Joshua Becomes the Leader of Israel
1 Moses, the Lord's servant, was dead. So the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, who had been the assistant of Moses. The Lord said:
2 My servant Moses is dead. Now you must lead Israel across the Jordan River into the land I'm giving to all of you. 3 Wherever you go, I'll give you that land, as I promised Moses. 4 It will reach from the Southern Desert to the Lebanon Mountains in the north, and to the northeast as far as the great Euphrates River. It will include the land of the Hittites, and the land from here at the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea on the west. 5 Joshua, I will always be with you and help you as I helped Moses, and no one will ever be able to defeat you.
6-8 Long ago I promised the ancestors of Israel that I would give this land to their descendants. So be strong and brave! Be careful to do everything my servant Moses taught you. Never stop reading The Book of the Law he gave you. Day and night you must think about what it says. If you obey it completely, you and Israel will be able to take this land.
9 I've commanded you to be strong and brave. Don't ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the Lord your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go.
The Eastern Tribes Promise To Help
10 Joshua ordered the tribal leaders 11 to go through the camp and tell everyone:
In a few days we will cross the Jordan River to take the land that the Lord our God is giving us. So prepare as much food as you'll need for the march into the land.
12 Joshua told the men of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh:
13-14 The Lord's servant Moses said that the Lord our God has given you land here on the east side of the Jordan River, where you could live in peace. Your wives and children and your animals can stay here in the land Moses gave you. But all of you that can serve in our army must pick up your weapons and lead the men of the other tribes across the Jordan River. They are your relatives, so you must help them 15 conquer the land that the Lord is giving them. The Lord will give peace to them as he has given peace to you, and then you can come back and settle here in the land that Moses promised you.
16 The men answered:
We'll cross the Jordan River and help our relatives. We'll fight anywhere you send us. 17-18 If the Lord our God will help you as he helped Moses, and if you are strong and brave, we will obey you as we obeyed Moses. We'll even put to death anyone who rebels against you or refuses to obey you.
Dievs pilnvaro Jozuu
1 Pēc Kunga kalpa Mozus nāves Kungs teica Mozus palīgam Jozuam, Nūna dēlam: 2 “Mans kalps Mozus ir miris. Celies nu un dodies pāri Jardānai – tu un visa šī tauta – uz zemi, ko es dodu Israēla dēliem. 3 Es dodu jums ik vietu, kur mīs jūsu kāju pēdas, kā solīju Mozum, 4 no tuksneša un Lebanona līdz lielajai upei, Eifrātas upei, visu hetiešu zemi, un līdz Lielajai jūrai, kur noriet saule, – tās būs jūsu robežas! 5 Visas tavas dzīves dienas neviens nebūs varenāks par tevi, es būšu ar tevi tāpat kā ar Mozu, es tevi neatstāšu un nepametīšu. 6 Esi stiprs un sīksts, jo tev būs jāiemanto zeme šai tautai – viņu tēviem es esmu zvērējis, ka tiem to došu! 7 Tikai esi stiprs un gana sīksts, pieraugi, ka tu pildi visu bauslību, ko esmu pavēlējis savam kalpam Mozum, nenovērsies no tās ne pa labi, ne pa kreisi, tad tev viss veiksies, lai kurp tu ietu. 8 Lai šīs bauslības grāmatas vārdi vienmēr tev ir uz lūpām, runā to dienu un nakti un pielūko, ka tu dari visu, kas tur rakstīts, jo tad tavas gaitas būs sekmīgas un tev veiksies. 9 Vai es tev nepavēlēju būt stipram un sīkstam, nebīties un nebaiļoties, jo Kungs, tavs Dievs, ir kopā ar tevi, lai kurp tu ietu!”
Gatavošanās ieiet apsolītajā zemē
10 Tad Jozua pavēlēja tautas virsniekiem: 11 “Apstaigājiet nometni un pavēliet tautai: sagatavojiet sev iztiku, jo pēc trim dienām jums būs jādodas pāri Jardānai, jāiet un jāiemanto zeme, ko Kungs, jūsu Dievs, jums dod, lai jūs to iemantotu.”
12 Rūbeniešiem un gādiešiem, un pusei Manases cilts Jozua teica: 13 “Atcerieties vārdus, ko jums pavēlēja Kunga kalps Mozus: Kungs, jūsu Dievs, atradis jums mājvietu un dod jums šo zemi. 14 Jūsu sievas, mazuļi un lopi lai paliek šajā zemē, ko jums deva Mozus, – viņpus Jardānas, bet jūs, visi varenie spēkavīri, bruņoti celieties pāri saviem brāļiem pa priekšu un palīdziet viņiem, 15 kamēr Kungs atradīs jūsu brāļiem mājvietu tāpat kā jums un arī viņi iemantos zemi, kuru Kungs, jūsu Dievs, tiem dod. Pēc tam atgriezieties sava īpašuma zemē un iemantojiet to, Kunga kalps Mozus jums to ir devis viņpus Jardānas, kur lec saule.” 16 Un viņi atbildēja Jozuam: “Mēs darīsim visu, ko tu mums pavēlēsi, un mēs iesim visur, kurp tu mūs sūtīsi. 17 Kā klausījām Mozum, tāpat mēs klausīsim tev, lai tikai Kungs, tavs Dievs, ir ar tevi tāpat, kā viņš bija ar Mozu. 18 Ikviens, kas dumposies pret tavām pavēlēm vai tevi neklausīs, lai ko tu pavēlētu, tas mirs – tikai esi stiprs un sīksts!”
