1 So it happened,
after the death of Moses
the servant of Yahweh.
And Yahweh spoke to Joshua the son of Nun,
the assistant of Moses, saying,
2 “Moses my servant is dead.
So now arise,
cross over this Jordan–
you, and all this people–
to the land which I am giving you–
to the sons of Israel.
3 Every place where
the sole of your foot shall tread upon,
to you I have given it,
just as I said to Moses.
4 From the wilderness
and this Lebanon,
and to the great river,
the Euphrates River,
all the land of the Hittites,
and to the Great Sea,
the going down of the sun
shall be your boundary.
5 No one will be able to stand before you
all the days of your life.
As I was with Moses,
I will be with you.
6 Be strong and courageous,
for you shall divide for this people
the land which I swore to their forefathers,
to give to them.
7 Only be strong and very courageous,
to keep to do according to all the Torah,
which Moses my servant commanded.
Do not turn from it to the right hand
or to the left,
so that you shall succeed
everywhere you shall go.
8 This book of the Torah
shall not depart from your mouth,
and you shall meditate upon it day and night,
so that you shall keep to do
according to all that is written in it.
For then shall you make your way prosper,
and then you shall succeed.
9 Have I not commanded you?
Be strong and courageous.
You shall not be afraid,
and you shall not be dismayed.
For Yahweh your God is with you
everywhere you shall go.”
10 Then Joshua commanded
the officers of the people, saying,
11 “Pass through the midst of the camp,
and command the people, saying,
‘Make provisions for yourselves,
for in yet three days
you will cross over this Jordan,
to go in to possess the land,
which Yahweh your God
is giving you to possess
12 But to the Reubenites
and to the Gadites
and to the half tribe of Manasseh,
Joshua spoke, saying,
13 “Remember the word which
Moses the servant of Yahweh
commanded to you, saying,
“Yahweh your God
has given you rest,
and has given this land to you.
14 Your wives, your children,
and your cattle shall remain,
in the land which Moses has given to you,
on this side of the Jordan,
but you shall pass over
armed before your brothers,
all the mighty men of valor,
and protect them,
15 until when Yahweh has settled
your brothers as you are,
and they have also possessed the land
which Yahweh you God has given to them.
Then you shall return
to the land of you possession
and enjoy it,
which Moses the servant of Yahweh
has given to you,
on this side of the Jordan
of the rising sun.”
16 And they answered to Joshua, saying,
“All which you have commanded us
we will do.
And wherever you send us, we will go.
17 Just as we listened to Moses,
so we shall listen to you.
Only may Yahweh our God be with you
just as he was with Moses.
18 Anyone who rebels against your command,
and will not listen to your words,
and all that you command,
will be put to death.
Only be strong and courageous.”