Joshua 1-4 - Prayer Tents



Share: Select All button

Previous ChapterNext ChapterReduce Font SizeIncrease Font Size
Joshua 1-4
New Living Translation Help

Joshua 1

The Lord’s Charge to Joshua

1After the death of Moses the LORD's servant, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' assistant. He said,H310H4194H4872H5650H3068H3068H559H3091H1121H5126H4872H8334H5592"Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them.H4872H5650H4191H6965H5674H3383H5971H776H5414H1121H34783I promise you what I promised Moses: 'Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you—H4725H3709H7272H1869H5414H1696H48724from the Negev wilderness in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north, from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Seac in the west, including all the land of the Hittites.'H4057H3844H1419H5104H5104H6578H776H2850H1419H3220H3996H8121H13665No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.H376H3320H6440H3117H2416H4872H7503H58006"Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them.H2388H553H5971H5157H776H7650H1H54147Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do.H2388H3966H553H8104H6213H8451H4872H5650H6680H5493H3225H8040H7919H32128Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.H5612H8451H4185H6310H1897H3119H3915H8104H6213H3789H6743H1870H6743H79199This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."H6680H2388H553H6206H2865H3068H430H3212

Joshua’s Charge to the Israelites

10Joshua then commanded the officers of Israel,H3091H6680H7860H5971H55911"Go through the camp and tell the people to get their provisions ready. In three days you will cross the Jordan River and take possession of the land the LORD your God is giving you."H5674H7130H4264H6680H5971H559H3559H6720H7969H3117H5674H3383H935H3423H776H3068H430H5414H342312Then Joshua called together the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. He told them,H7206H1425H2677H7626H4519H559H3091H55913"Remember what Moses, the servant of the LORD, commanded you: 'The LORD your God is giving you a place of rest. He has given you this land.'H2142H1697H4872H5650H3068H6680H559H3068H430H5117H5414H77614Your wives, children, and livestock may remain here in the land Moses assigned to you on the east side of the Jordan River. But your strong warriors, fully armed, must lead the other tribes across the Jordan to help them conquer their territory. Stay with themH802H2945H4735H3427H776H4872H5414H5676H3383H5674H6440H251H2571H1368H2428H582615until the LORD gives them rest, as he has given you rest, and until they, too, possess the land the LORD your God is giving them. Only then may you return and settle here on the east side of the Jordan River in the land that Moses, the servant of the LORD, assigned to you."H3068H5117H251H5117H3423H776H3068H430H5414H7725H776H3425H3423H4872H3068H5650H5414H5676H3383H4217H812116They answered Joshua, "We will do whatever you command us, and we will go wherever you send us.H6030H3091H559H6680H6213H834H7971H321217We will obey you just as we obeyed Moses. And may the LORD your God be with you as he was with Moses.H8085H4872H8085H3068H430H487218Anyone who rebels against your orders and does not obey your words and everything you command will be put to death. So be strong and courageous!"H376H4784H6310H8085H1697H6680H4191H2388H553

Joshua 2

Rahab Protects the Spies

2Then Joshua secretly sent out two spies from the Israelite camp at Acacia Grovec. He instructed them, "Scout out the land on the other side of the Jordan River, especially around Jericho." So the two men set out and came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there that night.H3091H1121H5126H7971H7851H8147H582H7270H2791H559H3212H7200H776H3405H3212H935H2181H802H1004H8034H7343H79012But someone told the king of Jericho, "Some Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land."H559H4428H3405H559H935H582H3915H1121H3478H2658H7763So the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab: "Bring out the men who have come into your house, for they have come here to spy out the whole land."H4428H3405H7971H7343H559H3318H582H935H935H1004H935H2658H7764Rahab had hidden the two men, but she replied, "Yes, the men were here earlier, but I didn't know where they were from.H802H3947H8147H582H6845H559H935H582H3045H3705They left the town at dusk, as the gates were about to close. I don't know where they went. If you hurry, you can probably catch up with them."H5462H8179H2822H582H3318H582H1980H3045H7291H310H4118H53816(Actually, she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them beneath bundles of flax she had laid out.)H5927H1406H2934H6086H6593H6186H14067So the king's men went looking for the spies along the road leading to the shallow crossings of the Jordan River. And as soon as the king's men had left, the gate of Jericho was shut.H582H7291H310H1870H3383H4569H7291H310H3318H5462H81798Before the spies went to sleep that night, Rahab went up on the roof to talk with them.H7901H5927H14069"I know the LORD has given you this land," she told them. "We are all afraid of you. Everyone in the land is living in terror.H559H582H3045H3068H5414H776H367H5307H3427H776H4127H644010For we have heard how the LORD made a dry path for you through the Red Seac when you left Egypt. And we know what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River, whose people you completely destroyed.H8085H3068H3001H4325H5488H3220H6440H3318H4714H6213H8147H4428H567H5676H3383H5511H5747H276311No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the LORD your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.H8085H3824H4549H6965H7307H376H6440H3068H430H430H8064H4605H77612"Now swear to me by the LORD that you will be kind to me and my family since I have helped you. Give me some guarantee thatH7650H3068H3588H6213H2617H6213H2617H1H1004H5414H571H22613when Jericho is conquered, you will let me live, along with my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all their families."H2421H1H517H251H269H5337H5315H419414"We offer our own lives as a guarantee for your safety," the men agreed. "If you don't betray us, we will keep our promise and be kind to you when the LORD gives us the land."H582H559H5315H4191H5046H1697H3068H5414H776H6213H2617H57115Then, since Rahab's house was built into the town wall, she let them down by a rope through the window.H3381H2256H1157H2474H1004H7023H2346H3427H234616"Escape to the hill country," she told them. "Hide there for three days from the men searching for you. Then, when they have returned, you can go on your way."H559H3212H2022H7291H6293H2247H7969H3117H7291H7725H310H3212H187017Before they left, the men told her, "We will be bound by the oath we have taken only if you follow these instructions.H582H559H5355H7621H765018When we come into the land, you must leave this scarlet rope hanging from the window through which you let us down. And all your family members—your father, mother, brothers, and all your relatives—must be here inside the house.H935H776H7194H8615H8144H2339H2474H3381H622H1H517H251H1H1004H100419If they go out into the street and are killed, it will not be our fault. But if anyone lays a hand on people inside this house, we will accept the responsibility for their death.H834H3318H1817H1004H2351H1818H7218H5355H1004H1818H7218H302720If you betray us, however, we are not bound by this oath in any way."H5046H1697H5355H7621H765021"I accept your terms," she replied. And she sent them on their way, leaving the scarlet rope hanging from the window.H559H1697H7971H3212H7194H8144H8615H247422The spies went up into the hill country and stayed there three days. The men who were chasing them searched everywhere along the road, but they finally returned without success.H3212H935H2022H3427H7969H3117H7291H7725H7291H1245H1870H467223Then the two spies came down from the hill country, crossed the Jordan River, and reported to Joshua all that had happened to them.H8147H582H7725H3381H2022H5674H935H3091H1121H5126H5608H467224"The LORD has given us the whole land," they said, "for all the people in the land are terrified of us."H559H3091H3588H3068H5414H3027H776H3427H776H4127H6440

Joshua 3

The Israelites Cross the Jordan

3Early the next morning Joshua and all the Israelites left Acacia Grovec and arrived at the banks of the Jordan River, where they camped before crossing.H3091H7925H1242H5265H7851H935H3383H1121H3478H3885H5674 2Three days later the Israelite officers went through the camp,H7097H7969H3117H7860H5674H7130H4264 3giving these instructions to the people: "When you see the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD your God, move out from your positions and follow them.H6680H5971H559H7200H727H1285H3068H430H3548H3881H5375H5265H4725H1980H310 4Since you have never traveled this way before, they will guide you. Stay about a half milec behind them, keeping a clear distance between you and the Ark. Make sure you don't come any closer."H7350H505H520H4060H7126H3045H1870H3212H5674H1870H8543H8032 5Then Joshua told the people, "Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do great wonders among you."H3091H559H5971H6942H4279H3068H6213H6381H7130 6In the morning Joshua said to the priests, "Lift up the Ark of the Covenant and lead the people across the river." And so they started out and went ahead of the people.H3091H559H3548H559H5375H727H1285H5674H6440H5971H5375H727H1285H3212H6440H5971 7The LORD told Joshua, "Today I will begin to make you a great leader in the eyes of all the Israelites. They will know that I am with you, just as I was with Moses.H3068H559H3091H3117H2490H1431H5869H3478H3045H4872 8Give this command to the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant: 'When you reach the banks of the Jordan River, take a few steps into the river and stop there.'"H6680H3548H5375H727H1285H559H935H7097H4325H3383H5975H3383 9So Joshua told the Israelites, "Come and listen to what the LORD your God says.H3091H559H1121H3478H5066H8085H1697H3068H430 10Today you will know that the living God is among you. He will surely drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites ahead of you.H3091H559H3045H2416H410H7130H3423H3423H6440H3669H2850H2340H6522H1622H567H2983 11Look, the Ark of the Covenant, which belongs to the Lord of the whole earth, will lead you across the Jordan River!H727H1285H113H776H5674H6440H3383 12Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.H3947H8147H6240H376H7626H3478H259H7626H376 13The priests will carry the Ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth. As soon as their feet touch the water, the flow of water will be cut off upstream, and the river will stand up like a wall."H3709H7272H3548H5375H727H3068H113H776H5117H4325H3383H4325H3383H3772H4325H3381H4605H5975H259H5067 14So the people left their camp to cross the Jordan, and the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of them.H5971H5265H168H5674H3383H3548H5375H727H1285H6440H5971 15It was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing its banks. But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river's edge,H5375H727H935H3383H7272H3548H5375H727H2881H7097H4325H3383H4390H1415H3117H7105 16the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam, which is near Zarethan. And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Seac until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the town of Jericho.H4325H3381H4605H5975H6965H259H5067H3966H7368H5892H121H6654H6891H3381H3220H6160H4417H3220H8552H3772H5971H5674H3405 17Meanwhile, the priests who were carrying the Ark of the LORD's Covenant stood on dry ground in the middle of the riverbed as the people passed by. They waited there until the whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan on dry ground.H3548H5375H727H1285H3068H5975H3559H2724H8432H3383H3478H5674H2724H1471H5674H8552H5674H3383

Joshua 4

Memorials to the Jordan Crossing

4When all the people had crossed the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua,H1471H8552H5674H3383H3068H559H3091H5592"Now choose twelve men, one from each tribe.H3947H8147H6240H582H5971H259H7626H3763Tell them, 'Take twelve stones from the very place where the priests are standing in the middle of the Jordan. Carry them out and pile them up at the place where you will camp tonight.'"H6680H559H5375H8432H3383H3548H7272H4673H3559H8147H6240H68H5674H3240H4411H3885H39154So Joshua called together the twelve men he had chosen—one from each of the tribes of Israel.H3091H7121H8147H6240H376H3559H1121H3478H259H7626H3765He told them, "Go into the middle of the Jordan, in front of the Ark of the LORD your God. Each of you must pick up one stone and carry it out on your shoulder—twelve stones in all, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel.H3091H559H5674H6440H727H3068H430H8432H3383H7311H259H376H68H7926H4557H7626H1121H34786We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your children will ask you, 'What do these stones mean?'H226H7130H1121H7592H4279H559H687Then you can tell them, 'They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the LORD's Covenant went across.' These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever."H559H4325H3383H3772H6440H727H1285H3068H5674H3383H4325H3383H3772H68H2146H1121H3478H5704H57698So the men did as Joshua had commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan River, one for each tribe, just as the LORD had told Joshua. They carried them to the place where they camped for the night and constructed the memorial there.H1121H3478H6213H3091H6680H5375H8147H6240H68H8432H3383H3068H1696H3091H4557H7626H1121H3478H5674H4411H32409Joshua also set up another pile of twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, at the place where the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant were standing. And they are there to this day.H3091H6965H8147H6240H68H8432H3383H7272H3548H5375H727H1285H4673H311710The priests who were carrying the Ark stood in the middle of the river until all of the LORD's commands that Moses had given to Joshua were carried out. Meanwhile, the people hurried across the riverbed.H3548H5375H727H5975H8432H3383H1697H8552H3068H6680H3091H1696H5971H4872H6680H3091H5971H4116H567411And when everyone was safely on the other side, the priests crossed over with the Ark of the LORD as the people watched.H5971H8552H5674H727H3068H5674H3548H6440H597112The armed warriors from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh led the Israelites across the Jordan, just as Moses had directed.H1121H7205H1121H1410H2677H7626H4519H5674H2571H6440H1121H3478H4872H169613These armed men—about 40,000 strong—were ready for battle, and the LORD was with them as they crossed over to the plains of Jericho.H705H505H2502H6635H5674H6440H3068H4421H6160H340514That day the LORD made Joshua a great leader in the eyes of all the Israelites, and for the rest of his life they revered him as much as they had revered Moses.H3117H3068H1431H3091H5869H3478H3372H3372H4872H3117H241615The LORD had said to Joshua,H3068H559H3091H55916"Command the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenantc to come up out of the riverbed."H6680H3548H5375H727H5715H5927H338317So Joshua gave the command.H3091H6680H3548H559H5927H338318As soon as the priests carrying the Ark of the LORD's Covenant came up out of the riverbed and their feet were on high ground, the water of the Jordan returned and overflowed its banks as before.H3548H5375H727H1285H3068H5927H8432H3383H3709H3548H7272H5423H2724H4325H3383H7725H4725H3212H1415H8543H803219The people crossed the Jordan on the tenth day of the first monthc. Then they camped at Gilgal, just east of Jericho.H5971H5927H3383H6218H7223H2320H2583H1537H4217H7097H340520It was there at Gilgal that Joshua piled up the twelve stones taken from the Jordan River.H8147H6240H68H3947H3383H3091H6965H153721Then Joshua said to the Israelites, "In the future your children will ask, 'What do these stones mean?'H559H1121H3478H559H1121H7592H1H4279H559H6822Then you can tell them, 'This is where the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground.'H1121H3045H559H3478H5674H3383H300423For the LORD your God dried up the river right before your eyes, and he kept it dry until you were all across, just as he did at the Red Seac when he dried it up until we had all crossed over.H3068H430H3001H4325H3383H6440H5674H3068H430H6213H5488H3220H3001H6440H567424He did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the LORD's hand is powerful, and so you might fear the LORD your God forever."H5971H776H3045H3027H3068H2389H3372H3068H430H3117


New Living Translation (NLT). Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. More details.
Old Testament
  • 25. Lamentations (5)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 29. Joel (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 31. Obadiah (1)
  • 1
  • 34. Nahum (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 35. Habakkuk (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 36. Zephaniah (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 37. Haggai (2)
  • 1
  • 2

New Testament
  • 50. Philippians (4)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 51. Colossians (4)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 52. 1 Thessalonians (5)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 53. 2 Thessalonians (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 55. 2 Timothy (4)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 56. Titus (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 57. Philemon (1)
  • 1
  • 61. 2 Peter (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 63. 2 John (1)
  • 1
  • 64. 3 John (1)
  • 1
  • 65. Jude (1)
  • 1
Please login to see history of your searches
Table of Contents
Hide Subtitles
Hide Footnotes
Spacing: 0 1 2 3
Verse Numbers Toggle
Strong Numbers Toggle
Info Language ArrowReturn to top