WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.140 Ethan: Welcome to Immerse: the daily bible reading experience. 00:00:03.257 --> 00:00:04.667 Day 100 and 65 00:00:05.238 --> 00:00:09.678 when all the people had crossed the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, now 00:00:09.683 --> 00:00:12.168 choose 12 men, one from each tribe. 00:00:12.618 --> 00:00:16.548 Tell them, take 12 stones from the very place where the priests are 00:00:16.548 --> 00:00:18.258 standing in the middle of the Jordan. 00:00:18.828 --> 00:00:22.728 Carry them out and pile them up at the place where you'll camp tonight. 00:00:24.048 --> 00:00:26.088 So Joshua called together the 12 men. 00:00:26.088 --> 00:00:28.908 He had chosen one from each of the tribes of Israel. 00:00:29.328 --> 00:00:33.138 He told them, Go into the middle of the Jordan, in front of 00:00:33.138 --> 00:00:34.608 the Ark of the Lord, your God. 00:00:35.268 --> 00:00:38.988 Each of you must pick up one stone and carry it out on your shoulder. 00:00:39.468 --> 00:00:41.268 12 stones in all one. 00:00:41.273 --> 00:00:43.068 For each of the 12 tribes of Israel. 00:00:43.788 --> 00:00:47.808 We will use these stones to build a memorial in the future. 00:00:47.958 --> 00:00:51.108 Your children will ask you, what do these stones mean? 00:00:51.888 --> 00:00:52.878 Then you can tell them. 00:00:53.268 --> 00:00:56.808 They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark 00:00:56.808 --> 00:00:58.128 of the Lord's covenant went across. 00:00:59.298 --> 00:01:03.708 These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever. 00:01:05.058 --> 00:01:07.428 So the men did, as Joshua had commanded them. 00:01:07.908 --> 00:01:11.988 They took 12 stones from the middle of the Jordan River, one for each tribe. 00:01:12.198 --> 00:01:14.118 Just as the Lord had told Joshua. 00:01:14.928 --> 00:01:17.508 They carried them to the place where they camped for the night 00:01:17.778 --> 00:01:19.578 and constructed the memorial there. 00:01:20.838 --> 00:01:24.978 Joshua also set up another pile of 12 stones in the middle of the Jordan 00:01:25.368 --> 00:01:28.218 at the place where the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant 00:01:28.278 --> 00:01:30.558 were standing, and they are there. 00:01:30.558 --> 00:01:35.088 To this day, the priests who were carrying the ark stood in the 00:01:35.088 --> 00:01:39.108 middle of the river until all of the Lord's commands that Moses had 00:01:39.113 --> 00:01:41.058 given to Joshua were carried out. 00:01:41.988 --> 00:01:44.838 Meanwhile, the people hurried across the riverbed. 00:01:45.468 --> 00:01:49.788 When everyone was safely on the other side, the priests crossed over with the 00:01:49.788 --> 00:01:55.248 Ark of the Lord as the people watched the armed warriors from the tribes of 00:01:55.248 --> 00:02:00.408 Reuben Gadd and the half tribe of Manasseh led the Israelites across the Jordan. 00:02:00.648 --> 00:02:07.698 Just as Moses had directed these armed men about 40,000 strong, were ready for 00:02:07.698 --> 00:02:12.528 battle and the Lord was with them as they crossed over to the plains of Jericho. 00:02:13.923 --> 00:02:18.063 That day, the Lord made Joshua a great leader in the eyes of all 00:02:18.063 --> 00:02:22.383 the Israelites, and for the rest of his life, they revered him. 00:02:22.713 --> 00:02:28.263 As much as they had revered Moses, the Lord had said to Joshua command, 00:02:28.263 --> 00:02:32.103 the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant to come up out of the river bed. 00:02:32.883 --> 00:02:34.173 So Joshua gave the command. 00:02:34.923 --> 00:02:38.703 As soon as the priests carrying the Ark of the Lord's covenant came up out 00:02:38.703 --> 00:02:43.023 of the riverbed and their feet were on high ground, the water of the Jordan 00:02:43.023 --> 00:02:45.573 returned and overflowed its banks. 00:02:45.573 --> 00:02:51.213 As before, the people crossed the Jordan on the 10th day of the first month. 00:02:51.843 --> 00:02:55.383 Then they camped at Gilgal just east of Jericho. 00:02:56.433 --> 00:03:00.093 It was there at Gilgal that Joshua piled up the 12 stones 00:03:00.153 --> 00:03:01.413 taken from the Jordan River. 00:03:02.988 --> 00:03:07.458 Then Joshua said to the Israelites, in the future, your children will 00:03:07.458 --> 00:03:09.468 ask, what do these stones mean? 00:03:10.218 --> 00:03:13.488 Then you can tell them, this is where the Israelites crossed the 00:03:13.488 --> 00:03:16.218 Jordan on dry ground for the Lord. 00:03:16.218 --> 00:03:21.078 Your God dried up the river right before your eyes, and he kept it dry 00:03:21.208 --> 00:03:26.058 until you were all across, just as he did at the Red Sea when he dried 00:03:26.058 --> 00:03:27.828 it up until we had all crossed over. 00:03:28.503 --> 00:03:32.793 He did this so all the nations of the Earth might know that the Lord's 00:03:32.793 --> 00:03:37.503 hand is powerful, and so you might fear the Lord your God forever. 00:03:38.463 --> 00:03:42.903 When all the Amide kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings 00:03:43.113 --> 00:03:46.533 who lived along the Mediterranean coast heard how the Lord had 00:03:46.563 --> 00:03:50.163 dried up the Jordan River, so the people of Israel could cross. 00:03:50.583 --> 00:03:54.273 They lost heart and were paralyzed with fear because of them. 00:03:55.818 --> 00:04:01.578 At that time, the Lord told Joshua, make Flint knives and circumcised 00:04:01.578 --> 00:04:03.618 this second generation of Israelites. 00:04:04.188 --> 00:04:08.118 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the entire male 00:04:08.118 --> 00:04:10.218 population of Israel at Gibb. 00:04:10.218 --> 00:04:15.978 He auth Joshua had to circumcise them because all the men who were old 00:04:15.978 --> 00:04:19.758 enough to fight in battle when they left Egypt had died in the wilderness. 00:04:20.508 --> 00:04:24.498 Those who left Egypt had all been circumcised, but none of those born 00:04:24.498 --> 00:04:28.908 after the Exodus during the years in the wilderness had been circumcised. 00:04:29.808 --> 00:04:33.888 The Israelites had traveled in the wilderness for 40 years until all 00:04:33.893 --> 00:04:37.488 the men who were old enough to fight in battle when they left Egypt had 00:04:37.488 --> 00:04:40.278 died for they had disobeyed the Lord. 00:04:40.758 --> 00:04:43.368 And the Lord vowed he would not let them enter the land. 00:04:43.368 --> 00:04:46.938 He had sworn to give us a land flowing with milk and honey. 00:04:47.793 --> 00:04:52.233 So Joshua circumcised their sons, those who had grown up to take their father's 00:04:52.233 --> 00:04:56.643 places for they had not been circumcised on the way to the promised land. 00:04:57.483 --> 00:04:59.613 After all the males had been circumcised. 00:04:59.793 --> 00:05:02.133 They rested in the camp until they were healed. 00:05:03.303 --> 00:05:06.933 Then the Lord said to Joshua, today, I have rolled away the 00:05:06.933 --> 00:05:08.943 shame of your slavery in Egypt. 00:05:09.873 --> 00:05:12.813 So that place has been called Gilgal to this day. 00:05:13.713 --> 00:05:17.943 While the Israelites were camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they 00:05:17.943 --> 00:05:22.263 celebrated Passover on the evening of the 14th day of the first month. 00:05:22.983 --> 00:05:27.123 The very next day, they began to eat unleavened bread and roasted 00:05:27.123 --> 00:05:28.863 grain harvested from the land. 00:05:29.793 --> 00:05:33.243 No manna appeared on the day they first ate from the crops of the 00:05:33.243 --> 00:05:35.493 land, and it was never seen again. 00:05:36.213 --> 00:05:39.933 So from that time on, the Israelites ate from the crops of Canaan. 00:05:41.283 --> 00:05:45.723 When Joshua was near the town of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing 00:05:45.723 --> 00:05:47.673 in front of him with sword in hand. 00:05:48.423 --> 00:05:52.113 Joshua went up to him and demanded, are you friend or foe? 00:05:53.493 --> 00:05:54.243 Neither one. 00:05:54.363 --> 00:05:59.343 He replied, I'm the commander of the Lord's army at this. 00:05:59.463 --> 00:06:02.403 Joshua fell with his face to the ground in reverence. 00:06:03.393 --> 00:06:04.563 I am at your command. 00:06:04.683 --> 00:06:07.413 Joshua said, what do you want your servant to do? 00:06:08.958 --> 00:06:13.428 The commander of the Lord's army replied, take off your sandals for the 00:06:13.428 --> 00:06:15.258 place where you are standing is holy. 00:06:16.398 --> 00:06:18.168 And Joshua did as he was told. 00:06:19.488 --> 00:06:22.938 Now, the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people 00:06:22.938 --> 00:06:24.408 were afraid of the Israelites. 00:06:24.918 --> 00:06:29.418 No one was allowed to go out or in, but the Lord said to Joshua. 00:06:30.108 --> 00:06:31.668 I have given you Jericho. 00:06:31.908 --> 00:06:34.698 It's king and all its strong warriors. 00:06:35.148 --> 00:06:40.128 You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days. 00:06:40.758 --> 00:06:45.348 Seven priests will walk ahead of the ark, each carrying a Rams horn. 00:06:46.038 --> 00:06:50.148 On the seventh day you are to march around the town seven times with 00:06:50.148 --> 00:06:51.948 the priests blowing the horns. 00:06:52.773 --> 00:06:57.393 When you hear the priests give one long blast on the Rams horns, have all the 00:06:57.393 --> 00:07:03.243 people shout as loud as they can, then the walls of the town will collapse and the 00:07:03.243 --> 00:07:05.373 people can charge straight into the town. 00:07:06.663 --> 00:07:11.073 So Joshua called together the priests and said, take up the Ark of the Lord's 00:07:11.078 --> 00:07:16.503 Covenant and assign seven priests to walk in front of it each carrying a Rams horn. 00:07:17.523 --> 00:07:21.543 Then he gave orders to the people, march around the town, and the 00:07:21.543 --> 00:07:24.903 armed men will lead the way in front of the Ark of the Lord. 00:07:26.433 --> 00:07:30.513 After Joshua spoke to the people, the seven priests with the Rams horns 00:07:30.573 --> 00:07:34.503 started marching in the presence of the Lord, blowing the horns as they 00:07:34.503 --> 00:07:38.373 marched and the Ark of the Lord's covenant followed behind them. 00:07:39.063 --> 00:07:42.003 Some of the armed men marched in front of the priests with the 00:07:42.003 --> 00:07:44.133 horns and some behind the ark. 00:07:44.763 --> 00:07:47.733 With the priests continually blowing the horns. 00:07:48.543 --> 00:07:49.503 Do not shout. 00:07:49.713 --> 00:07:50.823 Do not even talk. 00:07:50.973 --> 00:07:52.023 Joshua commanded. 00:07:52.623 --> 00:07:56.433 Not a single word from any of you until I tell you to shout. 00:07:56.973 --> 00:07:58.053 Then shout. 00:07:59.343 --> 00:08:04.413 So the Ark of the Lord was carried around the town once that day, and then everyone 00:08:04.413 --> 00:08:06.393 returned to spend the night in the camp. 00:08:08.343 --> 00:08:11.943 Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests again 00:08:12.063 --> 00:08:13.413 carried the ark of the Lord. 00:08:13.968 --> 00:08:17.358 The seven priests with the Rams horns marched in front of the Ark of the 00:08:17.358 --> 00:08:20.208 Lord, blowing their horns again. 00:08:20.478 --> 00:08:23.988 The armed men marched both in front of the priests with the horns 00:08:24.138 --> 00:08:25.698 and behind the ark of the Lord. 00:08:26.508 --> 00:08:31.278 All this time, the priests were blowing their horns on the second day. 00:08:31.368 --> 00:08:35.028 They again marched around the town once and returned to the camp. 00:08:35.988 --> 00:08:38.148 They followed this pattern for six days. 00:08:39.483 --> 00:08:44.103 On the seventh day, the Israelites got up at Dawn and marched around the town 00:08:44.103 --> 00:08:48.783 as they had done before, but this time they went around the town seven times 00:08:49.233 --> 00:08:53.793 the seventh time around, as the priests sounded the long blast on their horns. 00:08:54.093 --> 00:09:00.693 Joshua commanded the people Shout For the Lord has given you the town, Jericho, 00:09:00.693 --> 00:09:04.863 and everything in it must be completely destroyed as an offering to the Lord. 00:09:05.583 --> 00:09:10.263 Only Rahab, the prostitute and the others in her house will be spared for. 00:09:10.263 --> 00:09:11.673 She protected our spies. 00:09:12.513 --> 00:09:17.103 Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you yourselves will 00:09:17.108 --> 00:09:21.093 be completely destroyed and you will bring trouble on the camp of Israel. 00:09:21.723 --> 00:09:27.183 Everything made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron is sacred to the Lord 00:09:27.333 --> 00:09:29.253 and must be brought into his treasury. 00:09:30.588 --> 00:09:33.258 When the people heard the sound of the Rams horns, they 00:09:33.258 --> 00:09:35.028 shouted as loud as they could. 00:09:35.928 --> 00:09:42.258 Suddenly the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight 00:09:42.263 --> 00:09:44.208 into the town and captured it. 00:09:44.808 --> 00:09:49.398 They completely destroyed everything in it with their swords, men and 00:09:49.398 --> 00:09:54.678 women, young and old, cattle, sheep, goats, and donkeys. 00:09:55.788 --> 00:10:00.828 Meanwhile, Joshua said to the two spies, Keep your promise, go to the 00:10:00.828 --> 00:10:02.628 prostitute's house and bring her out. 00:10:02.778 --> 00:10:07.968 Along with all her family, the men who had been spies went in and brought out 00:10:07.968 --> 00:10:12.918 Rahab, her father, mother, brothers, and all the other relatives who were with her. 00:10:13.578 --> 00:10:16.998 They moved her whole family to a safe place near the camp of Israel. 00:10:17.778 --> 00:10:21.408 Then the Israelites burned the town and everything in it. 00:10:22.113 --> 00:10:27.333 Only the things made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron were kept for 00:10:27.333 --> 00:10:28.833 the treasury of the Lord's house. 00:10:29.583 --> 00:10:33.933 So Joshua spared Rahab, the prostitute and her relatives who were with her in the 00:10:33.933 --> 00:10:36.423 house because she had hidden the spies. 00:10:36.423 --> 00:10:41.193 Joshua sent to Jericho, and she lives among the Israelites to this day. 00:10:42.363 --> 00:10:45.453 At that time, Joshua invoked this curse. 00:10:46.458 --> 00:10:52.128 May the curse of the Lord fall on anyone who tries to rebuild the town of Jericho 00:10:52.698 --> 00:10:54.798 at the cost of his firstborn son. 00:10:54.858 --> 00:10:58.578 He will lay its foundation at the cost of his youngest son. 00:10:58.698 --> 00:11:04.458 He will set up its gates, so the Lord was with Joshua and his 00:11:04.458 --> 00:11:06.888 reputation spread throughout the land. 00:11:08.418 --> 00:11:11.298 This concludes today's immerse reading experience. 00:11:11.418 --> 00:11:12.438 Thank you for joining us.