God Commissions Joshua

1And it came to pass after the death of Moses, that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Naue, the minister of Moses, saying, 2Moses my servant is dead; now then arise, go over Jordan, thou and all this people, into the land, which I give them. 3Every spot on which ye shall tread I will give it to you, as I said to Moses. 4The wilderness and Antilibanus, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, and as far as the extremity of the sea; your costs shall be from the setting of the sun. 5Not a man shall stand against you all the days of thy life; and as I was with Moses, so will I also be with thee, and I will not fail thee, or neglect thee. 6Be strong and 'quit thyself like a man, for thou shalt divide the land to this people, which I sware to give to your fathers. 7Be strong, therefore, and quit thyself like a man, to observe and do as Moses my servant commanded thee; and thou shalt not turn therefrom to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest be wise in whatsoever thou mayest do. 8And the book of this law shall not depart out of thy mouth, and thou shalt meditate in it day and night, that thou mayest know how to do all the things that are written in it; then shalt thou prosper, and make thy ways prosperous, and then shalt thou be wise. 9Lo! I have commanded thee; be strong and courageous, be not cowardly nor fearful, for the Lord thy God is with thee in all places whither thou goest.

Joshua Takes Charge

10And Joshua commanded the scribes of the people, saying, 11Go into the midst of the camp of the people, and command the people, saying, Prepare provisions; for yet three days and ye shall go over this Jordan, entering in to take possession of the land, which the Lord God of your fathers gives to you.

12And to Ruben, and to Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasse, Joshua said, 13Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, the Lord your God has caused you to rest, and has given you this land. 14Let your wives and your children and your cattle dwell in the land, which he has given you; and ye shall go over well armed before your brethren, every one of you who is strong; and ye shall fight on their side; 15until the Lord your God shall have given your brethren rest, as also to you, and they also shall have inherited the land, which the Lord your God gives them; then ye shall depart each one to his inheritance, which Moses gave you beyond Jordan eastward.

16And they answered Joshua and said, We will do all things which thou commandest us, and we will go to every place whither thou shalt send us. 17Whereinsoever we hearkened to Moses we will hearken to thee; only let the Lord our God be with thee, as he was with Moses. 18And whosoever shall disobey thee, and whosoever shall not hearken to thy words as thou shalt command him, let him die; but be thou strong and courageous.