Joshua 23

1 After many days, when Yahweh had given rest to Israel from all their enemies that around them, and Joshua was old and well 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 Joshua called for all Israel—for their elders, for their leaders, for their judges, and for their officers—and he said to them, “I am very old.

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

3 You have seen everything that Yahweh your God has done to all these nations for your sake, for it is Yahweh 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 Look! I have assigned to you the nations that remain to be conquered as an inheritance for your tribes, along with all the nations I have already destroyed, from the Jordan to the Great Sea in the west.

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 Yahweh your God will drive them out. He will push them out from you. He will seize their land, and you will take possession of their land, just as Yahweh your God promised 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 So be very strong, so that you keep and do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor 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 so you may not mix with these nations that remain among you or mention the names of their gods, swear by them, worship them, or 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 Instead, you must cling to Yahweh your God just as you have done to this day.

Instead, you shall hold fast to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day.

9 For Yahweh has driven out before you large, strong nations. As for you, no one has been able to stand before you to this present day.

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

10 Any single man of your number will make a thousand run away, for Yahweh your God, is the one who fights for you, just as he promised you.

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

11 Pay particular attention, so that you love Yahweh your God.

Therefore watch yourselves carefully, that you love the LORD your God.

12 But if you turn back and cling to the survivors of these nations who remain among you, or if you intermarry with them, or if you come together 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 then know for certain that Yahweh your God will no longer drive these nations out from among you. Instead, they will become a snare and a trap for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land that Yahweh 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 Now I am going the way of all the earth, and you know with all your hearts and souls that not one word has failed to come true of all the good things that Yahweh your God promised about you. All these things have come about for you. Not one of them has 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 But just as every word Yahweh your God promised you has been fulfilled, so Yahweh will bring on you all the evil things until he has destroyed you from this good land that Yahweh your God 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 He will do this if you break the covenant of Yahweh your God, which he commanded you to keep. If you go and worship other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of Yahweh will be kindled against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land that he has given you.”

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.”