Joshua 23

1 Now after a long time, when the Lord had given Israel rest from wars on every side, and Joshua was old and full of years,

And a long season after that the Lord had giuen rest vnto Israel from all their enemies round about, and Ioshua was olde, and stricken in age,

2 Joshua sent for all Israel, for their responsible men and their chiefs and their judges and their overseers, and said to them, I am old, and full of years:

Then Ioshua called all Israel, and their Elders, and their heads, and their iudges, and their officers, and said vnto them, I am old, and stricken in age.

3 You have seen everything the Lord your God has done to all these nations because of you; for it is the Lord your God who has been fighting for you.

Also ye haue seene all that the Lord your God hath done vnto al these nations before you, howe the Lord your God him selfe hath fought for you.

4 Now I have given to you, as the heritage of your tribes, all these nations which are still in the land, together with those cut off by me, from Jordan as far as the Great Sea on the west.

Beholde, I haue deuided vnto you by lot these nations that remaine, to be an inheritance according to your tribes, from Iorden, with all the nations that I haue destroyed, euen vnto the great Sea Westward.

5 The Lord your God will send them away by force, driving them out before you; and you are to take their land for your heritage, as the Lord your God said to you.

And the Lord your God shall expell them before you, and cast them out of your sight, and ye shall possesse their land, as the Lord your God hath said vnto you.

6 So be very strong to keep and do whatever is recorded in the book of the law of Moses, not turning away from it to the right or to the left;

Be ye therefore of a valiant courage, to obserue and doe all that is written in the booke of the Lawe of Moses, that ye turne not therefrom to the right hand nor to the left,

7 Have nothing to do with these nations who still are living among you; let not their gods be named by you or used in your oaths; do not be their servants or give them worship:

Neither companie with these nations: that is, with them which are left with you, neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to sweare by them, neither serue them nor bowe vnto them:

8 But be true to the Lord your God as you have been till this day.

But sticke fast vnto the Lord your God, as ye haue done vnto this day.

9 For the Lord has sent out from before you nations great and strong: and they have all given way before you till this day.

For ye Lord hath cast out before you great nations and mightie, and no man hath stand before your face hitherto.

10 One man of you is able to put to flight a thousand; for it is the Lord your God who is fighting for you, as he has said to you.

One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the Lord your God, he fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.

11 So keep watch on yourselves, and see that you have love for the Lord your God.

Take good heede therefore vnto your selues, that ye loue the Lord your God.

12 For if you go back, joining yourselves to the rest of these nations who are still among you, getting married to them and living with them and they with you:

Els, if ye goe backe, and cleaue vnto the rest of these nations: that is, of them that remaine with you, and shall make marriages with them, and goe vnto them, and they to you,

13 Then you may be certain that the Lord your God will not go on driving these nations out from before you; but they will become a danger and a cause of sin to you, a whip for your sides and thorns in your eyes, till you are cut off from this good land which the Lord your God has given you.

Knowe ye for certaine, that the Lord your God will cast out no more of these nations from before you: but they shall be a snare and destruction vnto you, and a whip on your sides, and thornes in your eyes, vntill ye perish out of this good land, which ye Lord your God hath giue you.

14 Now I am about to go the way of all the earth: and you have seen and are certain, all of you, in your hearts and souls, that in all the good things which the Lord said about you, he has kept faith with you; everything has come true for you.

And beholde, this day do I enter into the way of all ye world, and ye know in al your heartes and in all your soules, that nothing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God promised you, but all are come to passe vnto you: nothing hath failed thereof.

15 And you will see that, as all the good things which the Lord your God undertook to do for you, have come to you, so the Lord will send down on you all the evil things till he has made your destruction complete, and you are cut off from the good land which the Lord your God has given you.

Therefore as all good things are come vpon you, which the Lord your God promised you, so shall the Lord bring vpon you euery euill thing, vntill he haue destroyed you out of this good land, which ye Lord your God hath giue you.

16 If the agreement of the Lord your God, which was given to you by his orders, is broken, and you become the servants of other gods and give them worship, then the wrath of the Lord will be burning against you, and you will quickly be cut off from the good land which he has given you.

When ye shall transgresse the couenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and shall goe and serue other gods, and bowe your selues to them, then shall the wrath of the Lord waxe hote against you, and ye shall perish quickely out of the good lande which he hath giuen you.