And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, that Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying, "Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against you. For I know that after my death you will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because you will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands."

And the LORD spoke unto Moses that very same day, saying, "Get…up…unto Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and view the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession: And die in the mount where you go up, and be gathered unto your people; as Aaron your brother died in Mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people: Because you acted unfaithfully against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah-Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because you upheld my holiness not in the midst of the children of Israel. Yet you shall see the land before you; but you shall not go there unto the land which I give the children of Israel."

And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is over against Jericho. And the LORD showed him all the land….

So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knows of his grave unto this day. And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face.

Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eyes were not dim, nor his natural vitality abated. And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.

Now after the death of Moses, the servant of the LORD, it came to pass, that the LORD spoke unto Joshua the son of Nun…saying, "Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them…. There shall not any man be able to stand before you all the days of your life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with you: I will not fail you, nor forsake you. Only be…strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded you: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left….

"This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written there: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success."

Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, "Pass through the crowd, and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare food; for within three days you shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God gives you to possess it."

And they answered Joshua…, "All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us, we will go. As we were with Moses so shall we be with you."

And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, "Go view the land, even Jericho." And they went, and came into a harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.

And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, "Bring forth the men…which are entered into your house: for they have come to search out all the country." But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof. Then she let them down by a rope through the window for her house was upon the town wall.… So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain…and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all things that happened to them….

And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. And the LORD said unto Joshua, "This day will I begin to make you great in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. And you shall command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, when you are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, you shall stand still in Jordan.

"And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above…."

And it came to pass when…the feet of the priests that carried the ark were dipped in the brim of the water…that the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon a heap very far from the city Adam…and the people passed over right against Jericho.

And the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. And the LORD said unto Joshua, "See, I have given into your hand Jericho, and the king of it, and the mighty men of valor. And you shall circle around the city, all you men of war, and go round about the city once. This shall you do six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day you shall circle around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.

"And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn…all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall go up every man straight before him."

…So they did six days. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and circled around the city after the same manner…only on that day they circled around the city seven times. Then the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and…when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout…the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and donkey, with the edge of the sword. But Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she lived in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. (By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, because she had received the spies with peace.) So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was spread throughout all the country.

And the LORD said unto Joshua, "Fear not, neither be…dismayed: take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land: lay…an ambush for the city behind it.

So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai…. And the LORD said unto Joshua, "Stretch out the spear that is in your hand toward Ai; for I will give it into your hand." And Joshua stretched out the spear…. And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city, and took it, and hurried and set the city on fire. And Joshua burned Ai, and made it a heap forever, even a desolation unto this day.

And it came to pass, when all the kings who were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard this; That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.

And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, they worked deceitfully, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their donkeys, and wine bottles, old, and torn, and bound up; And old shoes and patched upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy. And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, "We have come from a far country: now therefore make…an agreement with us."

And the men of Israel took of their food, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD. And Joshua made peace with them, and made an agreement with them, to let them live.…

REFERENCES

Deuteronomy 31:24a, 25-26, 29; Deuteronomy 32:48-52; Deuteronomy 34:1, 5-6, 10; Deuteronomy 34:7-8; Joshua 1:1-2, 5, 7-8, 10-11, 16; Joshua 2:1, 3, 6, 15, 23; Joshua 3:1, 7-8, 13, 14-16; Joshua 5:12; Joshua 6:1-5, 7, 14-15, 20-21, 25; Hebrews 11:31; Joshua 6:27; Joshua 8:1, 2b, 3a, 18-19,28; Joshua 9:1-6, 14-15.

CHAPTER 16