Joshua 2-6
1599 Geneva Bible
2 1 Joshua sendeth men to spy Jericho, whom Rahab hideth. 11 She confesseth the God of Israel. 12 She requireth a sign for her deliverance. 21 The spies return to Joshua with comfortable tidings.
1 Then Joshua the son of Nun sent out of [a]Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, and also Jericho, and they went, and (A)came into an [b]harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.
2 Then report was made to the King of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men hither tonight, of the children of Israel, to spy out the country.
3 And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab saying, [c]Bring forth the men that are come to thee, and which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the land.
4 (But the woman had taken the two men, and hid them.) Therefore said she thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were.
5 And when they shut the gate in the dark, the men went out, whither the men went, I wot not: follow ye after them quickly, for ye shall overtake them.
6 (But she had brought them up to the [d]roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had spread abroad upon the roof.)
7 And certain 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.
8 ¶ And before they were asleep, she came up unto them upon the roof,
9 And said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that the [e]fear of you is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.
10 For we have heard how the Lord (B)dried up the water of the red Sea (C)before you when ye came out of Egypt, and what you did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, unto (D)Sihon and to Og, whom ye utterly destroyed:
11 And when we heard it, our hearts [f]did faint, and there remained no more [g]courage in any because of you: for [h]the Lord your God, he is the God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.
12 Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the Lord, that as I have showed you mercy, ye will also show mercy unto my father’s house, and give me a true token,
13 And that ye will save alive my father and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have: and that ye will deliver our [i]souls from death.
14 And the men answered her, [j]Our life for you to die, if ye utter not this our business: and when the Lord hath given us the land, we will deal mercifully and truly with thee.
15 Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.
16 And she said unto them, Go you into the [k]mountain, lest the pursuers meet with you, and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: then afterward may ye go your way.
17 And the men said unto her, [l]We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear.
18 Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this cord of red thread in the window, whereby thou lettest us down, and thou shalt bring thy father and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household home to thee.
19 And whosoever then doth go out at the doors of thine house into the street, [m]his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: but whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand touch him:
20 And if thou utter this our [n]matter, we will be quit of thine oath, which thou hast made us swear.
21 And she answered, According unto your words, so be it: then she sent them away, and they departed, and she bound the [o]red cord in the window.
22 ¶ And they departed, and came into the mountain, and there abode three days, until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but found them not.
23 So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed [p]over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all things that came unto them.
24 Also they said unto Joshua, Surely the Lord hath delivered into our hands all the land: for even all the inhabitants of the country faint because of us.
3 3 Joshua commandeth them to depart when the Ark removeth. 7 The Lord promiseth to exalt Joshua before the people. 9 Joshua’s exhortation to the people. 16 The waters part asunder while the people pass.
1 Then Joshua rose very early, and they removed from Shittim, and came to [q]Jordan, he, and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they went over.
2 And after [r]three days, the officers went throughout the host,
3 And commanded the people, saying, When ye see the Ark of the covenant of the Lord your God and the Priests of the Levites bearing it, ye shall depart from your place, and go after it.
4 Yet shall there be a space between you and it, about [s]two thousand cubits by measure: ye shall not come near unto it, that ye may know the way, by the which ye shall go: for ye have not gone this way in times past.
5 (Now Joshua had said unto the people, (E)Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.)
6 Also Joshua spake unto the Priests, saying, Take up the Ark of the covenant, and go over before the people: so they took up the Ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
7 ¶ Then the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, which shall know, that (F)as I was with Moses, so will I be with thee.
8 Thou shalt therefore command the Priests that bear the Ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the waters of Jordan, ye shall stand still [t]in Jordan.
9 ¶ Then Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the Lord your God.
10 And Joshua said, [u]Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will certainly cast out before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.
11 Behold, the Ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the world passeth before you into Jordan.
12 Now therefore take from among you [v]twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.
13 And as soon as the soles of the feet of the Priests (that bear the Ark of the Lord God the Lord of all the world) shall stay in the waters of Jordan, the waters of Jordan shall be cut off: for the waters that come from above, (G)shall stand still upon an heap.
14 ¶ Then when the people were departed from their tents to go over Jordan, the Priests bearing the (H)Ark of the covenant, went before the people.
15 And as they that bare the Ark, came unto Jordan, and the feet of the Priests that bare the Ark were dipped in the brink of the water, ((I)for Jordan useth to fill all his [w]banks all the time of harvest)
16 Then the waters that came down from above, stayed and rose upon an heap, and departed far from the city of Adam that was beside Zaretan: but the waters that came down toward the Sea of the wilderness, even the salt Sea, failed and were cut off: so the people went right over against Jericho.
17 But the Priests that bare the Ark of the covenant of the Lord, stood dry within Jordan [x]ready prepared, and all the Israelites went over dry, until all the people were clean gone over through Jordan.
4 2 God commandeth Joshua to set up twelve stones in Jordan. 18 The waters return to their old course. 20 Other twelve stones are set upon Gilgal. 21 This miracle must be declared to posterity.
1 And when all the people were wholly gone (J)over Jordan (after the Lord had spoken unto Joshua, saying,
2 Take you twelve men out of the people out of every tribe a man,
3 And command you them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the Priests stood in a [y]readiness, twelve stones, which ye shall take away with you, and leave them in the [z]lodging, where you shall lodge this night)
4 Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man,
5 And Joshua said unto them, Go over before the Ark of the Lord your God, even through the midst of Jordan, and take up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel,
6 That this may be a sign among you, that when your [aa]children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What meant you by these stones?
7 Then ye may answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord: for when it passed through Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: therefore these stones are a memorial unto the children of Israel forever.
8 Then the children of Israel did even so as Joshua had commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan as the Lord had said unto Joshua, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them away with them unto the lodging, and laid them down there.
9 And Joshua set up [ab]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 there have they continued unto this day.
10 ¶ So the Priests, which bare the Ark, stood in the midst of Jordan, until everything was finished that the Lord had commanded Joshua to say unto the people, according to all that Moses charged Joshua: then the people hasted and went over.
11 When all the people were clean passed over, the Ark of the Lord went over also, and the Priests [ac]before the people.
12 (K)And the sons of Reuben, and the sons of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh went over before the children of Israel armed, as Moses had charged them.
13 Even forty thousand prepared for war, went before the [ad]Lord unto battle, into the plain of Jericho.
14 That day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they [ae]feared him, as they feared Moses all the days of his life.
15 And the Lord spake unto Joshua, saying,
16 Command the Priests that bear the [af]Ark of the testimony, to come up out of Jordan.
17 Joshua therefore commanded the Priests, saying, Come ye up out of Jordan.
18 And when the Priests that bare the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and as soon as the soles of the Priests’ feet were set on the dry land, the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all the banks thereof, as they did before.
19 ¶ So the people came up out of Jordan the tenth day of the [ag]first month, and pitched in Gilgal, in the East side of Jericho.
20 Also the twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.
21 And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, and say, What mean these stones?
22 Then ye shall show your children, and say, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land:
23 For the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan before you, until ye were gone over as the Lord your God did the red Sea, (L)which he dried up before us, till we were gone over,
24 That all the people of the [ah]world may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that ye might fear the Lord your God continually.
5 1 The Canaanites are afraid of the Israelites. 2 Circumcision is commanded the second time. 10 The passover is kept. 12 Manna ceaseth. 13 The Angel appeareth unto Joshua.
1 Now when all the Kings of the [ai]Amorites, which were beyond 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 before the children of Israel until they were gone over, their hearts fainted: and there was no courage in them anymore because of the children of Israel.
2 ¶ That same time the Lord said unto Joshua, (M)Make thee sharp knives, [aj]and return, and circumcise the sons of Israel the second time.
3 Then Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the sons of Israel in [ak]the hill of the foreskins.
4 And this is the cause why Joshua circumcised all the people, even the males that came out of Egypt, because all the men of war were dead in the wilderness by the way after they came out of Egypt.
5 For all the people that came out, were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way after they came out of Egypt, were [al]not circumcised.
6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people of the men of war that came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: unto whom the Lord sware that he would not show them the land, (N)which the Lord had sworn unto their fathers, that he would give us, even a land that floweth with milk and honey.
7 So their sons whom he raised up in their stead, Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they circumcised them not by the way.
8 And when they had made an end of circumcising all the people, they abode in the places in the camp till they [am]were whole.
9 After, the Lord said unto Joshua, This day I have taken away the [an]shame of Egypt from you: wherefore he called the name of that place, Gilgal, unto this day.
10 ¶ So the children of Israel abode in Gilgal, and kept the feast of the Passover the fourteenth day of the month at even, in the plain of Jericho.
11 And they did eat of the corn of the land, on the morrow after the Passover, unleavened bread, and parched corn in the same day.
12 And the Manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the corn of the land, neither had the children of Israel Manna anymore, but did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.
13 ¶ And when Joshua was by Jericho, he lift up his eyes and looked: and behold, there stood a (O)man against him, having a sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou on our side, or on our adversaries?
14 And he said, Nay, but as a captain of the host of the Lord am I now come: then Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and [ao]did worship, and said unto him, What saith the Lord unto his servant?
15 And the captain of the Lord’s host said unto Joshua, (P)Loose thy shoe of thy foot: for the place whereon thou standest, is holy: and Joshua did so.
6 2 The Lord instructeth Joshua what he should do as touching Jericho. 6 Joshua commandeth the Priests and warriors what to do. 20 The walls fall. 22 Rahab is saved. 24 All is burnt save gold and metal. 26 The curse of him that buildeth the city.
1 Now Jericho was [ap]shut up, and [aq]closed, [ar]because of the children of Israel, none might go out nor enter in.
2 And the Lord said unto Joshua, Behold, I have given into thine hand Jericho and the king thereof, and the strong men of war.
3 All ye therefore that be men of war, shall compass the city, in going round about the city [as]once: thus shall you do six days:
4 And seven Priests shall bear seven trumpets of [at]rams’ horns before the Ark: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the Priests shall blow with the trumpets,
5 And when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout: then shall the wall of the city fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up, every man straight before him.
6 ¶ Then 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.
7 But he said unto the people, [au]Go and compass the city: and let him that is armed go forth before the Ark of the Lord.
8 ¶ And when Joshua had spoken unto the people, the seven priests bare the seven trumpets of rams’ horns, and went forth before the Ark of the Lord, and blew with the trumpets, and the ark of the Covenant of the Lord followed them.
9 ¶ And the men of arms went before the priests and blew the trumpets: then the [av]gathering host came after the Ark, and they went and blew the trumpets.
10 (Now Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, neither make any noise with your voice, neither shall a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day that I say unto you, Shout, then shall ye shout.)
11 So the Ark of the Lord compassed the city, and went about it [aw]once: then they returned into the host, and lodged in the camp.
12 And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the Priests bare the Ark of the Lord:
13 Also seven Priests bare seven trumpets of rams’ horns, and went before the Ark of the Lord, and going blew with the trumpets: and the men of arms went before them, but the [ax]gathering host came after the Ark of the Lord, as they went and blew the trumpets.
14 And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the host: thus they did six days.
15 And when the seventh day came, they rose early, even with the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner [ay]seven times: only that day they compassed the city seven times.
16 And when the Priests had blown the trumpets the seventh time, Joshua said unto the people, Shout: for the Lord hath given you the city.
17 And the city shall be [az]an execrable thing, both it, and all that are therein, unto the Lord: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she, and all that are with her in the house: for (Q)she hid the messengers that we sent.
18 Notwithstanding, be ye ware of the execrable thing, lest ye make yourselves execrable, and in taking of the execrable thing, make also the host of Israel (R)execrable, and trouble it.
19 But all silver, and gold, and vessels of brass, and iron shall be [ba]consecrate unto the Lord, and shall come into the Lord’s treasury.
20 So the people shouted, when they had blown trumpets: for when the people had heard the sound of the trumpets, they shouted with a great shout: and the (S)wall fell down flat: so the people went up into the city, every man straight before him: and they took the city.
21 And they utterly destroyed all that was in the cities both man and woman, young, and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass with the edge of the sword.
22 But 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, (T)as ye swore to her.
23 So 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: also they brought out all her family, and put them [bb]without the host of Israel.
24 After, they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver and the gold, and the vessels of brass and iron, they put unto the treasure of the [bc]house of the Lord.
25 So Joshua saved Rahab the harlot, and her father’s household, and all that she had, and she [bd]dwelt in Israel, even unto this day, because she had hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
26 ¶ And Joshua swore at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up, and buildeth the city Jericho: [be]he shall lay the foundation thereof in his eldest son, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.
27 So the Lord was with Joshua, and he was famous through all the world.
Footnotes
- Joshua 2:1 Which place was in the plain of Moab near unto Jordan.
- Joshua 2:1 Or, taverner’s house, or hostess.
- Joshua 2:3 Though the wicked see the hand of God upon them, yet they repent not, but seek how they may by their power and policy resist his working.
- Joshua 2:6 Meaning, upon the house: for then their houses were flat above, so that they might do their business thereupon.
- Joshua 2:9 For so God promised, Deut. 28:7; Josh. 5:1.
- Joshua 2:11 Or, melted.
- Joshua 2:11 Or, spirit.
- Joshua 2:11 Herein appeareth the great mercy of God, that in this common destruction he would draw a most miserable sinner to repent, and confess his Name.
- Joshua 2:13 Or, lives.
- Joshua 2:14 We warrant you on pain of our lives.
- Joshua 2:16 Which was near unto the city.
- Joshua 2:17 We shall be discharged of our oath if thou dost perform this condition that followeth: for so shalt thou and thine be delivered.
- Joshua 2:19 He shall be guilty of his own death.
- Joshua 2:20 So that others should think to escape by the same means.
- Joshua 2:21 Or, scarlet colored.
- Joshua 2:23 To wit, the river Jordan.
- Joshua 3:1 Which according to the Hebrews was in March, and about 40 days after Moses’ death.
- Joshua 3:2 Which time was given for to prepare them victuals, Josh. 1:11.
- Joshua 3:4 Or, a mile.
- Joshua 3:8 Even in the channel where the stream had run, as verse 17.
- Joshua 3:10 By this miracle in dividing the water.
- Joshua 3:12 Which should set up twelve stones in remembrance of the benefit.
- Joshua 3:15 Because the river was accustomed at this time to be full, the miracle is so much the greater.
- Joshua 3:17 Either tarrying till the people were past, or as some read, sure, as though they had been upon the dry land.
- Joshua 4:3 As Josh. 3:17.
- Joshua 4:3 Meaning, the place where they should camp.
- Joshua 4:6 God commandeth that not only we ourselves profit by this wonderful work, but that our posterity may know the cause thereof and glorify his Name.
- Joshua 4:9 Besides the twelve stones which were carried by the tribes and set up in Gilgal.
- Joshua 4:11 Meaning, in the presence or sight of the people.
- Joshua 4:13 That is, before the Ark.
- Joshua 4:14 Or, reverenced him.
- Joshua 4:16 Because the Ark testified God’s presence, and the Tables of the Law contained therein, signified God’s will toward his people.
- Joshua 4:19 Called Abib or Nisan, containing part of March and part of April.
- Joshua 4:24 God’s benefits serve for a further condemnation to the wicked, and stir up his to reverence him, and obey him.
- Joshua 5:1 The Amorites were on both sides [of] Jordan, whereof two kings were slain already on the side toward Moab.
- Joshua 5:2 For now they had left it off, about 40 years.
- Joshua 5:3 Gilgal was so called, because they were there circumcised.
- Joshua 5:5 For they looked daily to remove at the Lord’s commandment, which thing they that were new circumcised, could not do without great danger.
- Joshua 5:8 For their sore was so grievous, that they were not able to remove.
- Joshua 5:9 By bringing you into this promised land, contrary to the wicked opinion of the Egyptians: or the foreskin whereby you were like to the Egyptians.
- Joshua 5:14 In that that Joshua worshippeth him, he acknowledgeth him to be God: and in that that he calleth himself the Lord’s captain, he declareth himself to be Christ.
- Joshua 6:1 That none could go out.
- Joshua 6:1 That none could come in.
- Joshua 6:1 For fear of the Israelites.
- Joshua 6:3 Every day one.
- Joshua 6:4 That the conquest might not be assigned to man’s power, but to the mercy of God, which with most weak things can overcome that which seemeth most strong.
- Joshua 6:7 This is chiefly meant by the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh.
- Joshua 6:9 Meaning, the rearward, wherein was the standard of the tribe of Dan, Num. 10:25.
- Joshua 6:11 For that day.
- Joshua 6:13 The tribe of Dan was so called, because it marched last and gathered up whatsoever was left of others.
- Joshua 6:15 Beside every day once for the space of six days.
- Joshua 6:17 That is appointed wholly to be destroyed.
- Joshua 6:19 And therefore cannot be put to any private use, but must be first molten, and then serve for the Tabernacle.
- Joshua 6:23 For it was not lawful for strangers to dwell among the Israelites, till they were purged.
- Joshua 6:24 Meaning, the Tabernacle.
- Joshua 6:25 For she was married to Salmon prince of the tribe of Judah, Matt. 1:5.
- Joshua 6:26 He shall build it to the destruction of all his stock, which thing was fulfilled in Hiel of Bethel, 1 Kings 16:34.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
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