Then Joshua and all Israel took Achan, son of Zerah, along with the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, daughters, ox, donkey, sheep, tent, and all that belonged to him and brought them up to the Valley of Disaster.


Joshua said, “Why have you brought disaster on us? The Lord will bring disaster on you today!” All Israel stoned him to death. (They also stoned and burned the others.)


Then they erected over him a large pile of stones (it remains to this very day ) and the Lord’s anger subsided. So that place is called the Valley of Disaster to this very day.


The Lord told Joshua, “Don’t be afraid and don’t panic! Take the whole army with you and march against Ai! See, I am handing over to you the king of Ai, along with his people, city, and land.


Do to Ai and its king what you did to Jericho and its king, except you may plunder its goods and cattle. Set an ambush behind the city!”


Joshua and the whole army marched against Ai. Joshua selected thirty thousand brave warriors and sent them out at night.


He told them, “Look, set an ambush behind the city. Don’t go very far from the city; all of you be ready!


I and all the troops who are with me will approach the city. When they come out to fight us like before, we will retreat from them.


They will attack us until we have lured them from the city, for they will say, ‘They are retreating from us like before.’ We will retreat from them.


Then you rise up from your hiding place and seize the city. The Lord your God will hand it over to you.


When you capture the city, set it on fire. Do as the Lord says! See, I have given you orders.”


Joshua sent them away and they went to their hiding place west of Ai, between Bethel and Ai. Joshua spent that night with the army.


Bright and early the next morning Joshua gathered the army, and he and the leaders of Israel marched at the head of it to Ai.


All the troops that were with him marched up and drew near the city. They camped north of Ai on the other side of the valley.


He took five thousand men and set an ambush west of the city between Bethel and Ai.


The army was in position – the main army north of the city and the rear guard west of the city. That night Joshua went into the middle of the valley.


When the king of Ai saw Israel, he and his whole army quickly got up the next day and went out to fight Israel at the meeting place near the Arabah. But he did not realize men were hiding behind the city.


Joshua and all Israel pretended to be defeated by them and they retreated along the way to the desert.


All the reinforcements in Ai were ordered to chase them; they chased Joshua and were lured away from the city.


No men were left in Ai or Bethel; they all went out after Israel. They left the city wide open and chased Israel.


The Lord told Joshua, “Hold out toward Ai the curved sword in your hand, for I am handing the city over to you.” So Joshua held out toward Ai the curved sword in his hand.


When he held out his hand, the men waiting in ambush rose up quickly from their place and attacked. They entered the city, captured it, and immediately set it on fire.


When the men of Ai turned around, they saw the smoke from the city ascending into the sky and were so shocked they were unable to flee in any direction. In the meantime the men who were retreating to the desert turned against their pursuers.


When Joshua and all Israel saw that the men in ambush had captured the city and that the city was going up in smoke, they turned around and struck down the men of Ai.


At the same time the men who had taken the city came out to fight, and the men of Ai were trapped in the middle. The Israelites struck them down, leaving no survivors or refugees.


But they captured the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.


When Israel had finished killing all the men of Ai who had chased them toward the desert (they all fell by the sword), all Israel returned to Ai and put the sword to it.


Twelve thousand men and women died that day, including all the men of Ai.


Joshua kept holding out his curved sword until Israel had annihilated all who lived in Ai.


But Israel did plunder the cattle and the goods of the city, in accordance with the Lord’s orders to Joshua.


Joshua burned Ai and made it a permanently uninhabited mound (it remains that way to this very day).


He hung the king of Ai on a tree, leaving him exposed until evening. At sunset Joshua ordered that his corpse be taken down from the tree. They threw it down at the entrance of the city gate and erected over it a large pile of stones (it remains to this very day).


Then Joshua built an altar for the Lord God of Israel on Mount Ebal,


just as Moses the Lord’s servant had commanded the Israelites. As described in the law scroll of Moses, it was made with uncut stones untouched by an iron tool. They offered burnt sacrifices on it and sacrificed tokens of peace.


There, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua inscribed on the stones a duplicate of the law written by Moses.


All the people, rulers, leaders, and judges were standing on either side of the ark, in front of the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord. Both resident foreigners and native Israelites were there. Half the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and the other half in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the Lord’s servant had previously instructed to them to do for the formal blessing ceremony.


Then Joshua read aloud all the words of the law, including the blessings and the curses, just as they are written in the law scroll.


Joshua read aloud every commandment Moses had given before the whole assembly of Israel, including the women, children, and resident foreigners who lived among them.


When the news reached all the kings on the west side of the Jordan – in the hill country, the lowlands, and all along the Mediterranean coast as far as Lebanon (including the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites) –


they formed an alliance to fight against Joshua and Israel.


When the residents of Gibeon heard what Joshua did to Jericho and Ai,


they did something clever. They collected some provisions and put worn-out sacks on their donkeys, along with worn-out wineskins that were ripped and patched.


They had worn-out, patched sandals on their feet and dressed in worn-out clothes. All their bread was dry and hard.


They came to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land. Make a treaty with us.”


The men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live near us. So how can we make a treaty with you?”


But they said to Joshua, “We are willing to be your subjects.” So Joshua said to them, “Who are you and where do you come from?”


They told him, “Your subjects have come from a very distant land because of the reputation of the Lord your God, for we have heard the news about all he did in Egypt


and all he did to the two Amorite kings on the other side of the Jordan – King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan in Ashtaroth.


Our leaders and all who live in our land told us, ‘Take provisions for your journey and go meet them. Tell them, “We are willing to be your subjects. Make a treaty with us.”’


This bread of ours was warm when we packed it in our homes the day we started out to meet you, but now it is dry and hard.


These wineskins we filled were brand new, but look how they have ripped. Our clothes and sandals have worn out because it has been a very long journey.”


The men examined some of their provisions, but they failed to ask the Lord’s advice.


Joshua made a peace treaty with them and agreed to let them live. The leaders of the community sealed it with an oath.


Three days after they made the treaty with them, the Israelites found out they were from the local area and lived nearby.


So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities – Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.


The Israelites did not attack them because the leaders of the community had sworn an oath to them in the name of the Lord God of Israel. The whole community criticized the leaders,


but all the leaders told the whole community, “We swore an oath to them in the name of the Lord God of Israel. So now we can’t hurt them!


We must let them live so we can escape the curse attached to the oath we swore to them.”


The leaders then added, “Let them live.” So they became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community, as the leaders had decided.


Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said to them, “Why did you trick us by saying, ‘We live far away from you,’ when you really live nearby?


Now you are condemned to perpetual servitude as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”


They said to Joshua, “It was carefully reported to your subjects how the Lord your God commanded Moses his servant to assign you the whole land and to destroy all who live in the land from before you. Because of you we were terrified we would lose our lives, so we did this thing.


So now we are in your power. Do to us what you think is good and appropriate.


Joshua did as they said; he kept the Israelites from killing them


and that day made them woodcutters and water carriers for the community and for the altar of the Lord at the divinely chosen site. (They continue in that capacity to this very day.)


Adoni-Zedek, king of Jerusalem, and its king. He also heard how the people of Gibeon made peace with Israel and lived among them.


All Jerusalem was terrified because Gibeon was a large city, like one of the royal cities. It was larger than Ai and all its men were warriors.


So King Adoni-Zedek of Jerusalem sent this message to King Hoham of Hebron, King Piram of Jarmuth, King Japhia of Lachish, and King Debir of Eglon:


“Come to my aid so we can attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.”


So the five Amorite kings (the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon) and all their troops gathered together and advanced. They deployed their troops and fought against Gibeon.


The men of Gibeon sent this message to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal, “Do not abandon your subjects! Rescue us! Help us! For all the Amorite kings living in the hill country are attacking us.”


So Joshua and his whole army, including the bravest warriors, marched up from Gilgal.


The Lord told Joshua, “Don’t be afraid of them, for I am handing them over to you. Not one of them can resist you.”


Joshua attacked them by surprise after marching all night from Gilgal.


The Lord routed them before Israel. Israel thoroughly defeated them at Gibeon. They chased them up the road to the pass of Beth Horon and struck them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah.


As they fled from Israel on the slope leading down from Beth Horon, the Lord threw down on them large hailstones from the sky, all the way to Azekah. They died – in fact, more died from the hailstones than the Israelites killed with the sword.


The day the Lord delivered the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua prayed to the Lord before Israel: “O sun, stand still over Gibeon! O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon!”


The sun stood still and the moon stood motionless while the nation took vengeance on its enemies. The event is recorded in the Scroll of the Upright One. The sun stood motionless in the middle of the sky and did not set for about a full day.


There has not been a day like it before or since. The Lord obeyed a man, for the Lord fought for Israel!


Then Joshua and all Israel returned to the camp at Gilgal.


The five Amorite kings ran away and hid in the cave at Makkedah.


Joshua was told, “The five kings have been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah.”


Joshua said, “Roll large stones over the mouth of the cave and post guards in front of it.


But don’t you delay! Chase your enemies and catch them! Don’t allow them to retreat to their cities, for the Lord your God is handing them over to you.”


Joshua and the Israelites almost totally wiped them out, but some survivors did escape to the fortified cities.


Then the whole army safely returned to Joshua at the camp in Makkedah. No one dared threaten the Israelites.


Joshua said, “Open the cave’s mouth and bring the five kings out of the cave to me.”


They did as ordered; they brought the five kings out of the cave to him – the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon.


When they brought the kings out to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the commanders of the troops who accompanied him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came up and put their feet on their necks.


Then Joshua said to them, “Don’t be afraid and don’t panic! Be strong and brave, for the Lord will do the same thing to all your enemies you fight.


Then Joshua executed them and hung them on five trees. They were left hanging on the trees until evening.


At sunset Joshua ordered his men to take them down from the trees. They threw them into the cave where they had hidden and piled large stones over the mouth of the cave. (They remain to this very day.)


That day Joshua captured Makkedah and put the sword to it and its king. He annihilated everyone who lived in it; he left no survivors. He did to its king what he had done to the king of Jericho.


Joshua and all Israel marched from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against it.


The Lord handed it and its king over to Israel, and Israel put the sword to all who lived there; they left no survivors. They did to its king what they had done to the king of Jericho.


Joshua and all Israel marched from Libnah to Lachish. He deployed his troops and fought against it.


The Lord handed Lachish over to Israel and they captured it on the second day. They put the sword to all who lived there, just as they had done to Libnah.


Then King Horam of Gezer came up to help Lachish, but Joshua struck down him and his army until no survivors remained.


Joshua and all Israel marched from Lachish to Eglon. They deployed troops and fought against it.


That day they captured it and put the sword to all who lived there. That day they annihilated it just as they had done to Lachish.


Joshua and all Israel marched up from Eglon to Hebron and fought against it.


They captured it and put the sword to its king, all its surrounding cities, and all who lived in it; they left no survivors. As they had done at Eglon, they annihilated it and all who lived there.


Joshua and all Israel turned to Debir and fought against it.


They captured it, its king, and all its surrounding cities and put the sword to them. They annihilated everyone who lived there; they left no survivors. They did to Debir and its king what they had done to Libnah and its king and to Hebron.


Joshua defeated the whole land, including the hill country, the Negev, the lowlands, the slopes, and all their kings. He left no survivors. He annihilated everything that breathed, just as the Lord God of Israel had commanded.


Joshua conquered the area between Kadesh Barnea and Gaza and the whole region of Goshen, all the way to Gibeon.


Joshua captured in one campaign all these kings and their lands, for the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel.


Then Joshua and all Israel returned to the camp at Gilgal.


When King Jabin of Hazor heard the news, he organized a coalition, including King Jobab of Madon, the king of Shimron, the king of Acshaph,


and the northern kings who ruled in the hill country, the Arabah south of Kinnereth, the lowlands, and the heights of Dor to the west.


Canaanites came from the east and west; Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, and Jebusites from the hill country; and Hivites from below Hermon in the area of Mizpah.


These kings came out with their armies; they were as numerous as the sand on the seashore and had a large number of horses and chariots.


All these kings gathered and joined forces at the Waters of Merom to fight Israel.


The Lord told Joshua, “Don’t be afraid of them, for about this time tomorrow I will cause all of them to lie dead before Israel. You must hamstring their horses and burn their chariots.”


Joshua and his whole army caught them by surprise at the Waters of Merom and attacked them.


The Lord handed them over to Israel and they struck them down and chased them all the way to Greater Sidon, Misrephoth Maim, and the Mizpah Valley to the east. They struck them down until no survivors remained.


Joshua did to them as the Lord had commanded him; he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots.


At that time Joshua turned, captured Hazor, and struck down its king with the sword, for Hazor was at that time the leader of all these kingdoms.


They annihilated everyone who lived there with the sword – no one who breathed remained – and burned Hazor.


Joshua captured all these royal cities and all their kings and annihilated them with the sword, as Moses the Lord’s servant had commanded.


But Israel did not burn any of the cities located on mounds, except for Hazor; it was the only one Joshua burned.


The Israelites plundered all the goods of these cities and the cattle, but they totally destroyed all the people and allowed no one who breathed to live.


Moses the Lord’s servant passed on the Lord’s commands to Joshua, and Joshua did as he was told. He did not ignore any of the commands the Lord had given Moses.


Joshua conquered the whole land, including the hill country, all the Negev, all the land of Goshen, the lowlands, the Arabah, the hill country of Israel and its lowlands,


from Mount Halak on up to Seir, as far as Baal Gad in the Lebanon Valley below Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings and executed them.


Joshua campaigned against these kings for quite some time.


No city made peace with the Israelites (except the Hivites living in Gibeon); they had to conquer all of them,


for the Lord determined to make them obstinate so they would attack Israel. He wanted Israel to annihilate them without mercy, as he had instructed Moses.


At that time Joshua attacked and eliminated the Anakites from the hill country – from Hebron, Debir, Anab, and all the hill country of Judah and Israel. Joshua annihilated them and their cities.


No Anakites were left in Israelite territory, though some remained in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod.


Joshua conquered the whole land, just as the Lord had promised Moses, and he assigned Israel their tribal portions. Then the land was free of war.


Now these are the kings of the land whom the Israelites defeated and drove from their land on the east side of the Jordan, from the Arnon Valley to Mount Hermon, including all the eastern Arabah:


King Sihon of the Amorites who lived in Heshbon and ruled from Aroer (on the edge of the Arnon Valley) – including the city in the middle of the valley and half of Gilead – all the way to the Jabbok Valley bordering Ammonite territory.


His kingdom included the eastern Arabah from the Sea of Kinnereth to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea), including the route to Beth Jeshimoth and the area southward below the slopes of Pisgah.


The territory of King Og of Bashan, one of the few remaining Rephaites, who lived in Ashtaroth and Edrei


and ruled over Mount Hermon, Salecah, all of Bashan to the border of the Geshurites and Maacathites, and half of Gilead as far as the border of King Sihon of Heshbon.


Moses the Lord’s servant and the Israelites defeated them and Moses the Lord’s servant assigned their land to Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh.


These are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the Israelites defeated on the west side of the Jordan, from Baal Gad in the Lebanon Valley to Mount Halak on up to Seir. Joshua assigned this territory to the Israelite tribes,


including the hill country, the lowlands, the Arabah, the slopes, the wilderness, and the Negev – the land of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites:


the king of Jericho (one), the king of Ai – located near Bethel – (one),


the king of Jerusalem (one), the king of Hebron (one),


the king of Jarmuth (one), the king of Lachish (one),


the king of Eglon (one), the king of Gezer (one),


the king of Debir (one), the king of Geder (one),


the king of Hormah (one), the king of Arad (one),


the king of Libnah (one), the king of Adullam (one),


the king of Makkedah (one), the king of Bethel (one),


the king of Tappuah (one), the king of Hepher (one),


the king of Aphek (one), the king of Lasharon (one),


the king of Madon (one), the king of Hazor (one),


the king of Shimron Meron (one), the king of Acshaph (one),


the king of Taanach (one), the king of Megiddo (one),


the king of Kedesh (one), the king of Jokneam near Carmel (one),


the king of Dor – near Naphath Dor – (one), the king of Goyim – near Gilgal – (one),


the king of Tirzah (one), a total of thirty-one kings.


When Joshua was very old, the Lord told him, “You are very old, and a great deal of land remains to be conquered.


This is the land that remains: all the territory of the Philistines and all the Geshurites,


from the Shihor River east of Egypt northward to the territory of Ekron (it is regarded as Canaanite territory), including the area belonging to the five Philistine lords who ruled in Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, as well as Avvite land


to the south; all the Canaanite territory, from Arah in the region of Sidon to Aphek, as far as Amorite territory;


the territory of Byblos and all Lebanon to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo Hamath.


I will drive out before the Israelites all who live in the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, all the Sidonians; you be sure to parcel it out to Israel as I instructed you.”


Now, divide up this land among the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.”


The other half of Manasseh, Reuben, and Gad received their allotted tribal lands beyond the Jordan, just as Moses, the Lord’s servant, had assigned them.


Their territory started from Aroer (on the edge of the Arnon Valley), included the city in the middle of the valley, the whole plain of Medeba as far as Dibon,


and all the cities of King Sihon of the Amorites who ruled in Heshbon, and ended at the Ammonite border.


Their territory also included Gilead, Geshurite and Maacathite territory, all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan to Salecah –


the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who ruled in Ashtaroth and Edrei. (He was one of the few remaining Rephaites.) Moses defeated them and took their lands.


But the Israelites did not conquer the Geshurites and Maacathites; Geshur and Maacah live among Israel to this very day.


However, Moses did not assign land as an inheritance to the Levites; their inheritance is the sacrificial offerings made to the Lord God of Israel, as he instructed them.


Moses assigned land to the tribe of Reuben by its clans.


Their territory started at Aroer (on the edge of the Arnon Valley) and included the city in the middle of the valley, the whole plain of Medeba,


Heshbon and all its surrounding cities on the plain, including Dibon, Bamoth Baal, Beth Baal Meon,


Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath,


Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar on the hill in the valley,


Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth.


It encompassed all the cities of the plain and the whole realm of King Sihon of the Amorites who ruled in Heshbon. Moses defeated him and the Midianite leaders Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba (they were subjects of Sihon and lived in his territory).


The Israelites killed Balaam son of Beor, the omen reader, along with the others.


The border of the tribe of Reuben was the Jordan. The land allotted to the tribe of Reuben by its clans included these cities and their towns.


Moses assigned land to the tribe of Gad by its clans.


Their territory included Jazer, all the cities of Gilead, and half of Ammonite territory as far as Aroer near Rabbah.


Their territory ran from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the territory of Debir.


It included the valley of Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon, and the rest of the realm of King Sihon of Heshbon, the area east of the Jordan to the end of the Sea of Kinnereth.


The land allotted to the tribe of Gad by its clans included these cities and their towns.


Moses assigned land to the half-tribe of Manasseh by its clans.


Their territory started at Mahanaim and encompassed all Bashan, the whole realm of King Og of Bashan, including all sixty cities in Havvoth Jair in Bashan.


Half of Gilead, Ashtaroth, and Edrei, cities in the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were assigned to the descendants of Makir son of Manasseh, to half the descendants of Makir by their clans.


These are the land assignments made by Moses on the plains of Moab east of the Jordan River opposite Jericho.


However, Moses did not assign land as an inheritance to the Levites; their inheritance is the Lord God of Israel, as he instructed them.


The following is a record of the territory assigned to the Israelites in the land of Canaan by Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the Israelite tribal leaders.


The land assignments to the nine-and-a-half tribes were made by drawing lots, as the Lord had instructed Moses.


Now Moses had assigned land to the two-and-a-half tribes east of the Jordan, but he assigned no land to the Levites.


The descendants of Joseph were considered as two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. The Levites were allotted no territory, though they were assigned cities in which to live, along with the grazing areas for their cattle and possessions.


The Israelites followed the Lord’s instructions to Moses and divided up the land.


The men of Judah approached Joshua in Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said about you and me to Moses, the man of God, at Kadesh Barnea.


I was forty years old when Moses, the Lord’s servant, sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy on the land and I brought back to him an honest report.


My countrymen who accompanied me frightened the people, but I remained loyal to the Lord my God.


That day Moses made this solemn promise: ‘Surely the land on which you walked will belong to you and your descendants permanently, for you remained loyal to the Lord your God.’


So now, look, the Lord has preserved my life, just as he promised, these past forty-five years since the Lord spoke these words to Moses, during which Israel traveled through the wilderness. Now look, I am today eighty-five years old.


Today I am still as strong as when Moses sent me out. I can fight and go about my daily activities with the same energy I had then.


Now, assign me this hill country which the Lord promised me at that time! No doubt you heard at that time that the Anakites live there in large, fortified cities. But, assuming the Lord is with me, I will conquer them, as the Lord promised.”


Joshua asked God to empower Caleb son of Jephunneh and assigned him Hebron.


So Hebron remains the assigned land of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this very day because he remained loyal to the Lord God of Israel.


(Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba. Arba was a famous Anakite. ) Then the land was free of war.


The land allotted to the tribe of Judah by its clans reached to the border of Edom, to the Wilderness of Zin in the Negev far to the south.


Their southern border started at the southern tip of the Salt Sea,


extended south of the Scorpion Ascent, crossed to Zin, went up from the south to Kadesh Barnea, crossed to Hezron, went up to Addar, and turned toward Karka.


It then crossed to Azmon, extended to the Stream of Egypt, and ended at the sea. This was their southern border.


The eastern border was the Salt Sea to the mouth of the Jordan River. The northern border started north of the Salt Sea at the mouth of the Jordan,


went up to Beth Hoglah, crossed north of Beth Arabah, and went up to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben.


It then went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor, turning northward to Gilgal (which is opposite the Pass of Adummim south of the valley), crossed to the waters of En Shemesh and extended to En Rogel.


It then went up the Valley of Ben Hinnom to the slope of the Jebusites on the south (that is, Jerusalem), going up to the top of the hill opposite the Valley of Ben Hinnom to the west, which is at the end of the Valley of the Rephaites to the north.


It then went from the top of the hill to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, extended to the cities of Mount Ephron, and went to Baalah (that is, Kiriath Jearim).


It then turned from Baalah westward to Mount Seir, crossed to the slope of Mount Jearim on the north (that is Kesalon), descended to Beth Shemesh, and crossed to Timnah.


It then extended to the slope of Ekron to the north, went toward Shikkeron, crossed to Mount Baalah, extended to Jabneel, and ended at the sea.


The western border was the Mediterranean Sea. These were the borders of the tribe of Judah and its clans.


Caleb son of Jephunneh was assigned Kiriath Arba (that is Hebron) within the tribe of Judah, according to the Lord’s instructions to Joshua. (Arba was the father of Anak.)


Caleb drove out from there three Anakites – Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, descendants of Anak.


From there he attacked the people of Debir. (Debir used to be called Kiriath Sepher.)


Caleb said, “To the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher I will give my daughter Acsah as a wife.”


When Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother, captured it, Caleb gave Acsah his daughter to him as a wife.


One time Acsah came and charmed her father so that she could ask him for some land. When she got down from her donkey, Caleb said to her, “What would you like?”


She answered, “Please give me a special present. Since you have given me land in the Negev, now give me springs of water. So he gave her both upper and lower springs.


This is the land assigned to the tribe of Judah by its clans:


These cities were located at the southern extremity of Judah’s tribal land near the border of Edom: Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur,


Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,


Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan,


Ziph, Telem, Bealoth,


Hazor Hadattah, Kerioth Hezron (that is, Hazor),


Amam, Shema, Moladah,


Hazar Gaddah, Heshbon, Beth Pelet,


Hazar Shual, Beer Sheba, Biziothiah,


Baalah, Iim, Ezem,


Eltolad, Kesil, Hormah,


Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,


Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon – a total of twenty-nine cities and their towns.


These cities were in the lowlands: Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah,


Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam,


Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,


Shaaraim, Adithaim, and Gederah (or Gederothaim) – a total of fourteen cities and their towns.


Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad,


Dilean, Mizpah, Joktheel,


Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,


Cabbon, Lahmas, Kitlish,


Gederoth, Beth Dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah – a total of sixteen cities and their towns.


Libnah, Ether, Ashan,


Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,


Keilah, Aczib, and Mareshah – a total of nine cities and their towns.


Ekron and its surrounding towns and settlements;


from Ekron westward, all those in the vicinity of Ashdod and their towns;


Ashdod with its surrounding towns and settlements, and Gaza with its surrounding towns and settlements, as far as the Stream of Egypt and the border at the Mediterranean Sea.


These cities were in the hill country: Shamir, Jattir, Socoh,


Dannah, Kiriath Sannah (that is, Debir),


Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,


Goshen, Holon, and Giloh – a total of eleven cities and their towns.


Arab, Dumah, Eshan,


Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah,


Humtah, Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior – a total of nine cities and their towns.


Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah,


Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah,


Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah – a total of ten cities and their towns.


Halhul, Beth Zur, Gedor,


Maarath, Beth Anoth, and Eltekon – a total of six cities and their towns.


Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim) and Rabbah – a total of two cities and their towns.


These cities were in the desert: Beth Arabah, Middin, Secacah,


Nibshan, the city of Salt, and En Gedi – a total of six cities and their towns.


The men of Judah were unable to conquer the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. The Jebusites live with the people of Judah in Jerusalem to this very day.


The land allotted to Joseph’s descendants extended from the Jordan at Jericho


The southern border extended from Bethel to Luz, and crossed to Arkite territory at Ataroth.


It then descended westward to Japhletite territory, as far as the territory of lower Beth Horon and Gezer, and ended at the sea.


Joseph’s descendants, Manasseh and Ephraim, were assigned their land.


The territory of the tribe of Ephraim by its clans included the following: The border of their assigned land to the east was Ataroth Addar as far as upper Beth Horon.


It then extended on to the sea, with Micmethath on the north. It turned eastward to Taanath Shiloh and crossed it on the east to Janoah.


It then descended from Janoah to Ataroth and Naarah, touched Jericho, and extended to the Jordan River.


From Tappuah it went westward to the Valley of Kanah and ended at the sea. This is the land assigned to the tribe of Ephraim by its clans.


Also included were the cities set apart for the tribe of Ephraim within Manasseh’s territory, along with their towns.


The Ephraimites did not conquer the Canaanites living in Gezer. The Canaanites live among the Ephraimites to this very day and do hard labor as their servants.


The tribe of Manasseh, Joseph’s firstborn son, was also allotted land. The descendants of Makir, Manasseh’s firstborn and the father of Gilead, received land, for they were warriors. They were assigned Gilead and Bashan.


The rest of Manasseh’s descendants were also assigned land by their clans, including the descendants of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These are the male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph by their clans.


Now Zelophehad son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Makir, son of Manasseh, had no sons, only daughters. These are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.


They went before Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders and said, “The Lord told Moses to assign us land among our relatives.” So Joshua assigned them land among their uncles, as the Lord had commanded.


Manasseh was allotted ten shares of land, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan,


for the daughters of Manasseh were assigned land among his sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the descendants of Manasseh.


The border of Manasseh went from Asher to Micmethath which is near Shechem. It then went south toward those who live in Tappuah.


(The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but Tappuah, located on the border of Manasseh, belonged to the tribe of Ephraim.)


The border then descended southward to the Valley of Kanah. Ephraim was assigned cities there among the cities of Manasseh, but the border of Manasseh was north of the valley and ended at the sea.


Ephraim’s territory was to the south, and Manasseh’s to the north. The sea was Manasseh’s western border and their territory touched Asher on the north and Issachar on the east.


Within Issachar’s and Asher’s territory Manasseh was assigned Beth Shean, Ibleam, the residents of Dor, En Dor, the residents of Taanach, the residents of Megiddo, the three of Napheth, and the towns surrounding all these cities.


But the men of Manasseh were unable to conquer these cities; the Canaanites managed to remain in those areas.


Whenever the Israelites were strong militarily, they forced the Canaanites to do hard labor, but they never totally conquered them.


The descendants of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you assigned us only one tribal allotment? After all, we have many people, for until now the Lord has enabled us to increase in number.”


Joshua replied to them, “Since you have so many people, go up into the forest and clear out a place to live in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites, for the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you.”


The descendants of Joseph said, “The whole hill country is inadequate for us, and the Canaanites living down in the valley in Beth Shean and its surrounding towns and in the Valley of Jezreel have chariots with iron-rimmed wheels.”


Joshua said to the family of Joseph – to both Ephraim and Manasseh: “You have many people and great military strength. You will not have just one tribal allotment.


The whole hill country will be yours; though it is a forest, you can clear it and it will be entirely yours. You can conquer the Canaanites, though they have chariots with iron-rimmed wheels and are strong.”


The entire Israelite community assembled at Shiloh and there they set up the tent of meeting. Though they had subdued the land,


seven Israelite tribes had not been assigned their allotted land.


So Joshua said to the Israelites: “How long do you intend to put off occupying the land the Lord God of your ancestors has given you?


Pick three men from each tribe. I will send them out to walk through the land and make a map of it for me.


Divide it into seven regions. Judah will stay in its territory in the south, and the family of Joseph in its territory in the north.


But as for you, map out the land into seven regions and bring it to me. I will draw lots for you here before the Lord our God.


But the Levites will not have an allotted portion among you, for their inheritance is to serve the Lord. Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have already received their allotted land east of the Jordan which Moses the Lord’s servant assigned them.”


When the men started out, Joshua told those going to map out the land, “Go, walk through the land, map it out, and return to me. Then I will draw lots for you before the Lord here in Shiloh.”


The men journeyed through the land and mapped it and its cities out into seven regions on a scroll. Then they came to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh.


Joshua drew lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord and divided the land among the Israelites according to their allotted portions.


The first lot belonged to the tribe of Benjamin by its clans. Their allotted territory was between Judah and Joseph.


Their northern border started at the Jordan, went up to the slope of Jericho on the north, ascended westward to the hill country, and extended to the desert of Beth Aven.


It then crossed from there to Luz, to the slope of Luz to the south (that is, Bethel), and descended to Ataroth Addar located on the hill that is south of lower Beth Horon.


It then turned on the west side southward from the hill near Beth Horon on the south and extended to Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim), a city belonging to the tribe of Judah. This is the western border.


The southern side started on the edge of Kiriath Jearim and extended westward to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah.


The border then descended to the edge of the hill country near the Valley of Ben Hinnom located in the Valley of the Rephaites to the north. It descended through the Valley of Hinnom to the slope of the Jebusites to the south and then down to En Rogel.


It went northward, extending to En Shemesh and Geliloth opposite the Pass of Adummim, and descended to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben.


It crossed to the slope in front of the Arabah to the north and descended into the Arabah.


It then crossed to the slope of Beth Hoglah to the north and ended at the northern tip of the Salt Sea at the mouth of the Jordan River. This was the southern border.


The Jordan River borders it on the east. These were the borders of the land assigned to the tribe of Benjamin by its clans.


These cities belonged to the tribe of Benjamin by its clans: Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz,


Beth Arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,


Avvim, Parah, Ophrah,


Kephar Ammoni, Ophni, and Geba – a total of twelve cities and their towns.


Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth,


Mizpah, Kephirah, Mozah,


Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah,


Zelah, Haeleph, the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath – a total of fourteen cities and their towns. This was the land assigned to the tribe of Benjamin by its clans.


The second lot belonged to the tribe of Simeon by its clans.


Their assigned land included Beer Sheba, Moladah,


Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem,


Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah,


Ziklag, Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susah,


Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen – a total of thirteen cities and their towns,


Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan – a total of four cities and their towns,


as well as all the towns around these cities as far as Baalath Beer (Ramah of the Negev). This was the land assigned to the tribe of Simeon by its clans.


Simeon’s assigned land was taken from Judah’s allotted portion, for Judah’s territory was too large for them; so Simeon was assigned land within Judah.


The third lot belonged to the tribe of Zebulun by its clans. The border of their territory extended to Sarid.


Their border went up westward to Maralah and touched Dabbesheth and the valley near Jokneam.


From Sarid it turned eastward to the territory of Kisloth Tabor, extended to Daberath, and went up to Japhia.


From there it crossed eastward to Gath Hepher and Eth Kazin and extended to Rimmon, turning toward Neah.


It then turned on the north to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah El.


Their territory included Kattah, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem; in all they had twelve cities and their towns.


This was the land assigned to the tribe of Zebulun by its clans, including these cities and their towns.


The fourth lot belonged to the tribe of Issachar by its clans.


Their assigned land included Jezreel, Kesulloth, Shunem,


Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath,


Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez,


Remeth, En Gannim, En Haddah and Beth Pazzez.


Their border touched Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth Shemesh, and ended at the Jordan. They had sixteen cities and their towns.


This was the land assigned to the tribe of Issachar by its clans, including the cities and their towns.


The fifth lot belonged to the tribe of Asher by its clans.


Their territory included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Acshaph,


Alammelech, Amad, and Mishal. Their border touched Carmel to the west and Shihor Libnath.


It turned eastward toward Beth Dagon, touched Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtah El to the north, as well as the Valley of Emek and Neiel, and extended to Cabul on the north


and on to Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon.


It then turned toward Ramah as far as the fortified city of Tyre, turned to Hosah, and ended at the sea near Hebel, Aczib,


Umah, Aphek, and Rehob. In all they had twenty-two cities and their towns.


This was the land assigned to the tribe of Asher by its clans, including these cities and their towns.


The sixth lot belonged to the tribe of Naphtali by its clans.


Their border started at Heleph and the oak of Zaanannim, went to Adami Nekeb, Jabneel and on to Lakkum, and ended at the Jordan River.


It turned westward to Aznoth Tabor, extended from there to Hukok, touched Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west, and the Jordan on the east.


The fortified cities included Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Kinnereth,


Adamah, Ramah, Hazor,


Kedesh, Edrei, En Hazor,


Yiron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath, and Beth Shemesh. In all they had nineteen cities and their towns.


This was the land assigned to the tribe of Naphtali by its clans, including the cities and their towns.


The seventh lot belonged to the tribe of Dan by its clans.


Their assigned land included Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir Shemesh,


Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah,


Elon, Timnah, Ekron,


Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath,


Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon,


the waters of Jarkon, and Rakkon, including the territory in front of Joppa.


(The Danites failed to conquer their territory, so they went up and fought with Leshem and captured it. They put the sword to it, took possession of it, and lived in it. They renamed it Dan after their ancestor. )


This was the land assigned to the tribe of Dan by its clans, including these cities and their towns.


When they finished dividing the land into its regions, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun some land.


As the Lord had instructed, they gave him the city he requested – Timnath Serah in the Ephraimite hill country. He built up the city and lived in it.


These are the land assignments which Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the Israelite tribal leaders made by drawing lots in Shiloh before the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting. So they finished dividing up the land.


The Lord instructed Joshua:


“Have the Israelites select the cities of refuge that I told you about through Moses.


Anyone who accidentally kills someone can escape there; these cities will be a place of asylum from the avenger of blood.


The one who committed manslaughter should escape to one of these cities, stand at the entrance of the city gate, and present his case to the leaders of that city. They should then bring him into the city, give him a place to stay, and let him live there.


When the avenger of blood comes after him, they must not hand over to him the one who committed manslaughter, for he accidentally killed his fellow man without premeditation.


He must remain in that city until his case is decided by the assembly and the high priest dies. Then the one who committed manslaughter may return home to the city from which he escaped.”


So they selected Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.


Beyond the Jordan east of Jericho they selected Bezer in the desert on the plain belonging to the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead belonging to the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan belonging to the tribe of Manasseh.


These were the cities of refuge appointed for all the Israelites and for resident foreigners living among them. Anyone who accidentally killed someone could escape there and not be executed by the avenger of blood, at least until his case was reviewed by the assembly.


The tribal leaders of the Levites went before Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun and the Israelite tribal leaders


in Shiloh in the land of Canaan and said, “The Lord told Moses to assign us cities in which to live along with the grazing areas for our cattle.”


So the Israelites assigned these cities and their grazing areas to the Levites from their own holdings, as the Lord had instructed.


The first lot belonged to the Kohathite clans. The Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest were allotted thirteen cities from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.


The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten cities from the clans of the tribe of Ephraim, and from the tribe of Dan and the half-tribe of Manasseh.


Gershon’s descendants were allotted thirteen cities from the clans of the tribe of Issachar, and from the tribes of Asher and Naphtali and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.


Merari’s descendants by their clans were allotted twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.


So the Israelites assigned to the Levites by lot these cities and their grazing areas, as the Lord had instructed Moses.


They assigned from the tribes of Judah and Simeon the cities listed below.


They were assigned to the Kohathite clans of the Levites who were descendants of Aaron, for the first lot belonged to them.


They assigned them Kiriath Arba (Arba was the father of Anak), that is, Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, along with its surrounding grazing areas.


(Now the city’s fields and surrounding towns they had assigned to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his property.)


So to the descendants of Aaron the priest they assigned Hebron (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter), Libnah,


Jattir, Eshtemoa,


Holon, Debir,


Ain, Juttah, and Beth Shemesh, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of nine cities taken from these two tribes.


From the tribe of Benjamin they assigned Gibeon, Geba,


Anathoth, and Almon, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities.


The priests descended from Aaron received thirteen cities and their grazing areas.


The rest of the Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted cities from the tribe of Ephraim.


They assigned them Shechem (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter) in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer,


Kibzaim, and Beth Horon, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities.


From the tribe of Dan they assigned Eltekeh, Gibbethon,


Aijalon, and Gath Rimmon, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities.


From the half-tribe of Manasseh they assigned Taanach and Gath Rimmon, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of two cities.


The rest of the Kohathite clans received ten cities and their grazing areas.


They assigned to the Gershonite clans of the Levites the following cities: from the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter) and Beeshtarah, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of two cities;


from the tribe of Issachar: Kishon, Daberath,


Jarmuth, and En Gannim, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities;


from the tribe of Asher: Mishal, Abdon,


Helkath, and Rehob, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities;


from the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter), Hammoth Dor, and Kartan, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of three cities.


The Gershonite clans received thirteen cities and their grazing areas.


They assigned to the Merarite clans (the remaining Levites) the following cities: from the tribe of Zebulun: Jokneam, Kartah,


Dimnah, and Nahalal, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities;


from the tribe of Reuben: Bezer, Jahaz,


Kedemoth, and Mephaath, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities;


from the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter), Mahanaim,


Heshbon, and Jazer, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of four cities.


The Merarite clans (the remaining Levites) were allotted twelve cities.


The Levites received within the land owned by the Israelites forty-eight cities in all and their grazing areas.


Each of these cities had grazing areas around it; they were alike in this regard.


So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had solemnly promised to their ancestors, and they conquered it and lived in it.


The Lord made them secure, in fulfillment of all he had solemnly promised their ancestors. None of their enemies could resist them.


Not one of the Lord’s faithful promises to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; every one was realized.


Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh


and told them: “You have carried out all the instructions of Moses the Lord’s servant, and you have obeyed all I have told you.


You have not abandoned your fellow Israelites this entire time, right up to this very day. You have completed the task given you by the Lord your God.


Now the Lord your God has made your fellow Israelites secure, just as he promised them. So now you may turn around and go to your homes in your own land which Moses the Lord’s servant assigned to you east of the Jordan.


But carefully obey the commands and instructions Moses the Lord’s servant gave you. Love the Lord your God, follow all his instructions, obey his commands, be loyal to him, and serve him with all your heart and being!”


Joshua rewarded them and sent them on their way; they returned to their homes.


(Now to one half-tribe of Manasseh, Moses had assigned land in Bashan; and to the other half Joshua had assigned land on the west side of the Jordan with their fellow Israelites.) When Joshua sent them home, he rewarded them,


saying, “Take home great wealth, a lot of cattle, silver, gold, bronze, iron, and a lot of clothing. Divide up the goods captured from your enemies with your brothers.”


So the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh left the Israelites in Shiloh in the land of Canaan and headed home to their own land in Gilead, which they acquired by the Lord’s command through Moses.


The Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh came to Geliloth near the Jordan in the land of Canaan and built there, near the Jordan, an impressive altar.


The Israelites received this report: “Look, the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar at the entrance to the land of Canaan, at Geliloth near the Jordan on the Israelite side.”


When the Israelites heard this, the entire Israelite community assembled at Shiloh to launch an attack against them.


The Israelites sent Phinehas, son of Eleazar, the priest, to the land of Gilead to the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.


He was accompanied by ten leaders, one from each of the Israelite tribes, each one a family leader among the Israelite clans.


They went to the land of Gilead to the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and said to them:


“The entire community of the Lord says, ‘Why have you disobeyed the God of Israel by turning back today from following the Lord? You built an altar for yourselves and have rebelled today against the Lord.


The sin we committed at Peor was bad enough. To this very day we have not purified ourselves; it even brought a plague on the community of the Lord.


Now today you dare to turn back from following the Lord! You are rebelling today against the Lord; tomorrow he may break out in anger against the entire community of Israel.


But if your own land is impure, cross over to the Lord’s own land, where the Lord himself lives, and settle down among us. But don’t rebel against the Lord or us by building for yourselves an altar aside from the altar of the Lord our God.


When Achan son of Zerah disobeyed the command about the city’s riches, the entire Israelite community was judged, though only one man had sinned. He most certainly died for his sin!’”


The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered the leaders of the Israelite clans:


“El, God, the Lord! El, God, the Lord! He knows the truth! Israel must also know! If we have rebelled or disobeyed the Lord, don’t spare us today!


If we have built an altar for ourselves to turn back from following the Lord by making burnt sacrifices and grain offerings on it, or by offering tokens of peace on it, the Lord himself will punish us.


We swear we have done this because we were worried that in the future your descendants would say to our descendants, ‘What relationship do you have with the Lord God of Israel?


The Lord made the Jordan a boundary between us and you Reubenites and Gadites. You have no right to worship the Lord.’ In this way your descendants might cause our descendants to stop obeying the Lord.


So we decided to build this altar, not for burnt offerings and sacrifices,


but as a reminder to us and you, and to our descendants who follow us, that we will honor the Lord in his very presence with burnt offerings, sacrifices, and tokens of peace. Then in the future your descendants will not be able to say to our descendants, ‘You have no right to worship the Lord.’


We said, ‘If in the future they say such a thing to us or to our descendants, we will reply, “See the model of the Lord’s altar that our ancestors made, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but as a reminder to us and you.”’


Far be it from us to rebel against the Lord by turning back today from following after the Lord by building an altar for burnt offerings, sacrifices, and tokens of peace aside from the altar of the Lord our God located in front of his dwelling place!”


When Phinehas the priest and the community leaders and clan leaders who accompanied him heard the defense of the Reubenites, Gadites, and the Manassehites, they were satisfied.


Phinehas, son of Eleazar, the priest, said to the Reubenites, Gadites, and the Manassehites, “Today we know that the Lord is among us, because you have not disobeyed the Lord in this. Now you have rescued the Israelites from the Lord’s judgment.”


Phinehas, son of Eleazar, the priest, and the leaders left the Reubenites and Gadites in the land of Gilead and reported back to the Israelites in the land of Canaan.


The Israelites were satisfied with their report and gave thanks to God. They said nothing more about launching an attack to destroy the land in which the Reubenites and Gadites lived.


The Reubenites and Gadites named the altar, “Surely it is a Reminder to us that the Lord is God.”


A long time passed after the Lord made Israel secure from all their enemies, and Joshua was very old.


So Joshua summoned all Israel, including the elders, rulers, judges, and leaders, and told them: “I am very old.


You saw everything the Lord your God did to all these nations on your behalf, for the Lord your God fights for you.


See, I have parceled out to your tribes these remaining nations, from the Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, including all the nations I defeated.


The Lord your God will drive them out from before you and remove them, so you can occupy their land as the Lord your God promised you.


Be very strong! Carefully obey all that is written in the law scroll of Moses so you won’t swerve from it to the right or the left,


or associate with these nations that remain near you. You must not invoke or make solemn declarations by the names of their gods! You must not worship or bow down to them!


But you must be loyal to the Lord your God, as you have been to this very day.


“The Lord drove out from before you great and mighty nations; no one has been able to resist you to this very day.


One of you makes a thousand run away, for the Lord your God fights for you as he promised you he would.


Watch yourselves carefully! Love the Lord your God!


But if you ever turn away and make alliances with these nations that remain near you, and intermarry with them and establish friendly relations with them,


know for certain that the Lord our God will no longer drive out these nations from before you. They will trap and ensnare you; they will be a whip that tears your sides and thorns that blind your eyes until you disappear from this good land the Lord your God gave you.


“Look, today I am about to die. You know with all your heart and being that not even one of all the faithful promises the Lord your God made to you is left unfulfilled; every one was realized – not one promise is unfulfilled!


But in the same way every faithful promise the Lord your God made to you has been realized, it is just as certain, if you disobey, that the Lord will bring on you every judgment until he destroys you from this good land which the Lord your God gave you.


If you violate the covenantal laws of the Lord your God which he commanded you to keep, and follow, worship, and bow down to other gods, the Lord will be very angry with you and you will disappear quickly from the good land which he gave to you.”


Joshua assembled all the Israelite tribes at Shechem. He summoned Israel’s elders, rulers, judges, and leaders, and they appeared before God.


Joshua told all the people, “Here is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘In the distant past your ancestors lived beyond the Euphrates River, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor. They worshiped other gods,


but I took your father Abraham from beyond the Euphrates and brought him into the entire land of Canaan. I made his descendants numerous; I gave him Isaac,


and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I assigned Mount Seir, while Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt.


I sent Moses and Aaron, and I struck Egypt down when I intervened in their land. Then I brought you out.


When I brought your fathers out of Egypt, you arrived at the sea. The Egyptians chased your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea.


Your fathers cried out for help to the Lord; he made the area between you and the Egyptians dark, and then drowned them in the sea. You witnessed with your very own eyes what I did in Egypt. You lived in the wilderness for a long time.


Then I brought you to the land of the Amorites who lived east of the Jordan. They fought with you, but I handed them over to you; you conquered their land and I destroyed them from before you.


Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, launched an attack against Israel. He summoned Balaam son of Beor to call down judgment on you.


I refused to respond to Balaam; he kept prophesying good things about you, and I rescued you from his power.


You crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho. The leaders of Jericho, as well as the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites, and Jebusites, fought with you, but I handed them over to you.


I sent terror ahead of you to drive out before you the two Amorite kings. I gave you the victory; it was not by your swords or bows.


I gave you a land in which you had not worked hard; you took up residence in cities you did not build and you are eating the produce of vineyards and olive groves you did not plant.’


Now obey the Lord and worship him with integrity and loyalty. Put aside the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates and in Egypt and worship the Lord.


If you have no desire to worship the Lord, choose today whom you will worship, whether it be the gods whom your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But I and my family will worship the Lord!”


The people responded, “Far be it from us to abandon the Lord so we can worship other gods!


For the Lord our God took us and our fathers out of slavery in the land of Egypt and performed these awesome miracles before our very eyes. He continually protected us as we traveled and when we passed through nations.


The Lord drove out from before us all the nations, including the Amorites who lived in the land. So we too will worship the Lord, for he is our God!”


Joshua warned the people, “You will not keep worshiping the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God who will not forgive your rebellion or your sins.


If you abandon the Lord and worship foreign gods, he will turn against you; he will bring disaster on you and destroy you, though he once treated you well.”


The people said to Joshua, “No! We really will worship the Lord!”


Joshua said to the people, “Do you agree to be witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to worship the Lord?” They replied, “We are witnesses!”


Joshua said, “Now put aside the foreign gods that are among you and submit to the Lord God of Israel.”


The people said to Joshua, “We will worship the Lord our God and obey him.”


That day Joshua drew up an agreement for the people, and he established rules and regulations for them in Shechem.


Joshua wrote these words in the Law Scroll of God. He then took a large stone and set it up there under the oak tree near the Lord’s shrine.


Joshua said to all the people, “Look, this stone will be a witness against you, for it has heard everything the Lord said to us. It will be a witness against you if you deny your God.”


When Joshua dismissed the people, they went to their allotted portions of land.


After all this Joshua son of Nun, the Lord’s servant, died at the age of one hundred ten.


They buried him in his allotted territory in Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.


Israel worshiped the Lord throughout Joshua’s lifetime and as long as the elderly men who outlived him remained alive. These men had experienced firsthand everything the Lord had done for Israel.


The bones of Joseph, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the part of the field that Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for one hundred pieces of money. So it became the inheritance of the tribe of Joseph.


Eleazar son of Aaron died, and they buried him in Gibeah in the hill country of Ephraim, where his son Phinehas had been assigned land.


After Joshua died, the Israelites asked the Lord, “Who should lead the invasion against the Canaanites and launch the attack?”


The Lord said, “The men of Judah should take the lead. Be sure of this! I am handing the land over to them.”


The men of Judah said to their relatives, the men of Simeon, “Invade our allotted land with us and help us attack the Canaanites. Then we will go with you into your allotted land.” So the men of Simeon went with them.


The men of Judah attacked, and the Lord handed the Canaanites and Perizzites over to them. They killed ten thousand men at Bezek.


They met Adoni-Bezek at Bezek and fought him. They defeated the Canaanites and Perizzites.


When Adoni-Bezek ran away, they chased him and captured him. Then they cut off his thumbs and big toes.


Adoni-Bezek said, “Seventy kings, with thumbs and big toes cut off, used to lick up food scraps under my table. God has repaid me for what I did to them.” They brought him to Jerusalem, where he died.


The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem and captured it. They put the sword to it and set the city on fire.


Later the men of Judah went down to attack the Canaanites living in the hill country, the Negev, and the lowlands.


The men of Judah attacked the Canaanites living in Hebron. (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba.) They killed Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.


From there they attacked the people of Debir. (Debir used to be called Kiriath Sepher.)


Caleb said, “To the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher I will give my daughter Acsah as a wife.”


When Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, captured it, Caleb gave him his daughter Acsah as a wife.


One time Acsah came and charmed her father so she could ask him for some land. When she got down from her donkey, Caleb said to her, “What would you like?”


She answered, “Please give me a special present. Since you have given me land in the Negev, now give me springs of water.” So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs.


Now the descendants of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up with the people of Judah from the City of Date Palm Trees to Arad in the desert of Judah, located in the Negev. They went and lived with the people of Judah.


The men of Judah went with their brothers the men of Simeon and defeated the Canaanites living in Zephath. They wiped out Zephath. So people now call the city Hormah.


The men of Judah captured Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron, and the territory surrounding each of these cities.


The Lord was with the men of Judah. They conquered the hill country, but they could not conquer the people living in the coastal plain, because they had chariots with iron-rimmed wheels.


Caleb received Hebron, just as Moses had promised. He drove out the three Anakites.


The men of Benjamin, however, did not conquer the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. The Jebusites live with the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this very day.


When the men of Joseph attacked Bethel, the Lord was with them.


When the men of Joseph spied out Bethel (it used to be called Luz),


the spies spotted a man leaving the city. They said to him, “If you show us a secret entrance into the city, we will reward you.”


He showed them a secret entrance into the city, and they put the city to the sword. But they let the man and his extended family leave safely.


He moved to Hittite country and built a city. He named it Luz, and it has kept that name to this very day.


The men of Manasseh did not conquer Beth Shan, Taanach, or their surrounding towns. Nor did they conquer the people living in Dor, Ibleam, Megiddo or their surrounding towns. The Canaanites managed to remain in those areas.


Whenever Israel was strong militarily, they forced the Canaanites to do hard labor, but they never totally conquered them.


The men of Ephraim did not conquer the Canaanites living in Gezer. The Canaanites lived among them in Gezer.


The men of Zebulun did not conquer the people living in Kitron and Nahalol. The Canaanites lived among them and were forced to do hard labor.


The men of Asher did not conquer the people living in Acco or Sidon, nor did they conquer Ahlab, Aczib, Helbah, Aphek, or Rehob.


The people of Asher live among the Canaanites residing in the land because they did not conquer them.


The men of Naphtali did not conquer the people living in Beth Shemesh or Beth Anath. They live among the Canaanites residing in the land. The Canaanites living in Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath were forced to do hard labor for them.


The Amorites forced the people of Dan to live in the hill country. They did not allow them to live in the coastal plain.


The Amorites managed to remain in Har Heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbim. Whenever the tribe of Joseph was strong militarily, the Amorites were forced to do hard labor.


The border of Amorite territory ran from the Scorpion Ascent to Sela and on up.


The Lord’s angelic messenger went up from Gilgal to Bokim. He said, “I brought you up from Egypt and led you into the land I had solemnly promised to give to your ancestors. I said, ‘I will never break my agreement with you,


but you must not make an agreement with the people who live in this land. You should tear down the altars where they worship.’ But you have disobeyed me. Why would you do such a thing?


At that time I also warned you, ‘If you disobey, I will not drive out the Canaanites before you. They will ensnare you and their gods will lure you away.’”


When the Lord’s messenger finished speaking these words to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly.


They named that place Bokim and offered sacrifices to the Lord there.


When Joshua dismissed the people, the Israelites went to their allotted portions of territory, intending to take possession of the land.


The people worshiped the Lord throughout Joshua’s lifetime and as long as the elderly men who outlived him remained alive. These men had witnessed all the great things the Lord had done for Israel.


Joshua son of Nun, the Lord’s servant, died at the age of one hundred ten.


The people buried him in his allotted land in Timnath Heres in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.


That entire generation passed away; a new generation grew up that had not personally experienced the Lord’s presence or seen what he had done for Israel.


The Israelites did evil before the Lord by worshiping the Baals.


They abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors who brought them out of the land of Egypt. They followed other gods – the gods of the nations who lived around them. They worshiped them and made the Lord angry.


They abandoned the Lord and worshiped Baal and the Ashtars.


The Lord was furious with Israel and handed them over to robbers who plundered them. He turned them over to their enemies who lived around them. They could not withstand their enemies’ attacks.


Whenever they went out to fight, the Lord did them harm, just as he had warned and solemnly vowed he would do. They suffered greatly.


The Lord raised up leaders who delivered them from these robbers.


But they did not obey their leaders. Instead they prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them. They quickly turned aside from the path their ancestors had walked. Their ancestors had obeyed the Lord’s commands, but they did not.


When the Lord raised up leaders for them, the Lord was with each leader and delivered the people from their enemies while the leader remained alive. The Lord felt sorry for them when they cried out in agony because of what their harsh oppressors did to them.


When a leader died, the next generation would again act more wickedly than the previous one. They would follow after other gods, worshiping them and bowing down to them. They did not give up their practices or their stubborn ways.


The Lord was furious with Israel. He said, “This nation has violated the terms of the agreement I made with their ancestors by disobeying me.


So I will no longer remove before them any of the nations that Joshua left unconquered when he died.


Joshua left those nations to test Israel. I wanted to see whether or not the people would carefully walk in the path marked out by the Lord, as their ancestors were careful to do.”


This is why the Lord permitted these nations to remain and did not conquer them immediately; he did not hand them over to Joshua.


These were the nations the Lord permitted to remain so he could use them to test Israel – he wanted to test all those who had not experienced battle against the Canaanites.


He left those nations simply because he wanted to teach the subsequent generations of Israelites, who had not experienced the earlier battles, how to conduct holy war.


These were the nations: the five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo-Hamath.


They were left to test Israel, so the Lord would know if his people would obey the commands he gave their ancestors through Moses.


The Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.


They took the Canaanites’ daughters as wives and gave their daughters to the Canaanites; they worshiped their gods as well.


The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. They forgot the Lord their God and worshiped the Baals and the Asherahs.


The Lord was furious with Israel and turned them over to King Cushan-Rishathaim of Aram-Naharaim. They were Cushan-Rishathaim’s subjects for eight years.


When the Israelites cried out for help to the Lord, he raised up a deliverer for the Israelites who rescued them. His name was Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.


The Lord’s spirit empowered him and he led Israel. When he went to do battle, the Lord handed over to him King Cushan-Rishathaim of Aram and he overpowered him.


The land had rest for forty years; then Othniel son of Kenaz died.


The Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight. The Lord gave King Eglon of Moab control over Israel because they had done evil in the Lord’s sight.


Eglon formed alliances with the Ammonites and Amalekites. He came and defeated Israel, and they seized the City of Date Palm Trees.


The Israelites were subject to King Eglon of Moab for eighteen years.


When the Israelites cried out for help to the Lord, he raised up a deliverer for them. His name was Ehud son of Gera the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The Israelites sent him to King Eglon of Moab with their tribute payment.


Ehud made himself a sword – it had two edges and was eighteen inches long. He strapped it under his coat on his right thigh.


He brought the tribute payment to King Eglon of Moab. (Now Eglon was a very fat man.)


After Ehud brought the tribute payment, he dismissed the people who had carried it.


But he went back once he reached the carved images at Gilgal. He said to Eglon, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” Eglon said, “Be quiet!” All his attendants left.


When Ehud approached him, he was sitting in his well-ventilated upper room all by himself. Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” When Eglon rose up from his seat,


Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled the sword from his right thigh, and drove it into Eglon’s belly.


The handle went in after the blade, and the fat closed around the blade, for Ehud did not pull the sword out of his belly.


As Ehud went out into the vestibule, he closed the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.


When Ehud had left, Eglon’s servants came and saw the locked doors of the upper room. They said, “He must be relieving himself in the well-ventilated inner room.”


They waited so long they were embarrassed, but he still did not open the doors of the upper room. Finally they took the key and opened the doors. Right before their eyes was their master, sprawled out dead on the floor!


Now Ehud had escaped while they were delaying. When he passed the carved images, he escaped to Seirah.


When he reached Seirah, he blew a trumpet in the Ephraimite hill country. The Israelites went down with him from the hill country, with Ehud in the lead.


He said to them, “Follow me, for the Lord is about to defeat your enemies, the Moabites!” They followed him, captured the fords of the Jordan River opposite Moab, and did not let anyone cross.


That day they killed about ten thousand Moabites – all strong, capable warriors; not one escaped.


Israel humiliated Moab that day, and the land had rest for eighty years.


After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath; he killed six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad and, like Ehud, delivered Israel.


The Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight after Ehud’s death.


The Lord turned them over to King Jabin of Canaan, who ruled in Hazor. The general of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth Haggoyim.


The Israelites cried out for help to the Lord, because Sisera had nine hundred chariots with iron-rimmed wheels, and he cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years.


Now Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time.


She would sit under the Date Palm Tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the Ephraimite hill country. The Israelites would come up to her to have their disputes settled.


She summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali. She said to him, “Is it not true that the Lord God of Israel is commanding you? Go, march to Mount Tabor! Take with you ten thousand men from Naphtali and Zebulun!


I will bring Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army, to you at the Kishon River, along with his chariots and huge army. I will hand him over to you.”


Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go. But if you do not go with me, I will not go.”


She said, “I will indeed go with you. But you will not gain fame on the expedition you are undertaking, for the Lord will turn Sisera over to a woman.” Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh.


Barak summoned men from Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh. Ten thousand men followed him; Deborah went up with him as well.


Now Heber the Kenite had moved away from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab, Moses’ father-in-law. He lived near the great tree in Zaanannim near Kedesh.


When Sisera heard that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor,


he ordered all his chariotry – nine hundred chariots with iron-rimmed wheels – and all the troops he had with him to go from Harosheth-Haggoyim to the River Kishon.


Deborah said to Barak, “Spring into action, for this is the day the Lord is handing Sisera over to you! Has the Lord not taken the lead?” Barak quickly went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him.


The Lord routed Sisera, all his chariotry, and all his army with the edge of the sword. Sisera jumped out of his chariot and ran away on foot.


Now Barak chased the chariots and the army all the way to Harosheth Haggoyim. Sisera’s whole army died by the edge of the sword; not even one survived!


Now Sisera ran away on foot to the tent of Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite, for King Jabin of Hazor and the family of Heber the Kenite had made a peace treaty.


Jael came out to welcome Sisera. She said to him, “Stop and rest, my lord. Stop and rest with me. Don’t be afraid.” So Sisera stopped to rest in her tent, and she put a blanket over him.


He said to her, “Give me a little water to drink, because I’m thirsty.” She opened a goatskin container of milk and gave him some milk to drink. Then she covered him up again.


He said to her, “Stand watch at the entrance to the tent. If anyone comes along and asks you, ‘Is there a man here?’ say ‘No.’”


Then Jael wife of Heber took a tent peg in one hand and a hammer in the other. She crept up on him, drove the tent peg through his temple into the ground while he was asleep from exhaustion, and he died.


Now Barak was chasing Sisera. Jael went out to welcome him. She said to him, “Come here and I will show you the man you are searching for.” He went with her into the tent, and there he saw Sisera sprawled out dead with the tent peg in his temple.


That day God humiliated King Jabin of Canaan before the Israelites.


Israel’s power continued to overwhelm King Jabin of Canaan until they did away with him.


On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this victory song:


“When the leaders took the lead in Israel, When the people answered the call to war – Praise the Lord!


Hear, O kings! Pay attention, O rulers! I will sing to the Lord! I will sing to the Lord God of Israel!


O Lord, when you departed from Seir, when you marched from Edom’s plains, the earth shook, the heavens poured down, the clouds poured down rain.


The mountains trembled before the Lord, the God of Sinai; before the Lord God of Israel.


In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael caravans disappeared; travelers had to go on winding side roads.


Warriors were scarce, they were scarce in Israel, until you arose, Deborah, until you arose as a motherly protector in Israel.


God chose new leaders, then fighters appeared in the city gates; but, I swear, not a shield or spear could be found, among forty military units in Israel.


My heart went out to Israel’s leaders, to the people who answered the call to war. Praise the Lord!


You who ride on light-colored female donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, you who walk on the road, pay attention!


Hear the sound of those who divide the sheep among the watering places; there they tell of the Lord’s victorious deeds, the victorious deeds of his warriors in Israel. Then the Lord’s people went down to the city gates –


Wake up, wake up, Deborah! Wake up, wake up, sing a song! Get up, Barak! Capture your prisoners of war, son of Abinoam!


Then the survivors came down to the mighty ones; the Lord’s people came down to me as warriors.


They came from Ephraim, who uprooted Amalek, they follow after you, Benjamin, with your soldiers. From Makir leaders came down, from Zebulun came the ones who march carrying an officer’s staff.


Issachar’s leaders were with Deborah, the men of Issachar supported Barak; into the valley they were sent under Barak’s command. Among the clans of Reuben there was intense heart searching.


Why do you remain among the sheepfolds, listening to the shepherds playing their pipes for their flocks? As for the clans of Reuben – there was intense searching of heart.


Gilead stayed put beyond the Jordan River. As for Dan – why did he seek temporary employment in the shipyards? Asher remained on the seacoast, he stayed by his harbors.


The men of Zebulun were not concerned about their lives; Naphtali charged on to the battlefields.


Kings came, they fought; the kings of Canaan fought, at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, but they took no silver as plunder.


From the sky the stars fought, from their paths in the heavens they fought against Sisera.


The Kishon River carried them off; the river confronted them – the Kishon River. Step on the necks of the strong!


The horses’ hooves pounded the ground; the stallions galloped madly.


‘Call judgment down on Meroz,’ says the Lord’s angelic messenger; ‘Be sure to call judgment down on those who live there, because they did not come to help in the Lord’s battle, to help in the Lord’s battle against the warriors.’


The most rewarded of women should be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite! She should be the most rewarded of women who live in tents.


He asked for water, and she gave him milk; in a bowl fit for a king, she served him curds.


Her left hand reached for the tent peg, her right hand for the workmen’s hammer. She “hammered” Sisera, she shattered his skull, she smashed his head, she drove the tent peg through his temple.


Between her feet he collapsed, he fell limp and was lifeless; between her feet he collapsed and fell limp, in the spot where he collapsed, there he fell limp – violently murdered!


Through the window she looked; Sisera’s mother cried out through the lattice: ‘Why is his chariot so slow to return? Why are the hoofbeats of his chariot-horses delayed?’


The wisest of her ladies answer; indeed she even thinks to herself,


‘No doubt they are gathering and dividing the plunder – a girl or two for each man to rape! Sisera is grabbing up colorful cloth, he is grabbing up colorful embroidered cloth, two pieces of colorful embroidered cloth, for the neck of the plunderer!’


May all your enemies perish like this, O Lord! But may those who love you shine like the rising sun at its brightest!” And the land had rest for forty years.


The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord turned them over to Midian for seven years.


The Midianites overwhelmed Israel. Because of Midian the Israelites made shelters for themselves in the hills, as well as caves and strongholds.


Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people from the east would attack them.


They invaded the land and devoured its crops all the way to Gaza. They left nothing for the Israelites to eat, and they took away the sheep, oxen, and donkeys.


When they invaded with their cattle and tents, they were as thick as locusts. Neither they nor their camels could be counted. They came to devour the land.


Israel was so severely weakened by Midian that the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help.


When the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help because of Midian,


he sent a prophet to the Israelites. He said to them, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I brought you up from Egypt and took you out of that place of slavery.


I rescued you from Egypt’s power and from the power of all who oppressed you. I drove them out before you and gave their land to you.


I said to you, “I am the Lord your God! Do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are now living!” But you have disobeyed me.’”


The Lord’s angelic messenger came and sat down under the oak tree in Ophrah owned by Joash the Abiezrite. He arrived while Joash’s son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress so he could hide it from the Midianites.


The Lord’s messenger appeared and said to him, “The Lord is with you, courageous warrior!”


Gideon said to him, “Pardon me, but if the Lord is with us, why has such disaster overtaken us? Where are all his miraculous deeds our ancestors told us about? They said, ‘Did the Lord not bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to Midian.”


Then the Lord himself turned to him and said, “You have the strength. Deliver Israel from the power of the Midianites! Have I not sent you?”


Gideon said to him, “But Lord, how can I deliver Israel? Just look! My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my family.”


The Lord said to him, “Ah, but I will be with you! You will strike down the whole Midianite army.”


Gideon said to him, “If you really are pleased with me, then give me a sign as proof that it is really you speaking with me.


Do not leave this place until I come back with a gift and present it to you.” The Lord said, “I will stay here until you come back.”


Gideon went and prepared a young goat, along with unleavened bread made from an ephah of flour. He put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot. He brought the food to him under the oak tree and presented it to him.


God’s messenger said to him, “Put the meat and unleavened bread on this rock, and pour out the broth.” Gideon did as instructed.


The Lord’s messenger touched the meat and the unleavened bread with the tip of his staff. Fire flared up from the rock and consumed the meat and unleavened bread. The Lord’s messenger then disappeared.


When Gideon realized that it was the Lord’s messenger, he said, “Oh no! Master, Lord! I have seen the Lord’s messenger face to face!”


The Lord said to him, “You are safe! Do not be afraid! You are not going to die!”


Gideon built an altar for the Lord there, and named it “The Lord is on friendly terms with me.” To this day it is still there in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.


That night the Lord said to him, “Take the bull from your father’s herd, as well as a second bull, one that is seven years old. Pull down your father’s Baal altar and cut down the nearby Asherah pole.


Then build an altar for the Lord your God on the top of this stronghold according to the proper pattern. Take the second bull and offer it as a burnt sacrifice on the wood from the Asherah pole that you cut down.”


So Gideon took ten of his servants and did just as the Lord had told him. He was too afraid of his father’s family and the men of the city to do it in broad daylight, so he waited until nighttime.


When the men of the city got up the next morning, they saw the Baal altar pulled down, the nearby Asherah pole cut down, and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar.


They said to one another, “Who did this?” They investigated the matter thoroughly and concluded that Gideon son of Joash had done it.


The men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, so we can execute him! He pulled down the Baal altar and cut down the nearby Asherah pole.”


But Joash said to all those who confronted him, “Must you fight Baal’s battles? Must you rescue him? Whoever takes up his cause will die by morning! If he really is a god, let him fight his own battles! After all, it was his altar that was pulled down.”


That very day Gideon’s father named him Jerub-Baal, because he had said, “Let Baal fight with him, for it was his altar that was pulled down.”


All the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people from the east assembled. They crossed the Jordan River and camped in the Jezreel Valley.


The Lord’s spirit took control of Gideon. He blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him.


He sent messengers throughout Manasseh and summoned them to follow him as well. He also sent messengers throughout Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they came up to meet him.


Gideon said to God, “If you really intend to use me to deliver Israel, as you promised, then give me a sign as proof.


Look, I am putting a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece, and the ground around it is dry, then I will be sure that you will use me to deliver Israel, as you promised.”


The Lord did as he asked. When he got up the next morning, he squeezed the fleece, and enough dew dripped from it to fill a bowl.


Gideon said to God, “Please do not get angry at me, when I ask for just one more sign. Please allow me one more test with the fleece. This time make only the fleece dry, while the ground around it is covered with dew.”


That night God did as he asked. Only the fleece was dry and the ground around it was covered with dew.


Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and his men got up the next morning and camped near the spring of Harod. The Midianites were camped north of them near the hill of Moreh in the valley.


The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men for me to hand Midian over to you. Israel might brag, ‘Our own strength has delivered us.’


Now, announce to the men, ‘Whoever is shaking with fear may turn around and leave Mount Gilead.’” Twenty-two thousand men went home; ten thousand remained.


The Lord spoke to Gideon again, “There are still too many men. Bring them down to the water and I will thin the ranks some more. When I say, ‘This one should go with you,’ pick him to go; when I say, ‘This one should not go with you,’ do not take him.”


So he brought the men down to the water. Then the Lord said to Gideon, “Separate those who lap the water as a dog laps from those who kneel to drink.”


Three hundred men lapped; the rest of the men kneeled to drink water.


The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men who lapped I will deliver the whole army and I will hand Midian over to you. The rest of the men should go home.”


The men who were chosen took supplies and their trumpets. Gideon sent all the men of Israel back to their homes; he kept only three hundred men. Now the Midianites were camped down below in the valley.


That night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up! Attack the camp, for I am handing it over to you.


But if you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with Purah your servant


and listen to what they are saying. Then you will be brave and attack the camp.” So he went down with Purah his servant to where the sentries were guarding the camp.


Now the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people from the east covered the valley like a swarm of locusts. Their camels could not be counted; they were as innumerable as the sand on the seashore.


When Gideon arrived, he heard a man telling another man about a dream he had. The man said, “Look! I had a dream. I saw a stale cake of barley bread rolling into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent so hard it knocked it over and turned it upside down. The tent just collapsed.”


The other man said, “Without a doubt this symbolizes the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God is handing Midian and all the army over to him.”


When Gideon heard the report of the dream and its interpretation, he praised God. Then he went back to the Israelite camp and said, “Get up, for the Lord is handing the Midianite army over to you!”


He divided the three hundred men into three units. He gave them all trumpets and empty jars with torches inside them.


He said to them, “Watch me and do as I do. Watch closely! I am going to the edge of the camp. Do as I do!


When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, you also blow your trumpets all around the camp. Then say, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon!’”


Gideon took a hundred men to the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guards. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars they were carrying.


All three units blew their trumpets and broke their jars. They held the torches in their left hand and the trumpets in their right. Then they yelled, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!”


They stood in order all around the camp. The whole army ran away; they shouted as they scrambled away.


When the three hundred men blew their trumpets, the Lord caused the Midianites to attack one another with their swords throughout the camp. The army fled to Beth Shittah on the way to Zererah. They went to the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath.


Israelites from Naphtali, Asher, and Manasseh answered the call and chased the Midianites.


Now Gideon sent messengers throughout the Ephraimite hill country who announced, “Go down and head off the Midianites. Take control of the fords of the streams all the way to Beth Barah and the Jordan River.” When all the Ephraimites had assembled, they took control of the fords all the way to Beth Barah and the Jordan River.


They captured the two Midianite generals, Oreb and Zeeb. They executed Oreb on the rock of Oreb and Zeeb in the winepress of Zeeb. They chased the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was now on the other side of the Jordan River.


The Ephraimites said to him, “Why have you done such a thing to us? You did not summon us when you went to fight the Midianites!” They argued vehemently with him.


He said to them, “Now what have I accomplished compared to you? Even Ephraim’s leftover grapes are better quality than Abiezer’s harvest!


It was to you that God handed over the Midianite generals, Oreb and Zeeb! What did I accomplish to rival that?” When he said this, they calmed down.


Now Gideon and his three hundred men had crossed over the Jordan River, and even though they were exhausted, they were still chasing the Midianites.


He said to the men of Succoth, “Give some loaves of bread to the men who are following me, because they are exhausted. I am chasing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”


The officials of Succoth said, “You have not yet overpowered Zebah and Zalmunna. So why should we give bread to your army?”


Gideon said, “Since you will not help, after the Lord hands Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I will thresh your skin with desert thorns and briers.”


He went up from there to Penuel and made the same request. The men of Penuel responded the same way the men of Succoth had.


He also threatened the men of Penuel, warning, “When I return victoriously, I will tear down this tower.”


Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their armies. There were about fifteen thousand survivors from the army of the eastern peoples; a hundred and twenty thousand sword-wielding soldiers had been killed.


Gideon went up the road of the nomads east of Nobah and Jogbehah and ambushed the surprised army.


When Zebah and Zalmunna ran away, Gideon chased them and captured the two Midianite kings, Zebah and Zalmunna. He had surprised their entire army.


Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle by the pass of Heres.


He captured a young man from Succoth and interrogated him. The young man wrote down for him the names of Succoth’s officials and city leaders – seventy-seven men in all.


He approached the men of Succoth and said, “Look what I have! Zebah and Zalmunna! You insulted me, saying, ‘You have not yet overpowered Zebah and Zalmunna. So why should we give bread to your exhausted men?’”


He seized the leaders of the city, along with some desert thorns and briers; he then “threshed” the men of Succoth with them.


He also tore down the tower of Penuel and executed the city’s men.


He said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “Describe for me the men you killed at Tabor.” They said, “They were like you. Each one looked like a king’s son.”


He said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. I swear, as surely as the Lord is alive, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.”


He ordered Jether his firstborn son, “Come on! Kill them!” But Jether was too afraid to draw his sword, because he was still young.


Zebah and Zalmunna said to Gideon, “Come on, you strike us, for a man is judged by his strength.” So Gideon killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took the crescent-shaped ornaments which were on the necks of their camels.


The men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us – you, your son, and your grandson. For you have delivered us from Midian’s power.”


Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.”


Gideon continued, “I would like to make one request. Each of you give me an earring from the plunder you have taken.” (The Midianites had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)


They said, “We are happy to give you earrings.” So they spread out a garment, and each one threw an earring from his plunder onto it.


The total weight of the gold earrings he requested came to seventeen hundred gold shekels. This was in addition to the crescent-shaped ornaments, jewelry, purple clothing worn by the Midianite kings, and the necklaces on the camels.


Gideon used all this to make an ephod, which he put in his hometown of Ophrah. All the Israelites prostituted themselves to it by worshiping it there. It became a snare to Gideon and his family.


The Israelites humiliated Midian; the Midianites’ fighting spirit was broken. The land had rest for forty years during Gideon’s time.