"Howis the land,is it fatorlean?Are theretreesin it ornot? Makean effortthen to getsomeof the fruitof the land."Now the timewas the timeof the firstripegrapes.
"Now,my son,the LORDbe with you that you may be successful,and buildthe houseof the LORDyour Godjustas He has spokenconcerningyou.
"They capturedfortifiedcitiesand a fertileland.They tookpossessionof housesfullof everygoodthing,Hewncisterns,vineyards,olivegroves,Fruittreesin abundance.So they ate,were filledand grewfat,And reveledin Your greatgoodness.
"But they, in their own kingdom,With Your greatgoodnesswhichYou gavethem, With the broadand richlandwhichYou setbeforethem, Did not serveYou or turnfrom their evildeeds.
"I will feedthem in a goodpasture,and their grazinggroundwill be on the mountainheightsof Israel.Therethey will liedownon goodgrazinggroundand feedin richpastureon the mountainsof Israel.
"In a timeof tranquilityhe will enterthe richest[parts] of the realm,and he will accomplishwhathis fathersneverdid,norhis ancestors;he will distributeplunder,bootyand possessionsamong them, and he will devisehis schemesagainststrongholds,but [only] for a time.
Woeis me! For I amLike the fruitpickers,like the grapegatherers.Thereis not a clusterof grapes to eat,[Or] a first-ripefig[which] I crave.
"Howis the landin whichthey live,is it goodorbad?And howare the citiesin whichthey live,are [they] like [open] campsorwith fortifications?
"They turnedand wentup into the hillcountry,and cameto the valleyof Eshcoland spiedit out.
"Then they took[some] of the fruitof the landin their handsand broughtit downto us; and they broughtus backa reportand said,'It is a goodlandwhichthe LORDour Godis about to giveus.'
Then He commissionedJoshuathe sonof Nun,and said,"Be strongand courageous,for you shall bringthe sonsof Israelinto the landwhichI sworeto them, and I will be with you."
sothat we confidentlysay,"THE LORDIS MY HELPER,I WILL NOT BE AFRAID.WHATWILL MANDOTO ME?"
"Be strongand courageous,for you shall givethispeoplepossessionof the landwhichI sworeto their fathersto givethem.
"Have I not commandedyou? Be strongand courageous!Do not trembleor be dismayed,for the LORDyour Godis with you whereveryou go."
Then Joshuathe sonof Nunsenttwomenas spiessecretlyfrom Shittim,saying,"Go,viewthe land,especiallyJericho."So they wentand cameinto the houseof a harlotwhose namewas Rahab,and lodgedthere.
And the kingof Jerichosent[word] to Rahab,saying,"Bringout the menwho have cometo you, whohave enteredyour house,for they have cometo searchout allthe land."
