Joshua 1

1 And it came to pass after the death of Moses, that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Naue, the minister of Moses, saying,

After the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord, the Lord spoke to Joshua, the son of Nun, who had been Moses' assistant. He told him,

2 Moses my servant is dead; now then arise, go over Jordan, you and all this people, into the land, which I give them.

“My servant Moses has died. So go and cross the Jordan, you and all the people, and enter the country I am giving to the Israelites.

3 Every spot on which you shall tread I will give it to you, as I said to Moses.

As I promised Moses, everywhere you set foot will be land I am giving to you,

4 The wilderness and Antilibanus, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, and as far as the extremity of the sea; your costs shall be from the setting of the sun.

from the desert to Lebanon, and on up to the River Euphrates; all the land of the Hittites, and to the shore of the Mediterranean Sea to the west. This will be your territory.

5 Not a man shall stand against you all the days of your life; and as I was with Moses, so will I also be with you, and I will not fail you, or neglect you.

No one will be able to stand against you while you live. Just as I was with Moses, I will be with you. I will never leave you; I will never abandon you.

6 Be strong and 'quit yourself like a man, for you shall divide the land to this people, which I sware to give to your fathers.

Be strong! Be brave! You will be the people's leader as they occupy the land I promised their ancestors that I would give them.

7 Be strong, therefore, and quit yourself like a man, to observe and do as Moses my servant commanded you; and you shall not turn therefrom to the right hand or to the left, that you may be wise in whatever you may do.

Just be strong and very brave, and be sure to obey all the law that my servant Moses instructed you to follow. Don't turn aside from it, either to the right or to the left, so that you may be successful in everything you do.

8 And the book of this law shall not depart out of your mouth, and you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may know how to do all the things that are written [in it]; then shall you prosper, and make your ways prosperous, and then shall you be wise.

Keep on reminding the people about the law. Meditate on it day and night, so you can be sure to do what it requires. Then you will be successful and prosper in what you do.

9 Behold! I have commanded you; be strong and courageous, be not cowardly nor fearful, for the Lord your God is with you in all places whither you go.

Don't forget what I told you: Be strong! Be brave! Don't be afraid! Don't get discouraged! For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

10 And Joshua commanded the scribes of the people, saying,

Then Joshua gave an order to those in charge of the people:

11 Go into the midst of the camp of the people, and command the people, saying, Prepare provisions; for yet three days and you shall go over this Jordan, entering in to take possession of the land, which the Lord God of your fathers gives to you.

“Go through the whole camp and tell the people, ‘Get everything ready, because in three days time we will cross the Jordan, to go and take the land God is giving to you to possess.’”

12 And to Ruben, and to Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasse, Joshua said,

But to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said,

13 Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, the Lord your God has caused you to rest, and has given you this land.

“Remember what Moses, the servant of the Lord, ordered you to do: ‘The Lord your God is giving you rest, and will give you this land.’

14 Let your wives and your children and your cattle dwell in the land, which he has given you; and you shall go over well armed before your brethren, every one of you who is strong; and you shall fight on their side;

Your wives and children, and your livestock will remain here in the land that Moses allotted you on the east side of the Jordan. But all your armed men, ready for battle, will cross over ahead of your brothers to help them,

15 until the Lord your God shall have given your brethren rest, as also to you, and they also shall have inherited the land, which the Lord your God gives them; then you shall depart each one to his inheritance, which Moses gave you beyond Jordan eastward.

until the Lord lets them rest, as he has let you rest, and they too have taken possession of the land that the Lord is giving to you. Then you can return and occupy your own land which Moses allotted to you on the east side of the Jordan.”

16 And they answered Joshua and said, We will do all things which you command us, and we will go to every place whither you shall send us.

They said to Joshua, “We will do everything you have ordered us to do, and we will go wherever you send us.

17 Whereinsoever we listened to Moses we will listen to you; only let the Lord our God be with you, as he was with Moses.

We will obey you just as we obeyed Moses in everything. May the Lord God be with you as he was with Moses.

18 And whoever shall disobey you, and whoever shall not listen to your words as you shall command him, let him die; but be you strong and courageous.

Anyone who rebels against what you say and doesn't follow your orders, who doesn't obey everything you command, will be put to death. So be strong! Be brave!”