Now it happened after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ servant (attendant) , saying, Deut 34:4-8 2 “Moses ^aMy servant is dead; now therefore ¹arise to take his place, ^bcross over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land which I am giving to them, to the ²sons of Israel. 3 ^aI have given you every place on which the sole of your foot treads, just as I promised to Moses. 4 ^aFrom the wilderness of Arabia in the south and this Lebanon in the north, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates in the east, all the land of the ¹Hittites (Canaan) , and as far as the Great Mediterranean Sea toward the west shall be your territory. 5 ^aNo man will be able to stand before you to oppose you as long as you live. Just as I was present with Moses, so will I be with you; ^bI will not fail you or abandon you. 6 ^aBe strong and confident and courageous, for you will give this people as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers (ancestors) to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous; ^abe careful to do everything in accordance with the entire law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may prosper and be successful wherever you go. 8 ^aThis Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall read and meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything in accordance with all that is written in it; ^bfor then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will be ¹successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? ^aBe strong and courageous! ^bDo not be terrified or dismayed (intimidated) , for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11 “Go throughout the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within ^athree days you are to cross this river Jordan, to go in to take possession of the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance.’”

12 ^aTo the Reubenites and to the Gadites and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said, 13 “Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, ‘^aThe LORD your God is giving you rest (peace) and will give you this land east of the Jordan.’ 14 Your wives, your ¹children, and your cattle shall be allowed to stay in the land which Moses gave you on this eastern side of the Jordan, but you shall go across the river before your brothers (the other tribes) armed for battle, all your brave warriors, and you shall help them conquer and take possession of their land, 15 until the LORD gives your brothers rest, as He has given you, and they also take possession of the land which the LORD your God is giving them. ^aThen you shall be allowed to return to your own land, and take possession of that which Moses ^bthe servant of the LORD gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise.”

16 ¹They answered Joshua, saying, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so will we obey you; only ^amay the LORD your God be with you as He was with Moses. 18 Any man who rebels against your ¹command and does not obey everything that you command him, shall be put to death; only be strong and courageous.”