Joshua 23

1 Yahweh enabled the Israelis to live peacefully [for many years] with the people-groups that were around them.

And a long season after that the Lord had giuen rest vnto Israel from all their enemies round about, and Ioshua was olde, and stricken in age,

2 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.

Then Ioshua called all Israel, and their Elders, and their heads, and their iudges, and their officers, and said vnto them, I am old, and stricken in age.

3 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.

Also ye haue seene all that the Lord your God hath done vnto al these nations before you, howe the Lord your God him selfe hath fought for you.

4 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.

Beholde, I haue deuided vnto you by lot these nations that remaine, to be an inheritance according to your tribes, from Iorden, with all the nations that I haue destroyed, euen vnto the great Sea Westward.

5 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.

And the Lord your God shall expell them before you, and cast them out of your sight, and ye shall possesse their land, as the Lord your God hath said vnto you.

6 “Be sure that you obey all the laws that are in the book that Moses wrote. Do not disobey any part of it [IDM].

Be ye therefore of a valiant courage, to obserue and doe all that is written in the booke of the Lawe of Moses, that ye turne not therefrom to the right hand nor to the left,

7 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.

Neither companie with these nations: that is, with them which are left with you, neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to sweare by them, neither serue them nor bowe vnto them:

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

But sticke fast vnto the Lord your God, as ye haue done vnto this day.

9 “Yahweh has forced [many] very powerful people-groups to leave as you advanced. No people-group has been able to defeat you.

For ye Lord hath cast out before you great nations and mightie, and no man hath stand before your face hitherto.

10 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.

One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the Lord your God, he fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.

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

Take good heede therefore vnto your selues, that ye loue the Lord your God.

12 “If you turn away from doing what Yahweh desires and you associate with the people who are not Israelis, and if you marry them,

Els, if ye goe backe, and cleaue vnto the rest of these nations: that is, of them that remaine with you, and shall make marriages with them, and goe vnto them, and they to you,

13 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.

Knowe ye for certaine, that the Lord your God will cast out no more of these nations from before you: but they shall be a snare and destruction vnto you, and a whip on your sides, and thornes in your eyes, vntill ye perish out of this good land, which ye Lord your God hath giue you.

14 “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.

And beholde, this day do I enter into the way of all ye world, and ye know in al your heartes and in all your soules, that nothing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God promised you, but all are come to passe vnto you: nothing hath failed thereof.

15 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.

Therefore as all good things are come vpon you, which the Lord your God promised you, so shall the Lord bring vpon you euery euill thing, vntill he haue destroyed you out of this good land, which ye Lord your God hath giue you.

16 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.”

When ye shall transgresse the couenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and shall goe and serue other gods, and bowe your selues to them, then shall the wrath of the Lord waxe hote against you, and ye shall perish quickely out of the good lande which he hath giuen you.