8aThis Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but byou shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
9aHave I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; bdo not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
The Order to Cross the Jordan
10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,
11 “Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for awithin three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’ ”
12 And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh Joshua spoke, saying,
13 “Remember athe word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is giving you rest and is giving you this land.’
14 Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But you shall1 pass before your brethren armed, all your mighty men of valor, and help them,
15 until the Lord has given your brethren rest, as He gave you, and they also have taken possession of the land which the Lord your God is giving them. aThen you shall return to the land of your possession and enjoy it, which Moses the Lord’s servant gave you on this side of the Jordan toward the sunrise.”
16 So they answered Joshua, saying, “All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.
17 Just as we heeded Moses in all things, so we will heed you. Only the Lord your God abe with you, as He was with Moses.
18 Whoever rebels against your command and does not heed your words, in all that you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage.”
"Prepare food" - Where did this food come from? It could not have been manna, because manna could not be stored. They had to prepare foods that would last for a time. We can speculate. It could have included meat slaughtered from the herds and flocks they traveled with through the wilderness. This command could also be the first bit of evidence that the Israelites were already gathering and eating of the produce of the land that they were conquering. Which land? The narrative does not say. It could certainly include produce from the Promised Land because some Israelites (the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh) were already taking up residence on the eastern side of the Jordan.
Where did this food come from? It could not have been manna because manna could not be stored. It could have included some meat they slaughtered from the herds and flocks traveling with them. It could also be evidence that the Israelites were already gathering and perhaps eating the produce of the lands they were conquering. The narrative does not say what lands, but it could include the Promised Land because people were already beginning to take up residence east of the Jordan.
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