23:1 And it came to pass after many days
after the Lord had given Israel rest from all his enemies round about, that
Joshua was old and advanced in years.
23:2 And Joshua called together all the children of Israel, and their
elders, and their chiefs, and their judges, and their officers; and said to
them, I am old and advanced in years.
23:3 And ye have seen all that the Lord our God has done to all these
nations before us; [for it] is the Lord your God who has fought for you.
23:4 See, that I have given to you these nations that are left to you by
lots to your tribes, all the nations beginning at Jordan; and [some] I have
destroyed; and the boundaries shall be at the great sea westward.
23:5 And the Lord our God, he shall destroy them before us, until they
utterly perish; and he shall send against them the wild beasts, until he
shall have utterly destroyed them and their kings from before you; and ye
shall inherit their land, as the Lord our God said to you.
23:6 Do ye therefore strive diligently to observe and do all things written
in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not to the right hand or to
the left;
23:7 that ye go not in among these nations that are left; and the names of
their gods shall not be named among you, neither shall ye serve them,
neither shall ye bow down to them.
23:8 But ye shall cleave to the Lord our God, as ye have done until this
day.
23:9 And the Lord shall destroy them before you, [even] great and strong
nations; and no one has stood before us until this day.
23:10 One of you has chased a thousand, for the Lord our God, he fought for
you, as he said to us.
23:11 And take ye great heed to love the Lord our God.
23:12 For if ye shall turn aside and attach yourselves to these nations that
are left with you, and make marriages wit them, and become mingled with them
and they with you,
23:13 know that the Lord will no more destroy these nations from before you;
and they will be to you snares and stumbling-blocks, and nails in your
heels, and darts in your eyes, until ye be destroyed from off this good
land, which the Lord your God has given you.
23:14 But I hasten to go the way [of death], as all that are upon the earth
also [do]: and ye know in your heart and in your soul, that not one word has
fallen [to the ground] of all the words which the Lord our God has spoken
respecting all that concerns us; there has not one of them failed.
23:15 And it shall come to pass, that as all the good things are come upon
us which the Lord God will bring upon you all the evil things, until he
shall have destroyed you from off this good land, which the Lord has given
you,
23:16 when ye transgress the covenant of the Lord our God, which he has
charged us, and go and serve other gods, and bow down to them. |
23:1 And it came to pass a long time after
that the LORD had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about,
that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age.
23:2 And Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for their
heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I
am old and stricken in age:
23:3 And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these
nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that hath fought for
you.
23:4 Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be
an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I
have cut off, even unto the great sea westward.
23:5 And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive
them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD
your God hath promised unto you.
23:6 Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written
in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the
right hand or to the left;
23:7 That ye 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 yourselves unto them:
23:8 But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day.
23:9 For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong:
but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day.
23:10 One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is
that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.
23:11 Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your
God.
23:12 Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of
these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages
with them, and go in unto them, and they to you:
23:13 Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any
of these nations 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 hath given you.
23:14 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 thing hath failed of
all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are
come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.
23:15 Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon
you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you
all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which
the LORD your God hath given you.
23:16 When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which he
commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to
them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall
perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you. |