God Commissions Joshua

(Deuteronomy 11:8-17)

1Now it came to pass after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, 2Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. 3Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, to you have I given it, as I spake unto Moses. 4From the wilderness, and this Lebanon, even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your border. 5There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee nor forsake thee. 6Be strong and of a good courage: for thou shalt cause this people to inherit the land which I sware unto their fathers to give them. 7Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest have good success whithersoever thou goest. 8This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 9Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not affrighted, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Joshua Takes Charge

10Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11Pass through the midst of the camp, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye are to pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it.

12And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying, 13Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God giveth you rest, and will give you this land. 14Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall abide in the land which Moses gave you beyond Jordan; but ye shall pass over before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and shall help them; 15until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which the LORD your God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and possess it, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you beyond Jordan toward the sunrising.

16And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou hast commanded us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us we will go. 17According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the LORD thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses. 18Whosoever he be that shall rebel against thy commandment, and shall not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.