Joshua 23

1 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,

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 and well stricken 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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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;

“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 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;

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 unto the Lord your God shall ye cleave, 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 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.

“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 can chase a thousand; for the Lord your God it is that fighteth for you, as he hath spoken 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 good heed therefore for your souls' sake, to love the Lord your God.

So be sure that you continue to love Yahweh our God.

12 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:

“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 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.

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 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.

“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 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.

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 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.

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.”