Josh 23
1
And it came to pass after many days, when YHWH had given rest to Israel from all their
enemies round about, and Joshua was old and well stricken in years;
2
that Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders and for their heads, and for their
judges and for their officers, and said to them, I am old and well stricken in years:
3
and you have seen all that YHWH your God has done to all these nations because of
you; for YHWH your God, he it is that has fought for you.
4
Behold, I have allotted to you these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for
your tribes, from the Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even to the
great sea toward the going down of the sun.
5
And YHWH your God, he will thrust them out from before you, and drive them from out
of your sight; and you shall possess their land, as YHWH your God spoke to you.
6
Therefore be you very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book
of the law of Moses, that you turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the
left;
7
that you come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention
of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear [by them], neither serve them, nor bow
down yourselves to them;
8
but cleave to YHWH your God, as you have done to this day.
9
For YHWH has driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you,
no man has stood before you to this day.
10
One man of you shall chase a thousand; for YHWH your God, he it is that fights for
you, as he spoke to you.
11
Take good heed therefore to yourselves, that you love YHWH your God.
12
Else if you do at all go back, and cleave to the remnant of these nations, even these
that remain among you, and make marriages with them, and go in to them, and they to
you;
13
know for a certainty that YHWH your God will no more drive these nations from out
of your sight; but they shall be a snare and a trap to you, and a scourge in your
sides, and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which YHWH
your God has given you.
14
And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and you know in all your
hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing has failed of all the good things
which YHWH your God spoke concerning you; all are come to pass to you, not one thing
has failed thereof.
15
And it shall come to pass, that as all the good things are come upon you of which
YHWH your God spoke to you, so will YHWH bring upon you all the evil things, until
he have destroyed you from off this good land which YHWH your God has given you.
16
When you transgress the covenant of YHWH your God, which he commanded you, and go
and serve other gods, and bow down yourselves to them; then will the anger of YHWH
be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from off the good land which
he has given to you.