Israelites' passage over Jordan. CHAP. V. Stones set up in Gilgal

ark of the covenant of the LORD
stood firm on dry ground in the
midst of Jordan, and all the Israel-
ites passed over on dry ground,
until all the people were passed
clean over Jordan.
CHAP. IV.

Twelve Stones for a Memorial. A the people were clean passed ND it came to pass, when all over Jordan, that the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying,

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

man,

Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.

11 And 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.

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

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

14 ¶ On 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.

3 And command ye them, say-of Jericho. ing, 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.

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

15 And the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying,

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

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

5 And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of 18 And it came to pass, when Jordan, and take you up every the priests that bare the ark of the man of you a stone upon his covenant of the LORD were come shoulder, according unto the num-up out of the midst of Jordan, and ber of the tribes of the children of the soles of the priests' feet were Israel: lifted up unto the dry land, that 6 That this may be a sign among the waters of Jordan returned unto you, that when your children ask their place, and flowed over all his their fathers in time to come, say-banks, as they did before. ing, What mean ye by these 19 And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the stones? and encamped in first month, Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.

7 Then 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.

8 And 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. 9 And 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.

10 For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until every thing was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded

20 T And those 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, saying, What mean these stones?

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

23 For 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:

24 That 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. CHAP. V.

Joshua reneweth Circumcision.

AND it came to pass, when al the kings of the Amorites which were on the side of Jordan

213

Joshua reneweth circumcision. JOSHUA, An angel appeareth to him

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.

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.

13 T And 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 adver

2 TAt that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time. 3 And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the chil-saries? dren of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.

4 And 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.

5 Now 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.

6 For the children of Israel

14 And 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?

15 And 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.

CHAP. VI.

Jericho besieged and taken.

NOW Jericho was straitly shut

up, because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.

walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war which came out of 2 And the LORD said unto Egypt were consume because Joshua, See, I have given into they obeyed not the voice of the thy hand Jericho, and the king LORD: unto whom the LORD thereof, and the mighty men of sware that he would not shew valour. them the land which the LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

7 And 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.

8 And 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.

9. And 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.

10 T And 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.

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

12 T And the manna ceased on

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

4 And 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.

5 And 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.

6 And 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 And 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.

81 And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the peo

Jericho besieged.

CHAP. VII.

ple, 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.

9 T And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rere-ward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets. 10 And 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.

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

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

The walls fall down.

20 So 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.

21 And 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.

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, as ye sware unto her.

23 And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all 13 And seven priests bearing that she had; and they brought out seven trumpets of rams' horns be-all her kindred, and left them withfore the ark of the LORD went on out the camp of Israel. 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.

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

15 And 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.

16 And 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;

17 T And 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.

18 And 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.

19 But 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.

24 And 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.

25 And 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.

26 1 And 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 first-born, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.

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

CHAP. VII.

Israelites smitten at Ai.

BUT the children of Israel com mitted 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.

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

3 And they returned to Joshua 215

JOSHUA,

Achan troubleth Israel: He is taken by lot, and said unto him, Let not all the | tribes:, and it shall be, that the people go up; but let about two or tribe which the LORD taketh shall three thousand men go up and come according to the families smite Ai: and make not all the thereof;, and the family which the people to labour thither; for they LORD shall take shall come by are but few. households; and the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man.

21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and 11 Israel hath sinned, and they a wedge of gold of fifty shekels have also transgressed my cove- weight, then I coveted them, and nant which I commanded them: took them, and behold, they are for they have even taken of the hid in the earth in the midst accursed thing, and have also of my tent, and the silver under stolen, and dissembled also, and it. they have put it even among their 22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent, and behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.

and put to death.

CHAP. VIII. Stratagem for taking Ar.

Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.

26 And 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.

CHAP. VIII. Joshua's Stratagem against Ai. AND 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:

2 And 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.

31 So 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.

4 And 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:

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

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

8 And 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.

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

10 And 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.

11 And 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.

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

13 And 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.

14 T And 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 peo ple, at a time appointed, before the plain: but he wist not that there were liers in ambush against him behind the city.

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

16 And 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.

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

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

19 And 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.

20 And when the men of Ai look ed 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.

21 And 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.

22 And 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