Apocryphon of Joshua

The blessing upon the righteous, the prayer of Joshua before his death, and the gathering of the elders to receive the priestly succession from Eleazar and Phinehas.

1Then Joshua lifted up his voice unto the Lord, and prayed: O Lord God of hosts — the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob — Thou knowest that Thy servant hath walked before Thee with integrity. Thou hast brought Thy people out of Egypt; Thou hast brought them through the wilderness; Thou hast given them this land. Now, O Lord, keep them in the way.

2Forsake them not; for they are weak. Their hearts are easily turned aside. Behold, even in the days of my life, when I have led them, they have grumbled and turned. How shall it be, O Lord, when I am gone? How shall it be when other shepherds shall arise — them which seek their own gain, and not the welfare of the flock?

3O Lord, raise up faithful shepherds. Raise up wise teachers. Raise up righteous priests. Raise up, in the latter days, the Prophet whom Moses spake of — even Him whose word shall be as the word of God. Raise up the Star and the Sceptre that Balaam beheld. Raise up the Levi who beareth the Urim and the Thummim. Raise up the King that shall sit upon the throne of David in righteousness for ever.

4And keep, O Lord, Thy people, until the day of His coming. Cleanse them from all their iniquities. Bring them home unto Thee. Let them be Thy people, and let Thee be their God, throughout all the generations of the earth.

5Then Joshua blessed the elders; and he laid his hands upon Eleazar the high priest, and upon Phinehas his son, that the priesthood might pass on in righteousness. And he said: Hold fast unto the law of Moses; turn not aside from it, neither to the right hand nor to the left.

6And after this, Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died — being an hundred and ten years old. And they buried him in the border of his inheritance, in Timnath-serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim. And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, that had known all the works of the Lord.

7Glory be unto the Lord, the God of Joshua, the God of Israel, the God of every faithful generation. Forever and ever. Amen.