Joshua 23

Joshua's Charge to Israel's Leaders

1 And it came to pass many days after the LORD had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age. 2 And Joshua called for all Israel and for their elders and for their princes and for their judges and for their officers and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age; 3 and ye have seen all that the LORD your God has done with all these Gentiles in your presence; for the LORD your God has fought for you. 4 Behold, I have divided unto you as inheritance unto your tribes all these Gentiles, those that remain as well as those that are destroyed, from the Jordan unto the great sea towards the going down of the sun. 5 And the LORD your God, shall expel them from before you and drive them from out of your presence; and ye shall possess their lands, as the LORD your God has promised unto you. 6 Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses without turning aside to the right hand or to the left 7 that ye not enter in among these Gentiles that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them, 8 but cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day. 9 For the LORD has driven out from before you great and strong Gentiles; and until now no one has been able to stand before your face. 10 One man of you has chased a thousand; for the LORD your God, he himself has fought for you, as he has promised you. 11 Therefore take heed for your souls that ye love the LORD your God. 12 Because if ye do in any wise go back and cleave unto the remnant of these Gentiles that remain among you and shall make marriages with them and go in unto them and they to you, 13 know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no longer drive out any of these Gentiles from before you, but they shall be snares and traps unto you and scourges in your sides and thorns in your eyes until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God has given you.

14 And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing has failed thereof. 15 Therefore it shall come to pass that as all the good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you, so shall the LORD bring upon you all the evil things until he has destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God has given you 16 when ye shall transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, going in and serving other gods and bowing yourselves to them. And the anger of the LORD shall be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he has given unto you.

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