Joshua 1

1 And it came to pass, after the death of Moses the servant of Yahweh, —that Yahweh spake unto Joshua son of Nun, the attendant of Moses, saying:

After Moses, who served Yahweh [well], died, Yahweh said to Nun’s son Joshua, who had been Moses’ assistant,

2 Moses my servant, is dead, —Now, therefore, arise, pass over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, into the land which I am giving unto them—unto the sons of Israel.

“[You know that] my servant Moses is [now] dead. So now get ready to lead all these [Israeli] people across the Jordan [River]. Enter the land that I will soon give to you.

3 Every place whereon the sole of your foot shall tread, unto you, have I given it, —as I spake unto Moses.

I will give to you all the land that you walk on, as I promised Moses.

4 From the desert and this Lebanon, even unto the great river—the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea, toward the going in of the sun, shall be your boundary.

That land will extend from the desert [in the south], to the Lebanon [Mountains in the northwest], and to the big Euphrates River [in the northeast], and to the Mediterranean Sea on the west. [It will include] all the land where the descendants of Heth [live].

5 No man shall stand before thee, all the days of thy life, —as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee, I will not fail thee, neither will I forsake thee.

No group will be able to oppose [and defeat] you during your life. I will help you as I helped Moses. I will always be with [LIT] you; I will never forsake you.

6 Be firm and bold, —for, thou, shalt cause this people to inherit the land which I sware unto their fathers, —to give unto them.

“Be strong and courageous, because you are the one who will lead these Israeli people [and enable them] to possess the land that I solemnly promised to their ancestors that I would give them.

7 Only be very firm and bold, taking heed to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded thee, do not turn aside therefrom, to the right hand or to the left, —that thou mayest prosper, whithersoever thou goest.

Just be strong and very courageous. Be sure to obey all the laws that my servant Moses gave to you. In order that you may be successful wherever you go, do not stop obeying any of them [IDM].

8 This scroll of the law must not cease out of thy mouth, but thou must talk to thyself therein, day and night, that thou mayest take heed to do according to all that is written therein, —for, then, shalt thou make thy way prosperous, and, then, shalt thou have good success.

Make sure to habitually read [to the people some of] the laws [that God gave Moses]. Meditate on those laws [every] day and [every] night. And be sure to obey all those laws. If you do that, you will be successful in everything that you do [DOU].

9 Have I not commanded thee, Be firm and bold, do not start nor be dismayed, —for, with thee, is Yahweh thy God, whithersoever thou goest?

Do not forget [RHQ] that I have commanded you to be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, and do not be discouraged, because I, Yahweh, your God, will (be with/help) you wherever you go.”

10 So then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying:

Then Joshua commanded the leaders of the people of Israel,

11 Pass ye through the midst of the camp, and command the people, saying: Make ready for yourselves, provisions, —for, in three days more, are ye to pass over this Jordan, to go in and possess the land which Yahweh your God is giving you, to possess.

“Go throughout the camp and tell the people this: ‘Prepare all the food that you will take with you, because the day after tomorrow you will cross this Jordan [River], in order to possess the land that Yahweh, our God, is about to give you.’”

12 And, unto the Reubenites, and unto the Gadites, and unto the half tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying:

But to the [clans that were] descendants of Reuben and Gad, and to the half clan [that were descendants] of Manasseh, Joshua said,

13 Remember the word which Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you, saying, —Yahweh your God, is granting you rest, and doth give you this land.

“Do not forget what Moses, the servant of Yahweh, commanded you: ‘Yahweh, your God, has given you this land in order that you can [live here] safely/peacefully.’

14 Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses hath given you over the Jordan, —but, ye, shall pass over, armed, before your brethren, —all ye mighty men of valour, and shall help them;

Your wives and your children and your livestock may stay [here] in this land on the east side of the Jordan [River], but all your soldiers must cross [the river], ahead of the people of the other tribes. They must take all their weapons with them. You must continue to help your fellow Israelis

15 until that Yahweh shall grant rest unto your brethren, as unto you, so shall, they also, possess the land which Yahweh your God giveth them, —then shall ye return unto the land of your possession, and possess it, which Moses the servant of Yahweh hath given you over the Jordan, towards the rising of the sun.

until they are able to live there safely/peacefully, as Yahweh has enabled you to do. You must help them until after they have conquered all the people in the land that Yahweh, your God, is giving them. After that, your soldiers may return to live in this land that Moses gave to you here on the east side of the Jordan [River].”

16 Then responded they to Joshua, saying, —All that thou hast commanded us, will we do, and, whithersoever thou shalt send us, will we go:

The people answered Joshua, “We will do everything that you have commanded us to do, and we will go wherever you tell us to go.

17 As in every thing we hearkened unto Moses, so, will we hearken unto thee, —only let Yahweh thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses.

As we obeyed all that Moses told us to do, we will obey all that you tell us to do. We pray that Yahweh will (be with/help) you as he (was with/helped) Moses.

18 Any man who shall rebel against thy bidding, and not hearken unto thy words in all that thou shalt command him, shall be put to death, —only be firm and bold.

Anyone who (rejects what you say/opposes you) and does not obey what you command [DOU], we will execute. But we want you to be strong and courageous!”