Joshua 1-4; Psalms 65 - Prayer Tents

The Lord’s Charge to Joshua

1After the death of Moses the LORD's servant, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' assistant. He said,H310H4194H4872H5650H3068H3068H559H3091H1121H5126H4872H8334H559 2"Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them.H4872H5650H4191H6965H5674H3383H5971H776H5414H1121H3478 3I promise you what I promised Moses: 'Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you—H4725H3709H7272H1869H5414H1696H4872 4from the Negev wilderness in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north, from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, including all the land of the Hittites.'H4057H3844H1419H5104H5104H6578H776H2850H1419H3220H3996H8121H1366 5No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.H376H3320H6440H3117H2416H4872H7503H5800 6"Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them.H2388H553H5971H5157H776H7650H1H5414 7Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do.H2388H3966H553H8104H6213H8451H4872H5650H6680H5493H3225H8040H7919H3212 8Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.H5612H8451H4185H6310H1897H3119H3915H8104H6213H3789H6743H1870H6743H7919 9This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."H6680H2388H553H6206H2865H3068H430H3212

Joshua’s Charge to the Israelites

10Joshua then commanded the officers of Israel,H3091H6680H7860H5971H559 11"Go through the camp and tell the people to get their provisions ready. In three days you will cross the Jordan River and take possession of the land the LORD your God is giving you."H5674H7130H4264H6680H5971H559H3559H6720H7969H3117H5674H3383H935H3423H776H3068H430H5414H3423 12Then Joshua called together the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. He told them,H7206H1425H2677H7626H4519H559H3091H559 13"Remember what Moses, the servant of the LORD, commanded you: 'The LORD your God is giving you a place of rest. He has given you this land.'H2142H1697H4872H5650H3068H6680H559H3068H430H5117H5414H776 14Your wives, children, and livestock may remain here in the land Moses assigned to you on the east side of the Jordan River. But your strong warriors, fully armed, must lead the other tribes across the Jordan to help them conquer their territory. Stay with themH802H2945H4735H3427H776H4872H5414H5676H3383H5674H6440H251H2571H1368H2428H5826 15until the LORD gives them rest, as he has given you rest, and until they, too, possess the land the LORD your God is giving them. Only then may you return and settle here on the east side of the Jordan River in the land that Moses, the servant of the LORD, assigned to you."H3068H5117H251H5117H3423H776H3068H430H5414H7725H776H3425H3423H4872H3068H5650H5414H5676H3383H4217H8121 16They answered Joshua, "We will do whatever you command us, and we will go wherever you send us.H6030H3091H559H6680H6213H834H7971H3212 17We will obey you just as we obeyed Moses. And may the LORD your God be with you as he was with Moses.H8085H4872H8085H3068H430H4872 18Anyone who rebels against your orders and does not obey your words and everything you command will be put to death. So be strong and courageous!"H376H4784H6310H8085H1697H6680H4191H2388H553

Rahab Protects the Spies

2Then Joshua secretly sent out two spies from the Israelite camp at Acacia Grove. He instructed them, "Scout out the land on the other side of the Jordan River, especially around Jericho." So the two men set out and came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there that night.H3091H1121H5126H7971H7851H8147H582H7270H2791H559H3212H7200H776H3405H3212H935H2181H802H1004H8034H7343H7901 2But someone told the king of Jericho, "Some Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land."H559H4428H3405H559H935H582H3915H1121H3478H2658H776 3So the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab: "Bring out the men who have come into your house, for they have come here to spy out the whole land."H4428H3405H7971H7343H559H3318H582H935H935H1004H935H2658H776 4Rahab had hidden the two men, but she replied, "Yes, the men were here earlier, but I didn't know where they were from.H802H3947H8147H582H6845H559H935H582H3045H370 5They left the town at dusk, as the gates were about to close. I don't know where they went. If you hurry, you can probably catch up with them."H5462H8179H2822H582H3318H582H1980H3045H7291H310H4118H5381 6(Actually, she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them beneath bundles of flax she had laid out.)H5927H1406H2934H6086H6593H6186H1406 7So the king's men went looking for the spies along the road leading to the shallow crossings of the Jordan River. And as soon as the king's men had left, the gate of Jericho was shut.H582H7291H310H1870H3383H4569H7291H310H3318H5462H8179 8Before the spies went to sleep that night, Rahab went up on the roof to talk with them.H7901H5927H1406 9"I know the LORD has given you this land," she told them. "We are all afraid of you. Everyone in the land is living in terror.H559H582H3045H3068H5414H776H367H5307H3427H776H4127H6440 10For we have heard how the LORD made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt. And we know what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River, whose people you completely destroyed.H8085H3068H3001H4325H5488H3220H6440H3318H4714H6213H8147H4428H567H5676H3383H5511H5747H2763 11No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the LORD your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.H8085H3824H4549H6965H7307H376H6440H3068H430H430H8064H4605H776 12"Now swear to me by the LORD that you will be kind to me and my family since I have helped you. Give me some guarantee thatH7650H3068H3588H6213H2617H6213H2617H1H1004H5414H571H226 13when Jericho is conquered, you will let me live, along with my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all their families."H2421H1H517H251H269H5337H5315H4194 14"We offer our own lives as a guarantee for your safety," the men agreed. "If you don't betray us, we will keep our promise and be kind to you when the LORD gives us the land."H582H559H5315H4191H5046H1697H3068H5414H776H6213H2617H571 15Then, since Rahab's house was built into the town wall, she let them down by a rope through the window.H3381H2256H1157H2474H1004H7023H2346H3427H2346 16"Escape to the hill country," she told them. "Hide there for three days from the men searching for you. Then, when they have returned, you can go on your way."H559H3212H2022H7291H6293H2247H7969H3117H7291H7725H310H3212H1870 17Before they left, the men told her, "We will be bound by the oath we have taken only if you follow these instructions.H582H559H5355H7621H7650 18When we come into the land, you must leave this scarlet rope hanging from the window through which you let us down. And all your family members—your father, mother, brothers, and all your relatives—must be here inside the house.H935H776H7194H8615H8144H2339H2474H3381H622H1H517H251H1H1004H1004 19If they go out into the street and are killed, it will not be our fault. But if anyone lays a hand on people inside this house, we will accept the responsibility for their death.H834H3318H1817H1004H2351H1818H7218H5355H1004H1818H7218H3027 20If you betray us, however, we are not bound by this oath in any way."H5046H1697H5355H7621H7650 21"I accept your terms," she replied. And she sent them on their way, leaving the scarlet rope hanging from the window.H559H1697H7971H3212H7194H8144H8615H2474 22The spies went up into the hill country and stayed there three days. The men who were chasing them searched everywhere along the road, but they finally returned without success.H3212H935H2022H3427H7969H3117H7291H7725H7291H1245H1870H4672 23Then the two spies came down from the hill country, crossed the Jordan River, and reported to Joshua all that had happened to them.H8147H582H7725H3381H2022H5674H935H3091H1121H5126H5608H4672 24"The LORD has given us the whole land," they said, "for all the people in the land are terrified of us."H559H3091H3588H3068H5414H3027H776H3427H776H4127H6440

The Israelites Cross the Jordan

3Early the next morning Joshua and all the Israelites left Acacia Grove and arrived at the banks of the Jordan River, where they camped before crossing.H3091H7925H1242H5265H7851H935H3383H1121H3478H3885H5674 2Three days later the Israelite officers went through the camp,H7097H7969H3117H7860H5674H7130H4264 3giving these instructions to the people: "When you see the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD your God, move out from your positions and follow them.H6680H5971H559H7200H727H1285H3068H430H3548H3881H5375H5265H4725H1980H310 4Since you have never traveled this way before, they will guide you. Stay about a half mile behind them, keeping a clear distance between you and the Ark. Make sure you don't come any closer."H7350H505H520H4060H7126H3045H1870H3212H5674H1870H8543H8032 5Then Joshua told the people, "Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do great wonders among you."H3091H559H5971H6942H4279H3068H6213H6381H7130 6In the morning Joshua said to the priests, "Lift up the Ark of the Covenant and lead the people across the river." And so they started out and went ahead of the people.H3091H559H3548H559H5375H727H1285H5674H6440H5971H5375H727H1285H3212H6440H5971 7The LORD told Joshua, "Today I will begin to make you a great leader in the eyes of all the Israelites. They will know that I am with you, just as I was with Moses.H3068H559H3091H3117H2490H1431H5869H3478H3045H4872 8Give this command to the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant: 'When you reach the banks of the Jordan River, take a few steps into the river and stop there.'"H6680H3548H5375H727H1285H559H935H7097H4325H3383H5975H3383 9So Joshua told the Israelites, "Come and listen to what the LORD your God says.H3091H559H1121H3478H5066H8085H1697H3068H430 10Today you will know that the living God is among you. He will surely drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites ahead of you.H3091H559H3045H2416H410H7130H3423H3423H6440H3669H2850H2340H6522H1622H567H2983 11Look, the Ark of the Covenant, which belongs to the Lord of the whole earth, will lead you across the Jordan River!H727H1285H113H776H5674H6440H3383 12Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.H3947H8147H6240H376H7626H3478H259H7626H376 13The priests will carry the Ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth. As soon as their feet touch the water, the flow of water will be cut off upstream, and the river will stand up like a wall."H3709H7272H3548H5375H727H3068H113H776H5117H4325H3383H4325H3383H3772H4325H3381H4605H5975H259H5067 14So the people left their camp to cross the Jordan, and the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of them.H5971H5265H168H5674H3383H3548H5375H727H1285H6440H5971 15It was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing its banks. But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river's edge,H5375H727H935H3383H7272H3548H5375H727H2881H7097H4325H3383H4390H1415H3117H7105 16the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam, which is near Zarethan. And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the town of Jericho.H4325H3381H4605H5975H6965H259H5067H3966H7368H5892H121H6654H6891H3381H3220H6160H4417H3220H8552H3772H5971H5674H3405 17Meanwhile, the priests who were carrying the Ark of the LORD's Covenant stood on dry ground in the middle of the riverbed as the people passed by. They waited there until the whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan on dry ground.H3548H5375H727H1285H3068H5975H3559H2724H8432H3383H3478H5674H2724H1471H5674H8552H5674H3383

Memorials to the Jordan Crossing

4When all the people had crossed the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua,H1471H8552H5674H3383H3068H559H3091H559 2"Now choose twelve men, one from each tribe.H3947H8147H6240H582H5971H259H7626H376 3Tell them, 'Take twelve stones from the very place where the priests are standing in the middle of the Jordan. Carry them out and pile them up at the place where you will camp tonight.'"H6680H559H5375H8432H3383H3548H7272H4673H3559H8147H6240H68H5674H3240H4411H3885H3915 4So Joshua called together the twelve men he had chosen—one from each of the tribes of Israel.H3091H7121H8147H6240H376H3559H1121H3478H259H7626H376 5He told them, "Go into the middle of the Jordan, in front of the Ark of the LORD your God. Each of you must pick up one stone and carry it out on your shoulder—twelve stones in all, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel.H3091H559H5674H6440H727H3068H430H8432H3383H7311H259H376H68H7926H4557H7626H1121H3478 6We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your children will ask you, 'What do these stones mean?'H226H7130H1121H7592H4279H559H68 7Then you can tell them, 'They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the LORD's Covenant went across.' These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever."H559H4325H3383H3772H6440H727H1285H3068H5674H3383H4325H3383H3772H68H2146H1121H3478H5704H5769 8So the men did as Joshua had commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan River, one for each tribe, just as the LORD had told Joshua. They carried them to the place where they camped for the night and constructed the memorial there.H1121H3478H6213H3091H6680H5375H8147H6240H68H8432H3383H3068H1696H3091H4557H7626H1121H3478H5674H4411H3240 9Joshua also set up another pile of twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, at the place where the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant were standing. And they are there to this day.H3091H6965H8147H6240H68H8432H3383H7272H3548H5375H727H1285H4673H3117 10The priests who were carrying the Ark stood in the middle of the river until all of the LORD's commands that Moses had given to Joshua were carried out. Meanwhile, the people hurried across the riverbed.H3548H5375H727H5975H8432H3383H1697H8552H3068H6680H3091H1696H5971H4872H6680H3091H5971H4116H5674 11And when everyone was safely on the other side, the priests crossed over with the Ark of the LORD as the people watched.H5971H8552H5674H727H3068H5674H3548H6440H5971 12The armed warriors from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh led the Israelites across the Jordan, just as Moses had directed.H1121H7205H1121H1410H2677H7626H4519H5674H2571H6440H1121H3478H4872H1696 13These armed men—about 40,000 strong—were ready for battle, and the LORD was with them as they crossed over to the plains of Jericho.H705H505H2502H6635H5674H6440H3068H4421H6160H3405 14That day the LORD made Joshua a great leader in the eyes of all the Israelites, and for the rest of his life they revered him as much as they had revered Moses.H3117H3068H1431H3091H5869H3478H3372H3372H4872H3117H2416 15The LORD had said to Joshua,H3068H559H3091H559 16"Command the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant to come up out of the riverbed."H6680H3548H5375H727H5715H5927H3383 17So Joshua gave the command.H3091H6680H3548H559H5927H3383 18As soon as the priests carrying the Ark of the LORD's Covenant came up out of the riverbed and their feet were on high ground, the water of the Jordan returned and overflowed its banks as before.H3548H5375H727H1285H3068H5927H8432H3383H3709H3548H7272H5423H2724H4325H3383H7725H4725H3212H1415H8543H8032 19The people crossed the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month. Then they camped at Gilgal, just east of Jericho.H5971H5927H3383H6218H7223H2320H2583H1537H4217H7097H3405 20It was there at Gilgal that Joshua piled up the twelve stones taken from the Jordan River.H8147H6240H68H3947H3383H3091H6965H1537 21Then Joshua said to the Israelites, "In the future your children will ask, 'What do these stones mean?'H559H1121H3478H559H1121H7592H1H4279H559H68 22Then you can tell them, 'This is where the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground.'H1121H3045H559H3478H5674H3383H3004 23For the LORD your God dried up the river right before your eyes, and he kept it dry until you were all across, just as he did at the Red Sea when he dried it up until we had all crossed over.H3068H430H3001H4325H3383H6440H5674H3068H430H6213H5488H3220H3001H6440H5674 24He did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the LORD's hand is powerful, and so you might fear the LORD your God forever."H5971H776H3045H3027H3068H2389H3372H3068H430H3117

65[For the choir director: A song. A psalm of David.] What mighty praise, O God, belongs to you in Zion. We will fulfill our vows to you,H5329H4210H7892H1732H8416H1747H430H6726H5088H7999 2for you answer our prayers. All of us must come to you.H8085H8605H1320H935 3Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all.H1697H5771H1396H6588H3722 4What joy for those you choose to bring near, those who live in your holy courts. What festivities await us inside your holy Temple.H835H977H7126H7931H2691H7646H2898H1004H6918H1964 5You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior. You are the hope of everyone on earth, even those who sail on distant seas.H3372H6664H6030H430H3468H4009H7099H776H7350H3220 6You formed the mountains by your power and armed yourself with mighty strength.H3581H3559H2022H247H1369 7You quieted the raging oceans with their pounding waves and silenced the shouting of the nations.H7623H7588H3220H7588H1530H1995H3816 8Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders. From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy.H3427H7099H3372H226H4161H1242H6153H7442 9You take care of the earth and water it, making it rich and fertile. The river of God has plenty of water; it provides a bountiful harvest of grain, for you have ordered it so.H6485H776H7783H7227H6238H6388H430H4390H4325H3559H1715H3559 10You drench the plowed ground with rain, melting the clods and leveling the ridges. You soften the earth with showers and bless its abundant crops.H7301H8525H7301H5181H1417H1418H4127H7241H1288H6780 11You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.H5849H8141H2896H4570H7491H1880 12The grasslands of the wilderness become a lush pasture, and the hillsides blossom with joy.H7491H4999H4057H1389H1524H2296 13The meadows are clothed with flocks of sheep, and the valleys are carpeted with grain. They all shout and sing for joy!H3733H3847H6629H6010H5848H1250H7321H7891