Joshua

1And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.

Joshua, the leader of Israel, was the son of Nun. He sent two men from a camp called Shittim. He told them, "Go and look at the land. Look at the city of Jericho." The men went and came to the house of a woman named Rahab. She sold her body to men for money. They stayed the night there.

2And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country.

Someone told the king of Jericho, "Listen! Some men from Israel came here tonight. They came to look closely at our land."

3And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country.

So the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab. He said, "Bring out the men who came into your house. They came to spy on our whole land."

4And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were:

But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, "Yes, some men did come to me. But I did not know where they came from.

5And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.

"They left when it was getting dark. It was almost time to shut the city gate. I do not know which way they went. Go after them fast. Maybe you can still catch them."

6But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.

But she had really taken them up to the flat roof. She hid them under stalks of flax spread out there.

7And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.

The king's men ran after them, down the road to the Jordan River. They went to the shallow places where people cross. As soon as they left, the city gate was shut.

8And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof;

The two men had not yet lain down to sleep. Rahab came up to them on the roof.

9And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.

She said to them, "I know the LORD has given you this land. Everyone here is afraid of you. All the people in this land are shaking with fear.

10For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.

"We heard how the LORD dried up the Red Sea for you. That was when you came out of Egypt. We heard what you did to Sihon and Og. They were two kings of the Amorites, east of the Jordan River. You destroyed them completely.

11And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.

"When we heard this, our hearts melted with fear. No man here has any courage left. Your God, the LORD, is God in heaven above and on earth below.

12Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token:

"So please make me a promise before the LORD. I was kind to you. Please be kind to my family too. Give me a sure sign that you mean it.

13And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.

"Promise to keep my father and mother alive. Keep my brothers and sisters alive too, and everyone with them. Save all of us from death."

14And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.

The men said to her, "Our lives for your lives! If you do not tell anyone why we came, we will keep our word. When the LORD gives us this land, we will be kind and fair to you."

15Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.

Then she let them down on a rope through her window. Her house was built into the city wall. She lived right there in the wall.

16And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way.

She said to them, "Go up into the hills. Then the men chasing you will not find you. Hide there for three days, until they come back. After that you can go on your way."

17And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear.

The men said to her, "We will keep the promise you made us make. But only if you do what we say.

18Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee.

"When we come into this land, tie this red cord in your window. It is the same window you used to let us down. Bring your father and mother into your house. Bring your brothers and your whole family inside too.

19And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.

"If anyone goes out your door into the street, that is his own fault. We will not be to blame if he dies. But if anyone stays inside with you, we are to blame if he is hurt.

20And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.

"And if you tell anyone why we came, we are free. Then we do not have to keep the promise you made us make."

21And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.

She said, "I agree. Let it be just as you said." Then she sent them away, and they left. And she tied the red cord in her window.

22And they went, and came unto the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but found them not.

The men went up into the hills and stayed there three days. The men chasing them searched the whole road. They did not find them, so they went back home.

23So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all things that befell them:

Then the two men came back down from the hills. They crossed the river and came to Joshua, the son of Nun. They told him everything that had happened to them.

24And they said unto Joshua, Truly the LORD hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.

They said to Joshua, "The LORD has surely given us this whole land. All the people who live there are shaking with fear of us."

1And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.

Joshua got up early in the morning. He and all the people of Israel left a place called Shittim. They walked to the Jordan River. They camped there before crossing it.

2And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host;

Three days went by. Then the leaders walked all through the camp.

3And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.

They gave the people orders. The ark of the covenant was a special box that showed God was with His people. Priests, the men who served God, would carry it. The leaders said, "When you see the ark go, leave your places and follow it."

4Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.

"But stay far back from it. Leave about two thousand cubits between you and the ark. Do not come close to it. That way you will see which way to go. You have never traveled this way before."

5And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.

Then Joshua said to the people, "Make yourselves clean and ready for God. Tomorrow the LORD will do wonderful things among you."

6And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.

Joshua said to the priests, "Pick up the ark of the covenant. Carry it ahead of the people." So they picked it up and went ahead of them.

7And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.

The LORD said to Joshua, "Today I will start to make you great in front of all Israel. Then they will know that I am with you, just as I was with Moses."

8And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.

"Give this order to the priests who carry the ark. Tell them, 'When you reach the edge of the Jordan's water, stand still in the river.'"

9And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your God.

So Joshua said to the people of Israel, "Come here. Listen to the words of the LORD your God."

10And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.

Joshua said, "Here is how you will know the living God is with you. He will surely drive out the people living in this land as you come. They are the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites."

11Behold, the ark of the covenant of the LORD of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.

"Look! The ark of the covenant belongs to the Lord of the whole earth. It will go into the Jordan River ahead of you."

12Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.

"Now pick twelve men from the tribes, the big families of Israel. Choose one man from each tribe."

13And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the LORD of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.

"The priests will carry the ark of the LORD, the Lord of the whole earth. When their feet touch the water, the river will stop. The water coming from upstream will pile up in a heap."

14And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;

So the people packed up their tents to cross the Jordan. The priests carried the ark of the covenant in front of them.

15And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)

It was harvest time, when the Jordan runs over its banks. The priests carrying the ark came to the river. Their feet touched the edge of the water.

16That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.

Then the water coming from upstream stopped and piled up in a heap. It backed up far away, near the town of Adam, beside Zaretan. The water flowing down to the Salt Sea was cut off. So the people crossed the river near the city of Jericho.

17And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.

The priests held the ark and stood still on dry ground in the middle of the river. All the people of Israel walked across on dry ground. They kept going until every one of them had crossed the Jordan.

1And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying,

All the people finished crossing the Jordan River. Then the LORD spoke to Joshua.

2Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,

God said, "Choose twelve men from the people. Take one man from each of the twelve family groups."

3And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night.

"Tell them to go to the middle of the river. Have them pick up twelve stones from there. Take the stones from the spot where the priests stood still. Priests were the men who led Israel in worshiping God. Carry the stones with you. Set them down where you sleep tonight."

4Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man:

So Joshua called the twelve men he had chosen. There was one man from each family group.

5And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:

Joshua said to them, "Go ahead of the ark of the LORD your God. The ark was a special golden chest that showed God was with them. Walk out to the middle of the river. Each of you lift one stone onto your shoulder. That makes one stone for each of Israel's twelve family groups."

6That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?

"These stones will be a sign for you. Someday your children will ask, 'What do these stones mean?'"

7Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.

"Then tell them the water of the Jordan stopped flowing. It stopped in front of the ark of God's covenant. A covenant is a promise between God and his people. When the ark crossed the river, the water stopped. These stones will help Israel remember this forever."

8And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the LORD spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.

The people of Israel did just what Joshua said. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, one for each family group. That is what the LORD had told Joshua to do. They carried the stones to their camp and set them down there.

9And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.

Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan. He put them where the priests with the ark had stood. Those stones are still there today.

10For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until everything was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.

The priests holding the ark stood in the middle of the river the whole time. They waited until everything the LORD told Joshua was finished. It was just what Moses had told Joshua to do. The people hurried across.

11And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of the LORD passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people.

When every person was across, the ark of the LORD crossed too. The priests carried it over while all the people watched.

12And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spake unto them:

The men of Reuben, the men of Gad, and half the family of Manasseh went across in front. They were ready for battle, just as Moses had told them.

13About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the LORD unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.

About forty thousand soldiers crossed over, ready to fight. They marched before the LORD to the flat land near the city of Jericho.

14On that day the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.

That day the LORD made Joshua great in front of all Israel. The people looked up to Joshua for the rest of his life. They honored him the same way they had honored Moses.

15And the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying,

Then the LORD spoke to Joshua.

16Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of Jordan.

God said, "Tell the priests to bring the ark up out of the Jordan."

17Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of Jordan.

So Joshua told the priests, "Come up out of the Jordan."

18And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.

The priests carried the ark up out of the middle of the river. As soon as their feet touched dry ground, the water came back. The Jordan filled up and spilled over its banks, just like before.

19And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.

The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month. They set up camp at Gilgal, east of the city of Jericho.

20And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.

There at Gilgal, Joshua set up the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan.

21And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?

He said to the people of Israel, "Someday your children will ask their fathers about these stones. They will say, 'What do these stones mean?'"

22Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.

"Then tell your children, 'Israel walked across this Jordan River on dry ground.'"

23For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over:

"The LORD your God dried up the water of the Jordan until you were all across. He did the same thing at the Red Sea long ago. He dried it up until we had all gone over."

24That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.

"He did this so people everywhere would know how strong the LORD is. And he did it so you would always honor and obey the LORD your God."

1And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.

All the Amorite kings west of the Jordan River heard the news. So did the Canaanite kings near the sea. They heard that the LORD had dried up the Jordan River. Israel had walked across it. When the kings heard this, their courage melted away. They were too afraid of Israel to fight.

2At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.

At that time the LORD said to Joshua, "Make knives out of sharp stone. Circumcise the men of Israel again." Circumcision was a small cut on the body. It was the sign that a boy belonged to God's people.

3And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.

So Joshua made knives of sharp stone. He circumcised the men of Israel at a hill. The hill was named for what happened there.

4And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt.

This is why Joshua did it. Every man who left Egypt, every man old enough to fight, had died. They died in the desert along the way.

5Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised.

The men who came out of Egypt had all been circumcised. But the boys born in the desert on the way had not.

6For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD sware that he would not shew them the land, which the LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

Israel walked in the desert for forty years. They walked until all the fighting men who left Egypt had died. That happened because those men did not obey the LORD. So the LORD said they would never see the land. It was the land he had promised to give to our fathers. It is a rich land, full of milk and honey.

7And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way.

God gave those men sons to take their place. Joshua circumcised these sons. No one had circumcised them during the journey.

8And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole.

When all the men had been circumcised, they stayed in the camp. They rested there until they were healed.

9And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.

Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled the shame of Egypt away from you." That is why the place is called Gilgal, even today.

10And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.

Israel camped at Gilgal, on the flat land near Jericho. On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, they kept the Passover. Passover was the meal that remembered the night God brought them out of Egypt.

11And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day.

The next day they ate food grown in that land. They ate flat bread made without yeast, and roasted grain. They ate it that very same day.

12And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

The day after they ate the land's food, the manna stopped. Manna was the bread God sent them each morning in the desert. Israel never had manna again. That year they ate the crops of Canaan.

13And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?

Joshua was near Jericho. He looked up and saw a man standing in front of him. The man held a sword in his hand, ready to use. Joshua walked up to him and asked, "Are you on our side, or on our enemies' side?"

14And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?

The man said, "Neither. I have come as the commander of the LORD's army." Joshua bowed down with his face to the ground and worshipped. He said, "What does my lord say to his servant?"

15And the captain of the LORD’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

The commander of the LORD's army said to Joshua, "Take off your sandals. The place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did it.

1Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.

The city of Jericho was shut up tight. This was because the people of Israel were close by. No one went out, and no one came in.

2And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.

The LORD said to Joshua, "Look, I have handed Jericho over to you. Its king and its strong soldiers are yours."

3And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.

"March around the city one time. All your fighting men must go with you. Do this for six days."

4And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.

"Seven priests must carry seven trumpets made from rams' horns. Priests were men who served God for the people. They must walk in front of the ark. The ark was the special box that held God's agreement with Israel. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times. The priests must blow the horns as you go."

5And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.

"They will blow one long blast on the ram's horn. When you hear that sound, all the people must shout loudly. Then the wall of the city will fall down flat. Each man will climb straight up into the city."

6And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD.

So Joshua, the son of Nun, called the priests together. He said, "Pick up the ark of the agreement. Seven priests must carry seven ram's horn trumpets in front of it."

7And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the LORD.

He told the people, "Go forward and march around the city. The soldiers with weapons must walk ahead of the ark of the LORD."

8And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns passed on before the LORD, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them.

When Joshua finished speaking, the seven priests went forward. They carried the seven ram's horn trumpets and blew them. The ark of the LORD's agreement came right behind them.

9And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.

Armed soldiers walked in front of the priests who blew the horns. Other soldiers guarded the back, behind the ark. The priests kept walking and kept blowing the horns.

10And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.

Joshua had told the people, "Do not shout. Do not make any sound with your voice. Do not let one word come out of your mouth. Wait until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!"

11So the ark of the LORD compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.

So the ark of the LORD was carried around the city one time. Then the people went back to their camp and slept there.

12And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD.

Joshua got up early the next morning. The priests picked up the ark of the LORD.

13And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.

The seven priests carried the seven ram's horn trumpets in front of the ark. They kept marching and kept blowing the horns. Armed soldiers walked ahead of them. Other soldiers came behind the ark. The priests kept blowing the horns as they went.

14And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days.

On the second day they marched around the city one time. Then they went back to the camp. They did this for six days.

15And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.

On the seventh day they got up at dawn. They marched around the city the same way as before. But this time they went around seven times. That was the only day they did that.

16And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city.

The seventh time around, the priests blew the horns. Joshua said to the people, "Shout! The LORD has given you the city!"

17And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

"The city and everything in it must be given to the LORD and destroyed. Only Rahab and everyone in her house will live. Rahab was a woman who sold herself to men for money. She will live because she hid the men we sent."

18And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.

"Stay away from the things that are marked for destruction. If you take any of them, you bring that destruction on yourself. You would also bring big trouble on the whole camp of Israel."

19But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.

"All the silver, gold, bronze, and iron things belong to the LORD. They must be put into the LORD's treasure room."

20So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

So the priests blew the horns, and the people shouted. When they heard the horn, they gave a great shout. The wall fell down flat. The people went straight up into the city and took it.

21And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.

They destroyed everything in the city with their swords. They killed men and women, young people and old people. They killed the cows, the sheep, and the donkeys too.

22But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot’s house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her.

Joshua had spoken to the two men who spied on the land. He said, "Go into the woman's house. Bring her out, and everyone who belongs to her. You made her a promise, so keep it."

23And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel.

So the two young spies went in. They brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, and her brothers. They brought out her whole family. They settled them in a place outside the camp of Israel.

24And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.

Then the people burned the city and everything in it. But they kept the silver, the gold, and the bronze and iron things. Those were put into the treasure room of the LORD's house.

25And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father’s household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

Joshua let Rahab live, along with her father's family and all who belonged to her. He did this because she hid the men he sent to spy on Jericho. She has lived among the people of Israel ever since.

26And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.

Then Joshua made the people take a serious promise. He said, "May the LORD curse the man who builds Jericho again. He will lose his oldest son when he lays the first stones. He will lose his youngest son when he sets up the gates."

27So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country.

So the LORD was with Joshua. News about Joshua spread through the whole land.

1But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.

But the people of Israel did wrong. Some things taken from Jericho were set apart for God. Nobody was allowed to keep them. Achan took some of them anyway. Achan was the son of Carmi. Carmi was the son of Zabdi. Zabdi was the son of Zerah. Their family belonged to the tribe of Judah. So the LORD became angry with all Israel.

2And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.

Joshua sent some men from Jericho to a town called Ai. Ai was near Beth-aven, just east of Bethel. Joshua told them, "Go and look at the land." So the men went and looked at Ai.

3And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few.

They came back to Joshua with their report. They said, "You do not need to send everyone. Send about two or three thousand men to attack Ai. Do not make all the people walk there and get tired. There are only a few people in Ai."

4So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.

So about three thousand men went up to fight. But they ran away from the men of Ai.

5And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.

The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them. They chased them from the town gate all the way to Shebarim. They struck them down on the slope going down. Then the people of Israel lost all their courage. Their hearts turned soft as water.

6And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.

Joshua tore his clothes to show how sad he was. He lay face down on the ground in front of the ark of the LORD. The ark was the special chest that showed God was with them. He stayed there until evening. The leaders of Israel did the same. They put dust on their heads to show their grief.

7And Joshua said, Alas, O LORD God, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan!

Joshua said, "Oh, Lord GOD, why did You bring us across the Jordan River? Was it to hand us over to the Amorites, so they could destroy us? I wish we had been happy to stay on the other side."

8O LORD, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!

"Lord, what can I say now? Israel has turned its back and run from its enemies."

9For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?

"The Canaanites and everyone else in this land will hear about it. They will surround us and wipe us out. Nobody will remember our name at all. And then what will You do about Your own great name?"

10And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?

The LORD said to Joshua, "Stand up! Why are you lying here on your face?"

11Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.

"Israel has sinned. They broke the promise I told them to keep. They took some of the things that were set apart. They stole them. They lied about it. They hid them with their own things."

12Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.

"That is why Israel cannot stand up to their enemies. They turn their backs and run. They are now under the same doom as the stolen things. I will not stay with you any longer. First you must get rid of what was taken."

13Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

"Get up. Make the people clean and ready to meet God. Tell them, 'Get yourselves ready for tomorrow. The LORD, the God of Israel, says this. Someone among you is keeping something that was set apart. You cannot stand up to your enemies until you take it away.'"

14In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the LORD shall take shall come by households; and the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man.

"In the morning, come forward one tribe at a time. The LORD will point out one tribe. That tribe will come forward, one family group at a time. The LORD will point out one group. That group will come forward, one household at a time. Then that household will come forward, one man at a time."

15And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel.

"The man found with the set-apart things will be burned with fire. Everything he owns will burn too. He broke the promise he made to the LORD. He did a shameful thing in Israel."

16So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken:

Early the next morning Joshua brought Israel forward, tribe by tribe. The tribe of Judah was picked out.

17And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken:

He brought the family groups of Judah forward. The group called the Zerahites was picked out. Then the Zerahites came forward, family by family. The family of Zabdi was picked out.

18And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.

Then Zabdi's household came forward, one man at a time. Achan was picked out. He was the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah.

19And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.

Joshua said to Achan, "My son, give honor to the LORD, the God of Israel. Tell Him the truth about what you did. Please tell me too. Do not hide it from me."

20And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:

Achan answered Joshua, "It is true. I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I did."

21When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.

"I saw good things among the goods taken from Jericho. There was a beautiful coat from Babylon. There was silver, about five pounds of it. There was a bar of gold weighing over one pound. I wanted them very much, so I took them. They are buried in the ground inside my tent. The silver is at the bottom."

22So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.

So Joshua sent men, and they ran to the tent. The things were there, hidden in his tent. The silver was underneath, just as he said.

23And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the LORD.

They took the things out of the tent. They brought them to Joshua and to all the people of Israel. They laid them out before the LORD.

24And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor.

Then Joshua and all Israel took Achan, the son of Zerah. They took the silver, the coat, and the bar of gold. They took his sons and his daughters. They took his cattle, his donkeys, and his sheep. They took his tent and everything he owned. They brought them all to the Valley of Achor.

25And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.

Joshua said, "Why did you bring this trouble on us? Today the LORD will bring trouble on you." Then all the people of Israel threw stones at Achan until he died. They stoned the others too, and then burned them with fire.

26And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.

They piled a big heap of stones over him. That heap is still there today. Then the LORD stopped being angry. That is why the place is called the Valley of Achor. Achor means "trouble."

1And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:

The LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid. Do not give up. Take your whole army and go up to the city of Ai. Look, I am giving you the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land."

2And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.

"Do to Ai and its king what you did to Jericho and its king. But this time you may keep the goods and the animals for yourselves. Hide some soldiers behind the city."

3So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by night.

So Joshua and the whole army got ready to attack Ai. Joshua picked thirty thousand of his bravest fighters. He sent them out at night.

4And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:

He gave them orders. "Listen carefully. Go hide behind the city. Do not go far from it. All of you stay ready."

5And I, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them,

"I and the men with me will walk up to the city. The men of Ai will come out to fight us, like they did before. Then we will run away from them."

6(For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we will flee before them.

"They will chase us until they are far away from their city. They will say, 'They are running from us, just like last time.' So we will run from them."

7Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.

"Then you must jump up from your hiding place and take the city. The LORD your God will hand it over to you."

8And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that ye shall set the city on fire: according to the commandment of the LORD shall ye do. See, I have commanded you.

"After you take the city, set it on fire. Do what the LORD said to do. Listen, these are my orders to you."

9Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in ambush, and abode between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that night among the people.

So Joshua sent them out. They went and hid between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai. Joshua spent that night with the rest of the people.

10And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.

Early the next morning Joshua counted his men. Then he and the leaders of Israel marched ahead of them toward Ai.

11And all the people, even the people of war that were with him, went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai: now there was a valley between them and Ai.

All the soldiers with him marched up close to the city. They set up camp north of Ai. A valley lay between them and the city.

12And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.

Joshua had taken about five thousand men. He put them in a hiding place between Bethel and Ai, west of the city.

13And when they had set the people, even all the host that was on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.

So the main camp was north of the city, and the hidden men were west of it. That night Joshua went down into the valley.

14And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not that there were liers in ambush against him behind the city.

The king of Ai saw the Israelites. Early in the morning he hurried out with all his men to fight. They went to the meeting place near the flat land. But he did not know that soldiers were hiding behind his city.

15And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.

Joshua and all Israel acted as if they were losing the fight. They ran away toward the desert.

16And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them: and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city.

All the men in Ai were called to chase them. They ran after Joshua and got far away from their city.

17And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.

Not one man was left in Ai or Bethel. They all went out after Israel. They left the city wide open while they chased Israel.

18And the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city.

The LORD said to Joshua, "Hold out the spear in your hand toward Ai. I will give the city to you." So Joshua held out his spear toward the city.

19And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city, and took it, and hasted and set the city on fire.

The moment he held out his hand, the hidden men jumped up. They ran into the city and took it. They quickly set it on fire.

20And 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: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.

The men of Ai looked back and saw smoke rising high into the sky. They had no way to run, this way or that. And the Israelites who had run to the desert now turned around on them.

21And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again, and slew the men of Ai.

Joshua and all Israel saw that the hidden men had taken the city. They saw the smoke going up. So they turned around and struck down the men of Ai.

22And the other issued out of the city against them; so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side: and they smote them, so that they let none of them remain or escape.

The men from inside the city came out at them too. Now the men of Ai were caught with Israel on both sides. Israel struck them down, and not one of them was left or got away.

23And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.

But they took the king of Ai alive. They brought him to Joshua.

24And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword.

Israel killed all the men of Ai out in the fields and the desert where they had chased them. Every one of them died by the sword. Then all the Israelites went back to Ai and killed the people there too.

25And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai.

Twelve thousand people died that day, both men and women. That was everyone who lived in Ai.

26For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.

Joshua kept his hand held out with the spear. He did not pull it back until all the people of Ai were destroyed.

27Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto themselves, according unto the word of the LORD which he commanded Joshua.

Israel kept only the animals and the goods of that city for themselves. This is what the LORD had told Joshua they could do.

28And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a desolation unto this day.

Joshua burned Ai down. He left it as a pile of ruins. It is still an empty ruin today.

29And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day.

He hung the king of Ai on a tree until evening. When the sun went down, Joshua told his men to take the body off the tree. They threw it down at the city gate. Then they piled a big heap of stones over it. That heap is still there today.