< Joshua 23 >
1 And it came to pass after many days after the Lord had given Israel rest from all his enemies round about, that Joshua was old and advanced in years.
And it came to pass, a long time after that the LORD had given rest to Israel from all their enemies on all sides, that Joshua became old [and] advanced in age.
2 And Joshua called together all the children of Israel, and their elders, and their chiefs, and their judges, and their officers; and said to them, I am old and advanced in years.
And Joshua called for all Israel, [and] for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said to them, I am old [and] advanced in age:
3 And you have seen all that the Lord our God has done to all these nations before us; [for it] is the Lord your God who has fought for you.
And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done to all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God [is] he that hath fought for you.
4 See, that I have given to you these nations that are left to you by lots to your tribes, all the nations beginning at Jordan; and [some] I have destroyed; and the boundaries shall be at the great sea westward.
Behold, I have divided to you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even to the great sea westward.
5 And the Lord our God, he shall destroy them before us, until they utterly perish; and he shall send against them the wild beasts, until he shall have utterly destroyed them and their kings from before you; and you shall inherit their land, as the Lord our God said to you.
And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised to you.
6 Do you therefore strive diligently to observe and do all things written in the book of the law of Moses, that you turn not to the right hand or to the left;
Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside from it [to] the right hand or [to] the left;
7 that you go not in among these nations that are left; and the names of their gods shall not be named among you, neither shall you serve them, neither shall you 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 yourselves to them:
8 But you shall cleave to the Lord our God, as you have done until this day.
But cleave to the LORD your God, as ye have done to this day.
9 And the Lord shall destroy them before you, [even] great and strong nations; and no one has stood before us until this day.
For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but [as for] you, no man hath been able to stand before you to this day.
10 One of you has chased a thousand, for the Lord our God, he fought for you, as he said to us.
One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he [it is] that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.
11 And take you great heed to love the Lord our God.
Take good heed therefore to yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.
12 For if you shall turn aside and attach yourselves to these nations that are left with you, and make marriages with them, and become mingled with them and they with you,
Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave to the remnant of these nations, [even] these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and associate with them, and they with you:
13 know that the Lord will no more destroy these nations from before you; and they will be to you snares and stumbling blocks, and nails in your heels, and darts in your eyes, until you be destroyed from off 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 [any of] these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps to you, and scourges 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 But I hasten to go the way [of death], as all that are upon the earth also [do]: and you know in your heart and in your soul, that not one word has fallen [to the ground] of all the words which the Lord our God has spoken respecting all that concerns us; there has not one of them 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 spoke concerning you: all are come to pass to you, [and] not one thing hath failed of it.
15 And it shall come to pass, that as all the good things are come upon us which the Lord God will bring upon you all the evil things, until he shall have destroyed you from off this good land, which the Lord has given you,
Therefore it shall come to pass, [that] as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he hath destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.
16 when you transgress the covenant of the Lord our God, which he has charged us, and go and serve other gods, and bow down to them.
When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed 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 to you.