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,

Yahweh enabled the Israelis to live peacefully [for many years] with the people-groups that were around them.

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 was now very old. [One day] he summoned the leaders of the tribes of Israel, the leaders of the clans, the judges, and [other] officials. He said to them, “I am now very old.

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 people have seen what Yahweh our God has done to help you defeat the people-groups [that lived in this land]. Yahweh our God has fought 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.

But do not forget that he has given to you all this land, from the Jordan [River in the east] to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, all this land that I have allotted to you.

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.

Yahweh our God will compel the people who are still living there to leave. He will push them out as you advance. Then the land will be yours, as Yahweh has promised 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;

“Be sure that you obey all the laws that are in the book that Moses wrote. Do not disobey any part of it [IDM].

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;

Do not associate with the people who live among us [who are not Israelis and who worship other gods]. Do not mention the names of their gods, and do not use the names of their gods when you promise to do something. Do not serve their gods or worship them.

8 but ye shall cleave unto Jehovah your God, as ye have done unto this day.

You must continue to do what Yahweh our God wants us to do, as you have been doing.

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.

“Yahweh has forced [many] very powerful people-groups to leave as you advanced. No people-group has been able to defeat you.

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.

Each of you will be able to cause 1,000 of them to run away, because Yahweh your God will fight for you, just like he promised to do.

11 Take great heed therefore unto your souls, that ye love Jehovah your God.

So be sure that you continue to love Yahweh our 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:

“If you turn away from doing what Yahweh desires and you associate with the people who are not Israelis, and if you marry them,

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 can be sure that Yahweh our God will not help you to expel those people-groups from your land. They will be [like] traps [DOU, MET] [that will catch you]. They will be [like] whips [that strike] your backs, and like thorns [that will scratch] your eyes. As a result, none of you will be left in this good land that Yahweh our God is giving to 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.

“It is almost time for me to die, like everyone does [EUP]. You know in your hearts [DOU] that Yahweh has done for you [LIT] everything that he promised to do.

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;

He has given to you all the good things that he promised. In the same way, the other things that he promised, [things that are not good], will also happen. He said that if you do what is evil, he will get rid of you and send you away from this good land that he has given to 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.

That will happen if you do not obey the commands that Yahweh our God told you to obey. If you serve other gods and worship them, Yahweh will become very angry with you. Very quickly [he will expel you from] this good land that he has given to you, [and] none of you will be left here.”