24 March - Joshua 5-8

Jude Sat Dec 08, 2018 9:51 am

My soul doth magnify my YAH, and my spirit hath rejoiced in EL my Saviour; For HE that is mighty hath done to me great things; and Holy is HIS Name. Now unto HIM who is ever present in my helpless estate; who is able to keep me from falling and to present me faultless before the presence of His Glory with exceeding joy, unto the King Eternal, Immortal, Invisible, the only wise EL our Saviour be honour and glory and majesty, dominion and power both now and for ever Halleluyah!

JOSHUA 5

1And it came to be, when all the sovereigns of the Amorites who were beyond the Yardĕn westward, and all the sovereigns of the Kena‛anites who were by the sea, heard that יהוה had dried up the waters of the Yardĕn from before the children of Yisra’ĕl until we had passed over, that their heart melted. And there was no spirit in them any longer, because of the children of Yisra’ĕl.

2At that time יהוה said to Yehoshua, “Make knives of flint for yourself, and circumcise the sons of Yisra’ĕl again the second time.”

3So Yehoshua made knives of flint for himself, and circumcised the sons of Yisra’ĕl at the Hill of Foreskins.

4And this is why Yehoshua circumcised them: All the people who came out of Mitsrayim who were males, all the men of battle, had died in the wilderness on the way, after they had come out of Mitsrayim.

5For all the people who came out had been circumcised, but all the people who were born in the wilderness on the way as they came out of Mitsrayim had not been circumcised.

6For the children of Yisra’ĕl walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the nation – the men of battle who came out of Mitsrayim – were consumed, because they did not obey the voice of יהוה, to whom יהוה swore not to show them the land which יהוה had sworn to their fathers that He would give us, “a land flowing with milk and honey.”

7And Yehoshua circumcised their sons whom He raised up in their place; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way.

8And it came to be, when they had completed circumcising all the nation, that they stayed in their places in the camp till they were healed.

9And יהוה said to Yehoshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Mitsrayim from you.” So the name of the place is called Gilgal to this day.

10And the children of Yisra’ĕl camped in Gilgal, and performed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at evening on the desert plains of Yeriḥo.

11And they ate of the stored grain of the land on the morrow after the Passover, unleavened bread and roasted grain on this same day.

12And the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the stored grain of the land. And the children of Yisra’ĕl no longer had manna, but they ate the food of the land of Kena‛an that year.

13And it came to be, when Yehoshua was by Yeriḥo, that he lifted his eyes and looked and saw a Man standing opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Yehoshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?”

14And He said, “No, for I have now come as Captain of the host of יהוה.” And Yehoshua fell on his face to the earth and did obeisance, and said to Him, “What is my Master saying to His servant?”

15And the Captain of the host of יהוה said to Yehoshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is set-apart.” And Yehoshua did so.

JOSHUA 6

1And Yeriḥo was shut up tight because of the presence of the sons of Yisra’ĕl – none going out, and none coming in.

2And יהוה said to Yehoshua, “See! I have given Yeriḥo and its sovereign, mighty brave men, into your hand.

3“And you shall go around the city, all the men of battle going around the city once. Do this for six days.

4“And let seven priests bear seven rams’ horns before the ark, and on the seventh day go around the city seven times while the priests blow the horns.

5“And it shall be, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the horn, that all the people shout with a great shout. And the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall go up every man straight before him.”

6And Yehoshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven rams’ horns before the ark of יהוה.”

7And he said to the people, “Pass over, and go around the city, and let him who is armed pass over before the ark of יהוה.”

8And it came to be, when Yehoshua had spoken to the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven rams’ horns before יהוה passed over and blew the horns, and the ark of the covenant of יהוה went after them.

9And the armed men went before the priests who blew the horns, and the rear guard came after the ark, going on and blowing the horns.

10But Yehoshua had commanded the people, saying, “Do not shout or cause your voice to be heard, nor let any word come out of your mouth, until the day I say to you, ‘Shout!’ Then you shall shout.”

11And the ark of יהוה went around the city, going around once. And they came into the camp and stayed in the camp.

12And Yehoshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of יהוה.

13And seven priests bearing seven rams’ horns before the ark of יהוה were walking, going on, and they blew the horns, and the armed men went before them. But the rear guard came after the ark of יהוה, going on, and blowing the horns.

14And the second day they went around the city once and returned to the camp. Thus they did six days.

15And it came to be on the seventh day that they rose early, about the dawning of the day, and went around the city seven times in this way. Only on that day they went around the city seven times.

16And it came to be at the seventh time, when the priests blew the horns, that Yehoshua said to the people, “Shout, for יהוה has given you the city!

17“And the city shall be put under the ban, it and all that is in it belongs to יהוה. Only Raḥaḇ the whore is to live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

18“And you, by all means guard yourselves from that which is under the ban, lest you come under the ban when you take of that which is under the ban, and make the camp of Yisra’ĕl a curse, and shall trouble it.

19“But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are set-apart to יהוה, they go into the treasury of יהוה.”

20And the people shouted when the priests blew the horns. And it came to be when the people heard the sound of the horn, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. And the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city.

21And they put under the ban all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword.

22And to the two men who had spied out the land Yehoshua said, “Go into the house of the woman, the whore, and from there bring out the woman and all that she has, as you swore to her.”

23And the young men, the spies, went in and brought out Raḥaḇ, and her father, and her mother, and her brothers, and all that she had. So they brought out all her relatives and set them outside the camp of Yisra’ĕl.

24And they burned the city and all that was in it with fire. Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and of iron, they put into the treasury of the House of יהוה.

25However, Yehoshua kept alive Raḥaḇ the whore, and her father’s household, and all that she had. And she dwelt in the midst of Yisra’ĕl to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Yehoshua sent to spy out Yeriḥo.

26And Yehoshua warned them at that time, saying, “Cursed is the man before יהוה who rises up and builds this city Yeriḥo – he lays its foundation with his first-born, and with his youngest he sets up its gates.”

27And יהוה was with Yehoshua, and a report about him was in all the land.

JOSHUA 7

1But the children of Yisra’ĕl committed a trespass regarding that which is under the ban, for Aḵan son of Karmi, son of Zaḇdi, son of Zeraḥ, of the tribe of Yehuḏah, took of that which is under the ban. And the displeasure of יהוה burned against the children of Yisra’ĕl.

2Now Yehoshua sent men from Yeriḥo to Ai, which is beside Bĕyth Awen, on the east side of Bĕyth Ěl, and spoke to them, saying, “Go up and spy out the land.” And the men went up and spied out Ai.

3And they returned to Yehoshua and said to him, “Let not all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai. Do not make all the people toil up there, for the people of Ai are few.”

4And about three thousand men went up there from the people, but they fled before the men of Ai.

5And the men of Ai smote about thirty-six men, for they pursued them from before the gate as far as Sheḇarim, and smote them on the descent. So the hearts of the people melted and became like water.

6And Yehoshua tore his garments, and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of יהוה until evening, both he and the elders of Yisra’ĕl, and they put dust on their heads.

7And Yehoshua said, “Oh Master יהוה, why have You brought this people over the Yardĕn at all, to give us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay beyond the Yardĕn!

8“O יהוה, what do I say when Yisra’ĕl turns its back before its enemies,

9and the Kena‛anites and all the inhabitants of the land hear, and shall surround us, and cut off our name from the earth. What then do You do for Your great Name?”

10And יהוה said to Yehoshua, “Rise up! Why are you lying on your face?

11“Yisra’ĕl has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. And they have even taken some of that which is under the ban, and have both stolen and deceived, and also put it among their own goods.

12“And the sons of Yisra’ĕl shall not be able to stand before their enemies. They are going to turn their backs before their enemies, for they have become accursed. I am not with you any more, unless you destroy that which is under the ban from your midst.

13“Rise up, set the people apart, and you shall say, ‘Set yourselves apart for tomorrow, because thus said יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, “That which is under the ban is in your midst, O Yisra’ĕl. You are not able to stand before your enemies until you put away that which is under the ban out of your midst.”

14‘And you shall be brought near in the morning, according to your tribes. And it shall be, the tribe which יהוה takes comes according to clans. And the clan which יהוה takes comes by households. And the household which יהוה takes comes by men.

15‘And it shall be that he who is taken with that which is under the ban is burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of יהוה, and because he has committed wickedness in Yisra’ĕl.’ ”

16So Yehoshua arose early in the morning and brought Yisra’ĕl by their tribes, and the tribe of Yehuḏah was taken,

17and he brought the clan of Yehuḏah, and he took the clan of the Zarḥites. And he brought the clan of the Zarḥites by men, and Zaḇdi was taken.

18And he brought his household by men, and Aḵan son of Karmi, son of Zaḇdi, son of Zeraḥ, of the tribe of Yehuḏah, was taken.

19Then Yehoshua said to Aḵan, “My son, now give esteem to יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, and make confession to Him. And please declare to me what you have done, do not hide it from me.”

20So Aḵan answered Yehoshua and said, “Truly, I have sinned against יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, and this is what I did:

21“When I saw among the spoil a lovely garment from Shin‛ar, and two hundred sheqels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty sheqels, I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the ground in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it.”

22And Yehoshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent. And see, it was hidden in his tent, with the silver under it.

23And they took them from the midst of the tent, brought them to Yehoshua and to all the children of Yisra’ĕl, and laid them out before יהוה.

24Then Yehoshua, and all Yisra’ĕl with him, took Aḵan son of Zeraḥ, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his donkeys, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had, and they brought them to the Valley of Aḵor.

25And Yehoshua said, “Why have you troubled us? יהוה does trouble you today!” Then all Yisra’ĕl stoned him with stones. And they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones.

26And they raised over him a great heap of stones, which remains to this day. Then יהוה turned from the fierceness of His displeasure. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Aḵor to this day.

JOSHUA 8

1And יהוה said to Yehoshua, “Do not be afraid, nor be discouraged. Take all the soldiers with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the sovereign of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land.

2“So you shall do to Ai and its sovereign as you did to Yeriḥo and its sovereign. Only its spoil and its livestock you take as plunder for yourselves. Set for yourselves an ambush for the city, behind it.”

3And Yehoshua and all the soldiers rose up, to go up to Ai. And Yehoshua chose thirty thousand mighty brave men and sent them away by night,

4and commanded them, saying, “See, you are going to lie in ambush against the city, behind the city. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you shall be prepared,

5while I and all the people who are with me approach the city. And it shall be, when they come out against us, as formerly, that we shall flee before them,

6and they shall come out after us till we have drawn them from the city, as though saying, ‘They are fleeing before us as formerly.’ And we shall flee before them,

7then you shall rise from the ambush and seize the city. And יהוה your Elohim shall give it into your hand.

8“And it shall be, when you capture the city, that you burn the city with fire. Do according to the word of יהוה. See, I have commanded you.”

9And Yehoshua sent them out. And they went to lie in ambush, and stayed between Bĕyth Ěl and Ai, on the west side of Ai. But Yehoshua stayed that night in the midst of the people.

10And Yehoshua rose up early in the morning and inspected the people, and went up, he and the elders of Yisra’ĕl, before the people to Ai.

11And all the soldiers who were with him went up and drew near, and came before the city and camped on the north side of Ai, with the valley between them and Ai.

12And he took about five thousand men and set them in ambush between Bĕyth Ěl and Ai, on the west side of the city.

13So they stationed the people, all the army that was on the north of the city, and its rear guard on the west of the city, and Yehoshua went that night into the midst of the valley.

14And it came to be, when the sovereign of Ai saw it, that the men of the city hastened and rose up early and went out against Yisra’ĕl to battle, he and all his people, at an appointed place before the desert plain. But he did not know that there was an ambush against him behind the city.

15And Yehoshua and all Yisra’ĕl let themselves be beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.

16And all the people who were in Ai were called together to pursue them. And they pursued Yehoshua and were drawn away from the city.

17So there was not a man left in Ai or Bĕyth Ěl who did not go out after Yisra’ĕl, and they left the city open and pursued Yisra’ĕl.

18And יהוה said to Yehoshua, “Stretch out the spear that is in your hand toward Ai, for I give it into your hand.” And Yehoshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city,

19and the ambush rose up quickly from their place, and they ran at the stretching out of his hand, and entered the city and took it, and hastened to burn the city with fire.

20And the men of Ai looked behind them and saw the smoke of the city rising to the heavens. And there was no power in them to flee this way or that way, for the people who had fled to the wilderness turned back on the pursuers.

21For when Yehoshua and all Yisra’ĕl saw that the ambush had captured the city and that the smoke of the city went up, they turned back and smote the men of Ai.

22The others also came out of the city against them, so they were in the midst of Yisra’ĕl, some on this side and some on that side. And they smote them until none were left, and none had escaped.

23But the sovereign of Ai they caught alive, and brought him to Yehoshua.

24And it came to be, when Yisra’ĕl ended slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness where they pursued them, and when they all had fallen by the edge of the sword until they were consumed, that all the Yisra’ĕlites returned to Ai and smote it with the edge of the sword.

25And it came to be that all who fell that day, both men and women, were twelve thousand – all men of Ai.

26And Yehoshua did not draw back his hand, with which he stretched out the spear, until he had put all the inhabitants of Ai under the ban.

27Only the livestock and the spoil of that city Yisra’ĕl took as booty for themselves, according to the word of יהוה which He had commanded Yehoshua.

28And Yehoshua burned Ai and made it a heap forever, a ruin to this day.

29And he hanged the sovereign of Ai on a tree until evening. And at sunset Yehoshua commanded that they should take his corpse down from the tree, and throw it at the entrance of the gate of the city, and raise over it a great heap of stones, to this day.

30And Yehoshua built an altar to יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl in Mount Ěyḇal,

31as Mosheh the servant of יהוה had commanded the children of Yisra’ĕl, as it is written in the Book of the Torah of Mosheh, “an altar of unhewn stones over which no man has wielded iron.” And they offered on it burnt offerings to יהוה, and slaughtered peace offerings.

32And there, in the presence of the children of Yisra’ĕl, he wrote on the stones a copy of the Torah of Mosheh, which he had written.

33And all Yisra’ĕl – the sojourner as well as the native – with their elders and officers and judges, stood on either side of the ark before the priests, the Lĕwites, who bore the ark of the covenant of יהוה. Half of them were in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ěyḇal, as Mosheh the servant of יהוה had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Yisra’ĕl.

34And afterward he read all the words of the Torah, the blessings and the cursings, according to all that is written in the Book of the Torah.

35There was not a word of all that Mosheh had commanded which Yehoshua did not read before all the assembly of Yisra’ĕl, with the women, and the little ones, and the sojourners who accompanied them.