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.

A long time after the LORD had given Israel rest from all the enemies around them, when Joshua was old and well along in years,

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.

he summoned all Israel, including its elders, leaders, judges, and officers. “I am old and well along in years,” he said,

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 you have seen everything that the LORD your God has done to all these nations for your sake, because it was the LORD your God who 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.

See, I have allotted as an inheritance to your tribes these remaining nations, including all the nations I have already cut off, from the Jordan westward to the Great Sea.

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.

The LORD your God will push them out of your way and drive them out before you, so that you can take possession of their land, as the LORD your God promised 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 very strong, then, so that you can keep and obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, not turning aside from it to the right or to the left.

7 that you go not in amongst these nations that are left; and the names of their gods shall not be named amongst you, neither shall you serve them, neither shall you bow down to them.

So you are not to associate with these nations that remain among you. You must not call on the names of their gods or swear by them, and you must not serve them or bow down to them.

8 But you shall cleave to the Lord our God, as you have done until this day.

Instead, you shall hold fast to the LORD your God, as you 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.

The LORD has driven out great and powerful nations before you, and to this day no one can stand against you.

10 One of you has chased a thousand, for the Lord our God, he fought for you, as he said to us.

One of you can put a thousand to flight, because the LORD your God fights for you, just as He promised.

11 And take you great heed to love the Lord our God.

Therefore watch yourselves carefully, that you 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,

For if you turn away and cling to the rest of these nations that remain among you, and if you intermarry and associate with them,

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 sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become for you a snare and a trap, a scourge in your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land that the LORD your God has 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.

Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know with all your heart and soul that not one of the good promises the LORD your God made to you has failed. Everything was fulfilled for you; not one promise has failed.

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,

But just as every good thing the LORD your God promised you has come to pass, likewise the LORD will bring upon you the calamity He has threatened, until He has destroyed you from this good land He has 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.

If you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from this good land He has given you.”