Ethan: Welcome to Immerse: the daily bible reading experience.
Day 100 and 64
the book of Joshua.
After the death of Moses, the Lord's servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua
son of none, Moses' assistant.
He said, Moses, my servant is dead.
Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the
Israelites, across the Jordan River, into the land I'm giving them.
I promise you what I promised Moses, wherever you set foot, you will be on land
I have given you from the Negev wilderness in the South to the Lebanon mountains in
the north, from the Euphrates River in the East to the Mediterranean Sea in the West,
including all the land of the Hittites.
No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live for.
I will be with you as I was with Moses.
I will not fail you or abandon you.
Be strong and courageous for you are the one who will lead these people to possess
all the land I swore to their ancestors.
I would give them, be strong and very courageous.
Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you.
Do not deviate from them turning either to the right or to the left.
Then you will be successful in everything you do.
Study this book of instruction.
Continually meditate on it day and night, so you will be sure
to obey everything written in it.
Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
This is my command.
Be strong and courageous.
Do not be afraid or discouraged for the Lord.
Your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua then commanded the officers of Israel.
Go through the camp and tell the people to get their provisions ready.
In three days, you will cross the Jordan River and take possession of the
land the Lord your God is giving you.
Then Joshua called together the tribes of Reuben Gadd and
the half tribe of Manasseh.
He told them, remember what Moses, the servant of the Lord
commanded you, the Lord your God is giving you a place of rest.
He has given you this land.
Your wives, children and livestock may remain here in the land.
Moses assigned to you on the east side of the Jordan River, but your
strong warriors fully armed must lead the other tribes across the Jordan
to help them conquer their territory.
Stay with them until the Lord gives them rest as he has given you rest
and until they too possess the land, the Lord your God is giving them.
Only then may you return and settle here on the east side of the Jordan
River in the land that Moses, the servant of the Lord assigned to you.
They answered Joshua.
We will do whatever you command us and we will go wherever you send us.
We will obey you just as we obeyed Moses and may the Lord your God
be with you as he was with Moses.
Anyone who rebels against your orders and does not obey your words and everything
you command will be put to death.
So be strong and courageous.
Then Joshua secretly sent out two spies from the Israelite camp at Acacia Grove.
He instructed them scout out the land on the other side of the Jordan
River, especially around Jericho.
So the two men set out and came to the house of a prostitute named
Rahab and stayed there that night.
But someone told the king of Jericho, some Israelites have come
here tonight to spy out the land.
So the King of Jericho sent orders to Rahab.
Bring out the men who have come into your house for they have come
here to spy out the whole land.
Rahab had hidden the two men, but she replied, yes, the men were here earlier,
but I didn't know where they were from.
They left the town at dusk as the gates were about to close.
I don't know where they went.
If you hurry, you can probably catch up with them.
Actually, she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them beneath
bundles of flax she had laid out.
So the Kingsmen went looking for the spies along the road leading to
the shallow crossings of the Jordan River, and as soon as the Kingsmen had
left, the gate of Jericho was shut.
Before the spies went to sleep that night, Rahab went up on
the roof to talk with them.
I know the Lord has given you this land.
She told them, we are all afraid of you.
Everyone in the land is living in terror.
For we have heard how the Lord made a dry path for you through the Red
Sea when you left Egypt, and we know what you did to Shan and og the two
Amorite kings east of the Jordan River, whose people you completely destroyed.
No wonder our hearts have melted in fear.
No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things.
For the Lord, your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.
Now, swear to me by the Lord that you will be kind to me and my
family since I have helped you.
Give me some guarantee that when Jericho is conquered, you will let me live along
with my father and mother, my brothers and sisters and all their families.
We offer our own lives as a guarantee for your safety.
The men agreed, if you don't betray us, we will keep our promise and be kind
to you when the Lord gives us the land.
Then since Rahab's house was built into the town wall, she let
them down by a rope through the window escape to the hill country.
She told them, hide there for three days from the men searching for you.
Then when they have returned, you can go on your way.
Before they left, the men told her, we will be bound by the oath we have taken.
Only if you follow these instructions when we come into the land, you must
leave this scarlet rope hanging from the window through which you let us down.
And all your family members, your father, mother, brothers, and all your
relatives must be here inside the house.
If they go out into the street and are killed, it will not be our fault.
But if anyone lays a hand on people inside this house, we will
accept the responsibility for their death if you betray us.
However, we are not bound by this oath in any way.
I accept your terms.
She replied and she sent them on their way, leaving the scarlet
rope, hanging from the window.
The spies went up into the hill country and stayed there three days.
The men who were chasing them searched everywhere along the road, but they
finally returned without success.
Then the two spies came down from the hill country, crossed the Jordan
River, and reported to Joshua.
All that had happened to them.
The Lord has given us the whole land.
They said for all the people in the land are terrified of us.
Early the next morning, Joshua and all the Israelites left Acacia Grove
and arrived at the banks of the Jordan River where they camped before crossing.
Three days later, the Israelite officers went through the camp giving
these instructions to the people.
When you see the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of
the Lord, your God, move out from your positions and follow them.
Since you have never traveled this way before, they will guide you.
Stay about half a mile behind them, keeping a clear distance
between you and the ark.
Make sure you don't come any closer.
Then Joshua told the people, purify yourselves for tomorrow.
The Lord will do great wonders among you.
In the morning, Joshua said to the priests, lift up the Ark of the covenant
and lead the people across the river.
And so they started out and went ahead of the people.
The Lord told Joshua today, I will begin to make you a great leader
in the eyes of all the Israelites.
They will know that I am with you just as I was with Moses.
Give this command to the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant.
When you reach the banks of the Jordan River, take a few steps
into the river and stop there.
So Joshua told the Israelites, come and listen to what the Lord your God says.
Today, you will know that the living God is among you.
He will surely drive out the Canaanites Hitite, Hivites parasites, gsites,
Amorites, and Jebusites ahead of you.
Look the Ark of the Covenant, which belongs to the Lord of the whole Earth,
which lead you across the Jordan River.
Now choose 12 men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.
The priests will carry the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth.
As soon as their feet touch the water, the flow of water will be cut off upstream
and the river will stand up like a wall.
So the people left their camp to cross the Jordan and the priests
who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of them.
It was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing.
Its banks.
But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the arc touched the
water at the river's edge, the water above that point began backing up a
great distance away at a town called Adam, which is near Zhan, and the
water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the river bed was dry.
Then all the people crossed over near the town of Jericho.
Meanwhile, the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Lord's covenant stood
on dry ground in the middle of the riverbed as the people passed by.
They waited there until the whole nation of Israel had
crossed the Jordan on dry ground.
This concludes today's immerse reading experience.
Thank you for joining us.