The Lord helped Joshua lead the Hebrew people into the
Promised Land. When they entered this land, the Israelites had to cross the
Jordan River. At God’s command, Joshua told the priests to take the Ark of the
Covenant into the river.
No sooner had they wet their feet in the water
than the river parted. The water that flowed from the upper reaches of the
river came to a stop like a wall, and the lower part of the river flowed down
to the sea and all the people crossed over the dry river bed.
After crossing the Jordan River, it was necessary
to capture the city of Jericho, which had very high and strong walls. Joshua,
by God’s command, ordered the people, with the priests in front with the Ark of
the venant, to walk around the city for seven days: once a day for six days,
and on the seventh day, the ark was to be carried around seven times. After
this, the walls of Jericho crumbled to their foundations at the sound of the
priests’ trumpets and the loud cries of all the people. In this way the
Israelites took the city.
A great battle with the people of the land of
Canaan took place by the city of Gabaon. The Israelites defeated their enemies
and put them to flight while God rained stones from heaven on those who were
fleeing, so that more perished from the stones than from the swords of the
Israelites. The day was coming to an end, but the Israelites had not yet routed
their enemies. Joshua then prayed to God and cried out aloud before the people,
"Sun, stand still, and moon, do not move..." And the sun did stand
still, and night did not come until the Israelites had defeated their enemies.
With God’s help, in six years Joshua conquered the
entire Promised Land and divided it by lot among the twelve tribes of Israel. The two sons of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, received
the portions of Levi and Joseph. The tribe of Levi served at the tabernacle and
was supported by the tithes (ten percent of the income) collected from the
people.
Before his death, Joshua commanded in his last
testimony that the Israelites firmly preserve the faith in the true God and
serve Him in purity and sincerity.
Note: See
the Book of Joshua and Deuteronomy, chap. 27.
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