Joshua 23

1 A long time after the LORD had given Israel rest from all the enemies around them, when Joshua was old and well along in years,

Now a long time passed, after the Lord had given peace to Israel by subjecting all the surrounding nations. And Joshua was now old and very advanced in age.

2 he summoned all Israel, including its elders, leaders, judges, and officers. “I am old and well along in years,” he said,

Joshua called all of Israel, and those greater by birth, and the leaders and rulers and teachers, and he said to them: “I am elderly and advanced in age.

3 “and you have seen everything that the LORD your God has done to all these nations for your sake, because it was the LORD your God who fought for you.

And you yourselves discern all that the Lord your God has done with all the surrounding nations, in what manner he himself has fought for you.

4 See, I have allotted as an inheritance to your tribes these remaining nations, including all the nations I have already cut off, from the Jordan westward to the Great Sea.

And now, since he has divided to you by lot all the land, from the eastern part of the Jordan even to the great sea, and yet many nations still remain,

5 The LORD your God will push them out of your way and drive them out before you, so that you can take possession of their land, as the LORD your God promised you.

the Lord your God will destroy them, and he will take them away before your face, and you shall possess the land, just as he has promised you.

6 Be very strong, then, so that you can keep and obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, not turning aside from it to the right or to the left.

Even so, be strengthened and be careful that you observe all the things that have been written in the book of the law of Moses, and that you do not turn aside from them, neither to the right, nor to the left.

7 So you are not to associate with these nations that remain among you. You must not call on the names of their gods or swear by them, and you must not serve them or bow down to them.

Otherwise, after you have entered to the Gentiles, who will be among you in the future, you might swear by the name of their gods, and serve them, and adore them.

8 Instead, you shall hold fast to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day.

Instead, cling to the Lord your God, just as you have done even to this day.

9 The LORD has driven out great and powerful nations before you, and to this day no one can stand against you.

And then the Lord God will take away, in your sight, nations that are great and very robust, and no one will be able to withstand you.

10 One of you can put a thousand to flight, because the LORD your God fights for you, just as He promised.

One of you shall pursue a thousand men of the enemies. For the Lord your God himself will fight on your behalf, just as he promised.

11 Therefore watch yourselves carefully, that you love the LORD your God.

Even so, be very diligent and careful in this: that you love the Lord your God.

12 For if you turn away and cling to the rest of these nations that remain among you, and if you intermarry and associate with them,

But if you choose to cling to the errors of these nations that live among you, and to mix with them by marriage, and to join with them by friendship,

13 know for sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become for you a snare and a trap, a scourge in your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land that the LORD your God has given you.

even now, know this: that the Lord your God will not wipe them away before your face. Instead, they shall be a pit and a snare to you, and a stumbling block at your side, and stakes in your eyes, until he takes you away and scatters you from this excellent land, which he has delivered to you.

14 Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know with all your heart and soul that not one of the good promises the LORD your God made to you has failed. Everything was fulfilled for you; not one promise has failed.

Lo, today I am entering the way of the entire earth, and you shall know with all your mind that, out of all the words that the Lord has promised to fulfill for you, not one will pass by unfulfilled.

15 But just as every good thing the LORD your God promised you has come to pass, likewise the LORD will bring upon you the calamity He has threatened, until He has destroyed you from this good land He has given you.

Therefore, just as he has fulfilled in deed what he has promised, and all prosperous things have arrived, so will he bring upon you whatever evils were threatened, until he takes you away and scatters you from this excellent land, which he has delivered to you,

16 If you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from this good land He has given you.”

when you will have transgressed the covenant of the Lord your God, which he has formed with you, and will have served strange gods, and will have adored them. And then the fury of the Lord will rise up quickly and speedily against you, and you will be taken away from this excellent land, which he has delivered to you.”