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 it came to pass after many days, after the Lord had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, and Joshua had grown old and was well 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:

That Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am become old and well 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.

And ye have yourselves seen all that the Lord your God hath done unto all these nations, because of you; for the Lord your God it is that 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.

Behold, I have divided unto you by lot those nations that yet remain, to be an inheritance according to your tribes, from the Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, as far as the great sea, toward the setting of the sun.

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 will indeed expel them from before you, and drive them out from before you; and ye shall possess their land, as the Lord your God hath spoken unto 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;

But be ye very steadfast to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so as not to turn aside therefrom to the right or 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:

So as not to come among these nations, those that are left remaining near you; and of the name of their gods shall ye not make mention, nor cause any to swear thereby, neither shall ye serve them, nor bow yourselves down unto them;

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

But unto the Lord your God shall ye cleave, as ye have done unto 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.

And the Lord drove out from before you great and mighty nations; but as for you, no man hath been able to stand up before you unto this day.

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 can chase a thousand; for the Lord your God it is that fighteth for you, as he hath spoken unto you.

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

Take good heed therefore for your souls' sake, to love 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:

For if ye do in any wise turn back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, those that are left remaining near you, and make marriages with them, and come in among them, and they among 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.

Know for a certainty that the Lord your God will no more drive out these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and stings in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the Lord your God hath given 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, behold, I am going this day the way of all the earth; and ye know with all your heart and with all your soul, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you: all are come to pass unto you, not one thing thereof hath failed.

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.

But it shall come to pass, that as every good thing is come upon you, which the Lord your God spoke unto you: so will the Lord bring upon you every evil thing, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the Lord your God hath given unto 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 transgress the covenant of the Lord your God, which he hath commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow yourselves down to them: then will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.