Joshua 23

1 A long time later, after the Lord had given peace to the Israelites from conflict with their enemies around them, Joshua, by now really old,

And it came to pass after many days, when the LORD had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, and Joshua was old and well stricken in years;

2 summoned all the Israelites—the elders, leaders, judges, and officials—and told them, “I'm old, getting on in 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 old and well stricken in years:

3 You've seen everything the Lord your God has done to all the nations on your behalf—the Lord your God has been fighting for you.

and ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God, he it is that hath fought for you.

4 I have allotted the land of the remaining nations for you to own, as well as the nations already conquered, from the Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea.

Behold, I have allotted unto you these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun.

5 The Lord your God will make them retreat from you. He will drive them out before you and you will take possession of their land, as the Lord your God promised you.

And the LORD your God, he shall thrust them out from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God spake unto you.

6 Be sure to observe everything that is written in the book of the Law of Moses. Don't stray from it, either to the left or to the right.

Therefore 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;

7 Don't associate with the nations that are left. Don't mention the names of their gods, and don't swear by them, worship them, or bow down to them.

that ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear [by them], neither serve them, nor bow down yourselves unto them:

8 Stay close to the Lord your God, as you have done up to now.

but cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day.

9 The Lord has driven out strong, powerful nations before you. No one has been able to stand up to you to this day.

For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath stood before you unto this day.

10 Just one of you can chase away a thousand enemies, for the Lord your God is fighting for you, as he promised you.

One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he spake unto you.

11 Take great care to love the Lord your God.

Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.

12 For if you do turn from him, and adopt the ways of the nations that are left, if you intermarry with them, associating with one other,

Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you:

13 you can be absolutely sure that the Lord your God will definitely not drive out these nations before you. On the contrary, they will be a trap and a snare to you, a whip on you back and thorns in your eyes until you die out completely from this good land the Lord your God has given you.

know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive these nations from out of your sight; but they shall be a snare and a trap unto you, and a scourge in your sides, and thorns 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 die, the fate of every living thing on the earth. Deep down you know that not a single one of the Lord's good promises has failed. Everything has come true. Not one has failed.

And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, not one thing hath failed thereof.

15 But in the same way that you received all the good things that the Lord you God promised, the Lord will bring on you all the bad things he has threatened until you're completely wiped out from this good land the Lord your God has given you.

And it shall come to pass, that as all the good things are come upon you of which the LORD your God spake unto you, so shall the LORD bring upon you all the evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.

16 If you break the agreement the Lord your God made with you, and you go and worship other gods, bowing down before them, then the Lord will become angry with you, and you will be quickly wiped out from the good land he has given you.”

When ye transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow down yourselves to them; then shall 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.