 CHAPTERS 30-34 CHAPTER 30 Consequently, when these events come upon you, the blessings and the cursings which I have put before you, and you cause your heart to turn back in every nation where your ever-living God has scattered you, and you return to your ever-living God and listen to His voice in all that I have commanded you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul, and return to your ever-living God, your rest and your comfort, then the ever-living your God will come again and collect you from every people where He had scattered you. If you have been drawn to the limits of the sky, your ever-living God will collect you from there. The ever-living your God will take you and bring you to the country your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it, and will cause you to prosper and increase more than your fathers. And the ever-living God will mold your hearts and the hearts of your posterity to love your ever-living God with all your soul so that you may live, and the ever-living will put all those afflictions upon your enemies and on those who hated and persecuted you when you repent and listen to the voice of the ever-living and practice all His commands which I command you today. Your ever-living God also will cause you to excel in every work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, in the produce of your cattle, in the beautiful produce of your farms, for the ever-living will come to rejoice over you and delight as He rejoiced over your fathers, because you listened to the voice of your ever-living God to preserve His commandments and institutions which are written in this record of the law when you return to the ever-living your God with all your heart and with all your soul. For these laws which I command you today will never depart or go far from you. They are not in the heavens that you should say, who can go up for us to the heavens and bring them to us that we may listen to and practice them? Nor are they across the sea that you should say, who can cross over for us and bring them to us that we may hear and practice them? For the matter is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart to practice. Look, I put before you today life and prosperity and sin and death. What I propose to you is life, to love the ever-living your God, to walk in His ways, to preserve His legislation and institutions and decrees, when your ever-living God will increase you and bless you in the land which you are going to possess. But if your heart revolts and you will not listen but degrade yourselves and worship vile Gods and serve them, I announce to you today that perishing you shall perish. Your time shall not be long on the ground which you are passing the Jordan to go and possess. Bear witness to me now heavens and earth. I place life and death before you, the blessing and the curse. Therefore choose for yourselves the life that you and your posterity may live. Love your ever-living God, listen to His voice and hold to Him, for He will give you life and extend your time to rest upon the land that the ever-living promised to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob to give them. Chapter 31 Then Moses proceeded to conclude his speeches to all Israel and said to them, I am the son of a hundred and twenty years today, I am no longer able to go out far or to come back, and the ever-living has said to me, you shall not pass over this Jordan. The ever-living your God Himself will pass over before you. He will destroy those heathens from before you and drive them out. The Savior Himself will pass over before you as the ever-living has said, and the ever-living will do to them as he did to Sihon and to Ag, kings of the Amorites, and to their country which you destroyed. The ever-living will thus deliver them to your face, and you shall do to them exactly as you were commanded. Take courage, be strong, fear not, tremble not before them. For your ever-living God Himself marches with you. He will not forsake or desert you. Moses then called to Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and bold, for you shall bring this people to the land which the ever-living promised to Abraham to give to them, and you must divide it amongst them, and the ever-living Himself will march before you. He will be with you. He will not forsake or abandon you. Fear not. Shrink not. Moses afterwards engraved this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the Ark of the Covenant of the ever-living, and to all the judges of Israel. Moses also ordered them, saying, At the end of every seven years, at the year of release, and at the feast of tabernacles, when all Israel goes to see the presence of your ever-living God in the place which He chooses, you shall read this law to all Israel in their hearing at a public meeting of the people, of the men, the women, the children, and the foreigners who are in your villages, so that they may hear and learn and fear the ever-living your God, and take care to practice all the commands of this law, and that their children who know it not may hear and learn to fear the ever-living your God, all the time of their life upon the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess. The ever-living afterwards said to Moses, Now that your days approach death, summon Joshua and station him in the hall of assembly, and I will instruct him. Moses and Joshua therefore went and stationed themselves in the hall of assembly, and the ever-living appeared in the hall of assembly in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood at the opening of the hall, and the ever-living said to Moses, You are now to sleep with your fathers. When this people will arise and whore after the foreign gods of the country where they are going to reside, and they will revolt from me and break the covenant that I made with them. But my anger will burn against them at that time, and I will turn from them and hide my face from them, and they shall meet many miseries and sufferings to devour them when they will exclaim, Is there no God near me to bring me out from these miseries? But I will hide my presence carefully at that time, because of all the wickedness which they have done when turning after other gods. Therefore now, write for them this song, and teach the children of Israel to put it into their mouths, so that this song may be a witness for me with the children of Israel, for I will bring them to the land which I promised to their fathers, flowing with milk and honey which they will eat and be satiated and fatten and revolt to vile gods and serve them and despise me and break my covenant. But when these many miseries and distresses and troubles meet them, then this song will be before them as an evidence, for it will not be forgotten from the mouth of their race that I knew today the distress which they would then suffer before they arrived in the country which I had promised. Moses consequently wrote the song on that day and taught it to the children of Israel. Afterwards he instructed Joshua, the son of Nun, saying, Be strong and bold, for now the children of Israel are going to the country which I promised to them, and I will be with you. When Moses had finished engraving the commands of this law in a record to its end, he commanded the Levites who carried the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, saying, Take this book of the law and place it inside the Ark of the Covenant of the Everliving, your God, and it shall be there as a witness to you that I knew your rebelliousness and your stiff neck here whilst I lived with you. Today you are murmuring against the Everliving and will be so after I die. Assemble all your judges, princes, and governors to me, and I will recite in their hearing these words, and I will call as witnesses to them heaven and earth that I knew that after my death you would corrupt and turn yourselves from the path which I commanded you, and acquire for yourselves misery in the future, for you will do evil in the eyes of the Everliving and provoke him by the fabrications of your own hands. Then Moses repeated the words of this song in the hearing of all the assembly of Israel to their end. Chapter 32 Listen, heaven, and I will speak, and hear my utterance earth. My teaching shall drop like rain, my utterance spread like dew. Like showers upon the herbage and like sprinklings on the grass, for I proclaim Jehovah's name, I exalt our glorious God, whose fort is a perfect refuge, for all his lines are straight, a God of truth and not unjust, righteous, and upright he. Corrupt you have not his sons form, you wayward and fickle race, repay not thus to the Lord you stupid and unwise clan. Is he not your forming father who made and constructed you? Remember the times everlasting, reflect on the ages of years, ask your father who will inform you, your elders and they will relate, how the highest allotted the races when he divided the sons of man, fixing the bounds of the nations with a place for Israel's sons. For the Lord is kind to his people, to Jacob he measured his share, whom he met in a desert country when he strayed in a howling waste. He turned him and he directed, he watched as the ball of his eye, he guarded his nest like an eagle, he fluttered over his prey. He spread his wings to support him, he carried him by their strength. He was led by Jehovah alone, he had no strange God with him. He will raise him high in the country, he will eat of the fruits of the field, and oil from the flinty rock. Cows, cheese, and butter of sheep, along with best of the lambs, and of Bashaan's rams and goats, with the fattest grains of the wheat, drank the foaming blood of the grape. Yet the fat good man will kick, you will be fat, will be stout and bloated, and forsake your maker your God, and fall from the rock of his safety, and by strangers raise his wrath. By depravities raised disgust and godless worship demons, gods that you never knew, fresh from abroad imported, whom your fathers never feared, and neglect the power that made you, and forget your God in your lust. But the Lord will see and will sorrow, be sad for his daughters and sons, say, my face I will veil from them, I will see what it is they pursue, for they are a race that is faithless, they never will build on the truth. They provoke me with fictile gods, they insult with the idols they make, so I vex by an unknown people, by a nation unthought I provoke. Then a fire shall go from my presence, and burn down to the pit below, and consume the land and its produce, and igniting the base of the hills, it shall rush to their top with a roar. I will feed my arrows upon them, mad with famine and fever's rage, as a bitter force of destruction I will send fierce beasts upon them, with the venomous snakes of the dust, without the sword she'll devour, and terrors invade their homes, alike on the youth and the maiden, the suckling child and the gray beard. I declare I would blow them away, I would blot from the memory of man, unless on account of their foemen, lest their oppressors should see, and say, our own hand has conquered. But did not Jehovah do it? For the race was bereft of its senses, and had no understanding left. I would they were wise to reflection, that they understood its results, than one should chase a thousand, and two could repulse a host, except for the power who sold them, and the Lord who delivered them up. For their rock is not like our rock, our foes being judges themselves. For their vine is a true stalk of Sodom, from Gomorrah's blasted farm. Its bunches are bunches of poisons, bitter clusters of grapes it yields. Their wine is the venom of serpents, and the poison of deadly asps. Is it not stored up beside me, and well sealed up in my barns? A means of avenge and requital, when the time of their punishment comes? When their day of distress approaches, its agents are ready prepared. Then the Lord will redress his people, for his servants he deeply grieves, when he sees their power departing, and fail, and fade, and decay. Then he asks, where now are their godlings, the powers upon whom they trust, who ate the fat of their offerings, and drank up the drafts of their wine? Can they now arise and help you? Can they now be your hope? Look, I only myself am that, and there is no God but me. I am the truth and the life. I wound, and I can restore, and none can tear from my hand. So I lift up my hand to the heavens, and declare, as forever I live, I will flash my sword as the lightning, and justice stands on my right. I will put distress upon tyrants, and repayment upon my foes. My darts will be drunk with their blood, and my sword will devour their flesh, drink the blood of the slain and captives, and the chiefs who lead on my toes. You heathen, rejoice with his people, for he raises the blood of his saints, and upon their oppressors does justice, and the land of his people protects. Moses came forward, and recited all the words of this song in the hearing of the people, and of Hosea, the son of Nun. When Moses had finished reciting all these verses to Israel, he said to them, Fix upon your hearts all the ideas which I have commanded to you, and to your children, from the first until today, and take care to practice the whole of the purport of this legislation, for I have not merely spoken myself to you, but he who is your life has spoken it, to extend your times upon the land which you pass over the Jordan to possess. The ever-living afterwards spoke to Moses on that very day, saying, Go up the hill by the Ford to Mount Nebo, and survey the land of Canaan, which I will give to the children of Israel for possession, and you shall die upon the mountain that you ascend, and be added to your people, as Aaron your brother died on the hill of hills, and was added to his people, because you did not exalt me among the children of Israel at Meribav Kadesh, in the desert of Sin, where you did not sanctify my presence among the children of Israel, therefore you shall survey the country near it, but you shall not enter the country which I will give to the sons of Israel. Chapter 33 And having been thus spoken to, Moses, the man of God, blessed the sons of Israel before his death, and said, The Lord came down from Sinai, and on them shown from the Tempest. He blazed from Paran's hill, and brought ten thousand saints. His flaming right hand ruled for love of his sacred tribes. On your hand let them trust, at your word rise and march. Let Moses give them laws, as Prince of Jacob's host, and be Yashorun's leader, controlling the nation's chiefs, uniting Israel's tribes. Let Reuben live, not die, and let his number be great. He then said to Judah, Let the Lord hear Judah's voice, and his hand go out with his men, as a power and help from his foes. And then to Levi he said, You have the sweetness and light. You are with the one with a trust, for at Masa you showed your truth, and fought at the waters of strife. Who said to his father and mother, I have no reverence for you. And as brother he recognized none, and had no regard for his son, when he was the guard of your truth, and stood in defense of your bond. Let them teach Jacob decrees, and in Israel settle your laws, and offer the incense to you. On your altar presenting the gifts, bless Lord their power and work, and break through the strength of their foes, and their enemies when they arise. He said to Benjamin, The beloved of the Lord rests secure, relying on him all the day, and born safe up in his arms. Then to Joseph he said, May the Lord give bliss to his land, by the gifts of the skies and the dews, and with fountains bubbling below, and the bounties produced by the sun, and the gifts that increase with the moon, and gifts from the hills of the east, and the wealth of the ancient hills, and the gifts that burst from the ground, and delights of the shadowing palms, come all upon Joseph's head, and crown him his brother's prince. Like a noble and splendid prince, his horns are the horns of a bull, with them he will conquer nations, and unite the land into one, for the ten thousands of Ephraim, and Manassas thousands are his. Then he said to Zebulon, Zebulon be glad in your ports, and Issachar in your halls. They are called the men of the hills, where they feast in a noble feast, for they suck of the wide spreading seas, and the treasures that hide in the sand. Then turning to Gad he said, Let the horseman, Gad, be blessed, like a tiger he crouches down, and tears with his arms and jaws, but he thought at the first for himself, so was granted a princely home, and produced the leaders of men, who did the work of the Lord, and first led my people right. Then he exclaimed to Dan, Dan is the wealth of a lion, who leaps up out of Bashan. Then he said to Naftali, Naftali loves to take rest and be filled with the gifts of the Lord, he possesses the tides of the sea. Then as to Asher said, Let Asher be blessed with his sons. By his brothers let him be loved, and dabble his footsteps in oil. Your bars shall be iron and bronze, and your wealth like the tide of the seas. There is none like the God of Yashorun, who rides on the heavens to your aid, and floats on the heights of the clouds. His God is above from of old, and beneath the eternal arms, who sweeps out the foe from your face, and gives the command to destroy. Israel dwells alone and secure, Jacob spring in a land of the corn, and his skies drop do's of wine. Blessed Israel, who is like you, a victor race for Jehovah, your shield, your help, and your sword. You shall grow and subdue your foes, and advance on their hills like a road. Chapter 34 Moses then ascended the hill of Nebo from the fords of Moab up to the peak of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho, and the everliving showed him all the country. For the everliving had said to him, This is the country that I promised to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and Jacob, saying I will give it to your race. Look at it with your eyes, for you shall not pass over it. Moses, the servant of the everliving, consequently died there before Jehovah in the land of Moab, and was buried in a valley in that country behind Beth Pior. Moses was one hundred and twenty years old at his death. His eyes were not weak, and his strength had not gone. The children of Israel, however, wept for Moses at the fords of Moab thirty days, until the time of mourning the loss of Moses was completed. But Joshua, the son of Nun, was full of spirit and intelligence, for Moses had laid his hands upon him, so the children of Israel listened to him, and he acted as the everliving had commanded to Moses. The end of chapters thirty through thirty-four, and the end of the book of Deuteronomy from the Holy Bible in modern English, translated by Farrar Fenton, recording by Mark Penfold. Chapters one through six of the book of Joshua from the Holy Bible in modern English, this Liprivox recording is in the public domain, recording by Mark Penfold. The Holy Bible in modern English, translated by Farrar Fenton. The book of Joshua, chapters one through six. Chapter one. It was after the death of Moses, the servant of the everliving, that the everliving spoke to Joshua, the son of Nun, the lieutenant of Moses, saying, My servant Moses has died, therefore you arise, cross the Jordan, you and all the people, to the country I will give to them. To the children of Israel I give all the extent that you can march over, as I said to Moses, from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river Freith, all the country of the Kittites, to the great sea, at the setting of the sun shall be your boundaries. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, I will be with you, I will never leave nor desert you. Be strong and bold, for you shall divide that country among this people as I promised to their fathers to give it to them. Therefore be very strong and bold, keep and practice all the laws that I commanded to my servant Moses. Turn not from them to the right hand or the left, but act prudently wherever you go. You must not remove the book of these laws from before you, but think about it day and night, for you must carefully practice all written in it, for then your career will prosper, so reflect upon it. Have I not commanded you to be strong and bold? Be not afraid or shrink, for your everliving God is with you wherever you go. Joshua consequently ordered the officers of the people, saying, go through the midst of the camp and command the people thus, prepare yourselves to march, for at three days from now you must pass over the Jordan to go to possess the country that your everliving God has given you to hold. But to the Rubinites and to the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua issued this order. Remember the command that Moses the servant of the everliving gave to you, saying, Your everliving God measured out and gave you this country. Your wives and children and flocks shall remain in the country which Moses gave to you on this side, Jordan. But you must pass over armed before your brothers, with all the strength of your army and help them, until the everliving has measured out to your brothers as he has to you, and they also are put into possession of the country which your everliving God has given to them. Then you may return to the country you possess, and hold that which Moses the servant of the everliving gave to you on the side of the Jordan toward the sun rising. And they replied to Joshua, We will do all that you order us, and wherever you send us we will go. Exactly as we listen to Moses we will listen to you, because your everliving God is with you as he was with Moses. Every man who rebels against you and will not obey your commands in whatever you order shall die. Therefore, be strong and bold. Joshua then sent two men from his officers with secret instructions, saying, Go examine the country of Jericho. So they went and arrived at the house of a woman named Rahab, an innkeeper, and lodged there. But it was reported to the King of Jericho that men have arrived from the suns at Israel tonight to explore the country. The King of Jericho consequently sent to Rahab to say, Bring to me the men who have come to your house, for they have come to examine the country. But the woman took the two men and hid them, and replied, Some men certainly came to me, but I do not know where they came from. However, when the gates were shut at dark, the men went away, and I myself do not know where the men went. Go after them quickly, so as to catch them. She had, however, taken them up to the roof, and covered them over with cotton she had stored there upon the roof. The messengers accordingly pursued after them towards the Jordan, to the Fords, and the gates were shut after them as soon as they went out in pursuit. But they were in hiding. She then went up to the roof to them, and said to the men, I know that the everliving will give this country to you, because a terror has fallen upon us, and all the population of the land will melt away before you, for we have heard how the everliving caused the waters of the Red Sea to dry up when you came out from the Mitsarayim, and what you have done to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and to Ag, how you gave them to destruction. We have heard these things, and our hearts melt, and the spirit of a man will never rise against you, for your everliving God is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath. Therefore now, listen, I pray to me. When the everliving shows favor to you, you also show favor to my father's family, and give me a pledge of your truth that you will preserve the lives of my father and mother, and my brothers and sisters, and all belonging to them from death. The men, therefore, said to her, May our lives sink in death if we do not keep this promise, if when the everliving gives us the country we do not act fair and true to you. She then let them down by a rope from the window, for her house was on the wall of the fortifications, and she lived on the wall. Then she said to them, Go to the hills, for fear your pursuers should meet you, and conceal yourselves for three days until the pursuers return, and after that go your own way. The men also replied to her, We will stand by the oath we have sworn to you. When we arrive at this country, tie this scarlet cord to your window which we are going through, and collect your father and mother and brothers, and all your father's family with you into the house, and it shall be that all who come outside the doors of your house, his blood shall be upon his own head, for all who are in your house, their blood be upon our heads if a hand touches them, and if you attend to this instruction we will stand by the oath we have sworn. She accordingly answered, It shall be as you say. So she dismissed them, and they went, and she tied the scarlet cord to the window. So they proceeded and arrived at the hills, and stayed there three days until the return of the pursuers, who sought them in all the roads but found them not. Then the two men descended from the hills, and crossed the fords, and came to Joshua the son of noon, and reported to him all these events, and said to Joshua, The ever living will give all the country to our hands, and will also dissolve the whole of the population of the land before us. Chapter 3 Joshua accordingly arose in the morning, and marched from the Achesha woods, and advanced to the Jordan, and all the sons of Israel with him, and halted near the fords, and there, three days afterwards, the officers mustered the camp at daybreak, and ordered the people. When you see the ark of the covenant of your ever living God, and the priests, and Levites carrying it, march from your stations and follow it. However, the ever living interposes between you and it, two thousand cubits space, approach not to it, except so that you may know the way that it goes, for you will not proceed by the way you did yesterday. Joshua also commanded the people to sanctify themselves, for on the next day the ever living would do wonders among them. Then Joshua commanded the priests, take the ark of the covenant, and proceed, and march before the people carrying the ark of the covenant. The ever living also said to Joshua, I will begin to make you great today in the eyes of all Israel, who shall learn that as I was with Moses, so I am with you, so now command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, and say, when you come to the middle of the stream of the Jordan, stand still in the torrent. Joshua consequently said to the sons of Israel, now approach and hear the commands of your ever living God, then Joshua added, by these you will learn that a living God is amongst you, and that he will drive the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Parasites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites from before you. Look, the ark of the covenant of the prince of the whole earth passes before you to the Jordan, so now select for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from each, and when the souls of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the covenant of the ever living, the prince of the whole earth, touch the stream of the Jordan, the waters will cease coming down from above, then the people shall march from their camps and pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people. So when the bearers of the ark arrived at the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark were splashing in the middle of the waters of the Jordan, and the Jordan is full over all its banks during the time of harvest, the waters descending from above stood still, below they also stood for a distance from Adam to the wood which is near Zarthan, but the water flowed down from off the ford at the king's stream completely, and the people crossed over towards Jericho, and the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the ever living stood firmly on dry land in the middle of the torrent, and all Israel passed over on dry land until all the forces had passed the Jordan. CHAPTER IV But when all the forces had finished passing the Jordan, then the ever living said to Joshua, Select for yourself from the people twelve men, a man from each tribe, and order them to take from the bed of the Jordan from where the feet of the priests stand, twelve stones, and carry them over with you, and place them at the lodgement where you will lodge to night. Joshua consequently summoned twelve men, men whom he appointed from the sons of Israel, a man from every tribe, and Joshua said to them, Pass after the ark of your ever living God to the middle of the Jordan, and let each man lift a stone upon his shoulder as a record to the tribes of the sons of Israel, so that there may be an evidence in the midst of you when your children shall ask you in the future, what are these stones to us, that you can say, the waters of the Jordan were divided before the ark of the covenant of the ever living, when it passed into the torrent the waters of the Jordan were divided, and these stones are as a memorial to the children of Israel forever. The children of Israel therefore did as Joshua commanded, and carried twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan as the ever living commanded to Joshua, to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel, and they carried them to the lodgement and fixed them there. And Joshua set up the twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan where the feet of the priests had stood who carried the ark of the covenant. But the priests who carried the ark stood still in the middle of the Jordan until the accomplishment of all the things that the ever living commanded Joshua to instruct the people to do, exactly as Moses had commanded Joshua. Then the forces hastened and passed over, when however the whole of the forces had finished crossing, then the ark of the ever living and the priests passed in the presence of the forces. But the heroes of the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh preceded the children of Israel as God had commanded Moses. Their army of forty thousand armed men passed before the ever living to the war by the fords of Jericho. On that day the ever living made Joshua great in the eyes of all Israel, and they feared him as they had feared Moses all his life. Then the ever living spoke to Joshua, saying, Order the priests who carried the ark into the ford to come up from the Jordan. So Joshua ordered the priests, Come up from the Jordan. And when the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the ever living ascended from the middle of the Jordan, when the souls of the feet of the priests touched the dry land, then the waters of the torrent returned from above and went as formerly over all its banks. Thus the forces ascended from the Jordan on the tenth of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal to the east of Jericho. And the twelve stones that were taken from the Jordan, Joshua erected in Gilgal and spoke to the sons of Israel, saying, When your children ask you hereafter inquiring, What are these stones? You shall inform your children that they are a memorial that the Jordan was dried up at the passage of the sons of Israel, when our ever living God caused the water of the torrent to dry before us until we crossed, as our ever living God did to the Red Sea, which he caused to dry up before us until we had crossed over, so that all the peoples of the country might learn how strong the hand of the Lord is, so that they might fear our ever living God at all times. Chapter 5 But when all the kings of the Amorites who are beyond the Jordan towards the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were along the sea heard how the ever living had caused the waters of the Jordan to dry before the children of Israel until they had passed over, their hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in them before the children of Israel. At this time the ever living said to Joshua, Make for yourself stone knives and remove the foreskin of the children of Israel again. So Joshua prepared stone knives and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of circumcision, and this event was Joshua's circumcision. All the full grown who came out from among the Mitsurayim, the men of military age, died in the desert on the journey coming from Mitsurayim, for all the people who came out were circumcised, but all the people who were born in the desert during the journey from Mitsurayim were not circumcised. For the children of Israel travelled for 40 years in the desert until all the generation of men of military age who came out of Mitsurayim had died because they would not listen to the voice of the ever living. So the ever living swore to them that they should not see the country which he had promised to Abraham to give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey. Therefore Joshua circumcised the children that had grown up after them, for they were foreskinned because they had not been circumcised during the journey. But whilst they were completing the circumcision of all the nation they kept quiet in the camp until they were restored. Then the ever living said to Joshua, Today I have rolled away the reproach of Mitsurayim from off you. Therefore the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day. The children of Israel afterwards camped in Gilgal and sacrificed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month after passing the Fords of Jericho, and they ate cakes from the corn of the land the day after the Passover, and baked oats the same day, and the manna ceased from the morning they ate of the corn of the land, and the children of Israel never again had manna, but they ate the produce of the land of Canaan from that year. While Joshua was resting near Jericho, raised his eyes and saw a man stand near him with a drawn sword in his hand. So Joshua went to him and asked, Are you our enemy or no? When he replied, No, for I am the chief of the army of the ever living who have come to you. Then Joshua bowed his face to the earth and paid him reverence, and said, What would my master say to his servant? And the chief of the ever living's army replied to Joshua, Put your shoes from off your feet, for the place you stand upon is holy. And Joshua did so. But Jericho shut itself up, and it was shut up before the children of Israel. None came out, and none went in. Then the ever living said to Joshua, I have given Jericho to your hand with the royal commanders of its power. Therefore let all the troops march round the walls of the city in a circle. Do this for six days. But on the seventh, let the priests take the seven trumpets of the jubilee from before the ark. And on the seventh encirclement of the city after the seventh time, the priests shall sound with the trumpets, and at the crash of the horns of jubilee, at the sound of the voice of the trumpets, all the forces shall shout with a great shout when the walls of the city will fall down, and the people shall go up each ahead of himself. Joshua the son of Nun consequently summoned the priests and said to them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests carry the seven jubilee trumpets before the ark of the ever living. And he himself commanded the forces, march and surround the city. He then passed before the ark of the ever living, and Joshua said to the people and the seven priests who carried the seven jubilee trumpets before the ever living, March on and blow the trumpets, and the ark of the covenant of the ever living shall follow you. So part marched before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the others marched after the ark, marching and blowing the trumpets. But Joshua commanded the force, Do not shout, and let not your voice be heard, and let no word come from your mouth until the day when I tell you to shout, then shout out. Thus the ark of the ever living marched around the city with measured step once. Then they returned to the camp and rested in the camp. When Joshua arose next morning, the priests took up the ark of the ever living, and seven priests took the seven jubilee trumpets from before the ark. Marching they marched and sounded the trumpets, and the vanguard marched before them, and the rear marched after the ark of the ever living, marching and blowing trumpets, and circuited the city the second day once, and returned to the camp. They did the same for six days. But when the seventh day arrived at the departure of darkness, they circled the city as instructed seven times. Yes, they circled the city seven times, and at the seventh time the priests sounded the trumpets, and Joshua said to the people, Cheer, for the ever living has given you the city, and the city shall be devoted it and all that is in it to the ever living, except Rahab the innkeeper. She shall live, she and all who are in her house, for she concealed the messengers whom we sent. But accept them, keep yourselves from the devoted things, lest you should be tempted to take some from the devoted, and put it in the camp of Israel, and bring destruction and trouble to it. For all silver and gold and brass and iron are sacred to the ever living, it must come to the treasury of the ever living. Then the people cheered, and the trumpets sounded, and when the people heard the sound of the trumpets, then the people cheered with a loud cheering. Then the walls fell down, and the men went into the city, each before himself and captured the town, and destroyed all who were in the city, both men and women, from the young to the old, and even cattle and sheep and asses, by the edge of the sword. But Joshua had said to the two men who spied the country, Go to the house of the in keeping woman, and bring that woman from here, and all who are with her as you promised to her. Consequently the young spies went and brought out Rahab, and her father and mother, and brothers, and all who were with her. However the silver and gold, and furniture of brass and iron they gave to the treasury of the house of the ever living. But Joshua granted life to Rahab the in keeper, and the family of her father, and all belonging to her, and they are resident in the heart of Israel to this day, because she concealed the messengers whom Joshua had sent to spy Jericho. At the same time Joshua swore, saying, Let the man be accursed before the ever living who raises and builds this city of Jericho. Let him lay the foundation on his firstborn, and set up the gates on his youngest. The Holy Bible in modern English, translated by Farrar Fenton. The Book of Joshua, chapters 7 through 12. Chapter 7 But the children of Israel were faithless, faithless about the devoted property, and Akhan the descendant of Karmai, the descendant of Zabdai, the son of Zarak, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted, and the anger of the ever living burnt at the children of Israel. Joshua then sent men from Jericho to A.I., which was near Beth Avon, to the east of Bethel, and instructed them, Go and examine the country. So the men went and spied about the country of A.I., and returned to Joshua and said to him, It is not necessary for all the people to go up, only two or three thousand men need go to capture A.I. All the people need not march there, for it is small. So about three thousand men of the troops went up, but they fled before the men of A.I., and the men of A.I. killed about thirty six persons, and drove them from before their gates to Shabarim, and defeated them at Morad, so that the heart of the people melted and became like water. Joshua consequently tore his robes, and fell upon his face to the earth before the ark of the ever living until the dusk. He and the judges of Israel also threw dust on their heads, and Joshua exclaimed, Ah, Lord of life, why have you brought the people over the Jordan to give us to the hand of the emirates to destroy us when we would have been content to remain on the other side of the torrent? For myself, Almighty, what can I say when Israel turns to flight before its enemies, when all the Canaanites and the population of the country hear it, and surround us, and cut off our name from the earth? Who will then make your name great? But the ever living replied to Joshua, Arouse yourself, why are you fallen on your face? Israel has sinned, and has broken the covenant I commanded them, and have taken from the devoted property, and plundered it, and hidden it, and put it amongst the baggage. Therefore the sons of Israel were not able to stand before their enemies. They fled before the faces of their enemies, because there is sacred property with them. Let it not continue with them, if they would not be destroyed by the sacred property amongst you. Arise, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, for thus says the ever living God of Israel. There is sacred property in your breast, Israel. You will not be able to stand before your enemies until you have cast out the sacred things from your breast. Therefore let them approach in the morning by tribes and families, and the tribe that is intercepted by the ever living, let it approach by families, and the family that is intercepted by the ever living, let it approach by houses, and the house that is intercepted by the ever living, let it approach by individuals, and he who is intercepted shall be burnt in fire, with all belonging to him, for he has broken the covenant of the ever living, and whoever has done it shall be destroyed from Israel." Joshua accordingly arose at Daybreak, and Israel marched past by its tribes, and the tribe of Judah was intercepted. Then the families of Judah approached, and the families of the Zarakites were intercepted. Then the family of Zarak approached by houses, and Zabdai was intercepted. Then the house of Zabdai approached by individuals, and Akhan, the son of Karmai, the son of Zabdai, the son of Zarak of the tribe of Judah, was intercepted. Joshua then said to Akhan, My son, return thanks now to the ever-living God of Israel, and giving thanks to him, confess I pray to me what you have done, hide it not from me. So Akhan answered Joshua and said, I have certainly sinned against the ever-living God of Israel, and I have done like this, and like this, when I saw a cloak of shinar, peculiarly beautiful, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, I desired and took them, and hid them in a box in my tent, and the silver is in it. Joshua therefore sent messengers who ran to the tent, and saw the box in the tent, and the money in it. So they took it from within the tent, and brought it to Joshua, and to all the sons of Israel, and they poured it out before the ever-living. Then Joshua took Akhan, the son of Zarak, and the money, and cloak, and the wedge of gold, and his sons and daughters, and his cattle and asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had, and all the forces of Israel with him took them to the valley of Sorrow, where Joshua said, Why to our Sorrow did you grieve the ever-living at this time? And all Israel slew them with stones, and burnt them with fire, and covered them up with stones, and piled upon them a great heap of stones to this day. Thus the ever-living turned away his anger, therefore they called the name of that place the Vale of Sorrow to the present time. CHAPTER VIII Then the ever-living said to Joshua, Fear not, and do not delay to take all the forces with you to the war, but advance upon A.I., for I will give the king of A.I. to your hand, with his people and city and land, when you shall do to A.I. and her king as you did to Jericho and her king, except that you may plunder the booty for yourselves, place an ambush behind the town. Joshua and all the forces consequently advanced to the war, ascending to A.I. selected thirty thousand men, the best of the army, and sent them by night, instructing them thus. Be careful to lie in ambush behind the town, not very far from the city, and all of you be steady, while I and the main body of the forces with me will advance to the town, and when they come to oppose us as formerly, we will retreat before them, so that they may follow after us till we separate them from the city, for they will say, we are driving them before us as we formerly drove them before us. Then you must rise up from the ambush and rush into the town, for your ever-living God will give it to your hand, but when you have seized the place, set the city on fire as the ever-living commands you to do. Mind, I have instructed you. Joshua dispatched them thus, and they went to the ambush-guard, and halted there between Bethel and A.I., to the west of A.I., but Joshua remained that night in the midst of the forces. Joshua, however, arose at daybreak and brigaded the army, and he and the officers of Israel advanced against A.I., and the whole body of the army that was with him advanced and approached and came near to the city to assail A.I. from the north. Now there was a valley between them and A.I. He had previously taken about five thousand men, and placed them in ambush between Bethel and A.I. on the west of the town. Thus the main body of the army rested on the north of the town, with its ambush-guard at the west of the city, whilst Joshua marched by night through the valley. But when the king of A.I. perceived it, he hastened and arose, and the man came out of A.I. to oppose Israel in battle with all his forces in the open plain. But he knew not of the ambush behind the city. Joshua and his Israelite army, however, retreated before them and retired towards the desert. Then all the people who were in the town shouted to run after them, so they ran after Joshua and separated themselves from the city, and there was not a man left in A.I. and Bethel who did not go out after Israel. Thus they left the city unguarded to chase after Israel. Then the everliving said to Joshua, Extend the javelin that is in your hand towards A.I., for I will give it into your power. So Joshua extended the javelin which was in his hand to the city, and the ambush arose immediately from its place, and ran with outstretched hand to the town, and captured it, and instantly fired the city. Then the men of A.I. turned and looked, and saw the smoke go up from the city to the sky, and that there was no direction in which they could fly, one way or the other. So our forces retreating to the desert turned from their retreat. Then Joshua and the Israelite army saw that the ambuscators had captured the city because the smoke went up from the town, they turned and charged on to the men of A.I., and the others came out from the city to attack them. Thus they were with Israel on both sides, front and rear, and they fought until only a remnant fled and escaped. But the king of A.I. was taken alive and brought to Joshua, and when Israel had finished slaying all the people of A.I. in the field of the desert to which they had fled, and all had fallen to death by the edge of the sword, the army of Israel turned back to A.I. and struck it with the edge of the sword. And the number who fell on that day, of men and women, were twelve thousand, all people of A.I., for Joshua did not withdraw his hand with the extended javelin until they had destroyed all the population of A.I. However the cattle and the furniture of the town Israel plundered for themselves as the everliving had said when he instructed Joshua. Joshua also burnt A.I. and made it a ruin for ever, as it is to this day, and he hung the king of A.I. on a tree until the dusk. But when the sun went down Joshua commanded and they lowered the corpse from the tree and laid it at the open gate of the city, and piled upon it a great heap of stones, they remained to this day. And then Joshua built an altar to the everliving God of Israel on Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the everliving commanded the children of Israel, and such as Moses described in the book of the law for the children of Israel, of whole stones to which no chisel had been applied, and he offered upon it a burnt offering to the everliving and sacrificed a thank offering. He also carved upon the stones there a copy of the law of Moses which he wrote for the sons of Israel. Then the army of Israel and the senators and officers and judges stood on each side of the ark next to the priests and Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, together with the foreigners and natives on Mount Garizim, and half on Mount Ebal as Moses the servant of the everliving commanded to bless the nation of Israel at the start. After that he read the whole of the law of blessing and cursing with all that was written in the book of the law. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded which Joshua did not read before all the parliament of Israel, with the men and children and the foreigners who marched with them. CHAPTER IX When all the kings who were beyond the Jordan in the hills and on the slopes and on the shore of the great sea opposite Lebanon, of the Hittites and the Emerites, the Canaanites, the Parizzites, Hivites and the Jebusites, heard it, they allied together for war with Joshua and Israel. The inhabitants of Gibeon also heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, but they acted with cunning, and went and took worn saddles on their asses, and old wine-skins broken and patched, and old patched shoes on their feet, and worn clothes upon them, and all their bread and provisions were moldy. They came thus to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the princes of Israel, We have come from a distant country, and wish you to make a treaty with us. But the leader of Israel replied, Do you reside amongst the Hivites? If so, I cannot make a treaty with you. They however answered Joshua, We are your servants. When Joshua inquired, Who are you, and whence do you come? They answered, Your servants come from a very distant country. To the name of your ever-living God, for we have heard what he has done, all that he did in Mitsarayim, and all that he did to the two kings of the Emirates who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshban, and to Ag king of Bashan who was in Eshtaroth. So all the chiefs and people of our country commanded us to take provisions for our journey, and go to meet you, and say, We are your servants, therefore make a treaty with us. We consequently prepared new biscuits at our homes on the day we began to travel to you, and now see they are bad and moldy, and these wineskins were new when we filled them, and now they are broken, and these clothes and shoes of ours are worn out from the great length of the journey, so they accepted the men from their provisions, and did not inquire of the mouth of the ever-living. Joshua therefore made peace with them, and concluded a treaty to preserve their lives, and the chiefs of the parliament swore it to them. But at the end of the three days after they had made the treaty with them, they learned they were neighbors who resided in the vicinity, for the children of Israel marched and came to their towns on the third day, the villages of Gibyan, Kafaira and Baroth and Kirzaf of the woods, but the sons of Israel did not strike them, because the lords of parliament had sworn to them by the ever-living God of Israel. All the public, however, complained of these lords, but they replied, All we, the lords of the parliament, swore to them by the ever-living God of Israel, so you cannot now injure them. Do this, however, and let them live, that there may not be anger upon us because of the oath which we have sworn to them. The lords therefore said to them, You shall live, but you shall be hewers of wood and drawers of water to all the parliament as the lords promised you. Joshua consequently summoned them and addressed them thus. Why did you deceive us, asserting we are from a very great distance when you reside in the vicinity? However since you have deceived and the result cannot be taken from you, you shall be hewers of wood and drawers of water to the house of the ever-living. They, however, answered Joshua and said, Because it was clear to your servants that your ever-living God had promised to his servant Moses to give all this country to you and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you, we feared greatly for our lives in your presence, therefore we did this, and now we are in your hand for good. Do with us what is right in your eyes to do. So he showed kindness to them and protected them from the hands of the children of Israel that they should not kill them. But Joshua gave them at the same time to be hewers of wood and drawers of water for the parliament and for the altar of the ever-living to this day, at the place which might be chosen. CHAPTER X But when Adonai Zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard that Joshua had captured A.I. and had burnt it, and as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to A.I. and her king, and that the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with the children of Israel as they were approaching them, he feared much, for Gibeon was a great city, like one of the capital cities, because it was larger than A.I. and all its leaders were brave. Adonai Zedek, the king of Jerusalem, consequently sent to Hoham, king of Hebron, and to Pyram, king of Yarmaf, and to Yaphaya, king of Lakish, and to Debir, king of Aglon, saying, CHAPTER X Come to me and help me, and we will attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and the children of Israel. They assembled in consequence, and the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Yarmaf, the king of Lakish, the king of Aglon, they and all their forces encamped against Gibeon and made war upon it. But the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal, saying CHAPTER X Drop not your hands from your servants, come immediately to us to save us, and help us! For all the kings of the Amorites in the hills have collected against us! So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and all the army with him, and all the generals of the forces. The everliving also said to Joshua, CHAPTER X Fear not for them, for I have given them into your hand, not a man shall stand before you. So Joshua came upon them suddenly, marching all night from Gilgal, and the everliving defeated them before Israel, and routed them with a great rout from Gibeon, and pursued them towards the ascent of Bethhoron, and defeated them at Azraka and at Maktah. And as they fled before Israel in the plain of Bethhoron, the everliving sent great stones upon them from the skies at Azraka, and more were killed by the stones that hailed down than the children of Israel slew with the sword. Joshua also called to the everliving on that day. CHAPTER X Jehovah, give the Amorites to the face of the children of Israel! And he added CHAPTER X In the eyes of Israel be still at Gibeon, and moon in the valley of Ilon, and the sun and moon stood still till the nation had mastered its foes. Is not this recorded in the true records, that the sun stood still in the mid-sky and hastened not to set for about a full day, and there has not been such an event before it or since it for the everliving to listen to the voice of a man, but the everliving fought for Israel? Joshua and the forces of Israel afterwards returned to the camp at Gilgal, but those five kings retreated and hid themselves in a cave at Makedah, and it was reported to Joshua, the five kings have been found concealed in a cave in Makedah. So Joshua said, CHAPTER X Roll great stones to the mouth of the cave and place a guard of men over it to watch it, but you others stop not following your enemies and cut off their rear. Do not attack their towns, for the everliving God will give them to your hand. So when Joshua and the sons of Israel had completed the conquest of them by absolute defeat, and the raiders had raided them, then they attacked the fortified cities. And afterwards all the force returned to Joshua at the camp of Makedah in peace, and no man sharpened his tongue against the children of Israel. After that Joshua commanded to open the mouth of the cave, and they did so, and to bring out those five kings from the cave to him. They did so, and brought the five kings to him, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Yarmaf, the king of Lachish, the king of Aglon. And when the kings were brought out to Joshua, Joshua summoned all the leaders of Israel, and ordered the commanding officers of the army to approach, and put their feet upon their necks. Joshua also addressed them, saying, Fear not, and let not your courage fail, for the everliving will do thus to all your enemies when you fight with them. And after that Joshua degraded them and hung them on five trees, and they hung upon the trees until the dusk, but when the time of sunset came, Joshua commanded, and they were lowered from the trees, and laid in the cave where they had concealed themselves, and they piled great stones at the mouth of the cave. They remained to this day. At the same period Joshua captured Makedah, and he devoted its territory and all its population he spared not from ruin, but did to the king of Makedah as he had done to the king of Jericho. Joshua afterwards advanced with the forces of Israel from Makedah to Libna, and besieged Libna, and the everliving also gave that into the hand of Israel with its territory, and he struck with the edge of the sword all the persons in it. He did not reserve it from plunder, and did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho. Joshua next advanced, and the forces of Israel with him, from Libna to Lakish, and encamped against and besieged it, and the everliving gave Lakish into the power of Israel, and they captured it on the second day, and gave no quarter to the people in it, exactly as to Libna. At this period Horam the king of Gezar advanced to help Lakish, but Joshua defeated him, and the people with him until nothing but a wreck was left. Joshua and the army of Israel with him next advanced from Lakish to Aglon, and encamped against and assaulted and captured it at once, and gave no quarter to all the men in it. At the same time he devoted them as he had done to Lakish. Afterwards Joshua and the forces of Israel with him marched from Aglon to Hebron, and besieged and captured it, and gave no quarter to all the garrison in it. He did not reserve it from ruin, exactly as he had done to Aglon, but devoted it and all the garrisons in it. Next Joshua and all the Israelite forces with him turned towards Dibra, and besieged it, and captured it, and its territory, and all its towns, and gave no quarter but devoted all the garrison who held it. They did not refrain from plunder. They did to Dibra as they did to Hebron and her king, and as they had done to Libna and its king. Joshua afterwards subjected all the country of the hills, and the desert, and the plains, and the farming country, and all their kings. He did not refrain from plunder, but he devoted all the animals as the ever-living god of Israel ordered. Joshua afterwards subdued from Qadish Barna to Gaza and all the land of Goshen as far as Givian and all its districts, and the country around them in one campaign, because the ever-living god of Israel fought for Israel. Joshua afterwards returned with all the Israelite force to the camp at Gilgal. CHAPTER XI. But when Jabin the king of Zor heard it, he sent to Yobab, king of Madan, and the king of Shimran, and the king of Akshaph, the kings who were to the north in the hills and in the pastures, to the south of Kinnerof, and in the grasslands, and in the marshes about the lake. The Canaanites of the east and the west, and the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Parasites, and the Jebusites in the hill, and the Hivites below Hermon in the land of Mizvah, who came and all their camps with them, a great army like the sand on the shore of the sea for number, with very many horses and chariots. So all these kings appointed a rendezvous, and came and encamped together at the lake of Miram to fight with Israel. Then the everliving said to Joshua, Fear not for their presence, for by tomorrow at this time I will give them to be broken before Israel, hamstring their horses, and burn their chariots with fire! Then Joshua rapidly advanced, and all the forces of the people with him to the lake of Miram, and fell upon them, and the everliving gave them to the hand of Israel, who defeated and pursued them at Zidon the Great, and on the shore of the sea, and at the gorge of Mizvah on the east, where he defeated them until only a wreck was left, and Joshua did to them as the everliving commanded him. He hamstrung their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire. Joshua also turned in this campaign, and captured Saur, and conquered its king by the sword, for Saur was before that the head of all these chieftains. Before he gave no quarter to its garrison, he devoted all to the edge of the sword, he left not a breath, but burnt Saur with fire. And all the chieftains and all the districts around it Joshua captured and subdued them by the sword, devoting them as Moses the servant of the everliving commanded. But the plunder of all these towns, and the cattle, the children of Israel looted for themselves, except that they put the men to the sword to destroy them. There remained none breathing. As the everliving commanded to Moses his servant, so Moses commanded to Joshua, and so Joshua did. He did not reject a word that the everliving commanded to Moses. Consequently Joshua obtained permission of all the country of the hills, and all the south, and all the land of Goshen, and the slopes, and the desert, and the hill of Israel with its slopes, from the border hills to the ascent of Sayer, and from Balgad to the gorge of Lebanon below the hill of Hermon. He captured and completely subdued the whole of their territories. Joshua was a long period making war against those districts. No city came peaceably to the children of Israel except the hivites who inhabited Gibeon. The rest were taken by war, but this was from the everliving, who emboldened their hearts to oppose Israel in war to devote them so that they might not find mercy, for they were to be destroyed as the everliving commanded Moses. Throughout the same period Joshua went and conquered the Anakim in the Highlands, in Hebron, in Debir, in Anab, and in all the Highlands of Judah, and all the Highlands of Israel. Joshua devoted them with their cities. He left none of the Anakim in the country of the children of Israel except they were left in Azah, in Gath, and Ashtad. Thus Joshua took possession in the way the everliving commanded to Moses, after which Joshua allotted to Israel the districts for their tribes, and the country rested from war. CHAPTER XII Now these are the kingdoms of the country which the children of Israel conquered, and seized their territories on the other side of Jordan towards the rising sun, from the river Arnan to Mount Hermon, and all the pastures to the east. Sihon, king of the Amorites, who resided in Heshban, ruling from ROR, which is on the banks of the river Arnan, and on an island in the river, and half of Gilead, as far as the river Yabak, which river bounds the Amorites to the pastures on the lake of Kinneroth towards the east, and to the lake of the pastures, the Salt Lake, easterly, as far as Yashemoth and Beth Aiman, below the torrents of Pisca. And the boundaries of Arg, king of Bashan, were from the border of the Refayim, who resided in Ashtaroth and Adriai, who ruled in Mount Hermon, and in Salka, and in all Bashan, to the boundaries of the Gesharites, and the Makathai, and the half of Gilead, to the bounds of Sihon, king of Heshban. Moses, the servant of the Everliving, and the children of Israel, conquered them, and Moses, the servant of the Everliving, gave them into the possession of the Rubinites, and Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. These, however, are the kingdoms of the country which Joshua and the children of Israel conquered on the west side of the Jordan, from Balgad, to the gorges of the Lebanon, and to the boundary hills of the Ascent to Sayir, and which Joshua gave to the tribes of Israel to possess in their divisions, on the hills, and the slopes, and on the pastures, and in the prairies, and in the desert, and in drylands. The Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Parasites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. The king of Jericho, won. The king of Ai, who resided in Beth El, won. The king of Jerusalem, won. The king of Hebron, won. The king of Yarmouth, won. The king of Lakish, won. The king of Aglon, won. The king of Gezer, won. The king of Debir, won. The king of Gadar, won. The king of Harma, won. The king of Arad, won. The king of Libna, won. The king of Adlam, won. The king of Maktda One The King of Beth El One The King of Thaphok One The King of Kefir One The King of Avok One The King of Lashran One The King of Madon. One The King of Qadzar one The King of Shimran M substance One The King of Akshaph, one The King of Enaq. One The King of Megiddo, one The King of Qadesh. I, the king of Yakhnon in Carmel I, the king of Dor in Nafath Dor I, the king of the nations in Gilgal I, the king of Thirzah I. All the kings were thirty-one. The end of chapters 7 through 12 of the Book of Joshua, recording by Mark Penfold. CHAPTER XIII But Joshua grew old and advanced in days when the ever-living said to him, You are old and advanced in days, and the remainder of the country to be conquered is very large, that is the country of Nasharev, all Galilee, the Philistines, and all the Gesharites, from the Nile which bounds the Mitsorayim, and from thence as far as the borders of Akron, northward, belonging to the Canaanites, with the five Lordships of the Philistines, the Azathir, the Ashdodai, the Ashkolanai, the Gathai, the Akhranai, and the Aeri on the south. All the country of the Canaanite and Mara, near Zidane, to Afak on the borders of the Emery, with the district of the Ghibli, and all eastern Lebanon towards Sunrise, from Baogad below Mount Hermon to the Pass of Hamath, all the regions of the Highlands from Lebanon to the shores of the sea, and all the Zidonians whom I will drive out before the face of the children of Israel. Therefore assign to Israel their allotments as I command you. Consequently divide this country into districts for the nine and a half tribes to possess, because the Rubenites and the Gaddites took their districts which Moses gave them over the Jordan eastward. Moses the servant of the Everliving fixed for them, from Aror, that is on the bank of the river Arnan, and the town in the middle of the river, and all the plain of Midba to Daiban, with all the towns of Sihon, king of the Emirates, who was king in Heshban to the border of the Benai Aman, with Gilad and the borders of the Girgashites and the Makathites, and the hill of Hermon and all Heshban to Salka, all the territories of Argyn-Bashan, who was king in Ashtaroth and Adry, with the remains of the Refayim, which Moses subdued and seized. Moses also gave to the tribe of Ruben by their families, and their boundary was from Aror, which is on the bank of the river Arnan, and the town that is in the middle of the river, and all the plain to Midba, Heshban and all the villages that are in the plain, Daiban and Bamoth-Bal, and Beth-Bal, the inner, with Zatza, and Khadmoth, and Mifath, with Kirzathayim, and Sibma, and all the districts of Sihon, king of the Emirates, who reigned in Heshban, who Moses executed with the princes of Midian, and Rechem, and Zur, and Kor, and Reba, lords of Sihon, residence in the country, and Bilam, the son of Biur, the diviner whom the children of Israel slew with the sword for cursing them. These were the boundaries of the sons of Ruben. They began at the Jordan, which completed the boundary of the allotments of the sons of Ruben for their families, in their towns and in their suburbs. Moses also gave to the tribe of Gad, the sons of Gad, for their families. And their boundary was Jazer, and all the towns of Gilad, and half the country of the children of Amon, to Aror, which is opposite Raba, and from Heshban to Ramath, to Mizvah and Betonim, and from Makhanim, to the boundary at Debir, then from the veil of Beth Aram and Beth Minrah, and Sukkoth and North Zavar, from the districts of Sihon, king of Heshban, to the Jordan, and the boundary ended at the lake of Kinaroth, on the eastward beyond the Jordan. This was the district of the sons of Gad for their families, with the villages and their suburbs. Moses also gave to the half-tribe of Manasseh for the families of the half-tribe of the sons of Manasseh, and their boundaries were from Makhanim to Bashan, all the kingdoms of Arg, king of Bashan, with all the villages on the river which is in Bashan, sixty towns, with the half of Gilad, and Ashtaroth, and Adrai, villages of the kingdom of Arg in Bashan, to the sons of Makir the son of Manasseh, for division to the sons of Makir for their families. This was the district of Manasseh from Arboth of Moab beyond the Jordan, eastward of Jericho, but to the tribe of Levi Moses gave no portion, the ever-living God of Israel is their portion, as he said to them. But these are the portions of the children of Israel which were allotted to them by Aliezer the priest, and Joshua the son of Noon, and the chiefs of the tribes of the children of Israel. They assigned them by lot as the ever-living commanded by the medium of Moses to the nine and a half tribes, because Moses had given portions to two and a half tribes beyond the Jordan, and to the Levites no portion was given amongst them. The sons of Joseph however were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim, but no portion was given to the Levites in their country except towns for residents and pastures for their cattle. As the ever-living commanded Moses, the children of Israel did when they divided the country. The sons of Judah however approached Joshua in Gilgal, and Caleb the son of Jefune the Kenezite sent to him. Probably you will remember the word which the ever-living spoke to Moses, the man of God, about you and myself at Codesh Barnea. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the ever-living sent me from Codesh Barnea to spy the country, and I brought him back a report such as was in my heart, but my companions who went with me melted the heart of the people whilst I was strong for my ever-living God. So Moses swore in that day saying, the country that you have been to survey shall be your estate and your children's forever, for you are a fall after the ever-living God. And now look, as Jehovah lives with me since that word was spoken, it is forty-five years from the time the ever-living commanded that promised by Moses while Israel wandered in the desert. So look now, I am today eighty-five years old, yet I am today as strong as on the day Moses sent me out. I am strong yet, and as bold now for war, both to march out and to return again. Therefore give to me that Highland that the ever-living promised at that time, for the Anakim are there and have great fortified cities. If the ever-living is with me, then he will drive them out as the ever-living promised. So Joshua blessed him and gave to Caleb the son of Jefunah Hebron as an estate. Consequently, Hebron has belonged to Caleb the son of Jefunah the Kenazite as his portion to this day, because he was full after the ever-living God of Israel. The country then was quiet from war. CHAPTER XV And the boundary of the tribe of Judah for their families was from the border of Eden, from the desert of Zin on the south to the limits of Thaimon. And their southern border ran from the side of the Salt Sea on the bay running south of the ascent of Akrabin and passing over at Zin, and ascending from the south to Kadesh Barnea, then passing from Katsahan, and ascending to Adair, where it turned to Kharka. Then passing to Aizman and ascending the river of Mitsurayim, and the termination of the boundary is at the sea. This is their southern boundary. But the eastern boundary is the Salt Lake to the mouth of the Jordan, and the boundary on the north side is from the bay of that lake at the mouth of the Jordan, where the border ascends to Beth-Kagla, and passes on the north of Beth-Arabah, where the boundary ascends to Abenban of the Benay Rubin. Thence the boundary ascends to Debir from the veil of Akkor, and to the northward to Gilgal, where it touches the ascent of Admin, which is to the south of the river. Thence the border passes to the brook of the Sunwell, and its termination is at the Spicewell. Thence the boundary ascends by the veil of Benhinim to the cliff of the Jebusites, which is south of Jerusalem, whence the line ascends to the top of the hill, which is opposite the veil of Hinom, westward, which is the boundary of the Refayim northwards. Then the line is drawn from the top of the hill to the source of the brook Nefthok, and goes to the village of Mount Afran, where the boundary ascends to Krith-Jareem, where the line turns from the ascent westwards to Mount Sayir, and passes the cliff of Mount Jareem from the north to Kisilan, and descends to Beth Shemesh, and passes to Timna. Then the boundary comes to the cliff of Akron on the north, and the line draws onto Shikron, and passes the hill of Bala, and comes to Jabnal, which is the termination of the boundary on the west. But the western boundary is the Great Sea. This is the boundary of the Sons of Judah, including their families. But to Caleb the son of Jafuna, and a state was given amongst the Sons of Judah by command of the ever-living to Joshua of the four cities of Aenei, the Aenak, and Caleb drove out from there the three Sons of Aenak, Shishai and Achaiman and Thalmai, the descendants of Aenak. Then he descended from there to the people of Debir, where Caleb said, Whoever conquers Krith-Sepher and captures it, I will give him Aksa, my daughter, for a wife. And Ath-Nayal, the son of Kenez, the brother of Caleb, captured it, and he gave him Aksa his daughter as a wife. But when she came he persuaded her to ask her father for a farm, so she dismounted from her ass when Caleb asked her, What is it? And she replied, Give me a blessing with the southern land you have given me, give me springs of water. He therefore gave her the upper springs and lower springs. These are the possessions of the Sons of Judah for their families. These villages were on the borders of the tribe of the children of Judah on the border of Edom towards the south. Kebzal and Adar and Jagir, and Kena and Daimona and Adada, and Kadesh and Katzor, Yithran, Zaf and Telem and Balof, Katzer and Kadafa and Kiryaf, Katzran, Amam and Shema and Molda and Katzergada and Kashman and Beth-Falit, and Katzer the Lower and Bar-Shiba and Vizio Thaya, Bala and Azim and Atzam, and Altalad and Kassil and Karmah, and Ziklag and Madmana and Sin-Sana, and Labanth and Shilkim and Ayin and Rimon, Kal-Adma, Asrim and Thisha and Katzaihan, Bashvila, Ash-Thaul and Surah and Ashua and Zinak and An-Aibanim, Thafok and Ainam, Jarmath and Adlam, Soka and Azka, and Sharim and Arifayim and Gadra and Gadophayim, 14 towns, and Katzraben, Sinan and Kardasha and Migdalgod and Dilan and Mitzvah and Zakhfal, Lakish and Batskaaf and Aglan, and Kabon and Lakmas and Kithlish, and Gadarov, Beth-Dagon and Nama and Makada, 16 towns and villages, Libna and Athar and Ashan, and Japhak and Ashna and Netzeb, and Kailaf, Akzait and Marasha, 10 towns and villages, Akron and its daughters and villages, from Akron and Westward all that is about Ashtad and its villages, Ashtad and its daughters and villages, Aza and its daughters and villages to the river of Mitzrayim and the shore of the Great Sea, and in the highlands Shamir and Jethair and Soka, Dana and Karyafsana and Anab and Ashfina and Anim and Goshen and Kolon and Gaila, 11 towns and their villages, Arad and Dina and Ashon and Janum and Beth Tafoka and Afaka and Kumta and Keryath Arba and Aizar, 10 towns with their villages, Inner Carmel and Zif and Yota and Izraal and Jaktum and Zanak, Hakin, Giba and Timna, 10 towns with their villages, Kalkul, Beth Tsur and Gider and Marth and Beth Anath and Alfakan, 6 towns and their villages, Krithbal and Arba, 2 towns and their villages, in the wilderness Beth Arba, Midin and Shaka and Nibshan and Ere Amalak and Aene Gedi, but the Jebusai continued in Jerusalem, the children of Judah were not able to expel them, so the Jebusai continued to reside amongst the sons of Judah in Jerusalem to this time. CHAPTER XVI The lot for the sons of Joseph came from the Jordan at Jericho. From the east of the brook of Jericho in the desert it ascended from Jericho to the hill of Beth El, then went from Beth El to Luz, where the boundary passed as far as Ataroff, where the boundary descended westward towards Zafleti, to the border of Beth Horan the lower and then to Gezer, and that was its termination to the west, and the sons of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim inherited it. But there was a boundary for the sons of Ephraim with their families, and the limit of their portion from the east was Ataroff Adair, to Beth Horan the upper, and the boundary went towards the west to Mykana Thoth, from Saphon, where the line turned eastward to Thanath Shiloh, and passed from it to Genoka, and descended from Genoka to Ataroff and Narafa, and Phaga to Jericho, and arrived at the Jordan. From Thafaka the boundary went west of the river Kana, and its termination was west of this river for the tribe of the sons of Ephraim with their families. These towns were assigned to the sons of Ephraim amongst the portion of the sons of Manasseh, all the towns with their villages. They did not however expel the Canaanites who dwelt in Gezer. Consequently the Canaanites reside among Ephraim to this time, and they are tributaries. CHAPTER XVII But the bounds of the tribe of Manasseh, who was the firstborn son of Joseph, were. To Makir the elder son of Manasseh, the father of Gilad, who was a great general, was given Gilad and Bashan, and to the other sons of Manasseh with their families. To the sons of Aliezer, and the sons of Kolek, and the sons of Asrael, and the sons of Shechem, and the sons of Kepher, and the sons of Shamida, the sons of Manasseh, the son of Joseph, the great, with their families. And Salafakhad, the son of Kifir, the son of Gilad, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but only daughters. The names of his daughters were Makah and Noah, Kaghla, Milka, and Thirza, who approached the presence of Aliezer the priest, and the presence of Joshua the son of Nun, and the presence of the princes, saying, The ever living commanded to Moses to give us an estate amongst our relatives. Consequently they gave them an estate amongst the relatives of their father. But there fell ten districts to Manasseh beside those in the land of Gilad and Bashan, which are beyond the Jordan. For the daughters of Manasseh inherited an estate amongst the sons, but the land of Gilad came to the other sons of Manasseh. However the bounds of Manasseh were from Mikmaphoth to opposite Shikem, where the line runs to the right to the hamlets of Aene Thaphok. The district of Thaphokha belongs to Manasseh, and at Thaphokha Manasseh and the sons of Ephraim are continuous. Thence the line descends to the river Kana. South of that river the towns belong to Ephraim amongst the towns of Manasseh. There the border of Manasseh runs from the river, and its termination is the lake. On the south is Ephraim's, and northward is Manasseh's, and the lake is the boundary, and it is alongside Asher from the north, and to Issachar on the east. But to Manasseh and Issachar and Asher belonged Bethshan and her daughters, and Zablon and her daughters, and the people of Dar and her daughters, and the people of Anidor and her daughters, and the people of Anak and her daughters, and the people of Megiddo and her daughters, three table lands. For the sons of Manasseh were unable to seize these towns, so they permitted the Canaanites to remain in this district. But the children of Israel were dominant, and they placed the Canaanites under tribute, and did not expel them. The sons of Joseph, however, came to Joshua, asking, Will you only give to us a single district by lot and a line, for I am a numerous people, since the everliving has blessed me so much? Joshua answered them, If you are a numerous people, go up to the forest, and acquire for yourself in the country of the Parasites and the Refayim, since Mount Ephraim is nothing to you. But the sons of Joseph replied, We cannot acquire the highlands, for all the Canaanites who retained the table lands have chariots of iron, as well as the daughters of Bethshan and her daughters, and those in the valley of Jezraal. Joshua, however, answered the house of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, saying, You are a great people, and have great power. There shall not be another allotment to you. However, the highlands shall be yours, for it is a forest, so acquire it. But you must go and expel the Canaanites, although they have chariots of iron, for you are able. Afterwards all the Parliament of the Children of Israel assembled at Shiloh, and erected there the Hall of Assembly, for the country had been subjected before them. But there remained seven tribes of the Children of Israel who had not received their districts, so Joshua said to the sons of Israel, Till when will you delay to go and seize the country which the ever-living God of your fathers gave to you? Choose for yourselves three men, princes from each tribe, and I will send them, and they shall go over the country and map it into districts for you, and then come to me. They must divide it into seven portions. Judah has had his bounds fixed from the south, and the house of Joseph has had its bounds fixed from the north. So you must map out the country into seven parts, and come back to me here, and I will draw the lots for you before your ever-living God. However, there is no share for the Levites amongst you. The ever-living is their share, and Gad and Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh have taken their shares beyond the Jordan to the eastward, which Moses the servant of the ever-living gave them. The princes then arose and went, and Joshua appointed their routes to map out the country, saying, Go and travel through the land and map it and return to me, and then I will throw the lots for you before the ever-living in Shiloh. The princes thereupon went and passed over and mapped out the land with its towns into seven shares on a sheet, and then returned to Joshua to the camp in Shiloh, where Joshua threw the lots for them in Shiloh before the ever-living. Thus Joshua divided the country to the children of Israel, to each a share. And he threw the lot for the tribe of the sons of Benjamin with their families, and the lot came fixing them between the sons of Judah and the sons of Joseph. And their boundaries were on the north side from the Jordan, whence the line ascended to the cliff of Jericho on the north, and went up the hill westward and terminated at the desert of Beth-Aven. And the boundary passed from there to Luz, at the cliff of Luz, southward of Beth-El, whence the line descends to Atarath-Adar, upon the hill that is to the south of Beth-Horon the lower. Thence the border extends and turns to the side of the lake southward from the hill, which is opposite Beth-Horon the southern, and terminates at Kareth-Bal, this is the side towards the lake. But the southern side is from the bound of Kareth-Bal, whence the line goes westerly and comes to the source of the brook, Nefthok. Thence the border descends the side of the hill, which is opposite the valley of Ben-Hinnom, where the gully of the Refaim is, to the north, and descends the veil of Hinnom to the cliff of the Jebusai, southward, and runs down to the well of Rog-El, then runs from the north and comes to the son's well, and goes on to Gilaloth, where it touches the ascent of Ad-Maam, and descends to Abin-Bahu of the sons of Rubin, where it passes the cliff opposite the drylands to the north, and descends to Arabaf, where the border passes the cliff of Beth-Kagla to the north, and the terminus of the boundary arrives at the bay of the salt lake on the north by the mouth of the Jordan. This is the south border southerly, but the Jordan bounds it on the eastern side. This was the share of the sons of Benjamin with its boundaries for their families. The towns of the sons of Benjamin for their families were Jericho, and Beth-Kagla, and Amak-Katzitz, and Beth-Arba, and Zima-Rayim, and Beth-El, and Hyarim, and Parah, and Afra, and Kefir, Imam, Afur, and Gaba, twelve towns with their villages. Giban, and Harma, and Baroth, and Mitzvah, and Kifairah, and Muzah, and Rakhim, and Irfal, and Theralah, and Sehla, Aleph, and Jebusai, Gibrab, and Krif, fourteen towns with their villages. This was the share of the sons of Benjamin for their families.