Joshua 23

1 And it came to pass, after many days, when Yahweh had given rest unto Israel, from all their enemies round about, —and, Joshua, had become old, advanced in days,

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 old, advanced in days;

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 but, ye, have seen—all that Yahweh your God hath done unto all those nations, because of you, —for, Yahweh 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 allotted to you these nations which remain, as an inheritance, for your tribes, —from the Jordan, and all the nations which I have cut off, even unto the great sea, at the going in 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 But, Yahweh your God—he, will thrust them out from before you, and drive them away out of your sight, —so shall ye possess their land, as Yahweh your God spoke 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 Therefore must ye be very firm to observe and to do all that is written in the scroll of the law of Moses, —so as not to turn 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 so as not to go in among these nations, these which remain with you, —and, with the name of their gods, shall ye neither make memorial nor put on oath, and neither serve them, —nor bow down to 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 Yahweh your God, must ye cleave, —as, ye have done until this day;

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

9 therefore hath Yahweh dispossessed, from before you, nations great and strong, —but, as for you, not a man hath stood before you, until 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, Yahweh your God, is he that fighteth for you, as he spake to 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 diligent heed, therefore, unto your souls, —to love Yahweh your God.

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

12 But, if ye, do in any wise turn back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, these which remain with you, —and intermarry with them, and go in with them, and, they, with 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, that Yahweh your God will no further drive out these nations from before you, —but they will become unto you a snare and a hook, and a goad in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye have perished from off this goodly soil, which Yahweh your God hath given unto 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 But lo! I am going to-day, in the way of all the earth, —ye must acknowledge, therefore, with all your heart and with all your soul, that there hath not failed a single thing, out of all the good things which Yahweh your God spake concerning you, the whole, hath come to pass to you, there hath not failed thereof, a single thing.

“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 be that, as all the good things have come unto you, which Yahweh your God spake unto you, so, will Yahweh bring upon you all the evil things, until he hath destroyed you from off this goodly soil, which Yahweh 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 Yahweh your God which he hath commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow yourselves down unto them, then will the anger of Yahweh kindle upon you, and ye will 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.”