Joshua 23
1 And it came to pass a long time after that Jehovah had given rest to Israel from all their enemies round about, and Joshua had become old, advanced in age,
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,
2 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, advanced in age;
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:
3 and ye have seen all that Jehovah your God hath done to all these nations because of you. For Jehovah your God is he that hath fought for you.
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.
4 Behold, I have divided unto you by lot for an inheritance, according to your tribes, these nations that remain, from the Jordan, as well as all the nations that I have cut off, as far as the great sea toward the sun-setting.
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.
5 And Jehovah your God, he will expel them from before you, and dispossess them from out of your sight; and ye shall take possession of their land, as Jehovah your God hath said unto you.
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.
6 And be ye very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;
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;
7 that ye enter not among these nations, these that remain among you; and ye shall make no mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear [by them], neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them;
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:
8 but ye shall cleave unto Jehovah your God, as ye have done unto this day.
But be true to the Lord your God as you have been till this day.
9 For Jehovah hath dispossessed from before you great and strong nations; and as to you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day.
For the Lord has sent out from before you nations great and strong: and they have all given way before you till this day.
10 One man of you chaseth a thousand; for Jehovah your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath said unto you.
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.
11 Take great heed therefore unto your souls, that ye love Jehovah your God.
So keep watch on yourselves, and see that you have love for the Lord your God.
12 For if ye in any wise go back, and cleave unto the residue of these nations, these that remain among you, and make marriages with them, and come in unto them and they unto you:
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:
13 know for a certainty that Jehovah your God will no more dispossess these nations from before you, and they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which Jehovah your God hath given you.
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.
14 And behold, I am going this day the way of all the earth; and ye know in all your heart, and in all your soul, that not one thing hath failed of all the good words that Jehovah your God hath spoken concerning you: all are come to pass unto you — not one thing hath failed thereof.
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.
15 But it shall come to pass, that as every good word hath been fulfilled to you, that Jehovah your God spoke to you, so will Jehovah bring upon you every evil word, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which Jehovah your God hath given you;
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.
16 when ye transgress the covenant of Jehovah your God which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow yourselves unto them, so that the anger of Jehovah shall be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.
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.
