Scripture Reference Window
Browser "Back" or "Alt+Left_Arrow" to return.

Scriptures below green ruler lines...

The Scarlet Cord
These verses introduce us to Rahab. They account how Rahab and all who belonged to her Father's house were saved by Rahab's faith demonstrated by hanging a Scarlet Cord from her window. The Scarlet Cord prefigured the faith the Bible encourages we should have in the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the son of the God of Israel. Jesus (and his sacrifice) is the theme of the Bible; running through from Genesis to Revelation. Rahab's family's salvation was God's gift to her because she showed faith, in hiding his people's spies and then helping them escape. Her paying attention to what the true God was doing, and her faith in that reality, preserved her alive. Her hope and faithful actions would surely have been foolishness to her neighbors. Jesus being the Bible theme begins with the introduction and first knowledge of his sacrifice in Gen 3:15, and runs all the way through the Revelation of Christ as King of God's Kingdom. (1 Cor 15:12-28)
The Scarlet Cord thus seems one of God's Cords of Love drawing us to him. (Hos 11:3-4)

Fun facts about the Canaanite harlot
Rahab and the Moabite woman Ruth.
Rahab married a Jewish Man named Salmon
and their son Boaz married Ruth.
So... Rahab was mother-in-law to Ruth, in the midst
of a Jewish nation sometimes known to be judgmentally prejudice...
Both women were ancestress's of Jesus Christ. (Mat 1:1-6)

Joshua 2:1-6:25 GNB Then Joshua sent two spies from the camp at Acacia with orders to go and secretly explore the land of Canaan, especially the city of Jericho. When they came to the city, they went to spend the night in the house of a prostitute named Rahab. (2) The king of Jericho heard that some Israelites had come that night to spy out the country, (3) so he sent word to Rahab: "The men in your house have come to spy out the whole country! Bring them out!" (4) "Some men did come to my house," she answered, "but I don't know where they were from. They left at sundown before the city gate was closed. I didn't find out where they were going, but if you start after them quickly, you can catch them." (Now Rahab had taken the two spies up on the roof and hidden them under some stalks of flax that she had put there.) (5) (SEE 2:4) (6) (SEE 2:4) (7) The king's men left the city, and then the gate was shut. They went looking for the Israelite spies as far as the place where the road crosses the Jordan. (8) Before the spies settled down for the night, Rahab went up on the roof (9) and said to them, "I know that the LORD ( יהוה ) has given you this land. Everyone in the country is terrified of you. (10) We have heard how the LORD ( יהוה ) dried up the Red Sea in front of you when you were leaving Egypt. We have also heard how you killed Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan. (11) We were afraid as soon as we heard about it; we have all lost our courage because of you. The LORD ( יהוה ) your God is God in heaven above and here on earth. (12) Now swear by him that you will treat my family as kindly as I have treated you, and give me some sign that I can trust you. (13) Promise me that you will save my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all their families! Don't let us be killed!" (14) The men said to her, "May God take our lives if we don't do as we say! If you do not tell anyone what we have been doing, we promise you that when the LORD ( יהוה ) gives us this land, we will treat you well." (15) Rahab lived in a house built into the city wall, so she let the men down from the window by a rope. (16) "Go into the hill country," she said, "or the king's men will find you. Hide there for three days until they come back. After that, you can go on your way." (17) The men said to her, "We will keep the promise that you have made us give. (18) This is what you must do. When we invade your land, tie this red cord to the window you let us down from. Get your father and mother, your brothers, and all your father's family together in your house. (19) If anyone goes out of the house, his death will be his own fault, and we will not be responsible; but if anyone in the house with you is harmed, then we will be responsible. (20) However, if you tell anyone what we have been doing, then we will not have to keep our promise which you have made us give you." (21) She agreed and sent them away. When they had gone, she tied the red cord to the window. (22) The spies went into the hills and hid. The king's men looked for them all over the countryside for three days, but they did not find them, so they returned to Jericho. (23) Then the two spies came down from the hills, crossed the river, and went back to Joshua. They told him everything that had happened, (24) and then said, "We are sure that the LORD ( יהוה ) has given us the whole country. All the people there are terrified of us."
Joshua 3:1-17 GNB The next morning Joshua and all the people of Israel got up early, left the camp at Acacia, and went to the Jordan, where they camped while waiting to cross it. (2) Three days later the leaders went through the camp (3) and told the people, "When you see the priests carrying the Covenant Box [the Ark of the Covenant] of the LORD ( יהוה ) your God, break camp and follow them. (4) You have never been here before, so they will show you the way to go. But do not get near the Covenant Box; stay about half a mile behind it." (5) Joshua told the people, "Purify yourselves, because tomorrow the LORD ( יהוה ) will perform miracles among you." (6) Then he told the priests to take the Covenant Box and go with it ahead of the people. They did as he said. (7) The LORD ( יהוה ) said to Joshua, "What I do today will make all the people of Israel begin to honor you as a great man, and they will realize that I am with you as I was with Moses. (8) Tell the priests carrying the Covenant Box that when they reach the river, they must wade in and stand near the bank." (9) Then Joshua said to the people, "Come here and listen to what the LORD ( יהוה ) your God has to say. (10) As you advance, he will surely drive out the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites. You will know that the living God is among you (11) when the Covenant Box of the Lord of all the earth crosses the Jordan ahead of you. (12) Now choose twelve men, one from each of the tribes of Israel. (13) When the priests who carry the Covenant Box of the LORD ( יהוה ) of all the earth put their feet in the water, the Jordan will stop flowing, and the water coming downstream will pile up in one place." (14) It was harvest time, and the river was in flood. When the people left the camp to cross the Jordan, the priests went ahead of them, carrying the Covenant Box. As soon as the priests stepped into the river, (15) (SEE 3:14) (16) the water stopped flowing and piled up, far upstream at Adam, the city beside Zarethan. The flow downstream to the Dead Sea was completely cut off, and the people were able to cross over near Jericho. (17) While the people walked across on dry ground, the priests carrying the LORD ( יהוה ) 's Covenant Box stood on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan until all the people had crossed over.
Joshua 4:1-24 GNB When the whole nation had crossed the Jordan, the LORD ( יהוה ) said to Joshua, (2) "Choose twelve men, one from each tribe, (3) and command them to take twelve stones out of the middle of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests were standing. Tell them to carry these stones with them and to put them down where you camp tonight." (4) Then Joshua called the twelve men he had chosen, (5) and he told them, "Go into the Jordan ahead of the Covenant Box of the LORD ( יהוה ) your God. Each one of you take a stone on your shoulder, one for each of the tribes of Israel. (6) These stones will remind the people of what the LORD ( יהוה ) has done. In the future, when your children ask what these stones mean to you, (7) you will tell them that the water of the Jordan stopped flowing when the LORD ( יהוה ) 's Covenant Box crossed the river. These stones will always remind the people of Israel of what happened here." (8) The men followed Joshua's orders. As the LORD ( יהוה ) had commanded Joshua, they took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, one for each of the tribes of Israel, carried them to the camping place, and put them down there. (9) Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, where the priests carrying the Covenant Box had stood. (Those stones are still there.) (10) The priests stood in the middle of the Jordan until everything had been done that the LORD ( יהוה ) ordered Joshua to tell the people to do. This is what Moses had commanded. The people hurried across the river. (11) When they were all on the other side, the priests with the LORD ( יהוה ) 's Covenant Box went on ahead of the people. (12) The men of the tribes of Reuben and Gad and of half the tribe of Manasseh, ready for battle, crossed ahead of the rest of the people, as Moses had told them to do. (13) In the presence of the LORD ( יהוה ) about forty thousand men ready for war crossed over to the plain near Jericho. (14) What the LORD ( יהוה ) did that day made the people of Israel consider Joshua a great man. They honored him all his life, just as they had honored Moses. (15) Then the LORD ( יהוה ) told Joshua (16) to command the priests carrying the Covenant Box to come up out of the Jordan. (17) Joshua did so, (18) and when the priests reached the riverbank, the river began flowing once more and flooded its banks again. (19) The people crossed the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month and camped at Gilgal, east of Jericho. (20) There Joshua set up the twelve stones taken from the Jordan. (21) And he said to the people of Israel, "In the future, when your children ask you what these stones mean, (22) you will tell them about the time when Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground. (23) Tell them that the LORD ( יהוה ) your God dried up the water of the Jordan for you until you had crossed, just as he dried up the Red Sea for us. (24) Because of this everyone on earth will know how great the LORD ( יהוה ) 's power is, and you will honor the LORD ( יהוה ) your God forever."
Joshua 5:1-15 GNB All the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the Mediterranean Sea heard that the LORD ( יהוה ) had dried up the Jordan until the people of Israel had crossed it. They became afraid and lost their courage because of the Israelites. (2) Then the LORD ( יהוה ) told Joshua, "Make some knives out of flint and circumcise the Israelites." (3) So Joshua did as the LORD ( יהוה ) had commanded, and he circumcised the Israelites at a place called Circumcision Hill. (4) When the people of Israel left Egypt, all the males were already circumcised. However, during the forty years the people spent crossing the desert, none of the baby boys had been circumcised. Also, by the end of that time all the men who were of fighting age when they left Egypt had died because they had disobeyed the LORD ( יהוה ) . Just as he had sworn, they were not allowed to see the rich and fertile land that he had promised their ancestors. (5) (SEE 5:4) (6) (SEE 5:4) (7) The sons of these men had never been circumcised, and it was this new generation that Joshua circumcised. (8) After the circumcision was completed, the whole nation stayed in the camp until the wounds had healed. (9) The LORD ( יהוה ) said to Joshua, "Today I have removed from you the disgrace of being slaves in Egypt." That is why the place was named Gilgal, the name it still has. (10) While the Israelites were camping at Gilgal on the plain near Jericho, they observed Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month. (11) The next day was the first time they ate food grown in Canaan: roasted grain and bread made without yeast. (12) The manna stopped falling then, and the Israelites no longer had any. From that time on they ate food grown in Canaan. (13) While Joshua was near Jericho, he suddenly saw a man standing in front of him, holding a sword. Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you one of our soldiers, or an enemy?" (14) "Neither," the man answered. "I am here as the commander of the LORD ( יהוה ) 's army." Joshua threw himself on the ground in worship and said, "I am your servant, sir. What do you want me to do?" (15) And the commander of the LORD ( יהוה ) 's army told him, "Take your sandals off; you are standing on holy ground." And Joshua did as he was told.
Joshua 6:1-27 GNB The gates of Jericho were kept shut and guarded to keep the Israelites out. No one could enter or leave the city. (2) The LORD ( יהוה ) said to Joshua, "I am putting into your hands Jericho, with its king and all its brave soldiers. (3) You and your soldiers are to march around the city once a day for six days. (4) Seven priests, each carrying a trumpet, are to go in front of the Covenant Box. On the seventh day you and your soldiers are to march around the city seven times while the priests blow the trumpets. (5) Then they are to sound one long note. As soon as you hear it, all the people are to give a loud shout, and the city walls will collapse. Then the whole army will go straight into the city." (6) Joshua called the priests and told them, "Take the Covenant Box, and seven of you go in front of it, carrying trumpets." (7) Then he ordered the people to start marching around the city, with an advance guard going on ahead of the LORD ( יהוה ) 's Covenant Box. (8) So, just as Joshua had ordered, an advance guard started out ahead of the priests who were blowing trumpets; behind these came the priests who were carrying the Covenant Box, followed by a rear guard. All this time the trumpets were sounding. (9) (SEE 6:8) (10) But Joshua had ordered the people not to shout, not to say a word until he gave the order. (11) So he had this group of men take the LORD ( יהוה ) 's Covenant Box around the city one time. Then they came back to camp and spent the night there. (12) Joshua got up early the next morning, and for the second time the priests and soldiers marched around the city in the same order as the day before: first, the advance guard; next, the seven priests blowing the seven trumpets; then, the priests carrying the LORD ( יהוה ) 's Covenant Box; and finally, the rear guard. All this time the trumpets were sounding. (13) (SEE 6:12) (14) On this second day they again marched around the city one time and then returned to camp. They did this for six days. (15) On the seventh day they got up at daybreak and marched seven times around the city in the same way---this was the only day that they marched around it seven times. (16) The seventh time around, when the priests were about to sound the trumpets, Joshua ordered the people to shout, and he said, "The LORD ( יהוה ) has given you the city! (17) The city and everything in it must be totally destroyed as an offering to the LORD ( יהוה ) . Only the prostitute Rahab and her household will be spared, because she hid our spies. (18) But you are not to take anything that is to be destroyed; if you do, you will bring trouble and destruction on the Israelite camp. (19) Everything made of silver, gold, bronze, or iron is set apart for the LORD ( יהוה ) . It is to be put in the LORD ( יהוה ) 's treasury." (20) So the priests blew the trumpets. As soon as the people heard it, they gave a loud shout, and the walls collapsed. Then all the army went straight up the hill into the city and captured it. (21) With their swords they killed everyone in the city, men and women, young and old. They also killed the cattle, sheep, and donkeys. (22) Joshua then told the two men who had served as spies, "Go into the prostitute's house, and bring her and her family out, as you promised her." (23) So they went and brought Rahab out, along with her father and mother, her brothers, and the rest of her family. They took them all, family and slaves, to safety near the Israelite camp. (24) Then they set fire to the city and burned it to the ground, along with everything in it, except the things made of gold, silver, bronze, and iron, which they took and put in the LORD ( יהוה ) 's treasury. (25) But Joshua spared the lives of the prostitute Rahab and all her relatives, because she had hidden the two spies that he had sent to Jericho. (Her descendants have lived in Israel to this day.) (26) At this time Joshua issued a solemn warning: "Anyone who tries to rebuild the city of Jericho will be under the LORD ( יהוה ) 's curse. Whoever lays the foundation will lose his oldest son; Whoever builds the gates will lose his youngest." (27) So the LORD ( יהוה ) was with Joshua, and his fame spread through the whole country.

Joshua 2:1-6:25 NWT 2 Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men out secretly from Shit´tim as spies, saying: “Go, take a look at the land and Jer´i·cho.” So they went and came to the house of a prostitute woman whose name was Ra´hab, and they took up lodging there. 2 In time it was said to the king of Jer´i·cho: “Look! Men from the sons of Israel have come in here tonight to search out the land.” 3 At that the king of Jer´i·cho sent to Ra´hab, saying: “Bring out the men that came to you, that have come into your house, for it is to search out all the land that they have come.” 4 Meantime the woman took the two men and concealed them. And she proceeded to say: “Yes, the men did come to me, and I did not know from where they were. 5 And it came about at the closing of the gate by dark that the men went out. I just do not know where the men have gone. Chase after them quickly, for YOU will overtake them.” 6 (She, though, had taken them up to the roof, and she kept them out of sight among stalks of flax laid in rows for her upon the roof.) 7 And the men chased after them in the direction of the Jordan at the fords, and they shut the gate immediately after those chasing after them had gone out. 8 As for these, before they could lie down, she herself came up to them on the roof. 9 And she went on to say to the men: “I do know that Jehovah ( יהוה ) will certainly give YOU the land, and that the fright of YOU has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have become disheartened because of YOU. 10 For we have heard how Jehovah ( יהוה ) dried up the waters of the Red Sea from before YOU when YOU came out of Egypt, and what YOU did to the two kings of the Am´or·ites who were on the other side of the Jordan, namely, Si´hon and Og, whom YOU devoted to destruction. 11 When we got to hear it, then our hearts began to melt, and no spirit has arisen yet in anybody because of YOU, for Jehovah ( יהוה ) YOUR God is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. 12 And now, please, swear to me by Jehovah ( יהוה ) that, because I have exercised loving-kindness toward YOU, YOU also will certainly exercise loving-kindness toward the household of my father, and YOU must give me a trustworthy sign. 13 And YOU must preserve alive my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters and all who belong to them, and YOU must deliver our souls from death.” 14 At that the men said to her: “Our souls are to die instead of YOU people! If YOU will not tell about this matter of ours, it must also occur that when Jehovah ( יהוה ) gives us the land, we also shall certainly exercise loving-kindness and trustworthiness toward you.” 15 After that she had them descend by a rope through the window, for her house was on a side of the wall, and it was on the wall that she was dwelling. 16 And she proceeded to say to them: “Go to the mountainous region, that those in pursuit may not come in contact with YOU; and YOU must keep hid there three days, until those in pursuit have come back, and afterward YOU may go in YOUR own direction.” 17 In turn the men said to her: “We are free from guilt respecting this oath of yours that you have made us swear. 18 Look! We are coming into the land. This cord of scarlet thread you should tie in the window by which you have had us descend, and your father and your mother and your brothers and all the household of your father you should gather to yourself into the house. 19 And it must occur that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house into the open, his blood will be upon his own head, and we shall be free from guilt; and everyone who continues with you in the house, his blood will be on our heads if a hand should come upon him. 20 And if you should report this matter of ours, we shall also have become free from guilt respecting this oath of yours that you have made us swear.” 21 To this she said: “According to YOUR words so let it be.” With that she sent them off, and they went their way. After that she tied the scarlet cord in the window. 22 So they went and came to the mountainous region and kept dwelling there three days, until the pursuers had come back. Now the pursuers were looking for them on every road, and they did not find them. 23 And the two men proceeded to descend again from the mountainous region and to cross over and come to Joshua the son of Nun, and they began to relate to him all the things that had happened to them. 24 And they went on to say to Joshua: “ Jehovah ( יהוה ) has given all the land into our hand. Consequently all the inhabitants of the land have also grown disheartened because of us.” 3 Then Joshua got up early in the morning, and he and all the sons of Israel proceeded to pull away from Shit´tim and to come as far as the Jordan; and they went spending the night there before they would cross. 2 So it came about at the end of the three days that the officers proceeded to pass through the midst of the camp 3 and to command the people, saying: “As soon as YOU see the ark of the covenant of Jehovah ( יהוה ) YOUR God, and the priests, the Levites, carrying it, then YOU yourselves will pull away from YOUR place, and YOU must follow it, 4 —only let there prove to be a distance between YOU and it of about two thousand cubits by measure; do not get near to it—in order that YOU may know the way by which YOU should go, for YOU have not passed over on that way before.” 5 Joshua now said to the people: “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow Jehovah ( יהוה ) will do wonderful things in YOUR midst.” 6 Then Joshua said to the priests: “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass before the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people. 7 And Jehovah ( יהוה ) proceeded to say to Joshua: “This day I shall start to make you great in the eyes of all Israel, that they may know that just as I proved to be with Moses I shall prove to be with you. 8 And you—you should command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘As soon as YOU have come as far as the edge of the waters of the Jordan, YOU should stand still in the Jordan.’” 9 And Joshua went on to say to the sons of Israel: “Approach here and listen to the words of Jehovah ( יהוה ) YOUR God.” 10 After that Joshua said: “By this YOU will know that a living God is in YOUR midst, and that he will without fail drive away from before YOU the Ca´naan·ites and the Hit´tites and the Hi´vites and the Per´iz·zites and the Gir´ga·shites and the Am´or·ites and the Jeb´u·sites. 11 Look! The ark of the covenant of the Lord of the whole earth is passing before YOU into the Jordan. 12 And now take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe. 13 And it must occur that at the instant that the soles of the feet of the priests carrying the ark of Jehovah ( יהוה ) , the Lord of the whole earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off, the waters descending from above, and they will stand still as one dam.” 14 And it came about that when the people pulled away from their tents just before passing over the Jordan, with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and at the instant that the carriers of the Ark came as far as the Jordan and the feet of the priests carrying the Ark were dipped in the edge of the waters (now the Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest), 16 then the waters descending from above began to stand still. They rose up as one dam very far away at Adam, the city at the side of Zar´e·than, while those descending toward the sea of the Ar´a·bah, the Salt Sea, were exhausted. They were cut off, and the people passed over in front of Jer´i·cho. 17 Meanwhile the priests carrying the ark of Jehovah ( יהוה ) ’s covenant kept standing immovable on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan as all Israel were passing over on dry ground, until the whole nation had completed passing over the Jordan. 4 And it came about that as soon as the whole nation had completed passing over the Jordan, Jehovah ( יהוה ) proceeded to say to Joshua: 2 “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe, 3 and command them, saying, ‘Take up for yourselves from the very middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood motionless, twelve stones, and YOU must carry them over with YOU and deposit them in the lodging place in which you will lodge tonight.’” 4 So Joshua called twelve men whom he had appointed from the sons of Israel, one man from each tribe; 5 and Joshua went on to say to them: “Pass ahead of the ark of Jehovah ( יהוה ) YOUR God to the middle of the Jordan, and lift up for yourselves each one a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel, 6 in order that this may serve as a sign in YOUR midst. In case YOUR sons should ask in time to come, saying, ‘Why do you have these stones?’ 7 YOU must also say to them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off from before the ark of Jehovah ( יהוה ) ’s covenant. When it passed through the Jordan the waters of the Jordan were cut off, and these stones must serve as a memorial to the sons of Israel to time indefinite.’” 8 Accordingly the sons of Israel did so, just as Joshua had commanded, and they took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, just as Jehovah ( יהוה ) had stated to Joshua, to correspond with the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel; and they went taking them over with them to the lodging place and depositing them there. 9 There were also twelve stones that Joshua set up in the middle of the Jordan on the standing place of the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the covenant, and they continue there until this day. 10 And the priests carrying the Ark were standing in the middle of the Jordan until the whole matter had been completed that Jehovah ( יהוה ) had commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. All the while the people hurried up and passed over. 11 And it came about that as soon as all the people had completed passing over, then the ark of Jehovah ( יהוה ) passed over, and the priests, before the people. 12 And the sons of Reu´ben and the sons of Gad and the half tribe of Ma·nas´seh proceeded to pass over in battle formation in the sight of the sons of Israel, just as Moses had stated to them. 13 About forty thousand equipped for the army passed over before Jehovah ( יהוה ) for the war onto the desert plains of Jer´i·cho. 14 On that day Jehovah ( יהוה ) made Joshua great in the eyes of all Israel, and they began to fear him just as they had feared Moses all the days of his life. 15 Then Jehovah ( יהוה ) said to Joshua: 16 “Command the priests carrying the ark of the testimony that they go up out of the Jordan.” 17 So Joshua commanded the priests, saying: “Go up out of the Jordan.” 18 And it came about that when the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of Jehovah ( יהוה ) came up out of the middle of the Jordan and the soles of the feet of the priests were drawn out onto the dry ground, then the waters of the Jordan began returning to their place and went overflowing all its banks as formerly. 19 And the people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth of the first month and took up camping at Gil´gal on the eastern border of Jer´i·cho. 20 As for the twelve stones that they had taken out of the Jordan, Joshua set these up at Gil´gal. 21 And he went on to say to the sons of Israel: “When YOUR sons ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 YOU must then let YOUR sons know, saying, ‘On the dry land it was that Israel passed over this Jordan, 23 when Jehovah ( יהוה ) YOUR God dried up the waters of the Jordan from before them until they had passed over, just as Jehovah ( יהוה ) YOUR God had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up from before us until we had passed over; 24 in order that all the peoples of the earth may know Jehovah ( יהוה ) ’s hand, that it is strong; in order that YOU may indeed fear Jehovah ( יהוה ) YOUR God always.’” 5 And it came about that as soon as all the kings of the Am´or·ites, who were on the side of the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Ca´naan·ites, who were by the sea, heard that Jehovah ( יהוה ) had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the sons of Israel until they had passed over, then their hearts began to melt, and there proved to be no spiritedness in them anymore because of the sons of Israel. 2 At that particular time Jehovah ( יהוה ) said to Joshua: “Make for yourself flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel again, the second time.” 3 Accordingly Joshua made flint knives for himself and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gib´e·ath-ha·ar´a·loth. 4 And this was the reason why Joshua did the circumcising: all the people that came out of Egypt, the males, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the road when they were coming out of Egypt. 5 For all the people who came out proved to be circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness on the road when they were coming out of Egypt they had not circumcised. 6 For the sons of Israel had walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation of the men of war who came out of Egypt that did not listen to the voice of Jehovah ( יהוה ) had come to its finish, to whom Jehovah ( יהוה ) swore that he would never let them see the land that Jehovah ( יהוה ) had sworn to their forefathers to give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 7 And their sons he raised up instead of them. These Joshua circumcised, because they proved to be uncircumcised, for they had not circumcised them on the road. 8 And it came about that when they had completed circumcising all the nation, they kept sitting in their place in the camp until they revived. 9 Then Jehovah ( יהוה ) said to Joshua: “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off YOU.” So the name of that place came to be called Gil´gal until this day. 10 And the sons of Israel continued to camp in Gil´gal, and they proceeded to carry out the passover on the fourteenth day of the month, in the evening, on the desert plains of Jer´i·cho. 11 And they began to eat some of the yield of the land the day after the passover, unfermented cakes and roasted grains, on this same day. 12 Then the manna ceased on the following day when they had eaten some of the yield of the land, and manna did not occur anymore for the sons of Israel, and they began to eat some of the produce of the land of Ca´naan in that year. 13 And it came about when Joshua happened to be by Jer´i·cho that he proceeded to raise his eyes and look, and there there was a man standing in front of him with his drawn sword in his hand. So Joshua walked up to him and said to him: “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” 14 To this he said: “No, but I—as prince of the army of Jehovah ( יהוה ) I have now come.” With that Joshua fell on his face to the earth and prostrated himself and said to him: “What is my lord saying to his servant?” 15 In turn the prince of the army of Jehovah ( יהוה ) said to Joshua: “Draw your sandals from off your feet, because the place on which you are standing is holy.” At once Joshua did so. 6 Now Jer´i·cho was tightly shut up because of the sons of Israel, no one going out and no one entering. 2 And Jehovah ( יהוה ) went on to say to Joshua: “See, I have given Jer´i·cho and its king, the valiant mighty men, into your hand. 3 And all YOU men of war must march round the city, going round the city once. That is the way you should do for six days. 4 And seven priests should carry seven rams’ horns, before the Ark, and on the seventh day YOU should march round the city seven times and the priests should blow the horns. 5 And it must occur that when they sound with the horn of the ram, when YOU hear the sound of the horn, all the people should shout a great war cry; and the wall of the city must fall down flat, and the people must go up, each one straight before him.” 6 Accordingly Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them: “Take up the ark of the covenant, and seven priests should carry seven rams’ horns before the ark of Jehovah ( יהוה ) .” 7 And he went on to say to the people: “Pass on and march round the city, and the war-equipped force should pass on ahead of the ark of Jehovah ( יהוה ) .” 8 So it came about just as Joshua said to the people; and seven priests carrying seven rams’ horns before Jehovah ( יהוה ) passed on and blew the horns, and the ark of the covenant of Jehovah ( יהוה ) was following them. 9 And the war-equipped force was going ahead of the priests blowing the horns, while the rear guard was following the Ark with a continual blowing on the horns. 10 Now Joshua had commanded the people, saying: “YOU must neither shout nor let YOUR voices be heard, and no word should come out of YOUR mouths until the day when I say to YOU, ‘Shout!’ Then YOU must shout.” 11 And he had the ark of Jehovah ( יהוה ) go marching round the city, going round once, after which they went to the camp and stayed overnight in the camp. 12 Then Joshua got up early in the morning, and the priests went carrying the ark of Jehovah ( יהוה ) , 13 and seven priests carrying seven rams’ horns before the ark of Jehovah ( יהוה ) were walking, continually blowing the horns, and the war-equipped force was walking ahead of them, while the rear guard was following the ark of Jehovah ( יהוה ) with a continual blowing on the horns. 14 And they went marching round the city on the second day once, after which they returned to the camp. That was the way they did for six days. 15 And it came about on the seventh day that they proceeded to get up early, as soon as the dawn ascended, and they went marching round the city in this manner seven times. Just on that day they marched round the city seven times. 16 And it came about on the seventh time that the priests blew the horns, and Joshua proceeded to say to the people: “Shout; for Jehovah ( יהוה ) has given YOU the city. 17 And the city must become a thing devoted to destruction; it with everything that is in it belongs to Jehovah ( יהוה ) . Only Ra´hab the prostitute may keep on living, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers whom we sent out. 18 As for YOU people, only keep away from the thing devoted to destruction, for fear YOU may get a desire and YOU do take some of the thing devoted to destruction and do constitute the camp of Israel a thing devoted to destruction and bring ostracism upon it. 19 But all the silver and the gold and the articles of copper and iron are something holy to Jehovah ( יהוה ) . Into the treasure of Jehovah ( יהוה ) it should go.” 20 Then the people shouted, when they proceeded to blow the horns. And it came about that as soon as the people heard the sound of the horn and the people began to shout a great war cry, then the wall began to fall down flat. After that the people went up into the city, each one straight before him, and captured the city. 21 And they went devoting all that was in the city, from man to woman, from young man to old man and to bull and sheep and ass, to destruction by the edge of the sword. 22 And to the two men who had done the spying on the land, Joshua said: “Go into the house of the woman, the prostitute, and bring out of there the woman and all who belong to her, just as YOU have sworn to her.” 23 So the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Ra´hab and her father and her mother and her brothers and all who belonged to her, yes, all her family relationship they brought out; and they proceeded to set them down outside the camp of Israel. 24 And they burned the city with fire and everything that was in it. Only the silver and the gold and the articles of copper and iron they gave to the treasure of Jehovah ( יהוה ) ’s house. 25 And Ra´hab the prostitute and the household of her father and all who belonged to her, Joshua preserved alive; and she dwells in the midst of Israel down to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent out to spy on Jer´i·cho.

Use browser "Back Arrow" or "Alt + Left_Arrow" keys to previous page. | Home

You will note the reference windows often include more than one translation of the Bible. The reason is to strive to gain the best possible understanding of the original Hebrew and Greek. Since we don't speak those languages, we rely on those who have come before and made the effort to translate those texts into English for us. Considering several translations gives the benefit of the understanding of several translation committees or individuals.
The Translations we quote are:

ALT - Analytical Literal Translation

ASV - American Standard Version (by the American revision committee in 1897).

BBE - 1965 Bible in Basic English

Bishops - 1568 Bishop's Bible

Calvin - 1856 by Calvin Translation Society

CEV - Contemporary English Version

Coverdale - 1535 Miles Coverdale Bible

Darby - 1889 Darby Bible

DRB - 1899 Douay-Rheims Bible

ESV - English Standard Version

GNB - Good News Bible

GW - God's Word Bible

ISV - International Standard Version

KJV - 1769 King James Version

KJV-1611 - Old King James Version from 1611

LitNT - Literal New Testament

LITV - Literal Translation of the Holy Bible

MKJV - 1962 Modern King James Version

Murdock - 1851 James Murdock New Testament

MWT - Modern World Translation

NWT - New World Translation

RV - Revised Version

Webster - 1833 Webster Bible

WTNT - 1525-26 William Tyndale New Testament

Wycliffe - 1394 Wycliffe Bible

YLT - 1862/1898 Young's Literal Translation

Scripture Reference Window
Browser "Back" or "Alt+Left_Arrow" to return.