Joshua 24:1-13
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 24
Covenant Ceremony. 1 (A)Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem, summoning the elders, leaders, judges, and officers of Israel. When they stood in ranks before God, 2 Joshua addressed all the people: “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: In times past your ancestors, down to Terah,(B) father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the River[a] and served other gods. 3 But I brought your father Abraham from the region beyond the River and led him through the entire land of Canaan.(C) I made his descendants numerous, and gave him Isaac. 4 To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau.(D) To Esau I assigned the mountain region of Seir to possess, while Jacob and his children went down to Egypt.
5 “Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and struck Egypt with the plagues and wonders that I wrought in her midst.(E) Afterward I led you out. 6 And when I led your ancestors out of Egypt, you came to the sea, and the Egyptians pursued your ancestors to the Red Sea with chariots and charioteers.(F) 7 When they cried out to the Lord,(G) he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, upon whom he brought the sea so that it covered them. Your eyes saw what I did to Egypt. After you dwelt a long time in the wilderness, 8 (H)I brought you into the land of the Amorites who lived east of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I delivered them into your power. You took possession of their land, and I destroyed them at your approach. 9 (I)Then Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab, prepared to war against Israel. He summoned Balaam, son of Beor, to curse you, 10 (J)but I would not listen to Balaam. Instead, he had to bless you, and I delivered you from his power. 11 Once you crossed the Jordan(K) and came to Jericho, the citizens of Jericho fought against you, but I delivered them also into your power. 12 And I sent the hornets[b] ahead of you which drove them—the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites, and Jebusites—out of your way; it was not your sword or your bow.(L) 13 I gave you a land you did not till and cities you did not build, to dwell in; you ate of vineyards and olive groves you did not plant.(M)
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 24:2 Beyond the River: east of the Euphrates; cf. Gn 11:28–31.
- 24:12 The hornets: see note on Ex 23:28.
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