yisrael, fought for Yisrael.
  43. Yehoshua returned, and all Yisrael with him, to the camp to Gilgal.

                                  Chapter 11                                  

  1. When Yavin king of Chatzor heard of it, he sent to Yovav king of Madon, to the king of Shimron, to the king of Achshaf,
  2. and to the kings who were on the north, in the hill country, in the Arava south of Kineret, in the lowland, and in the heights of Dor on the west,
  3. to the Kna'ani on the east and on the west, the Emori, the Chitti, the Perizi, the Yevusi in the hill country, and the Chivi under Chermon in the land of Mitzpah.
  4. They went out, they and all their armies with them, many people, even as the sand that is on the seashore in multitude, with very many horses and chariots.
  5. All these kings met together; and they came and encamped together at the waters of Merom, to fight with Yisrael.
  6. YHWH said to Yehoshua, “Don’t be afraid because of them; for tomorrow at this time, I will deliver them up all slain before Yisrael. You shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.”
  7. So Yehoshua came suddenly, with all the warriors, against them by the waters of Merom, and attacked them.
  8. YHWH delivered them into the hand of Yisrael, and they struck them, and chased them to great Tzidon, and to Misrephoth Maim, and to the valley of Mitzpah eastward. They struck them until they left them no one remaining.
  9. Yehoshua did to them as YHWH told him. He hamstrung their horses and burnt their chariots with fire.
  10. Yehoshua turned back at that time, and took Chatzor, and struck its king with the sword; for Chatzor used to be the head of all those kingdoms.
  11. They struck all the souls who were in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them. There was no one left who breathed. He burnt Chatzor with fire.
  12. Yehoshua captured all the cities of those kings, with their kings, and he struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed them, as Moshe the servant of YHWH commanded.
  13. But as for the cities that stood on their mounds, Yisrael burnt none of them, except Chatzor only. Yehoshua burnt that.
  14. The children of Yisrael took all the plunder of these cities, with the livestock, as plunder for themselves; but every man they struck with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them. They didn’t leave any who breathed.
  15. As YHWH commanded Moshe his servant, so Moshe commanded Yehoshua. Yehoshua did so. He left nothing undone of all that YHWH commanded Moshe.
  16. So Yehoshua captured all that land, the hill country, all the South, all the land of Goshen, the lowland, the Arava, the hill country of Yisrael, and the lowland of the same,
  17. from Har Halak, that goes up to Seir, even to Ba'al Gad in the valley of Lebanon under Har Chermon. He took all their kings, struck them, and put them to death.
  18. Yehoshua made war a long time with all those kings.
  19. There was not a city that made peace with the children of Yisrael, except the Chivim, the inhabitants of Giv'on. They took all in battle.
  20. For it was of YHWH to harden their hearts, to come against Yisrael in battle, that he might utterly destroy them, that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as YHWH commanded Moshe.
  21. Yehoshua came at that time, and cut off the Anakim from the hill country, from Hebron, from Devir, from Anav, and from all the hill country of Yehudah, and from all the hill country of Yisrael. Yehoshua utterly destroyed them with their cities.
  22. There were none of the Anakim left in the land of the children of Yisrael. Only in Gaza, in Gat, and in Ashdod, did some remain.
  23. So Yehoshua took the whole land, according to all that YHWH spoke to Moshe; and Yehoshua gave it for an inheritance to Yisrael according to their divisions by their tribes. Then the land had rest from war.

                                  Chapter 12                                  

  1. Now these are the kings of the land, whom the children of Yisrael struck, and possessed their land beyond the Jordan towards the sunrise, from the valley of the Arnon to Har Chermon, and all the Arava eastward:
  2. Sihon king of the Emorim, who lived in Cheshbon, and ruled from Aro'er, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the middle of the valley, and half Gilead, even to the river Yabok, the border of the children of Ammon;
  3. and the Arava to the sea of Kineret, eastward, and to the sea of the Arava, even the Salt Sea, eastward, the way to Beit Yeshimot; and on the south, under the slopes of Pisgah:
  4. and the border of Og king of Bashan, of the remnant of the Rephaim, who lived at Ashtarot and at Edre'i,
  5. and ruled in Har Chermon, and in Salecah, and in all Bashan, to the border of the Geshuri and the Ma'akhati, and half Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Cheshbon.
  6. Moshe the servant of YHWH and the children of Yisrael struck them. Moshe the servant of YHWH gave it for a possession to the Reuvenim, and the Gadim, and the half-tribe of Menashe.
  7. These are the kings of the land whom Yehoshua and the children of Yisrael struck beyond the Jordan westward, from Ba'al Gad in the valley of Lebanon even to Har Halak, that goes up to Seir. Yehoshua gave it to the tribes of Yisrael for a possession according to their divisions;
  8. in the hill country, and in the lowland, and in the Arava, and in the slopes, and in the wilderness, and in the South; the Chitti, the Emori, and the Kna'ani, the Perizi, the Chivi, and the Yevusi:
  9. the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Beit El, one;
  10. the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one;
  11. the king of Yarmut, one; the king of Lakhish, one;
  12. the king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one;
  13. the king of Devir, one; the king of Geder, one;
  14. the king of Chormah, one; the king of Arad, one;
  15. the king of Livnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;
  16. the king of Makkedah, one; the king of Beit El, one;
  17. the king of Tappuah, one; the king of Chefer, one;
  18. the king of Aphek, one; the king of Lassharon, one;
  19. the king of Madon, one; the king of Chatzor, one;
  20. the king of Shimron Meron, one; the king of Achshaf, one;
  21. the king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one;
  22. the king of Kedesh, one; the king of Yokne'am in Karmel, one;
  23. the king of Dor in the height of Dor, one; the king of Goiim in Gilgal, one;
  24. the king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty-one.

                                  Chapter 13                                  

  1. Now Yehoshua was old and well advanced in years. YHWH said to him, “You are old and advanced in years, and there remains yet very much land to be possessed.
  2. “This is the land that still remains: all the regions of the Pelishtim, and all the Geshuri;
  3. from the Shichor, which is before Mitzrayim, even to the border of Ekron northward, which is counted as Kna'ani; the five lords of the Pelishtim; the Gazites, and the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gitim, and the Ekronites; also the Avim,
  4. on the south; all the land of the Kna'anim, and Mearah that belongs to the Tzidonim, to Aphek, to the border of the Emorim;
  5. and the land of the Gebalites, and all Lebanon, towards the sunrise, from Ba'al Gad under Har Chermon to the entrance of Chamat;
  6. all the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, even all the Tzidonim. I will drive them out from before the children of Yisrael. Just allocate it to Yisrael for an inheritance, as I have commanded you.
  7. Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance to the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Menashe.”
  8. With him the Reuvenim and the Gadim received their inheritance, which Moshe gave them, beyond the Jordan eastward, even as Moshe the servant of YHWH gave them:
  9. from Aro'er, that is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the city that is in the middle of the valley, and all the plain of Medeba to Dibon;
  10. and all the cities of Sihon king of the Emorim, who reigned in Cheshbon, to the border of the children of Ammon;
  11. and Gilead, and the border of the Geshuri and Ma'akhati, and all Har Chermon, and all Bashan to Salecah;
  12. all the kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtarot and in Edre'i (who was left of the remnant of the Rephaim); for Moshe attacked these, and drove them out.
  13. Nevertheless the children of Yisrael didn’t drive out the Geshuri, nor the Ma'akhati: but Geshur and Maacath live within Yisrael to this day.
  14. Only he gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. The offerings of YHWH, the Elohim of Yisrael, made by fire are his inheritance, as he spoke to him.
  15. Moshe gave to the tribe of the children of Reuven according to their families.
  16. Their border was from Aro'er, that is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the city that is in the middle of the valley, and all the plain by Medeba;
  17. Cheshbon, and all its cities that are in the plain; Dibon, Bamoth Ba'al, Beit Ba'al Meon,
  18. Yahatz, Kedemoth, Mephaath,
  19. Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar in the mount of the valley,
  20. Beit Pe'or, the slopes of Pisgah, Beit Yeshimot,
  21. all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Emorim, who reigned in Cheshbon, whom Moshe struck with the chiefs of Midyan, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Chur, and Reba, the princes of Sihon, who lived in the land.
  22. The children of Yisrael also killed Bilam the son of Beor, the soothsayer, with the sword, amongst the rest of their slain.
  23. The border of the children of Reuven was the bank of the Jordan. This was the inheritance of the children of Reuven according to their families, the cities and its villages.
  24. Moshe gave to the tribe of Gad, to the children of Gad, according to their families.
  25. Their border was Yazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon, to Aro'er that is near Rabbah;
  26. and from Cheshbon to Ramath Mitzpeh, and Betonim; and from Machanayim to the border of Devir;
  27. and in the valley, Beit Haram, Beit Nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Cheshbon, the Jordan’s bank, to the uttermost part of the Yam Kinneret beyond the Jordan eastward.
  28. This is the inheritance of the children of Gad according to their families, the cities and its villages.
  29. Moshe gave an inheritance to the half-tribe of Menashe. It was for the half-tribe of the children of Menashe according to their families.
  30. Their border was from Machanayim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the villages of Ya'ir, which are in Bashan, sixty cities.
  31. Half Gilead, Ashtarot, and Edre'i, the cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were for the children of Machir the son of Menashe, even for the half of the children of Machir according to their families.
  32. These are the inheritances which Moshe distributed in the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan at Jericho, eastward.
  33. But Moshe gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. YHWH, the Elohim of Yisrael, is their inheritance, as he spoke to them.

                                  Chapter 14                                  

  1. These are the inheritances which the children of Yisrael took in the land of Kna'an, which El'azar the priest, Yehoshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the children of Yisrael, distributed to them,
  2. by the lot of their inheritance, as YHWH commanded by Moshe, for the nine tribes, and for the half-tribe.
  3. For Moshe had given the inheritance of the two tribes and the half-tribe beyond the Jordan; but to the Levi'im he gave no inheritance amongst them.
  4. For the children of Yosef were two tribes, Menashe and Ephraim. They gave no portion to the Levi'im in the land, except cities to dwell in, with their pasture lands for their livestock and for their property.
  5. The children of Yisrael did as YHWH commanded Moshe, and they divided the land.
  6. Then the children of Yehudah came near to Yehoshua in Gilgal. Calev the son of Yefuneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know the thing that YHWH spoke to Moshe the man of Elohim concerning me and concerning you in Kadesh Barnea.
  7. I was forty years old when Moshe the servant of YHWH sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land. I brought him word again as it was in my heart.
  8. Nevertheless, my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; but I wholly followed YHWH my Elohim.
  9. Moshe swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land where you walked shall be an inheritance to you and to your children forever, because you have wholly followed YHWH my Elohim.’
  10. “Now, behold, YHWH has kept me alive, as he spoke, these forty-five years, from the time that YHWH spoke this word to Moshe, while Yisrael walked in the wilderness. Now, behold, I am eighty-five years old, today.
  11. As yet I am as strong today as I was in the day that Moshe sent me. As my strength was then, even so is my strength now for war, to go out and to come in.
  12. Now therefore give me this hill country, of which YHWH spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and great and fortified cities. It may be that YHWH will be with me, and I shall drive them out, as YHWH said.”
  13. Yehoshua blessed him; and he gave Hebron to Calev the son of Yefuneh for an inheritance.
  14. Therefore Hebron became the inheritance of Calev the son of Yefuneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he followed YHWH, the Elohim of Yisrael wholeheartedly.
  15. Now the name of Hebron before was Kiryat Arba, after the greatest man amongst the Anakim. Then the land had rest from war.

                                  Chapter 15                                  

  1. The lot for the tribe of the children of Yehudah according to their families was to the border of Edom, even to the wilderness of Tzin southward, at the uttermost part of the south.
  2. Their south border was from the uttermost part of the Salt Sea, from the bay that looks southward;
  3. and it went out southward of the ascent of Akrabbim, and passed along to Tzin, and went up by the south of Kadesh Barnea, and passed along by Hezron, went up to Addar, and turned towards Karka;
  4. and it passed along to Azmon, went out at the brook of Mitzrayim; and the border ended at the sea. This shall be your south border.
  5. The east border was the Salt Sea, even to the end of the Jordan. The border of the north quarter was from the bay of the sea at the end of the Jordan.
  6. The border went up to Beit Choglah, and passed along by the north of Beit Arava; and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuven.
  7. The border went up to Devir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, looking towards Gilgal, that faces the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the river. The border passed along to the waters of En Shemesh, and ended at En Rogel.
  8. The border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom to the side of the Yevusi (also called Jerusalem) southward; and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lies before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the farthest part of the valley of Rephaim northward.
  9. The border extended from the top of the mountain to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of Har Efron; and the border extended to Baalah (also called Kiryat Ye'arim);
  10. and the border turned about from Baalah westward to Har Se'ir, and passed along to the side of Har Ye'arim (also called Chesalon) on the north, and went down to Beit Shemesh, and passed along by Timnah;
  11. and the border went out to the side of Ekron northward; and the border extended to Shikkeron, and passed along to Har Baalah, and went out at Yavne'el; and the goings out of the border were at the sea.
  12. The west border was to the shore of the great sea. This is the border of the children of Yehudah according to their families.
  13. He gave to Calev the son of Yefuneh a portion amongst the children of Yehudah, according to the mitzvah of YHWH to Yehoshua, even Kiryat Arba, named after the father of Anak (also called Hebron).
  14. Calev drove out the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
  15. He went up against the inhabitants of Devir: now the name of Devir before was Kiryat Sepher.
  16. Calev said, “He who strikes Kiryat Sepher, and takes it, to him I will give Achsah my daughter as wife.”
  17. Otni'el the son of Kenaz, the brother of Calev, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife.
  18. When she came, she had him ask her father for a field. She got off her donkey, and Calev said, “What do you want?”
  19. She said, “Give me a blessing. Because you have set me in the land of the South, give me also springs of water.” So he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.
  20. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Yehudah according to their families.
  21. The farthest cities of the tribe of the children of Yehudah towards the border of Edom in the South were Kabzeel, Eder, Yagur,
  22. Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,
  23. Kedesh, Chatzor, Ithnan,
  24. Zif, Telem, Bealoth,
  25. Chatzor Hadattah, Kerioth Hezron (also called Chatzor),
  26. Amam, Shema, Moladah,
  27. Hazar Gaddah, Heshmon, Beit Pelet,
  28. Hazar Shual, Be'er Sheva, Biziothiah,
  29. Baalah, Iim, Ezem,
  30. Eltolad, Chesil, Chormah,
  31. Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,
  32. Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimon. All the cities are twenty-nine, with their villages.
  33. In the lowland, Eshtaol, Tyre'a, Ashnah,
  34. Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam,
  35. Yarmut, Adullam, Sokho, Azekah,
  36. Shaaraim, Adithaim and Gederah (or Gederothaim); fourteen cities with their villages.
  37. Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad,
  38. Dilean, Mitzpah, Yokte'el,
  39. Lakhish, Bozkath, Eglon,
  40. Cabbon, Lahmam, Chitlish,
  41. Gederoth, Beit Dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages.
  42. Livnah, Ether, Ashan,
  43. Yiftach, Ashnah, Nezib,
  44. Ke'ilah, Akhziv, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages.
  45. Ekron, with its towns and its villages;
  46. from Ekron even to the sea, all that were by the side of Ashdod, with their villages.
  47. Ashdod, its towns and its villages; Gaza, its towns and its villages; to the brook of Mitzrayim, and the great sea with its coastline.
  48. In the hill country, Shamir, Yatir, Sokho,
  49. Dannah, Kiryat Sannah (which is Devir),
  50. Anav, Eshtemoh, Anim,
  51. Goshen, Cholon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages.
  52. Arab, Dumah, Eshan,
  53. Yanim, Beit Tapuach, Aphekah,
  54. Humtah, Kiryat Arba (also called Hebron), and Zior; nine cities with their villages.
  55. Ma'on, Karmel, Zif, Yutah,
  56. Yizre'el, Yokde'am, Zanoah,
  57. Kain, Giv'ah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages.
  58. Halhul, Beit Tzur, Gedor,
  59. Maarath, Beit Anoth, and Eltekon; six cities with their villages.
  60. Kiryat Ba'al (also called Kiryat Ye'arim), and Rabbah; two cities with their villages.
  61. In the wilderness, Beit Arava, Middin, Secacah,
  62. Nibshan, the City of Salt, and En Gedi; six cities with their villages.
  63. As for the Yevusim, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Yehudah couldn’t drive them out; but the Yevusim live with the children of Yehudah at Jerusalem to this day.

                                  Chapter 16                                  

  1. The lot came out for the children of Yosef from the Jordan at Jericho, at the waters of Jericho on the east, even the wilderness, going up from Jericho through the hill country to Beit El.
  2. It went out from Beit El to Luz, and passed along to the border of the Archites to Ataroth;
  3. and it went down westward to the border of the Yafletim, to the border of Beit Choron the lower, and on to Gezer; and ended at the sea.
  4. The children of Yosef, Menashe and Ephraim, took their inheritance.
  5. This was the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families. The border of their inheritance eastward was Ataroth Addar, to Beit Choron the upper.
  6. The border went out westward at Michmethath on the north. The border turned about eastward to Taanath Shilo, and passed along it on the east of Yanoach.
  7. It went down from Yanoach to Ataroth, to Naarah, reached to Jericho, and went out at the Jordan.
  8. From Tappuah the border went along westward to the brook of Kanah; and ended at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim according to their families;
  9. together with the cities which were set apart for the children of Ephraim in the middle of the inheritance of the children of Menashe, all the cities with their villages.
  10. They didn’t drive out the Kna'anim who lived in Gezer; but the Kna'anim dwell in the territory of Ephraim to this day, and have become servants to do forced labour.

                                  Chapter 17                                  

  1. This was the lot for the tribe of Menashe, for he was the firstborn of Yosef. As for Machir the firstborn of Menashe, the father of Gilead, because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan.
  2. So this was for the rest of the children of Menashe according to their families: for the children of Avi'ezer, for the children of Chelek, for the children of Asri'el, for the children of Shechem, for the children of Chefer, and for the children of Shemida. These were the male children of Menashe the son of Yosef according to their families.
  3. But Tzelofchad, the son of Chefer, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Menashe, had no sons, but daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, No'ah, Hoglah, Milkah, and Tirzah.
  4. They came to El'azar the priest, and to Yehoshua the son of Nun, and to the princes, saying, “YHWH commanded Moshe to give us an inheritance amongst our brothers.” Therefore according to the mitzvah of YHWH he gave them an inheritance amongst the brothers of their father.
  5. Ten parts fell to Menashe, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is beyond the Jordan;
  6. because the daughters of Menashe had an inheritance amongst his sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the sons of Menashe.
  7. The border of Menashe was from Asher to Michmethath, which is before Shechem. The border went along to the right hand, to the inhabitants of En Tappuah.
  8. The land of Tappuah belonged to Menashe; but Tappuah on the border of Menashe belonged to the children of Ephraim.
  9. The border went down to the brook of Kanah, southward of the brook. These cities belonged to Ephraim amongst the cities of Menashe. The border of Menashe was on the north side of the brook, and ended at the sea.
  10. Southward it was Ephraim’s, and northward it was Menashe’s, and the sea was his border. They reached to Asher on the north, and to Yissachar on the east.
  11. Menashe had three heights in Yissachar, in Asher Beit She'an and its towns, and Yivle'am and its towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Ein-Dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and its towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns.
  12. Yet the children of Menashe couldn’t drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Kna'anim would dwell in that land.
  13. When the children of Yisrael had grown strong, they put the Kna'anim to forced labour, and didn’t utterly drive them out.
  14. The children of Yosef spoke to Yehoshua, saying, “Why have you given me just one lot and one part for an inheritance, since we are a numerous people, because YHWH has blessed us so far?”
  15. Yehoshua said to them, “If you are a numerous people, go up to the forest, and clear land for yourself there in the land of the Perizim and of the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you.”
  16. The children of Yosef said, “The hill country is not enough for us. All the Kna'anim who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are in Beit She'an and its towns, and those who are in the valley of Yizre'el.”
  17. Yehoshua spoke to the house of Yosef, that is, to Ephraim and to Menashe, saying, “You are a numerous people, and have great power. You shall not have one lot only;
  18. but the hill country shall be yours. Although it is a forest, you shall cut it down, and it’s farthest extent shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Kna'anim, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong.”

                                  Chapter 18                                  

  1. The whole congregation of the children of Yisrael assembled themselves together at Shilo, and set up the Ohel Mo'ed there. The land was subdued before them.
  2. Seven tribes remained amongst the children of Yisrael, which had not yet divided their inheritance.
  3. Yehoshua said to the children of Yisrael, “How long will you neglect to go in to possess the land, which YHWH, the Elohim of your fathers, has given you?
  4. Appoint for yourselves three men from each tribe. I will send them, and they shall arise, walk through the land, and describe it according to their inheritance; then they shall come to me.
  5. They shall divide it into seven portions. Yehudah shall live in his borders on the south, and the house of Yosef shall live in their borders on the north.
  6. You shall survey the land into seven parts, and bring the description here to me; and I will cast lots for you here before YHWH our Elohim.
  7. However, the Levi'im have no portion amongst you; for the priesthood of YHWH is their inheritance. Gad, Reuven, and the half-tribe of Menashe have received their inheritance east of the Jordan, which Moshe the servant of YHWH gave them.”
  8. The men arose and went. Yehoshua commanded those who went to survey the land, saying, “Go walk through the land, survey it, and come again to me. I will cast lots for you here before YHWH in Shilo.”
  9. The men went and passed through the land, and surveyed it by cities into seven portions in a book. They came to Yehoshua to the camp at Shilo.
  10. Yehoshua cast lots for them in Shilo before YHWH. There Yehoshua divided the land to the children of Yisrael according to their divisions.
  11. The lot of the tribe of the children of Binyamin came up according to their families. The border of their lot went out between the children of Yehudah and the children of Yosef.
  12. Their border on the north quarter was from the Jordan. The border went up to the side of Jericho on the north, and went up through the hill country westward. It ended at the wilderness of Beit Aven.
  13. The border passed along from there to Luz, to the side of Luz (also called Beit El), southward. The border went down to Ataroth Addar, by the mountain that lies on the south of Beit Choron the lower.
  14. The border extended, and turned around on the west quarter southward, from the mountain that lies before Beit Choron southward; and ended at Kiryat Ba'al (also called Kiryat Ye'arim), a city of the children of Yehudah. This was the west quarter.
  15. The south quarter was from the farthest part of Kiryat Ye'arim. The border went out westward, and went out to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah.
  16. The border went down to the farthest part of the mountain that lies before the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is in the valley of Rephaim northward. It went down to the valley of Hinnom, to the side of the Yevusi southward, and went down to En Rogel.
  17. It extended northward, went out at En Shemesh, and went out to Geliloth, which is opposite the ascent of Adummim. It went down to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuven.
  18. It passed along to the side opposite the Arava northward, and went down to the Arava.
  19. The border passed along to the side of Beit Choglah northward; and the border ended at the north bay of the Salt Sea, at the south end of the Jordan. This was the south border.
  20. The Jordan was its border on the east quarter. This was the inheritance of the children of Binyamin, by the borders around it, according to their families.
  21. Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Binyamin according to their families were Jericho, Beit Choglah, Emek Keziz,
  22. Beit Arava, Zemaraim, Beit El,
  23. Avim, Parah, Ofrah,
  24. Chephar Ammoni, Ofni, and Geva; twelve cities with their villages.
  25. Giv'on, Ramah, Beeroth,
  26. Mitzpeh, Chephirah, Mozah,
  27. Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah,
  28. Zelah, Eleph, the Yevusi (also called Jerusalem), Gibeath, and Kiryat; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Binyamin according to their families.

                                  Chapter 19                                  

  1. The second lot came out for Shimon, even for the tribe of the children of Shimon according to their families. Their inheritance was in the middle of the inheritance of the children of Yehudah.
  2. They had for their inheritance Be'er Sheva (or Sheva), Moladah,
  3. Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem,
  4. Eltolad, Bethul, Chormah,
  5. Ziklag, Beit Markavot, Hazar Susah,
  6. Beit Levavot, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities with their villages;
  7. Ain, Rimon, Ether, and Ashan; four cities with their villages;
  8. and all the villages that were around these cities to Baalath Beer, Ramah of the South. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Shimon according to their families.
  9. Out of the part of the children of Yehudah was the inheritance of the children of Shimon; for the portion of the children of Yehudah was too much for them. Therefore the children of Shimon had inheritance in the middle of their inheritance.
  10. The third lot came up for the children of Zevulun according to their families. The border of their inheritance was to Sarid.
  11. Their border went up westward, even to Maralah, and reached to Dabbesheth. It reached to the brook that is before Yokne'am.
  12. It turned from Sarid eastward towards the sunrise to the border of Chisloth Tavor. It went out to Daberath, and went up to Yafia.
  13. From there it passed along eastward to Gat Chefer, to Ethkazin; and it went out at Rimon which stretches to Neah.
  14. The border turned around it on the north to Hannathon; and it ended at the valley of Yiftach El;
  15. Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Beit Lechem: twelve cities with their villages.
  16. This is the inheritance of the children of Zevulun according to their families, these cities with their villages.
  17. The fourth lot came out for Yissachar, even for the children of Yissachar according to their families.
  18. Their border was to Yizre'el, Chesulloth, Shunem,
  19. Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath,
  20. Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez,
  21. Remeth, Engannim, En Haddah, and Beit Patzetz.
  22. The border reached to Tavor, Shahazumah, and Beit Shemesh. Their border ended at the Jordan: sixteen cities with their villages.
  23. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Yissachar according to their families, the cities with their villages.
  24. The fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families.
  25. Their border was Chelkat, Hali, Beten, Achshaf,
  26. Allammelech, Amad, Mishal. It reached to Karmel westward, and to Shihorlibnath.
  27. It turned towards the sunrise to Beit Dagon, and reached to Zevulun, and to the valley of Yiftach El northward to Beit Emek and Neiel. It went out to Cabul on the left hand,
  28. and Ebron, Rechov, Chamon, and Kanah, even to great Tzidon.
  29. The border turned to Ramah, to the fortified city of Tyre; and the border turned to Chosah. It ended at the sea by the region of Akhziv;
  30. Ummah also, and Aphek, and Rechov: twenty-two cities with their villages.
  31. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages.
  32. The sixth lot came out for the children of Naftali, even for the children of Naftali according to their families.
  33. Their border was from Heleph, from the oak in Zaanannim, Adami-nekeb, and Yavne'el, to Lakkum. It ended at the Jordan.
  34. The border turned westward to Aznoth Tavor, and went out from there to Hukkok. It reached to Zevulun on the south, and reached to Asher on the west, and to Yehudah at the Jordan towards the sunrise.
  35. The fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Kineret,
  36. Adamah, Ramah, Chatzor,
  37. Kedesh, Edre'i, En Chatzor,
  38. Iron, Migdal El, Horem, Beit Anat, and Beit Shemesh; nineteen cities with their villages.
  39. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naftali according to their families, the cities with their villages.
  40. The seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families.
  41. The border of their inheritance was Tyre'a, Eshtaol, Irshemesh,
  42. Shaalabbin, Ayalon, Ithlah,
  43. Eilon, Timnah, Ekron,
  44. Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath,
  45. Yehud, Bene Berak, Gat Rimon,
  46. Me Yarkon, and Rakkon, with the border opposite Yafo.
  47. The border of the children of Dan went out beyond them; for the children of Dan went up and fought against Leshem, and took it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and lived therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their forefather.
  48. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families, these cities with their villages.
  49. So they finished distributing the land for inheritance by its borders. The children of Yisrael gave an inheritance to Yehoshua the son of Nun amongst them.
  50. According to YHWH’s mitzvah, they gave him the city which he asked, even Timnathserah in the hill country of Ephraim; and he built the city, and lived there.
  51. These are the inheritances, which El'azar the priest, Yehoshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the children of Yisrael, distributed for inheritance by lot in Shilo before YHWH, at the door of the Ohel Mo'ed. So they finished dividing the land.

                                  Chapter 20                                  

  1. YHWH spoke to Yehoshua, saying,
  2. “Speak to the children of Yisrael, saying, ‘Assign the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you by Moshe,
  3. that the man slayer who kills any person accidentally or unintentionally may flee there. They shall be to you for a refuge from the avenger of blood.
  4. He shall flee to one of those cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city, and declare his case in the ears of the elders of that city. They shall take him into the city with them, and give him a place, that he may live amongst them.
  5. If the avenger of blood pursues him, then they shall not deliver up the man slayer into his hand; because he struck his neighbour unintentionally, and didn’t hate him before.
  6. He shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgement, until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days. Then the man slayer shall return, and come to his own city, and to his own house, to the city he fled from.’”
  7. They set apart Kedesh in Galil in the hill country of Naftali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiryat Arba (also called Hebron) in the hill country of Yehudah.
  8. Beyond the Jordan at Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness in the plain out of the tribe of Reuven, Ramot in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Menashe.
  9. These were the appointed cities for all the children of Yisrael, and for the alien who lives amongst them, that whoever kills any person unintentionally might flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stands trial before the congregation.

                                  Chapter 21                                  

  1. Then the heads of fathers’ houses of the Levi'im came near to El'azar the priest, and to Yehoshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of fathers’ houses of the tribes of the children of Yisrael.
  2. They spoke to them at Shilo in the land of Kna'an, saying, “YHWH commanded through Moshe to give us cities to dwell in, with their pasture lands for our livestock.”
  3. The children of Yisrael gave to the Levi'im out of their inheritance, according to the mitzvah of YHWH, these cities with their pasture lands.
  4. The lot came out for the families of the Kehatim. The children of Aharon the priest, who were of the Levi'im, had thirteen cities by lot out of the tribe of Yehudah, out of the tribe of the Shimonim, and out of the tribe of Binyamin.
  5. The rest of the children of Kehat had ten cities by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half-tribe of Menashe.
  6. The children of Gershon had thirteen cities by lot out of the families of the tribe of Yissachar, out of the tribe of Asher, out of the tribe of Naftali, and out of the half-tribe of Menashe in Bashan.
  7. The children of Merari according to their families had twelve cities out of the tribe of Reuven, out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zevulun.
  8. The children of Yisrael gave these cities with their pasture lands by lot to the Levi'im, as YHWH commanded by Moshe.
  9. They gave out of the tribe of the children of Yehudah, and out of the tribe of the children of Shimon, these cities which are mentioned by name:
  10. and they were for the children of Aharon, of the families of the Kehatim, who were of the children of Levi; for theirs was the first lot.
  11. They gave them Kiryat Arba, named after the father of Anak (also called Hebron), in the hill country of Yehudah, with its pasture lands around it.
  12. But they gave the fields of the city and its villages to Calev the son of Yefuneh for his possession.
  13. To the children of Aharon the priest they gave Hebron with its pasture lands, the city of refuge for the man slayer, Livnah with its pasture lands,
  14. Yatir with its pasture lands, Eshtemoa with its pasture lands,
  15. Cholon with its pasture lands, Devir with its pasture lands,
  16. Ain with its pasture lands, Yutah with its pasture lands, and Beit Shemesh with its pasture lands: nine cities out of those two tribes.
  17. Out of the tribe of Binyamin, Giv'on with its pasture lands, Geva with its pasture lands,
  18. Anatot with its pasture lands, and Almon with its pasture lands: four cities.
  19. All the cities of the children of Aharon, the priests, were thirteen cities with their pasture lands.
  20. The families of the children of Kehat, the Levi'im, even the rest of the children of Kehat, had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim.
  21. They gave them Shechem with its pasture lands in the hill country of Ephraim, the city of refuge for the man slayer, and Gezer with its pasture lands,
  22. Kibzaim with its pasture lands, and Beit Choron with its pasture lands: four cities.
  23. Out of the tribe of Dan, Elteke with its pasture lands, Gibbethon with its pasture lands,
  24. Ayalon with its pasture lands, Gat Rimon with its pasture lands: four cities.
  25. Out of the half-tribe of Menashe, Taanach with its pasture lands, and Gat Rimon with its pasture lands: two cities.
  26. All the cities of the families of the rest of the children of Kehat were ten with their pasture lands.
  27. They gave to the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levi'im, out of the half-tribe of Menashe Golan in Bashan with its pasture lands, the city of refuge for the man slayer, and Be Eshterah with its pasture lands: two cities.
  28. Out of the tribe of Yissachar, Kishion with its pasture lands, Daberath with its pasture lands,
  29. Yarmut with its pasture lands, En Gannim with its pasture lands: four cities.
  30. Out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with its pasture lands, Abdon with its pasture lands,
  31. Chelkat with its pasture lands, and Rechov with its pasture lands: four cities.
  32. Out of the tribe of Naftali, Kedesh in Galil with its pasture lands, the city of refuge for the man slayer, Hammothdor with its pasture lands, and Kartan with its pasture lands: three cities.
  33. All the cities of the Gershonim according to their families were thirteen cities with their pasture lands.
  34. To the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levi'im, out of the tribe of Zevulun, Yokne'am with its pasture lands, Kartah with its pasture lands,
  35. Dimnah with its pasture lands, and Nahalal with its pasture lands: four cities.
  36. Out of the tribe of Reuven, Bezer with its pasture lands, Yahatz with its pasture lands,
  37. Kedemoth with its pasture lands, and Mephaath with its pasture lands: four cities.
  38. Out of the tribe of Gad, Ramot in Gilead with its pasture lands, the city of refuge for the man slayer, and Machanayim with its pasture lands,
  39. Cheshbon with its pasture lands, Yazer with its pasture lands: four cities in all.
  40. All these were the cities of the children of Merari according to their families, even the rest of the families of the Levi'im. Their lot was twelve cities.
  41. All the cities of the Levi'im amongst the possessions of the children of Yisrael were forty-eight cities with their pasture lands.
  42. Each of these cities included their pasture lands around them. It was this way with all these cities.
  43. So YHWH gave to Yisrael all the land which he swore to give to their fathers. They possessed it, and lived in it.
  44. YHWH gave them rest all around, according to all that he swore to their fathers. Not a man of all their enemies stood before them. YHWH delivered all their enemies into their hand.
  45. Nothing failed of any good thing which YHWH had spoken to the house of Yisrael. All came to pass.

                                  Chapter 22                                  

  1. Then Yehoshua called the Reuvenim, the Gadim, and the half-tribe of Menashe,
  2. and said to them, “You have kept all that Moshe the servant of YHWH commanded you, and have listened to my voice in all that I commanded you.
  3. You have not left your brothers these many days to this day, but have performed the duty of the mitzvah of YHWH your Elohim.
  4. Now YHWH your Elohim has given rest to your brothers, as he spoke to them. Therefore now return and go to your tents, to the land of your possession, which Moshe the servant of YHWH gave you beyond the Jordan.
  5. Only take diligent heed to do the mitzvah and the law which Moshe the servant of YHWH commanded you, to love YHWH your Elohim, to walk in all his ways, to keep his mitzvot, to hold fast to him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
  6. So Yehoshua blessed them, and sent them away; and they went to their tents.
  7. Now to the one half-tribe of Menashe Moshe had given inheritance in Bashan; but Yehoshua gave to the other half amongst their brothers beyond the Jordan westward. Moreover when Yehoshua sent them away to their tents, he blessed them,
  8. and spoke to them, saying, “Return with much wealth to your tents, with very much livestock, with silver, with gold, with bronze, with iron, and with very much clothing. Divide the plunder of your enemies with your brothers.”
  9. The children of Reuven and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Menashe returned, and departed from the children of Yisrael out of Shilo, which is in the land of Kna'an, to go to the land of Gilead, to the land of their possession, which they owned, according to the mitzvah of YHWH by Moshe.
  10. When they came to the region near the Jordan, that is in the land of Kna'an, the children of Reuven and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Menashe built an altar there by the Jordan, a great altar to look at.
  11. The children of Yisrael heard this, “Behold, the children of Reuven and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Menashe have built an altar along the border of the land of Kna'an, in the region around the Jordan, on the side that belongs to the children of Yisrael.”
  12. When the children of Yisrael heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Yisrael gathered themselves together at Shilo, to go up against them to war.
  13. The children of Yisrael sent to the children of Reuven, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Menashe, into the land of Gilead, Pinchas the son of El'azar the priest.
  14. With him were ten princes, one prince of a fathers’ house for each of the tribes of Yisrael; and they were each head of their fathers’ houses amongst the thousands of Yisrael.
  15. They came to the children of Reuven, and to the children of Gad, and to the half-tribe of Menashe, to the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying,
  16. “The whole congregation of YHWH says, ‘What trespass is this that you have committed against the Elohim of Yisrael, to turn away today from following YHWH, in that you have built yourselves an altar, to rebel today against YHWH?
  17. Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day, although there came a plague on the congregation of YHWH,
  18. that you must turn away today from following YHWH? It will be, since you rebel today against YHWH, that tomorrow he will be angry with the whole congregation of Yisrael.
  19. However, if the land of your possession is unclean, then pass over to the land of the possession of YHWH, in which YHWH’s Mishkan dwells, and take possession amongst us; but don’t rebel against YHWH, nor rebel against us, in building an altar other than YHWH our Elohim’s altar.
  20. Didn’t Achan the son of Zerach commit a trespass in the devoted thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Yisrael? That man didn’t perish alone in his iniquity.’”
  21. Then the children of Reuven and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Menashe answered, and spoke to the heads of the thousands of Yisrael,
  22. “The Mighty One, Elohim, YHWH, the Mighty One, Elohim, YHWH, he knows; and Yisrael shall know: if it was in rebellion, or if in trespass against YHWH (don’t save us today),
  23. that we have built us an altar to turn away from following YHWH; or if to offer burnt offering or meal offering, or if to offer sacrifices of peace offerings, let YHWH himself require it.
  24. “If we have not out of concern done this, and for a reason, saying, ‘In time to come your children might speak to our children, saying, “What have you to do with YHWH, the Elohim of Yisrael?
  25. For YHWH has made the Jordan a border between us and you, you children of Reuven and children of Gad. You have no portion in YHWH.”’ So your children might make our children cease from fearing YHWH.
  26. “Therefore we said, ‘Let’s now prepare to build ourselves an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice;
  27. but it will be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we may perform the service of YHWH before him with our burnt offerings, with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings;’ that your children may not tell our children in time to come, ‘You have no portion in YHWH.’
  28. “Therefore we said, ‘It shall be, when they tell us or our generations this in time to come, that we shall say, “Behold the pattern of YHWH’s altar, which our fathers made, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you.”’
  29. “Far be it from us that we should rebel against YHWH, and turn away today from following YHWH, to build an altar for burnt offering, for meal offering, or for sacrifice, besides YHWH our Elohim’s altar that is before his Mishkan!”
  30. When Pinchas the priest, and the princes of the congregation, even the heads of the thousands of Yisrael that were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuven and the children of Gad and the children of Menashe spoke, it pleased them well.
  31. Pinchas the son of El'azar the priest said to the children of Reuven, to the children of Gad, and to the children of Menashe, “Today we know that YHWH is amongst us, because you have not committed this trespass against YHWH. Now you have delivered the children of Yisrael out of YHWH’s hand.”
  32. Pinchas the son of El'azar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuven, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, to the land of Kna'an, to the children of Yisrael, and brought them word again.
  33. The thing pleased the children of Yisrael; and the children of Yisrael blessed Elohim, and spoke no more of going up against them to war, to destroy the land in which the children of Reuven and the children of Gad lived.
  34. The children of Reuven and the children of Gad named the altar “A Witness Between Us that YHWH is Elohim.”

                                  Chapter 23                                  

  1. After many days, when YHWH had given rest to Yisrael from their enemies all around, and Yehoshua was old and well advanced in years,
  2. Yehoshua called for all Yisrael, for their elders and for their heads, and for their judges and for their officers, and said to them, “I am old and well advanced in years.
  3. You have seen all that YHWH your Elohim has done to all these nations because of you; for it is YHWH your Elohim who has fought for you.
  4. Behold, I have allotted to you these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from the Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even to the great sea towards the going down of the sun.
  5. YHWH your Elohim will thrust them out from before you, and drive them from out of your sight. You shall possess their land, as YHWH your Elohim spoke to you.
  6. “Therefore be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moshe, that you not turn away from it to the right hand or to the left;
  7. that you not come amongst these nations, these that remain amongst you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow down yourselves to them;
  8. but hold fast to YHWH your Elohim, as you have done to this day.
  9. “For YHWH has driven great and strong nations out from before you. But as for you, no man has stood before you to this day.
  10. One man of you shall chase a thousand; for it is YHWH your Elohim who fights for you, as he spoke to you.
  11. Take good heed therefore to yourselves, that you love YHWH your Elohim.
  12. “But if you do at all go back, and hold fast to the remnant of these nations, even these who remain amongst you, and make marriages with them, and go in to them, and they to you;
  13. know for a certainty that YHWH your Elohim will no longer drive these nations from out of your sight; but they shall be a snare and a trap to you, a scourge in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which YHWH your Elohim has given you.
  14. “Behold, today I am going the way of all the earth. You know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which YHWH your Elohim spoke concerning you. All have happened to you. Not one thing has failed of it.
  15. It shall happen that as all the good things have come on you of which YHWH your Elohim spoke to you, so YHWH will bring on you all the evil things, until he has destroyed you from off this good land which YHWH your Elohim has given you,
  16. when you disobey the Brit of YHWH your Elohim, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow down yourselves to them. Then YHWH’s anger will be kindled against you, and you will perish quickly from off the good land which he has given to you.”

                                  Chapter 24                                  

  1. Yehoshua gathered all the tribes of Yisrael to Shechem, and called for the elders of Yisrael, for their heads, for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before Elohim.
  2. Yehoshua said to all the people, “YHWH, the Elohim of Yisrael, says, ‘Your fathers lived of old time beyond the River, even Terach, the father of Avraham, and the father of Nachor. They served other gods.
  3. I took your father Avraham from beyond the River, and led him throughout all the land of Kna'an, and multiplied his offspring, and gave him Yitzhak.
  4. I gave to Yitzhak Yaakov and Esav: and I gave to Esav Har Se'ir, to possess it. Yaakov and his children went down into Mitzrayim.
  5. “‘I sent Moshe and Aharon, and I plagued Mitzrayim, according to that which I did amongst them: and afterward I brought you out.
  6. I brought your fathers out of Mitzrayim: and you came to the sea. The Mitzrim pursued your fathers with chariots and with horsemen to the Yam Suf.
  7. When they cried out to YHWH, he put darkness between you and the Mitzrim, and brought the sea on them, and covered them; and your eyes saw what I did in Mitzrayim. You lived in the wilderness many days.
  8. “‘I brought you into the land of the Emorim, that lived beyond the Jordan. They fought with you, and I gave them into your hand. You possessed their land, and I destroyed them from before you.
  9. Then Balak the son of Tzipor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Yisrael. He sent and called Bilam the son of Beor to curse you,
  10. but I would not listen to Bilam; therefore he blessed you still. So I delivered you out of his hand.
  11. “‘You went over the Jordan, and came to Jericho. The men of Jericho fought against you, the Emori, the Perizi, the Kna'ani, the Chitti, the Girgashi, the Chivi, and the Yevusi; and I delivered them into your hand.
  12. I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out from before you, even the two kings of the Emorim; not with your sword, nor with your bow.
  13. I gave you a land on which you had not laboured, and cities which you didn’t build, and you live in them. You eat of vineyards and olive groves which you didn’t plant.’
  14. “Now therefore fear YHWH, and serve him in sincerity and in truth. Put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, in Mitzrayim; and serve YHWH.
  15. If it seems evil to you to serve YHWH, choose today whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Emorim, in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve YHWH.”
  16. The people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake YHWH, to serve other gods;
  17. for it is YHWH our Elohim who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Mitzrayim, from the house of bondage, and who did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way in which we went, and amongst all the peoples through the middle of whom we passed.
  18. YHWH drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Emorim who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve YHWH; for he is our Elohim.”
  19. Yehoshua said to the people, “You can’t serve YHWH, for he is a kodesh Elohim. He is a jealous Elohim. He will not forgive your disobedience nor your sins.
  20. If you forsake YHWH, and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you evil, and consume you, after he has done you good.”
  21. The people said to Yehoshua, “No, but we will serve YHWH.”
  22. Yehoshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen YHWH yourselves, to serve him.” They said, “We are witnesses.”
  23. “Now therefore put away the foreign gods which are amongst you, and incline your heart to YHWH, the Elohim of Yisrael.”
  24. The people said to Yehoshua, “We will serve YHWH our Elohim, and we will listen to his voice.”
  25. So Yehoshua made a Brit with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.
  26. Yehoshua wrote these words in the book of the law of Elohim; and he took a great stone, and set it up there under the oak that was by the Beit HaMikdash of YHWH.
  27. Yehoshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all YHWH’s words which he spoke to us. It shall be therefore a witness against you, lest you deny your Elohim.”
  28. So Yehoshua sent the people away, each to his own inheritance.
  29. After these things, Yehoshua the son of Nun, the servant of YHWH, died, being one hundred and ten years old.
  30. They buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathserah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north of the mountain of Gaash.
  31. Yisrael served YHWH all the days of Yehoshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Yehoshua, and had known all the work of YHWH, that he had worked for Yisrael.
  32. They buried the bones of Yosef, which the children of Yisrael brought up out of Mitzrayim, in Shechem, in the parcel of ground which Yaakov bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of silver. They became the inheritance of the children of Yosef.
  33. El'azar the son of Aharon died. They buried him in the hill of Pinchas his son, which was given him in the hill country of Ephraim.
