Joshua

1All the people of Israel came together at a place called Shiloh. There they set up the holy tent where they met with God. By now they had won control of the land.

And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them.

NoteThe holy tent was a special tent for worshiping God. People could take it down and carry it. Shiloh was the town where they set it up.

2But seven tribes, or family groups, still had no land of their own.

And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance.

NoteEach tribe was one big family group. Israel had twelve of them. Each one was supposed to get its own part of the land.

3Joshua said to the people, "Why are you waiting so long? The LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you this land. Go and take it."

And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you?

NoteThe King James says "slack," which here means slow. Joshua is asking why they are taking so long. "Your fathers" means their grandfathers and great-grandfathers, long ago.

4"Pick three men from each tribe. I will send them out. They will walk through the land. They will write down what it is like, by the share each tribe will get. Then they will come back to me."

Give out from among you three men for each tribe: and I will send them, and they shall rise, and go through the land, and describe it according to the inheritance of them; and they shall come again to me.

5"They will split the land into seven parts. Judah will keep its land in the south. Joseph's family will keep its land in the north."

And they shall divide it into seven parts: Judah shall abide in their coast on the south, and the house of Joseph shall abide in their coasts on the north.

NoteThe King James word "coast" here does not mean the seaside. It means the edge of a piece of land, like a fence line.

6"Write down the seven parts of the land. Bring the writing to me. Then I will draw lots here, with the LORD our God watching."

Ye shall therefore describe the land into seven parts, and bring the description hither to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD our God.

NoteDrawing lots was a way of choosing. People used marked stones or sticks. Nobody could pick a favorite, so it felt fair to everyone.

7"The Levites get no land like the rest of you. Their work as priests, the men who serve God, is their share. Gad, Reuben, and half of Manasseh already have their land. It is east of the Jordan River. Moses, the servant of the LORD, gave it to them."

But the Levites have no part among you; for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance: and Gad, and Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh, have received their inheritance beyond Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them.

NoteThe Levites were one of the twelve family groups. Their job was helping at the holy tent. They lived in towns spread all over instead of one big piece of land.

8The men got up to go. Joshua told them, "Walk through the land. Write down what it is like. Then come back to me. I will draw lots for you here at Shiloh, with the LORD watching."

And the men arose, and went away: and Joshua charged them that went to describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the land, and describe it, and come again to me, that I may here cast lots for you before the LORD in Shiloh.

9So the men went and walked all through the land. They listed the towns and split the land into seven parts in a book. Then they came back to Joshua at the camp at Shiloh.

And the men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven parts in a book, and came again to Joshua to the host at Shiloh.

NoteA book back then was not like books now. It was a long roll of paper or animal skin.

10At Shiloh, Joshua drew lots for them with the LORD watching. There he gave each group of Israel its own part of the land.

And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD: and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel according to their divisions.

49When they had finished dividing the land into shares, the people of Israel gave Joshua son of Nun a share too.

When they had made an end of dividing the land for inheritance by their coasts, the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them:

50The LORD had said to do this. So they gave him the town he asked for, Timnathserah, in the hills of Ephraim. Joshua built up the town and lived there.

According to the word of the LORD they gave him the city which he asked, even Timnathserah in mount Ephraim: and he built the city, and dwelt therein.

NoteJoshua was the leader who brought Israel into this land. Built up the town means he fixed it and made it stronger. When LORD is written in capital letters, it stands for God's own name.

51These are the shares of land that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the family leaders of Israel handed out. They did it by drawing lots at Shiloh, before the LORD, at the door of the tent where the people met with God. So the work of dividing the land was done.

These are the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, divided for an inheritance by lot in Shiloh before the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. So they made an end of dividing the country.

NoteA priest was a man whose job was to lead the people in worship. Shiloh was the town where Israel set up their special tent. That tent was the place where people came to meet with God.

1The LORD spoke to Joshua and said this to him.

The LORD also spake unto Joshua, saying,

NoteThe LORD in big letters stands for God's own special name. Joshua was the leader of God's people at this time.

2"Tell the people of Israel to choose the safe cities. I told Moses about them long ago, and he told you."

Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:

NoteMoses was the leader before Joshua. He led the people out of Egypt. God gave Moses this plan for safe cities long before this day.

3"If someone kills a person by accident, he can run there. He did not mean to do it. Those cities will keep him safe from the family member who wants to pay him back."

That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.

NoteLong ago there were no police. If a person was killed, his closest family had the job of going after the killer. That is why someone who killed by accident needed a safe place to run.

4"He must run to one of those cities. He stands at the city gate and tells his story. He tells it to the leaders of that city. Then they let him come in. They give him a place to live with them."

And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.

NoteA city gate was more than a door. The town leaders sat there and listened to people's problems. It was the place where things were decided, like a courthouse today.

5"The family member may come chasing after him. But the city leaders must not hand him over. He hurt his neighbor by accident. He had not hated him before this happened."

And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.

6"He must stay in that city until the people meet and decide his case. He must also stay until the high priest of that time dies. Then the man may go back home. He may return to his own city and his own house."

And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.

NoteA priest was a man who helped the people worship God. The high priest was the most important priest of all. The meeting of the people was like a trial today. Neighbors listened to both sides and decided what really happened.

7So they chose these cities: Kedesh in Galilee, in the hills of Naphtali. They chose Shechem, in the hills of Ephraim. They chose Kirjath-arba, which is also called Hebron, in the hills of Judah.

And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.

NoteNaphtali, Ephraim and Judah were big family groups called tribes. Israel had twelve tribes, each named after a son of Jacob. Each tribe had its own part of the land. Cities sometimes had two names. Kirjath-arba was the older name for Hebron.

8They chose three more cities east of the Jordan River, near Jericho. They chose Bezer, out on the flat, dry land, from the tribe of Reuben. They chose Ramoth in Gilead, from the tribe of Gad. They chose Golan in Bashan, from the tribe of Manasseh.

And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.

NoteThe Jordan River ran through the land like a long line. Three safe cities were on one side and three on the other. That way nobody had to run too far to reach one.

9These were the cities picked for all the people of Israel. They were also for visitors from other lands living among them. Anyone who killed a person by accident could run to them. The family member could not kill him there. First the people had to meet and decide his case.

These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person at unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.

1Then Joshua called together the people of Reuben, the people of Gad, and half of the family of Manasseh.

Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh,

NoteIsrael was made of twelve big family groups called tribes. Each tribe came from one of Jacob's sons. The tribe of Manasseh was split in two. Half of it lived east of the Jordan River, and half lived west.

2He said to them, "You did everything Moses, the servant of the LORD, told you to do. You also obeyed every order I gave you.

And said unto them, Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you:

NoteMoses was the leader who brought Israel out of Egypt long before this. He had died, and Joshua was the leader now.

3For a long time now, you have not left your brothers alone. You have done the job the LORD your God gave you.

Ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the LORD your God.

NoteThese three tribes already had their land east of the river. Their soldiers still crossed over and fought for years to help the other tribes get land.

4Now the LORD your God has given your brothers peace, just as he promised. So you may go home to your own land. Moses, the servant of the LORD, gave you that land on the other side of the Jordan River.

And now the LORD your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he promised them: therefore now return ye, and get you unto your tents, and unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side Jordan.

Note"Rest" here does not mean sleep. It means the fighting was over and the people were safe.

5But be very careful to obey the rules and teachings Moses gave you. Love the LORD your God. Live the way he wants. Keep his commands. Stay close to him. Serve him with your whole heart and your whole self."

But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.

NoteThe King James Bible says "cleave unto him." Long ago, to cleave meant to stick to something tightly.

6So Joshua asked God to bless them and sent them away. They went home.

So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away: and they went unto their tents.

NoteTo bless someone is to ask God to be good to them.

7Moses had given land in Bashan to half of the family of Manasseh. Joshua gave land to the other half, west of the Jordan River, near their brothers. When Joshua sent them home too, he blessed them.

Now to the one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given possession in Bashan: but unto the other half thereof gave Joshua among their brethren on this side Jordan westward. And when Joshua sent them away also unto their tents, then he blessed them,

NoteBashan was a grassy land east of the Jordan River. It was a good place to keep sheep and cattle.

8He said, "Go home with all your riches. Take your huge herds of animals. Take the silver, gold, bronze, iron, and all the clothes. Share what you took from your enemies with your brothers."

And he spake unto them, saying, Return with much riches unto your tents, and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with brass, and with iron, and with very much raiment: divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.

NoteBronze is a hard metal. People made it by melting copper and tin together.

9So the people of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh left the other Israelites at Shiloh, a town in Canaan. They went back to Gilead, the land God had given them through Moses.

And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go unto the country of Gilead, to the land of their possession, whereof they were possessed, according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

NoteShiloh was the town where Israel kept God's holy tent. Gilead was the hilly land east of the Jordan River.

1A long time passed. God had given Israel rest from all the enemies around them. By now Joshua, their leader, was very old.

And it came to pass a long time after that the LORD had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age.

NoteJoshua was the leader of Israel after Moses died. He was very old by now.

2Joshua called all Israel together. He called the elders, the leaders, the judges, and the officers. He said, "I am old now."

And Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age:

NoteElders were older men that people trusted. Judges helped people settle their arguments fairly. Officers helped keep order.

3"You saw what the LORD your God did to all these nations for you. The LORD your God is the one who fought for you."

And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that hath fought for you.

NoteThe LORD, in big letters, stands for God's own special name. It was too holy to say out loud.

4"I have divided the land of the nations still left. Each family group got a share. This share includes all the nations I already cut off. It reaches from the Jordan River west to the Great Sea."

Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward.

NoteIsrael was made of twelve big family groups called tribes. Each tribe got its own part of the land. The Great Sea is the sea we now call the Mediterranean.

5"The LORD your God will push those nations out of your way. He will drive them off. Then the land will be yours, just as he promised."

And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you.

6"So be very brave. Keep every word written in the book of the law of Moses. Do not turn away from it, not to the right or the left."

Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;

NoteThe book of the law of Moses held the rules God gave through Moses. They were written down so people could remember them. Turning right or left is a picture of wandering off a path.

7"Do not mix with the nations still living near you. Do not even say their gods' names. Do not make promises using those names. Do not serve those gods or bow down to them."

That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them:

NoteOther nations prayed to statues they called gods. Bowing low to the ground was how people showed a god they worshiped it. People also made promises by naming their god as a witness.

8"Instead, hold on tight to the LORD your God, just as you have done until today."

But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day.

NoteThe old words say "cleave unto the LORD." Cleave means to stick to something and not let go.

9"The LORD drove out big, strong nations for you. And no one has been able to beat you, even now."

For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day.

10"One of you can chase away a thousand enemies. That is because the LORD your God fights for you, just as he promised."

One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.

NoteA thousand is a very big number. This is a word picture of how strong they would be.

11"So watch yourselves carefully. Love the LORD your God."

Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.

12"But you might turn away from him. You might join with the nations still living near you. You might marry them and mix your families with theirs."

Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you:

13"If you do, know this for sure. The LORD your God will stop driving those nations out. They will become a trap for you. They will hurt you like a whip on your sides. They will hurt you like thorns in your eyes. You will die and lose this good land the LORD your God gave you."

Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.

NoteA trap here means a hidden snare for catching animals. A whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes are word pictures too. They mean these nations would keep hurting Israel for a long time.

14"Today I am going the way everyone on earth goes. I am about to die. You know deep down that God kept every good promise he made to you. Every one came true. Not one of them failed."

And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.

Note"Going the way of all the earth" was a gentle way of saying, I will die soon. Everyone who lives goes that way in the end.

15"God's good promises all came true. In the same way, God will bring the bad things he warned about. He will do this until you are gone from this good land he gave you."

Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.

16"That will happen if you break the agreement the LORD your God made with you. It will happen if you serve other gods and bow down to them. Then the LORD will be very angry with you. You will quickly be gone from this good land he gave you."

When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.

NoteAn agreement like this is called a covenant. God promised to care for Israel, and Israel promised to follow him. The old words say God's anger is "kindled," like a fire being lit.

1Joshua called all the families of Israel to a town called Shechem. He called the leaders, the judges, and the officers to come too. They all came and stood together before God.

And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.

NoteShechem was a town in the middle of the land of Canaan. Israel was made of twelve big family groups called tribes. Elders were the older men who helped lead the people.

2Joshua said to everyone, "Here is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says. Long ago your family lived on the far side of the big river. Terah lived there. He was the father of Abraham and Nahor. They all worshiped other gods.

And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.

NoteThe big river is the Euphrates, far away to the east. To worship a god means to pray to it and obey it. Long ago most families kept little statues of gods in their homes.

3"But I took your father Abraham from that land far away. I led him all through the land of Canaan. I gave him many children and grandchildren. I gave him his son Isaac.

And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.

NoteCanaan is the land God promised to give Abraham's family. It is the land Israel lives in now in this story.

4"To Isaac I gave two sons, Jacob and Esau. I gave Esau the hill country called Seir to live in. But Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt.

And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.

NoteSeir is a hilly land south of Canaan. Esau's family lived there for a long time after him.

5"Then I sent Moses and Aaron. I sent terrible troubles on Egypt. After that, I brought you out of Egypt.

I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out.

NoteThe terrible troubles are called the plagues. They were ten awful things that came on Egypt. Aaron was Moses' brother and helped him talk to the king.

6"I brought your family out of Egypt. You came to the sea. The Egyptians chased them with war carts and men on horses.

And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea.

NoteWar carts are chariots. They were small carts pulled by fast horses. Soldiers rode in them to fight. The sea here is the Red Sea.

7"Your family called out to the LORD for help. He put darkness between you and the Egyptians. Then he brought the sea over the Egyptians and covered them. You saw with your own eyes what I did in Egypt. After that you lived in the empty desert for a long time.

And when they cried unto the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season.

NoteThe desert was dry, empty land with very few people. Israel lived there for forty years.

8"Then I brought you to the land of the Amorites, east of the Jordan River. They fought against you. But I handed them over to you, so the land became yours. I wiped them out ahead of you.

And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you.

NoteThe Amorites were a people who lived in the land before Israel came.

9"Then Balak, the son of Zippor, went to war against Israel. He was the king of Moab. He sent for a man named Balaam and asked him to curse you.

Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you:

NoteMoab was a small country near Israel. To curse someone means to ask a god to bring harm to them.

10"But I would not listen to Balaam. So instead he kept blessing you. That is how I kept you safe from Balak.

But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand.

NoteTo bless someone means to ask God to be good to them. Balaam was asked to say bad words but said good ones instead.

11"You crossed the Jordan River and came to the city of Jericho. The men of Jericho fought against you. So did the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites. So did the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. I handed them all over to you.

And ye went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand.

NoteThese are the names of the different peoples who lived in the land back then. Each one had its own towns and its own gods.

12"I sent the hornet ahead of you. It drove out the two Amorite kings before you came. You did not win that with your own sword or bow.

And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.

NoteA hornet is a big bug with a painful sting. The Bible does not say exactly what this means. Many think God made the enemies afraid, so they ran away.

13"I gave you land you did not work for. I gave you towns you did not build, and you live in them. You eat grapes and olives from trees you did not plant."

And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.

14Joshua said, "So honor the LORD and obey him. Serve him with a true and honest heart. Throw away the gods your family served across the river and in Egypt. Serve the LORD instead.

Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.

NoteHere honoring the LORD means treating him as most important. It means listening to him and doing what he says. The other gods were statues people prayed to.

15"Maybe you do not want to serve the LORD. Then choose today who you will serve. Will it be the gods your family served across the river? Will it be the gods of the Amorites, whose land you live in? But my family and I will serve the LORD."

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

16The people answered, "We would never leave the LORD to serve other gods!

And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods;

17"The LORD our God brought us and our parents out of Egypt. We were slaves there, and he set us free. He did great and powerful things while we watched. He kept us safe everywhere we went. He kept us safe among all the peoples we passed by.

For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed:

18"The LORD drove out all those peoples ahead of us. He drove out the Amorites who lived in this land. So we will serve the LORD too. He is our God!"

And the LORD drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the LORD; for he is our God.

19Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the LORD. He is a holy God. He is a jealous God. He will not forgive you if you turn against him and keep doing wrong.

And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.

NoteHoly means God is completely good and not like anyone else. Jealous here does not mean grumpy. It means God wants his people to love only him, the way a family belongs together.

20"He has been good to you. But if you leave the LORD and serve other gods, he will turn against you. He will bring trouble on you and wipe you out."

If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.

21The people said to Joshua, "No! We will serve the LORD!"

And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD.

22Joshua said, "You have chosen to serve the LORD. You yourselves have said so, and that counts against you if you stop." They said, "Yes, we said it."

And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses.

NoteA witness is someone who saw or heard something happen. Later that person can tell everyone the truth about it.

23Joshua said, "Then throw away the other gods you still have. Turn your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel."

Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel.

24The people said to Joshua, "We will serve the LORD our God. We will obey what he says."

And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.

25So that day Joshua made an agreement with the people. There at Shechem he gave them rules to live by.

So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.

NoteAn agreement like this one is called a covenant. It is a very serious promise between two sides.

26Joshua wrote these words in the Book of God's Law. Then he took a big stone and set it up under an oak tree. The tree stood near the holy place of the LORD.

And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the LORD.

NoteThe Book of God's Law held the rules God gave Moses. The holy place was a special tent where people came to worship God.

27Joshua said to everyone, "Look at this stone. It will be a reminder of what we said. It has heard every word the LORD spoke to us. It will speak against you if you ever say you do not know God."

And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the LORD which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God.

NotePeople back then set up big stones to help them remember. Seeing the stone would remind them of the promise they made.

28Then Joshua sent the people home. Each one went back to his own land.

So Joshua let the people depart, every man unto his inheritance.

NoteEach family had been given its own piece of land. That land stayed in the family and was passed on to their children.

29After all this, Joshua the son of Nun died. He had served the LORD his whole life. He was 110 years old.

And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old.

Note110 years old was a very great age. Calling someone the servant of the LORD was high praise.

30They buried him on his own land at Timnath-serah. That is in the hill country of Ephraim. It is north of the hill called Gaash.

And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathserah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash.

NoteEphraim was one of the twelve family groups of Israel. The hill country of Ephraim was the land where they lived.

31Israel served the LORD as long as Joshua lived. They served him as long as the older leaders lived who outlived Joshua. Those leaders had seen everything the LORD did for Israel.

And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel.

32The people of Israel had carried Joseph's bones out of Egypt. They buried them at Shechem, in a piece of ground Jacob had bought. Jacob bought it from the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred pieces of silver. That land became the land of Joseph's family.

And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.

NoteJoseph died in Egypt hundreds of years before this. He asked his family to carry his bones back to this land one day. There were no coins yet. People paid with pieces of silver that were weighed.

33Eleazar, the son of Aaron, also died. They buried him on a hill in the country of Ephraim. That hill had been given to his son Phinehas.

And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.

NoteAaron was Israel's first priest. A priest helped the people bring their gifts to God. Eleazar and Phinehas were priests after him.

1Joshua was Israel's leader. After he died, the people of Israel asked the LORD a question. They said, "Who should go first to fight the Canaanites for us?" The Canaanites were people living in that land.

Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?

NoteThis book tells about judges. A judge was a leader who helped Israel in hard times. Joshua led Israel before this book begins. After he died, no one leader took his place. LORD in big letters stands for God's own special name.

2The LORD said, "Judah will go first." Judah was one of Israel's family groups, called tribes. The LORD said, "I have handed the land over to them."

And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.

NoteIsrael was made of twelve tribes. A tribe is one big family that grew very large. Each tribe came from one of the sons of a man named Jacob. Judah was one of those tribes.