Josua 1,1 | New International Reader’s Version

Joshua becomes Israel’s leader

1 Moses, the servant of the LORD, died. After that, the LORD spoke to Joshua, the son of Nun. Joshua was Moses’ helper. The LORD said to Joshua, 2 ‘My servant Moses is dead. Now then, I want you and all these people to get ready to go across the River Jordan. I want all of you to go into the land I am about to give to the Israelites. 3 I will give all of you every place you walk on, just as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will reach from the Negev Desert all the way to Lebanon. The great River Euphrates will be to the east. The Mediterranean Sea will be to the west. Your territory will include all the Hittite country. 5 Joshua, no one will be able to oppose you as long as you live. I will be with you, just as I was with Moses. I will never leave you. I will never desert you. 6 Be strong and brave. You will lead these people. They will take the land as their very own. It is the land I promised to give their people of long ago. 7 ‘Be strong and very brave. Make sure you obey the whole law my servant Moses gave you. Do not turn away from it to the right or the left. Then you will have success everywhere you go. 8 Never stop reading this Book of the Law. Day and night you must think about what it says. Make sure you do everything written in it. Then things will go well with you. And you will have great success. 9 Here is what I am commanding you to do. Be strong and brave. Do not be afraid. Do not lose hope. I am the LORD your God. I will be with you everywhere you go.’ 10 So Joshua gave orders to the officers of the people. He said, 11 ‘Go through the camp. Tell the people, “Get your supplies ready. Three days from now you will go across the River Jordan right here. You will go in and take over the land. The LORD your God is giving it to you as your very own.” ’ 12 Joshua also spoke to the tribes of Reuben and Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh. He said to them, 13 ‘Remember what Moses, the servant of the LORD, commanded you. He said, “The LORD your God is giving you this land. It’s a place where you can make your homes and live in peace and rest.” 14 Your wives, children and livestock can stay here east of the River Jordan. Moses gave you this land. But all your fighting men must get ready for battle. They must go across ahead of the other tribes. You must help them 15 until the LORD gives them rest. In the same way, he has already given you rest. You must help them until they also have taken over their land. It’s the land the LORD your God is giving them. After that, you can come back here. Then you can live in your own land. It’s the land that Moses, the servant of the LORD, gave you east of the River Jordan. It’s towards the sunrise.’ 16 Then the tribes of Reuben and Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh answered Joshua. They said, ‘We’ll do what you have commanded us to do. We’ll go where you send us. 17 We obeyed Moses completely. And we’ll obey you just as completely. But may the LORD your God be with you, just as he was with Moses. 18 Suppose people question your authority. And suppose they refuse to obey anything you command them to do. Then they will be put to death. Just be strong and brave!’

English Standard Version

God Commissions Joshua

1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. 5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success* wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua Assumes Command

10 And Joshua commanded the officers of the people, 11 “Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’” 12 And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh Joshua said, 13 “Remember the word that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is providing you a place of rest and will give you this land.’ 14 Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land that Moses gave you beyond the Jordan, but all the men of valor among you shall pass over armed before your brothers and shall help them, 15 until the Lord gives rest to your brothers as he has to you, and they also take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and shall possess it, the land that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise.” 16 And they answered Joshua, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you, as he was with Moses! 18 Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.”

Josua 1,1 | New International Reader’s Version English Standard Version

Joshua becomes Israel’s leader

God Commissions Joshua

Joshua Assumes Command